Best Rock Album in 2012

Tempest

Ry Cooder's Election Special. Kudos to Cooder(and Guthrie and Thompson before him) for taking on "the bastards." In this and the last album he has evolved compositionally and vocally, with much more vocal authority than on the early albums. Some guitar work has Keith Richards-like grit, and of course the debt to Woody is clear.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/25/arts/music/for-ry-cooder-a-dogs-life-and-a-deal-with-the-devil.html

What's so great is that Cooder manages to take up political themes, but always through the lens of an authentic bluesman and never with shallow agitprop like some Annie De Franco and Billy Bragg. This one tops my list so far. Nice if expensive vinyl.

Nglazer, thank you for the Ben Howard recommendation!!!!
I am REALLY enjoying Every Kingdom from Spotify!
Only one album on Spotify , are there any other releases?
Highly recommend everyone take a spin of Every Kingdom.

If you need a laugh... I was enjoying the Beach House,but could not understand the GUY singer. After about 5 sides I noticed it was a 45 rpm record. Even better now!

Father John Misty (aka Joshua Tillman) FEAR FUN. He's grown gonads since the Fleet Foxes, aborbing what he needs of the psyche folk scene, Beatles, Gram Parsons, Dead. Interesting inversion of the Pastor persona. A well-recorded LP with occasional sibilance that might be my Acutex M420.