In 2012, I really hunkered down into my role as WPRB’s Educational Advisor. I also finally jettisoned the last of those pesky CDs I’d been accumulating for the last 20-odd years and started buying vinyl again. Here are a few tracks that I’m still digging even as the Mayan calendar ticks down to zero.

Public Nuisance – “Small Faces” (from the Third Man Records re-issue of Gotta Survive.) The perfect crossroads of 60s psych and pre-punk riffage.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60559595" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

Kid 606 – “I Need to Start a Cult” (from Lost in the Game, Tigerbeat6 Records.) Cinematic bleep-boxing for the ages. He can continue making records indefinitely, and I will apparently keep liking them.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52358587" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

The Fresh & Onlys – “Yes or No” (from Long Slow Dance, Mexican Summer Records.) Everything about this album just clicks perfectly right out of the gate. Even with the nagging similarities to the Smiths and Echo & the Bunnymen.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/44417044" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

The Oh Sees – “Hang a Picture” (from Putrifiers II, In the Red Records.) Guitars that sound like keyboards! Keyboards that sound like guitars! Dudes that sound like girls! (Maybe?) Girls that sound like dudes?
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/61214520" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

Cut Chemist feat. Blackbird – “Outro Revisited” (from a 7″ single on Stones Throw Records.) The appeal of hip-hop crossed with cheesey metal riffs died a long time ago for me, but leave it to Cut Chemist to effortlessly rekindle my appreciation.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/20798689" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]

Full disclosure: In 2012, I also weeded a bunch of vinyl from my personal stash and sold it on eBay for the specific purpose of raising the money to buy… a garage door opener. The slope… she is a-slippery. Happy New Year!