| Nils Frahm Screws | 5.0 |
| Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel... | 5.0 |
| Bing and Ruth No Home of the Mind | 4.0 |
| The Smith Street Band More Scared of You Than You Are of Me | 5.0 |
| The Weakerthans Left and Leaving | 5.0 |
| Nils Frahm Spaces | 4.5 |
| Daughter If You Leave | 3.5 |
| Japandroids Celebration Rock | 4.0 |
| John K. Samson Provincial | 4.5 |
| Yppah Eighty One | 4.0 |
| Yellow Ostrich Strange Land | 3.5 |
| The Field Looping State of Mind | 4.0 |
| Nujabes Spiritual State | 4.5 |
| Gorgeous. |
| Drake Take Care | 4.0 |
| Los Campesinos! Romance Is Boring | 4.5 |
| Youth Lagoon The Year of Hibernation | 4.0 |
| Late Phantom Papers | 3.5 |
| Swarms Old Raves End | 4.5 |
| Manchester Orchestra Simple Math | 3.5 |
| Titus Andronicus The Monitor | 5.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club Champ | 4.0 |
| Mogwai Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will | 2.0 |
Um... cos this music can put a human being in a ennui-like state, and make him all too aware
of the tedious reality of existing. Cos music could be bigger than words and wider than
pictures, but now, if someone said that Mogwai were the stars, I would whole - and heavy -
heartedly object. If the stars had a sound, they would sound like a big fuck you in the
direction of Hardcore Will Never Die. The punishment for this loss of emotion should
be hard, but my blood fails to boil such is the tepidity of the tape that I've heard. I know
one thing... on February 14th the sky will breathe another huge sigh of disappointment... or
something... and with a resigned whimper... will um... urr... mourn again over its short but
magnificent time in the cave. |
| Yellow Ostrich The Mistress | 3.5 |
| Minus the Bear Omni | 3.5 |
| The Tallest Man on Earth The Wild Hunt | 4.5 |
| Fang Island Fang Island | 4.0 |
| Joanna Newsom Have One on Me | 4.5 |
| The thing about Joanna Newsom is that she has a voice you could listen to for hours, without any instrumentation, and you'd just fall in love with it over and over again. The thing about Have One On Me is that it is so much more than that. Gorgeously sparse, beautifully composed, intelligent songwriting kept up for over two hours. A ridiculous amount of depth contained, this is a record that will surely continue to give and give and give till the years end, and then some. |
| The Morning Benders Big Echo | 4.0 |
| Rocky Votolato True Devotion | 3.5 |
| Emancipator Safe In The Steep Cliffs | 3.5 |
| My Kappa Roots Old Sentry Who Saw The Transfiguring | 4.0 |
| Phoenix (FRA) Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix | 4.0 |
| Four Tet There is Love in You | 4.0 |
| Burial and Four Tet Moth/Wolf Cub | 4.5 |
| The National Boxer | 4.5 |
| Dangers Messy, Isn't It? | 4.0 |
| Animal Hospital Memory | 4.0 |
| Say Anything ...Is A Real Boy (re-release) | 5.0 |
| Film School alwaysnever | 4.5 |
| Say Anything Say Anything | 3.0 |
| Ola Podrida Belly of the Lion | 4.0 |
| Benn Jordan Louisiana Mourning | 3.5 |
| BATS Red In Tooth and Claw | 4.5 |
| Heathers Here, Not There | 3.5 |
| Rx Bandits Mandala | 4.0 |
| Say Anything In Defense of the Genre | 3.0 |
| Florence and the Machine Lungs | 4.0 |
| Yellow Ostrich Yellow Ostrich | 3.0 |
| Ghost (UK) Freedom of Thought | 3.0 |
| Taking Back Sunday New Again | 3.5 |
| Neutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Sea | 5.0 |
| Grizzly Bear Veckatimest | 4.0 |
| Worriedaboutsatan Arrivals | 3.5 |
| Jon Hopkins Insides | 4.0 |
| The Flashbulb Soundtrack to a Vacant Life | 4.0 |
