Top 20 Songs to Be Lonely To

The weekends are always very strange for me. I'm an active person so anytime I'm left with as much as a little empty space in my schedule, it makes me nervous. I'm one of those people who doesn't want to be left alone with themselves. I like distractions and reasons to not think. Naturally, music is the perfect antidote. Since my closest friend had a severe accident, my best friends live in different states, and I'm a picky person, the weekends aren't what they used to be. I have friends that come and go, people I see from time to time but the person I spend the most time with is myself and my trusty iTunes catalog.

Just like everyone else, I have certain music that I feel at home with. There aren't any pretenses with these songs. They're not songs I have to get dressed up for or be with other people - they're songs that are mine. I am very musically sensitive in the sense that if I hear a song playing in someone else's car or in a restaurant or bar, I will instantly relate that song to that situation every time I hear it from there on out. Sometimes this is great and makes me love a song even more but occasionally it's the worst thing that could happen and I can never listen to the song again. Usually it takes a rather massive situation for this to occur but I always hate when it does. Take for example the gorgeous song "Dear Lord" by Joseph Arthur. I absolutely love this song - it could potentially be one of my favorite songs of all time. For a long time I didn't have it on my iTunes because I gradually tuned it out of my mind. Everything from the jangly, West Virginia sound of the guitar to the lyrics that so perfectly describe my ex-boyfriend, made me hate it. I hated the power it had over me. Every time I heard this stupid song I would cry like a maniac. With lyrics like "I'm sorry for the things I've done, I'm sorry for wanting to run" - when I hear it, it just brings back a time I want nothing more than to forget. Yes, this time was the basis of my personality today but I'd rather not think of the person that destroyed my youth (and shaped a great deal of myself). It's rough and I can't believe that a song could bring all that rushing back. And that's not even going into "Close to Me" - The Cure or "Your Eyes" - Peter Gabriel. They make me want to kill myself, figuratively. And for anyone that thinks I'm nuts, I dare you to consider your own personal history and tell me that there's not a song that does the same to you. I'm certain you'll find at least one if not a dozen others.

Finding old mix cds is like hell for me recently. The last two I found were from a person who committed suicide and the aforementioned lover. It's always great to hear love songs that now mean nothing - that are now probably on a cd for someone else. I love the art of a mix cd but the pain that comes after the initial rush is sometimes not worth it. I had a friend not so long ago who was making me a supposed mix catering to all my favorite styles - namely sensual tunes that he thought were more respectable than my more overtly sexy preferences. I saw on his iTunes that the list was named after me and everything. Great, I thought, I love new songs. I'm always more than ready to hear what turns other people on. Of course before I received said mix cd, we got into a musically charged fight and I will probably never receive it.

Music is such a strange animal. Music might be the biggest social tool - and lubricant - there is. More than sports and maybe even alcohol in some cases, music gets people talking and relating. I'm always amazed when I'm sitting at a dinner table and people start talking about music. Their eyes light up and they try to trade little stories that they think will make them sound impressive to the others, sometimes not even realizing that everyone at the table is trying to sound cool in one way or another. Sometimes I'm convinced that's the only reason people even talk about music. In some places it's almost taboo to talk about music in fear of sounding inferior. I had to delete a post on here one time because I spoke so inappropriately about a man I met at a bar that belittled me until I had no choice but to walk away. I had never come across such an arrogant person in my life. In my naivete, it was difficult for me to even believe that this man loved music as much as he was claiming. How could someone who was willing to sit with me for two hours discussing a single topic have such a strong disdain for music he didn't understand? He refused to even amuse the idea of someone like John Mayer having any talent whatsoever and bashed The National for becoming too mainstream. Unfortunately, the more I meet people who claim to be music lovers, the more I come across this same problem. It seems that every "music lover" of a certain age has the same opinions on what music should be. No young "hipster" guy ever openly admits appreciation for someone like John Mayer and any girl who likes him will bashfully say it or add the requisite "embarrassingly!" at the end. I've given up on trying to understand why this is. I continuously use the example that you wouldn't let someone else tell you what to eat so why do you let them influence what you listen to but clearly it's more important to be socially acceptable than - God Forbid! - like a pop artist. A band like The National could be making the greatest music of their career but if they're selling 300,000 albums in their first week doing so then all their "indie cred" is gone in certain circles. It's absolutely baffling to me. They're not working with Britney Spears' auto-tuning guy just because they're popular, they're still making the same album in their little studio whether they sell 1 copy or 1 million copies (clearly there's more to it than this but in theory they're still the same people with the same musical abilities regardless).

