1 Jason Rivera's (Gaytheist) Top 5 Albums of 2012

TOP 5 Albums of 2012

5. AU "BOTH LIGHTS"
The live version of "Solid Gold" on Intothewoods.tv absolutely
destroys the album version (due to the vocals of Sarah Winchester
unleashed; they are restrained and minimal on the album), it is still
a great album, with bouncy songs like "Epic" and "Get Alive" forcing
me off my ass to do a little dance across the living room.

4. ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS "CUT THE WORLD"
A reworking of selections from Antony's catalog set to orchestration,
the title track is the single best piece of music I've felt in years.
Antony has so much passionate control over every aspect of his voice
that I am rendered stupid every time he offers the world a gift and
holds out a note.

3. RABBITS "BITES RITES"
That whole first side just begs to be replayed over and over. Even
though my favorite song on the album is on the B side (Suck it or
Blow) I still find myself randomly barking lyrics from "We And Zoo":
AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TOO!

2. GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR "ALLELUJAH! DON'T BEND! ASCEND!"
The track "We Drift Like Worried Fire" has it all, a complete
journey-to-destination piece of music. Slowly swelling and retreating,
It really does not feel like Godspeed took ten years off. Everything
on this album stands up to anything they've released in the past and
would have been just as welcomed in 2003.

1. WIZARD RIFLE "SPEAK LOUD SAY NOTHING"
HUGE sound for two guys. Every song has so much going on, but manages
to be catchy and driving at all times. No wasted riffs, no tacked on
parts, no moment on the album that I want to skip or shorten. One song
off "Speak Loud" has more going on than most bands have on an entire
album. Pretty stoked local bands can still drop my jaw so far to the
ground.

Gaytheist's next Seattle show is January 19th at the Comet with Argonaut, Transient, and Princess. Check out their new album "Stealth Beats" out on Good to Die Records: