1. The National - Alligator - Beggars Banquet
Gleaming with touches of strings, piano and clarinet layered over a hearty rhythm section and sleepy guitars, Alligator is an album that reminds me of late night drinks in a cozy bar, with good friends.
With singer Matt BerningerÂ’s baritone vocals chiming, in like a weary friend, confessions about women who donÂ’t come home, lost friends, hating work, sex, regret and desperation. While most of the album tip toes on a line of reservation, occasionally, Alligator breaks out of it's restraint and really rocks out. Songs like "Abel", "Lit Up" and album closer "Mr. November" all add a bit of punch to a very quiet, and pretty album. 2. Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff - Capitol
I don't know what it is in the water in Sweden, but damn, if they don't produce some fantastic bands. This is the U.S. debut from this retro-rock, indie pop quintet.
Howl Howl Gaff Gaff is comprised of most of their Swedish singles, and it stirs with keyboard-drenched pop melodies, sunny harmonies, and a new-wavey crunch. And let us not forget the Poll Position beginning of the "Comeback". This is such a wonderfully crafted album, with it's super catchy songs, and hook laden melodies, that I couldn't get those melodies out of my head for weeks on end. 3. Amusement Parks On Fire - Amusement Parks On Fire - Filter/BMG
First time I heard this band, they blew me away. Swirling, feedback drenched guitars, pulsing rhythms, and emotive lyrics. It made me feel young again.
The Nottingham, England band is actually one man, a young one at that, Michael Feerick, a multi-talented musician, who recorded most of the record single-handedly. The more restrained and delicate parts of the album, including some interludes with quiet piano and string arrangements, adds some additional ambience to the sonic assault. 4. Youth Group - Skeleton Jar - Ivy League/Epitaph
From Australia, the band features former Vines bassist, Patrick Matthews, but in no way does this band sound anything like that band. Single, "Shadowland", begins the album with a really sensational drum beat,
as a repetitive guitar note hits, then a second guitar melody. Vocals, jump in soon after, then the chorus repeats over and over, as a flurry of drum symbols kick in. Singer, Toby Martin's emotive vocal's plot a route through a varied backdrop of indie pop, folk, and rock & roll. An extremely well crafted album that seems to get better with every listen.5. The Frames - Burn The Maps - Anti/Epitaph
This band has mastered the quiet/loud dynamic so well, at times you forget you're listening to the same song. They build most of their songs with a hushed, softly strummed guitar, piano and violins, only to erupt into a thunderous guitar and sweeping fiddle.
Singer Glen Hansard, at times sees his vocals do the same thing. So much passion comes out of his vocals, whether he's in a hushed whisper or an all out roar. This record has the distinction of being one of the most intense, yet subtle albums I've heard in some time. 6. Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft - XL Recordings/Beggars
This band creates some of the most inventive and catchy music of our time. Once again this band has blown me away with their mix of Beach Boys melodies, electro, prog, country and punk influences.
Love Kraft is the sound of a mature SFA with not a monsteriffic yeti, tank, or inflatable bear in sight. It's also maybe their brightest material, probably due to the sunny nature of recording in Catalonia and mixing in Brazil. And if you listen closely, you can hear Brazilian crickets, and the album starts with pool splash. 7. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm - Vice
Bloc Party is group of young men from merry olde England.
What can I say about this album, that hasn't been said before. Riding high on a pattern of breakbeat percussion, jangly guitars, and Kele Okereke's enigmatic lyrics, Silent Alarm is a high energy assault on the senses. 8. Stephen Malkmus - Face The Truth - Matador
Sir Malkmus' third full length since the demise of the mighty Pavement sees him soaring. Once again he's found that magic spark from his Pavement days, with his mezmerizing word play and catchy melodies.
He's also matured to the point where he comes up with wonderful songs like "Mama", which in my opinion is one of the best songs he's ever written. "Mama's in the kitchen with onions. Daddy's in the back with Old Hank. Talkin' 'bout the lasers and bunions, talkin' disability rank. No, we didn't have too much money. Just enough to make our dead ends meet" So beautiful. I don't know if he could have written that 10 years ago. 9. Queens Of The Stone Age - Lullabies To Paralyze - Interscope
Queens of the Stone Age are back with their 4th album, and they've not slowed down one bit.
The new collection of songs, and guest stars, including the bearded Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and more join in to create a loud, sexy, and dirty sonic ride that further reveals, how important this band is to contemporary rock music. A purging of fuzzed out guitars, melodic hooks, and ever changing moods. 10. Sigur Ros - Takk - Geffen
Another brilliant album from these Scandanvians. Beautiful and expansive soundscapes, with washy guitars, lush arrangements, lots of pretty orchestration, and ethereal vocals.