It has become so frequent that I hear music discussions I'd rather eavesdrop on than participate in that I have become very leery of ever discussing music myself. I don't like when people challenge me or try to test my music knowledge when they find out I want to be a music writer and I don't like having my own tastes on display in one-on-one conversations. I recently had a run-in like this on a Greyhound bus where I was suddenly put on the spot to discuss my "favorite genre". Granted, I'm a hypocrite because these are the kinds of questions I like to ask other people but when they come my way I try to avoid them. The person was very nice but my answer was incredibly jumbled. "Older R&B? Classic rock? Singer/Songwriter/'70's/folksy/country/twangy/quiet/dancy/hand clapping/hip shaking/short-type of songs"

Maybe I didn't say it in that way but I felt very strange. I felt like I didn't want to sound like an idiot and I didn't want to sound snooty at the same time. Somehow I almost felt like there was a right answer I should give. If you talk about music as if you know something about it, it comes across as pompous but in the same respect you can't act like you don't know anything. The thing I've always wondered is how anyone can judge someone else's taste when they probably know nothing about it if it's not their particular preference. There's an insane array of music out there! There's no way a single individual could be a master of it all in one lifetime. If someone told me right now that their favorite band in the world was Sugarland, I'd nod my head and really have no idea what to say. I don't know very much about contemporary country and therefore I can't tell you if they have great music or not. They could have some incredible lyrics, just because they're not my favorite doesn't mean they're not the best. There are patrons at the concert venue I work at all the time that are devout lovers of specific metal bands that I would consider awful at face value but really, have I given it a try? These people pray at the bottom of the stage these musicians perform on. They wear matching band shirts, get tattoos of their favorite lyrics, and sing along to every word. I am in awe of these people. I am one of these people. My outrageous love of The National is very often put into question among everyone from my friends to strangers. I have a tattoo dedicated to them, a half dozen National shirts in my closet, and listen to them absolutely obsessively. I don't think I'm weird so how could I ever judge another music lover even if it's not the kind of music I love? Actually, I tend to find that it's the people who really have an undying respect for the art of music that usually tell me they don't understand my particular interest but they love my passion for it. That's the attitude more people should have.

Sometimes it's even hard for me to believe that a few pieces of three minute works of art could have such a bearing on someone's life but that's the same kind of mystery that keeps me coming back. In my life, there have been some two hour movies that have made me feel intense things and I will watch them over and over again but are there ever any that I watch 100 times over again? No way. Are there songs I'll listen to over 100 times? Without question. In high school I went through what could only be considered the biggest singer/songwriter phase of my life. I would lay on my bedroom floor with my head up against a long, white dresser and just close my eyes trying to absorb every inch of an entire album by Howie Day or Josh Kelley or the great Jason Mraz. I'd listen to these songs so much and so intensely that they became part of the fabric of my being. I didn't necessarily intend for that to happen but they worked their way into my subconscious. When I hear Josh Kelley's "Home to Me", I am instantly brought back to that time. I guess now in some ways I wish they had been artists with a little more musical depth (I know some of my friends' high school experiences included Pavement, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, etc.) but for me these songs did have depth. I didn't know to listen to something because it was 'cool' or because someone was telling me to. I will certainly admit I had a slight *Nsync phase but I loved their acappela performances and still believe them to be rather decent singers (and dancers for that matter).