| Scraps Of Tape This Is A Copy Is This A Copy | 4.0 |
| Japandroids Post-Nothing | 5.0 |
| Being young fucking owns. |
| Portugal. The Man Censored Colors | 2.5 |
| Manchester Orchestra Mean Everything to Nothing | 4.0 |
| William Fitzsimmons Until When We Are Ghosts | 4.0 |
| The Fun Years Baby, It's Cold Inside | 5.0 |
| Fall Out Boy Folie a Deux | 4.0 |
| Kurt Vile God is Saying This to You... | 3.5 |
| Kashiwa Daisuke 5 Dec. | 3.5 |
Daisuke has taken a few steps in a new direction with this record, searching for new sounds to add to his already impressive arsenal and, in many ways, he’s been successful. But on the other hand, 5 Dec. shows him making a sacrifice, venturing too far into the darkness in the pursuit of too many different noises and, without his original shining brilliance to light the path, getting lost along the way. There’s no denying that 5 Dec. is exhilarating, intriguing, interesting, at times even mesmerising. But the endless captivation, the rapturously hypnotizing consummation of Program Music I has all but vanished with 5 Dec., the strive for accessibility throwing it to the sky to be carried away by the wind like a choir’s chorus echoing across an empty chasm. Kashiwa Daisuke will have learned a lot from his latest exerts. Here’s hoping he can turn that experience into genuine electronic ingenuity with his next effort. Luckily for him, there’s no-one more suited to the task. |
| Mono Hymn to the Immortal Wind | 4.0 |
| Trophy Scars Bad Luck | 4.0 |
| husband&wife Dark Dark Woods | 4.0 |
| Cursive Mama, I'm Swollen | 3.0 |
| Is it just me or is Kasher getting unbearably annoying? Sure, he may have always enjoyed swimming in his own cesspool of self-soothing self-pity, and his audience has always identified with his lyrics. They're depressingly relatable. That's his appeal; metaphysical self-loathing. Leech on him and he'll leech off you. But he needs to start spinning a new record. "I spent the best years of my life waiting on the best years of my life. So what's there to write about?" Good question, Tim. Maybe you should start by smiling every once in a while. The amount of sympathy Kasher is asking for here is just too much for this optimist to handle, which is a shame because the first half of this record is fantastic. It's just the second half which becomes suffocated under the weight of it's own misery, both lyrically and musically. |
| The Dodos Visiter | 4.0 |
| Various Artists (Indie) Dark Was The Night | 4.0 |
| The Pains of Being Pure at Heart The Pains of Being Pure at Heart | 2.5 |
| RJD2 Deadringer | 4.5 |
| Japancakes Loveless | 4.0 |
Just the idea of covering My Bloody Valentine's 1991 classic would have probably caused many elitists to drop their shoegazing monacles in scorn. So for this gutsy Georgia six-piece to go ahead and cover each and every track must have had the entire elitosphere running around like headless chickens. But no fear, Japancakes have done the impossible. They have created a tribute album which not only compliments and accentuates the original but also sounds damn good all on its own. Clinging solely onto the original melodies of MBV's Loveless, Japancakes incorporate a wholly different sound, consisting of cellos, pianos and pedal stell guitars, to unravel a piece of work which looks more than beautiful when laid out flat against its forebearer. For those who still haven't heard the original, a slap on the wrist for you, but I say get this first. It will make you appreciate the first more, while still not detracting from the tribute. Get involved, son.
