1. THEE SILVER MT. ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA & TRA-LA-LA BAND: 13 BLUES FOR THIRTEEN MOONS (Constellation) – Four epic songs play out like the document of a pagan ritual. Simple melodies rise quietly from the orchestra pit, swelling and gaining intensity as they repeat and repeat – until they finally erupt in catharsis. Efrim Menuck and his six fellow Montréal Tra-La-La’ers chant and rant against the darkness. When their voices meet one another in a rough, communal sort of harmony, I think: Maybe singing together can save the world.
www.myspace.com/silvermtzion
www.tra-la-la-band.com
2. ONEIDA: PRETEEN WEAPONRY (Jagjaguwar) – Oneida stretches every musical form beyond its normal parameters, repeating riffs until they achieve mesmeric effect. Driven by propulsive drumming, the music on this album is divided into three tracks, but they’re all of a piece. Think of the first track as the intro, the second as the “song,” and the third as the cascading fadeout. Despite the scarcity of lyrics, it feels somehow spiritual and transcendent, like a Krautrock version of “A Love Supreme.”
/www.jagjaguwar.com/artist.php?name=oneida
www.enemyhogs.com
www.myspace.com/oneidarocks
3. SHE & HIM: VOLUME ONE (Merge) – The year’s prettiest pop music. M. Ward’s old-fashioned arrangements are the perfect setting for Zooey Deschanel’s cool voice.
www.mergerecords.com/band.php?band_id=140
www.myspace.com/sheandhim
4. CAT POWER: JUKEBOX (Matador) – Chan Marshall doesn’t just cover these songs, she makes them her own, with all the panache of a great jazz or soul singer.
www.myspace.com/catpower
www.catpowermusic.com
5. SEUN KUTI & FELA’S EGYPT 80: SEUN KUTI & FELA’S EGYPT 80 (Disorient) – Fela’s son keeps Afrobeat alive and well, and it sounds as fun and funky as ever, with politically conscious words that would make dad proud.
www.myspace.com/seunkuti
6. KAYHAN KALHOR AND BROOKLYN RIDER: SILENT CITY (World Village) – A breathtakingly beautiful blend of Iranian and Western classical music traditions, with soul-piercing harmonies floating over galloping rhythms.
www.myspace.com/kayhankalhor
/www.worldvillagemusic.com/anglais/artistesfiche.php?artist_id=39
www.brooklynrider.com
www.myspace.com/brooklynrider
7. IDA: LOVERS PRAYERS (Polyvinyl) – This musical family gathering brings out intimate folk rock with hushed, soothing voices.
www.myspace.com/idamusic
www.idamusic.com
8. FRIDA HYVÖNEN: SILENCE IS WILD (Secretly Canadian) – This Swede’s smart, highly personal and whimsical words sound sublime, in lush settings as well as spare solo-piano arrangements.
www.fridahyvonen.com
www.myspace.com/fridahyvonen
9. SAM PHILLIPS: DON’T DO ANYTHING (Nonesuch) – These terrific turns of phrase are pure poetry, sung by one of rock’s most singular voices.
www.samphillipsmusic.com
www.myspace.com/officialsamphillipsmusic
10. PORTISHEAD: THIRD (Mercury) – The absence of sounds where you expect them. Notes that hit twice as hard as you think they will. Chillingly lovely.
