This was a tough year. I'm pretty firm on the first few here, but then there are probably 20-25 that I like fairly equally. Also, there are still quite a few albums I have yet to hear/want to hear.

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver: listened to this more than anything this year. Songs like "Calgary" and "Holocene" just stuck with me. Memorable melodies + beautiful/sparse production throughout.


2. Apex Manor - The Year of Magical Drinking: hooked me from the first listen.


3. Centro-Matic - Candidate Waltz: a bit of a grower, but as I've said, I thinks this is the best album they've made. I have been a fairly casual fan of their earlier stuff, but this album is fantastic, especially the first half. World-weary but not bogged down.


4. Yuck - Yuck: fun, hook-filled, great fuzzy guitars throughout. great driving album.


5. Richard Buckner - Our Blood: another in a long line of wrist slicers from the great Richard Bucnker.


6. Middle Brother - Middle Brother: I like this better than pretty much anythign the individual parts have yet to do. Great cover of the Replacements' "Portland"


7. Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams: huge step forward from their last album (which I only somewhat liked).


8. Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones


9. Destroyer - Kaputt


10. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong


11. The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?


12. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient


12. Booze - At Maximum Volume


13. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost


14. Tennis - Cape Dory


15. Real Estate - Days


16. The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo


17. Blitzen Trapper – American Goldwing


18. Cass McCombs – Humor Risk


19. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Here We Rest


20. The Middle East – I Want That You Are Always Happy

OHG

No less than 5 of those will be on my list. Don't think we've ever shared so much crossover.

Destroyer and Real Estate! Good stuffs dude.

I've only heard the Booze and Jason Isbell from this list. Both would make my list. The rest are from artists that I've never liked that much before or aren't that familiar with.

a lot of the stuff you've been pimping i have yet to hear...havent been that into country/alt country stuff this year. i like joe henry, ron sexsmith, daniel romano, and a few others though. my 10-40 are fairly interchangeable depending on the day.

lots of that will be on my list

far and away the closest to my list, probably 10 crossovers. love it!

My reaction to that "Yuck" album was as follows:

1) This is kind of shameless nostalgia
2) Wait, this the era I came up with
3) Obner

That's a simplistic view but this album is just so all over the place. So long. It scratches so many of those 90's itches and in such a good way. Loudfastloud, feedback, melody, extended jams into nothing, rocknroll.

Will be in my Top 10.

every year, man. every year.

Was surprised to see Bon Iver so high on your list. I guess I dismissed them too quick. Is Apex Manor a lot better than the Broken West who I thought were mostly meh? Centro-matic is a band I own a lot by and like enough when I hear them but never have any inclination to ever thrown on. I ignored the new one for that reason. Maybe I should give it a chance though if it's a big step forward for them. Anything else in particular that I would probably like?

you should give Centro Matic and Apex Manor a shot. I was never a huge Centro Matic fan so this new release surprised me a bit. Not sure why I like it more than their past stuff, but I do.

Checking out that Middle East now.

Only two reasons this didn't make my list:

1. I thought it was officially considered a 2010 release.
2. It was the soundtrack to my still-too-painful-to-recall Spring romance.

With the exception of Bon Iver, I like pretty much all of this. Thanks for reminding me to look into Middle Brother.

First list I recall seeing with Bon Iver, and at the top spot no less! Will definitely make mine.