1. The National | Boxer (Beggars Banquet)

2. The White Stripes | Icky Thump (Warner Bros/WEA)

3. The Ponys | Turn The Lights Out (Matador)

4. Okkervil River | The Stage Names (Jagjaguwar)

5. Dinosaur Jr. | Beyond (Fat Possum)

6. LCD Soundsystem | Sound of Silver (Capitol)

7. Black Lips | Good Bad Not Evil (Vice)

8. Arcade Fire | Neon Bible (Merge)

9. Les Savy Fav | Let's Stay Friends (French Kiss)

10. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah | Some Loud Thunder (s/r)

11. Besnard Lakes | Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse (Jagjaguwar)

12. Spoon | Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge)

13. Radiohead | In Rainbows (ATO/Xl)

14. Kings of Leon | Because of the Times (RCA)

15. Panda Bear | Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)

Honorable Mentions:

Jason Isbell | Sirens From the Ditch (New West)

Delta Spirit | Ode to Sunshine (s/r)

Iron & Wine | The Sheppard's Dog (Sub Pop)

Animal Collective | Strawberry Jam (Domino)

Of Montreal | Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (Polyvinyl)

Modest Mouse | We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (Epic)

| Andrew Scavotto