AS THE YEAR draws to a close, the number of record-of-the-year lists approaches total overload. But if you came here looking for relief, you came to the wrong place. We asked local musicians, bookers, label heads, and many more fine folks from Portlandās illustrious music scene for their top five records of the year. They responded with a staggering array of the sounds Portlanders fell in love with in 2012.
Far and away, Father John Mistyās Fear Fun turned up on the most lists; Frank Oceanās Channel Orange and Kendrick Lamarās Good Kid, M.A.A.D City were a bit further behind. Swanās double album (and feel-good romp) The Seer also got a respectable number of nods, and Tame Impalaās Lonerism received plenty of love as well.
We had so many responses that they didnāt all fit in the paper, but we've got them all here. It's a lot of lists, but we'd still like more (the holidays make us greedy), so in the comments at the bottom, submit your own!
Matt King (Mississippi Studios)
1. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
2. The Men, Open Your Heart
3. Hundred Waters, Hundred Waters
4. Django Django, Django Django
5. Swans, The Seer
Jason Rivera (Gaytheist)
1. Wizard Rifle, Speak Loud Say Nothing
2. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
3. Rabbits, Bites Rites
4. Antony and the Johnsons, Cut the World
5. AU, Both Lights
Bryan A. Deckert (Doug Fir)
1. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
2. Poliça, Give You the Ghost
3. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
4. First Aid Kit, The Lionās Roar
5. Tame Impala, Lonerism
Matt Brown (Bladen County Records, Bunk Bar, Trigger)
1. Tame Impala, Lonerism
2. Baroness, Yellow and Green
3. Little Bighorn, Chaperones
4. Metz, Metz
5. Hiss Golden Messenger, Poor Moon
Trevor Solomon (MusicfestNW)
1. The Men, Open Your Heart
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Heist
4. The Walkmen, Heaven
5. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
Brooklyn Baggett (Octopus Entertainment)
1. The xx, Coexist
2. Grizzly Bear, Shields
3. My Goodness, My Goodness
4. Rags and Ribbons, The Glass Masses
5. Poliça, Give You the Ghost
Aaron Colter (Banana Stand Media)
1. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
2. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
3. El-P, Cancer 4 Cure
4. Y la Bamba, Court the Storm
5. Sunset Pig, Please No Head Trauma!
Chris Uehlein (Unkle Funkle, White Fang, Gnar Tapes)
1. The Memories, The Memories
2. Street Gnar, Study Wall
3. DJ Free Weed, Transit Tracker
4. Fuzz Puddle, Puddle of Fuzz
5. Gap Dream, Gap Dream
Terry Currier (Music Millennium)
1. The Grip Weeds, Speed of Live
2. Joey Ramone, ...Ya Know?
3. Chris Knight, Little Victories
4. Ian Hunter, When Iām President
5. JD McPherson, Signs and Signifiers
Evan Way (The Parson Red Heads)
1. Lambchop, Mr. M
2. Hiss Golden Messenger, Poor Moon
3. The World Record, Freeway Special
4. Sun Kil Moon, Among the Leaves
5. Beachwood Sparks, The Tarnished Gold
Ned Lannamann (Portland Mercury)
1. Lost Lander, DRRT
2. Kishi Bashi, 151a
3. Titus Andronicus, Local Business
4. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
5. Cate Le Bon, Cyrk
Isaac Slusarenko (Jackpot Records)
1. Metz, Metz
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. The Velvet Underground, Scepter Studios Sessions
4. Ty Segall, Twins
5. Crystal Syphon, Family Evil
Chris Cantino (Into the Woods, 2ØXX, PDX Pop Now!)
