Well hello everybody! Welcome to Newest Industry's 2012 wrap up!
We asked all of our regular contributors to help us out with some end of year lists because, as card-carrying members of the blogging industry we're legally obligated to put together end of year lists.
Let's note quickly that not all of the posts are strictly Minnesota based. We asked Dr. Bill for his 10 favorite songs of the year because that's just what he's good at. Ryan was kind enough to give us both a local and non-local list of his favorite punk rock albums of 2012.
Justin Meyers, KPlow, & SwervinTaters were kind enough to give us their takes on their favorite food, drink, and nightlife spots in the Twin Cities.
And TCDroogsma & MinneSarah continue to bicker like a couple of 50 year olds trapped in 30 year old bodies.
This is a special post because it's also our 100th overall post. A big thank you to everybody who's stopped by so far. We'd especially like to take second to thank everybody who's retweeted or reposted any of our work. There's a lot of stupid shit on the internet. Thanks for helping promote our stupid shit over everybody else's stupid shit.
Now, on to the lists!
Ryan's Favorite Punk Rock Albums Of 2012
Well, another year has passed and I am even further up to my ears in
records. Surrounding me now on 3 sides of my bed inching in closer and
closer as time goes on.....
Local Top 5:
1. Frozen Teens - S/T LP - Tragedy struck the Twin Cities earlier this year when, after a series of outstanding shows and stellar LP reviews, Frozen Teens announced their demise. One of the two Wills in the group was moving away. Well, he came back. The band is back on! Just saw them 2 weeks ago and they played a few new songs that I don't believe are on this LP. I can't wait for new recordings!
2. Wild Child - Demo 7" - Well, the demo released last year certainly topped my list. Now it's on vinyl thanks to local fave labels, Fashionable Idiots and Rock Bottom Records. Their new 7" has been pressed up already and Deranged Records of Canada is waiting for just the right moment to drop it on top of our heads but he'll probably will wait until after singer, Antione has dropkicked us in the chest at one of their shows.
3. Brain Tumors - Fuck You Forever 7" - Deranged Records is snatching up Minneapolis hardcore bands almost as fast as Southern Lord Records is signing up the Havoc Records back catalog of bands. Listened to this several times at the store, shocked to not find it here at home in my "recent listens" 7" box that is blocking the only clear pathway to my bed.
4-5. ??? Ummmm? Twin Cities? What is going on here? I didn't pick up much local stuff this year. I'm kinda wondering what happened.
Kontrasekt 7"??? I still need to listen to that again to really say. Varix 7". I guess we've got a tie between Varix and Kontrasekt then. I know Serenghetto had a 7" on the way but the pressing plant they were using was taken out by Hurricane Sandy so that project might be MIA for some time. I would like to hear that record.
Non-Local Top 5 - LP/12" Division:
1. Baader Brains - New Era Hope Colony 12" - I can't really say if the death of Baader Brains member Sarah Kirsch made this record hit me that much more or not. Anyway, it hit me like any project that she was involved in. The message of hope and resistance is there and the music sounds just as fresh as it does familiar. There aren't that many people involved in DIY hardcore punk that have been in as many bands as Sarah that were as good for 20+ years. I am very saddened that we won't be blessed with any more of that shredding guitar and those impassioned, inspiring vocals.
2. No Statik - Everywhere You Aren't Looking LP - I booked this band back in January for probably one of the top 3 shows I have ever had the pleasure of putting together. This Oakland, California band is made up of four punk lifers my age and older. Blistering hardcore punk that is near unmatched in 2012. Probably would have made #1 if not for the eerie extended intro extending a bit too long.
3. Wiccans - Field II LP - I wish I could have seen this band this year. In summer 2011 they played an incredible house show and really surprised all of us. After just a pretty good debut 7" in 2010, they toured that following summer on their Skullduggery LP and somehow topped it this year with Field II. Remember hearing me go on and on about Denton, Texas? Guess what? Denton, Texas. Again!
4. Neon Piss - S/T LP - Still trying to take this one in fully. I had them pegged wrong in the beginning as just another band riffing on what the Observers had perfected 10 years ago. Nope. A lot more going on with this band. Kicking myself HARD for missing them when they played here last month.
5. Swearin' - S/T LP - Yep. The Swearin LP. Love it. I'd go into it but I already covered it on one of my Record Of The Week posts on this very blog. Besides, I am behind and on a deadline!
(Editor's Note: He did indeed cover it. Have a look.)
Non-Local Top 5 - 7" Division:
1. Double Negative - Hits 7" - Final recordings with their original singer. However, I just got to see them play here in Minneapolis two months back and the new singer is holding it down. I am excited to see where they go from here. It's tough to find a band playing such a distinct and exciting style of hardcore at this moment in time. I wish they had t-shirts of the artwork from the 7" insert. It's a submarine with their -/- logo blasting a torpedo directly at the Beatles Yellow Submarine. Hits! Hilarious.
