1) Neon Bible by Arcade Fire

2) Boxer by The National

3) Icky Thump by The White Stripes

4) Sky Blue Sky by Wilco

5) New Moon by Elliott Smith

6) 23 by Blond Redhead

that is all I can think of right now for my opinion...........very good year for music

Mine would be:

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
The National - Boxer
Kings of Leon - Because Of the Times
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

I'm making room for more later this year. I do like Boxer, but the first two get a lot more play in my car and at work.

^ i've gotta hear that Baby 81. it keeps popping up but i can't seem to remember to get it.

wow, this thread is a month and a half old and pardon me for starting it not quite halfway through the year (oops).

monthly update:

1. The National | Boxer
1. Panda Bear | Person Pitch
1. Interpol | Our Love To Admire
1. Animal Collective | Strawberry Jam
5. Of Montreal | Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
6. The Shins | Wincing The Night Away
7. LCD Soundsystem | Sound of Silver
8. Arcade Fire | Neon Bible
9. Explosions In The Sky | All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
10. Blonde Redhead | 23
10. Andrew Bird | Armchair Apocrypha
10. Do Make Say Think | You, You're a History in Rust
13. Bloc Party | A Weekend In The City
13. Radical Face | Ghost
13. Deerhunter | Cryptograms
16. Liars | Liars
17. Modest Mouse | We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
18. Kings of Leon | Because of the Times
19. Wilco | Sky Blue Sky
20. The New Pornographers | Challengers


Sky Blue Sky and Challengers are nice, but only a few tracks are striking. perhaps they'll grow.

my offer to share stands as always.

I would highly recommend Baby 81 if even just for a listen. I get to see them next month at Bogart's in Cincinnati. Then it's The National in September I think in Convington Kentucky

So Far I've enjoyed:

The National-Boxer
Elliott Smith-New Moon
Dinosaur Jr-Beyond
Illinois-What The Hell Do I Know?
Laub-Netwegen
Au Revoir Simone-The Bird Of Music
Mnomena

Premature postulation.

The National - Boxer
The Coral - Roots and Echoes
Joe Henry - Civilians
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Grinderman - Grinderman
Lucinda Williams - West
Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat
Xavier Rudd - White Moth
Dax Riggs - We Sing of Only Blood and Love
Bruce Springsteen - Live in Dublin with the Seeger Sessions Band
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971.

____________
Pennywise, the Listing Clown

In no particular order:

Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Spoon
Boxer - The National
The Search - Son Volt
Sirens of the Ditch - Jason Isbell
Hardwire Healing - The Dexateens
The Stage Names - Okkervil River
Soujourner - Magnolia Electric Co
Children Running Through - Patty Griffin
Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
Peace, Love, and Anarchy - Todd Snider
Beyond - Dinosaur Jr
Because of the Times - Kings of Leon

I was disappointed by this album.

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam = best album of the year by far IMO.

other honerable mentions:
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Cloud Cult - Meaning of 8
National - Boxer
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
Kanye West - Graduation
Okkervil River - The Stage Names

I'm sorry but I've heard all of these and nothing holds a candle to Boxer. By far the best of the best.

Quite possible.

Iron And Wine-The Shepherd's Dog

+ tord gustavsen trio - "Being there"

Update, Update, Update

Broken Family Band - Hello Love

The Acorn - Gloria Espernza Montoya (ie Glory Hope Mountain)
( I can't describe how much I love this - from the 'You were supposed to be stillborn' birth of Hold Your Breath, the escape of Crooked Legs, the violent confrontation of Oh Napoleon to the restless sleep of Lullaby. I'm dragging the family to see them tonight and literally cannot wait)

New Pornographers - Challengers
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
(god that band is tight)

Andre Ethier - On Blue Fog
Basia Bulat - Oh My Darling
Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses?
Magnolia Electric Company - Sojourner
(Nashville Moon disc is among the best things they have ever done)

Weakerthans - Reunion Tour
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Josh Ritter - Historical Conquest
The National - Boxer

Still to come with very high hopes for - new Tim Rogers, Rizdales and to listen to those pesky Sadies.