Katie O. - Local Love writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2012 (Katie Owens)

Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its members’ top albums of 2012. Our next list is from volunteer Katie Owens.

1. Echo Lake - Wild Peace (Slumberland Records)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Echo Lake’s Wild Peace is pure captivating dreamscape. This was an easy number one slot filler since it’s an album I came to again and again and not just for the catchy singles. Listening to this album can easily be equated to sitting in a reclining chair while soaking in the sunshine.
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism (Modular)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Tame Impala’s front man is a new-school John Lennon singing of elephant trunks and whatnot. This is fantastic. It takes you up, down and all around. The album is so good it makes you wonder if it’s a compilation of singles.
3. Cains & Abels - My Life Is Easy (Whistler Records)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Coming in at the No. 3 spot, my first local submission, from Chicago Rock group Cains & Abels. This is the record that makes you feel. My Life Is Easy is an honest, beautifully crafted tale of nature-inspired lyrics rooted in stories of struggle. The sounds build within the song and each song builds on each other. Don’t miss this.
4. Foxygen - Take The Kids Off Broadway (Jagjaguwar)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   If you’re looking for a new take on retro rock, Foxygen is who you’re looking for. Great sounds, great harmony, great album. Now get up and dance!
5. Wild Nothing - Nocturne (Captured Tracks)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Wild Nothing is here to provide reliable, catchy, pretty songs. Nocturne takes on an otherworldly sound meets The Cure when liberally using that great 80’s synth. End to end it’s a must-listen. Seriously.
6. Seapony - Falling (Hardly Art)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Don’t you just love a girl who knows how to rock? Originally from the Midwest, Seapony sings about love and heartbreak in that perfect poppy way to make it feel okay.
7. Panoramic & True - Wonderlust (John Lennox)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Panoramic & True are a truly underrated Chicago band. This album is beautiful – I lust for it. Wonderlust demonstrates the exceptional rock music coming out of Chicago today. As a bonus Panoramic & True provides 14 tracks on this record – it’s meaty in addition to being suburb.
8. The Orwells - Remember When (Autumn Tone)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   This Chicago band is made up of freaking teenagers, teenagers who rock hard and sing about it. The Orwells sound like the second coming of the Smith Westerns, or a fresh, harder rocking version of Kids These Days.
9. Brother George - Big Piney (Brother George)
   BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
   Chicago has a lot(!) of great bands. Brother George is a great example of Chicago group producing great indie music. Big Piney begins as though a butterfly were fluttering around your face, fully captivating all your senses before you’re overwhelmed with happy sounds.
10. The Ravonettes - Observator (Vice Records)
    BUY: Reckless / Permanent / Insound / iTunes / eMusic
    Danish rock? Yes please. It’s the perfect mixture of catchy rock meets depression den. The Danish duo that makes up The Raveonettes produced music that makes you ache. Check out Observator for great sounds all the way through.