1. TV On the Radio
Return to Cookie Mountain (Interscope)
"Everything comes together on this album: the wonderful musicianship, the soaring melodies and intertwined vocals, including the wonderful guest vocals from Kazu Makino and David Bowie. A masterstroke from a band early in their career! Ryan Montemurro, Calgary AB
"I like this album a lot and not just because it scared the shit out of one of my co-workers who annoys me. Marlon Wiebe, Winnipeg MB
2. Joanna Newsom
Ys (Drag City)
"An absolutely beautiful record by an incredibly divisive artist. You should never judge someone by their tastes in music but whoever does not enjoy Ys is no longer your friend. Alexander Adcock, Toronto ON
"Took me a while to get into, but then pop-click-boom-bang!: a new language goes above the whimsy and fantastical squids and whales, to actually describe meaningful emotions and stories. Unreal orchestration from Van Dyke Parks. Daniel Gelfer, Montreal QC
3. Belle & Sebastian
The Life Pursuit (Matador)
"It convinced us to pay $35 for an overpriced show for an over-hyped band that wed never really liked before so that we could meet older indie rock guys who would marry us. Olivia Pojar, Montreal QC
"The epoch of a pop journey. B&S have finally found their home in a strange land called happy. Nic Boshart, Montreal QC
4. Cat Power
The Greatest (Matador)
"Chan is grooving her own understated style lovely! J Lenhart, Saskatoon SK
"The most beautiful melancholy of them all. Zoltan Holo, Guelph ON
5. Beck
The Information (Geffen)
"A completely new way of seeing everything. Tim Turner, Hamilton ON
"Beck is incessant when it comes to his production of musical masterpieces, and The Information is a worthy follow-up to Guero and its counterpart Guerolito. Mike Powell, Burlington ON
6. The Killers
Sams Town (Island)
"Has the fame gone to their heads? For sure. Do they seem like real knobs? Absolutely. Can they rock out? Not even a question. Nevin French, Edmonton AB
"Blending the melody of the Strip that they embraced on their first album with the dirty, seedy underbelly of Vegas, the Killers kick serious ass with their sophomore album. Dustin Blumhagen, Galahad AB
7. The Decemberists
The Crane Wife (Capitol)
"Last year I became a fan of the Decemberists Picaresque, and I dove into their older stuff as well. I was very interested to hear this latest offering, and although it strays from their previous sound a little, I have grown to really love this album. The Crane Wife is ambitious and intelligent. David Kalviainen, Banff AB
8. Malajube
Trompe-Loeil (Dare to Care)
"Malajubes songwriting talents are so shockingly good. Years of Franco rock dreck have been cleaned off the slate with this refreshing, sprawling record. French lyrics can be listenable, even if theyre actually about weird things like hiding yourself in phyllo pastry. Paul Gagnon , Toronto ON
9. The Dears
Gang of Losers (MapleMusic)
"The Dears have crafted a gang of pop songs that have not escaped my head since the first listen. This is the album I have listened the most this year. Dean Summach, Saskatoon SK
10. Final Fantasy
He Poos Clouds (Blocks)
"Well, he didn't win the Polaris by sheer fluke that's for sure. There's something fantastically compelling about Owen Pallett's work: a magical, transcendent and timeless quality to his playing and singing and never has this been more evident than on this D & D themed release! David St Pierre, Verdun QC
Return to Cookie Mountain (Interscope)
"Everything comes together on this album: the wonderful musicianship, the soaring melodies and intertwined vocals, including the wonderful guest vocals from Kazu Makino and David Bowie. A masterstroke from a band early in their career! Ryan Montemurro, Calgary AB
"I like this album a lot and not just because it scared the shit out of one of my co-workers who annoys me. Marlon Wiebe, Winnipeg MB
2. Joanna Newsom
Ys (Drag City)
"An absolutely beautiful record by an incredibly divisive artist. You should never judge someone by their tastes in music but whoever does not enjoy Ys is no longer your friend. Alexander Adcock, Toronto ON
"Took me a while to get into, but then pop-click-boom-bang!: a new language goes above the whimsy and fantastical squids and whales, to actually describe meaningful emotions and stories. Unreal orchestration from Van Dyke Parks. Daniel Gelfer, Montreal QC
3. Belle & Sebastian
The Life Pursuit (Matador)
"It convinced us to pay $35 for an overpriced show for an over-hyped band that wed never really liked before so that we could meet older indie rock guys who would marry us. Olivia Pojar, Montreal QC
"The epoch of a pop journey. B&S have finally found their home in a strange land called happy. Nic Boshart, Montreal QC
4. Cat Power
The Greatest (Matador)
"Chan is grooving her own understated style lovely! J Lenhart, Saskatoon SK
"The most beautiful melancholy of them all. Zoltan Holo, Guelph ON
5. Beck
The Information (Geffen)
"A completely new way of seeing everything. Tim Turner, Hamilton ON
"Beck is incessant when it comes to his production of musical masterpieces, and The Information is a worthy follow-up to Guero and its counterpart Guerolito. Mike Powell, Burlington ON
6. The Killers
Sams Town (Island)
"Has the fame gone to their heads? For sure. Do they seem like real knobs? Absolutely. Can they rock out? Not even a question. Nevin French, Edmonton AB
"Blending the melody of the Strip that they embraced on their first album with the dirty, seedy underbelly of Vegas, the Killers kick serious ass with their sophomore album. Dustin Blumhagen, Galahad AB
7. The Decemberists
The Crane Wife (Capitol)
"Last year I became a fan of the Decemberists Picaresque, and I dove into their older stuff as well. I was very interested to hear this latest offering, and although it strays from their previous sound a little, I have grown to really love this album. The Crane Wife is ambitious and intelligent. David Kalviainen, Banff AB
8. Malajube
Trompe-Loeil (Dare to Care)
"Malajubes songwriting talents are so shockingly good. Years of Franco rock dreck have been cleaned off the slate with this refreshing, sprawling record. French lyrics can be listenable, even if theyre actually about weird things like hiding yourself in phyllo pastry. Paul Gagnon , Toronto ON
9. The Dears
Gang of Losers (MapleMusic)
"The Dears have crafted a gang of pop songs that have not escaped my head since the first listen. This is the album I have listened the most this year. Dean Summach, Saskatoon SK
10. Final Fantasy
He Poos Clouds (Blocks)
"Well, he didn't win the Polaris by sheer fluke that's for sure. There's something fantastically compelling about Owen Pallett's work: a magical, transcendent and timeless quality to his playing and singing and never has this been more evident than on this D & D themed release! David St Pierre, Verdun QC