I kept a journal in high school and every entry would involve the music I was listening to. Of course I'm not the only one but I remember it was important to me to be very detailed. I would write down an entire album track by track and explain why it meant something to me. I'd use lyrics I knew by heart and write lists of all my current favorite songs. I'd look up similar artists everyday on AOL (the in thing at the time) and find interviews with my favorite musicians to see their influences and then look them up too. I'm not ashamed to say that through John Mayer I started loving jazz music. I guess the writers at Rolling Stone would probably laugh but I would never know who Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, or even Miles Davis was without Mayer's influence. Because I had such a desire to learn, I can actually recognize music from these people, not just know their name so if that's embarrassing then I'm happy to be embarrassed.

I'll tell people upfront that I'm not keen on Leonard Cohen, although I hoped I would be, and that I think Joy Division is overrated. I'm almost positive that somehow certain things got good word of mouth and people started to believe that to be taken seriously they had to go with the flow whether they wanted to or not. Something is not instantly cool because it's "lo-fi" and something is not instantly uncool because it's catchy and produced. I just saw Train - unintentionally - for the third time in two months tonight and although I'll agree that their music is over the top corny, I sort of love it. Pat Monahan gets on stage and not only gives his all but isn't afraid of looking like a loser. He's flittering around like a ballerina and he's having a great time in the process. He's also a great vocalist and songwriter - better in my opinion than a lot of indie bands that all end up sounding the same. It's the bands - in every genre - that take risks that end up coming out the victors.

I've been to over 30 John Mayer concerts and I'll tell you right now that besides some preppy girls that are too afraid to make fools out of themselves, everyone has a good time. At the 12 or so concerts of The National I've been to, I'd be hard pressed to think of more than a handful of people that looked like they were enjoying themselves. If you check out a video on Youtube of these people at the Brooklyn or Manhattan shows, they look like zombies while Matt Berninger is out there singing his soul out. It's almost like these people don't want to appear as if they're having a good time. Wearing their perfect pair of $200 vintage oxfords and their perfectly placed Urban Outfitters fedoras, heaven forbid they shake their hips a little. I am like this too sometimes, especially if I'm alone and a little worried of looking like the creepy, tall one, but by mid-show I tend to get over it whether I want to or not. I am taken in by the music I love more than most of my own family members. When someone's voice is in your ear every day for years you tend to get an attachment to them. I have been hearing John Mayer's voice in my ears for nearly 10 years now. That's longer than all my relationships combined and most of my friendships. When he's out having sex with half of Hollywood, it's not going to stop me from thinking of him as Uncle John. He's my poet. I don't care what the skinny guy in the bar with the tight "Ithaca is Gorges" shirt tells me, you know? I don't get it. And it's not just those kinds of people, it's much more than that. A lot of people preface their favorite music by saying they know it's "not cool" or something like that. I am a victim of this very often as well for some reason. I love Hall and Oates. Do you know how many people hate Hall and Oates? Neither did I until I started telling people I loved them. The game of music is very weird.

ANYWAY, I think this all started by explaining why I get lonely on the weekends. I used to have tons of people around me all time time. My friend and I would bring a bunch of people back over to my place after the bar or we'd get invited to a party or something and now that my partner in crime is otherwise detained, I'm left alone. When I'm wallowing the pain away in a drink or in someone else's company, the pain is easier but when it's a Saturday night and I know what I'm missing, it's a lot more difficult. I get a little sappy and start to feel sorry for myself and end up listening to The National or watching Chelsea Lately, depending on whether I want to get more depressed or pick myself up. In times like these I have my friendly musical voices to keep me company and I'd rather that than people I don't know - unless the people I don't know are the new songs I'm about to download on iTunes.

And as promised, here are the top 20 songs that I enjoy listening to while I'm all alone.