|
| Fake Problems It's Great to Be Alive | 3.5 |
| Ever wondered what would happen if Against Me!, Modest Mouse and a Big Band quartet were trapped on a plane hurtling towards a fiery death and there was only one set of parachutes? Well, I can't say who'd be the ones left in freefall, but I'm sure the fight scene would sound a little like It's Great To Be Alive. And it sure is. Chris Farren's scratchy, hoarse vocals (perhaps at time a little too reminiscent of Tom Gabel), peirce holes in a frequently changing backdrop of stabbing guitar riffs, propulsive drumming and jubilant horns. Each track sees a new take on their unique (to an extent) sound of disco folk-punk, and for the first half of the album this is definitely a plus. Anthemic ska, catchy, chorus-heavy folk pop and gritty, guileless punk take turns to carry new sets of sarcastic, memorable lyrics (for the most part) and do so with an admirable spring in their step. But as the second half trudges on it seems like the band run out of ideas slightly and their nods towards Against Me! and The Hold Steady become perhaps a little too vehement. There are a few highlights in the second half though - check out 'Tabernacle Song' and 'Heart BPM', aswell as the first half's 'Level with the Devil' and 'The Dream Team'. Although the band seem to lack that killer edge right now, an 'X-Factor', so to speak, if they can muster the effort to be a little more inventive, dynamic and focused next time around they could have a really awesome record on their hands. |
| Nuggies EP | 4.0 |
| The Appleseed Cast Sagarmatha | 4.0 |
| The Graduate Anhedonia | 3.0 |
| Sleepingdog Polar Life | 4.0 |
| Chantal Acda, female half and vocalist for ambient folk duo Sleepingdog, just has one of those voices. You know the ones, the type of voice you could listen to for hours on end, the type of voice that staples a permanent smile to your face. Being of Dutch origin there is a slight but cute tinge of accent which decorates her delivery, yet the sincerity she performs with never dwindles. Luckily, the music is very pretty too. Composed primarily of pianos and ambience by Adam Wiltzie (member of ambient gods Stars of the Lid (so you know you're in safe hands)), the melodies created are fragile and soft, perfectly complimenting Acda's special voice. Think if Laura Marling teamed up with Sleepingdog's labelmates Glissando. If you're feeling a little bummed out right now, or just simply want something to chill to, give this one a shot. |
| Bon Iver Blood Bank | 3.5 |
| Okay Huggable Dust | 3.0 |
| Marvins Revolt Killec | 3.5 |
| Dillinger Four C I V I L W A R | 3.5 |
| Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion | 3.5 |
| Cynic Traced in Air | 3.0 |
| Frightened Rabbit The Midnight Organ Fight | 4.5 |
| Te It Be The Thinking As 'the Song' Of Realistic Sound From The World Which | 4.0 |
| Blue Sky Black Death Late Night Cinema | 4.5 |
| There were two records this year which competed for the nightwalk spot in my iPod, and more often than not BSBD would come out trumps and Flying Lotus would have to wait another day. Late Night Cinema excels because of how natural it sounds. The beats sound like they were planted and grown straight from the earth, especially when juxtaposed with the dreamlike vocals and ethereal ambience of the rest of the record. Late Night Cinema brings a whole new dimension to walking the backstreets at 3am. Los Angeles was great, but, for me, this knocked it out of the year's top ten. |
| pg.lost Yes I Am EP | 3.5 |
| Radiohead OK Computer | 4.0 |
| Explosions in the Sky How Strange, Innocence | 4.5 |
| Beware Of Safety dogs | 4.0 |
| Phwwoooar. My first impression after hearing 'Nu Metal', the first track from BoS' first full length 'dogs'. Stop playing in the sandbox with pg.lost and start accepting sweets from the bearded strangers in blacked out cars blaring out their heavy rock music. Trust me, you'll have a lot more fun. dogs manages to succeed where It's Not Me, It's You! failed because 1. the heavy sections contain addictive, varied, and downright sledge-hammer-to-the-balls riffs and inventive instrumentation instead of wall-of-sound guitar smooshing and 2. the melodic sections actually do something, and don't make you want to tear your ears out with boredom. Beware of Safety made a warning mark on the post rock scene last year with debut EP Is It Curtains but this ten track beauty stakes a serious claim for the position of post rock's new top dog. I'd start taking them seriously. |
