Best of 2012 - Chris Moran's picks (Cover Artwork)
Staff Pick

Best of 2012

Chris Moran's picks (2012)

staff picks


[Chris Moran is the Video Editor/King Punk of RVA.]

I made a list of records I enjoyed this year. If you don't care, don't read it.

10

Propagandhi: Failed States

Epitaph Records

Never been their biggest fan, but this record found its way into my weekly rotation quite often. More structured, less snarky.

9

No Trigger: Tycoon

No Sleep

Yes, we all like Canyoneer more, but this is a solid record from a great melodic hardcore band.

8

Teenage Bottlerocket: Freak Out!

Fat Wreck Chords

Much like the band's history in cover art selections, their latest offering is much of the same, with a little bit of a twist - not a bad thing at all.

7

Nas: Life Is Good

Def Jam

N.Y.'s finest MC returns to his roots to deliver the best hip-hop record of 2012.

6

Tim Barry: 40 Miler

Chunksaah

Lyrically honest and stripped down, and arguably Barry's best solo effort to date.

5

Masked Intruder: Masked Intruder

Red Scare

Gimmick or not, these guys write some great pop-punk tunes, and released the best pop-punk record of 2012.

4

Bouncing Souls: Comet

Rise Records

It's the Bouncing Souls; they'd have to pull a H2O Go to not make my year-end list.

3

The Menzingers: On the Impossible Past

Epitaph Records

Their third full-length and first for indie-juggernaut Epitaph, Dunder Mifflen's favorite sons deliver a stellar record to solidify their place as one of the most exciting young bands around.

2

Hot Water Music: Exister

Rise Records

Everything I could have hoped for and more from one of my favorite bands of all time. There's not much I can say about HWM that hasn't been said before; if you like HWM you probably own this record. If you don't like HWM, your loss.

1

The Gaslight Anthem: Handwritten

Mercury

The jump to a major label and a legendary producer had no negative impact on the best record of the year. The title track alone makes this album worth the purchase, and the rest is far from filler.