1. Arca, Stretch 1
2. Jeremih, Late Nights
3. Airsports, Airsports
4. Romcom, WAVrunner
5. Naomi Punk, The Feeling
Chris Mays (101.9 KINK FM)
1. The Lumineers, The Lumineers
2. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
3. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
4. Jack White, Blunderbuss
5. Mumford and Sons, Babel
Bim Ditson (And And And, Rigsketball)
1. The We Shared Milk, History of Voyager and Legend Tripping
2. The Woolen Men, The Woolen Men
3. Minden, Exotic Cakes
4. Unkle Funkle, Picture of My Dick
5. Talkative, Frantically
Dan Vidmar (Shy Girls)
1. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
2. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
3. Jay Park, New Breed
4. Justin Bieber, Believe
5. Azealia Banks, 1991
Sallie Ford (Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside)
1. Diamond Rugs, Diamond Rugs
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Mac DeMarco, 2
4. Allah-Las, Allah-Las
5. Emily Wells, Mama
Andrew Neerman, Beacon Sound
1. Andy Stott, Luxury Problems
2. Chromatics, Kill for Love
3. Cat Power, Sun
4. Pye Corner Audio, Sleep Games
5. Daphni, Jiaolong
Robert Ham (freelance writer, Good to Die Records)
1. Swans, The Seer
2. Tussle, Tempest
3. Mykki Blanco, Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss
4. Horseback, Half Blood
5. THEESatisfaction, awE naturalE
Good Night Billygoat
1. Air, Le Voyage dans la Lune
2. Anonymous (Tonality Star of PWRHAUS), Down at the Roller Rink
3. Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe
4. The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Aufheben
5. Miike Snow, Happy to You
Alex Arrowsmith
1. Tame Impala, Lonerism
2. Beach House, Bloom
3. Café Tacvba, El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco
4. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
5. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
Em Brownlowe (The Happening, Cassingle and Loving It Records)
1. Agent Ribbons, Family Haircut
2. Cat Power, Sun
3. The Mallard, Yes on Blood
4. Orca Team, Restraint
5. Garbage, Not Your Kind of People
Rachel Rhymes (Record Room, Cassingle and Loving It Records)
1. Nucular Aminals, Start from an End
2. Beach House, Bloom
3. DIIV, Oshin
4. Deep Time, Deep Time
5. Chromatics, Kill for Love
Christina Broussard (Mercury contributor, Sci Fi Sol Music)
1. Animal Bodies, Kiss of the Fang
2. True Widow, As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth
3. 214, Fuzzy Leash
4. Steve Moore, Zero-Point Field
5. Monolake, Ghosts
Garth Klippert (Old Light)
1. MSG, Peak of Excitement (DVD)
2. Mike Coykendall, Chasing Away the Dots
3. Here We Go Magic, A Different Ship
4. Thee Oh Sees, Putrifiers II
5. Boron, The Beige Album
Ken Cheppaikode (Dirtnap Records, Green Noise Records)
1. Tyvek, On Triple Beams
2. Sugar Stems, Canāt Wait
3. The Splits, The Splits
4. Youthbitch, Donāt Fuck This Up
5. OBN IIIs, OBN IIIs
Claudia Meza (Stay Calm)
1. Chromatics, Kill for Love
2. Golden Retriever, Occupied with the Unspoken
3. 2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story
4. Bikini Kill, reissues
5. Grapefruit, Grapefruit
Johnny Magdaleno (Mercury contributor)
1. Converge, All We Love We Leave Behind
2. Port St. Willow, Holiday
3. Mac DeMarco, 2
4. Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes
5. Liars, WIXIW
Jason Simms (The Oregonian)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. Witch Mountain, Cauldron of the Wild
3. The Beach Boys, Thatās Why God Made the Radio
4. Atriarch, Ritual of Passing
5. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
Ezra Ace Caraeff (Mercury contributor, the Old Gold)
1. Bat for Lashes, The Haunted Man
2. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
3. Lee Fields and the Expressions, Faithful Man
4. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
5. Justin Townes Earle, Nothingās Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
Jordan Kinley (Into the Woods)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. The Memories, The Memories
3. Arca, Stretch 2
4. Hudson Mohawke x Lunice, Tnght
5. Daphni, Daphni
Auggie Rebelo (Everyday Music)
1. Hospitality, Hospitality
2. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
3. Julia Holter, Ekstasis
4. Tanlines, Mixed Emotions
5. DIIV, Oshin
Rachel Milbauer (Mercury contributor)
1. Dr. Dog, Be the Void
2. Heartless Bastards, Arrow
3. Menomena, Moms
4. David Byrne and St. Vincent, Love This Giant
5. Weinland, Los Processaur
Chad Crouch (Hush Records)
1. Peter Broderick, http://itstartshear.com
2. Laura Gibson, La Grande
3. Black Prairie, A Tear in the Eye Is a Wound in the Heart
4. Lost Lander, DRRT
5. Super XX Man, Sorta Heavy Metal
Jason Leivian (Floating World Comics, Arthur Magazine)
1. Moon Duo, Circles
2. Psychic Ills, Hazed Dream
3. Julia Holter, Ekstasis
4. Frankie Rose, Interstellar
5. Killer Mike, R.A.P. Music
Jake Morris (Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Street Nights, H∞kers)
1. Ty Segall, Twins
2. Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse
3. Ty Segall and White Fence, Hair
4. Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos
5. The Walkmen, Heaven
Tyler Keene (Log Across the Washer)
1. Bob Dylan, Tempest
2. The Mars Volta, Noctourniquet
3. Keyshia Cole, Woman To Woman
4. The We Shared Milk, History of Voyager and Legend Tripping
5. 2ØXX, 3D_ØRB
Lane Barrington (The Ocean Floor, Sprinkles)
1. Hundred Waters, Hundred Waters
2. Mount Eerie, Clear Moon
3. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
4. Mouse on Mars, Parastrophics
5. Lambchop, Mr. M
Jon Barron (SMMR BMMR, Therapists, Lamebrain)
1. Youthbitch, Donāt Fuck This Up
2. Sex Church, Somnabulist
3. The UV Race, Racism
4. Lamps, Under the Water Under the Ground
5. Joey Ramone, ...Ya Know?
Anthony Stassi (Hônt)
1. Dr. John, Locked Down
2. Grapefruit, Grapefruit
3. The Soft Pack, Strapped
4. Death Grips, The Money Store
5. Metz, Metz
Doug Rogers (Slabtown)