2. Siamese Twins - S/T 7" - Not what you would expect from members of Ampere and Foreign Objects! Some slow to mid-paced gothy stuff that would have fit in nicely on the 4AD roster alongside Cocteau Twins or something. Super catchy. Very addictive. I believe this 7" is two songs off of their 2011 demo tape.
3. Coffin Pricks - S/T 7" - Fuck. Missed this band too. They played their last show this month in their hometown of Chicago. This band features Chris Thomson on vocals and his pedigree goes way back to the late 80's when he played in a series of D.C. hardcore bands that were all favorites of mine. Ignition, Circus Lupus, Las Mordidas, The Monorchid, etc.
4. Belgrado - Panopticon / Vicious Circle 7" - Newish band from Barcelona, Spain that I had previously thought were from France. This band is following the Siouxsie and the Banshees / Madhouse blueprint. Their LP will make my top10 at the very least. There are a LOT of bands now doing the dark gothy post punk thing at the moment. I think Belgrado are quite possibly the best at it.
5. Desperat - Barjan Pa Slutet 7" - There had to be some rampaging Swedish D-Beat making the list. In lieu of any new recordings by Heratys (new LP soon on Prank Records), Desperat are 2012's best offering. Well, 5th best for me anyway!
Top Reissues:
01. Rites Of Spring - Demo 10" - Not much needs to be said about this. I listen to this. Then I listen to the Rites Of Spring LP. Then I listen to this. Then the All Through A Life 7". Then this.
02. Warhead - Never Give Up! LP - Early 7" and compilation recordings. Top-tier Japanese hardcore punk!
Almost every single 7" and LP from Svart Records classic Finnish punk reissues series. Last year brought us the obvious ones like Lama and Ratsia. This year is making me go broke with tons more from Loose Prick, Nolla Nolla Nolla, Sensurri, Stalin, and so many more. I can barely keep up with this stuff. Pricey but so worth it.
Honorable Mentions: (quite possibly my 6-10s if I only started this earlier this evening) - Boston Strangler Primitive LP, Prisoner Abuse LP, Confines Some Sick Joke 7", Anasazi s/t 7", Permaculture Swallow What You're Given 7", Troubled Sleep Wacky Past Is Now 7", White Lung Sorry LP, Crazy Spirit s/t LP, Retisonic Robots Fucking LP, Criaturas LP and the Pottymouth Sun Damage 12".
Wow! Thank you, Ryan! Looks like it was quite a year in the punk rock world!
As you all hopefully know by now Ryan is a volunteer down at Extreme Noise and has been for quite some time. People like him are the reason the Twin Cities has such a vibrant music scene. Stop by and see him some time. His cat's name is Rabies.
Though most of you probably know Justin Meyers as our resident synth expert, he's also our resident beer expert. If you think about it long enough, it makes perfect sense.
Justin Meyers' Favorite Local Beers Of 2012
Honorable Mentions: Schell's Emerald Rye, Indeed Midnight Ryder, Surly Wet & Coffee Bender
5. Lucid Air - The lightest beer on this list, but it doesn't lack in the flavor department. Toasted malts impart a delicious cereal like quality to the brew.
4. Indeed Day Tripper - Not balanced at all. The resinous and spicy nature of the selected hops really shine in this one with little malt to speak of.
3. Steel Toe Rainmaker Double Red: Great malt and hop balance. Could move up on the list with better availability.
2. Harriet Brewing West Side: Fruity Belgian yeast meets the light bitterness of a West Coast style IPA. BOTTLE THIS PLEASE!
1. Surly Furious: Minnesota is so spoiled when it comes to beer. This one could be on the top five on any best of list and it's only available here. Perfect malt and hop balance. I will drink a billion of these in my life time.
There you have it, Sota! It's a good time to be fan of beer!
For more of Justin Meyers, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@JustinCMeyers). He also runs his own record label, Tone Filth. He's working on big things for 2013. His cat's name is Missy Spacek.
Even though Dr. Bill is relatively new to Newest Industry, he's already our indie music expert. We're hoping to have a lot more posts from him in 2013. Here, though, we have his 10 favorite songs of 2012.
Dr. Bill's Top 10 Tracks Of 2012
10. Paws - Sore Tummy
09. DIIV - How Long Have You Known?
08. Cloud Nothing - No Future/No Past
07. Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO
06. Frank Ocean - Forrest Gump
05. Chromatics - Kill For Love
04. Aesop Rock - Fryerstarter
03. Beach House - Myth
02. FIDLAR - Cheap Beer
01. Joey Bada$$ (w/Chuck Strangers) - Fromda Tomb$
There are so many I could put on here.
