Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #19 & 18

Due to the fact that I'm going to be quite busy tomorrow today's going to be a twofer for ya...

#19 Midnight City-M83

This stark little electro cut is yet another one of those songs I was surprised to see gain quite a bit of national exposure and some moderate top 40 positions but really even with that knowledge I still do quite enjoy this very early dépêche mode-esque tune and it’s toy saxophone around the end.

It’s the darker side of top 40 and it’s ominous kind of chant like tone along with a beat that doesn’t stop is probably why I’ve enjoyed it soo much.

#18 Don’t Stop(Colors on the Wall)-Foster The People

The breakout act of last year managed to actually keep afloat with a strong series of singles this year and of all the tunes that blew my mind this summer when I saw them live and became quite infatuated with the album it was on I’d have to admit that this song was probably my favorite to see.

Don’t Stop its’ a very Violent Femms  tinged bit of neurotic awesomeness that’s about 4 steps away from leading the individual listening to it to start having violent convulsions of pure unadulterated joy. It’s this vibrantly sang rocker that’s very bare bones and demanding of it’s listener to come off as the most spastic fool which for me is a good way to describe how I often act.

Sam's Best of 2012: #20

Sunshine-Matisyahu

AH BUDDY how I have this very odd infatuation with this Hasidic Jewish Reggae artist and his wonderfully vibrant tunes about life, religion, and faith in a better humanity and it’s awesome to see him come back swinging for the fences in what has to be the brightest tune of the year.

Sunshine is a bad ass tune that’s only recently begun to gain some momentum, but I figure if it was around summer when this song had come out it would have been a lot bigger of a hit.

Unlike tunes like, “King without a Crown,” this song seems to not be as much a hip hop tune as it is a danceable reggae tune and that’s a nice change of pace because of the fact that it's some bit of progression in Matisyahu's sound. So not only is this one of the most refreshing cuts of the year but it's most certainly one of the best.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #21

Some Nights-Fun

It’s nice to see that these guys have managed to follow up the epic that is, “We Are Young,” with a tune that honestly caused an even crazier fan reaction when I saw them live and a good showcasing of who were honestly the breakout act of the year.

This song is in one word epic it’s a larger than life rocker that just demands a stadium full of people singing along and every word to it tries it’s best to insinuate something more than it actually is and while I can totally dig that it’s its best strength and weakness in all honesty, although admittedly I do have to say that it’s not worn out like the tune that broke them out and I do love singing along but it’s less a breakout and more a trying to stay relevant if that makes any sense, but still one of the best of the year.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #22

Little Black Submarines-The Black Keys

Not going to lie this song is pretty much stairway to heaven people just not as instantaneously epic and memorable but still great none the less and as awe inspiringly strong as this song is I’m starting to think the Black Keys are slowly becoming the next classic rock deities.

I didn’t really have a whole lot to really think about when it came to this tune but it’s stark intro into what’s best described as the closest ode to Stairway to Heaven that I’ve ever heard is both bad ass and quite interesting and yet another bad ass cut of the year.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #23

Automatic Systematic Habit-Garbage

Yeah buddy not only did they give me one of the best shows I saw this year but the album it promoted had some pretty bad ass cuts from it. It’s always nice when a band makes a comeback and while I admittedly wasn’t as stunned by the comebacks this year I do have to admit that some of the tunes in question are quite awesome and it’s always nice to get any change to see the lovely Shirley Manson.

The first new bit of Garbage since 2007 this song and album had a lot to live up to and honestly this tune really did its job of getting me excited to listen to the remainder of its album. With a rapid fire pace that takes me back to Version 2.0 with the girth of Bleed like me this song wrecks some serious cookies people and while it’s sad that the hype didn’t last the tunes that came of it are still worth the listen.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #24

Too Close-Alex Clare

You Know dubstep moved from this underground sound to a mainstream tool of trying to stay hip and current and while I’d like to say that it’s still a pretty cool idea to drop a beat straight on its head every once in a blue moon too many people are starting to make it go the way of the auto-tune, but of course before that there was this hip little number from one Alex Clare in, “Too Close.”

Not going to lie this songs beat is pretty damn sick people and the first time I heard it I thought it’s mix of this very vocally talented singer with a kind of tribal undertone to the beat mixed awesomely when things dropped and got a little dubby and interestingly enough this managed to have some crossover appeal and has become quite the hit.

Sam's Top 25 of 2012: #25

Tonight-Seether

Alright I figured I’d be best to kick off this with a tune that came out earlier in the year but I really didn’t give too much thought to especially considering it’s one of the better tunes I’ve heard from modern rock radio in one Seether’s, “Tonight.”

I’m not going to lie this is a very by the numbers rock song in many ways but it’s that sense of simplicity that makes it so appealing really. It’s a solidly well paced tune with the enjoyable metaphor of screaming your problems to the world and  while it’s also the lightest offering I’ve ever heard from these guy’s I’m honestly surprised just how good it’s actually managed to remain so with that in mind I figured I’d go a good bit mainstream to start out this list.