Top 12 of 2012!

Welcome back, Terriers. I hope you had a wonderful break, just as I did. Let me tell you, I downloaded a large amount of music so I can make some great posts this semester. However, seeing as we have passed into a new year, a new semester, and a new blog post, I would bring together a list of my top 12 favorite tracks from 2012. Some may have shown up on my posts before–which is a good thing, since, you know, I “approve” or whatever–and some are from artists that I didn’t even know I liked. Not all of them were produced (if any) in 2012, but I came across them in the past 12 months. Enjoy the count down, some great music, and a brand new semester for brand new things.

12. Addicted by Amy Winehouse, Back to Black

Amy Winehouse is great. Of course, she was notorious, infamous even, for her drug use and “fuck-it-all” attitude. And that is all fine and good, except her music… is excellent. I love Amy Winehouse more than many other artists because she lived. She did what she wanted to, made the music she wanted to, and lived a (relatively) happy life. This is really superficial and a terrible explanation. This song is great because it may or may not be about weed.

11. Always On Time (Ja Rule & Ashanti Cover) by Town Hall, Town Hall Plays the Hits 

This is a cover, obviously, but it is by this awesome band called Town Hall. They are pretty flippin’ great–I mean listen to their voices and the harmonies and the aaaaaaaaaaah. It’s great! When I first heard the song, I quickly listened to the original and picked my favorite (as you can see, Town Hall won.) The way they move the lyrics to their own melody is pretty spectacular, and see how the artists spit raps back at us!

10. Big Machine by Mark Duplass, Safety Not Guaranteed

I’ve posted about Mark Duplass before here. There isn’t much to say, other than sometimes you get unexpected sounds from unexpected people.

9. Halcyon by Ellie Goulding, Halcyon

Sick.

8. Come Into My Head by Kimbra, Vows

Read more about Kimbra here.

7. Turn It Around by Lucius, Lucius EP

Lucius is so good, it is on this list twice. Turn It Around confirmed my admiration for this girl duo and boy band after seeing them at the Middle East a few weeks ago in Cambridge. They were awesome live, and it turns out, comparably amazing recorded.

6. Happiest Times by Little Big Adventure, The Hateful Eye

This track lurked in my library for some time before I actually listened to it. As soon as I did, I felt calm, collected, and inspired.

5. Shake Hands by Birthmark, Shaking Hands

Much like Happiest Times, this kicked around in my iTunes after countless skips because I simply never took the time to listen to it. Eventually, I did, and as you can see it is pretty high on this list. It is a great track by a great band.

4. 2nd Gun by Volcano, I’m Still Excited!, Volcano, I’m Still Excited!

Read more about Volcano, I’m Still Excited! here.

3. Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens, Seven Swans

Sufjan always has a special place in my heart. Always.

2. Shenandoah by Lucius, Songs From the Bromley House

Lucius came out with a (hard to locate) album before their EP, which brings us to number 2 with Shenandoah. Amazing.

1. 40k by Pearl and the Beard, Killing the Darlings

Read more about Pearl and the Beard here. Pearl and the Beard will always be number one in my heart, though 40k definitely deserves this spot on our top 12.

(My) Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

Bonjour mes amis,

Lately my senioritis has really kicked in, and I’ve found myself watching a unhealthy amount of TV and movies. I’m super excited for this summer, because a ton of excellent movies are supposed to come out this year. So today, I bring you my TOP 6 MOVIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2012 LIST OF EPICOSITY! So lets begin…

1) The Avengers (May 4th)

What it is: When supervillain Loki reemerges with a plan that threatens the fate of the Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury assembles a team of the world’s most powerful heroes to fight back.

Why you should care: Iron Man , The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America… it’s all been leading to this. Marvel has spent the past few years individually building up each of its franchises for this superhero smorgasbord, and based on the film’s impressive trailer – which showcases great-looking action and convincing chemistry between the many leads – the effort was worth it. Some Marvel films (Iron Man) have been better than others (Iron Man 2), but it’s hard to imagine how director Joss Whedon could drop the ball this close to the end zone.

Watch the trailer here: 

2) Prometheus (June 9th)

What it is: A team of explorers fights a battle at the edge of the universe in order to save the human race.

Why you should care: With both Alien and Blade Runner under his belt, Ridley Scott is one of the undisputed kings of Hollywood sci-fi, and lingering rumors that Prometheus will somehow cross paths with the Alien franchise have fans champing at the bit. The screenwriting presence of Damon Lindelof—one of the minds behind TV’s Lost—doesn’t hurt either.

Watch the trailer here: 

3) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22nd)

What it is: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.

Why you should care: It’s freaking Abraham Lincoln, murdering the crap out of freaking vampires! What could possibly be better than watching the greatest president of all time killing the sparkles out of Edward Cullen? Nothing – that’s what.

Watch the Trailer Here: 

4) Dark Knight Rises (July 20)

What it is: Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, Gotham City is threatened by the menacing terrorist Bane, forcing Bruce Wayne to put on the cape and cowl once again.

Why you should care: Christopher Nolan’s third and final entry in the Batman franchise, which started with Batman Begins and set the gold standard for superhero films with The Dark Knight, has already amassed a deafening level of hype, and rightly so. Though The Dark Knight’s terrifyingly amoral Joker will be impossible to replace,The Dark Knight Rises comes loaded with potential, including villain Bane (Tom Hardy) and antihero Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). Though much of its storyline remains shrouded in mystery, the film’s “prologue,” which is currently airing before select IMAX screenings ofMission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, features a tense, gripping airplane stunt that’s as thrilling as anything we’ve seen in the series. Trust Nolan to bring his franchise to the definitive ending it so richly deserves.

Watch the Trailer Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GokKUqLcvD8

5) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 14th)

What it is:Hobbit Bilbo Baggins joins a group of dwarves to reclaim treasure stolen by a fearsome dragon.

Why you should care:Peter Jackson set the template for the modern blockbuster franchise, pleasing Lord of the Ringsvirgins and superfans alike with his stunningly well-realized adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved trilogy. Though The Hobbit is a lesser book than any of the Lord of the Rings novels, it’s hard to resist another invitation to Middle-Earth. And with Jackson at the helm once again, and the promise of returning cast members like Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, and Sir Ian McKellan, this adaptation (and its sequel, coming next year) should flow perfectly into theLord of the Rings trilogy.

Watch the Trailer Here:  

6) Django Unchained (December 25th)

What it is: A former slave attempts to rescue his wife from a Mississippi plantation.

Why you should care: Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-nominated Inglorius Basterds was a thrilling, audacious revenge flick cleverly disguised as a World War II film. Django Unchained applies the same methodology to the Civil War era, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing against type as a barbaric villain. Like most of Tarantino’s films, many of Django Unchained’s details are still being kept quiet, but we can expect the usual: great acting, sharp dialogue, and a killer soundtrack.

Watch the Trailer Here: 

Happy movie watching everyone!