20) Phoenix--Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This album might have scored
higher if didn't hear its single played 5 times a day on the radio station at work. Thanks for nearly ruining a perfectly good album for me, radio station!19) Grand Duchy--Petits Fours
Clyde Squid didn't post much this past year, but this was a great recommendation. Easily the best thing Frank Black has put out for a long time.
18) Lilly Allen--It's Not Me, It's You
17) Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears--Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!
It's retro to the point of being a bit gimmicky, but it's also fantastic and you can shake your ass to it. This one should probably be higher up on the list, but I just recently got it, so it's here. Just give it a listen...
Sugarfoot
Black Joe Lewis | MySpace Music Videos
16) Madeleine Peyroux--Bare Bones
15) Art Brut--Art Brut vs. Satan
14) Neko Case--Middle Cyclone
13) Lightning Dust--Infinite Light
Amber Webber's voice is totally wack, but I like it. Their song "I Knew" will probably go on every mix I make for a while, but the vast majority of songs on this album are excellent.12) We Were Promised Jetpacks--These Four Walls
11) Yeah Yeah Yeahs--It's Blitz!
Yay! A good Yeah Yeah Yeahs album! It's incredibly different than their debut album (which is still my favorite), but fun nonetheless.10) Dan Deacon--Bromst
9) The Mumlers--Don't Throw Me Away
This album caught me by surprise. I just kinda liked Thickets & Stitches, this band's debut from 2008, and I was hesitant to even check out their sophomore effort. I'm glad I risked it. This album has received far more play time than I ever anticipated.8) the boy least likely to--the law of the playground
7) Devendra Banhart--What Will We Be
Pitchfork hated this album, which figures, because I think it's the best album this dirty hippy has put out in years. WWWB is easily his most accessible album ever (which is probably why Pitchfork hates it), and I would consider it a good introduction to this profoundly weird artist.6) Todd Snider--The Excitement Plan
5) Built to Spill--There Is No Enemy
4) Telekinesis--Telekinesis!
3) Andrew Bird--Noble Beast
2) Ida Maria--Fortress 'Round My Heart
1) Forro in the Dark--Light a Candle
I can't even understand most
of the lyrics on this Brazilian-by-way-of-Brooklyn band's album, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying it immensely. I loved their first album a few years ago, and I love this follow-up. If you like the song in the video below, consider that it's probably one of my least favorite songs on the album. Not to say that I don't like it (and it's the only video I could find of theirs from this album), but most of the other songs are even better. Good stuff all around.
