 | We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank by Modest Mouse
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $4.59 After worldwide praise for 2004's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse needed a monumental album to surpass it. They succeeded for two reasons...
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 | In Rainbows by Radiohead
Buy new: $9.99 / Used from: $4.36 Radiohead earned much buzz over this self-distributed album, which was also the band's first album in four years. While the physical album was not released until 2008, Radiohead proved much with their internet release...
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 | Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga by Spoon
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $3.98 Known for providing the majority of the score to movie Stranger Than Fiction, this Austin-based band is currently one of the best American bands making music...
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 | New Magnetic Wonder by The Apples in Stereo
Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $6.59 Founders of Louisiana's Elephant Six, and the first band signed to Elijah Wood's Simian Records. So far, no reason to crack Frodo jokes. The Apples in Stereo are simply a fun band with strong ties to the prog-pop sound of the 70s.
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 | Neon Bible by Arcade Fire
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $8.00 The surprise debut of 2004, the Montreal-based band's sophomore effort was the most anticipated album of the year. While Funeral created a microcosm, Neon Bible looked at the world as a whole...
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 | Wincing the Night Away by The Shins
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $6.99 Lead singer James Mercer looks a little to much like a young Kevin Spacey. Am I the only one who gets a little spooked by watching this band live? I'm telling you, one of these days he'll walk on stage doing the Verbal gimp walk. Random reference to The Usual Suspectsaside, this is a fantastic album.
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 | Sky Blue Sky by Wilco
Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $7.25 Sounding less like experimenting musicians and more like a band than ever before, Sky Blue Sky steers direction away from Radiohead and back to being closer to Uncle Tupelo (in a good way). Recovering addict and frontman Jeff Tweedy's message is straightforward and clear: sometimes surviving to live another day is all that matters.
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 | Boxer by The National
Buy new: $9.98 / Used from: $6.48 A follow-up to 2005's Alligator, this album sets a late-night empty-street mood which slowly builds into something more. If you're looking for an album to get through the current arctic-like conditions, then this album is for you.
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 | A Weekend in the City by Bloc Party
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $4.50 Sophmore effort from the top album of 2005 picks up where the band left off on Silent Alarm left off. More complex arrangements and rhythms accompany loftier lyrics. Darker and moodier, with bigger hooks.
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 | Gone Ain't Gone by Tim Fite
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $2.65 2007 Album Title: Over The Counter Culture (not listed)
Forget Eminem. This white boy from the New Jersey farmlands not only lays better tracks than Kanye, but also writes rhymes comparable to the best
download his album for free on his website. Buy this for good measure.
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 | Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
Buy new: $11.49 / Used from: $5.00 Never before has an electronic album so successfully strung together a string of tracks which relate lyrically. Dance-punk with a message.
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 | Challengers by The New Pornographers
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $7.25 The Canadian indie supergroup returns, sounding as good as ever despite numerous side projects.
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 | Writer's Block by Peter Bjorn and John
Buy new: $11.99 / Used from: $3.99 Stokholm-based trio blends 60s pop, shoegazing guitars, and infectious hooks will (thankfully) remain stuck in listeners heads for years to come.
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 | Yours Truly, Angry Mob by Kaiser Chiefs
Buy used from: $6.53 Follow-up to their debut Employment, this indie rock band returned with a wide range of styles, though mostly influenced by American 70s rock.
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 | It's a Bit Complicated by Art Brut
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $2.05 England's most entertaining band returns with more hooks and even more ironic lyric topics. Bar none, the best musical reference to and obsessive compulsive relationship with music since Hendrix's "Manic Depression".
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 | Person Pitch by Panda Bear
Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $7.94 Side project of experimental/indie rocker Noah Lennox (frontman to Animal Collective). Considered the album of the year by many critics, Person Pitchoozes reverbed melodic turns. Imagine Brian Wilson working with Brian Eno.
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 | Cookies by 1990s
Buy new: $10.97 / Used from: $1.45 Three-piece from Glasgow wins the award for funnest album of the year.
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 | Memory Almost Full - CD/DVD Deluxe Edition by Paul McCartney
Buy new: $12.97 / Used from: $3.99 Guilty Pleasure of the Year
I like this album. Sue me.
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