NightraiN's End of 2020 List

Wow, what a year 2020 was! Was it even a year or a concentrated decade? What a year 2021 has been already...

Like my QCM colleagues, I was all over the map this year in terms of my music consumption and never really focused enough to organize and consolidte a true "best of" list. I revisited some old, comforting favorites, went down some seriously obscure rabbit holes, and did intentionally and accidentally find a few amazing 2020 releases. I listened to A LOT of metal, especially during socially distance running therapy sessions. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, according to my Spotify year-end recap, my most played albums of the year were the Moana, Frozen, and Evita Soundtracks -- I was stuck inside with a 3-year-old for a substantial portion of the year. When I wasn't being bombarded by Disney's finest, I did find time to enjoy, and would highly recommend, the following 2020 releases:

Algiers - There Is No Year (2020) Like most Algiers albums, this album jumps out of the speakers and kicks you in the face... or the balls... really whatever gets your attention the most. Even on the mellow-ish tracks, they bring it. The lyrics were especially timely and powerful given this past year. I get that not everyone is going to appreciate the forceful so-called "gospel-puck" sound of Algiers, but everyone should absolutely listen to it!

"I don't care if the whole world is burning, oh Lord (all men obey)
There's certain things I forgot I should fear, hey (all men obey)
Keep on screaming till your kingdom crumbles (all men obey)
It won't stop until I'm sure you hear, hey (all men obey)
I'm moaning on floor for your forgiveness (all men obey)
But here they coming, the four winds blowing
And four horses, I hear 'em coming
Sh, we're gonna start over there"

Ásgeir - Bury The Moon (2020) If There Is No Year was my kick in the face/balls album, Bury The Moon along with Blanco White's On The Other Side (2020) were my calming, mental reset albums. Ásgeir Einarsson's voice is soothing, the music can be almost trance-inducing, and although the songs sound sad-ish, the lyrics are generally uplifting. In most years, I think I would have enjoyed this album and White's On The Other Side, but not necessarily put them on a year-end list, but in this particular year their calming nature of these albums fit perfectly... plus, I did listen to a lot of metal to balance it out.

"Do you recall the things / That used to give us joy? / When our imagination / Could take us anywhere / Appearing in my mind now / Pictures from the past"

Delta Spirit - What Is There (2020) The night before the Mayor of San Francisco announced that a group gathering moratorium was going to go into effect stopping nearly all concerts and live events in the city for what now has been 10+ months, I attended the first night of what was supposed to be Delta Spirit's triumphant reunion tour. The show was supposedly sold out, but it was clear that many people elected to stay home because of the virus. It was my last true "night out" before the pandemic swept across the nation (Grubstake Diner included), so when this album finally dropped in September, I was eager to give it many, many deep listens. It does not disappoint. I love Delta Spirit, and this would have made my list in any year, but the connection to my last live show before the pandemic made it particularly special. Plus, I watched many Matthew Logan Vasquez livestreams during the summer.

"Alone, I've been on a bender for a year / Piss fit and perfectly happy to be here / Pass me the bottle, I've got nothing to defend / How good it feels to be home again"

William Elliott Whitmore - I'm With You (2020) In dark times, I often find that William Elliott Whitmore is an artist that I regularly turn to. His soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics meet the moment. He writes music about and for dark times. Great folk, Americana, bluegrass sounds on this one, but I listen to WEW because he puts your thoughts about life, death, politics, our great big social and psychological questions and thoughts into thoughtful, absorbable lyrics. With the album title, "I'm With You", WEW extending his worn hand out across the abyss and resting it on your shoulder letting you know that whatever you are dealing with, he's there with you. I believe it,

"The night is filled with wild creatures in this unfamiliar place / I take solice in the stillness / I take shelter in the empty space / I think we'll be OK ... And we're going to have to save ourselves / the cavelry ain't coming / and I know its just as well / we're going to have to save ourselves"

Alberta Cross - What Are We Frightened Of? (2020) An old flame. I watched + followed Petter Ericson Stakee's live streams and posts regularly over the last 10 months, and in many ways his commentary and songs served as a sort of soundtrack to the lockdowns. I don't know if any of the tracks like "What Are We Frightened Of?", "Find A Home Out There", and "Real Life and Disasters" were written with something like the lockdown and pandemic in mind, hard to believe they were since the album was released in June, but they fucking resonate, man.

