Top 112 Songs of 2012 - #40 - 31

Florence + The Machine!

#112 - 101

#100 - 91

#90 - 81

#80 - 71

#70 - 61

#60 - 51

#50 - 41

#40. I Belong In Your Arms

by Chairlift

What would you do if I stole you tonight?

Did I get transported back in time? Finger-snapping awesome! (Katie Langley) 


“Feelings are good, nothing to say, just want my head on your shoulder, banana split, honestly, you're my remote controller”, normally this kind of lyric would annoy me, but this song by New York-ians Chairlift is so darn catchy I can’t help but like it. How dare you Chairlift! How am I meant to keep up my harsh exterior and distaste for ridiculousness if you sing such cuteness? Damn you! (Jo Michelmore) 

#39. When All Your Love Is Not Enough

by Kira Puru and The Bruise (AUS)

Lord save me, just take me,

My heart's been, so heavy... 

It must have been around the middle of the year during a routine employee Facebook stalk that I spied with my little eye 'Katie Langley likes Kira Puru and The Bruise.' Deciding to check out who this well named band was, I was more than a little surprised to find that the band had nothing to do with K-Tizzle's favourite thing in the world - bearded gentlemen. Instead, I discovered this brooding bluesy rock outfit, fronted by a stunning powerhouse vocalist. Australia finally has a true Queen of Soul. Her name? Kira Puru. She ain't no lady to mess with. 'When All Your Love Is Not Enough' is all kinds of dark, soulful heartache wrapped up in a sexy little package. When these guys finally get a break, it's going to be big. 2013 is Kira Puru and The Bruise's time to shine. (Matt Bond)    

Kira Puru and The Bruise are one of my delights of 2012. I have had the absolute pleasure of seeing them twice this year, and each time has blown my mind. There’s nothing but love here. Kira has swagger, The Bruise have the grooves. It makes for a combination that drums up a lot of emotion and can speak to you in many different ways. Isn’t that the best kind of music? The music that makes you feel powerful, or reminiscent… Or whatever it may be. It’s music that makes you FEEL. (Katie Langley) 


When I walked into the Black Bear at BigSound in September this year, I had no idea what was about to happen. I had no idea I was going to be completely and totally blown away by a band that have become one of my favourites of the year and a voice that demands I stop and listen every time I hear her. When I heard this track that night, I had no idea about the power of Kira’s vocal and the heartbreak she was able to convey. I had no idea I was going to hear such a fabulous filthy guitar riff and I had no idea how much I was going to love it. I also had no idea how much I was going to love this band, all of them, and I had no idea that this was going to become one of my fave tracks of the year. (Jo Michelmore)  

#38. Alone With You

by Phebe Starr (AUS)

And your whispers they gently,

Show me I belong next to you. 

Phebe Starr has a splendid voice. It’s not all up in your face but it has this incredible ability to hold you softly at the back of your neck and direct your senses to it and it alone. It’s comforting while powerful and it’s this awesome vocal that really holds this beautiful track together. There are some impressive female singer/songwriters around at the moment, so it takes a lot to stand out in a bunch of ultra-talented musicians. Phebe manages to do just that, easily. Alone With You is haunting and mesmerising and one of my very favourite Australian tracks of the year. Love. (Jo Michelmore)  

"I want to be alone with you, got lost in the night." The future looks incredibly bright for Phebe Starr. With 'Alone With You' she told us everything we need to know about what she brings to the table. Electronically influenced space-age pop, light-years ahead of your standard pop music. It features lyrics that make you happy and sad (sometimes at the same time!) and shows off a booming new voice that works its way through your entire body. We saw Starr performing the track live at Alhambra on Friday night (she's currently on tour with Cub Scouts) and it completely blew us away. It was just as good live, if not better, than the recorded version. Pay close attention to Phebe Starr over the next twelve months. (Matt Bond)    

There’s something really sad about this. It feels like a break up song. But not one of those angst ridden ‘I hate you so much right now’ Kelis type songs. Phebe summed it up with the lyrics “I've been having trouble sleeping. I forget how to breathe in”. Awww. Hug, anyone? (Katie Langley)

#37. White Coats

by Foxes

You will take me home one day, believe me.

