Reviler Mid Year Best of: Local Albums

Because we know everyone is anxiously waiting to see itemized lists of what we have like so far this year, here is our take on the best local albums that have been released in the Twin Cities so far in 2012.  If we missed your favorite record from the first six months of the year, leave them in the comment section.  Come back tomorrow for our July 4th grab bag random lists and Thursday for our Albums of Mid-Year.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

1.  (tie) TTxBC “Space” & MaLLy & The Sundance Kid “The Last Great…”  (TTXBC Review / MaLLy Review)

2.  I Self Devine “The Sounds of Low Class Amerika”  (Album Review)

3.  Kison “Part Hero, Part Woman” (Album Review)

4.  Polica “Give You The Ghost”  (Album Review)

5.  eCID “Werewolf Hologram” (Album Review)

Josh (Reviler)

1. Food Pyramid- Mango Sunrise (Album Review)
   The first full length from my favorite local group did not disappoint in the slightest. Technicolor ambient gems that stretch out the sound the band has developed on their tape trilogy and expands it even further.
2. Mr. Hide- Getting Hide (CS Review)
   Technically a reissue, but I missed this pysch-garage gem in 2010 and can’t stop listening to it now. So, so good.
3. Mother of Fire- Feral Children (Album Review)
   Another slab of freaked out kraut noise from one of the most consistently powerful and confounding bands from our scene.
4. Flavor Crystals- III (Album)
   Dreamy shoegaze pop spread over 3 glorious white records. A record that packs a powerful punch inside of a velvet, Dramamine laced glove.
5. Tender Meat- Rippers World (CS Review)
   Getting your hands on this tape is somewhat difficult, but the reward is well worth the journey. The instrumental electronic duo get more murky without losing the funky groove that has permeated their work over the years.
6. Father You See Queen- 47 (Album Review)
   Mark McGee has the noisy pop credentials (To Kill a Petty Bourgousie, Votel, Marijuana Deathsquads, etc) that make you automatically check out his new project. Luckily, he rarely (if ever) lets down. His new project is FYSQ with Mona (Nicole Tollefson) and is as captivating as anything he has done.
7. I Self Divine- The Sound of Low Class Amerika  (Album Review)
   In a year when Rhymesayers is going to make a big dent on year end lists (Brother Ali, POS, etc), the legendary I Self Divine started things off with the politically charged The Sound of.., which finds him as sharp and thought provoking as ever.
8. Magic Castles- Magic Castles (Album Review)
   A collection of previously released material that caught the attention of Anton Newcombe from Brian Jonestown Massacre. It is easy to hear why when you let the druggy pop music soak through your speakers.
9. Mally- The Last Great…  (Album Review)
   A young gun in the local hip hop scene releases the album that makes sure everyone notices his talent. He caught our attention with his release every month on the 15th this last year and this LP, along with hosting a stage at Soundset, really were his coming out party.
10. Polica- Give You the Ghost (Album Review)
    Strip away the hype and this is a solid release from well-established group of local artists. Easy to like electronic work with Channy’s affecting, autotuned vocals wrapping the project together in a way that has helped the group blow up in the first half of 2012.

Honorable Mention: Is/Is- III, Bloodnstuff- Bloodnstuff

Jon (Reviler)

1. Food Pyramid – Mango Sunrise (Album Review)

The local scene’s most criminally underheard (nationally) band really hit a home run this year in Mango Sunrise

2. Tender Meat – Ripper’s World (CS Review)

The fact that Tender Meat still has only received a tiny bit of attention is mind-boggling. Stunning album.

3. Polica – Give You The Ghost (Album Review)

I don’t have to tell you anything about this album you don’t already know

4. Father You See Queen – 47 (Album Review)

I can’t wait to hear what Mark Mcgee and Mona have in store for us next

5. Mother of Fire – Feral Children (Album Review)

One of our scene’s most interesting bands has produced a very strong follow up to their excellent self-titled record from a year or so back

6. MaLLy & the Sundance Kid – The Last Great  (Album Review)

MaLLy has stepped up to take on the role of Minnesota’s Next Best Thing in hip hop

7. Is/Is – III (Album Review)

This record gets better and better every time I hear it

8. Orchard Thief – Sensational Living (Album Review)

Sam Molstad’s one-man project is starting to turn some heads and rightfully so

9. Bird Sounds – New EP (EP Review)

These guys do grunge, punk, and garage rock really well together

10. Magic Castles – ST (Album Review)

Kyle (@soalce)

1. Now, Now – Threads

2. Bloodnstuff – Bloodnstuff

3. The Honeydogs – What Comes After

4. The Pines – Dark So Gold

5. MaLLY & The Sundance Kid – The Last Great…  (Album Review)