Need a good soundtrack for the hot weather, the fireworks displays, the grill, and the cool-down at night? Luckily, there are some new releases that will fit in just fine:

1. Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair
(Brooklyn-based DJ crafts a moody club album, with Antony on guest vocals. It's catchy. danceable, and sort of like a goth version of Postal Service. Summer songs for the night-turning-to-dawn.)

2. Sigur Ros, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
(I'm just gonna say it: Iceland's favorite shoegazers have made their best album since their debut LP. Apparently inspired by Arcade Fire, with increased use of percussion/horns/strings/choir, they still make an album that still their bleak/melodic own. Summer songs for the beach.)

3. Love As Laughter, Holy
(These friends of Modest Mouse delve into ramshackle folk-rock with a splendid sense of free spirit. Summer songs for the campfire.)

4. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
(Hot damn! No album this year, so far, embodies this kind of hyperbolic rock 'n' roll spirit. These New Yorkers owe a debt to The Boss, The Band, and the beer, and they've never sounded so melodic. Summer songs for your favorite dive bar.)

5. Girl Talk, Feed The Animals
(One may mistakenly refer to Pittsburgh DJ Gregg Gillis as "lazy," though he's anything but. The master of the mash-up has constructed an album so brilliantly precise, you would need a Masters in Musicology to dissect what he's done. It moves, it rocks, it bounces. And, it's smart as hell. Who else would have the guts to mash "No Diggity" with "Flashing Lights," or Britney Spears with Air, or "Autumn Sweater" with "Ghetto Superstar?" Someone with a deft ear and an unstoppable sense of compilation. Summer songs for your day-long BBQ party.)

1. The Notwist, The Devil, You & Me
(German minimalists convert hushed melodies into haunted sounds for their best album in years.)

2. The Ting Tings, We Started Nothing
(An English dance-pop duo that lives up to the hype. Raw and racy, and also better than new Madonna output. Believe it.)

3. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
(The first non-Kanye Top 40 hip-hop record in some time that can unite critics and audiences with equal enthusiasm. Finally, some exciting originality and virtuoso production return to mainstream rap!)

4. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
(If the facial hair in Iron and Wine and My Morning Jacket could get up and walk out, it would start a band like this.)

5. Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer
(Canadian indie-poppers get a little more abstract with big quality coming in as a result. A great album.)

Kentucky roots rockers My Morning Jacket have managed a winning streak that few others could create in the last 10 years. As MP3s kill the album, MMJ is one of the few rock bands that still make you feel urgency with the beauty beyond just one or two tracks. They went from obscure, college-rock jam band to "America's Radiohead" to their new role as one of U.S. modern rock's last great hopes. Mountains of hype are hard to meet, but their latest LP, Evil Urges, is a contender. More organic than 2005's spaced-out Z, the new collection of songs might be the band's most varied and experimental output. At the same time, however, it's also arguably their most consistent album yet. Seek it out. It may be one of the best albums you hear all year.

1. The Black Keys, Attack & Release
(The Akron blues-rock duo collaborates with Danger Mouse for an album that is more textured and expansive without losing touch of their raucous tendencies. It's also really good.)

2. The Roots, Rising Down
(The best live band in hip-hop continues their recording winning streak with a darker but still tuneful exploration of rhyme.)

3. Death Cab For Cutie, Narrow Stairs
(In many ways, better than their last album. These emo heroes seem to have discovered their proper balance between going mainstream and still keeping it very moody.)

4. The Black Angels, Directions to See a Ghost
(Fuzzed-out indie-rock, on the Austin band's second LP, doesn't get more catchy than this these days.)

5. Robyn, Robyn
(Forget the new Madonna record, this is the real hard candy. The 90s dance-pop diva spices things up with smart and literate bubblegum grooves.)

1. PPT, Denglish
(Call this one of the most unexpected delights of the year so far: a Dallas ensemble crafting catchy soul and R&B, with a special nod to the U.K. "Denglish" may mean Dallas + English, but PPT is on their way to having one of the most inventive underground releases of 2008.)

2. Nine Inch Nails, The Slip
(Trent Reznor one-upped Radiohead and just put this latest LP online for free, don't-pay-what-you-want. And, better yet, this is a proper album with frenetic industrial rock songs and plenty of atmospherics. No gimmick here, just a great way to hear a very good recording.)

3. The Black and White Years, The Black and White Years
(Austin buzz band gets a hand from producer Jerry Harrison for their debut LP, and the results are infectious. Polished and produced rock, with thick and hearty hooks.)

4. Santogold, Santogold
(Despite the lazy buzz, she's not that much like M.I.A. Maybe one or two songs recall that sound, but the rest of this impressive debut is a sweet-and-sour blend of Top 40 pop and club-ready dance anthems. Think of her as less like M.I.A., and more like a NYC version of Gwen Stefani.)

5. No Age, Nouns
(L.A. noise-rockers toss up short bursts of feedback-drenched punk poetry. Undeniably talented, short and not so sweet, this is the soundtrack of any neighborhood coffee shop from here until September.)

1. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
(Cave returns to his Bad Seeds with one of their most raucous and deliberate blues records ever. Catchy chaos and lots of drunken poetry make for a fiery Brit rock opus.)

2. Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid
(These Manchester lads may have had an easier time fitting in during the late 80s, but they still deliver earthy shoegaze-drenched pop that makes a difference. Their latest is a strings-infused assortment of ballads, with rousing moments and memorable lyrics, galore.)

3. M83, Saturdays = Youth
(An Hispanic musician from the South of France making hypnotic sound collages that recall the best of OMD or New Order. Do you miss John Hughes movies? Well, with M83's new album, you can at least bliss-out with new tunes that would feel right at home during Pretty in Pink.)

4. Portishead, Third
(These trip-hop pioneers took almost 10 years to release their third LP, but it was worth the wait. While they don't necessarily revolutionize the sound, the output is a mesmerizing blend of beats and beauty.)

