Holy crap, it's been a year already?

As hard as it is for me to believe, today marks the one year anniversary of my posting on this blog as a part of Totally Unauthorized. I started with the desire to express myself on a broad variety of music; I wanted to show off to people what I liked, what I was listening to, and to hopefully open a dialogue about the biggest new record or a new artist with sure-fire potential.

The lack of conversation so far has been a bit disappointing, which leaves a central point of emphasis for the coming year. But most of all, I feel it appropriate to reflect, show off what I've been doing here, and hope to gain some recognition for what I've got going on. Oh, and my first post, you might ask? It was on Arcade Fire's The Suburbs.

In no particular order, here's a look back at some of my favorite albums of this past year:

Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising

Swedish melodic metallers stick to their formula, but turn in another winner with Surtur Rising.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Robin Pecknold & crew guide us on a CSN&Y-themed adventure through indie folk.

 

Panda Bear - Tomboy

 

Noah Lennox keeps the melodies and intricate layering flowing on yet another critically acclaimed LP.

Ott - Mir

Ott mixes, electronica, psychedelia, and dubstep as he takes you on a voyage though your subconscious.

 

tUnE yArDs - W H O K I L L

Merrill Garbus's loud personality and unique approach to songwriting make w h o k i l l a runaway hit. 

 Tyler, the Creator - Goblin

Goblin didn't live up to the hype of "Yonkers," but it still featured great delivery and a fresh approach.

Cities Aviv - Digital Lows

I just discovered this album a few days ago, but it's already made an indelible impression. Memphis rapper Gavin Mays delivers a 70s urban street sound to go along with his laid back rhymes. Definitely an artist to watch.

 Iamamiwhoami - ;john and Clump

While not technically an album, Swedish pop star Jonna Lee has delivered some great stuff under the name iamamiwhoami. The dreamy synth pop of Clump and the energetic dance beat of John are two of this year's most overlooked gems.