MP's Best Of 2012 Year End Wrap-Up

MP Top 10 CD's of 2012:
1. Van Halen - A Different Kind Of Truth
2. Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage 
3. Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
4. Slash - Apocalyptic Love
5. Kill Devil Hill
6. Stone Sour - House Of Gold & Bones Pt.1
7. Paul Gilbert - Vibrato 
8. Muse - The 2nd Law
9. Bend Sinister - Small Fame
10. Beardfish - The Void 

Honorable Mentions:
Foxy Shazam, Ben Folds Five, Devin Townsend, Lamb Of God, Fiona Apple, Rush, Overkill, Soundgarden, Deftones


MP's Top 10 Films of 2012:
1. Django Unchained
2. Amour
3. Flight
4. The Master
5. Killing Them Softly
6. Argo
7. Zero Dark Thirty
8. Moonrise Kingdom
9. Killer Joe
10. Ted


MP's Top 10 TV Shows of 2012:
1. Sons Of Anarchy
2. Breaking Bad
3. Mad Men
4. Homeland
5. Louie
6. Girls
7. Dexter
8. Californication
9. Life's Too Short
10. Enlightened


MP releases in 2012:
-- Adrenaline Mob - Omertà
-- Flying Colors
-- Neal Morse - Momentum
-- Morse/Portnoy/George - Cover 2 Cover
-- The Prog World Orchestra - A Proggy Christmas


Coming in 2013 from MP:
-- Adrenaline Mob Covers EP
-- Portnoy/Sheehan/Kotzen CD
-- Flying Colors Live DVD/CD
-- Neal Morse Live DVD/CD
-- PSMS Live DVD/CD
-- ____??____ CD (Special Guest Appearance still TBA)


Click below to see MP's previous Year End Wrap-Ups:

MP's Best Of 2011:
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2735040&mpage=1#2735040
 
MP's Best Of 2010: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2624279&mpage=1#2624279 
   
MP's Best Of 00's (Decade End Wrap-Up): 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2462068&mpage=1#2462068 

MP's Best Of 2009: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2462065&mpage=1#2462065 
  
MP's Best Of 2008: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=2216896&mpage=1#2216896 
  
MP's Best Of 2007: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=1900727&mpage=1#1900727 
  
MP's Best Of 2006: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=1504805&mpage=1#1504805 
  
MP's Best Of 2005: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=1112028&mpage=1#1112036 
  
MP's Best Of 2004: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=74&mpage=5#707792 
  
MP's Best Of 2003: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=74&mpage=4#383578 
  
MP's Best Of 2002: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=74&mpage=3#122630 
  
MP's Best Of 2001: 
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=74&mpage=2#116 
  
  

No surprises for 2013 as far as possible new studio albums or new collaborations.
Looks like MP's "main" bands are pretty set in stone.

Awesome to see Bend Sinister on there. They're my favourite hometown band!
 
Loving Louie, Life's too Short, and especially Breaking Bad. But I think it's time I see Sons of Anarchy! 
 
All the best for 2013!

Portnoy


-- ____??____ CD (Special Guest Appearance still TBA)
 

I think this Special Guest Appearance still TBA was hinted here:
 
RT @bigelf: Some demos(no vocals) from the new album... http://t.co/itykDYC8 about 12 hours ago
 
My call...but I might be wrong
 

Is there some kind of hyperlink to this thread or something going on? There have
been 1,300 views in 8 minutes and it says there 870 guests viewing this. That's
not normal.
 
Obviously Twitter related. I'm a dork.

emtee


Is there some kind of hyperlink to this thread or something going on? There have
been 1,300 views in 8 minutes and it says there 870 guests viewing this. That's
not normal.

Check his twitter feed.

And his FB

MP needs to start watching Suits.

Glad to see some love for Dexter and Breaking Bad here!
And I'm really glad that MP included Muse there. I liked the album a lot, and I'm disappointed by all the bashing it gets.
 
I wonder, Mike, what's your opinion on Storm Corrosion? And, having heard the result, would you like to turn back time and actually perform on it (as was intended, a far as I remember), contribute to it, change it somehow? Or a SW/MA/MP project in your dreams is something entirely different? :)

ministroraven

Portnoy


-- ____??____ CD (Special Guest Appearance still TBA)

I think this Special Guest Appearance still TBA was hinted here:

RT @bigelf: Some demos(no vocals) from the new album... http://t.co/itykDYC8 about 12 hours ago

My call...but I might be wrong

 
I am really really looking forward to know what that big secret is. And like you, I'm putting my chips on that card too! The only thing is, while MP was recording that album he has said that the studio was a very nice and expensive studio. I don't know if Bigelf has the budget to rent a studio like that. Well, let's see.

Good lists all around. Also very happy to see Devin Townsend on at least the Honorable Mentions. And mike if you do read this, check out Ne Obliviscaris, if you haven't already!
 
I'm a bit confused about the Special Guest appearance. the BigElf one seems to make complete sense but the way it is written seems confusing with the "??" part. Does that mean it's two words, maybe two releases? Am I looking too much into it?

JRundquist


I'm a bit confused about the Special Guest appearance. the BigElf one seems to make complete sense but the way it is written seems confusing with the "??" part. Does that mean it's two words, maybe two releases? Am I looking too much into it?

 
It can be Sixx AM. They were one of my first bets...well, i don't really know!

No love for Deftones' Koi no Yokan?? 

Great list as always.