This is the perfect song to have a big sing-a-long to. And if you’re like me, and not quite sure of the words, you’re just yelling “uhhhhhh” really loudly. (Katie Langley) 


It starts quietly but it only takes a minute or so before the mellow is replaced by one of the catchiest hooks of 2012. Then we’re returned to mellow again and everything starts making sense. This is the perfect example of how some artists really know how to work the light and dark in music, how to accentuate the strengths in their talent and how to suck me in to a really catchy pop song. (Jo Michelmore)  


There's nothing quite like a pop tune that will get stuck in your brain because of the music and because of the well-written lyrics. Foxes writes one of those fine-line cute/desperate stories with 'White Coats;' one minute it's all hopeful, "you will take me home one day, believe me," and the next it's, "but you just stand there watch them hold me down, I need to know that you're around." I don't know too much about Foxes, but what I do know is I want to hear more from her. Hopefully everything else can match how awesome 'White Coats' is. (Matt Bond) 

#36. My Heart Is On Fire

by Asta (AUS)

Out on the dusty road, your eyes flicker to and fro,

My hair is caught in the breeze, and you reach out and touch my knee... 

I know I like a song if I imagine it would be a good driving song, or a good dancing song (both of these things together is the Holy Grail – although dancing while driving is not recommended). I can totally see myself driving along, windows down… No wait, air con on… Either way, I’m in the car, it’s up loud, and I’m tap tap tapping my hands on the steering wheel. (Katie Langley) 


Asta is so young and already writing songs like 'My Heart Is On Fire?' It wouldn't be crazy to assume that she's only going to get better and better as time goes on. Which is a lot like this song. You listen to it once and enjoy it. You listen to it twice and you love it. You listen to it three times and then you can't stop listening to it. It's like a fine wine, only getting better with age. (Matt Bond) 

#35. I Awake

by Sarah Blasko (AUS)

I've tried to make this life my own,

To find myself, I've searched alone. 

There have already been three of Australia's best new female singer-songwriters mentioned today. Here we have not one of the best Australian female singer-songwriters. We have the best. Sarah Blasko is an enigma, so separate from her contemporaries. She pushes boundaries, this time recording with a Bulgarian orchestra who take Blasko's already cinematic sound to dizzying new heights. 'I Awake' opens an album that takes the listener on an unforgettable journey and you couldn't think of a better place to start. Pounding drums, dramatic strings and the voice of Australia's most innovative performer in music today. What more do you need? Nothing. That's what. (Matt Bond) 

Let me be completely honest here. Before Seeker Lover Keeper, I wasn’t a huge fan of Sarah Blasko. I liked her, I could see her talent, but I wasn’t what one would say is a fan. After Seeker Lover Keeper, the doors to Sarah (and her fellow SLK band mates) were completely opened to me, you can call me a convert, I’m in love. A perfect opener to her awesome album of the same name, I Awake starts with heavy beats and develops into intense strings and such drama, this song is a journey and it’s a journey I like to take over and over again. (Jo Michelmore)  

Sarah Blasko purrs her way through this track with the elegance and slink of a Siamese cat. Oh my god, what am I talking about? It’s good, OK? Go and buy it meow! (Katie Langley)

#34. Never Let Me Go

by Florence + The Machine

But I'm not giving up,

I'm just giving in. 

It’s difficult for me to talk about any Florence song from this year without referencing one of my favourite live music moments of the year, (although I do have a lot, so that may not be saying much). Florence and The Machine, (from front and centre baby!) was one of the highlights of 2012 for me, which is interesting considering I wasn’t much of a Florence fan until this year. Never Let Me Go was one of two songs on the Ceremonials album that convinced me I needed to stop and listen, I couldn’t ignore the intense strings and emotive piano, along with some of my favourite collections of words; “I'm going under, but I'm not giving up, I'm just giving in”, it’s a dramatic voyage through Florence Welch’s world, and that’s a world I’ve come to adore this year. (Jo Michelmore) 