"In desolation, we're empty and apart / We keep searching for a haven in our restless hearts."

Other Lives - For Their Love (2020) If Interpol, Arcade Fire, and Federale had a baby, that would be Other Lives. Maybe not fair to call them the "baby" since they've been around for a while, but that's the resultant sound at least. I probably have spent too much time reading into lyrics and interpreting them as a comment or critique on our current existence, but it's hard not to under the circumstances:

"Somewhere, we're laughing in faraway places instead / You'll say what you will when you know we're just hanging by a thread (Oh) / Take your time, take your time, don't lose your head"

Beach Music: Photo Ops - Pure At Heart (2020) & Cayucas - Blue Summer (2020) As we've been shut down, and outdoor time has become all that more precious, we've spent a lot more time at the beach. Cold days, rainy days, foggy days... it don't matter. Beach day, every day. But not every album plays well in that setting, especially if you're mostly soaking up the scenery in the relatively early morning or kicking the Size 1 soccer ball around. Pure At Heart and Blue Summer have been the perfect albums for all of these chill beach days. They both regularly pay mas tribute to The Beach Boys, naturally, but also have their own unique blends of dream and indie pop. From the two, "Live With Yourself" by Photo Ops stands out as a particularly poinent track during the pandemic.

Take a listen and support these dudes at the Bandcamp links above.

Hamilton Leithauser - The Loves Of Your Life (2020) I like (liked, maybe? if they are done done) The Walkmen, but I hadn't followed much of HL's solo projects over the years. But I was drawn in by the album art and track "Here They Come" when it was released in early April. I find the writing sometimes fun and funny, sometimes bittersweet and reflective, but appearly all of the songs are about specific people in his life, so, assuming that's true, the spectrum is understandable. Very listenable in all around the house settings, this one stood out during the many hours listening to music at home.

"I was a fool, I was blind / I kept my eyes shut half the time / All the lights, one by one, here they come"

Israel Nash - Topaz (2020) Among Other Earlier Releases This is not so much on the list for this particular 2020 release, but more for the fact that I listened to a very heavy dose of Israel Nash's entire catalog over the last 1o months or so.  I was WAY behind on this guitar-shredding psychedelic cowboy that blends Neil Young, The Beach Boys, Jim James, The Flaming Lips, and a number of others. But it was the song "Rolling On" from the 2018 release Lifted that really spoke to me during this moment in time... 

"I looked into the distance and in case you missed it / A thousand lights just faded out at once / Shouting from the rooftops to a ghost town all riled up / I knew I'd better keep the peace"

Very Honorable Mentions:

Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin' Grass Vol 1 & 2 (2020)

Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright (2020)

Wolf Parade - Thin Mind (2020)

Matt Berninger - Serpentine Prison (2020)

Future Islands - As Long As You Are (2020)

The Dead Tongues - Transmigration Blues (2020)
Orville Peck - Show Pony EP (2020)

Spotify Playlists!

The Quarantine Playlist

The Apocalypse Playlist

And then this...

William Elliott Whitmore - Animals In The Dark (2009)

It took me exactly 15 seconds of the song "Old Devils" to know that I loved this album. I know how ridiculous it sounds to judge an entire album on 15 seconds of one track, but to clarify, I should admit that I didn't start listening to this album blind to Whitmore's style and skills. When a friend recommended I check him out about 3 years ago, because of my passion for The White Buffalo, I listened to "Midnight" off of Ashes To Dust, and was convinced it was either an old black man singing (thinking Keb' Mo'-ish), or Tom Waits. Regrettably, at the time, Whitmore's music, for whatever reason, didn't make it into my regular rotation, and I kinda forgot how amazing he is (AND, I'm a complete idiot for missing his stop in San Francisco last month). Anyway, Animals In The Dark is a mixture of folk, americana, blues, old-timey, (my current favorite music genre/descriptive term) and soul that just captivates the shit out of me, because Whitmore's voice is a layer-cake of passion, struggle, heartbreak, enthusiasm, and grit. Everything is so simplistic on this album, its absolutely brilliant. The approach consists of Whitmore's remarkable, deep, rough, bluesy, soulful to the point of gospel, "I gargle gravel with Mark Lanegan" voice, and a guitar or banjo, occasionally accompanied by perhaps some drums, foot-stomping, organ, strings, or the like, as a rhythmic backdrop. With every listen I get more and more enamored with tracks like, "Lifetime Underground," "Hard Times," "There's Hope For You," "Who Stole The Soul," and, of course, "Old Devils."