5. The Cinematic Orchestra, Live at the Royal Albert Hall
(A woefully underrated electronic/jazz group that fuses symphonic arrangements with percussive performance, they take the show live and record it all from the legendary Royal Albert Hall. It yields live versions of great songs that redefine the brilliant studio originals.)

1. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Real Emotional Trash
(With a new drummer, courtesy of Sleater Kinney, the former Pavement frontman unlocks his best collection of songs and performances in years. Melodic, jammy, and just a shade controlled enough to be catchy.)

2. Los Campesinos!, Hold On Now, Youngster...
(This Welsh collective throws everything they've got against the wall for a choral blast of bells and whistles. It's kinda like 90s punk group Bis, mixed with a little Talking Heads.)

3. R.E.M., Accelerate
("You cannot resist" is the last refrain on this latest from the college rock pioneers. And, it's kind of true. All the hype about the "rebirth" of R.E.M. is justified, as this is their tightest and most accomplished output in almost a decade.)

4. Sun Kil Moon, April
(For all those Red House Painters fans who wish Mark Kozelek would return to that project, fear not. Under this moniker, he gets back to his hushed folk styles, and delivers some epic odes to a bleak morning.)

5. Moby, Last Night
(So much of the pre-release press around Moby's new one, is calling it a "dance album." That's a bit misleading, especially if you're familiar with Moby's dance albums. Instead, this is the follow-up to Play that we always wanted. He experiments with samples, beautiful vocals, and lots and lots of beats. But it's an ambient pop record first.)

1. The Dodos, Visiter
(This duo captures the busker spirit just as well as The Long Winters or Sufjan Stevens. Percussive, melodic, and altogether infectious, this is a indie-rock classic. Pretty and chaotic at the same time.)

2. Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple
(Who would have guessed that Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo's cryptic duo would produce a second album that might actually be better than the first? More cohesive as an album, and short of the novelty songs this time, it's as spacey as you've ever heard them.)

3. The Gutter Twins, Saturnalia
(Afghan Whigs singer Greg Dulli and Screaming Trees singer Mark Lanegan create this power combo, trading verses of grizzled and growling barroom mope. They're murder ballads, but also defiantly orchestrated and catchy.)

4. DeVotchKa, A Mad & Faithful Telling
(Gypsy-punk may not be the wave of the future, but this acclaimed band makes a viable case with an album that embodies the best of acts like Beirut or Bright Eyes. Exotic, passionate, and pumping.)

5. Kaki King, Dreaming Of Revenge
(On this album of half instrumentals and half late-night folk-pop, King sets her place firmly at the throne of a new era of female singer/songwriter.)

1. Liam Finn, I'll Be Lightning
(Finn is a Kiwi wonder to behold. This is one of those great one-man albums that sounds as if it was backed by a full orchestra. He takes a slice of his homeland - like his dad Neil Finn - but wraps it around heavy Lennon/McCartney influences and even some nu-folk ala Joseph Arthur. A great album that I predict we're gonna hear often during 2008. Be there early, and see him at SXSW.)

2. The Whigs, Mission Control
(Earthy and heavy rock/pop that is at one moment totally organic and raw, but also totally calculated. A surprisingly great record, blending rock sounds we've heard before with new energy.)

3. The Raveonettes, Lust Lust Lust
(Fuzzy and buzzy duo return with more pop-art, Warhol styles. Drone and drone and drone away, this is a very fine album of blissed-out drug rock.)

4. Tift Merritt, Another Country
(The alt-country mainstay reins in the alt and the country for a more focused pop record. Delightful and infectious, with a voice from heaven.)

5. Beach House, Devotion
(Okay, not playing SXSW this year but I still had to include this great new album from the Baltimore-based dream pop duo. They build on the promise of their debut with more elegant and ethereal anthems.)

The soundtrack of songs in the SXSW 2008 Opening Night Film, Robert Luketic's fact-based 21, is terrific. It's a great collection of recent, and new, electro-rock anthems. Right now, my favorite use of a song in the film, is when the characters first arrive in Las Vegas set to the beat of The Aliens' "I Am Unknown." It works really well, just like all the songs in the film. Which should make it no surprise that the soundtrack for 21 is due to be released just before the film's nationwide delivery. On March 18, you can pick up the 21 soundtrack, and here's the tracklist you can expect:

1. You Can't Always Get What You Want -- The Rolling Stones (Soulwax Remix)
2. Time To Pretend -- MGMT
3. Big Ideas -- LCD Soundsystem
4. Giant -- D. Sardy featuring Liela Moss
5. Always -- Amon Tobin
6. Young Folks -- Peter Bjorn and John
7. Mad Pursuit -- Junkie XL featuring Electrocute
8. Sister Self Doubt -- Get Shakes
9. I Am Unknown -- The Aliens
10. Shut Up And Drive -- Rihanna
11. Alright -- Knivez Out
12. Tropical Moonlight -- Domino
13. Hold My Hand -- UNKLE
14. L.S.F. (Lost Souls Forever) -- Mark Ronson featuring Kasabian
15. Tender Buttons -- Broadcast

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.)

1. MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
(Brooklyn psych-rockers get some help from the Flaming Lips' producer for this impressive and warped debut.)

2. Chris Walla, Field Manual
(Portland super-producer, and member of Death Cab For Cutie, makes a promising debut solo effort. It sounds a little like Death Cab outtakes, but also stands its own ground in the booming Pacific Northwest community,)

3. Shelby Lynne, Just A Little Lovin'
(For an album full of other people's songs, this country heart-breaker does a fine job of making the material her own.)

4. Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
(The hype is right. These New Yorkers, with a sound straight out of West Africa, embody some of the best moments from influences like Talking Heads and Paul Simon. It's a delightful debut LP, and it's gonna be around all year long. Bet on it.)

5. The Magnetic Fields, Distortion
(These Indie-pop mainstays don't lie with the title of their latest album: there's distortion aplenty. But the melodies, and frontman Stephin Merritt's lazy croon, are perfectly intact.)