| PVT O Soundtrack My Heart | 3.0 |
| My Kappa Roots The House of St Colme Burnt Down | 5.0 |
| Kings of Leon Only By The Night | 4.0 |
| Flies Are Spies From Hell Mountain Language | 3.5 |
| Sun Kil Moon April | 3.5 |
| Olafur Arnalds Eulogy for Evolution | 4.0 |
| Bersarin Quartett Bersarin Quartett | 4.0 |
| Max Richter The Blue Notebooks | 4.0 |
| Lights Out Asia Garmonia | 4.0 |
| The Status So This Is Progress | 2.5 |
| Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes | 3.0 |
| Rocky Votolato Makers | 4.0 |
| Kashiwa Daisuke Program Music I | 4.5 |
| Dark Captain Miracle Kicker | 3.5 |
| Meanwhile, Back in Communist Russia Indian Ink | 4.5 |
| Lights Out Asia Tanks And Recognizers | 3.5 |
| Lights Out Asia Eyes Like Brontide | 4.0 |
| The Twilight Sad Killed My Parents and Hit the Road | 4.0 |
| City and Colour Sometimes | 3.0 |
| sgt. Stylus Fantasticus | 4.0 |
| Riding Panico Lady Cobra | 2.5 |
| Up-C Down-C Left-C Right-C ABC + Start Embers | 3.0 |
| The Samuel Jackson Five Goodbye Melody Mountain | 4.5 |
| Although the album title may indicate otherwise, SJ5's third effort sees the band experimenting with some unorthodox melodies while still maintaining the jazzy, proggy post rock sound they've become known for, and ending up with dazzling results. This is the best post rock album of the year because it dares to venture several steps forward while still having the strength and discipline to not leave its original brilliance behind and instead carry it on its shoulders for all to see. Oh, and How To Evade Your Obsessive Shadow is like insanely good. |
| Millimetrik Northwest Passage's New Era | 4.0 |
| Loose Lips Sink Ships Puptent | 3.5 |
| Adebisi Shank This is the Album | 4.0 |
| Aussitot Mort Montuenga | 3.5 |
| Fight Like Apes ...And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion | 4.0 |
| Ben Lee Ben Lee Sings Against Me! - New Wave | 3.0 |
| The Tallest Man on Earth Shallow Grave | 4.0 |
| TTNG Animals | 3.5 |
| Minus the Bear Acoustics | 3.5 |
| Built to Spill Perfect from Now On | 4.0 |
| Natsumen Never Wear Out Your Summer xxx !!! | 4.0 |
| An eight-piece jazz/noise rock band from Japan that likes X’s, !’s, and a whole lotta summer. Recipe for disaster? You’d think so, but no. One listen through Never Wear Out Your Summer, a six track, 45 minute live recording, and you’ll be begging for more. From the breakneck, frantic drumming that consumes ‘Newsummerboy’ to the epic, improvisational jazzy wonders of ‘Pills to Kill Ma August’ to the ridiculously infectious, anthemic rockings of ‘Natsu No Mujina’, it is clear that Natsumen have got the heat, fun and insanity of summer down to a tee. Powerful but entertaining, schizophrenic but cohesive, capricious but focused, this is truly original music to change your opinion about how much fun you can have with an instrumental band. |
| Mogwai Young Team | 5.0 |
| Mogwai Mr. Beast | 4.0 |
| Mogwai Rock Action | 3.0 |
| Mogwai Mogwai EP+2 | 4.0 |
| Mogwai Happy Songs for Happy People | 3.5 |
| Mogwai Come On Die Young | 4.5 |
| Mogwai Bat Cat | 3.5 |
| Mogwai The Hawk Is Howling | 3.0 |
| American Football American Football | 3.5 |
| The Ascent of Everest How Lonely Sits the City | 3.0 |
| Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning | 3.5 |
| Final Days Society Noise Passes Silence Remains | 1.5 |
| Yndi Halda Enjoy Eternal Bliss | 4.0 |
| Planets Planets | 3.5 |
| Up-C Down-C Left-C Right-C ABC + Start And The Battle Is Won | 4.5 |
| Sigur Ros ( ) | 4.0 |
| Sigur Ros Takk... | 3.0 |
| Sigur Ros Hvarf/Heim | 2.5 |
| Sigur Ros Von | 4.0 |
| Sigur Ros Agætis byrjun | 4.5 |
| Sigur Ros Med Sud i Eyrum vid Spilum Endalaust | 2.0 |
| Piglet lava land | 4.0 |
| Do Make Say Think Goodbye Enemy Airship the Landlord is Dead | 4.0 |
