Best of 2012: Kevin's Favorites

Another year is almost over and it's been another great year for music. I am always drawn to big melodies and fantastic songwriting and this year's list reflects that.

My album of the year is one that I kept going back to over and over again, Passion Pit's Gossamer. It's full of big hooks, is tons of fun and a really stellar outing from a young band. The rest of the list includes everything from bluegrass virtuosos Punch Brothers to Canadian pop band Stars, up-and-coming singer-songwriter Kenneth Aaron Harris, and veteran songstress Aimee Mann.

Check out my favorites below and stay tuned for the results of our annual readers' poll which are coming soon.

Favorite Albums
1. Passion Pit - Gossamer
2. Punch Brothers - Who's Feeling Young Now?
3. Stars - The North
4. The Explorers Club - Grand Hotel
5. Kenneth Aaron Harris - Brooklyn
6. M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion
7. Bowerbirds - The Clearing
8. Shovels & Rope - O' Be Joyful
9. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits
10. Aimee Mann - Charmer

Favorite EP
T0W3RS - Wyattt

Favorite Reissue
Archers of Loaf - Vee Vee

Favorite songs
1. The Magnetic Fields - "Your Girlfriend's Face"
2. Passion Pit - "Take A Walk"
3. Carly Rae Jepsen - "Call Me Maybe"
4. Lost in the Trees - "Garden"
5. The Shins - "Simple Song"
6. Crocodiles - "Electric Death Song"
7. Stars - "The Theory of Relativity"
8. Lilac Shadows - "A Shallow Madness"
9. Of Monsters and Men - "Little Talks"
10. The Mountain Goats - "The Diaz Brothers"

Favorite shows
1. Foo Fighters @ The Fillmore Charlotte, 9/5/12
2. The Beach Boys @ Raleigh Amphitheater, 4/29/12
3. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds @ The Tabernacle, 4/6/12
4. The Zombies w/ The Fellow Travellers @ Cat's Cradle, 7/29/12
5. The Cribs @ Motorco Music Hall, 6/8/12