* - Eh. ** - Okay. *** - Great! **** - Hell yeah!
Arcade Fire's The Suburbs **** - As good as their first and better than the second. More raw but still grand. One of my favorite live acts. Belle & Sebastian's Write About Love **** - Consistent through the years and put out a classic. Bitter sad lovely tunes. No one does it better. Best Coast's Crazy for You *** - Pop in a garage. This could be the beginning of something beautiful. The Black Keys' Brothers **** - As good as Rubber Factory. Finally, they're out of the shadows of The White Stripes. "Tighten Up" is one of the best songs of the year. Caribou's Swim *** - Hypnotic electronica that reaches for excellence and just misses it. Cee Lo Green's The Lady Killer **** - Imagine that "Fuck You" is not an obvious stand out on the album. That says something. Clinic's Bubblegum *** - Still unique and fun. Not their best but still good. Deerhunter's Halcyon Digest **** - Sad, beautiful, and dreamy. And from Atlanta too! Eminem's Recovery **** - Could have easily been called Introspection. I can forgive him for Encore and Relapse. Florence & the Machine's Lungs **** - What's not to love? Incredibly voice, songs with attitude. The album I thought Elizabeth & The Catapult were going to make. Flying Lotus' Cosmogramma ** - When Thom Yorke likes something, I usually agree. Too loosely bound and scattered for my taste. Grinderman's Grinderman 2 * - And I like Nick Cave too. Hellogoodbye's Would It Kill You? **** - Poppy, to the point, and they make their point. Holy Fuck's Latin **** - The best electronic album this year. P.I.G.S. is genius. Janelle Monae's The ArchAndroid ** - I really wanted to love this album. I don't deny her talent. Felt a bit cluttered and claustrophobic. Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy **** - All the adjectives of the album title are appropriate. Plus, an A-list of guest stars, including Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj. Love or hate him, can't deny he's one of the best. Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon II *** - Fun and talent a-plenty. Subtle in the same way Kanye West's is over-the-top. KT Tunstall's Tiger Suit **** - One of my favorite female songwriter's and she shows why. Near flawless from beginning to end. LCD Soundsystem's This is Happening **** - The tracks are longer, but flows better than Sound of Silver. Took a few listens, but certainly a solid album from beginning to end. MGMT's Congratulations **** - It's not about the hits anymore. Sophomore album trumps the first. Didn't think they didn't have it in'em to write Siberian Breaks. I was wrong. M.I.A.'s Maya ** - Usually when Kanye makes an album, M.I.A. makes one that's equally as good. Didn't happen this year. (But XXXO rocked.) Mumford & Son's Sigh No More **** - Wow. Enough said. Muse's The Resistance **** - No, they're not Radiohead, but they keep changing from album to album like Radiohead. Creative, rocking, tender, and intelligent. Keep'em coming boys! My Chemical Romance's Danger Days **** - This album is kick-your-ass awesome through and through. One of my favorite's this year. The National's High Violet *** - Full of highs but not as consistent as Boxer. Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday ** - Damn she's talented. Listen to "Roman's Revenge" with Eminem. However, I did expect a little more. Rick Ross' Teflon Don ** - Some good songs here but wasn't floored. Robyn's Body Talk *** - Fun with attitude. Numerous hits. Sara Bareilles' Kaleidoscope Heart **** - Loved it. It's a constant stream of solid songs. Shakira's Sale el Sol *** - I love the hips, I won't lie. But she's a damn great pop star. Spoon's Transference *** - Consistent, consistent. It's not Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, but it's Spoon and that's quite alright with me. Sufjan Stevens' The Age of Adz ** - I felt like he's trying too hard to beat Illinoise. Good ideas that get lost in traffic. Taylor Swift's Speak Now **** - Sadly, I hope she continues to have heartbreak because there's no one better at singing about that stuff. She's certainly one of the best in country. Vampire Weekend's Contra **** - These preps are all over the place. Tops their self-titled debut. More fun, more creative, and most worldly. The Walkmen's Lisbon **** - No band like them. Whatever type of music they're making, they've mastered in Lisbon. "Blue as Your Blood" is genius. Yeasayer's Odd Blood **** - Ignoring the first track, the rest is as beautiful and ethereal as an electronica album can get.
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