1. Iceland, Carrion
2. Rabbits, Bites Rites
3. Big Eyes, Back from the Moon
4. Nude Beach, II
5. The Cry!, The Cry!
Nathan Carson (Nanotear Booking, Witch Mountain, Willamette Week)
1. Rush, Clockwork Angels
2. Lost Lockets, Love Not Fear
3. Ides of Gemini, Constantinople
4. Agalloch, Faustian Echoes
5. Atriarch, Ritual of Passing
Papi Fimbres (Paper Upper Cuts, Sun Angle, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical)
1. Gulls, #Realtime
2. Death Songs, Death Songs 7-inch
3. Grapefruit, Pinks Quieter
4. Grandparents, Fumes
5. AU, Both Lights
R. Jared White (Clinton Street Record & Stereo, 2510 Records, DJ Maxx Bass)
1. Uku Kuut, Vision of Estonia
2. Andy Stott, Luxury Problems
3. E-40 and Too Short, History: Mob Music/Function Music
4. Legowelt, The Paranormal Soul
5. Lil Ugly Mane, Mista Thug Isolation
Josh Hughes (Rabbits)
1. Goat, World Music
2. Swans, The Seer
3. Gaytheist, Stealth Beats
4. K-Holes, Dismania
5. VUM, Laura Palmer
Julie Vitells (What Hearts)
1. Y la Bamba, Court the Storm
2. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
3. Michael Hurley, Back Home with Drifting Woods
4. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
5. Ramona Falls, Prophet
Arya Imig (OPBmusic, Backspace, Someday Lounge)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
3. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
4. David Byrne and St. Vincent, Love This Giant
5. Crocodiles, Endless Flowers
Nathan Detroit (Booty Bassment)
1. Chromatics, Kill For Love
2. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
3. Todd Terje, Inspector Norse
4. John Talabot, Fin
5. Ariel Pinkās Haunted Graffiti, Mature Themes
Terry Groves (Pickathon)
1. Beachwood Sparks, The Tarnished Gold
2. Thee Oh Sees, Putrifier II
3. Woods, Bend Beyond
4. Sonny and the Sunsets, Longtime Companion
5. Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man
Brandon Day (Marmoset Music)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
3. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
4. Poor Moon, Poor Moon
5. Sonny and the Sunsets, Longtime Companion
Jon Ragel (Boy Eats Drum Machine)
1. Kid Koala, 12 Bit Blues
2. Dark Time Sunshine, ANX
3. Mpala Guroo, Ou Du Monde
4. Trust, TRST
5. Xiu Xiu, Always
Pete Bosack (Wax Fingers)
1. Grizzly Bear, Shields
2. Liars, WIXIW
3. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
4. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
5. David Byrne and St. Vincent, Love This Giant
David Rose (The Know, Bulkhead Records)
1. Wiccans, Field II
2. Ghostwriter, Prayinā All the Time
3. Bi-Marks, Bi-Marks 7-inch
4. Nucular Aminals, Start from an End
5. Synthetic ID, Synthetic ID 7-inch
Scott Magee (DJ Cooky Parker, Y la Bamba)
1. Cool Million, III
2. Breakbot, By Your Side
3. Dark Dark Dark, Who Needs Who
4. Miguel, Kaleidoscope Dream
5. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
Laura Veirs
1. Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man
2. Lau, Race the Loser
3. Beth Orton, Sugaring Season
4. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
5. Brad Meldau Trio, Ode
Anna Jensen (Doug Fir)
1. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
4. Shovels and Rope, Oā Be Joyful
5. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
Jonathan Kreitler (Mustard Revolution)
1. Tame Impala, Lonerism
2. Cate Le Bon, Cyrk
3. Tu Fawning, A Monument
4. Woods, Bend Beyond
5. King Tuff, King Tuff
Arian Jalali (Concrete Floor, Onuinu, Dubais)
1. X-TG, Desertshore/The Final Report
2. Gatekeeper, Exo
3. Litanic Mask, Litanic Mask
4. White Car, Everyday Grace
5. Nic Hamersly, Wonderland
Morgan Troper (Mercury contributor, Your Rival)
1. The Sidekicks, Awkward Breeds
2. Redd Kross, Researching the Blues
3. Ben Folds Five, The Sound of the Life of the Mind
4. Title Fight, Floral Green
5. Pity Sex, Dark World
Jim Brunberg (Mississippi Studios)
1. David Byrne and St. Vincent, Love This Giant
2. Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas
3. Tindersticks, The Something Rain
4. Laura Gibson, La Grande
5. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
Kenny Fresh (FRSH SLCTS)
1. Hawthorne Headhunters, Myriad of Now
2. Sonnymoon, Sonnymoon
3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
4. Tame Impala, Lonerism
5. Hiatus Kaiyote, Tawk Tomahawk
Brent Knopf (Ramona Falls)
1. Kishi Bashi, 151a
2. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
3. Micachu and the Shapes, Never
4. Tu Fawning, A Monument
5. Dana Buoy, Summer Bodies
Harrison Rapp (Divers)
1. King Tuff, King Tuff
2. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
3. Neon Piss, Neon Piss
4. Nude Beach, II
5. Larry Yes and the Tangled Mess, The Next Wave of Omnigalactic Peace Warriors
Matt Sheehy (Lost Lander)
1. Dana Buoy, Summer Bodies
2. Talk Talk, Spirit of Eden (reissue)
3. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
4. Niki and the Dove, Instinct
5. Spiritualized, Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Mark Lore (Mercury contributor, thedaysoflore.com)
1. Tilts, Tilts
2. Swans, The Seer
3. Lisabö, Animalia Lotsatuen Putzua
4. King Tuff, King Tuff
5. Ozarks, Ozarks
The Suicide Notes
1. The Flip-Tops, Are Still a Band
2. The Satin Chaps, Might I Suggest
3. Imperial State Electric, Pop War
4. King Tuff, King Tuff
5. Unnatural Helpers, Land Grab
Radiation City
1. Chairlift, Something
2. Tame Impala, Lonerism
3. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
4. Abadabad, The Wild EP
5. Opossom, Electric Hawaii
Jason Quigley (music photographer)
