HONORABLE MENTIONS

Björk
"Volta" (Atlantic)
Divinely chosen leader of an all-girl horn orchestra ("Declare Independence," "Earth Intruders").

Brother Ali
"The Undisputed Truth" (Rhymesayers International)
Rocking the self-conscious party ("Lookin' at Me Sideways," "Uncle Sam Goddamn").

Camera Obscura
"Let's Get Out of This Country" (Merge)
Forever indie, and here's how you can tell -- too often they think nudge when they need a knockout ("Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken," "Let's Get Out of This Country").

Mecca Normal
"The Observer" (Kill Rock Stars)
Vocal-performance-with-guitar cycle about online dating -- sometimes harrowing, sometimes excruciating ("Attraction Is Ephemeral," "I'm Not Into Being the Woman You're With While You're Looking for the Woman You Want").

Patti Smith
"Twelve" (Columbia)
Many interpretive singers have superior pipes, and some equal brains, but few match her quality of belief ("Are You Experienced?" "Smells Like Teen Spirit").

LCD Soundsystem
"Sound of Silver" (Capitol/DFA)
One song so irresistible it makes you think the other tracks are songs too, which sometimes they are ("North American Scum," "Time to Get Away").

TV on the Radio
"Live at Amoeba Music" (Interscope)
Four from "Return from Cookie Mountain," every one less mannered and deliberate ("Wolf Like Me," "Blues From Down Here").

Avril Lavigne
"The Best Damn Thing" (RCA)
I never cared whether she was really a punk (as if) -- I just wished she'd act like one ("The Best Damn Thing," "Everything Back but You").

This Moment in Black History
"It Takes a Nation of Assholes" (Cold Sweat)
Frantic fury à la Bad Brains and the Crass, only faster ("Garbage In/Garbage Out," "Nailed to the Cross").

Scritti Politti
"White Bread Black Beer" (Nonesuch)
"He said you gotta have a reason for a revolution/She said if you don't have the wherewithal you don't need the why," and like so many ex-Marxists, Green Gartside loves women in theory ("The Boom Boom Bap," "Road to No Regret").

Lifesavas
"Gutterfly" (Quannum Projects)
"Original soundtrack" to a theoretical blaxploitation movie, and less beaty for its pains ("Night Out," "Double Up").

Buju Banton
"Too Bad" (Gargamel)
For him, dancehall is roots reggae, to which he returns none too soon ("Me & Oonu," "Jig").

Land of Talk
"Applause Cheer Boo Hiss" (Rebel Group)
Montreal FOAF Elizabeth Powell could turn into Carol van Dyk when she grows up, which beats Feist ("All My Friends," "Summer Special").

CHOICE CUTS

Gwen Stefani
"Yummy"
("The Sweet Escape" [Interscope])

Cham "Ghetto Story,"
"Ghetto Story Chapter 3,"
"Boom Boom"
("Ghetto Story" [Atlantic/Mad House])

CocoRosie
"Japan"
("The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn" [Touch and Go])

The Stooges
"Free & Freaky"
("The Weirdness" [Virgin])