10. TV on the Radio – “Dear Science”

TV on the Radio’s newest record is everything you could want in an album. You can dance to it, drive with it or just have it on in the background. Just don’t forget about it.

09. F—– Up – “The Chemistry of Common Life”

Talk about reinventing hardcore. Canada’s F—– Up do things like play 12-hour concerts and play live on MTV. Check out their live performance of “Twice Born” from the bathroom of MTV Canada.

08. Ratatat – “LP III”

Evolving from a niche band is a considerable effort, but Ratatat has done just that. “LP III” is poised to be an album remembered by people for years.

07. Off With Their Heads – “From the Bottom”

Punk should not be able to be this raw but still have such overwhelming pop sensibilities. Off With Their Heads is a dynamo of rock and roll.

06. The Mountain Goats – “Heretic Pride”

Every song on this record is magnificent, and I found myself loving track after track. After hearing this album, I went out and bought the entire discography (10 full-length albums).

05. Genghis Tron – “Board Up the House”

It’s metal, it’s hardcore, and it’s got just the right amount of drone and experimental rock mixed in there as well. This band has evolved beyond any sort of pre-conceived limit that people might have placed on their style of music. No drummer? No problem!

04. Heart Shaped Hate – “Bitch, Plz”

This is the perfect EP. There is no wasted time and no lulls in songwriting, just a tight batch of intense songs that are perfectly written and immaculately played by DeKalb’s own feisty, pink-metal princesses. It also doesn’t hurt that they are amazingly self-aware, and subtle humor underscores their onslaught.

03. Dillinger Four – “CIVIL WAR”

Sure, it’s a step down from their previous efforts. However, when your previous efforts include the greatest two punk albums of all time, a step down would be a giant step up for most other acts.

02. mc chris – “MC Chris is Dead”

The pioneer who taught us that white kids love hip hop and that Boba Fett was just bounty-hunting to finance his car has dropped an amazing record on us this year. Songs about candy, pizza, ninjas and zombies highlight one of the most uncompromising hip-hop albums to date. Love him or hate him, mc chris is here to stay, and his rhymes keep getting stronger.

01. The Gaslight Anthem – “’59 Sound”

The Bruce Springsteen comparisons are merited, and the Americana/roots movement in American punk rock is getting played out, but The Gaslight Anthem is the perfect antidote. These songs were written to be played to your kids when you get to be an old man or woman, and lead singer Brian Fallon writes words that not only impact the listener in a profound way, but take you there. Listening to this album makes me feel like a teenager in Memphis in the late 50s, and as Elvis blasts out of the old cars that drive by, this stunning narrative plays out like a story we’ve all read. There is no reason why everybody in the world doesn’t love Gaslight Anthem, and soon enough everybody will.