1. Corin Tucker Band, Kill My Blues
2. Menomena, Moms
3. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
4. Deer or the Doe, Tonight We Love You
5. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
Leonard Mynx
1. Insane Clown Posse, The Mighty Death Pop!
2. Hoobastank, Fight or Flight
3. John Mayer, Born and Raised
4. Municipal Waste, The Fatal Feast
5. Lamb of God, Resolution
Nate Query (Black Prairie, the Decemberists)
1. Lavender Diamond, Incorruptible Heart
2. Carolina Chocolate Drops, Leaving Eden
3. Lost Lander, DRRT
4. Vijay Iyer Trio, Accelerando
5. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
Tim LaBarge (photographer)
1. Damian Jurado, Maraqopa
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Foxygen, Take the Kids Off Broadway
4. Patrick Watson, Adventures in Your Own Backyard
5. The Tallest Man on Earth, Thereās No Leaving Now
Louie Herr (Banana Stand Media)
1. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
2. Onuinu, Mirror Gazer
3. The We Shared Milk, History of Voyager and Legend Tripping
4. The Memories, The Memories
5. Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse
Geoff Soule (Sad Horse)
1. The Great Unwashed, Clean Out of Our Minds
2. The Woolen Men, The Woolen Men
3. Mahmoud Ahmed, Mahmoud Ahmed (reissue)
4. Francis Bebey, African Electronic Music 1975-1982
5. Julia Holter, Ekstasis
Ryan Wines (Marmoset Music)
1. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
2. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
3. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
4. Delta Spirit, Delta Spirit
5. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
Angry Symphony Guy
1. Oregon Symphony, This England
2. Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
3. Ben Folds Five, The Sound of the Life of the Mind
4. Dana Buoy, Summer Bodies
5. John Mayer, Born and Raised
Rachel Taylor Brown
1. Leigh Marble, Where the Knives Meet Between the Rows
2. Michael the Blind and the Els, Areās and Els
3. The Universal Thump, The Universal Thump
4. The Darkness, Hot Cakes
5. Sweater!, Hesperus Rex
Tom Meluch (Benoît Pioulard)
1. Kyle Bobby Dunn, Bring Me the Head of Kyle Bobby Dunn
2. Portraits, Portraits
3. Superstorms, Superstorms
4. Mirrorring, Foreign Body
5. Felix, Oh Holy Molar
Christopher Michael (Boom!)
1. Unkle Funkle, Picture of My Dick
2. Natural Child, For the Love of the Game
3. Terry Malts, Killing Time
4. Taylor Swift, Red
5. The Memories, Love Is the Law
Michael Rowan, Andrew Clyde, Josh Smith (Charts)
1. The Woolen Men, The Woolen Men
2. Nathan Baumgarter and Tyler Keene, Sounds from Dancing in the USA, Volume 1
3. The We Shared Milk, The History of Voyager and Legend Tripping
4. Death Songs, Death Songs 7-inch
5. And And And, No Party 7-inch
Michael G. Levasseur (Michael the Blind and the Els)
1. Towering Trees, Towering/Trees
2. Blood Beach, āDead Maesterās Tongueā 7-inch
3. Lewi Longmire, Tales of the Left Coast Roasters
4. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
5. Black Prairie, A Tear in the Eye Is a Wound in the Heart
Gina Altamura (Holocene)
1. Purity Ring, Shrines
2. How to Dress Well, Total Loss
3. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
4. Laurel Halo, Quarantine
5. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
Heather Larimer (Eux Autres)
1. Allo Darlinā, Europe
2. Ariel Pinkās Haunted Graffiti, Mature Themes
3. King Tuff, King Tuff
4. Deerhoof, Breakup Song
5. Jaill, Traps
Chris Young (Oregon Music News)
1. Lost Lander, DRRT
2. Onuinu, Mirror Gazer
3. Chromatics, Kill for Love
4. Shadows on Stars, Shadows on Stars
5. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
Nalin Silva (Revolver Studios, Kellyās Olympian, Mississippi Studios)
1. The We Shared Milk, History of Voyager and Legend Tripping
2. Tiger House, Acid Banshee//Camel Party
3. Federale, The Blood Flowed Like Wine
4. Paper Brain, Begin Again
5. Talkative, Live from the Banana Stand
Sean Spellman (Quiet Life)
1. Ryan Doyle, Three Quarter Day Blues
2. Cotton Jones, About the Game 7-inch
3. Mike Quinn, Youngs
4. Barna Howard, Barna Howard
5. Denver, Denver
Josh Vincent, Jon Kitchens, Paul Farning (Lord)
1. Botanist, III: Doom in Bloom
2. U Sco, Nest
3. Krallice, Years Past Matter
4. Fat32, Fat32
5. Secret Chiefs 3, La Chanson de Jacky / The Western Exile
Reed Wallsmith (Blue Cranes, Battle Hymns and Gardens, AU)
1. Zammuto, Zammuto