For a video introduction to Whitmore, check out this lil video shot on his farm in Iowa.

William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs (2011)

Field Songs unfolds like the musical score to a film on agricultural life. I can't help but think of digging my hands in the dirt, hammering cracked barn siding and tilling long stretches of soil on a rusted-out tractor. With this album as my soundtrack, such a life almost sounds appealing. The vivid imagery speaks to Whitmore's ability to channel so much soul, old-timey grit and emotion with just his unique voice, banjo or acoustic guitar and crickets, birds and frogs as backup singers. Field Songs is even more simplistic than Animals In The Dark, Whitmore's fantastic 2009 release, which is fine from my perspective. It also helps that Whitmore seems like a genuinely likable and humble guy—someone I'd really enjoy sharing a Black Star sixer with on a front porch somewhere where the stars glow like floodlights. The title track (below) is probably my favorite, but in truth, I could listen to the whole album over and over without interruption. For additional individual highlights, check out: "Everything Gets Gone" and "Not Feeling Any Pain."

The man will be playing Slim's in San Francisco on September 23rd with James Vincent McMorrow. Should be an amazing show.

NightraiN's Shummer Short List

William Elliott Whitmore - Animals In The Dark. Absolutely fantastic vocals on this one. With tracks like "Lifetime Underground," "Hell Or High Water," and "Old Devils" leading the way, Animals In The Dark plays like a beloved album from a long-gone era.



Murder City Devils @ The Great American Music Hall. What a show this was: Drunk performers, beer showers, a surging crowd, and all the songs you would demand from one of the hardest rocking, hardest partying bands of the last decade.





The Builders and The Butchers - Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well. Fantastic sophomore album that induces the head to bob, toes to tap, and the body to shake. Solid from beginning to end, this unique sounding band puts together an album that matches the enthusiasm and energy of their live performances.


Fires Of Rome - You Kingdom You. My album of the year so far. Great rock n roll tunes that both impress and entertain. Love the tracks "Damn Lament," "Love Is A Burning Thing," and "Bronx Bombardier." Party Time!

Auto-tune(ing) The News. Addicting and very quotable, shortaaay... "What you trying to say about Iowa?"... Should Auto-Tune continue to produce? "My brain says 'NO,' but my body says 'YES!'"... and making fun of Sean Hannity (The Real Angry Gorilla)... "surely you jest, I'm under cardiac arrest!" Damn good stuff, shortay!

NightraiN’s Favorite Albums from 2015

Life in Film - Here It Comes

The most carelessly fun album of the year. Reminds me of my days working in bars and listening to brit rock and jangle pop, killing karaoke, and just generally drinking too much, but having a ridiculously good time doing it.

Lord Huron - Strange Trails

Is this country? Is this indie rock? Who cares; who knows… it is really good. These dudes are back with another collection of catchy, smooth tales of who-knows-the-fuck-what that are sure to fulfill your need for addicting toe-tapping tracks.

Bop English - Constant Bop

The 60s and 70s influences (the good ones anyway) run deep on this somewhat-solo project album from While Denim’s front man. The songs taper off in quality toward the end, but the start is so strong that this warrants a top five slot based on my scoring.

Langhorne Slim and The Law - The Spirit Moves

This album is a happy-then-sad rollercoaster of emotions. Sucking you in with the rollicking floor-stompers, but tugging at your heart-strings in the slower tracks. I’m really enjoying the evolution of Langhorne Slim… please continue.