But the first time Mike hasn't included a new Deftones album on his Top 10 and I think the new one is pretty killer.
Also, no love for the new Mars Volta?

Loved the inclusion of Van Halen. That came out so long ago, I almost forgot it was 2012. I'm not on the same page with Muse though. I think their last few albums have been progressively getting weaker. Oh well. Otherwise, solid.
As for TV, "Life's Too Short" was one of the funniest shows I've seen in a while. Another awesome pick. Exclusion of Walking Dead makes me

The Betterfly


No love for Deftones' Koi no Yokan?? 

 
Added as an honorable mention...there's always a few oversights!  

Did you hear the new Echolyn, Mike?  It's a special album.  It made your old keyboard player's end of year best of list, you should check it out.  

No Transatlantic CD for 2013? I thought that it was about to be confirmed... I guess that it'll be in 2014 then?

I think they are trying to record a new Transatlantic album but I would think until its confirmed it wouldn't be on the list.

Not to be greedy (there's already a ton more info from Mike here than most artists give all year), but in the interest of musing out loud, Id love to hear:
 
- news of any new Transatlantic;
- what Mike thought of the new Kiss album; and
- what Mike thought of the new Rush.

Beardfish´s album "The Void" is on my top 10 too!
Actually I thought, MP was not to happy about "The 2nd Law" by Muse, when I saw one of his twits just after it came out. I guess I was wrong

Stadler


  Id love to hear:

- what Mike thought of the new Kiss album; and
- what Mike thought of the new Rush.

I think he thought the Rush was alright, thus it making honorable mention.  On KISS he's said it's not really KISS without Ace or Peter.  So I wouldn't hold my breath.  I'm still dying to hear his take on any KISS post 70s.  Some was in The Eric Carr Story by Greg Prato.  But I've never heard his take on Revenge.  Also on a related, since he does seem to be BIG into classic line-ups, I've never heard his take on A Trick of the Tail by Genesis, I'm curious as to hear about that.  If any forumers know where to find such knowledge, I'd appreciate you pointing me the right way.

TheOnlyNameLeft

Stadler


Id love to hear:

- what Mike thought of the new Kiss album; and
- what Mike thought of the new Rush.

I think he thought the Rush was alright, thus it making honorable mention. 

Totally missed that.  My bad.  I didn't see the "Rush" in there. 

thesaiyan


No Transatlantic CD for 2013? I thought that it was about to be confirmed... I guess that it'll be in 2014 then?

I only listed what has already been recorded in 2012 and slated for 2013...
MP

Interesting year's end list as usual.
I know that the majority wants another Transatlantic release,and that's great. But my biggest wish would be just one more project with Liquid Tension Experiment.

What about Testament's new album? I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but I hear nothing but good things.

 Totally enjoyed Flight as well. Just saw it a couple days ago. Did you see Lincoln? I haven't seen it yet but it has a whopping 8.3 rating on IMDB. Wow. That's a rating of a classic.

I must say I'm glad to see Beardfish back in an MP Top 10. He's excluded their last two albums so it's nice to see he still has the love for such a great band :)

Portnoy

thesaiyan


No Transatlantic CD for 2013? I thought that it was about to be confirmed... I guess that it'll be in 2014 then?

I only listed what has already been recorded in 2012 and slated for 2013...
MP

Wow!! A reply from MP, thank you very very much! I know you are very open to fans but it's great to receive a reply directly from the man!  This is my first!
 
Well, I'll be here supporting you in your musical adventures! And also having a lot of fun playing alongside your music  I'm very proud as a fan!
 
Let's hope that a TA CD is confirmed soon then! That's one of my favorites bands ever! 
 
Thanks again!
 

Loved all the 2012 releases!
So excited for the new stuff from the Mob and Neil Morse!
Will you be touring with all the new stuff in 2012?
 
       -theposter64

JRundquist

I'm a bit confused about the Special Guest appearance. the BigElf one seems to make complete sense but the way it is written seems confusing with the "??" part. Does that mean it's two words, maybe two releases? Am I looking too much into it?

 
Can it be a Neal Morse question Mark-Sequel? :-P

I'd also like to see Mike's review of the new Rush.

What'd you think of the Storm Corrosion album?

Id like to see more in-depth comments about the new Stone Sour album. Its REALLY good. Im looking forward to the next part!!

Portnoy

I only listed what has already been recorded in 2012 and slated for 2013...
MP

I have to say, of course I was disappointed when the whole DT split thing went down, but jeez, this man's a machine!  As a fan of Mr. Portnoy, the musician, I couldn't be happier with his output these last couple years.  I don't love all of it, but the quantity/quality ratio is surely the best in the biz.
 
 

SpacemanSpiff

MP needs to start watching Suits.

 
I'll second this recommendation.  Awesome show.

Did you already saw Cloud Atlas? If you don't, then you should! It totally deserve the watch. I highly recommend this film.

 Haven't seen Cloud Atlas yet but I hear people call it a really weird film. I did see Lincoln now and it features great acting and historical content but I imagine people with a short attention span will be less than pleased. The pace is very slow at times but overall a good film and will probably receive many Oscars.

Didn't like the new Volta album that much? I thought it was excellent...as if there was a chance it wouldn't be...
 
Also, did you get a chance to see The Cabin In The Woods? Something tells me you would dig that film a lot.

as a Bend Sinister fan for over 6 years, it's really cool to see Mike chime in this year about them. I really hope a lot of folks check them out, including likely a North American tour early in 2013.