2. Golden Retriever, Occupied with the Unspoken
3. Black Prairie, A Tear in the Eye Is a Wound in the Heart
4. Brian Blade, Mama Rosa
5. Tim Berne, Snakeoil
The No Tomorrow Boys
1. Youthbitch, Donāt Fuck This Up
2. Primitive Idols, Primitive Idols 7-inch
3. The Lovesores, āFast Friendsā 7-inch
4. The Suicide Notes, āHey Baby!ā 7-inch
5. Guantanamo Baywatch, Chest Crawl
Jarad Miles (Jarad Miles in Ancient Wave)
1. The Walkmen, Heaven
2. Paul Banks, Banks
3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
4. The Flaming Lips, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends
5. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
Erik Carlson (SoHiTek Records, DoublePlusGood)
1. Pegasus Dream, In Absentia
2. Chairlift, Something
3. Chromatics, Kill for Love
4. Beach House, Bloom
5. Bobby Womack, The Bravest Man in the Universe
Courtney Sheedy (Houndstooth, Point Juncture WA, What Hearts)
1. The Walkmen, Heaven
2. Pinback, Information Retrieved
3. Deerhoof, Breakup Song
4. Beach House, Bloom
5. Deer or the Doe, Tonight We Love You
Tim and Mark Janchar (Hovercraft Records)
1. Nucular Aminals, Start from an End
2. The Memories, The Memories
3. Guantanamo Baywatch, Chest Crawl
4. Youthbitch, Donāt Fuck This Up
5. The Shivas, Whiteout
Mike Elias (Denver, Tomahawk Portland)
1. Shovels and Rope, Oā Be Joyful
2. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
3. Blitzen Trapper, American Goldwing
4. Barna Howard, Barna Howard
5. Dwight Yoakam, 3 Pears
Big Black Cloud
1. Death Grips, No Love Deep Web
2. Tyvek, On Triple Beams
3. Elliott Carter, 12 Short Epigrams
4. Doomsday Student, A Jumperās Handbook
5. Tiny Knives, Static
Ryan Hayes (Us Lights)
1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
2. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
3. Neurosis, Honor Found in Decay
4. Delicate Steve, Positive Force
5. Swans, The Seer
Ingrid Renan (Exploding Green Management)
1. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
4. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
5. Unkle Funkle, Picture of My Dick
Rachel Demy (Assistant tour manager/merchandise for the Shins)
1. Swans, The Seer
2. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
3. Cate Le Bon, Cyrk
4. Mark Lanegan, Blues Funeral
5. Bat for Lashes, The Haunted Man
Gabriel Granach (KPSU)
1. Hammock, Departure Songs
2. Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse
3. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
4. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
Ross Beach
1. Jack White, Blunderbuss
2. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
3. Of Montreal, Paralytic Stalks
4. Andrew Bird, Break It Yourself
5. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
Theo Craig (Smoke Signals, Rontoms)
1. Tame Impala, Lonerism
2. Beach House, Bloom
3. Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse
4. Y la Bamba, Court the Storm
5. Grizzly Bear, Shields
Rebecca Wilson (Mercury contributor)
1. Tu Fawning, A Monument
2. Cody Chesnutt, Landing on a Hundred
3. R. Kelly, Write Me Back
4. Laura Gibson, La Grande
5. Azealia Banks, Fantasea
The Taxpayers
1. Ubu Roi, Demo Tape
2. Jeff Rosenstock, I Look Like Shit
3. Red Dons, Ausländer
4. Neon Piss, Neon Piss
5. No Babies, Yo No Soy Como Tu
Robbie Augspurger (Ozarks)
1. Sebastien Tellier, My God Is Blue
2. Jean-Claude Vannier, Roses Rouge Sang
3. Tame Impala, Lonerism
4. White Fence, Family Perfume Vol. 1
5. Air, Le Voyage dans la Lune
Chris Slusarenko (Clinton Street Video)
āI thought Iād do the top five music documentaries of the year, so hope that works for you...ā
1. The Rolling Stones, Charlie Is My Darling: Ireland 1965
2. John Cale and Band, Live at Rockpalast 1983/1984
3. Mudhoney, Iām Now: The Story of Mudhoney
4. Pentagram, Last Days Here
5. Freddie Mercury, The Great Pretender
Peter Vaughan Shaver (Sound Advice)
1. Tom Waits, Bad as Me
2. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
3. The Mynabirds, Generals
4. Swans, The Seer
5. AU, Both Lights
Krist Krueger (Self Group, Yards, Sndtrkr, Southerly)
1. Swans, The Seer
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Baroness, Yellow and Green
4. Philip Glass, Rework
5. Sigur Rós, Valtari
Tucker Martine (Flora Recording and Playback)
1. Cults Percussion Ensemble, Cults Percussion Ensemble
2. Rodriguez, Searching for Sugar Man
3. Mount Eerie, Clear Moon
4. Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes
5. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
Justin Ready (Pigeons)
1. Mike Coykendall, Chasing Away the Dots
2. Denver, Denver
3. Fanno Creek, End Is End
4. Radiation City, Cool Nightmare
5. AU, Both Lights
Dave Depper
1. Swans, The Seer
2. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
3. Here We Go Magic, A Different Ship
4. Miguel, Kaleidoscope Dream
5. What Hearts, What Hearts
Bret Vogel (Incredible Yacht Control)
1. Melodyās Echo Chamber, Melodyās Echo Chamber
2. Opossom, Blue Hawaii
3. Cody Chesnutt, Landing on a Hundred
4. Craft Spells, Gallery
5. Lightships, Electric Cables
Connie Wohn (First Lady of Hustle)
1. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
2. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
3. Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe
4. Cat Power, Sun
5. Jessie Ware, Devotion
Kevin Cradock (Mississippi Studios)
1. Desmond and the Tutus, Mnusic
2. Paul Simon, Graceland: 25th Anniversary Edition
3. Deep Sea Diver, History Speaks
4. Leonard Cohen, Old Ideas
5. Kishi Bashi, 151a
Raf Spielman (The Woolen Men)
1. Michael Hurley, Back Home with Drifting Woods
2. Sad Horse, Purple on Purple Makes Purple
3. Ed Schraderās Music Beat, Jazz Mind
4. Woollen Kits, Four Girls
5. The Mallard, Yes on Blood
Zibby Pillote (Lewis and Clark Collegeās The Pioneer Log)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. King Tuff, King Tuff
3. Beach House, Bloom
4. Waxahatchee, American Weekend
5. Grimes, Visions
Scott Flaster (Seventh Rule)
1. Killing Joke, MMXII
2. Swans, The Seer
3. Rabbits, Bites Rites
4. Graveyard, Lights Out
5. Atriarch, Ritual of Passing
Matt Dabrowiak (Gallons!, Datār, Menomena, Parenthetical Girls)
1. The Walkmen, Heaven
2. The Helio Sequence, Negotiations
3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
4. Goat, World Music
5. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
Charlie Salas Humara (Grapefruit, Sun Angle, Regular Music)
1. Sylvester Anfang II, Latitudes
2. Jib Kidder, Steal Guitars
3. Adderall Canyonly and Oxykitten, The Cutting Room
4. White Fang, Positive Feedback
5. White Rainbow, Trick Shot
Tope (Living Proof, TxE)
1. Iman Omari, Energy
2. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
3. BJ the Chicago Kid, Pineapple Now and Laters
4. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
5. Roane Namuh and Reva DeVito, Cloudshine
Nathan Walker (Riot Act Media)
1. Carla Morrison, Déjenme Llorar
2. La Sera, Sees the Light
3. Laura Gibson, La Grande
4. The Mallard, Yes on Blood
5. Takka Takka, A.M. Landscapes
Andy Holland (Mike Thrasher Presents)
1. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
2. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
3. King Tuff, King Tuff
4. Ty Segall, Twins
5. Mark Lanegan Band, Blues Funeral
Kevin OāConnor (Talkdemonic)
1. Ty Segall and White Fence, Hair
2. Steve Hauschildt, Tragedy and Geometry
3. Beach House, Bloom
4. Tame Impala, Lonerism
5. Porcelain Raft, Strange Weekend
Brooke Parrott (Loch Lomond, Songkick)
1. Daughter, The Wild Youth
2. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
3. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
4. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
5. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
Mike Jones (A to Z Media)
1. Sleep, Dopesmoker (reissue)
2. Cat Power, Sun
3. Menomena, Moms
4. Bob Mould, Silver Age
Aris Wales (Mercury contributor, Order of the Gash)
1. Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth
2. Christian Mistress, Possession
3. The Darkness, Hot Cakes
4. Pallbearer, Sorrow and Extinction
5. Tusmørke, Underjordisk Tusmørke
Luke Wyland (AU)
1. Patrick Watson, Adventures in Your Own Backyard
2. Angel Olsen, Half Way Home
3. Scott Walker, Bish Bosch
4. Swans, The Seer
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
Fogatron
1. Light Asylum, Light Asylum
2. Chromatics, Kill for Love
3. The xx, Coexist
4. Logistics, Fear Not
5. Crystal Castles, (III)
Kim Baxter (All Girl Summer Fun Band, The Tale of Me and You)
1. Deerhoof, Breakup Song
2. Frankie Rose, Interstellar
3. Sigur Rós, Valtari
4. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
5. Silversun Pickups, Neck of the Woods
Ryan J. Prado (Mercury contributor)
1. Thee Oh Sees, Putrifiers II
2. Solos, Beast of Both Worlds
3. Jessica Pratt, Jessica Pratt
4. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel...
