So weird to think 2012 is coming to a close. It doesn’t feel like it at all, what with no Holiday break, no Christmas stuff, no New Years parties to look forward to, etc. They just don’t care about New Years here in Israel. Kind of a shame…BUT what’s not a shame, is how many awesome albums came out this year.So today I’m dropping the Gold Soundz pick for 10-6  and tomorrow 5-1.

Originally this was a lot longer, but I didn’t have time to write long things for all of them so it’s just like a line or two per album

10. Lotus Plaza – Spooky Action At A Distance

A phenomally strong album of great, shoegaze-pop songs that will force everyone to reconsider how large a role he plays in Deerhunter‘s awesomeness. But even if we were to forget the Deerhunter connection for a second, this is an album that would stand out anyway. Cuz it’s great.

9. Sleigh Bells – Reign Of Terror

Sleigh Bells go pop and the result is something along the lines of The Jesus And Mary Chain fronted by a real badass chick. Loved this album big times.

8. Crystal Castles – (III)

My hometown electro-goths went witchhouse and made their best and most consistent album yet. Another solid accomplishment from a band that continues to surprise and impress.

7. Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Isn’t

A true pop masterpiece, Jens Lekman‘s album scores huge on melodies and lyrics on this, his third album. Also, a goldmine of great lines like “No, I hate bands/It’s always packed with guys spooning their girlfriends and clutching their hands/As if they let, they could lift from the ground and ascend.”

6. John Maus – A Collection Of Rarities And Previously Unreleased Material

No other artist interviews as interestingly as John Maus – the man is an astounding intellect, and furthermore, as his albums display, a fine pop tunesmith. Very surprisingly, this collection of rare and unreleased material might actually be his best release yet, with song after song of hummable melodies and often confounding lyrics.

Alright, we’re in March now and I’m 22 – crrayyyy-zaayyyyyy. So here’s a couple tunes from the last couple weeks. It’s like half little-known stuff, half popular stuff so it might get taken down (damn you record labels – people can dl those songs anywhere!!! I’m popularizing your stuff!) so download it while you can.

1. Jef Barbara – Black Caress

2. Philip James – Subterfuge

3. LUM – Halfway In

4. Dustin Wong – Toe Tore Oh

5. Grimes – Be A Body

6. Orangenoise – Rabblerouser

7. Sleigh Bells – End Of The Line

8. Boyfriend – Egyptian Wrinkle

9. Frankie Rose – Know Me

Download

Sleigh Bells‘ first album Treats was cool – those sugary female vocals, grinding harmonic guitars and huge ass beats were such a simple but effective combination it was kind of a wonder nobody else came up with it sooner. Their latest album, Reign Of Terror, sees them asking, “What would happen if we did some like…poppy stuff? Or slower stuff?”

Sacrificing not an iota of the band’s bad-assness, on Reign Of Terror Sleigh Bells manage to actually make their sound ‘pretty’, especially in songs like “End Of The Line” and “Road To Hell”. And when they do, the result is just brutally glorious. I love it. It’s kind of like if you did a steroid remix of the third (and best) Raveonettes album, Lust Lust Lust. Some uber hardcore pretentious types might call ‘sell out’ on it for tossing in the hooks, but anyone who didn’t get them before is unlikely to get them much more now. My call is that a really cood band just got a lot cooler.

Sleigh Bells will be playing The Phoenix in Toronto on March 26th.