www.portishead.co.uk
www.myspace.com/PORTISHEADALBUM3
11. My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark’s Teeth (Asthmatic Kitty)
www.mybrightestdiamond.com
www.myspace.com/mybrightestdiamond
12. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!! (Anti)
www.nickcaveandthebadseeds.com
www.myspace.com/nickcaveandthebadseeds
13. Randy Newman: Harps and Angels (Nonesuch)
www.randynewman.com
www.myspace.com/therealrandynewman
14. Kelley Stoltz: Circular Sounds (Sub Pop)
www.kelleystoltz.com
www.myspace.com/kelleystoltz
15. Bon Iver: For Emma, Forever Ago (Secretly Canadian)
www.boniver.org
www.myspace.com/boniver
16. Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Lie Down in the Lights (Drag City)
www.myspace.com/princebonniebilly
www.dragcity.com/bands/bonnie.html
17. The Black Angels: Directions to See a Ghost (Light in the Attic)
www.theblackangels.com
www.myspace.com/theblackangels
18. Delta Spirit: Ode to Sunshine (Rounder)
www.deltaspirit.net
www.myspace.com/deltaspirit
19. The War on Drugs: Wagonwheel Blues (Secretly Canadian)
www.myspace.com/thewarondrugs
www.secretlycanadian.com/artist.php?name=warondrugs
20. TV on the Radio: Dear Science, (Interscope)
www.tvontheradio.com/
www.myspace.com/tvotr
21. Dr. Dog: Fate (Park the Van)
www.drdogmusic.com
www.myspace.com/drdog
22. Sprengjuhöllin: Sprengjuhöllin (eMusic Selects)
www.myspace.com/sprengjuhollin
www.emusic.com/album/Sprengjuhöllin-Sprengjuhöllin-MP3-Download/11271466.html
23. Bodies of Water: A Certain Feeling (Secretly Canadian)
www.bodiesofwater.net
www.myspace.com/bodiesofwater
www.secretlycanadian.com/artist.php?name=bodiesofwater
24. Sons & Daughters: This Gift (Domnio)
www.sonsanddaughtersloveyou.com
www.myspace.com/sonsanddaughters
25. Big Buildings: Wampum (Stars/No Stars)
www.bigbuildings.net
www.myspace.com/bigbuildings
26. Weinland: La Lamentor (Badman)
www.weinlandmusic.com
www.myspace.com/johnweinland
27. Bob Dylan: Tell Tale Signs: Bootleg Series Vol. 8 (Columbia)
www.bobdylan.com
www.myspace.com/bobdylan
28. Musee Mecanique: Hold This Ghost (Frog Stand)
www.museemecanique.us
www.myspace.com/museemecanique
frogstandrecords.com/?page_id=14
29. Black Mountain: In the Future (Jagjaguwar)
www.blackmountainarmy.com
www.myspace.com/blackmountain
30. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
www.subpop.com/artists/fleet_foxes
www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes
31. Evangelicals: The Evening Descends (Dead Oceans)
www.myspace.com/evangelicals
deadoceans.com/artist.php?name=evangelicals
32. The Rural Alberta Advantage: Hometowns (eMusic Selects)
www.theraa.com
www.myspace.com/theraa
33. Titus Andronicus: The Airing of Grievances (XL)
www.titusandronicus.net/
www.myspace.com/titusandronicus
34. James Yorkston: When the Haar Rolls In (Domino)
www.jamesyorkston.co.uk
www.myspace.com/jamesyorkston
35. Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue (Secret City)
www.plantsandanimals.ca
www.myspace.com/plantsandanimals
36. Constantines: Kensington Heights (Secretly Canadian)
www.arts-crafts.ca/constantines
www.myspace.com/constantines
37. Parts and Labor: Receivers (Jagjaguwar)
www.partsandlabor.net
www.myspace.com/partsandlabor
www.jagjaguwar.com/artist.php?name=partsandlabor
38. The Hold Steady: Stay Positive (Vagrant)
www.theholdsteady.com
www.myspace.com/theholdsteady
39. Tift Merritt: Another Country (Fantasy)
tiftmerritt.com
www.myspace.com/tiftmerritt
40. The Helio Sequence: Keep Your Eyes Ahead (Sub Pop)
http://www.theheliosequence.com/main.html
www.myspace.com/theheliosequence
41. Sun Kil Moon: April (Caldo Verde)
www.sunkilmoon.com
www.myspace.com/sunkilmoonmusic
42. The Walkmen: You & Me (Gigantic)
www.marcata.net/walkmen
www.myspace.com/thewalkmen
43. Deerhunter: Microcastle (Kinky)
http://www.myspace.com/deerhunter
deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com
44. Centro-Matic/South San Gabriel: Dual Hawks (Misra)
www.centro-matic.com
www.myspace.com/centromatic
45. KaiserCartel: March Forth (Bluhammock)
www.kaisercartel.com
www.myspace.com/kaisercartel
46. Vivian Girls: Vivian Girls (In the Red)
www.freewebs.com/viviangirls
www.myspace.com/viviangirlsnyc
47. Throw Me the Statue: Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian)
www.secretlycanadian.com/artist.php?name=throwmethestatue
www.myspace.com/throwmethestatue
48. The Last Shadow Puppets: The Age of Understatement (Domino)
thelastshadowpuppets.com
www.myspace.com/thelastshadowpuppets
49. Darker My Love: 2 (Dangerbird)
www.darkermylovemusic.com
www.myspace.com/darkermylove
50. The Magnetic Fields: Distortion (Nonesuch)
www.houseoftomorrow.com
www.myspace.com/themagneticfields