1. Kelley Stoltz, Circular Sounds
(There's a Brian Wilson-meets-Elliott Smith quality to this latest output from the San Fran singer/songwriter. It's epic and big but also very personal and sedated... well-crafted and well-worn.)

2. Hot Chip, Made in the Dark
(The UK neo-soul/dance collective brings us another batch of oddities and explorations, all grounded in true pop. As the title suggests, it's a bit denser than other work, but just as sublime.)

3. Nada Surf, Lucky
(These former '90s alterna-rockers have been trying to remake their seminal emocore classic, Let Go, for two records now. And, this time, they come closer than the last time. Matthew Caws has a voice that yearns better than most, and arrangements that could be the soundtrack to any fractured middle-class life.)

4. Lightspeed Champion, Falling Off the Lavender Bridge
(Imagine Bloc Party decided to go acoustic, throw in some Americana influences, and even some strings... that's more or less what you get here. A slow-burner but a very good album that will undoubtedly gain major buzz over the next couple months.)

5. Ladyhawk, Shots
(Canadian indie-rockers who owe a ton to LOUD Neil Young, and a little to shoegazers. This is raggedy and raw, but still catchy and fun.)

Yeah, I don't think Nada Surf will ever top 'Fruit Fly'- a moldy sandwich bringing on existential despair? Brilliant.

Good call on the Lightspeed. At one point he had a cover of Many Rivers To Cross on his MySpace page that was absolutely jarring it was so anguished