Lucero - All A Man Should Do

Overall the quietest and most tender album from Lucero yet (although the horns remain!), but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it lacks the passion of Lucero’s previous albums. Folks who like to examine Ben’s lyrics, imagine the world or scene he’s weaving, and then sing along with whiskey and beer on their breath will love this release.

Siskiyou - Nervous

Like an intricate piece of artwork, each time I revisit this album it exposes something new and interesting hidden within. Fans of Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, and perhaps other similarly situated indie rock bands of Canada, should find this recent release from Siskiyou right up their alley.

The White Buffalo - Love and The Death of Damnation

Not as potent as El Buffalo Blanco’s last release, but I find just about everything he puts out to be praiseworthy and I still gravitate to his slower tracks to let the deep baritone wash over me.

Alberta Cross - Alberta Cross

Sometimes those late-in-the-year releases can go almost unnoticed and sometimes they can come in and sweep you away. This album does the latter. Admittedly, I have enjoyed pretty much every track by this band, but I think this is their best release since the original EP tracks.

The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird Is Home

This dude is a fantastic songwriter. I can’t explain what I really like about this album, I just know that it is better than just about everything else I listened to this year.

My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall

My Morning Jacket have ditched the weird and returned to the ass-kicking of Z. Although this album may not offer anything really new to those already initiated into the fold, it circles back around to the type of tracks that brought in fans like me in the first place.

Django Django - Born Under Saturn

On my massive playlist of "Best of 2015 Albums" Django Django tracks would keep playing and I would always stop to check who it was. As the year progressed, always all the tracks were eventually checked as "favorites." Good stuff.

William Elliott Whitmore - Radium Death

I almost forgot this album came out in 2015. WEW sings and plays with so much passion in his stomp and howl fashion that every track leaves sort of a timeless impression.

Mikal Cronin - MCIII

Better than Kurt Vile.

Murder By Death - Big Dark Love

I love this band, but this album dropped off just a little bit. I feel like some of that may be due to the lack of a clear-cut single, but with that said I love "Send Me Home" and happily listen to this album anytime.

Jose Gonzalez - Vestiges & Claws

Hey Rosetta! - Second Sight

Top Albums of 2011 - QuickCrit Music Survey Results

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey, especially those who took the time to comment.  Here are our top albums, or at least the 43 that we could agree upon. There are many more great albums, singles, and comments on our individual lists.

43. U.S. Royalty – Mirrors
    
    Although the gorgeous harmonies caught my attention, their live show made me love their heavy rockers. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
    
42. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
    
    Solid album. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
41. Givers – In Light
    
    Many Saturday morning dance parties have gone down when throwing this album on. A couple of late night ones too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    It's hard to resist the compelling beats and rolling ten-track fun that this album represents. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
40. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
    
    I love when she gets back to the dark and dirty places in her mind and churns out music that's all kinds of raw and moody. Plain and simple, the woman can do no wrong. -Mona
    Great modern anti-war album. -Tex
    
    
    
    
39. The Strokes – Angles
    The fact is that this band writes damn good songs and they're tight as hell. Does anything else really matter? -Lucas
    
    
    
    
    
38. Yuck – Yuck
    Yuck harkens back to the good old days when Superchunk and Sonic Youth reigned supreme. -Mona
    Totally reminds me of all my favorite high school years bands creating one super group. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
37. Zola Jesus – Conatus
    Opera Babe. -Justin Slaughter
    Hey, you know what? Sometimes shit's rough. Have some Zola Jesus. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
36. Blind Pilot - We Are the Light
    
    Glad they got off their bikes and back into the studio. I know it's only been a few months, but can't wait for the next album. -Brasilliant
    An anticipated album and a feel-good one at that, it can be forgiven its saccharine nature by its sheer infectiousness. It gets ya out of bed in the morning! -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
35. Generationals – Actor-Caster
    An excellent, hand-clap-y album to listen and dance around to. -TheCraneWife
    Generationals put out a steadily rocking true-blue pop album with modern sensibilities. -Tex
    
    
    
    
    
