HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Cribs
"Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever"
(Warner Bros.)
A punky little Brit-pop album with its advertised hooks in place for once, leaving us free to ponder how much its romantic self-examinations are worth ("I'm a Realist," "Major's Titling Victory").

Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew
"Spririt If ..."
(Arts & Crafts)
Human Being Collective instructs Yanks in alt-rock soundscaping, knowwhutI'mehing? ("F----- Up Kid," "Backed Out on the ... ").

Various Artists
"Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino"
(Vanguard)
Only a tribute album, but the material is so welcoming and the guests give back the love (John Lennon, "Ain't That a Shame"; Lucinda Williams, "Honey Chile"; Paul McCartney featuring Allen Toussaint, "I Want to Walk You Home"; Corinne Bailey Rae, "One Night [of Sin]"; Norah Jones, "My Blue Heaven").

Dropkick Murphys
"The Meanest of Times"
(Born & Bred)
They'll never be the Pogues because they're not outright alcoholics, which bodes well for their class analysis ("Tomorrow's Industry," "Never Forget").

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
"Raising Sand"
(Rounder)
Folk-leaning guy and pop-leaning gal sip iced tea on the veranda of their platinum-plated studio ("Killing the Blues," "Please Read the Letter").

Miles Davis
"Evolution of the Groove"
(Columbia/Legacy)
Four uncommonly brief double-funked remixes add up to collector's curio ("Freedom Jazz Dance [Evolution of the Groove]," "It's About That Time").

Radiohead
"In Rainbows"
(Purloined Datadisc)
Developed in concert, hence more jammy, less songy and less Yorkey, which is good ("Jigsaw Falling Into Place," "Bodysnatchers").

The Long Blondes
"Someone to Drive You Home"
(Rough Trade)
Twenty-seven years old and already an older woman -- how wearisome ("Once and Never Again," "Heaven Help the New Girl").

Mac Lethal
"11:11"
(Rhymesayers Entertainment)
From Kansas City, Kan. (it makes a difference), a white rapper-by-default whose sarcastic rhymes hook sharper than his hooky beats ("Lithium Lips," "Jihad!").

Bruce Springsteen
"Magic"
(Columbia)
Always emotional, sometimes mawkish, he lives with war as he tries to forget it ("Last to Die," "Livin' in the Future").

"Bruce Springsteen and the Session Band Live in Dublin"
(Columbia)
As loose and unforced as he ever gets on record ("Open All Night," "Old Dan Tucker").

Extra Golden
"Hera Ma Nomo"
(Thrill Jockey)
From Chicago and/or Kenya, Afro-fusion where the white ethnomusicologist guitarist sounds more idiomatic than the black African trap drummer — and the lyrics are better in Luo ("Hera Ma Noma," "Obama").

Suspected Terrorists
"Suspected Terrorists"
(Adept)
From Louisville, Ky., and why not, the articulated inarticulate rage crypto-fascism deserves ("Patriot Act," "F--- Your Stupid Civilization").

PreNup
"Hell to Pay"
(Rampage)
Exes all, ex-Pogue Cait O'Riordan and ex-Hothouse Flowers Fiachna O'Braonain and Dave Clarke kiss off their departed spouses, Rolling Stones-style ("Suckerpunched," "Firefighter").

Neil Young and Crazy Horse
"Live at the Fillmore East"
(Reprise)
Four all-too-well-remembered classics, two collectibles, bonanza guitar ("Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown," "Cowgirl in the Sand").

Levon Helm
"Dirt Farmer"
(Vanguard)
His voice "halfway back" from throat cancer, he tries it out on some "family songs from home" and feels good about it ("Got Me a Woman, "Feelin' Good").

Neil Young
"Chrome Dreams II"
(Reprise)
His last song collection this dubious was, of all things, "This Note's for You," whereas this one's chief selling point was long ago slated to appear ("Ordinary People," "The Way").

Feist
"The Reminder"
(Interscope)
Not-so-oblique adult love songs for young professionals not-so-displeased with their lot ("Sealion," "Brandy Alexander").

Thurston Moore
"Trees Outside the Academy"
(Ecstatic Peace)
Nicely discordant as Samara Lubelski's violin is, it ain't Kim or Lee, much less both ("Wonderful Witches + Language Meanies," "Never Day").

Keren Ann
"Keren Ann"
(Metro Blue )
Music to pretend you're having sophisticated casual sex to, only remember — you're not actually that sophisticated ("Lay Your Head Down," "It Ain't No Crime").

Debbie Harry
"Necessary Evil"
(Eleven Seven Music)
Nah, she's not Blondie -- Blondie was a band, and still is ("Jen Jen," "Paradise").

CHOICE CUTS

PJ Harvey
"When Under Ether" ("White Chalk" [Island])

Ayaléw Mèsfin & Black Lion Band
"Feqer Aydelem Wey" ("The Rough Guide to African Blues" [World Music Network])

Mariem Hassan
"La Tumchi Anni" ("The Rough Guide to African Blues" [World Music Network])

Aly & AJ
"Potential Breakup Song" ("Insomniatic" [Hollywood])

John Fogerty
"I Can't Take It No More," "Long Dark Night" ("Revival" [Fantasy])

Flight of the Conchords
"Business Time" ("The Distant Future" [Sub Pop])

Patti Scialfa
"Bad for You," "Play It as It Lays" ("Play It as It Lays" [Columbia])