| Wolfmother Wolfmother | 2.5 |
| Olafur Arnalds Variations of Static | 3.5 |
| Immortal Technique The 3rd World | 2.0 |
| Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass | 3.0 |
| Against Me! Reinventing Axl Rose | 4.0 |
| Against Me! New Wave | 4.0 |
| Joshua Fit For Battle To Bring Our Own End | 4.0 |
| The Killers Sam's Town | 1.5 |
| The Matches E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals | 3.5 |
| The Matches Decomposer | 3.5 |
| The Matches A Band In Hope | 2.0 |
| Bloc Party Silent Alarm | 2.5 |
| Broken Social Scene You Forgot It in People | 4.0 |
| Broken Social Scene Feel Good Lost | 3.0 |
| Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene | 3.5 |
| mewithoutYou Catch For Us the Foxes | 3.5 |
| mewithoutYou A to B: Life | 4.5 |
| mewithoutYou Brother, Sister | 4.0 |
| Burial Burial | 4.0 |
| Burial Untrue | 4.5 |
| Boys Like Girls Boys Like Girls | 2.5 |
| Weezer Make Believe | 1.0 |
| Weezer Weezer | 4.5 |
| Weezer Pinkerton | 4.5 |
| Weezer The Red Album | 3.5 |
| Arcade Fire Funeral | 2.5 |
| El-P I'll Sleep When You're Dead | 3.5 |
| Worriedaboutsatan EP02 | 4.0 |
| "A breath of fresh air" is a phrase which is used all too cheaply nowadays. I swear the other day I actually saw the line being used to advertise weed killer. Don't ask me how. Worriedaboutsatan, however, are one of the few that are deserving of the increasingly undervalued tag. Despite succumbing to the mysterious modern allure of shunning spaces between the words in their title (what's with that?), everything about this band is refreshing, exciting and wonderfully original. Yes, this is a blend of electronica and post rock. No, it sounds nothing like 65daysofstatic. I'm tempted to say this is better, but the two styles are so different it would be meaningless to compare. While 65dos are more on the post-rock end, pitching powerful riffs against random glitches, WAS are at the opposite end of the spectrum, using the occasional shimmering post rock guitar to accentuate and compliment tranquil yet compelling ambience. Worriedaboutsatan load their cannon with skitzy glitches, bottomless reverb, and some minimal but powerful percussion, then throw in some immersive vocals for good measure. Once the fuse is lit, they clamber into this cannon, guitars in hand, and wait for the bang. Although most of the record is spent watching the fuse go down, that's the beauty. It's a serene, consumative, at times exhilirating thing to behold. When it does though... well, you'll have to hear for yourself. Listen to 'The Last Song (First Song Remix)', around 2:38, and you'll hear this explosion first hand. One of my favourite moments of the year for music. Awesome, highly recommended stuff. |
| ZOX The Wait | 3.0 |
| Bright Eyes Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground | 4.5 |
| Nick Drake Pink Moon | 4.0 |
| Envy Insomniac Doze | 3.5 |
| Envy A Dead Sinking Story | 3.0 |
| Envy All the Footprints You've Ever Left and the Fear Expecting Ahead | 3.0 |
| Aesop Rock Float | 4.5 |
| Aesop Rock Daylight | 4.0 |
| Aesop Rock None Shall Pass | 2.5 |
| Kidcrash Jokes | 5.0 |
| Off Minor Some Blood | 4.0 |
| Off Minor The Heat Death of the Universe | 4.0 |
| At the Drive-In Acrobatic Tenement | 2.5 |
| At the Drive-In Relationship of Command | 4.5 |
| Boris Smile | 2.5 |
| Cobra Starship While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Stree | 2.0 |
| Cobra Starship ¡Viva La Cobra! | 1.5 |
| The Format Dog Problems | 2.5 |
| Maybeshewill Not For Want Of Trying | 4.0 |
| 65daysofstatic The Destruction of Small Ideas | 3.0 |
| 65daysofstatic The Fall of Math | 4.5 |
| Be Your Own Pet Get Awkward | 3.0 |
| Daturah Reverie | 2.5 |
| Mono You Are There | 3.5 |
| Fall Out Boy Take This to Your Grave | 3.5 |
| Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree | 3.5 |
| Hammock Kenotic | 4.0 |
| Hammock Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an Echo | 4.0 |
| +44 When Your Heart Stops Beating | 3.0 |
| The Dismemberment Plan Emergency & I | 4.5 |
| The Pax Cecilia Blessed Are The Bonds | 3.0 |
| Panda Bear Person Pitch | 2.0 |
