#10. The Decemberists, The King Is Dead. Ho-hum, but excellent instrumentation and songwriting as always. Plus, Gillian Welch adds a lot.
#9. Panda Bear, Tomboy. Deep, emotional, and…boring? Still, “Last Night At The Jetty” might be my favorite song of the year.
#8. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Belong. Simple, to-the-point, and catchy as shit. Surprisingly emotional, too, in its best moments.
#7. The Weeknd, House Of Balloons. Listening to “Wicked Games” will make you feel like the smoothest motherfucker in the world. So will every other song on this sexy album.
#6. TV On The Radio, Nine Types Of Light. These guys are still in top form. Inventive lyrics, soulful vocals, and intricate, expert rhythm.
#5. Radiohead, The King Of Limbs. Painfully brief, but full of distinct, memorable songs. Has its good moments, and occasionally great moments, but not a masterpiece by the band’s standards.
#4. The Antlers, Burst Apart. Wasn’t expecting to like this one as much as I do. Surprisingly chill and sophisticated, with the same emotional vocals that have become their trademark.
#3. Destroyer, Kaputt. A work of genius. Every song seems to have sprouted to life on its own and embedded itself into the record like ink into a depressed teenage girl’s dream journal.
#2. Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues. The stakes were high on this one, but did any of us really doubt that it would be amazing? If only Arcade Fire’s second album had the lyrical dexterity, inviting atmosphere, and meticulous evolution of vision present here, it might not have taken them six years to win that Grammy.
#1. Bon Iver, Bon Iver. Call me a fanboy all you want. Does any other artist have the degree of mythos that Bon Iver have cultivated, with the sound to back it up? The magic’s all here—touching, invigorating, and frighteningly intimate. This album has set the mood for the rest of the year.
