You won't find a lot of the “favorites” of critics on my list. For some reason I can’t seem to get into Animal Collective or Bat for Lashes. They just are not my cup of tea. You can add a whole bunch of other bands to that list but I have found some very good albums this year and these 11 have stood out above the rest. Enjoy.

11) Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependence

This was the most pleasant surprise of the year for me as I was/am a HUGE fan of two part male vocals and the Kings of Convenience are some of the BEST harmonizing vocalists around. I had originally thought they had broken up due to the formation of Oye’s other band, The Whitest Boy Alive (which also had a 2009 release). There is nothing crazy or out of the ordinary on this release. It is just straight acoustic tunes with some outstanding singing. It is a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon soundtrack.

10) Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

There has been a large amount of backlash with the latest Arctic Monkeys release as it is much, much darker than their previous two releases but I am in the camp that feels it is a big step forward in their development. It is not my favorite Arctic Monkeys disc by a long shot but it is still great for what it is, a brooding rock album. It is a disc that you have to really listen to 3 or 4 times before you really start to understand and appreciate the tunes. I recommend you give it that chance.

9) Royskopp - Junior

I loved Royskopp’s first release, Melody AM, but didn’t really care for their sophomore effort. Junior went back to what made Melody AM so good, very catchy melodies and danceable beats. You add in some great guest work from Lykke Li and Robyn and you have yourself one of the best overall releases of the year.

8) Fruit Bats – Ruminant Band

http://www.myspace.com/thefruitbats

Ruminant Band is an interesting release as it the first Fruit Bats disc without Gillian Lisee that I have heard (I never listened to their debut but I enjoyed Mouthfuls and Spelled in Bones). I didn’t have very high expectations for it but I was very pleasantly surprised as Eric Johnson’s songwriting ability has moved forward with this collection. I was also able to see these guys live this past year and that made me appreciate the band that much more as they put on a great show.

7) Sunbears! – Dream Happy Dreams

http://www.myspace.com/sunbears

I have to have at least one “off kilter” release on my best of list and this year it is the Sunbears! I saw this duo open for Mates of State and The Black Kids this past year and I honestly felt they were better than The Black Kids. They could be compared to a much more happy-go-lucky version of the Flaming Lips. Dream Happy Dreams only provides you with a glimpse of the joy that the Sunbears! bring to the table.

6) A Fine Frenzy – Bomb in a Birdcage

http://www.myspace.com/afinefrenzy

I enjoyed Alison Sudol’s/A Fine Frenzy’s initial release and it was one of those “unsung” diamonds in 2007. Bomb in a Birdcage builds on what Sudol did so well on her debut with a mixture of pop and ballads that are both accessible and fresh.

5) The Decemberists – Hazards of Love

Colin Meloy and company’s rock opera has been on a number of top 10 lists this year for one reason: It is awesome. Kyle already explained what makes this release so great. It is something that must be listened straight through a few times to really appreciate what it is and what is being done. I long for the day that I can see the Decemberists live and maybe I’ll luck out and see them perform this in full.

4) Islands – Vapours

Kyle has introduced me to a number of bands and funny enough 2 of them are in my top 5 this year (Islands and Andrew Bird). I was a very casual Islands fan up until Vapours came out but I loved it from the first day I streamed it on the Internet. I’m probably in the minority but I find this to be their best release yet as the songs are much crisper and not overly produced. Vapours has been a mainstay on my IPOD playlist since it has come out.

3) Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

http://www.myspace.com/wearephoenix

I started listening to Phoenix back when they were collaborating with Daft Punk and I thought they were writing some catchy melodies back then. However, Wolfgang Amaedus Phoenix is their apex and they are blowing up now. Rightly so as they are one of the top 3 best exports from France (Daft Punk and Air being the other two).

2) Camera Obscura – My Maudlin Career

http://www.myspace.com/cameraobscuraband

I’m a sucker for happy music and sarcastic lyrics and no one does that better than Tracyanne Campbell and Camera Obscura. Cam Ob have been gradually improving with their releases and attained quite a good following in the USA after their 2006 disc, Lets Get Out of this Country (and they are one of those rare UK bands that are actually bigger in the USA than they are in the UK, or so I am told). My Maudlin Career is even better than the 2006 disc as it takes all of the things that were good on it and makes them even better. The strings and horns on select songs are tight and they do not take away from the solid lyrics of Campbell. I believe my taste in music has gotten a bit more “wussy” as I have aged but I’m perfectly okay to admit that if it means I get to listen to stuff as good as this.

1) Andrew Bird – Noble Beast

http://www.myspace.com/andrewbird

I don’t think this release should come as too much of a surprise to people. I believe that SPIN did a full write-up on Bird when Noble Beast came out saying this would be “the year of Bird.” Bird has always been an eclectic musical addition to the field as he really doesn’t fall into any category. He writes pop/rock/calypso/classical/jazz tunes that kind of mesh into his own genre. The fact that he can throw samples into songs along with violin, whistling and guitar just shows what kind of ability he brings to the table. Noble Beast is Bird’s most well-developed album as I had to listen to it 10 or 11 times before I really started to hear everything that is going on and I was able to peal the layers back of each tune. This is another release that is best when it is listened straight through the first few times. However, I love every song on here individually as each one is a little golden nugget for your ears.

Happy listening.