34. William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs
    Connected with this album more than any other this year. Great, emotional song writing and vocals. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
33. The Streets – Computers And Blues
    He wraps up his career as being The Streets with a song about it being his last day of work! It works on multiple levels!! Well played Mike Skinner. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
32. The Cave Singers – No Witch
    
    Great live show. Great album. -NightraiN
    Like Fleet Foxes, Cave Singers are to be applauded more for what they do in the middle of songs than for the entirety of their songs themselves. -Jeremiah
    
    
    
    
    
31. Wilco – The Whole Love
    
    Not since Being There has the band offered up such a variety of songs on one album. Experimental, beautiful, fun, and moving. -Max
    If you hang around long enough you'll hear a few Wilco albums you fall in love with and couple you can't wrap your ears or brain around. This is the band's strongest lineup to date, giving adventurous strength to a quality set of Jeff Tweedy songs. -Lucas
    
    
30. Waters - Out In The Light
    So packed with fantastic emotionally raw and exuberant songs, I turn up one jam, only turn up the next even louder. -Awmercy
    Nothing like some unleaded rock fuel to fill up your spiritual tank. -Nesto
    
    
    
    
29. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde
    It's hard not to love a band who so clearly loves its T. Rex and Bowie as much as I do. -Mona
    Some of the catchier melodies I've heard all year. -Max
    
    
    
    
    
28. The Drums – Portamento
    
    Darker offering from these sugar coated popsters. The fantastic vintage synth tones, unmatched tightness, and unforgettable melodies kept this album on repeat in my house for weeks on end. -Max
    For anyone who doesn't like the production on this record, wait til you hear these tracks live. They're stripped down and sound great, much like their Visiomento sessions. Yeah, there's a reason why I saw them three times on this tour. -Mona
    
    
27. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    
    Young and fun soundtrack for summer. Fulfilled my lust for Surfer Blood. -Awmercy
    Some of my favorite songs this year are off this album, and it remains in heavy rotation. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
26. Devotchka - 100 Lovers
    
    A melting pot like DevotchKa could only happen in America. From mariachi to gypsy, Parisian folk to chamber pop there's nothing they won't add to the mix. It's refreshing to hear a band that is so unconcerned (or unaware) with the leanings of popular indie music yet land smack in the middle of it. -Lucas
    Gypsy fun times. -ve1cro
    
    
    
25. Real Estate – Days
    
    I love these guys. Call it wake and bake, call it lo-fi, call it hazy surfadelic. Whatever you call it, it's fucking awesome and a superb follow-up to their previous debut. -Mona
    Such an effortless laidback-ness to this album. I was put completely at ease the very first time I heard it. Fans of early Stone Roses might enjoy the hints of Ian Brown in Martin Courtney's voice. -Max
    
    
    
24. Wu Lyf – Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
    
    WU-LYF sounds like The Murder City Devils and Mogwai had a little English baby. They rock hard and also mellow, and you can make up your own lyrics, because they're pretty unintelligible. -TheCraneWife
    I like a song called "We Bros"??!! Fuck yea. And I like it a lot. These guys shred. I don't really recommend following them on Facebook as they kind of come across as idiots but I don't even care cause these guys write tunes man! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
23. Adele – 21
    
    She has an amazing voice. -Katie
    Sad but empowering. -Julia
    
    
    
    
    
    
22. Priory – Priory
    
    “Lady of Late” made me give the album a second listen and it turned out to be great. -Brasilliant
    Damn catchy indie pop. Great live show too. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
    
21. Washed Out – Within & With Out
    
    Within & Without is atmosphere music, it ebbs and flows with layer upon layer of textured synth and Greene's hypnotic vocals. -Lucas
    Atmospherically grandiose yet incredibly intimate. -Max
    A successful major sophomore effort if sometimes a bit innocuous. -Tex
    
    
    
    
20. Dolorean - The Unfazed
    
    “Unfazed by pain, unfazed by love, unfazed by rain that won’t let up.” I wish. -Awmercy
    I really need to ditch the kid and go see these guys live. -Brasilliant
    An intensely thoughtful album. This album anchored my bar prep. -NightraiN
    
    
    
    
    
19. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
    
    My man-crush for Ryan is still undying! -Ancient Indian Wizard
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
18. Portugal, The Man - In the Mountain, In the Cloud
    