01 Amos Lee - Seen it All Before
02 Amy Winehouse - Wake Up Alone
03 John Frusciante - Song to Sing When I'm Lonely
04 Chet Baker - The Thrill is Gone
05 Band of Horses - Window Blues
06 John Mayer - Perfectly Lonely
07 Andrew Bird - Tenuousness
08 Buddy Guy - I've Got Dreams to Remember
09 Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
10 The Beatles - Norwegian Wood
11 Smokey Robinson - Tracks of My Tears
12 Sondre Lerche - Stupid Memory
13 Frank Sinatra - Glad to Be Unhappy
14 Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You
15 Dave Rawlings - To Be Young (is To Be Sad, is To Be High)
16 The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
17 Peter Sarstedt - Where Do You Go to My Lovely
18 The National - Daughters of the Soho Riots
19 Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry
20 Otis Redding - (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay

Top 25 Best Albums of 2009

The year itself felt like it went by fast but somehow so much good music had time to be brought into the world over the past twelve months and I am so thankful for every sound. These are my top 25 albums of 2009. I had some difficulty getting past twenty at first and then some difficulty cutting it down to just twenty-five so it definitely went back and forth. I think the final list has a little something for everyone and while I'll probably regret leaving this one out or adding that one, I believe this is an honest account of my year with music. This is in correct order based on my appreciation of each album and the timelessness I believe them to have. A trendy album can make the list but that doesn't mean it won't have an expiration date at some point. For right now though, this is my 25 and I couldn't be happier that I had a chance to hear all of this music that contributed to the quality of my life.

01 John Mayer - Battle Studies

No surprise here. John Mayer came out with not only the best album of his career but the best album of the year last month. Battle Studies marks a change in direction for Mayer that sees him going from precocious youngster in the pit of a self-affirmed "quarter-life crisis" to a grown-up, not yet at the wake of a mid-life crisis but certainly watching for it at the top of the hill. In the midst of the endless, hard-to-escape speculation surrounding his personal life, Mayer has managed with this album to somehow turn the attention back to his music career, the reason we care about him in the first place. Songs like "Heartbreak Warfare", "Perfectly Lonely", "Assassin" and "Half of My Heart" fit perfectly into the John Mayer catalog while still allowing space for his sophisticated, adult contemporary sound to grow - this growth is due in huge part to percussionist and co-producer Steve Jordan (1/3 of the bluesier John Mayer Trio), who lends R&B feel and plenty of soulful, almost non-John Mayer beats to the record. If you put this side by side with Room For Squares, you're still aware it's the same person but even more aware that it's been a long decade between the two.

Best Tracks: Assassin, Heartbreak Warfare, Perfectly Lonely, Half of My Heart, War of My Life

02 Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk

When asked last month in Rolling Stone Magazine what he was currently listening to, Tom Petty said only one name first: Monsters of Folk. The supergroup, composed of Bright Eyes members Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, and singer-songwriter M. Ward (also of She & Him), have outdone themselves with this debut album that blew my mind more than any other record this year or possibly even in the past half decade. Every song on this record has the potential of being an instant classic and I can't readily choose one as better than another. Mixing four dynamic personalities together who are actually able to play all their own instruments and do all their producing is impressive enough but the craftsmanship on this self-titled record really proves that the efforts put forth by all far exceeded any expectations. While it's easy to call them out as a modern day Traveling Wilburys, the main difference lies in the balance of songs: all three main singers get a few songs each to shine on and all create their own characters within. If you check out only one album off this list, let this be it.

Best Tracks: Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.), Whole Lotta Losin', Man Named Truth, The Right Place

03 Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

While they may be the darling of everybody's end-of-year lists, Phoenix has actually been around for over a decade as a full band and officially released their debut album, United, in 2000 with the superb single "If I Ever Feel Better". Five albums later and we find them finally coming into mega success in the U.S. with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, a nice, little sarcastic, poppy, indie monster that every girl with a pair of Converse and every boy with a pair of skinny jeans loves. I love them too. Maybe even your mom would love them if given a chance. This is a band that is sort of undenaible and overly infectious. Strangely, I feel they've been this way for awhile but something just started to click. With songs like "1901" (constantly playing on that car commercial) and "Lisztomania", an ode to composer Frank Liszt, the world finally took note and not a minute too soon. This is one of those strange addiction albums that you can't easily shake from your brain or your cd player. There are only two things that would make Phoenix's rise to success that much sweeter: a look back at their catalog of other phenomenal songs and some continuing excitement for their next project that I'm sure will be just as delicious.

