Top 10

10. THE ESSEX GREEN
Cannibal Sea
And we're ending it with more pop, this time of the indie variety. There was a lot of that released this year -- some great, some Swedish, some paint-by-numbers. This album has the key ingredients -- male and female vocalists, winning choruses, instrumentals that are the work of Serious Musicians. But it also has that mysterious something extra to elevate it, and that's why it's in my top ten.

9. M. WARD
Post-War
I expected to be won over by M. Ward's last album, Transistor Radio; I wasn't, and I was a bit sad about it. But he got me this time, on a disc filled with classic songs with spot-on instrumentation and charming twists. It's lovely, really.

8. SCISSOR SISTERS
Ta-Dah
I probably should not enjoy disco as much as I do, but whatever. Toro recently wrote that if you don't like Scissor Sisters, you probably also don't like Abba, dancing or fun. I can make a pass for Abba, and maybe dancing isn't for everyone, but who doesn't love a good time?

7. GNARLS BARKLEY
St. Elsewhere
Funk, Motown, rap, electro -- on paper, it could be a disaster. Throw in Dangermouse and that crazy motherfucker Cee-Lo Green, and it's delicious. I had highly hyped this album, personally, on the strength of "Crazy." Nothing's quite that awesome, but it's all pretty damn good just the same.

6. THE TWILIGHT SINGERS
Powder Burns
My hard-on for Greg Dulli has been well-documented on this site. His solo release was mostly just okay, but with Powder Burns he and The Twilight Singers hit on a set of aggressive tracks fueled, as usual, by love -- but this time not just of the romantic variety. Much of this album was marked by the devastation Hurricane Katrina brought to Dulli's adopted hometown of New Orleans, and the anger -- and sometimes hope -- of everything surrounding the disaster is evident on this album.

5. BE GOOD TANYAS
Hello Love
This one is a late entry. Even a few years ago, nobody would have predicted my growing fondness for music that could be classified as country, but it turns out that melody and good song-writing are sometimes transcendent. The Be Good Tanyas manage to hit emotion without getting maudlin, and have nailed down their sound well-enough that the album -- a mix of original songs and covers -- flows beautifully.

4. EMILY HAINES & THE SOFT SKELETON
Knives Don't Have Your Back
This album becomes a bit more poignant when you're in mourning, I can say now. It's not perfect, but the moments that are become enough: the entirety of "Our Hell," the sad coda of "Winning," the self-reflective chorus of "Reading In Bed." With every project, Haines rips off another layer of herself, and whatever the results she's always charming.

3. THE PIPETTES
We Are The Pipettes
I have been coveting the Grammy-nominated (in a category where it matters -- one that doesn't make it onto the telecast) Girl Group Sounds boxset for months now, but We Are The Pipettes has filled the whole in my CD collection well. Some have called it outright aping, but I love The Pipettes' modern take on love and lust.

2. LILY ALLEN
Alright Still
Pop is well-represented on my list this year, with cheeky Lily Allen leading the pack. Those on the other side of the pond might already be sick of her, and the U.S. is just getting started with her, but I'm just fine with her mix of clever samples, funny-but-not-lame lyrics and snotty vocals that somehow manage to be endearing at the same time. Give me Allen over Gwen Stefani any day.

1. NEKO CASE
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
I'd guess that every reviewer for this site has an album that they wish, in retrospect, they had scored higher, whether it's because they didn't give it a fair shot at the beginning or because it's proven to be a grower over time. This one is mine. If "Star Confessor" doesn't give you an ache in your gut, you might not have a soul.