    Another great album, all the way through. -Nesto
    Not as solid as American Ghetto, but still super fun. -NightraiN
    3rd year in row on my list. Can’t fight it. I love this band and how each album adds a new twist. -Awmercy
    
    
    
    
17. James Blake - James Blake
    
    If this list were based on potential talent alone James Blake would surely sit near the top. Soulful and sparse, Blake crafts his ballads with alien rhythms, processed vocals and soulful pianos. Bon Iver fans take notice - James Blake is a kindred spirit and a great playlist companion. -Lucas
    A pleasant surprise overall, especially since I don't typically like this kinda music. -Mona
    Stunning... I expect great things from him as an artist and producer. -Tex
    
    
16. The Black Keys - El Camino
    When it comes to "rocking out" this duo does not disappoint. -Julia
    Ever wonder what a $30 Sears guitar would sound like run through $100,000 worth of equipment? Here's your chance. El Camino’s insanely glossy production seemingly veers away from every obvious strength of the musicians involved. The results are... another excellent Black Keys record. -Lucas
    I have no interest in attending stadium tours, so I’ll probably never see them live again, but I still love their pounding grooves and huge bad-ass riffs. -Awmercy
    
    
15. M83 - Hurry Up We'r Dreaming
    
    Anthony Gonzalez's songs mix the optimism, immediacy and heartbreak of teenage romance with sonic imagery that Jim Henson and Frank Oz would be proud of. Hurry Up is a grand achievement. -Lucas
    More poppy than my usual M83, but I'm into it. -Justin Slaughter
    Apart from stand-out track "Midnight City," I wasn't nearly as excited about this album. -Mona
    
    
14. tUne-uArDs - W H O K I L L
    
    Perhaps the tightest album of the year, this album has a big, pounding sound minimally done. An album that knows what it is but an artist who has leveled out the consistency of her sound. -Jeremiah
    I had a dream that there was a muppet show for adults and that this was the soundtrack. It was perfect. -Rain
    My vote for this year's most unique album. -Max
    
    
13. Tennis - Cape Dory
    
    Life can be complicated and scary. This album is simple and beautiful. Life can be too. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Tennis is so good I thought that they were Swedish! -TheCraneWife
    Even though I'm writing this in my cold ass house in the middle of December, Tennis manages to always make it feel like summer. -Max
    
    
    
12. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
    
    It is incredibly delightful to watch Annie Clark grow as a songstress; strange, beautiful, enticing. -Tex
    Like a really good Tori Amos, this album is laced with acerbic narrative that paints a picture of a cracked soul starving for connection. -Jeremiah
    At first glance Strange Mercy appears to be a set of shockingly confessional songs. Digging deeper you realize that she is 'the actor' and that these are in fact roles. The emotional potency of these performances make them all the more impressive. -Lucas
    
    
11. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo
    
    At the end of the day, simple songs always win in my book. Kurt Vile's songs are short, sweet, and completely addictive. Mix that in with fully flushed out layers of acoustic brilliance and you have one exceptional album. -Max
    This album really hit me as I was toiling, with headphones in, under full rain gear at work, digging drainage trenches in the pouring rain. If you imagine that tableau while listening, I think you'll see where I was at. -Tex
    
    
10. Destroyer – Kaputt
    I've always had a huge soft spot for Destroyer and when I saw the floating whales with backing saxaphone in the Kaputt video I knew Dan Bejar had done it again. It's so so good. Unless you hate saxophones. then you're bummed. -Ancient Indian Wizard
    Reliably bizarre, yet still totally ruling, album. Good use of saxophone (and I don't use that phrase lightly). -TheCraneWife
    Dan Bejar is about as eery and cryptic as fuck as his music. As it just so happens, I love every bit of it. -Mona
    
    
9. The Antlers - Burst Apart
   Just an all around amazing album. Some of it sounds a little like Destroyer. Best song/extended metaphor about putting a dog to sleep I've heard all year (all my life, really). -TheCraneWife
   Great sleepy-time album. -ve1cro
   I sure do love their sad bastard way. "Putting The Dog To Sleep" though??!! Fuck... -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
8. Tom Waits - Bad As Me
   
