7. John Vanderslice - Emerald City
Best Track: "The Parade"...a song about forgetting never sounded so sweet.
More to love: Mr. Vanderslice is truly a champ at making dark moments sound inviting. Who knew that a song that seems to be about kidnapping ("White Dove") could sound so hopeful & infectious?

6. Justice - Cross
Best Track: Though I hate choosing singles, "D.A.N.C.E" was the best song of the year, what with all of its children's choirs & Michael Jackson references (which, I guess, don't seem to be kosher together). I cannot deny it.
More to love: I just adore that Justice has the tenacity to give their album a name (or, well, symbol) that is so iconic. It is like dancy blasphemy. Too good.

5. Sea Wolf - Leaves In the River
Best Track: This album's opening track, "Leaves In the River".
More to love: This is such a modest album that does not seem to know its potential. There is something to be said for aloof musical greatness.

4. Rasputina - Oh Perilous World
Best Track: Melora Creager does her homework. "Choose Me For Champion"'s lyrics were inspired by one of Osama Bin Laden's speeches, equal parts Mary Todd Lincoln & Fletcher Christian, includes a spoken-word hook & the cries of a cello electrified. 100% pure magic.
More to love: I adore concept albums. You cannot go wrong with one that discusses contemporary issues via venues such as Mutiny on the Bounty and the proposition of Mary Todd Lincoln becoming the Queen of Florida. Being my favourite band doesn't hurt, either.

3. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills
Best Track: "Hard Rain". Catchy, rhythmic popgoodness.
More to love: Swedes are seriously cool. ... and Adam Olenius looks a lot like Jason Schwartzman. This makes a band instantly cooler. It also does not hurt that, yeah, it's really true--this album does sound strikingly similar to Head On the Door-era Cure.

2. David Vandervelde - The Moonstation House Band
Best Track: Smooth, melodic, harmonic & with a touch of something slightly macabre--"Murder In Michigan". A sweet song with a pleading chorus, but hauntingly dark title.
More to love: At risk of sounding seriously snobby, this album sounds even better on vinyl. It has the musical orchestration and flavor that, if you squint with your ears, lends itself to vinyl in a deliciously tacticle manner.

1. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Best Track: I'm a sucker for blips & beeps, so "Someone Great" has my vote...but "North American Scum" is such a cynical pop delight that I cannot ignore.
More to love: The album slips in and out of touches of other electronic-based genres and seems to pay little homages to various groundbreaking artists in those particular facets of music, all the while remaining cohesive and fresh. Not a bad track in the whole bunch.