Killer Mike, Kendrick Lamar, Grimes, Swans, Bloc Party, Blur,
Mountain Goats, but these are the ones that I've had stuck in my
head. Now my top 10 albums are a little different, but that I still
have a little pondering left to do.
That's that. Thanks for tuning in. You can step back out of the light now.
For more Dr. Bill, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@DrBillRubin). We're hoping to feature him a lot more here over the next year. His cat is named Oliver.
Alright, let's get back to our beautiful Twin Cities. We asked KPlow and SwervinTaters to tell us their favorite spots to grab a bite to eat or a stiff drink.
KPlow's Top 5 Restaurants Of 2012
2. 112 Eatery - Servers are the too-good-to-serve-you type but the food is stellar!!! Priced from cheap to turn around-walk out the door expensive, but it’s still a definite must! Certainly worth a stop.
3. Craftsman - Delightful ambiance, stellar wait-staff and nummy comfort food. Not much is cheap, but hey, no metered parking!
4. Lucia’s - It’s ancient but it’s always a treat. To-Go, Wine Bar and Restaurant, there is something to fit your style and price. Alas, however, it’s in the heart and heat of a busy, busy Uptown.
5. All the places I think you should go but I haven’t gotten to yet:
1. Victory 44.
2. Left Handed Cook
3. Ngon Vietnamese Bistro
4. Piccolo
5. Kenwood Restaurant
Nom nom nom. Plenty of good choices and plenty of places yet to be explored.
KPlow is our resident higher-end, non-vegan restaurant reviewer. Here's hoping she can get to some of those new spots in 2013. Her pup's name is Belle.
SwervinTaters Top 5 Bars Of 2012
5. Bryant Lake Bowl - A great atmosphere and long list of specialty
cocktails gets the good ol' BLB on the list. Plus you just can't hate on
any bar that does breakfast 7 days a week! Go enjoy some late night
happy hour accompanied with a great drunken pastime, BOWLING! And hey,
if you wake up with a pounding headache go right back to the BLB for a
giant starch filled breakfast that will set you back on the right track.
4. Pat's Tap - In terms of bar food, it doesn't get any better than Pat's Tap. Try the unbelievable Harissa and Honey Roasted Chicken sandwich and some cheese curds to go along with it - you won't regret your choice. The bartenders mix a strong drink, so get a cab home if you weren't lucky enough to meet a friend who lives nearby. Heh-heh
3. My Porch - Strongest drinks in the whole damn city and my chances of getting laid are much higher than anywhere else. If I don't know you, ya ain't gaining admittance!
2. The CC Club - So many memories. So much History. The CC Club is so great for so many reasons! If you're a regular, you can probably get away with more than you should be able too, which is always a plus! The place gets packed at night, but the over-matched wait staff handle it well. There is nothing more relaxing than going to The CC at noon on a day off, having a couple beers and watching a little American Pickers with a friendly bartender who knows what you want to drink before you ask for it. Feels like home... drunk home.
There you have it you hungry, thirsty Minnesotans. Food and drinks, drinks and food.
For more of the always charming SwervinTaters be sure to give him a follow in Twitter (@SwervinTaters). Here's hoping for some new bar reviews in 2013! His cat's name is Doug.
And, to end our lists of lists, we asked Minnepolis resident TCDroogsma and St. Paul resident MinneSarah to try to settle the greatest of arguments: Which is better, Minneapolis or St. Paul?
TCDroogsma's Top 5 Reasons Minneapolis Is Best
01. People outside of Minnesota have actually heard of Minneapolis - When people from the Twin Cities move to new cities, it's common practice to just tell new acquaintances that they're from Minneapolis? Why? Because telling a Brooklyn-ite that you're from St. Paul will leave you with a confused hipster. Not to mention the fact that I've watched something like 90% of all Minnesota Wild games. National broadcaster frequently greet viewers by saying, "Welcome to tonight's game from wintery Minneapolis..." I can promise you that no commentator has ever introduced a Twins or Vikings game by saying, "Greetings from St. Paul!"
02. We actually build new things - Minneapolis is in a constant state of flux, which I say is a great thing. New bars, restaurants, concert venues, and theatres are constantly popping up. Whether it's Uptown, Downtown, or Northeast, there's always something new to try. Plus, this constant shifting leaves the cream to rise to the top (CC Club, First Avenue, Electric Fetus, The State Theater... I could go all day). All of these venues earned their iconic status by weathering different trends and economics over the years. In St. Paul you're left with places like Moscow On The Hill and The Nook which survive simply because there's nowhere else to go. Wait, that's the original Green Mill? Special. (Exemptions for Mickey's Diner & The Turf Club).