| Animal Collective Strawberry Jam | 2.5 |
| Rise Against The Sufferer and the Witness | 3.0 |
| Tokyo Police Club Elephant Shell | 4.0 |
| Saltillo Ganglion | 4.5 |
| Portishead Third | 4.0 |
| Buddy Peace Wolf Diesel Mountain | 4.5 |
| Stop feeding the egos at the Greer Talk party and start appreciating your buddies again. Wolf Diesel Mountain may not be as loud or boisterous as the year's most popular mix, but my god does it wipe the floor with Gillis' face in terms of sincerity, longeivity and genuine personality. Thanks to Buddy's meticulous attention to detail and seamless construction, he is able to pay homage to his indie and hip hop heroes in such a way that the listener can appreciate how perfect MF Doom sounds rapping atop Jose Gonzalez' gently strummed Heartbeats, while still being struck by how much emotion the two artists can deliver when pitched with one another. The respect is blatant, and the record succeeds because of it. Don't miss out, you'll have to explain away the bruises from kicking yourself if you do. |
| Circle Takes the Square As the Roots Undo | 4.5 |
| Bon Iver For Emma, Forever Ago | 4.5 |
| Massive Attack Mezzanine | 4.5 |
| Giraffes? Giraffes! More Skin With Milk-Mouth | 4.0 |
| The Six Parts Seven Casually Smashed to Pieces | 4.5 |
| Do Make Say Think You, You're a History in Rust | 3.0 |
| Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II | 3.5 |
| shh... this is a library shh... this is a library | 3.5 |
| sgt. Perception of Casualty | 4.5 |
| Minus the Bear Planet of Ice | 4.5 |
| Beware Of Safety It Is Curtains | 4.0 |
| Stars of the Lid And Their Refinement Of The Decline | 5.0 |
| Minus the Bear This is What I Know About Being Gigantic | 4.0 |
| Manchester Orchestra I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child | 3.5 |
| Nujabes Metaphorical Music | 4.5 |
| Fink Biscuits for Breakfast | 3.0 |
| Kid Down And The Noble Art Of Irony | 3.5 |
| Nurses Hangin' Nothin' But Our Hands Down | 4.0 |
| Hot Chip The Warning | 1.5 |
| Minus the Bear Interpretaciones Del Oso | 1.5 |
| Funeral for a Friend Tales Don't Tell Themselves | 2.0 |
| The Decemberists The Crane Wife | 2.5 |
| Portugal. The Man Waiter: ''You Vultures!'' | 3.0 |
| Anathallo Floating World | 3.0 |
| Gatsby's American Dream Gatsby's American Dream | 3.0 |
| Gym Class Heroes As Cruel As School Children | 3.0 |
| Explosions in the Sky All of a Sudden, I Miss Everyone | 3.0 |
| Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad News | 3.5 |
| The Decemberists Picaresque | 3.5 |
| Arctic Monkeys Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not | 3.5 |
| Nujabes Modal Soul | 3.5 |
| Cursive Happy Hollow | 3.5 |
| Modest Mouse We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank | 3.5 |
| Arctic Monkeys Favourite Worst Nightmare | 3.5 |
| Maroon 5 It Won't Be Soon Before Long | 3.5 |
| Cursive Domestica | 4.0 |
| Explosions in the Sky The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place | 4.0 |
| Godspeed You! Black Emperor F♯ A♯ ∞ | 4.0 |
| Cursive The Ugly Organ | 4.0 |
| Gatsby's American Dream Ribbons and Sugar | 4.0 |
| Gatsby's American Dream Volcano | 4.0 |
| Minus the Bear Menos El Oso | 4.0 |
| Gym Class Heroes The Papercut Chronicles | 4.0 |
| Aesop Rock Labor Days | 4.0 |
| Murder by Death In Bocca Al Lupo | 4.0 |
| Guillemots Through the Windowpane | 4.0 |
| Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me | 4.0 |
| Set Fire to Flames Telegraphs in Negative/Mouths Trapped in | 4.0 |
| Explosions in the Sky Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die... | 4.5 |
| Modest Mouse The Lonesome Crowded West | 4.5 |
| Blackalicious Blazing Arrow | 4.5 |
| Nas Illmatic | 4.5 |
| Modern Life Is War Witness | 4.5 |
| Minus the Bear They Make Beer Commercials Like This | 4.5 |
| DJ Shadow The Private Press | 4.5 |
| Godspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven | 5.0 |
| DJ Shadow Endtroducing..... | 5.0 |
| Minus the Bear Highly Refined Pirates | 5.0 |
| Talk Talk Laughing Stock | 5.0 |
| Say Anything ...Is a Real Boy | 5.0 |
| Modest Mouse This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About | 5.0 |
