As almost all years, there was a high amount of quality, an extraordinary amount of undeserved hype (Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, Black Kids to name a few), and it also had a few disappointments (The Hold Steady, Coldplay).  

Here’s ten of what I consider the quality of the year. 

1) Bon Iver- “For Emma, Forever Ago”

Typically not the kind of thing I go for.   Lo-fi, unpolished, almost sounds like a demo.   Thank God I let this one in to my head this year.   I can’t shake these songs.   Delivered with such feeling it’s impossible to not be drawn in.   Every song stands on it’s own, but they all work together to form a brilliant whole. Many nights while laying in bed, these songs would play in my head.   A haunting work.

2) Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- “Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!”

In 1994, I got to see a Nick Cave show at Lollapalooza that I liked, but my attention was severely distracted as I was waiting for the Smashing Pumpkins later in the day.   Too bad I was so young because I’m sure if I had been paying attention and knew who Nick Cave was, it wouldn’t have taken me years to “find” him.   A defining album of what Nick Cave is.   A stunning lyrical work taken alone, but you can’t give short shrift to the Bad Seeds and what really holds the album together, the music.

3) Kings of Leon- “Only By The Night”

Every so often, a record will come by and take you by complete surprise.   While I’ve never been a huge KOL fan, I am now.   This is EXACTLY how I like my rock & roll, huge and ambitious.

4) Spiritualized- “Songs in A&E”

The finest Spiritualized record to come along in a long, long time.   Rivals the “Ladies and Gentleman, We Are Floating In Space” album and that’s certainly saying something as that would make any top fifty list of all time (of mine).   Stripped down and melancholy like one would expect from someone who was near death with an aggressive pneumonia as Jason Pierce was a couple years ago. Thankfully he recovered and will continue to make music as great as this in years to come.

5) Death Cab For Cutie- “Narrow Stairs”

They always make everything they do seem so effortless.   How easily Ben Gibbard turns a phrase and how it always paints a picture of exactly what he wants you to see always surprises me.  

“And we watched the plumes paint the sky gray
And she laughed and danced through the field of graves
There I knew it would be alright”. 

 Just like a great author.   While maybe not perfect from front to back, the majority outweighs the couple weak spots.

6) Department of Eagles- “In Ear Park”

The side project of Grizzly Bear alum, include me in the group that enjoys this “B” job better than the “A” job.   “In Ear Park” has a cinematic feel to it that I always love.  I’m hoping this doesn’t turn in to a Postal Service type of band where we get one release and nothing more.  It deserves it’s own attention apart from the other band.

7) Ryan Adams- “Cardinology”

I was so happy to hear this album. After the last album “Easy Tiger”,  I was afraid that we were going to start witnessing an artist who was tired of beating his head against the wall for mainstream acceptance and was ready for the cash grab. Thankfully, we’re continuing to get the Ryan Adams we know and (almost) always love.   Gorgeous melodies (as always) and some great classic rock feel.

8)  The Raconteurs- “Consolers of the Lonely”

Immensely improves on the debut album, better songs, better flow, better record from front to back. Jack White gets better every year.   Not to take anything away from everyone else in the band as they’re all great in their own right.   Jack White is the Larry Bird to their Kevin McHale.   He makes everyone else around him better.

9) Metallica- “Death Magnetic”

The obvious choice for comeback of the year, they find their future by rediscovering their legendary past.   As powerful as anything they’ve ever done, it will stand along “Master of Puppets” and “…And Justice for All” without batting an eye.   Many complaints that they’re “ripping off” their past glories.   Fair complaint, but unless we want to keep listening to “St Anger” year after year…

10) Shearwater- “Rook”

An Okkervil River side project, count me in the group (yes, just like Department of Eagles) that consider this a better album than the one Okkervil River released this year.   From the opening track “Century Eyes” I knew I had a top ten finalist, and the subsequent tracks did nothing but strengthen my initial premonition. Soaring vocals and soft to loud dynamics always sucker me in, and closing track “The Snow Leopard” does it as well as anything I’ve heard.   Not sure why two “side projects” made my list this year, but it can only be seen as a good omen for the future.