This album provides a little more punch, with more instrumentation, and some additional percussion. "Glosoli" with it's deep bass groove and stomp like percussion is a perfect example of this. As is, "Saeglopor" with it's pretty piano and chime beginning and then it's an explosion of percussion and guitar feedback. I'd be hard pressed to find a more cinematic and imaginitive album this year. 11. Nada Surf - The Weight Is A Gift – Barsuk
The Weight is a Gift is an album of wonderfully crafted pop songs, with wistful melodies, catchy hooks, bittersweet lyrics, and occasional rock anthems.
It took me a bit of time to realize what a great band this is. Let Go took a long time to grow on me, but The Weight Is A Gift was an instant hit with me. 12. Wolf Parade - Apologies To The Queen Mary - Sub Pop
A fantastic debut from the Canadian quartet. Produced by Modest Mouser, Isaac Brock, the album is heavily influenced by that band. The band enthusiastically jumps around familiar indie rock territory, but also spastic vocals and vaudvillian theatrics.
It's a quirky album, bursting at the seams with odd tempos, handclaps, strange vocal harmonies, and lots of keyboard noodling. But it's quite a treat to listen to.13. Elbow - Leaders Of The Free World – V2
Leaders Of The Free World, is instantly a more upbeat album than the previous two. "Forgot Myself", "Picky Bugger" and the title track are multi-dimensional and intense. Guy Garvey's hushed vocals tell stories of heartache, torn relationships and frustration. The record is downhearted, passionate, and mysterious all at once. It is a gorgeous album, that reveals itself each time you listen to it.
14. Spoon - Gimme Fiction - Merge
Spoon's fifth full-length, as each of their previous albums, sees them taking some new twists and turns. A soulful album that sees them chart on familiar indie rock territory,
but also inventively sees them add a little flair, with some disco touches, synths, and lots of handclaps. On this album you get a focused band that sees Spoon making some of their most thrilling and expansive music yet.15. Evens - S/T - Dischord
Ian MacKaye's done it once again, this time partnering up with drummer/vocalist, Amy Farina, to create the music of the Evens. On this album , we get beautiful melodies from Farina and MacKaye,
who both trade off vocals. Farina's drumming is sparse and precise, as occasionally you hear a miniture Fugazi riff from MacKaye's baritone guitar. 16. Mars Volta - Frances The Mute - Strummer/Universal
The 2nd album from former ATDI members, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Frances sees these afro'd men make mince meat out of a proggy, spacey, metal hybrid jams.
I really love the latin and worldly vibes on the album as well. it's a little weirder and has more in common with free jazz, than the post punk mayhem of their former band. 17. New Pornographers - Twin Cinema - Matador
The third album from Vancouver power pop impresarios. On "Twin Cinema," The Pornos, bring the sugary melodies down a notch, and find themselves in a bit more of a singer/songwriter side of things, with beautifully writen songs that are a bit more retrospective and harmonies that would make Fleetwood Mac jealous.
18. Broken Social Scene - Broken Social Scene - Arts & Crafts
Broken Social Scene is literally a collective boasting 38 members, well.... not really. I think it's somewhere in the 12 or so area plus wonderful guests - including members of Stars, Metric,
Feist, and The Dears. This album is a indie-rock power house, boasting expansive melodies, gigantic choruses, and symphonic arrangements that compliments their many instruments and vocalists. 19. M.I.A. - Arular - XL Recordings
M.I.A. should be a household name by now, well at least in hipster households. This Sri Lankan-born artist raps in her trademark, Tamil, cockney and American slang, about poverty, terrorism, politics and more, over some of the nuttiest beats of dancehall, pop, hip hop and ragga. Her thought-provoking lyrics, distinctively piercing and poignant delivery, and refreshing production have made her one of the hottest young stars.
20. The Most Serene Republic – Underwater Cinematographer – Arts & Crafts
The young Toronto group, and possibly the first A&C band that doesnÂ’t feature a Broken Social Scene member, create a wonderful soundscape of gleeful indie pop, scattered with electronic flourishes and a varying degree of instrumentation. Bookended by instrumentals, Prologue and Epilogue, the album sputters like children at play.
21. Gravenhurst - Fires In Distant Cities - Warp
Most of the record finds itself drowned in post rock slowcore, but explodes on 'The Velvet Cell' and 'The Velvet Cell Reprise', both of which add an excellent propulsive dimension to the album.
Following the epic ‘Song from Under the Arches’ –a haunting exercise in restraint and ferocity-the album ends with a Kinks cover ‘See My Friends’, turning a three minute pop hit in a nine-minute hypno space jam. 22. British Sea Power - Open Season - Rough Trade
The follow up to their debut, The Decline Of British Sea Power, Open Season sees the band navigate new territory, as it's captivatingly melodic and quite the opposite of the noisy debut. A little less of a post punk and avant, this one finds itself full of gentle new-wave guitar sparks, with touches of synths, bright major-key leads, and singer, Yan's signuture Bowiesque vocals.