Red heads are really making a comeback. (Katie Langley) 


But she has black hair in the video? Surrounded by over the top, epic anthems on Ceremonials, 'Never Let Me Go' stood out as album's true ballad. Don't get me wrong, it's still all kinds of epic, Welch's voice still soars and it's got all the heartbreaking hallmarks of a Florence + The Machine number. This is one of those songs I'll listen to for years to come and never tire of it. Despite not having a clue as to what's going on in the video, I still find it visually stunning. Oozing black goo, wacky inflatable dress and all. (Matt Bond) 

 

#33. Love Is All I Got

by Feed Me and Crystal Fighters

Darling I can give you what you want,

If what you want is love. 

Summertime anthems sound perfect in the capable hands of Crystal Fighters. You can count Feed Me in on that too, not that I know anything about him/her/them/it. All I need to know is Feed Me make good music and is/are friends with Crystal Fighters. Get some friends, grab some beverages, put on 'Love Is All I Got' and enjoy your day. (Matt Bond)  

Do you think it’s the Black Eyed Peas for the white hipster folk? No? Well you’re wrong. I would very much like to know what a crystal fighter is. Do they only brandish crystals as weapons? And if so are they the same crystals they use as deodorant sticks? So. Many. Questions. (Katie Langley) 


It’s always made me laugh that Crystal Fighters are known as ‘folktronica’. It’s always made me laugh that so many electronic artists get called numerous names, because they’re so busy doing the things that electronic musicians do, they can’t decide on one, or something; I suppose. So imagine how much I laughed when folktronica met electronica. Hilarious! No? Awesome? Yes! The lyrics are singable, the beats are danceable and the song is easy to like-able. The clip is super quirky too. This is what happens when two incredibly talented acts meet and it’s great. (Jo Michelmore)  

#32. Dance Bear

by Snakadaktal (AUS)

Tell me you're there,

Tell me you'll dare,

To be here for... dance bear. 

Snakadaktal. Is that not the coolest name for a band? But you wouldn’t want to have to say it too quickly, or after too many drinks. I turned into a bit of a dance bear listening to this song. That basically involved me hunched over lolling about. (Katie Langley) 


Even though the title is a bit silly and the lyrics are as well, that doesn’t take away from the catchiness of Dance Bear. Even though the clip is incredibly simple, it doesn’t take away from the effectiveness of colour and smoke and light. Even though Snakadaktal is sometimes a little annoying to spell, it doesn’t take away from the fact that I like them, lots. (Jo Michelmore) 


Slap my across the face and call me an indie hipster... I love this song! Nothing about it makes sense; the name of the band, a dancing bear that's not part of a traveling Russian circus, that kid throwing feathers in the video. Having fun doesn't always have to mean everything makes sense. I think these kids get that and it's what's going to get them far as a band. Dance bear! (Matt Bond)

#31. If Only

by Gin Wigmore

 

If only you would roll it all on me...

A classic beauty... a rich and soulful voice that could own jazz standards as easily as it could pop anthems... is there anyone more suited to leading the retro revival pack than Gin Wigmore? 'If Only' is a showstopping moment, all Danny at the drive-in movie theatre in Grease, but a million times better. Each word is like a knife to the heart, but it's performed so beautifully you couldn't care less. Her heart breaks, your heart breaks, but everyone is a winner. If only it never had to end. (Matt Bond) 

Like a song from another time, like a sound from a movie scene, like a voice from another world, like strings from heaven and like lyrics from the depths of someone’s heart, If Only is like a journey of desperation and love and heartbreak and it’s divine, just like Gin Wigmore herself. Hopefully more and more get to love the heavenly Gin in 2013 like I have fallen in love this year. (Jo Michelmore)

Until 4 minutes ago I hadn’t heard any Gin Wigmore, nek minnut I’m in love (yes, that’s a little NZ humour for you). Listening to this song makes me think about those little butterflies that you get when you’re crushin’ on someone, and that inner dialogue you have wondering if they feel the same way. The verdict? Gin, not just great with tonic. (Katie Langley)