December saw the release of The New Kinetics second album, In Stereo, produced by John Vanderslice at Tiny Telephone studio in San Francisco. The band’s 60’s-influenced rock-and-roll blew off the roof of the Casbah in San Diego at the CD release party on December 2. The record was put out independently by the band on vinyl, and it’s a wonderful thing. Highlights are: “Be Mine,” “Tear Down Your Idols,” and "Reverie", the last of which placed #1 on Aural Gravy Records’ Best Local Songs of 2012 list. – David Milano