![Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten: Handwritten is a celebration of everything that Gaslight Anthem do best, and a perfect return to form. The band take everything melancholy and turn it around, making it into a proud proclamation of what makes us human instead. Handwritten is a battle cry and call to arms - and it does all with a smile. Grace Carroll]()
Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten: Handwritten is a celebration of everything that Gaslight Anthem do best, and a perfect return to form. The band take everything melancholy and turn it around, making it into a proud proclamation of what makes us human instead. Handwritten is a battle cry and call to arms - and it does all with a smile. Grace Carroll
![The Maccabees - Given To The Wild: By the time a band have released three albums and clearly want to be as big as Coldplay they generally lose their charm. It is testament to The Maccabees' never ending loveability then that they made their step up and still made us grin like fools with every cooed chorus and buzzsaw guitar solo. David Renshaw]()
The Maccabees - Given To The Wild: By the time a band have released three albums and clearly want to be as big as Coldplay they generally lose their charm. It is testament to The Maccabees' never ending loveability then that they made their step up and still made us grin like fools with every cooed chorus and buzzsaw guitar solo. David Renshaw
![Passion Pit - Gossamer: Considering recent incidents in the life of frontman Michael Angelakos (cancelling gigs due to mental health problems), it's odd that this, Passion Pit's second album, is such a joyful experience. True, the lyrics of the album (most notably 'Love Is Greed', 'It's Not My Fault I'm Happy') are tinged with bitterness and shaped by a brutal-sounding break-up, but Gossamer is one of the most uplifting heartbreak albums of the year. Michael Baggs]()
Passion Pit - Gossamer: Considering recent incidents in the life of frontman Michael Angelakos (cancelling gigs due to mental health problems), it's odd that this, Passion Pit's second album, is such a joyful experience. True, the lyrics of the album (most notably 'Love Is Greed', 'It's Not My Fault I'm Happy') are tinged with bitterness and shaped by a brutal-sounding break-up, but Gossamer is one of the most uplifting heartbreak albums of the year. Michael Baggs
![The Cast of Cheers - Family: The Irish band''s first ''proper'' album is a brilliant collection of angular litle pop songs. Taking inspiration from Battles, it''s all very robotic, but tracks such as ''Animals'' and ''Trucks at Night''are irresistible. We defy you to not tap your foot. Charlie Teasdale]()
The Cast of Cheers - Family: The Irish band''s first ''proper'' album is a brilliant collection of angular litle pop songs. Taking inspiration from Battles, it''s all very robotic, but tracks such as ''Animals'' and ''Trucks at Night''are irresistible. We defy you to not tap your foot. Charlie Teasdale
![Best Coast - The Only Place: Best Coast albums are sun-drenched and lazy, in the best possible way, and The Only Place is no different. One listen will make you feel like laying on a pier in golden California, and as we all know, its impossible to be unhappy in the sunshine. While the lyrics may be downbeat, the melodies just keep on going up. Grace Carroll]()
Best Coast - The Only Place: Best Coast albums are sun-drenched and lazy, in the best possible way, and The Only Place is no different. One listen will make you feel like laying on a pier in golden California, and as we all know, its impossible to be unhappy in the sunshine. While the lyrics may be downbeat, the melodies just keep on going up. Grace Carroll
![Hot Chip - In Our Heads: One thing that makes us happy about this album is that it's amazing to hear Hot Chip being great throughout a whole album, not just odd tracks. The main thing though is the sense of joy and good times which runs throughout the record. Between this and 2 Bears, we're starting to think Joe Goddard is some kind of dance floor Santa Claus. David Renshaw]()
Hot Chip - In Our Heads: One thing that makes us happy about this album is that it's amazing to hear Hot Chip being great throughout a whole album, not just odd tracks. The main thing though is the sense of joy and good times which runs throughout the record. Between this and 2 Bears, we're starting to think Joe Goddard is some kind of dance floor Santa Claus. David Renshaw
![Elton John vs Pnau 'Good Morning To The Night': This Frankenstein collection of tracks, created by Australian duo Pnau by splicing together segments of largely forgotten tracks from Elton John's seventies output is perhaps the year's warmest record. Even the lead single from the album, 'Sad', is a sun-drenched pop anthem that brims with good feeling. The most nostalgic collection of 'brand new' tracks of 2012. Michael Baggs]()
Elton John vs Pnau 'Good Morning To The Night': This Frankenstein collection of tracks, created by Australian duo Pnau by splicing together segments of largely forgotten tracks from Elton John's seventies output is perhaps the year's warmest record. Even the lead single from the album, 'Sad', is a sun-drenched pop anthem that brims with good feeling. The most nostalgic collection of 'brand new' tracks of 2012. Michael Baggs
![Drake - Take Care. It's one of the first commercial hip hop albums where every track is brilliant; there's no filler. The album has placed Drake right at the forefront of modern hip hop because it features a series of huge tracks, most notably 'HYFR', which will make even the nerdiest of listeners feel like an absolute baller. Charlie Teasdale]()
Drake - Take Care. It's one of the first commercial hip hop albums where every track is brilliant; there's no filler. The album has placed Drake right at the forefront of modern hip hop because it features a series of huge tracks, most notably 'HYFR', which will make even the nerdiest of listeners feel like an absolute baller. Charlie Teasdale
![TNGHT - TNGHT: Maybe happy isn't quite the word we feel when listening to TNGHT but invincible is definitely apt and who doesn't want to feel untouchable? Hudson Mohawke and Lunice combine on the instrumental EP to create something akin to intro music for a cartoon wrestling match between Godzilla and King Kong. Huge doesn't come near describing how much fun this all is. David Renshaw]()
TNGHT - TNGHT: Maybe happy isn't quite the word we feel when listening to TNGHT but invincible is definitely apt and who doesn't want to feel untouchable? Hudson Mohawke and Lunice combine on the instrumental EP to create something akin to intro music for a cartoon wrestling match between Godzilla and King Kong. Huge doesn't come near describing how much fun this all is. David Renshaw
![Alt J - An Awesome Wave. The most uplifting thing about Alt J's debut is its freshness. The band have said they were as surprised as everyone else when the album charted in the Top 20, outselling artists such as Jessie J, but we think it's very well-deserved, because 'An Awesome Wave' is fantastic. Charlie Teasdale]()
Alt J - An Awesome Wave. The most uplifting thing about Alt J's debut is its freshness. The band have said they were as surprised as everyone else when the album charted in the Top 20, outselling artists such as Jessie J, but we think it's very well-deserved, because 'An Awesome Wave' is fantastic. Charlie Teasdale