5. Pangea, āKiller Dreamsā 7-inch
Jacy McIntosh, Kelsey Crawford (Themes)
1. P.O.S., We Donāt Even Live Here
2. Poliça, Give You the Ghost
3. Beach House, Bloom
4. Minus the Bear, Infinity Overhead
5. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
Greg Glover (94/7 KNRK)
1. Pond, Beard, Wives, Denim
2. The Maccabees, Given to the Wild
3. Japandroids, Celebration Rock
4. Django Django, Django Django
5. Nude Beach, II
Tony Starlight (Tony Starlightās Supperclub & Lounge)
1. Greatest Hits of Someone Long Dead
2. 12 Golden Hits From Someone Long Dead
3. Reissue of Something Recorded Long Ago By Someone Long Dead
4. The Lost Recordings of Someone Long Dead
5. Neil Diamond, Hot August Night (40th Anniversary Special Edition)
Cloudy October (Action Office View)
1. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
2. El-P, Cancer 4 Cure
3. Busdriver, Arguments with Dreams
4. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
5. Aesop Rock, Skelethon
Jeff Urquhart (King Banana Presents, Branx, Rotture)
1. Converge, All We Love We Leave Behind
2. Morning Glory, Poets Were My Heroes
3. Torche, Harmonicraft
4. Between the Buried and Me, The Parallax II: Future Sequence
5. Tragedy, Darker Days Ahead
Jeremiah Hayden (Amigo Amiga Recordings)
1. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Liars, WIXIW
4. Spiritualized, Sweet Heart Sweet Light
5. THEESatisfaction, awE naturalE
Jeffrey āChairmanā Couch (Nasalrod, Drats!!!, the Chair Project)
1. John Doe and Exene Cervenka, Singing and Playing
2. Gaytheist, Stealth Beats
3. Tiny Knives, Static
4. Death Grips, The Money Store
5. Chelsea Wolfe, Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs
Dan Eichler (Mississippi Pizza Pub/Atlantis Lounge)
1. Swansea, Old Blood
2. Sarah Gwen, Sarah Gwen
3. Con Brio, The Bay Is Burning
4. The James Low Western Front, Whiskey Farmer
5. Teisha Helgerson and Friends, Carry On
Katie Bernstein, John Gnorski (Houndstooth)
1. Deep Time, Deep Time
2. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
3. Sonny and the Sunsets, Longtime Companion
4. The Walkmen, Heaven
5. Pure Bathing Culture, Pure Bathing Culture
Josh Fulfs (Palmas, Shwood)
1. Tame Impala, Lonerism
2. Mac DeMarco, 2
3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
4. Dirty Projectors, Swing Lo Magellan
5. Jessie Ware, Devotion
Aaron Robert Miller (Deer or the Doe, wantstogiveyou.com)
1. Damian Jurado, Maraqopa
2. The Walkmen, Heaven
3. Liars, WIXIW
4. Bad Weather California, Sunkissed
5. Menomena, Moms
Andrew R Tonry (Mercury contributor)
1. The Mean Jeans, Mean Jeans on Mars
2. Perfume Genius, Put Your Back N 2 It
3. Here We Go Magic, A Different Ship
4. The Memories, The Memories
5. Mac DeMarco, 2
Sean Flinn (Sean Flinn and the Royal We)
1. Grizzly Bear, Shields
2. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
3. Dirty Projectors, Swing Low Magellan
4. Dana Buoy, Summer Bodies
5. Dr. Dog, Be the Void
Scott Simmons (Exiled Records)
1. Monopoly Child, The Garnet Toucan
2. Crystal Stilts, Radiant Door
3. Ariel Pinkās Haunted Graffiti, āOnly in My Dreamsā
4. Sic Alps, Sic Alps
5. John Maus, A Collection of Rarities
Vincent Bancheri (Mama Bird Recording Co.)
