25.
Mogwai
The Hawk Is Howling
Matador

Oh dearest Mogwai, what ever has happened to you?  Usually any record of yours in a release year would be top ten fodder for sure, but not this time around. In recent years, your Slint-like loud/quiet/loud game has been pressured by sound-a-likes, like Texas rockers Explosions In The Sky and Japan’s Mono; but now in your sixth album, you’re showing a bit of wear. The Hawk Is Howling is like a slow lumbering beast that takes it’s time to ensnare the listener, which it does do. Only it takes a few naps before it actually attacks. “Thank You Space Expert” showcases Mogwai on top of their game akin to something off their wistful EP+6 era, and the devilishly titled “I Love You, I’m Going To Blow Up Your School” keeps you strapped in for their big crescendo moment. Mogwai: The Hawk Is Howling is surely a great record; I just want you to put the keyboards away for a spell, and get back to the shrill guitar riffs you left behind on Young Team.
 

24.
Torche
Meanderthal
Hydra Head

Were you disappointed with that last Melvins album?  Well, consider this a very suitable replacement. These ex-Floor and Cavity dudes fucking nailed it here on the group’s second record. With all the right elements of Queens Of The Stone Age, Earth and High On Fire, Meanderthal is stoner/sludge/doom done right. It’s a record that will have you perpetually banging your hand while smiling. And by damn we all could need a little more of that in our lives these days.
 

23.
Evangelicals
The Evening Descends
Dead Oceans

One listen to the plodding Pixies-ish bass line of “Skeleton Man” and I was at full attention. The Evening Descends ebbs and flows like a pretty mess, sounding at times like a psychedelic version of The Shins on a bad acid trip, or Pavement noodling out some hair metal. The record shifts effortlessly through pop, soul, and psych in a unique manner, filtered through this band’s collective insanity and resulting in a fantastic release. But the real story is Evangelicals’ live show; this band is not just something to listen to. It should be fully experienced, and I highly recommend seeing them tear through a set like devils possessed, falsetto sheen and all.
 

22.
Women
s/t
Jagjaguwar

While you may think you know every “it” band from Canada, I doubt you really know the underrated Women. Recorded over four months by label-mate and wunderkind Chad VanGaalen (who’s album Soft Airplane narrowly missed this list), this release was crafted with decrepit ghetto blasters and old tape machines in a basement, an outdoor culvert and apparently (as their bio reads) a crawl space. The process is simple and effective, and truly harnesses their lo-fi surf slack thrills, the likes of which some may recognize from groups like Animal Collective or even The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Any fans of the later era of Dischord’s art punk ala Q And Not U and Antelope should take note.
 

21.
The High Dials
Moon Country
self-released

The High Dials play neo-psych pop and their new record sounds like they made a mix tape of some of my favorite bands. Throughout the 14 songs that comprise Moon Country I can hear strains of Blur, Ride, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and sometimes Oasis. The album is produced by Joseph Donovan (Sam Roberts, Dears) and lovingly borrows some of the brit-pop majesty for which Dears are known. One of my favorite aspects of this CD is that it’s treated like a vinyl LP; the bit of silence placed between “Seagull Blues” and “Open Up The Gates” to quite literally splits this release into two “sides.” The effect is simple but well executed. Fans of the above mentioned bands should keenly take note.

20.
Pacific UV
Longplay 2
WARM Records

I stumbled upon Portland, Oregon’s Pacific UV within the grand blogosphere this past summer. After one listen of their Spiritualized-worship in “If So” from of their appropriately titled second album Longplay 2, I was in love.  Their influences stretch between the soft dulcet drifts of Mazzy Star, some Sigur Rós post-rocking, and the sonic pedal board fury of Swervedriver. Pacific UV’s mastery of the slow build up routine get you tapping your foot or nodding your head.

More to come!