I've been hoping to spend time over the holiday exploring the releases I've missed this year. I think it's been a pretty solid year, and I'm sure there are a bunch of gems that I'm missing. Unfortunately, it ain't happening this vacation. So, I figure I'll post the list of albums I've spent most quality time with this year, and maybe it will help you suggest for me ones that I should especially check out before '11 really hits. This is all for me, OK? Some of the albums listed are here because I love them timelessly, others are there for the sentimental vote, the throwback vote, or strictly because I know they have good music on them and belong on a "best" of, though I'm not exactly flipping.

1. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
2. Roky Erickson & Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
4. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy
5. Neil Young - Le Noise
6. Eluvium - Similes
7. The Mynabirds - What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood
8. The Radio Dept - Clinging to a Scheme
9. Solex vs. Cristina Martinez vs. Jon Spencer - Amsterdam Showdown King Street Throwdown
10. Beach House - Teen Dream
11. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
12. Four Tet - There Is Love In You
13. Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
14. Junip - Fields
15. Mice Parade - What It Means to Be Left-Handed
16. Jack Rose - Luck in the Valley
17. Owen Pallett - Heartland
18. She & Him - Volume 2
19. Mike Watt - Hyphenated-Man
20. Various Artists - Honest Strings: A Tribute to Jack Rose

Honorable mentions:
James Blake EPs
Zola Jesus EPs

Others (21+) that are keepers:
The Sadies
Flying Lotus
Vampire Weekend
Caribou
Rangda
Retribution Gospel Choir
Morning Benders
Pantha du Prince
Tindersticks
Jonsi
Black Keys
The Orb f. David Gilmour

Really feel like I heard a lot of qual music this year, but am missing a bunch more. Please make suggestions!! Thanks, Obner. To 2011.

Solid list.

Maybe I'll have to hear that Roky Erickson after all. Not being a fan of Okkervil River (or even 13th Floor Elevators, really) has kind of kept me away, but I am kind of interested in how that worked out. Also been a while since I've heard any Eluvium. It's definitely the right time of year for that.

I think you'd like Lower Dens, The Fresh & Onlys (album & EP), and Mark McGuire albums if you haven't heard them already.

Great list man, especially love seeing The Radio Dept. in the Top 10.

Heads up....posted the debut album from James Blake in the 2011 thread.

just saw that you were in there already.

D, I listened to that right away last night, the James Blake. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I loved most of the first listen, until it started to get a little repetitive. But overall it's got an amazing sense of minimalism and sentimentality, and is way more vocal than I expected.

Drinky, definitely check out the Roky record. It's not very much like 13th Floor Elevators at all, and I don't really know anything else of Okkervil River, but I feel like this record falls in line with Roky's awesome solo records, just with a more updated approach.

Kind of a safe list though, eh?

Listening to some samples, and considering the number of times I've seen it pop up, I think that Phosphorescent might be something I like. I guess I blew it off. Anybody got a working link?

Ah, thank you sir.

I'd be shocked if you didn't like it. The first song is my new theme. His album of Willie Nelson tributes is better, IMO, but this will be in my top 5.

It was funny, EVERY sample I listened to sounded like something I might like.

I blame them having a name that doesn't match their music, causing me to dismiss them out of hand. (Take heed aspiring musicians)

Same reason I ignored him until I heard he did the Willie covers.

the roky/OR was my early favorite for #1 but I found i wasnt listening to it as much as the year went on. still a great record

Wished I'd had more time for Radio Dept, Phosphorescent and Orb + David Gilmour.

I'll never see what people love about Joanna Newsom.

And yeah, the Ariel Pink record is brilliant. It would've ranked higher than #7 on my list had I spent more than a month with it, rather than just going back and listening to "Round and Round" over and over again.

Finally getting a chance to listen to that 7 WALKERS record right now, and I'm loving it. It might have found a way into my 20, given time and a few more spins. Didn't realize they were Robert Hunter songs. Actually don't know much about it at all, except that it's done very well.

Did I not recommend it to you? I may have steered you wrong once or twice in the past, but this is a good'un.

you've never steered me wrong. at least you try to steer me. this was just one of those things i didn't get around to quickly. yeah it's really good. finally listened to that william tyler over the break too. i like it but i'm not sure how quickly i'll return. it's an original take, being more fleshed out instrumentally, but not a far cry from the style. i'll go again.

also just listened to mary gauthier's "the foundling" and liked it quite a bit. hard to not think of nina nastasia, or marissa nadler less so, when hearing this. and i liked it nonetheless.

i'm retroactively updating the sequence of my list if something is strong enough to enter the top 20, and the 7 walkers is good enough for top 5.

1. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
2. Roky Erickson & Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
4. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy
5. 7 Walkers - 7 Walkers
6. Neil Young - Le Noise
7. Eluvium - Similes
8. The Mynabirds - What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood
9. The Radio Dept - Clinging to a Scheme
10. Solex vs. Cristina Martinez vs. Jon Spencer - Amsterdam Showdown King Street Throwdown
11. Beach House - Teen Dream
12. Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
13. Four Tet - There Is Love In You
14. Bruce Springsteen - The Promise
15. Junip - Fields
16. Mice Parade - What It Means to Be Left-Handed
17. Jack Rose - Luck in the Valley
18. Owen Pallett - Heartland
19. She & Him - Volume 2
20. Mike Watt - Hyphenated-Man
21. Various Artists - Honest Strings: A Tribute to Jack Rose

That Mice Parade and Four Tet I think were the biggest surprises for me this year. Both just great records that I fully didn't expect to like.

Good call on the Jack Rose and Eluvium records as well. Would like to hear the Jack Rose Tribute and Solex records, didn't even know either existed.

i wonder if mice parade and four tet have ever worked together. that would be a good fit. both records that i enjoyed – strong additions to their catalogues – but didn't have the most lasting impact on me. enough.

the jack rose tribute is 6 hours, and a lot of it is pretty good. i'd offer to post it up, but let me know first if you can't find it. it was/is for sale for $15 digitally.

i trumpeted that solex record left and right. seek it out, it's good!