1. Shovels and Rope, Oā Be Joyful
2. Spirit Family Reunion, No Separation
3. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
4. Bruce Springsteen, Wrecking Ball
5. Titus Andronicus, Local Business
The Incredible Kid (DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid)
1. A Tribe Called Red, A Tribe Called Red
2. Cholita Sound, Ponte Free
3. Daddy Yankee, Prestige
4. 3Ball MTY, Inténtalo
5. Gurbhej Brar, Panjabi Touch
Maya Stoner (Forest Park, FOC Fest)
1. Duck. Little Brother, Duck!, Donāt Take Our Filth Away
2. Hop Along, Get Disowned
3. Genders, EP
4. Italics, Peaks/Troughs
5. Pardee Shorts, Short Pardee
DJ Anjali (DJ Anjali and the Incredible Kid)
1. Rimz J, Desi Jatti
2. Diljit Dosanjh, Back 2 Basics
3. The Very Best, MTMTMK
4. Schlachthofbronx, Dirty Dancing
5. Gurbhej Brar, Panjabi Touch
Kurt Foster, Jeremy Dietz (Mission Spotlight)
1. Lambchop, Mr. M
2. Giant Giant Sand, Tucson
3. Justin Townes Earle, Nothingās Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
4. Langhorne Slim and the Law, The Way We Move
5. W.C. Beck and the Valiant Swains, Kansawyer
Chris Hnat (2:30 Publicity)
1. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
2. King Tuff, King Tuff
3. Gap Dream, Gap Dream
4. Action Bronson, Blue Chips
5. Baroness, Yellow and Green
W.C. Beck (Portland Country Underground)
1. Bil Fay, Life Is People
2. On the Stairs, Let My Body Range
3. Drunken Prayer, Into the Missionfield
4. Sharon Van Etten, Tramp
5. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
Lex Chase (Mercury contributor)
1. Alt-J, An Awesome Wave
2. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
3. Chromatics, Kill for Love
4. Trust, TRST
5. Jessie Ware, Devotion
Robert Comitz (Nucular Aminals, Frawg Pound Studio, Record Room, The Know)
1. Reynosa, āCariñitoā 7-inch
2. Psychic Feline, āWhite Wallsā 7-inch
3. Tiny Knives, Static
4. Sad Horse, Purple on Purple Makes Purple
5. For the Lash, For the Lash
Brendan Grubb (Ancient Heat)
1. Scuba, Personality
2. Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes
3. John Talabot, Fin
4. Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, and the Congos, FRKWYS, Vol 9: Icon Give Thank
5. Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang, En Yay She
Derek and Kristen Larson (Boom Bap!)
1. Hot Victory, Nexus
2. Magic Fades, She Beat All the Haters
3. The Tempers, Together We Are the Love Vortex
4. 1939 Ensemble, Howl and Bite
5. Nelly Kate, Ish Ish
Adam Shearer (Weinland, Alialujah Choir)
1. Alialujah Choir
2. Weinland
3. John Weinland
4. Adam Shearer
5. The Portland Cello Project record that has a song by Adam Shearer on it
Will West (Will West and the Friendly Strangers)
1. Alabama Shakes, Boys and Girls
2. Grizzly Bear, Shields
3. The Don of Division Street, LāAmourita
4. Jack White, Blunderbuss
5. Anna and the Underbelly, Brimstone Lullaby
Shelley Bowers (Someday Lounge)
1. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
2. Graveyard, Lights Out
3. Bat for Lashes, The Haunted Man
4. Swans, The Seer
5. Kishi Bashi, 151a
Vursatyl (Lifesavas)
1. Nas, Life Is Good
2. Robert Glasper Experiment, Black Radio
3. Kendrick Lamar, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
4. Georgia Anne Muldrow, Seeds
5. Dwele, Greater Than One
Keegan Meyer (KPSU)
1. Ty Segall Band, Slaughterhouse
2. Thee Oh Sees, Putrifiers II
3. Heartless Bastards, Arrow
4. Delicate Steve, Positive Force
5. Mount Eerie, Ocean Roar
Jeremy Petersen (OPBmusic)
1. The Walkmen, Heaven
2. Grizzly Bear, Shields
3. Father John Misty, Fear Fun
4. Moonface, With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery
5. Damien Jurado, Maraqopa
Chris Bigalke (Showdeer)
1. Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin, Instrumental Tourist
2. Grimes, Visions
3. Julia Holter, Ekstasis
4. Ariel Pinkās Haunted Graffiti, Mature Themes
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, āAllelujah! Donāt Bend! Ascend!
Brandon and Rico Laws (Hosannas)
1. Solange, True
2. Daphni, Jiaolong
3. John Frusciante, Letur-Lefr
4. Sébastien Tellier, My God Is Blue
5. Disasterpiece, Fez
Ryan Feigh (Mercury contributor)
1. Luck-One and Dekk, Beautiful Music Part II
2. Vinnie Dewayne, Castaway
3. Tope, Until the Next Time We Meet
4. Mic Capes, Rise and Grind
5. Jellyfish Brigade, The Art of Being Pulled Apart
Lovers
1. Crystal Castles, (III)
2. Grimes, Visions
3. Tanlines, Mixed Emotions
4. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
5. Purity Ring, Shrines
Devin Gallagher (Typhoon, High Scores and Records)
1. Golden Retriever, Occupied with the Unspoken
2. Y la Bamba, Court the Storm
3. Brainstorm, Heat Waves
4. Lost Lander, DRRT
5. Unkle Funkle, Picture of My Dick
Josh Hodges (STRFKR)
1. Trust, TRST
2. Tame Impala, Lonerism
3. Beach House, Bloom
4. DIIV, Oshin
5. Deerhoof, Breakup Songs
Ben Funkhauser (Hausu)
1. Extra Life, Dream Seeds
2. Naomi Punk, The Feeling
3. Lil Ugly Mane, Mista Thug Isolation
4. Weed, Gun Control
5. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
Jeff Ross (recordsbymail.com, Portland Radio Authority)
1. Allah-Las, Allah-Las
2. Bo Ningen, Line the Wall
3. Clinic, Free Reign
4. William Alfred Sergeant, Things Inside
5. Toy, Toy