So, Radiohead's In Rainbows was released as a real CD last week, coming after last Fall's download-only, "pay your own price" experiment made major headlines. Did people actually buy the album in stores, three months after you could download it for free? Yes, and no. In Rainbows did debut on the top of the Billboard album charts for this week. So, yay Radiohead and yay consumers. But, the album's number-one spot was earned with a mere 122,000 copies sold.

Granted, the weeks after Christmas are pretty bad for retail sales, especially for entertainment. Still, that's pretty poor compared to their last album, Hail to the Thief, which debuted at No. 3 in 2003, with sales over 300,000 units. In the end, it's all relative, and I think it's rather impressive that the best-selling CD of the week was actually made available months ago, essentially for free. Did the Radiohead experiment work? I think early reports would suggest that it did.

Kelefa Sanneh's recent New York Times article, ruminating about the sorry state of mainstream hip-hop, was a worthwhile call to action. Or, more appropriately, a call to look outside the mainstream for some of best new rap releases. The year that was 2007 didn't do much to help bring hip-hop any further, not when two of the biggest hip-hop stars of the last five years (50 Cent and Kanye West) both failed to manage selling more than 2 million records.

At the end of this year, a really great rap album hit stores. It's the kind of album that takes chances, changes styles, and impresses. It's the sophomore album by Lupe Fiasco, the Chicago MC who earned raves a year ago with his top-notch debut Food & Liquor (led by the catchy single "Kick, Push"). His new album, The Cool, almost defiantly deconstructs hip-hop even further. There's hardly a superstar cameo on the disc (except Snoop and UNKLE), lots of inventive beats, and even more inventive rhymes. He's got the catchy ringtone-ready choruses ("Go Go Gadget Flow"), the smooth love song ("Paris, Tokyo"), and the incredible classic anthems ("Streets on Fire"). He also takes time to speak his mind about the sorry state of Top 40 rap.

In particular, on his acidic "Dumb It Down," he responds to critics who maybe think his rhymes are too clever or positive:

You goin' over niggas' heads Lu (Dumb it down)
They tellin' me that they don't feel you (Dumb it down)
We ain't graduate from school nigga (Dumb it down)
Them big words ain't cool nigga (Dumb it down)
Yeah I heard Mean And Vicious nigga (Dumb it down)
Make a song for the bitches nigga (Dumb it down)
We don't care about the weather nigga (Dumb it down)
You'll sell more records if you (Dumb it down)

It's the kind of album with the kind of songs you'd expect from Talib Kweli or Common. And both Talib and Common went extra pop/mainstream this year. Kudos to them, they sold more records than ever. But Lupe Fiasco is quickly becoming the antidote for people in need of catchy, reliable rap that doesn't... dumb it down.

There's a song by The Stone Roses called "She Bangs the Drums." I've heard it a lot recently, which is odd considering I don't own the 1989 album it comes from. I've also played it a lot recently, which is odd considering I don't know how to play any musical instruments. With the help of two fantastic holiday gifts, both of these scenarios are absolutely true. "She Bangs the Drums" is the link between two must-have releases: Rhino's four-disc set The Brit Box: U.K. Indie, Shoegaze, and Brit-Pop Gems of the Last Millennium and the mega-popular video game Guitar Hero III. And, in the middle of this holiday week, I'm using some free time to explore both with great enthusiasm. It's amusing to me, since I just posted my top music picks for 2007. Talk about an 11th hour consideration, when it comes to releases that had a musical impact on me.

Now, here's the thing about Guitar Hero III: it's like karaoke. You're given a list of popular songs to choose from, and you play along with a plastic guitar. The better your hand-eye coordination, the higher your score. So, in a sense, Guitar Hero is kind of like karaoke-meets-Atari. In other words, I'm hooked. There's something really gratifying and fun about swinging away to Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing" or The Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock." Not surprisingly, "Anarchy in the UK" (by the Sex Pistols) isn't that challenging but "Raining Blood" (by Slayer) is an intense workout. If you do well enough, you can jam with Tom Morello, Slash, and even Satan. How cool is that?

I feel as if Guitar Hero and The Brit Box have tapped into the music geek I was in high school, which is to say, the geekiest music geek time ever. The Brit Box could be renamed "Matt Dentler's all-purpose soundtrack from age 12 to 21." These are the songs I listened to all the friggin' time, from riding school buses to studying in the dorms. A lot of them wound up on mixtapes for girls.

It's a snapshot of bands that conquered the UK rock scene as the 20th Century ended. Bands that floated under the radar, not getting much US airplay besides rotation on college radio. If these bands were ever on MTV, they were on the program 120 Minutes. The four discs flow in chronological order, starting with late '80s pioneers such as The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, and The Cure. Greats like this are as mainstream as the collection gets. The rest of the 75+ tracks consist of essential listening by everyone from The Sundays to Happy Mondays, from James to Gene, from Manic Street Preachers to The Jesus and Mary Chain. It's all there, almost.

While The Brit Box covers such mid and late '90s acts as Pulp and Kula Shaker, there's no Travis. And, what about trip-hop? Brit acts like Portishead and Tricky were co-existing in the same circles as many of these artists. The same could be argued for "electronica." There's no Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Orbital, or Prodigy. Of course, maybe Rhino is saving all those for another boxed set. And, of course, I will try to pick that one up too.

