ONE
Plants And Animals Parc Avenue

Solid throughout, elemental blend, classic rock sound (I agree Bill!), jamming, funk, horns, guitar licks, harmonies, all strongly tied together.

TWO
Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago

Soulful, quiet yet powerful, meaningful, inspiring, a very very close first place.

THREE
Animal Collective Water Curses EP

Full of sound, subtle background layers, aural explosion.

FOUR
Marnie Stern This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That

Shrill female vocals that work, eclectic, music for my brain (like Battles), insane drumming, only found out about this a week ago.

FIVE
“Soil” & Pimp Sessions Planet Pimp

When Japan and jazz collide, crazy sextet of musicians (one calls himself the “agitator” of the band)

SIX
Vampire Weekend self-titled

Fun, lighthearted, pop, enjoyable, sing-along.

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The three following albums were solid additions to already established favorites of mine. Just enough familiar parts with just enough new developments. No use describing them. Seeing Okkervil River and Death Cab For Cutie live really helped.

SEVEN
Okkervil River The Stand Ins

EIGHT
Death Cab For Cutie Narrow Stairs

NINE
The Mountain Goats Heretic Pride

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TEN
The Music Tapes For Clouds And Tornadoes

Weird, banjo, singing saw, odd vocals, lo-fi, makes me feel cool and interesting listening to them.

IF COMPILATIONS COUNT
Nigeria Special Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Nigerian Blues
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Hutch told me about this and I listen to it all the time. Jazz, blues, rock with a strong tribal influence. A lot of fun and hard not to like.