23. Brazilian GirlsBrazilian Girls - Verve
There are no Brazilian girls in this band, in fact it's 3 men from NYC, and one woman, singer, Sabina Sciubba. Their sexy blend of electronica, bossa nova, jazz, dub and raggae, makes for one of the more interesting sounding albums out there. The mix of all those genres, the playful nature of many of the tracks and the fantastic grooves makes this a great record for any mood.
24. GorillazDemon Days - Virgin
Demon Days is a mighty fine album. I love the Danger Mouse production and Albarn's vocals. The lush orchestral sounds on a few songs is great, including the choir in every planet we reach is dead and don't get lost in heaven. Feel Good INC, despite being on that iPod ad, is still one damn fine song. So catchy, and great to see De La Soul kick it again.
25. Idlewild Warnings/Promises - Capitol
The fourth full length from these brash Scots. A little less punch than their previous work, but they've made a good record, with passionate vocals, courtesy of the mulleted Roddy Woomble. This album is a lot less guitars, but has some really good arrangements and pianos accompany some songs . It's a heartfelt album, and much more mature than their earlier work.
26. Celebration Celebration - 4AD
A great debut from the Baltimore, three piece. Produced by friend Dave Sitek, from TV On The Radio. This album combines, the dark chamber pop, courtesy of Sean Antanaitis' guitorgan, with scattershot drumming, and singer
Katrina Ford's powerful yelps. It's a moody album, with dark sonic textures, dense, swirling sounds, and occasional dancey beats . It's a genre-bending, album, that is raw yet well constructed. It's visceral and powerful, yet gentle at times. Simply put, it is like a Celebration. 27. Kanye West Late Registration - Def Jam
What more can I say about Kanye, that hasn't been said already. The man is crazy talented. On this album, he's accompanied by producer, Jon Brion, and they make what is one of the finest and slickest hip hop albums. With Kanye's patented sampling, beats and interesting instrumentation, and his outstanding flow, which runs the gambit of the political and personal, he really shines.
28. Doves Some Cities - Capitol
The British rock trio is much more direct and precise on their third album, and it's a great change in style. A more upbeat album, with bright choruses, vibrant beats, and swirling guitars. Some Cities combines more of their traditional
atmospherics, with catchy melodies, bouncy piano, and electronic flourishes. This is a band hitting their creative peak. 29. Death Cab For Cutie - Plans - Atlantic
From lead track, “Marching Bands Of Manhattan”, all the way through album closer, “Stable Song”, Ben Gibbard and company woo you. Lead single, "Soul Meets Body" is one of the more overtly rocking songs on the album and separated from the album, is a wonderful song in itself.But as I think many fans of this band know, especially those fans of their earlier work, it’s the quiet, introspective songs, that sing you to sleep and leave a lasting impression.
Many of the songs are sparse, with minimal arrangements and GibbardÂ’s hushed vocals. Gibbard has a way to suck you in with wonderful narratives about relationships, longing, and desire, on top of catchy sing-alongs. 30. Sons & Daughters- The Repulsion Box - Domino
Glasgow's Sons and Daughters compose a great folk-rock sound that explores murder ballad lyrics, gritty guitar work, with traditional Scottish folk and blues-rock bits.
And you have some of the greatest Scottish accents ever in Adele Bethel and Scott Paterson alternating vocals. 31. Faunts High Expectations/Low Results - Friendly Fire Recordings
Faunts creates
shimmering walls of pink noise with dreamy, languorous guitar, gently-treated vocals, and swimmingly beautiful melodies. It is a fantastic debut from the Canadian band. 32. Ash - Meltdown - Record Collection
A really impressive album from these Irish rockers. Driving songs, played with almost breakneck speed, and catchy hooks. I swear, I heard a Scorpions riff or two in there. They occasionally bring the pace down a bit and get sappy on a ballad and mid-tempo rocker. But, hey, isn't that what they do.
33. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem - Capitol
An ass-shaking good time from DFA cohort James Murphy. He's created a dance-rock party, all on one disc(two if you get the bonus disc), for the modern hipster. He delves a bit into house, jungle and even some worldly beats on this disc too. He also pays homage to Eno and the Fall. Making for a diverse and intelligent album.
34. Giant Drag - Hearts And Unicorns - Kickball/Interscope
Of course they are going to get compared to a bunch of bands from the mid 90’s with swirling, distorted guitars, syrupy vocals and mischievous lyrics. But is that so bad?
35. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire - Arts & Crafts
What makes this band so good is vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan. They harmonize so well and the music is sexy and passionate. Wonderful stories about life, love and regret, blending in trumpet, keyboards, and some beautiful orchestration.
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