One of my favorite parts of the Holiday Season is recapping the music that has shaped my life in the past year. I made sure to wait until the actual new year, along with reading every "Best Of" list i could, so i wouldn't leave anything out. So here. A comprehensive list from one of music's greatest appreciators.


1. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Landslide. My favorite freak folker's outta Maryland (or anywhere for that matter) create something as fresh and raw as a newly slained zebra. Pure genius. A collective of dream melodies, bouncy blast drums, and eerie cool lyrics. AC solidify their spot in music history. Leave my music heart forever patched with strawberry jam.

Key Tracks / Fireworks, Peacebone, Reverend Green, Winter Wonderland.

2. Kanye West - Graduation

Kanye is a perfect 3 for 3 when it comes to creating classics; a self made dynasty in half the time as MJ's Bulls. Yeezy can never be overrated or outdone. "Top 5 mc's you gotta rewind me / im high up on the line you can get behind me".

Key Tracks / Champion, I Wonder, Flashing Lights.

3. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna

I was introduced to Hissing Fauna almost year to date. Kevin Barnes n company accompanied late night sled rides into spring blooms. Summered his way through August only to fall into winter again. Hard topping that anniversary.

Key Tracks Heimdalsgate Like a Prometheon Curse, A Sentence of Sorts, Gronlandic Edit

4. Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Proud to say i bought this album. Call it a whim, call it a sin saving for not downloading, either way it was worth every penny and more. Best vibe since Beach Boy's "Pet Sounds".

Key Tracks / Bro's, Take Pills, Ponytail.

5. Vampire Weekend - Blue CDR

It may be cheating to include this 08 release on the best of o7 list but fuck...it rules and made an unexpected appearance in my top 5. it. Upbeat versatile students mix reggae with punk, and pop rock to make awesome dessert.

Key Tracks / Oxford Comma, Boston, Campus.

6. Caribou - Andorra

Retro pop record with origin. Andorra puts me in a bubble and floats me to the top of the city, than bursts itself with slicing tambourine zils.

Key Tracks / Melody Day, Sandy, She's The One, Eli

7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

Wilco is one of those special bands that get better over time. Jeff Tweedy is seasoned and sounding better than ever, a record that is pleasure to any age ear.

Key Tracks / Either Way, Impossible Germany, Hate it Here, Walken.

8. Shugo Tokumora - Exit

I just recently heard this cartoony pop gem, and i must say there is nothing cuter than a Japanese man singing broken English. *parachute* is turned into a *prachute* Every melody of Shugo's is unexpected and catchy.

Key Tracks / Parachute, Green Rain, Button, La La Radio, Wedding.

9. R. Kelly - Double Up

Cheers to R. Kelly for keeping my faith in R&B. One of the best records of it's genre for all time. At times an uncomfortable bliss, but overall a smooth record perfect for bed beats. Real Talk.

Key Tracks / Leave Your Name, Freaky in the Club, Real Talk, Same Girl, I'm a Flirt, Sweet Tooth

10. Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

Personal inspiration Spencer Krugg brings back the circus for yet another great album. Random Spirit Lover aims directly for the soul and hits it bulls eye. Who needs Wolf Parade.

Key Tracks / Mending of the Grown, Up On Your Leopard, The Courtesan Has Sung, For the Pier, Taming of the Hands.

11. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

Only artist to pull of hit track off a woody woodpecker sample. Deacon finds his niche as a keyboard synth god, drawing comparisons to atom and his package, and postal service.

Key Tracks / Woody Woodpecker, The Crystal Cat, Wham City, Big Milk, Okie Dokie.

12. Shout Out Louds - Our Ill Wills

I was disappointed most of the big dogs (pitchfork, spin, rolling stone etc) excluded Our Ill Will's from their best of list. Shame on you, here's a band that is growing with each move. One of the most ear friendly records of our time.

Key Tracks / Parents Living room, Suit Yourself, South America, Hard Rain, Tonight I Have to Leave it.

13. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Every ones favorite Indie Gods return with an even darker chamber pop sound. Read your Neon Bible and go to neon heaven.

Key Tracks / Keep the Car Running, The Well and the Lighthouse, No Cars Go, Intervention.

14. Jay Z - American Gangster

G.O.A.T.

Key Tracks / Hello Brooklyn, No Hook, I Know, Say Hello, Falling.

15. Figurines - When the Dear Wore Blue

Filled with ghostly ambition and awesome eerie melodies. Another great album left stranded from best of list.

Key Tracks / Childhood Verse, Hey, Girl, Let's Head Out, Good Ol Friends, The Air We Breath

16. Radiohead - In Rainbows

17. Clap Your Hands and say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder

18. Freeway - Free at Last

19. The National - Boxer

20. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga

21. Pinback - Autumn of the Sephras

22. Burial - Untrue

23. Say Anything - In Defense of the Genre

24. Good Life - Help Wanted Nights

25. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortadela

26. Prefuse 73 - Preperations

27. Besnard Lakes - Dark Horse

28. M.I.A. - Kala

29. Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew - Spirt If

30. Motion City Soundtrack - Even if it Kills me

31. Octopus Project -

32. Mum - Go Go Smear the Poisen Ivy

33. Dntel - Dumb Luck

34. Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight

35. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3

36. Once - Sountrack

37. White Stripes - Icky Thump

38. Richard Swift - Dressed up for the Letdown

39. Great Lake Swimmers - Ongria

40. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends

41. Justice - Cross

42. Black Lips - Good Bad not Evil

43. Voxtrot - Voxtrot

44. Rouge Wave - Asleep at Heavons Gate

45. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool

46. Twilight Said

47. Band of Horses

48. Fiery Furnaces - Widow City

49. Beirut - Flying Club Cup

50. Rufus Wainwright - Realese the Stars

Honorable Mention

Avett Brothers - Emotionalism, Liars - Liars, Chris Brown - Exclusive, Paramore - Riot, Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity, LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver, Gui Boratto - Chromophobia, The Field - From Here We Go Sublime, Dirty Projectors - Rise Above, Common - Finding Forever