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1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
With “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye West has achieved the impossible. Not only is the album as grandiose as his own bloated ego, it presents West in the most surprising of terms — as a sympathetic character. Even he admits it gets hard to stick by a guy as publicly obnoxious as he is just for some catchy songs about gold diggers. “Fantasy” is not the same ol’ Kanye, though — he screws around cheekily with new ideas better than anybody else creating an emotional hip-hop masterpiece. Most rappers are quick to talk about themselves, but few actually look in the mirror and break down their personas like Kanye.
2. The Black Keys – Brothers
It’s only natural for diehard fans of The Black Keys to miss the days when it was just Dan and Pat making a whole lot of noise. “Brothers” is such a complete departure from their earlier albums such as “Thickfreakness” and “Magic Potion” that it had the potential to be a total disaster — even with “Attack & Release” to help smooth the transition. Luckily, the album showcases feats of songwriting, arrangement and production that even the band’s biggest fans didn’t know the duo was capable of. Dan’s voice goes places it’s never dared to venture while the sprawling complexity of songs such as “Too Afraid To Love You” are evidence it was time for these guys to move out of the garage.
3. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
Though it was commonplace in the ’90s, nowadays it’s hard to make music about self-loathing and deep depression without being branded with the dirty word “emo.” On their second full-length, Titus Andronicus continue to carry the torch for the angst-ridden and bummed out, without ever crumbling to over-sensitivity. “The Monitor” sets self-deprecation against the backdrop of the Civil War. Amid excessive booze, cigarettes, punk rock and a little bit of Springsteen, frontman Patrick Stickles declares the album‘s most telling line, “You ain’t never been no virgin kid, you were f—ed from the start.” Badass.
4. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
There are always going to be bands that can do the same thing better than the rest. Deerhunter would be entirely forgettable if they weren’t so good. If the reverb-drenched sound of well-orchestrated and ethereal indie music is your cup of tea, “Halcyon Digest” is a steaming pot full of it. The appeal lies in the album’s calming sonic beauty, but there’s enough grit and emotion so you don’t get lost in the space they create. With a few nods to the mainstream and few to the oddballs, Deerhunter struck gold on this one.
5. MGMT – Congratulations
MGMT saw surprising amounts of success with singles “Time To Pretend” and “Kids” from their 2007 debut album, but decided to abandon their poppy sound to pursue more progressive and psychedelic interests. Owing more to Pink Floyd and 1960s surf rock than indie pop, “Congratulations” was a risky album straying from the winning formula of their previous success, but with a big reward. Though a challenging listen the first time or two through, highlights like the reverb-heavy “It’s Working” and the 12-minute “Siberian Breaks” reward a patient listener quite handsomely.
6. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
“This is Happening” is a dance album that trades typical rave romps for hypnotic jet-setter cool. Trance hits are all about hitting the club for beats that drastically rise and fall while glow sticks flail. LCD Soundsystem prefer chugging along in unkempt suits and lies in an urban loft, carrying out a synth line or back beat beyond its expected conclusion. In short, “This is Happening” is more David Byrne than Paul Oakenfold. That isn’t to say it won’t get you moving — LCD are out for fun. Just check out witty lead single “Drunk Girls” and move those feet, party people.
7. Sufjan Stevens – Age of Adz
Schizophrenic, electronic, religious, apocalyptic, psychedelic, orchestral, artistic — that is “The Age of Adz” in a nutshell. Stevens renounced the indie pop of his previous efforts and instead ventured into lands inhabited by spacey synthesizers and more experimentation than a genetics laboratory. Stevens crams more ideas and ambitions into individual songs than most artists do into entire discographies, particularly in the TV sitcom-length album closer, “Impossible Soul.” All of this craziness somehow manages to take the form of a very involved but lovely 75 minutes of something really different — and really good.
8. The White Stripes – Under Great White Northern Lights
Jack White is a busy man. He’s at the helm of Third Man Records, behind the drums in The Dead Weather, chilling with Conan O’Brien, and oh yeah, supposedly playing guitar with both The Raconteurs and The White Stripes. While the cheerful duo seems to have taken the back burner since 2007, the hiatus has been a little easier to bear thanks to this White Stripes live album / documentary combo. The exhilaration of hearing Jack and Meg play live is a trip, but the real story is the accompanying film, which offers an almost uncomfortably intimate look at the mystifying band.
9. Spoon – Transference
The last three minutes of “I Saw the Light” should be enough to convince anyone this album belongs on this list. Spoon are such masters of songcraft, it has almost become ironic. The fact they can use some sparse instrumentation and vague lyrics to turn a song as ridiculous sounding as “The Mystery Zone” into a rollicking, existentialist quandary speaks volumes to what Spoon is all about. Always pushing the artistic limits of songwriting with their disjointed, simplistic approach, this band can do no wrong.
