20 Years and six albums in, the Coup are considered "one of the most overtly political bands in rap history." That being a lean to the extreme left. (Lead rapper/producer, Boots, was deeply involved in the occupy Oakland movement. However, that's not what attracted me. The music is great and the songs are catchy as hell.
This is a challenging album, for me, to describe. There are moments I'd call chamber-pop, like the opener Lilies. Others are more singer-songwriter, such as my favorite song on the album All Your Gold. The beautiful
Laura the first single off the album, reminds me of Kate Bush or maybe even Bjork.
Danger Mouse has been involved with the creative force behind Electric Guest, Asa Taccone, almost since the Grey Album. In fact, he credits Taccone with helping him to define his style. So it's no surprise that you can hear a lot of his other work in these songs. The Bait and Troubleman could have been Beck;
I love this album as much as the critics (it received a metascore of 82) and it easily jumps into my top 10 for 2012. 
I don't imagine I qualify as a Shoegaze revivalist, because I was never a big Shoegaze guy the first time around. Given my lack of experience here, it's hard to compare it to anything I've heard before. The best I can describe it is pretty and atmospheric.
For a change, I like an album more than the critics. While this has received generally good reviews, I think it's a terrific album. The influences are so varied that it's fun to play: Who Does That Remind You Of? I hear Oasis (Explorers), U2 (Uprising), Queen (Survival), David Bowie (Panic Station) The Smiths (The 2nd Law: Isolated System) and Led Zeppelin (Supremacy). The UK band has been around in one form or another for 15 years and, although this is their sixth studio release, it's the first I was inclined to obtain.
Perhaps the best R&B singer you've never heard of, Bettye LaVette has been recording for 50 years. This is a covers album. She can definitely sing a pretty, soulful song (Neil Young's I'm Not The One). But she really blows me away when she sings a slow burner (like Bob Dylan's I'm Not The One or Crazy from Cee Lo Green and Dangermouse) or gets down and funky (Savoy Brown's I'm Tired, my favorite song on the album or Fair Enough).
The fourth proper studio release from the New York based four-piece. They hit the big time with 2009's critically acclaimed Vecatimest (reaching number 8 on Billboard's Top 200 chart.) This is supposed to be a more cerebral work, but frankly, I like this album more. My favorite song is Gun-Shy, which is a dead give away to my love of pop hooks. Sleeping Ute seems like something Genesis would have created if they'd been formed in the 21st century. Yet Again is a sweet pop song (and the harmonies remind me of America.) The strings on What's Wrong make the song seem as if it's drifting on a breeze. From start to finish I hear influences from Yes, Roxy Music and the Flaming Lips.
Dylan continues his exploration of America's musical history, including country (Soon After Midnight which could be a Willie Nelson song), blues (
Early Roman Kings, basically a remake of Muddy Waters' Mannish Boy) and early 70's rock (Pay In Blood). The one song that has me truly confused (do I like it or not?) is the nearly 15 minute long title track: Tempest, a folk ballad and perhaps the longest song ever performed without a chorus, tells the story of the Titanic with references to both history and the James Cameron movie ("Leo took his Sketch book"). Listen if you have time, once, just so you can say you did.
My only dilemma here is whether I love this album, or am completely blown away by it. It's definitely leaping onto my 2012 Top 10 list, somewhere near the middle. This is their seventh proper studio release (my second, after 2008's Carried to Dust). 
This is the sophomore release for The XX. Their eponymous debut, released in 2009 is also excellent. The band, formed in London in 2008 while the (then four) members were still in high school, cite influences including everything from The Cure and the Pixies to Rihanna. The music is pretty minimalist, allowing the vocals to leap way out front. Romy Madley Croft provides a sensuousness with her satiny voice, while Oliver Sim's smooth-as-malt-scotch baritone serves as a perfect counterpoint.
Remember the Talking Heads? I do. David Byrne lead the band, from their formation in 1975 in New York until they broke up in 1988. I loved David Byrne's quirky lyrics, outrageous costumes, unique voice and highly experimental music. This is his 9th solo album since 1981 and, perhaps regrettably, my first. Here he teams with St. Vincent (the stage name of Annie Erin Clark, it's also the name of the band she fronts), which makes calling it a solo album a little confusing.
Cat Power is the stage name of Chan (pronounced "Shawn") Marshall, born Charlyn Marie Marshall in Atlanta, Georgia on January 21, 1972. This is her first album since 2008's Jukebox (a terrific album of covers, from New York, New York to Hank Williams' Ramblin' Man, to Joni Mitchell's Blue) which was my introduction to her. This is her 7th album of original material and the first in 6 years.
Screaming into front-runner status, late in 2012 is the Super-Group, Divine Fits. And while I've never heard of of the drummer (Sam Brown, or his band, New Bomb Turks), I'm a big fan of Dan Boeckner (of the Handsome Furs and Wolf Parade) and Britt Daniels (the lead vocalist and guitarist for Spoon, who's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was my favorite album of 2007.)
The son of a steel worker, from Sheffield, England, Hawley began his solo career with a self-titled debut in 2001. This is his 7th proper studio release and the influences of lat '60s psychedelia are everywhere. He refers to the lush mix as "rocket sounds." 
(The album is not currently available on Spotify, so I've resorted to Youtube versions.)
I love this album from the five piece band from Noid, England (outside of Bath). This is their third studio album. They released their debut in 2007. It's not surprising I'd be enthusiastic., since Spotify lists their as their related artists some of my favorite bands on the past few years, including The Deadweather, The Kills, Cold War Kids, My Morning Jacket, TV On The Radio, Broken Bells, The Raconteurs and Band of Skulls.
Considering it's only the second album from the Los Angeles band they get a lot of press. At least 36 reviews from major media and arts rags! However, it's Ariel Pink's ninth overall, though, I must, somewhat sheepishly, admit I'd never heard of them till now.
Redd Kross, from Southern California, began in 1978 with a band called The Tourists, which was begun by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while they were still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson and Dave Keller on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag. (Not a bad start.) 