- Christopher Bahn
- Andy Battaglia
- Aaron Burgess
- Andrew Earles
- Scott Gordon
- Marc Hawthorne
- Jason Heller
- Steven Hyden
- Trevor Kelley
- Genevieve Koski
- Gregg Lagambina
- Michaelangelo Matos
- Chris Mincher
- Josh Modell
- Noel Murray
- Sean O'Neal
- Keith Phipps
- Nathan Rabin
- Kyle Ryan
GENEVIEVE KOSKI
1. M.I.A., Kala (15)
A stellar sophomore album, Kala manages to sound both exactly and nothing like M.I.A.'s blogged-about debut, Arular. The nigh-indecipherable power-power lyrics and syncopated rhythms remain, but the alluring mix of baile-funk, reggaeton, and other world influences on her debut have grown into a full-on sonic wash, jumping from street percussion to Bollywood grooves to club beats. It's an album that keeps giving, as even tracks that initially seem weak ("Mango Pickle Down," "World Town") stick, revealing hooks you didn't even realize were there.
2. The White Stripes, Icky Thump (15)
3. Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha (10)
4. Rilo Kiley, Under The Blacklight (10)
5. The Pipettes, We Are The Pipettes (10)
Call it disposable, call it reductive, call it manufactured—one thing you cannot call The Pipettes' music is gloomy. Sometimes an album's merit stems wholly from its ability to make its listeners smile and get out on the dance floor. It might be hyperbolic to call We Are The Pipettes anything greater than a spot-on party album, but sometimes that's all you really want to hear anyway.
6. Against Me!, New Wave (10)
7. Band Of Horses, Cease To Begin (7)
8. Busdriver, Roadkillovercoat (5)
"Casting Agents And Cowgirls" by Busdriver
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Containing perhaps the greatest amount of unique words on any album this year, Roadkillovercoat is lyrically dense to the point of absurdity, and Busdriver's nasally, rat-a-tat delivery doesn't make it go down any smoother (nor do his verbal assaults on hippies, hipsters, and intellectuals). But the melodic underpinnings, drawing from a broad palette of synth, psychedelia, and indie-rock references, keep it all from careening into oblivion, guiding the listener through a sometimes difficult but ultimately rewarding album.
9. Tegan And Sara, The Con (5)
10. Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare (5)
11. The Bird And The Bee, The Bird And The Bee (4)
Not nearly as sunny as its twinkling arrangements suggest, Inara George and Greg Kurstin's self-titled debut is a wistful, jazz-and-tropicália-laced rumination on desire and disenchantment. But don't be put off by the hip, lounge-music signifiers; the album also has hook after hook after hook, its choruses lingering long after the cool wash of irony has ebbed.
12. Great Lake Swimmers, Ongiara (2)
"Your Rocky Spine" by Great Lake Swimmers
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A fragile, gorgeous collection of deceptively simple-sounding songs, Ongiara's quiet grace stems from its simple, bluegrass-tinged instrumentation. But the lyrics' emotional connection to the natural environment (especially on the strangely sexy "Your Rocky Spine") adds a layer of resonance and intrigue, resulting in a lush aesthetic that grows more interesting with time.
13. Miranda Lambert, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2)
Carrie Underwood and Gretchen Wilson may have topped charts with their bland version of spunk, but the real button-nosed shitkicker in modern pop-country is Miranda Lambert. Her consistently solid, often funny, and occasionally inspirational songwriting combines with polished (but not overly shiny) production on an album that's equal parts revenge fantasy and wistful love letter. Lambert's oddly girlish voice creates an interesting counterpart to her bad-girl shtick, proving that brash bluster, when done right (as on the rollicking "Gunpowder And Lead"), can be just as intriguing as—and a hell of a lot more fun than—thoughtful introspection.
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