10. Devo – Something for Everybody
Yes, Devo is more than their 1980 mega-hit “Whip It.” They’ve released seven top-100 albums since 1978, including “Something For Everybody,” which holds its own against the works of their prime and anything else put out this year. Devo’s punchy brand of new wave makes you want to dance as much as it makes you want to rock out. Although at times they’re trying too hard to be hip and modern — referencing the “Don’t tase me, bro” internet meme in the catchy and infectious “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” — Devo make an impressively strong showing with their first new album in 20 years.
11. Beach House – Teen Dream
On “Teen Dream,” Baltimore-based Beach House perfect their brand of dreamy, ethereal pop. Their debut for Sub Pop is 10 soft-spoken, heartfelt odes to some unnamed other. Legrand once again forces listeners to understand her emotions by using this invisible approach. The ambiguity of the subject gives the songs a universal quality, a sense that’s particularly reassuring in the closing lines, “I’ll take care of you, that’s true.” If you can’t cry right on Legrand’s shoulder then at least you can mope around with “Teen Dream” coming out your speakers.
12. Harlem – Hippies
Austin, Texas’ drug-addled threesome Harlem brought perhaps the best pure garage rock album of the year with their second full-length “Hippies.” Harlem take pages out of rock legends Pixies’ playbook, using both punk edge and pop sensibility to write songs that range from hilarious to endearing, and spiteful to anguished. Their sound is familiar, but just different enough to seem fresh. Plus, it’s way too fun for you to care anyway. With most of their songs in the two- to-three minute range, they’re long enough to suck you in and short enough to kick you to the curb without so much as a chance of getting bored.
13. Dungen – Skit I Allt
Never before have jazz, psychedelia and folk music been fused together in such a satisfying fashion as they have been here. The Swedish lyrics of “Skit I Allt” do not at all detract from the unique power of the album, but rather add a certain sense of mystique and awe to it.
14. Dead Weather – Sea of Cowards
Allison Mosshart’s voice oozes so much malicious power, the rest of the band has their work cut out for them just trying to match her raunchiness. But with a collage of fuzzed out guitars, synths and bass, The Dead Weather are able to create a pretty dangerous sound on “Sea of Cowards,” cutting out the weaker points from their first release.
15. Vampire Weekend – Contra
If you take Vampire Weekend seriously, you might be missing the point. Their music is too cute to be pretentious. The band’s fun-loving attitude and affinity for quirky instrumentation took an even more refined form on “Contra.” The only drawback here is the legal trouble surrounding the woman on the cover.
16. The Coral – Butterfly House
One of the many names in the indie folk rock scene, The Coral are true to the genre, with a slight inclination towards spaciness and atmospherics. The lead single “1000 Years” features harmonizing vocals and a fuzzy guitar solo that incites interest in the rest of “Butterfly House.”
17. Sleigh Bells – Treats
The M.I.A.-endorsed duo Sleigh Bells are one of the freshest sounding acts to debut this year. Marching band percussion and cheerleader handclaps are juxtaposed with hardcore kid Derek Miller’s piercing guitar work, all while lead singer Alexis Krauss’ soft voice pokes through with guarded sex appeal.
18. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
On their second full-length album, this Canadian electronic duo condenses their glitchy, spastic instincts into something more easily digested. They end up with heavy and wild dance music to thrash to, without losing the beat to overly sporadic ideas.
19. Red Sparrowes – The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer
As with many post-rock bands, Red Sparrowes use rock instruments to craft a climactic progression, creating a powerful yet peaceful retreat from the real world. These former members of Isis, among other bands, develop epic soundscapes that cause a sensuous and emotional immersion.
20. Good Kids Sprouting Horns – Give Up The Ghost
It’s rare that a release from a local band has enough going on to stack up against the pros. However, the unbridled emotion found on “Give Up The Ghost” is too captivating to be ignored and stands as a reminder that magic can be captured just as easily in an apartment as it can be in a million dollar studio.
21. The-Dream – Love King
The-Dream makes the best pop music you won’t hear in the top 40 — although he’s got the writing credits for some monster hits like “Single Ladies.” But his solo work is where he runs wild, creating some of the most twisted, fun and sexy R&B imaginable.
22. Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown
“Come Around Sundown” was a bit of a disappointment, but by the Kings of Leon’s high standards, a let-down is still damn good. Key tracks like bass-driven opener “The End” and lead single “Radioactive” are among some of the band’s best songs to date.
23. The Walkmen – Lisbon
The Walkmen continue to excel at using vintage instruments and styles such as garage and surf rock to make some of the most intense and darkly moving rock and roll this century. Between the twanging, jangling guitars, rapid-fire drumming and lead singer Hamilton Leithauser, they exude enough cool to make most other rockers look like Hanson.
24. Wavves / Best Coast – King of The Beach / Crazy for You
Wavves and Best Coast have a romance dreamt up in some kind of California rock heaven. Both groups are stoners with a penchant for catchy, but rough-around-the-edges pop and a greater than average appreciation for summertime. This year, when they got high, we had fun.
25. The Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
With every album, The Gorillaz find a way to expand on their difficult-to-place brand of alternative hip-hop and rock, and “Plastic Beach” was no exception. Cameos from artists like Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed and Mos Def help each track establish its own distinctive feel, while remaining a part of the whole.
Bangor Daily News