It was a big year for "blog pop," not a great year for hip-hop and modern rock. But the year was still packed with amazing releases. I've done my best to narrow down the hundreds of albums I picked up in 2007, to hopefully reflect what my year in music sounded like. Starting with the best and working my way down. I also include here, a list of the best reissues and compilations. In some cases, they were even better than new studio releases. I look forward to new releases scheduled for next year, and I'll be back with more installments of "Five Albums Worth Your Dime." In the meantime, here's my top picks for 2007:

TOP 35 ALBUMS OF 2007

1. Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dandelion Gum
2. Stars, In Our Bedroom After The War
3. Radiohead, In Rainbows
4. Kanye West, Graduation
5. The New Pornographers, Challengers
6. Ola Podrida, Ola Podrida
7. Bright Eyes, Cassadega
8. M.I.A., Kala
9. Mark Ronson, Version
10. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
11. Grinderman, Grinderman
12. Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals
13. Film School, Hideout
14. Feist, The Reminder
15. Against Me!, New Wave
16. Maps, We Can Create
17. Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog
18. Great Northern, Trading Twilight for Daylight
19. Peter Bjorn & John, Writer's Block
20. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
21. Dizzee Rascal, Maths & English
22. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black
23. Menomena, Friend and Foe
24. The National, Boxer
25. Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
26. Panda Bear, Person Pitch
27. The White Stripes, Icky Thump
28. Bruce Springsteen, Magic
29. Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams
30. Interpol, Our Love to Admire
31. Rich Boy, Rich Boy
32. Battles, Mirrored
33. Of Montreal, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
34. The Octopus Project, Hello Avalanche
35. The Cinematic Orchestra, Ma Fleur

TOP 10 RESISSUES/COMPILATIONS OF 2007

1. Lewis Taylor, The Lost Album
2. Various Artists, Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration
3. Various Artists, Well Deep: Ten Years of Dada Records
4. Led Zeppelin, The Song Remains the Same (Remastered/Expanded)
5. Various Artists, I'm Not There Original Soundtrack
6. U2, The Joshua Tree (10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
7. Various Artists, Home Schooled: The ABCs of Kid Soul
8. Bobb Trimble, Iron Curtain Innocence
9. Various Artists, Kurt Cobain About A Son: Music From the Motion Picture
10. Various Artists, Joe Meek's Freakbeat: 30 Freakbeat, Mod and R&B Nuggets

1. Well Deep: Ten Years of Big Dada Records
(This is one of the best hip-hop albums of the year, no doubt. A double-disc retrospective of indie rap label, Big Dada. From choice tracks by Busdriver and Diplo to some hypnotic moments by Roots Manuva and cLOUDDEAD, this is the real deal.)

2. Dust Galaxy, Dust Galaxy
(Rob Garza, one-half of D.C. dub/dance group Thievery Corporation, rages on with a side project that veers heavily on the psychedelic rock and trip-hopping explorations. Expansive, beat-heavy, and wholly infectious.)

3. Say Anything, In Defense of the Genre
(If you, like me, are disappointed by recent output from emo heroes like Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional, this new Say Anything double-disc may be the cure for what ails you. It's a diverse, bombastic, and sonically appealing rock opus. With help from the acclaimed Brad Wood, Say Anything tries to make the emo White Album. And, they may have pulled it off.)

4. Wu-Tang Clan, 8 Diagrams
(This, the latest of many "comeback" albums from New York's fiercest hip-hop supergroup, shouldn't be as good as it is. Sure enough, it's the Wu-Tang Clan's best studio album in 10 years. While Ol' Dirty Bastard has passed on, RZA expertly leads Method Man, Ghostface, Raekwon, and the rest on a sturdy journey of great songs.)

5. The Hives, The Black and White Album
(They fumbled like the Dallas Cowboys with their second LP, but this Swedish new-garage combo succeeds with the blissful rock/pop on their latest. Hummable, hardcore, and surprisingly good.)

1. Bobb Trimble, Iron Curtain Innocence
(Reissue of a super-obscure 1980 British psychedelic record that is so good and so lush, it stands up tall today.)

2. Sigur Ros, Hvarf-Heim
(The Icelandic mood rockers dip into their history with this sonically brilliant collection of classic songs remade both acoustic and electric.)

3. Ghostface Killah, Big Doe Rehab
(How does he do it? The Wu-Tang MC shocks us with his third great record in two years. It's a mystery, but he does it. And he does it well.)

4. Enter Shikari, Take to the Skies
(Tony Wilson's favorite new UK band before he died, these disco-punks turn up the screech and screams. But they remember the melodies, lots and lots of melodies.)

5. Duran Duran, Red Carpet Massacre
(The New Romantics are back with another comeback album, this time helmed by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Surprisingly, they meld rather well, and it's the band's best record in a decade.)

1. I'm Not There Soundtrack
(Over 30 cover versions of classic Bob Dylan, in honor of Todd Haynes' new warp-biopic. Most of it, though, is really terrific thanks to a guest list that includes Sonic Youth, Calexico, Jeff Tweedy, Cat Power, The Hold Steady, Yo La Tengo, Sufjan Stevens, and many more. You can't help but feel the love all over these two discs.)

2. Beirut, The Flying Club Cup
(Broad, arty, and triumphant. Not to mention Balkan. Not to mention melodic. Zach Condon's new LP is pretentious indie-rock, but when it sounds this sturdy, who cares?)

3. Seal, System
(Yes, Seal. I'm a fan, always have been. On his fifth album, he turns back to the dancefloor for an assembly of tuneful ballads with big beats. Before Timberlake and Timbaland, he was doing his thing. He continues here, to great effect.)

4. Celebration, The Modern Tribe
(It sounds like Karen O. fronting TV on the Radio. Not too coincidentally, this new album from the Baltimore natives was produced by TV's Dave Sitek. It's full, ragged, and joyful.)

5. Jay-Z, American Gangster
(Hova's companion album to the Ridley Scott film, truly is the comeback last year's Kingdom Come should have been. Streetwise hip-hop with rhymes that will marvel and production that impresses at every turn.)

1. Yeasayer, All Hour Cymbals
(One of the nicest surprises of the year is this indie-rock debut from a collective of NYC musicians, working on compositions as if they're etching stone. Layers and patience are all over this exciting record, with waves of melody and walls of percussion reinforcing some sort of infection.)