03. Things happen in Minneapolis after 8:00 - I realize that's an old joke, but frreal, have you ever been in St. Paul past 8:00? If you have, chances are you were sleeping. When I head over to St. Paul for Wild games I can't even stop at the downtown Chipotle before the game because it's closed. The game that starts at 7:00! Shit, the Chipotle on Nicollet Mall is open until 10 every night! St. Paul's flagship block party, Grand Old Days, runs until about 4:00 in the afternoon, which is just about the time you can catch one of MPLS's dozens of block parties during the summer.
04. Minneapolis actually created it's own reputation - MPLS is known as a Gay & Lesbian friendly city thanks to the city's efforts to turn the Gay Pride Festival in to one of the best in the country. It's become a nationally renowned biking city thanks to efforts from bikers, drivers, and city planners alike. It's known as a vibrant music community thanks to DIY efforts from musicians of every genre. It's built more theatres per capita than any city in America, lending it the reputation of a cultured, art-appreciating city.
St. Paul is known as the Capital Of Minnesota. A distinction I'm sure it's citizens worked diligently to earn.
05. Celebrity most associated with each city - MPLS: Prince. St. Paul: Garrison Keillor. Done.
Well, that was pretty much coherent, which is really all we ask of TCDroogsma these days.
TCDroogsma hosts our weekly podcast and also contributes to our Songs Of The Week column with MinneSarah. For more he can be found on Twitter (@TCDroogsma) and on his personal blog Flatbasset. His pup's name is Margo.
And the other side of the coin...
MinneSarah's Top 5 Reasons St. Paul Is Best
1. More natural beauty - Have
you even seen the sun rise over Cathedral Hill? Breathtaking. St. Paul has more geographical beauty than its sister city - it's a
city of changing elevation, beautiful bluffs, and caves for all you
homebrew/old school crime fanatics! I'm pretty sure there
are more trees per capita than Minneapolis, and Como Park beats
Loring Park any day of the week. Plus, our street names are way
more creative than that numeric grid Minneapolis has allowed itself
to become.
2. You probably won't get shot
here - St. Paul is definitely more low key, and the result is,
you are less likely to get yourself into trouble. While the
occasional knife fight is bound to happen in any big city, you can
rest assured that you have less of a chance of being the victim of a
violent crime in sleepy St. Paul. It's the perfect place to pop
a Werthers Original in your mouth on your front porch and watch all
the businesses close up shop at 6pm on weeknights. I'll bet you
can catch up on your reading list at any of our historic
libraries and many private universities. St. Paul, keeping
you on the straight and narrow since 1854.
3. It's the capital - beat that
Minneapolis! If a bill wants to become a law, it has to go
through this city. Along with that honor is our
distinguished capital building and the fact that the city name is a
star on every elementary school map in the country. Plus Mark
Dayton's adorable pups call this city home, and if you walk past the
Governor's Mansion on a snowy evening, they'll say hello (bark bark).
4. Prettier residents with less
pretense - So, this one might be a tad subjective, but
seriously. I live here, and also all of my friends are quite
attractive and decent people. Sure, we might be the Garrison
Keillor to your Josh Hartnett, but at least we stick to ourselves.
Plus, we have better coffee shops (J & S, Nina's, Kopplins,
Ginko's) and thrift stores (Goodwill on University and St. Vincent on
West 7th) because there are less pretentious people to contend with,
but all the same quality you'd expect from places with a way higher
hipster quota.
5. More iconic events - What would the
state of Minnesota be without the "Great Minnesota Get
Together?" Those state fair grounds lay mostly fallow
throughout the year, but then host the biggest party you'll see in
this state. I'd like to see Minneapolis block off that much
land for an annual ten day party. Also, the Winter Carnival is
St. Paul taking over an entire season - the worst season,
but the longest and most annoying. This city has turned it
around as something to celebrate and also get frostbite trying to
find a lucite medallion in a snow globe. Sure beats a tribute to
lakes.
Honorable mention to Izzy's for serving
the best vegan ice cream in the state.
Hmmm.... They both make good points. Seems that it's best to just agree that we're two cities filled with talented, smart, funny, literate, drunk, sexy, sexy people.
MinneSarah regularly contributes to our Songs Of The Week column with TCDroogsma and is a big fan of caramel candies. She can be found on Twitter (@MinneSarah) pining for the 90's. Her cat's name is Theodore.
Well that's it, folks! 2012 is in the books. We hope it was a good one for you, as it was certainly a good one for us. Again, a huge thanks to anybody who's checked out the blog and/or shared the blog via social networks. It means a lot to us. We've got plenty planned for 2013 so please stay tuned.
We have a Twitter home (@NewestIndustry1) which you should follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. As always, we have a Facebook page here. Stopping by and giving us a "Like" is the easiest, cheapest way to support what we do.
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