1. "Merriweather Post Pavilion" -Animal Collective
An extravagant, beautiful, lush, baroque record. Panda Bear and Avey Tare's harmonies are easy to sing a long with, and seemingly irresistible.
2. "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" -Phoenix
Elastic comes to mind a lot when I think about their sound. Air tight is another one. Every note and every line seems mechanically placed into each other. Not mechanical in an anesthetic sense, but the songs are extremely air tight and engineered to a tee. I love that they are French, because I love hearing a third person's interpretation of the English language and the words he chooses to piece together the lyrics.
3. "Real Estate" -Real Estate
This album has New Jersey written all over it. East coast surf, suburban teenage angst, minimalist approach, solid jams. A surprisingly summery debut for a November release, it doesn't come off as contradictory, but sincere and hopeful.
4. "Veckatimest" -Grizzly Bear
Just as shimmering as it is dark and introspective. It took awhile to grow on me, but it is a little out there. Harmonies, check!
5. "Family" -Le Loup
Another surprisingly great record from a band with low expectations. Le Loup showed up their debut record with this grass-routs effort. The album cover and title really sum up the whole of it; waking up on a summer morning and taking nature and the world all in.
6. "No Wonder" -Will Stratton
Will Stratton wins the most improved award for this year. It still has the raw sense of this debut, but a little bit more intricate and sincere. He's found his place, the lyrics have found their meaning, and the music is no less impressive.
7. "Break Up" -Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson
Fantastic. It's in and out in 30 minutes, heartfelt, and successfully covers (without intense dramatization) the ups and downs of breaking up.
8. "Phrazes for the Young" -Julian Casablancas
This album is just what the title says. Casablancas combines the usual NYC angst with more global problems that resonate well with "the young".
9. "The Ruminant Band" -Fruit Bats
Incredibly overlooked and underrated. "The Ruminant Band" leaps and gallops between old saloon style piano music, quasi-country, and folk-rock in a sing-along manner.
10. "Black River Killer EP" -Blitzen Trapper
Not new to anyone that has seen them live on the "Furr" tour, but still impressive. The bad-ass cowboy gets a shot at redemption, while the other tracks return to the focus on the natural side of life.
12. "Battle Studies" -John Mayer
It may seem paradoxical to have something so mainstream as a John Mayer record on this list, but it is not my place to overlook what popular music can do for listeners. This album is like "Break Up", but more of the shitty side of it with only a few traces of optimism.
13. "Everybody, Come Outside!" -Pomegranates
Their second record came out quick, but more impressive than their debut by a long shot. They dabble between progressive and very spaced-out guitars, with the usual falsetto you've come to know and love, as well as surf tinges.
14. "Telekinesis!" -Telekinesis
"I said 'I love you, do you think I'm crazy', 'Yes', you said, 'but I don't mind'". There are no finer sentiments than being in love in the summer and having the perfect 2-3 minute pop songs to accompany it. Delightful.
15. "Logos" -Atlas Sound
16. "Manners" -Passion Pit
17. "Bitte Orca" -The Dirty Projectors
18. "Tonight" -Franz Ferdinand
19. "LP" -Discovery
20. "Dark was the Night" -various