2. West Indian Girl, 4th & Wall
(A California psych-pop epic that mixes worldbeat with acid rock. Kinda like Jane's Addiction, if Perry Farrell had been given a full chance to truly let his freak flag fly.)

3. Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedala
(Acclaimed Swedish songsmith broadens his horizons, and his sound, for a tart and taut journey through love lost and love losing. Sweeping strings and cabaret crooning, without all the sugar filling.)

4. Les Savy Fav, Let's Stay Friends
(Brooklyn indie-rockers marry the fits/starts of garage rock with the expansive exploration of beats and echoes. A fuller record than you'd expect. A better record than you'd predict.)

5. Manu Chao, La Radiolina
(The Spanish acoustic-rocker's first studio album in nearly a decade is a hard-charging and catchy blend of politics and romance. It's an album of anthems for your car, the gym, or the picket line.)

1. Black Kids, Wizard of Ahhhs EP
(Meet the biggest indie-blog buzz band of the month. They don't even have an official Web site. You can listen to their only four released songs, entirely on their MySpace page. They are receiving a rabid following via a grassroots outreach and memorable live performances. And, they are a killer band. It sounds like The Cure getting into a bar brawl with The Arcade Fire. Who wins? All of us.)

2. Underworld, Oblivion With Bells
(The U.K.'s darkest, most intoxicating dance duo returns after a five-year hiatus with their latest. A moody and gloomy array of trancey beats and acidic vocals, make this another winner for them.)

3. Kevin Michael, Kevin Michael
(He sings like Prince on his best days, with beats and arrangements that challenge even Justin Timberlake. A great party disc, or just enough hooks to rip some sun through your autumn clouds.)

4. Foo Fighters, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
(Amazingly, over 10 years into their existence, the Foo Fighters still pack a ton of bricks behind Dave Grohl's sharp songwriting. They may have a formula with little room for experimenting, but this latest album of rock chargers and acoustic burners, proves that they are so much more than a novelty side project.)

5. Bat For Lashes, Fur and Gold
(Possibly only for fans of Bjork, Tori Amos, Joanna Newsom, or PJ Harvey. But, hey, that still makes this British siren a bonafide talent. Creepy and cryptic songs, with haunting vocals and melodies lurking underneath the shadows.)

Big news across the music universe this week with the release of Radiohead's latest album, In Rainbows. Not only because it's new output from one of the world's most respected and acclaimed bands, but also because it was released using a very novel technique. The album is only available via an official Web site.

You can either buy a super-deluxe package (complete with a bonus disc of other new songs, a lyric book, and more) or just download the album's 10 songs at whatever price you'd like to pay. This release strategy has received almost more press than the album itself. Which is why I wanted to wait a few days before remarking on the quality of the songs. Also, because In Rainbows is one of those records that needs room to breathe. After each listen, it grows deeper and darker inside your ears. It's a great album, no matter how it gets to you.

With a fair amount of strings, samples, beats, and Thom Yorke's aching voice, In Rainbows might be the best Radiohead album since Kid A. It's MUCH better than 2003's meandering Hail to the Thief and a notch or two better than 2001's Amnesiac. One of the strengths of Radiohead 2.0 (the band, post 1995's The Bends) is the way Yorke's voice is utilized like one of the instruments. His lyrics are often hard to decipher at first, and his crooning usually sneaks in and out, rather than coming to the forefront.

After my first 20 listens, some of the real standout tracks would be: the ghostly, atmospheric rambler "House of Cards," the moody "Reckoner," the R&B-swaggering "Nude," the folky, propulsive "Jigsaw Falling Into Place," and the bombastic "Bodysnatchers." But, like the best albums in the world, new favorites and new surprises creep into your ear after each listen. Yes, it's that kind of album. Don't let October pass you by, without at least hearing In Rainbows one, or 100 times.

1. Band Of Horses, Cease To Begin
(This reshaped but not rewired band has managed to escape any hint of a "sophomore slump" on their big and bright second LP. My Morning Jacket influences abound, but that's not usually a bad thing. And it most certainly is not a bad thing on this fine, epic, rocking record.)

2. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights
(This is the kind of record I want to have at any party I attend. Jones and her trusty backing band slam R&B and soul on you like it's rain. The record sounds like it was recorded decades ago, with a sincerity and fire that is just as long.)

3. Grand National, A Drink and A Question
(Sunshiney dance-pop with a kick, on this Brit duo's latest endeavor. Some more of their same formula - vocals like Sting, beats like Joe Jackson - still works wonders.)

4. Rogue Wave, Asleep at Heaven's Gate
(This Oakland, Cali outfit still sounds too much like The Shins to make a big commercial impact. Which is too bad, because their latest rock-burner is as great as the last Shins album. Maybe even better.)

5. Bruce Springsteen, Magic
(The Boss is back on top. This is no Rising, but still a terrific reunion with the E Street Band. Best these days at his most soft-spoken, his rebel yells still pack a punch worth taking.)

1. Stars, In Our Bedroom After the War
(Impressive Montreal indie-rock band sheds the 1960s psychedelia in favor of 1970s pop for their third, and best, album. This will be a tough record to get out of your brain, or off your iPod. Highly/hugely recommended.)

2. Talib Kweli, Eardrum
(After a disappointing run recently, one of hip-hop's best MCs rebounds with a stellar new disc. And, with guests as eclectic as Norah Jones, Kanye, Justin Timberlake, and UGK... can you blame him?)

3. Film School, Hideout
(Shoegazers, keep gazing. Film School's latest release is a lush and thick epic. Ripped from the sounds of My Bloody Valentine and Ride, this album would make Kevin Shields proud. And, if you understood that reference, you'll love this disc.)

4. Home Schooled: The ABCs of Kid Soul
(This album is the reason record stores still rock. So happy that I stumbled upon this recently-released compilation of vintage, early 1970s R&B and soul kid groups. They're all trying to cash in on the success of the Jackson 5, and they all failed. But this album and these songs, are priceless and memorable nuggets of youthful crooning. I mean, some of the song titles are "Now That School Is Through" and "I'm Not Ready for Love." And they are delivered with the same kind of passion and precision as Michael, Tito, and Jermaine.)

5. Simian Mobile Disco, Attack Decay Sustain Release
(This British electronic duo could do more to create an even greater England-France feud, thanks to their stylish - and mostly successful - attempts to dethrone Daft Punk and Justice as the kings of the smart disco. Big beats, catchy samples, and a whole lot of sweat.)

1. Iron & Wine, The Shepherd's Dog
(This is a fine, fine album. Sam Beam lets his sound grow bigger than ever before, and the result is one of the best indie-rock records of the year. Yes.)

2. Kanye West, Graduation
(Not as great as Late Registration, Kanye's third LP is still a winning mix of innovative production and clever-as-ever rhymes. Anyone who can mix Daft Punk, Chris Martin, T-Pain, and Lil Wayne this well, is basically a genius.)

3. Editors, An End Has A Start
(Some pre-release backlash kept me away from this sophomore disc by these UK rockers, but now that I've heard it, I'm pleasantly surprised. It's actually a rather strong performance, combinig moody guitar textures and Brit-pop shine.)

4. Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam
(Taking a cue from their side project, Panda Bear, this new Animal Collective release is broader and busier but altogether infectious and pleasing. A sonic assault on senses you didn't know you had... but will be happy you did.)

5. Rilo Kiley, Under the Blacklight
(There's definitely a Fleetwood Mac quality to the California indie-pop quartet's latest album. And it's not just because of the in-fighting. Polished and precise, but gorgeous, hopefully it's not their last.)

1. Apparat, Walls
(German producer/DJ Sascha Ring has given us a beautiful album of electronic blips and beats, stuttering itself along with melodies recalling the best of Notwist or early Zero 7. Not for everyone, but if it's even slightly your cup of tea, you will LOVE this.)

2. Kelly Willis, Translated From Love
(Texas country siren returns after too many years away from the studio, with yet another passionate leap for Americana roots-rock. And, she's got the voice of an angel.)

3. Bishop Allen, The Broken String
(Brooklyn indie-rock with a very deliberate and calculated sense of craft. Justin Rice and his merry band of rockers come off like Britt Daniel's posse or even early Shins. In other words... they are a well-kept secret that should one day explode onto the mainstream. So, discover them now, why don't ya?)

4. M.I.A., Kala
(The sophomore disc from this Sri Lankan rap sensation, is more dance-oriented and less hook-laden than her amazing debut. But, with some assistance from Timbaland, she still pummels us with exquisite rhymes and some unforgettable beats. "Paper Planes" could become a hip-hop classic for 2007.)

5. Interpol, Our Love to Admire
(I didn't already blog about this? How could that be? It's easily one of the best rock albums this summer... These New York Anglophiles step it up with the doom, gloom, and boom for their third LP and first major-label release. This is a sneaky lil rock record, one that will work its way under your skin, and stay there.)

1. Maps, We Can Create
(A one-man electronic experiment, crafted in the Northampton, UK bedroom of James Chapman. The sound is fuller and more epic than you'd ever imagine, combining influences steeped in shoegaze mentality. A beautiful and catchy Mercury Prize nominee, that recalls My Bloody Valentine, Death in Vegas, and Ride.)

2. The Aliens, Astronomy For Dogs
(Former members of The Beta Band continue their whacked-out, space-rock tradition with this surprisingly stellar new group. The melodies come fast and furious, in a kaleidoscopic explosion that owes its weight in colors to 60's pop: California style as well as British mod style. This is what Gomez used to sound like, before they decided they wanted to be a jam band.)

3. Tegan and Sara, The Con
(Canadian twin sisters come back with their third album of ragged, lovelorn indie-pop. With help from producer/Death Cab guitarist Chris Walla, they open up their sound in bigger - but not always better - ways. It's a crisp and hummable document of love pissing you off.)

4. Okkervil River, The Stage Names
(Austin indie-rock group masters the fine art of evolving their sound just enough to make us stay interested. They don't make new bands like these much anymore... and it's a shame. A great album of college-radio classics in waiting.)

5. John Vanderslice, Emerald City
(It seems like every singer/songwriter wants to sell out to the Starbucks community the first chance they get. We saw it happen with Damien Rice and Alexi Murdoch, and their music suffered as a result. Luckily, though, Vanderslice still makes albums with a solid indie footing. This one is another lush/acoustic/poppy collection of comforting coffee-shop rock.)

Ever since I befriended Canadian filmmaker Blaine Thurier, I've been able to receive early copies of new albums by his band, The New Pornographers. You would think I was incredibly ignorant and biased in how much I love the first three LPs from this Vancouver supergroup, but I have to say that they consistently churn out some of my favorite pop/rock albums. Each time a New Pornographers album arrives in my mailbox, I think "What will I say to Blaine, if I hate it?" Luckily, I've never had to worry. Their fourth LP, Challengers, arrived in the mail a few weeks ago. I took a deep breath and thought there was no way the band could top 2005's Twin Cinema, an album I praised at great length on this very blog. With Challengers, they didn't create a better album, per se. They created a finer album: a leaner and meaner rock record full of smarts and sparks. I will have a hard time thinking any other record will become my "rock album of Summer 2007" the way this one has.

Challengers is the sound of the New Pornographers at their most mature. The always-expansive group (there have never been fewer than six members) continues to grow, and band leader (and chief songwriter) Carl Newman has been very wise to embrace the collaboration. Challengers features some of their greatest meetings-of-the-minds, a stock of pop songs both radiant and dark at the same time. I could blog at length about how wonderful this album is, but that would be a waste of time that you could spend enjoying it for yourself. Matador Records releases it on August 21 in the U.S., and I promise that if you enjoy artists such as Elvis Costello, The Kinks, The Arcade Fire, Stars, or R.E.M., you will find something to love on Challengers. I'm so proud of Blaine and the band. They did the unthinkable: take a group of exceptional solo talent (Neko Case and Dan Bejar are among the members), and again offer us a record brimming with infectiously mesmerizing rock.

