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5. The Shins: "Wincing the Night
Away"
Between their relocation from
Albuquerque, N.M., to Portland, Ore., and their evolution from lo-fi debut
to the slightly lusher, lyrical pop-rock of their sophomore breakout, the Shins
raised both ambitions and expectations for this more polished, expansive set. A
higher-octane label push may have prompted more divided critical reactions, but
when front man and songwriter James Mercer hits the target, the Shins remain
slyly seductive.
6. Amy Winehouse: "Back to Black"
It's
sobering (no pun intended) to contemplate the prospect that the young British
singer's personal troubles may eclipse her artistry with tabloid melodrama. Take
away the headlines and the career fumbles, and the virtues of this evolutionary
second album remain bracing. Beyond the much-publicized neo-soul component,
punctuated by the record's retooled Stax/JB accents, her vocal alloy of jazz,
pop and R&B plus unexpurgated confessional lyrics earn Winehouse her rung on
our list.
7. Wilco: "Sky Blue Sky"
For all
the newer Wilco fans disappointed by the band's seeming retreat from the overt
experimentalism of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born," we'd recommend
a closer listen to conversational ease of these virtually live performances and
the sturdy song craft that Jeff Tweedy brings to this latest set of songs. By
now, the current lineup has achieved nearly telepathic communication that may be
subtler but no less accomplished on these more concise ensemble excursions.
8. (TIE) M.I.A.: "Kala" and the National: "Boxer"
Nearly polar
opposites in style and sensibility, M.I.A.'s second album and the fourth full
set from the National split votes for eighth place on our rankings.
For
the once and future Maya Arulpragasam, the fierce intelligence and sharp social
consciousness of her acclaimed 2005 debut were extended with "Kala," which
Consumer Guide chief Robert Christgau raves "just gets stronger and more
intelligent over time" both in its sonic adventurism and its "cannier," defiant
political vision of an international, multicultural underclass. The only
surprise for M.I.A. in our poll was that she didn't place higher.
For
the National, "Boxer" proved as low-keyed as "Kala" was extroverted. Anchored by
Matt Berninger's mournful, reserved baritone and murmured lyrics, the quintet
(abetted by orchestrator and sometimes sixth member Padma Newsome) lowered the
flame under their brooding new songs, paring arrangements to often skeletal
frameworks. The results demanded, then rewarded, closer and more careful listens
than the breakthrough predecessor, "Alligator."
9. Spoon: "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga"
Like
the Shins, Austin's Spoon graduated with their prior set to media notoriety
without sacrificing their smarts. Britt Daniel continues to frame often oblique
but allusive lyrics with canny, stripped-down instrumental hooks that are even
sharper for their concision. Their sixth album adds tantalizing pop accents such
as beefy horn choruses and tolling vibes that hint at Motown without openly
aping it. Don't let the intentional nonsense of the title fool you -- this is
seriously smart -- even ingenious -- rock.
10. The White Stripes: "Icky Thump"
Detroit's
dynamic duo continues to extend the loaves-and-fishes miracle of wringing a
surprisingly broad and adventurous palette from Meg White's thrashing drums and
Jack White's fearless guitars and occasional keyboards, augmented by left-field
sonic additives from mariachi horns to bagpipes. His fevered vocals and their
typically antic spectrum of effects may have traded novelty for familiarity by
now, but the Stripes still pulled enough votes to make the
cut.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
To determine our top 10 releases for the year, MSN Music polled regular
contributors including Robert Christgau, Alan Light, John Moe, Melinda Newman,
Kurt B. Reighley and Michael Shilling, with lead producer Sam Sutherland casting
the final votes.
Unsurprisingly, distilling the list meant some strong releases just missed
the cut. Here's our honor roll of artists and albums cited just below that
winners' circle.
Against Me!: "New Wave"
Lily Allen: "Alright, Still ..."
Beirut: "The Flying Club Cup"
The Cave Singers: "Invitation Songs"
Black Moth Super Rainbow: "Dandelion Gum"
Bright Eyes: "Cassadega"
Matthew Dear: "Asa Breed"
Foo Fighters: "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace"
Fountains of Wayne: "Traffic and Weather"
Jennifer Gentle: "The Midnight Room"
Gogol Bordello: "Super Taranta!"
Patty Griffin: "Children Running Through"
PJ Harvey: "White Chalk"
Iron & Wine: "The Shepherd's Dog"
Jay-Z: "American Gangster"
Bettye LaVette: "Scene of the Crime"
LCD Soundsystem: "Sound of Silver"
Jens Lekman: "Night Falls Over Kortedala"
Annie Lennox: "Songs of Mass Destruction"
Modest Mouse: "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank"
The New Pornographers: "Challengers"
Of Montreal: "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?"
Peter Bjorn and John: "Writer's Block"
Radiohead: "In Rainbows"
Rilo Kiley: "Under the Blacklight"
Josh Ritter: "Historical Conquests"
Tabu Ley Rochereau: "The Voice of Lightness"
Silverchair: "Young Modern"
Linda Thompson: "Versatile Heart"
Eddie Vedder: "Into the Wild" original soundtrack
Lucinda Williams: "West"
Sound off: Talk about the Best Albums of
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