Best of 2012: TBASA’s Durgey Dozen
Best of 2012
TBASA’s Durgey Dozen
Editor’s note: TBASA is a musician, artist, promoter and regular NadaMucho.com contributor. In keeping with our long-honored tradition of scouring greater King County for the bands that haven’t quite caught the attenion of the city’s tastemakers, he prepared the following list of his twelve favorite “Durge” bands. Durge is a genre he describes as “Caffeinated Funeral Songs.” Apparently he also likes Soundgarden.
To celebrate Tim’s eclectic music taste, we’ve booked two of the bands on his Durgey Dozen – Lights from Space and The Valley (in which Tim plays bass) – on our first live showcase in more than a year. Durge Fest takes place Saturday, January 26 at 7 p.m. at Barboza.
12. Soundgarden – King Animal
The Seattle legends’ first album in 16 years starts slowly and unsure of itself, but after the first two songs it catches a slick, psychedelic groove over that dirty low end that made the band famous… enough to make this most coveted of lists.
11. Killer Canary – I Am My Own Molecule
Unless your Phil Collins or Zak Andree, the singing drummer schtick rarely works, but it does here. This 5-song tour de Indie force is what every fan of 90’s-era Merge Records has been waiting for.
10. Full Life Crisis – Twist of Fate
These guys came out of nowhere at the end of 2012 to secure a spot on my list. I saw them live and realized I was singing along to songs I’d only heard two or three times. Catchy melodies and pop-driven rock with a hint of darkness will do that to me.
9. Walking Papers – Walking Papers
You would think an album riddled with lyrical cliches would have no place on such a prestigious year-end list. WRONG. Each word is a perfectly calculated mindfuck and the music that accompanies it is just as confusingly-awesome. Fun fact: Jeff Angell’s old band Post Stardom Depression played one of the first NadaMucho.com shows ever in 2002 at Chop Suey.
8. The Underwater Tiger – The Underwater Tiger
Another 4 song EP from the fathers of Durge. (Hey fellas make a fucking full length album already!) Each song feels like a different 80’s theme song that never was, which is totally awesome. I bet the producers of the “Rockford Files”, “Simon and Simon”, “Magnum P.I.” and “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” are pissed right about now.
7. The Grizzled Mighty – The Grizzled Mighty
Ten solid songs and one annoying intro make for a solid album that doesn’t quite stack up to their live performances. Then again, how could a recorded album compare to such a loud, dynamic duo? It would be impossible.
6. The Badlands – White Space Conflict
Have you ever wished for a super powerful female vocalist in an awesome rock band? Quit rubbing your lamp and get a copy of The Badlands’ latest. Ginnie Ko and company shred through six songs on this short EP that leaves you wanting more.
5. Wes Speight – Hackneyed
This one man band had some help from his friends and these 13 songs are among the catchiest I have heard this year. No genre can hold Mr. Speight down as he jumps from one to the other from track to track, or even within a single song. “True Blues” is my 2nd favorite song this year. Wes you definitely “put the tools to use.”
4. Clearly Beloved – The City I am Building is For You
Q: What do you get when you have two female violinists, a guitar virtuoso in an apron, and a solid rhythm section? A: One of my favorite bands and albums of 2012. I dare you to play the opening track “Bread” for anyone who loves music. If they arent blown away let me know and I will troll their Facebook page. This is as solid of a six song debut as I’ve ever heard.
3. Lights From Space – No One Knows We’re Here
John Conner and crew, I know you are here and I like it. This album offers 12 song that are heavy but not fatiguing, intelligent but not pretentious, and most of all catchy but not repetitive.
2. The Valley – Halloween EP
It seems unfair to say how awesome this band, since I’m now in it, so I wont.
1. Daughters of the Dead Sea – Daughters of the Dead Sea
Song of the year is hands down “The Clown.” It is a earworm to the Nth degree. These three women know how to rock but their lyrics and delivery are what amaze me. This 5 song EP makes me want to plug in and play, it refreshes me and makes me feel like I am young and full of justified anger again. In fact just thinking about this album makes me want to play my guitar.
More of our 2012 favorites:
Best of 2012: Coin’s Top Tracks
Best of 2012: Our Favorite Songs (A-J)
Best of 2012: Our Favorite Songs (K-Z)
Best of 2012: Our Favorite Movies