Arcade Fire - The Funeral All I can say is "WOW." It seems like a whole lot of hype has been thrown at these guys, but it's completely justified. This'll be a strong contender for album of the decade come '09, provided their next one doesn't somehow top this.

TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes Industrial Doo-Wop? I donno, Its really good though.

Wilco - A Ghost is Born Ah Wilco. The idiots of the world call them pretentious, those of us who know better see that they're integrating the whole CCR/Dylan/Band thing for indie world of the 21st century (admittedly, with a couple of ten minute slices of Krautrock thrown in for good measure, but what's wrong with that?). The best good old fashioned rock record of the year.

Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse It breaks every convention that this album should be one of their best, but it really is. Featuring SY doing everything they do best with no failed experiments and nary a wasted moment.

Liars - They Were Wrong, So We Drowned Winner of the coveted "one star" award from Rolling Stone, this album is not so much "unlistenable" as it is "amazing" (perhaps they should consult a dictionary next time). This is one that folks ten years down the road will be pretending they were into way back when. Go with a couple of awkward initial listens now to save yrself the shame a decade hence.

Walkmen - Bows and Arrows My first exposure to these guys being an absolutely awful live show at Little Brother's in Columbus, I tried so hard not to like these guys. Then, I heard "Little House of Savages" on the radio a couple of times and was forced to eat a whole lot of crow. Reminds me of an early U2, or maybe Rod Stewart fronting the Velvet Underground circia 1969.

Dungen - Ta Det Lungt Imaculately arranged psych-pop epics. So immensely catchy that it doesn't matter that it isn't in english.

Animal Collective � Sung Tongs Words kinda fail, um.... Imagine if the Beach Boys were cavemen....um.... on Mars, maybe... I really don't know.... I DO like it, though.

Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles This makes emo look cold and distant by comparison. A scary, yet disturbingly poppy record. The fact that it's completely in earnest makes it even creepier.

Futureheads - Futureheads At this point in time, It would take some kind of high powered genius to wring an entirely new sound out of first wave British punk. It would take an even bigger genius to do this by incorporating elements of barbershop quartet. Apparently then, the Futureheads are Geniuses

The Fall - The Real New Fall LP As the frontman and only constant member of what is surely the only first-wave British punk band to have been in constant operation since the golden days of 1977, Mark E. Smith could probably be considered the punkest guy on the planet. Although you certainly couldn't mistake this for anything in the "punk" section of your local record store, it certainly has more genuine streamlined aggression, bile, and intellegence, than anything given the nametag in at least the last decade. I think I might be the only person to put this on a best of list for this year, but I guess there are some jaded folks out there who don't even notice when the greats are at the top of their game.

Five great singles (no order) - 2004 Xiu Xiu - I Luv the Valley OH!
The Walkmen - The Rat
Modest Mouse - Float On
TV on the Radio - New Health Rock
McLusky - She Will Only Bring You Happiness