Best Tracks: Countdown, Girlfriend, 1901, Lisztomania

04 Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement

I am so excited to discuss Mayer Hawthorne for this next paragraph. I had a strange arrangement of my own with this album. Let me start from the beginning: I first heard of Hawthorne from John Mayer's Twitter page months ago where he declared that this was the greatest album of the year (all the way back in the summer I believe). From there it was on to Perez Hilton that immediately followed suit by saying anyone into throwback R&B would love Hawthorne's Amy Winehouse-esque sound and finally, after weeks of avoiding my first real listen, I had to check it out for myself. Usually over the top buzz makes me nervous to check out a new artist but in this case it couldn't have been more correct. As the iTunes review notes, Mayer Hawthorne is like a Raphael Saadiq that can't sing as well but can write better songs (some may remember that Saadiq's old school R&B album was my #1 choice for 2008). A Strange Arrangement is one of those albums that sneaks up on you when you're not looking - it is so perfect in its execution that you need a minute to question whether or not it's intentions are pure. Is this just a cheap rip-off of an album Marvin Gaye did way better 30 years ago or is it something entirely new that could start a revolution all its own? It took me a while to clear this up for myself and let me save you the hassle: This is definitely the latter. We live in a day and age where buying an entire album is a thing of the past and even as a true believer in new music, I typically can't get myself to spend more than $4 on a few songs off a new record - I bought this entire thing and didn't regret a penny. I'm totally in love with album and proud to have in my top five of 2009.

Best Tracks: Just Ain't Working Out, Maybe So, Maybe No, Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'

05 Passion Pit - Manners

Manners is another rarity on this list (and one of the last before we get to the end): it can be listened to from beginning to end without a clunker to be found. I'm fully aware that Passion Pit and their high-pitched, indie-rock, strange world of electronics and synth bass is not for everyone but once you get that initial taste in your ears and develop your tastebuds to their kooky world, I have a feeling it will be difficult to get enough. In many respects, their light hooks and kid-tested appeal are reminiscent of Phoenix but what Passion Pit brings to the table in terms of darker, edgier fare makes them a band of their own accord. Since their incredible EP "Chunk of Change" arrived in 2008, it was obvious that this was something that was going to catch on quick and with Manners, they have confirmed that in a big way.

Best Tracks: The Reeling, Sleepyhead, Little Secrets, Moth's Wings

06 M. Ward - Hold Time

For anyone that has even read Music Mavens casually, it may be obvious that I have a soft spot for M. Ward, one of the greatest singer/songwriters of this or any other generation. M. Ward has proven time and time again that he understands not only how to write about the turmoils of life but sing about them in a way that grips at the soul and makes a permanent nest there. Yes, that's dramatic but so are most of his songs. Strangely, Hold Time seems to start a venture into lighter tunes for the usually deeper Ward with a cover of Buddy Holly's "Rave On" and a guest appearance by She & Him bandmate Zooey Deschanel for the carefree "Never Had Nobody Like You". I am continuously in awe of what M. Ward is capable of doing in any fashion. If you don't already know him, stop reading and go find out.

Best Tracks: Jailbird, Never Had Nobody Like You, Rave On, Epistemology

07 Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

This album is special to the list because it has the good fortune of containing the greatest song of the year and possibly one of the greatest I've ever heard. "Two Weeks", track two, on Grizzly Bear's third full length album, is so soaring and bittersweet that it became the reason I like this band. Over a year ago now I saw Grizzly Bear open for The National at a party for New York Magazine at Roseland Ballroom in NYC. The room was packed and the second they went onstage it was as if the "Talk" sign went up and more than half the people around me began their own conversations either about the poor quality of the band's performance or some other drunken dribble. I'm not saying there weren't tons of people there that probably loved them but I just didn't see any of them. All of their songs sounded the same and I was immensely disappointed. Fast forward to 2009 and this album comes out. I am blown away and willing to give them a second chance (as if they care what I think at all). Grizzly Bear is now one of my current favorite bands and that terrible concert memory is long behind us. Rarely does a song come along like "Two Weeks" that encompasses everything good and right with music. Thank you, Grizzly Bear. You made my autumn shine.

