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1. Old 97’s – Most Messed Up. 22 years into their career, Rhett Miller and the boys produce one of their most raucous albums. ‘Mats bassist Tommy Stinson sits in on “Intervention” which poses the question: “He’s mystified why we’re so lame, but if he wakes up dead will he feel the same?” Lots of stompy, Hank Williams inspired honky tonk fun.
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2. Jenny Lewis – The Voyager. Ex Rilo Kiley front woman and the Postal Service collaborator finally comes into her own as a solo artist with this powerful collection of songs. She combines a dreamy 70’s California sound with some weighty lyrics in memorable tracks such as “Head Underwater,” “She’s Not Me” and “Just One of Guys.”
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3. The War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream. Kurt Vile’s other band makes a gorgeous guitar record that I played over and over.
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4. Spoon – They Want My Soul. Brit Daniel and his bandmates are the “molecular scientists of rock” according to a New York Times Magazine article. They continue to push and pull on their signature sound.
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5. Lydia Loveless – Somewhere Else. Bloodshot Records does it again with the third album of this Loretta Lynn-like singer songwriter. Probably my favorite discovery of the year – the album starts with “Really Wanna See You” and “Wild Lips” and just takes off from there.
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6. Ex Hex – Rips. Mary Timony of Helium and Wild Flag scores with an album that faithfully reproduces the punk era swagger and simplicity of bands like the Runaways. Sample “Don’t Wanna Lose” and “Radio On.”
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7. Real Estate – Atlas. I kept coming back to the ethereal harmonies and sublime guitar lines on this one.
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8. The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers. Their best album since 2005’s Twin Cinema. “Dancehall Domine,” “Fantasy Fools,” “Marching Orders,” “Brill Bruisers” – the great songs pile-up on this one.
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9. The Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else. Wow. This is a solid post-punk, anguish-fueled guitar record. Perfect for the gym or wherever you want to let some aggression rip.
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10. Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues. If punk rock was meant to be a bastion for disenfranchised loners, this may be the ultimate punk record. More often than not, these songs come across as outsider anthems that go beyond singer Laura Jane Grace’s identity crisis.
Honorable Mention:
11. T.V. on the Radio – Seeds
12. Lucinda Williams – Where the Spirit Meets the Bone
13. Benjamin Booker – Benjamin Booker
14. Bleachers – Strange Desire
15. Bob Mould – Beauty & Ruin
16. Afghan Whigs – Do To The Beast
17. Various Artists – While No One Was Looking, 20 Years of Bloodshot Records
Dan Wilmer (Old Town, Alexandria, VA)