   Tom still makes the best soundtrack for anytime of the day/night whiskey drinking. I found myself looking in the mirror, across from me in the parlor, and thinking that this album playing made me, somehow, just a little bit more sexy, in a gritty way. -Rain
   Took a few listens for the whole album to really get under my skin, but “Chicago” hit me from the start. -Anon
   
   
7. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
   
   Tough deciding who to put first, but if I just count the number of plays, they must be the winner. Best work yet. -Nesto
   This record is like non-stop multiple auralgasms perfect for a rainy day. -Mona
   While Peckhold's lyrics have become a little more concrete and he has taken a turn toward storytelling, the band it commended for making a richer musical landscape and for offering fascinating turns in their songs. -Jeremiah
   Really liked it when it first dropped; kinda forgot about it down the stretch. -NightraiN
   
   
6. Youth Lagoon - The Year Of Hibernation
   A remarkable young talent who hopefully hasn't just produced a wonderful one-off, this album is low-fi goodness with music that cuts around and through lyrics that otherwise tend to be forgettable. -Jeremiah
   Relax. Listen to Youth Lagoon. -Ancient Indian Wizard
   
   
   
5. Light For Fire - Light For Fire
   
   Romanticizing and ultimately celebrating heartbreak by diving into a whiskey bottle has never sounded so necessary. -Awmercy
   Liked this when I first heard it late last year, still love it today. -NightraiN
   I really enjoyed this album and can't wait to hear more from them. -Katie
   If this top ten list were for albums about drinking and self-loathing and regret, then this album would top it. The appeal of this album is a direct reflection of a man's draw toward his own miserable past. -Jeremiah
   
   
4. Foster The People – Torches
   This album kicks ass. -Graham
   I saw them live for the first time this year. Absolutely stellar. -Julia
   Another song that was constantly played on the radio and I bought the album out of curiosity of what the rest sounded like. -Katie
   The EP songs were so solid that the rest of the album seemed a little meh. -NightraiN
   
   
3. Beirut - The Rip Tide
   
   I love Zach Condon and his mix of Southwestern indie rock meets mariachi band whateverness. -Mona
   Everything Beirut is pretty amazing. Creative, unique and unbelievably skilled. -NightraiN
   I could be angry that Zach Condon is so young and talented but that would be akin to being angry at the sun for giving everything life. -Rain
   Bummer love letter music. Loved it. -Justin Slaughter
   I seriously have a hard time not liking anything this guy does. Nothing groundbreaking (for Beirut) here, but it's another solid group of melodic, horn filled, pop gems. -Max
   
   
2. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
   Bon Iver's sophomore effort is one for the ages. These arrangements spring from Vernon's sublime falsetto and keyboards and branch out with strings, horns, pedal steel and chimes. They bleed wild originality and ambition while still having a feeling of strange familiarity. -Lucas
   Good for wistful times when you just wanna plop down on your bed, not talk to anyone, zone out, and kick back to something mellow. -Mona
   I knew it when I heard it. #1. Fantastic effort, Mr. Vernon and company. Keep it up. -Tex
   Beautifully mellow. No, Bon Iver's music has not gotten old. -NightraiN
   Pretty... very pretty. -Graham
   Killer. -Brian
   
   
1. The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
   I've liked the Decemberists for a long time, but the direction they're moving in now makes me love them - just fantastic. -Anne
   Not only did they produce an album that didn't make me want to gouge my eyes out, they knocked it out of the park. Well done, Decemberists. I you rekindled my love. -Brasilliant
   This straight ahead approach (with some fairly obvious R.E.M. worship) suits them well. It hit the spot early in the year and is holding on strong into another winter. The King Is Dead has more heart, less brains and it's better for it. -Lucas
   A little more folk, a little less shanty, all around great. -TheCraneWife
   I instantly became enamored with this album. -ve1cro
   The standout tracks on this album are amazing. -Jeremiah
   It's a love-hate relationship. Today? Love. -Nesto
   Stripped of pretension, the band seems like it’s having fun. -Awmercy