Guero is Beck’s most enjoyable long-player because it doesn’t pretend to be more than what it is: a fun collection of disparate, delicious songs.

While many electronic acts are trying their hand at folkier compositions and attempting to squeeze warmth from the digital realm, The Knife's Silent Shout opts for ice-cold distance. The record suffers nothing for it, instead coming out monolithic and beautiful.

Their soul is in no way hurt by the production but instead, this is one of those many times where Danger Mouse’s production has truly aided in creating a terrific album from start to finish.

This is a magnificent debut, filled with endless melodies, memorable hooks and plenty of toe-tapping moments.

Educated Guess is an absolutely stunning creation, although it did take a few listens for me to begin to fully appreciate what I was hearing.

This quintet of musicians are making a name for themselves and with Hospice, they have remarkably made one of 2009’s best albums.

The intelligent songcraft on Days is remarkably strong and with enough luster to continue, here's to hoping the desire never runs dry for Real Estate.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is painfully short; a lean, black-tie rock album, and one of the year's best in a year full of great records.

For now Bundick has accomplished many great feats and with Anything in Return, the first great album of 2013.

Please allow yourself to get lost in its sweeping scope of wonder because it is definitely sprawling. But mostly, we knew he’d be diverse, we just didn’t know it would be this good.

Summer Sun stretches Yo La Tengo's musical boundaries even further than before, as well as reaching back to tie-up loose ends from past master works.

It’s a sincere album that is as friendly and rewarding as any of their previous works.

Brilliant.

This isn’t a tired old pro knocking one more out but rather, a superb song-craftsmen and musician in control; Working on a Dream is one of Bruce Springsteen’s best albums, period.

The Sunlandic Twins is a dizzying, exhilarating, and almost endlessly fun ride, breezy almost to a fault, romantic and lighthearted.

It’s really hard to find anything wrong with the way Case has presented everything and it’s evident that she is only beginning to reign in all of her strengths. It’s an exceptional trait when you’ve been able to combine so many tremendous aspects into one supreme collection of songs.

With Port of Morrow Mercer digs deep in forming a polished and almost, muscular relationship with the music.

Both more deeply melodic and somehow more resigned and melancholy than his previous albums, White’s latest may just be his best.

While it may still fall short of the high-water mark established with Clarity, Jimmy Eat World’s latest is still a strong contender for the best album of 2004.

The best treat in any kind of music following is when a band who’s been dabbling in greatness for a while finally comes to the plate and smashes a home run over the fences.

The band merrily rips through song after song with skill and zeal, all the while cheekily brandishing a wit that's equal parts irony and earnestness.

This is one of the most unique, inviting, and ultimately thrilling song cycles released this year.

Musically imaginative, robustly performed, and drawn from a golden well of warmth and intelligence.

Will be among many year-end best-of lists, and deservingly so.

Whether or not you love their music, Brothers represents a champion sound for the duo, one that covers all of their best strengths onto a terrific album; you can’t ask for a better present than that.

Blue Cathedral's shifting textures and long, sub-orbital freak-outs signify no lull in purpose for the Comets on Fire. It does signify a step towards a maturation of sound for a band now with three releases under its belt - specifically, a perfect place to be.

The self-titled album brings the listener into a glorious sound world of first rate noise-pop and never lets go.

It’s absolutely astonishing that after so many years of excellent and superb music The Roots are still one of the best bands around. With Rising Down they have not only proved it but they have silenced all of the doubters and haters out there; this is really a special band.