It may hit stores at the end of this summer, but as soon as you hear Challengers, you'll wonder how you made it through June and July without it.

1. Against Me!, New Wave
(Florida isn't known for making great rock bands... but that hasn't stopped Against Me! from releasing one of the most surprisingly inspiring emo albums in recent memory. Just when you thought "emo" was a joke, they remind you why this whole scene has some integrity left. Protest anthems get layered inside crunching guitars, screaming vocals, and a lot of hooks.)

2. Bang Gang, Something Wrong
(Icelandic band makes lounge indie-pop that could rival Zero 7 or even Royskopp. Good stuff, not to be missed by trip-hop/chill-out fans.)

3. Common, Finding Forever
(It's still a wonder that Chicago's amazing MC Common is still not a bigger star on the rap scene. His latest album, a super confection featuring Kanye, Lily Allen, and more... is a hip-hop opus to beat in August. I doubt anyone will, frankly.)

4. Lewis Taylor, The Lost Album
(U.K. pop master Lewis Taylor's "lost" masterpiece sees the light of day. This came out several months ago in America, but if it's waited this long, what's a little more time? It's really something special: an ode to the sounds of Todd Rundgren and Brian Wilson and ELO. But Taylor still makes his own stamp swing and soar over Brit-pop melody.)

5. Great Northern, Trading Twilight for Daylight
(California alt-rock that is way prettier than it has to be. Spacey and hefty in its guitar-based soundscapes. Party like it's 1993.)

Okay, Anglophiles, time to place your bets. The coveted Mercury Music Prize has announced its list of 2007 nominees. The award goes to a U.K. music act in recognition of an album released this year. It's sort of a "Album of the Year"/"Artist of the Year" award, and in the hype-heavy U.K. music world, it's a big damn deal. So who are the 12 nominees this year? Both old, new, and former Mercury winners, they are: Arctic Monkeys, Fionn Regan, Klaxons, Bat for Lashes, New Young Pony Club, The View, Dizzee Rascal, Jamie T, The Young Knives, Maps, Basquiat Strings, and Amy Winehouse.

Who will win? Tradition indicates that the winner is often a new act with a load of critical and commercial support. Though, it's also worth noting that acts like Blur, Radiohead (Roni Size's New Forms beat OK Computer!), Oasis, Coldplay, Beth Orton, and The Streets, have never won despite multiple nominations.The best example of a crossover breakthrough from this year's list, would be Amy Winehouse (she was nominated in 2003 for her album Frank). Arctic Monkeys and Dizzee Rascal have each already won the prize for their debut records, and no act has ever won the Mercury twice. Don't count out dark horse possibilities like Jamie T, Bat for Lashes, or The Young Knives. In the end, it's anyone's guess. The winner will be announced September 4, and it will mean absolutely nothing to most of America (isn't that right, Ms. Dynamite and Badly Drawn Boy?). Oh, and Mark Ronson would probably have been a shoo-in this year, except he hasn't been a Brit for a long time.

1. Pharaohe Monch, Desire
(Long-delayed and highly-anticipated new solo release after a 1999 burst onto the backpack hip-hop scene. The Queens MC doesn't let us down with his kinetic and smart explosion of rhymes and deft beats.)

2. St. Vincent, Marry Me
(Dallas-based songstress Annie Clark rips open the heartbreak and makes it delicious with her buzzworthy debut LP. Take a little Cat Power and sprinkle in some Sufjan Stevens, and you get the idea.)

3. Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
(Yes, it's Spoon again. And yes, they are awesome still. The latest collection of shuffling pop/rock stompers is further proof that this Austin indie-rock band has slowly segued into an indie-rock thunderstorm of melody. God bless Britt Daniel.)

4. Chemical Brothers, We Are the Night
(The electronica duo is still making beats like it's 1997. And that's okay because, while not as strong as some earlier work, their latest is a passionate plea for late-night trance debauchery. Worth checking out if only for the beautiful collaboration with Midlake, called "The Pills Won't Help You Now.")

5. Justice, †
(They might not be Daft Punk or Air, but this French disco pair have created a sizable slew of rockers suitable for either the dancefloor or the gym. And, of course, "D.A.N.C.E." is one of the songs of the year.)

This week, two different collections from two different British-born music producers from two different eras, are getting heavy rotation on my iTunes. And, I would go so far as to say that these two collections together make for the best one-two punch of summer party jams you can find.

The new: DJ Mark Ronson's acclaimed second album of collaborations, Version, finally gets its U.S. release this week. Ronson is the celeb spinner (he DJ'ed TomKat's wedding) and Brit expat who is also the force behind two great solo albums of the last 12 months: Amy Winehouse's Back to Black and Rhymefest's Blue Collar. On Version, he takes a bunch of special guests and a bunch of special cover songs, and mashes them up as one sonic, superior cocktail. Avoiding some of the problems other producers have found in recent collections (Timbaland's terrible Shock Value disc comes to mind), Ronson smartly chose to showcase talent around songs already certified as hits. You have Lily Allen covering Kaiser Chiefs ("Oh My God"), Amy WInehouse covering The Zutons ("Valerie"), Robbie Williams covering The Charlatans ("The Only One I Know"), and newcomer Daniel Merriweather expertly covering The Smiths ("Stop Me").

The choice to pick semi-recent and semi-obscure Brit-pop tunes, was brilliant. It allows for two things: 1. The original songs are great but not overplayed, 2. They are obscure enough to let Ronson and his team poke holes and play as much as they want without seeming disrespectful. There are a couple of big hits covered (Britney Spears' "Toxic" and Radiohead's "Just" among them), but they are so reworked and reimagined, that they strip the excess and flesh out the beauty. All in all, this is - as has been reported in some publications - the party record of 2007. Ronson's talent is on display, yet he knows when to show off and when to shut up.

