My Favorite Music of 2012

I am by no means a music critic, but typically at the end of the year I put together a list of my favorite music from the past year, albeit normally within the privacy of my own head.  This year I decided I would make the list public.  My musical tastes seem to be pretty eclectic and all over the board.  Sometimes the albums that make it onto my list are a surprise even to myself.  This year there are 2 albums on my list that I initially did not like, but have grown a lot on me.  So without further adieu, here is my favorite music of 2012, in no particular order:

Exitmusic - Passage

Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself

Fun. - Some Nights

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!

State to State - State to State

Shearwater - Animal Joy

The Lumineers - The Lumineers

Balmorhea - Stranger

Trampled By Turtles - Stars and Satellites

Imagine Dragons - Night Visions

The Exitmusic album is by far my favorite of the year.  I only just discovered it mid-December and I have already listened to it more times than any of the other albums on my list.  Apparently I really enjoy dark, brooding, depressing albums, as evidenced by this album and my favorite album of 2009, The Antlers - Hospice.