I need to check out that White Denim. It is popping up on a lot of lists with write ups indicating it is something I will probably like way more than I thought I would.

Well the Centro-matic is the definition of safe but interesting. I'll revoke "safe" when I see some electronic, drone, metal, Neu punk, jazz or chillwave added to the stick-to-ribs Americana. Some tailored to mix up with the mom jeans.

Good list, nothing on it that I would dislike.

With the exception of metal (a genre I grew up loving but can no longer take seriously), I enjoy music that I hear from those other genres but would feel slightly poserish trying to shoehorn an electronic or jazz record that I dug a couple of tracks off of over a "rock" record that I can sing every note of. Same goes for hip hop--I just don't feel comfortable enough with the genre anymore even though there will always be songs I like (and even love).

I do not know anything but Wilco and Smith Westerns on your list. I will try to test drive some of these.

I didn't get around to listening to White Denim until the last week or two of the year, but would have liked to have given it more spins. I have dug their other albums.

Also, good call on Futurebirds.

nice to see I&W on your list. i was certain i'd be the only one. i thought i remembered a HATE consensus here when it came out.

Yeah, I liked it immediately and kept going back expecting a different result but not getting it. I can understand people not liking it (my wife, for example, hates it) but I think its cool.

i liked Iron and Wine pretty well but for some reason i havent felt a desire to listen to it all that much as compared to their past albums.

But if you really like a cut or a few cuts from a work in a not-your-usual genre, why wouldn't you get the whole work and spend some time with it. You can eat the fried chicken still but going for the Ethiopian lamb or even arugula can be useful counterpoints to the chow chow.

That's why I happily pay the $9.99/mo. for Spotify: it lets me sample AND spend time with records I might otherwise dismiss "sight unheard" without committing to a purchase or spending time searching the back alleys for a download.

Now that I'm able to check out other OB Best-ofs', I'm realizing 2011 may not quite be in my rear-view. Quick count shows a lot of overlap between our lists.

I still haven't heard that Glossary and I've never heard of American Babies. I need to track'em down.

On any given day that Centro-matic record could've been my number #1. So good.

Good to see that Saadiq record getting some love as well. I just couldn't get into that White Denim record. Too much noodling.

Solid list Chris.