The old: British producer Joe Meek (who died from self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1967) is one of those musical figures with a legacy often reserved for the die-hard Anglo/audiophiles. He was an innovator in the studio, toying with sound effects and fuzz in a way few would then or few do today. If you look at '60s producers like Phil Spector and George Martin, Joe Meek was the outsider, the indie wunderkind (he even reportedly refused to work with The Beatles and David Bowie).

The recently released collection, You're Holding Me Down: 30 Freakbeat, Mod & R&B Nuggets, offers dozens of vintage Meek tunes that he worked on in the final years of his life. Bands like The Birds of Prey, The Buzz, and The Cryin' Shames are showcased as whacked-out but infectiously simple. What Meek's "nuggets" have to offer here, are the soulful and summertime sounds of garage rock-meets-surf rock-meets-pop. It's an essential document of a master producer pushing sweetly sincere sounds out of a fuzzed console, with enough organs and guitars and tambourines, to build an army. It's highly recommended for fans of contemporary acts like A Band of Bees and The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

What we have in these two 2007 collections from Ronson and Meek, are enough ammo to throw into your iPod for a drive to the beach and the party possibly ensuing well into the dawn hours. It's danceable, it's kissable, and it's gonna get you through the heat.

1. The Cinematic Orchestra, Ma Fleur
(J. Swinscoe finds that nexus where downbeat/chill-out meets classic jazz. Ambient and spacey, yet very down to Earth, a cooler and calmer record would be hard to find right now.)

2. Voxtrot, Voxtrot
(Austin indie-rockers offer up a tasty first album, with piano-driven and jangly pop.)

3. Tracey Thorn, Out of the Woods
(Everything But the Girl singer makes a dynamic solo album, which compliments her distinct vocal styles. Not quite a dance album, but definitely a stirring soul collection that would give Dido a run for her money.)

4. T.I., T.I. vs. T.I.P.
(Not as terrific as last year's King, but a good as gold delivery of Dirty South club songs and very special guest turns.)

5. Frederico Aubele, Panamericana
(The South American electro-pop master continues to blend worldbeat textures over a Latin and European sense of lounge. Great summer stuff.)

1. Dizzee Rascal, Maths & English
(This is the Brit grime MC's best album, hands down. Catchy, cryptic and altogether impressive, with guest visits by folks as diverse as UGK and Lily Allen. Already a frontrunner for best rap album of the summer.)

2. Ryan Adams, Easy Tiger
(He's just about the best new songwriter on the planet, seriously. His latest in a deluge of recent output is better than most, a somber and sweet collection of country-tinged ballads and barn-rocking stompers.)

3. Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris
(Highly adequate if not totally terrific, the rock solid Josh Homme project unleashes more barroom brawl anthems and a few really infectious tunes.)

4. Bright Eyes, Cassadaga
(Conor Oberst has materialized with his most consistent and complete album. It's also his most accessible and roots-rocking. After an uneven double-album, he returns to fine, folky form. Plus, there are some really beautiful and lush interludes.)

5. The White Stripes, Icky Thump
(Yes, it's great. Yes, Jack White is a mammoth talent at songwriting and performing. But, did you know it's also rather mature and dark? Something the Stripes have been missing, but luckily have discovered. A bold and exciting new direction for the Detroit/Nashville duo.)

1. Black Moth Super Rainbow, Dandelion Gum
(If your idea of good summer fun is sitting out in the sweltering sun until you have no choice but to dive headfirst into a lukewarm body of water and stay under the surface until the sun sets... well, then we have an album for you! These Penn-based avant-popsters have unleashed a mammoth tidal wave of pretty melodies and sunburnt synthesizers, and quite possibly the experimental, collage-pop album of the season. A must-listen.)

2. The National, Boxer
(A better and more cohesive record than their last, The National have taken their Midwestern-meets-Brooklynite indie rock growl into a more subdued and even symphonic place. It's the kind of shuffling, no-nonsense and folky rock that would make fans of both Tom Waits and The Arcade Fire see eye-to-eye.)

3. Perry Farrell's Satellite Party, Ultra Payloaded
(In the web of Perry Farrell projects, this one seems to be his most suitable. As cosmic and fun as the band's name suggests, there's also a conscious and earthy mood to every hypnotic song. And, when you have a guestlist that includes Flea, Fergie, Peter Hook, and Jim Morrison, it is appropriately trippy times ahead.)

4. Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band, Live in Dublin
(A live album from The Boss is kind of like an EP-only from Bright Eyes: common and indifferent. But on this one, Springsteen uses his folk collaborators/Pete Seeger appreciators to crucially kill two discs worth of traditional workingman anthems and a few Bruce classics. Essential for any Springsteen fan, of course, but also a vital and energetic collection from a master showman.)

5. Au Revoir Simone, The Bird of Music
(These three gals from New York create a much fuller sound than you'd expect from just vocals, keys, and programmed beats. Salty and sweet songwriting that recalls The Postal Service or Cat Power, or both. Not truly original, but it is truly enjoyable.)

1. Grinderman, Grinderman
(Holy crap, I love this album. Nick Cave and a new group of bad seeds unleash the fury with a tasty collection of pub anthems and U.K. lovelorn stompers. It's dirty, rough, and hits you in the gut. I mean for Christ's sake, there's a song called "No Pussy Blues.")

2. Feist, The Reminder
(Canada's biggest buzz siren of the year, delivers some very fine goods on this new disc of mid-tempo folk/R&B tunes. There's a skip in the step of every song, no matter how sparse or serene it may be.)

3. Ola Podrida, Ola Podrida
(Debut album from David Wingo's new band, is a winner. While full disclosure means I should tell you that I'm already a personal fan of Wingo, this new album is very good. Not totally convinced? Those picky audiophiles at Pitchfork recently awarded it an 8.0 rating.)

4. Patrick Wolf