Best Tracks: Two Weeks, While You Wait For the Others, Southern Point

08 Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

A lot of times when an album comes out in January you're apt to forget about it by the time December rolls around and you're considering all the other great music that has come out since but Andrew Bird managed to make his album not only relevant throughout the entire year but continuously surprising. I don't know if I caught a repeat or if his appearance was oddly placed but just a couple months ago he was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon singing "Anoanimal" in such a way that I couldn't get it out of my head ever since. Add that to the other songs I've been playing since the record came out and you get one of the top 10 albums of the year. Andrew Bird has to be one of the most experimental, versatile artists on this list and Noble Beast incorporates all the parts of him that are the most well-tuned. I feel like this album will be around for a while.

Best Tracks: Anoanimal, Tenuousness, Fitz and Dizzyspells

09 Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

I don't think I'm experienced enough to discuss this album the way it rightfully deserves. All I can say is I was lucky enough to catch a deal on iTunes before the arrival of this album earlier this year when they were giving away "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" for free and it made my night. Them Crooked Vultures marks the second supergroup on this list composed of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), and Mr. John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Grohl himself stated in a Rolling Stone interview that occasionally Jones will play something in concert that destroys him so much he has to stop and admit that he doesn't know how to follow it up. That is how crazy this band is. It is experimental rock that brings back the true edge and meaning of rock music all at once. To me it genuinely sounds like a combination of all the bands these members bring with them. It is so deeply rooted in the classic but still brings the biggest hope of the future.

Best Tracks: New Fang, Mind Eraser, No Chaser

10 Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day

When I first heard "Day 'n Nite" then saw the genius video that followed, it was difficult for me to believe that this guy didn't even have a debut album out yet. How could I get my hands on more material? In the meantime I did some research and it was not much of a surprise that he had helped write the two best tracks on Kanye West's 808's and Heartbreak ("Heartless" and "Paranoid"). Once his album was on the verge of coming out and I saw the video for "Make Her Say" for the first time where he generously gives Kanye and Common one verse each, I was hooked. I know he's been fodder for some "emo/rap" jokes (as in Rolling Stone: "rap is going emo and this is the fall out, boyee.") but he's a hell of a lot more than a passing fad.

Best Tracks: Day 'n Nite, Make Her Say

11 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

As with a couple others on the list, it took me a long time to appreciate Karen O and company for the superb artists they are. As the first female in a collection of only three that made the list, it's obvious that Karen O has a gift that cannot be denied. Her voice is gorgeous and on this album in particular the entire band goes in a different direction with their sound that maybe is a little less hard but still completely independent of all other music stylings, if you know what I mean. They are not trying to be anything they're not. This album, the band's third, kind of scares me. There is nothing warm about it and it's been said that the production of it was quite unusual because throughout the several months it took to complete, the band would take short breaks from recording songs "to get inspired". It seems like all the extra time definitely paid off. This record is an unusual masterpiece.

Best Tracks: Zero, Heads Will Roll, Skeletons, Dull Life

12 Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

The Blueprint 3 is Jay-Z's eleventh studio album and probably his sixth since his supposed retirement. Luckily for us he's a liar. This is the final installment of the critically acclaimed Blueprint triolgy that began in 2001. This particular record sold nearly 500,000 copies in its first week alone making it Jay-Z's eleventh consecutive number one album and breaking the record held by Elvis Presley for number one albums by a single artist. It is probably the most noteworthy, historic album on the entire list.

Best Tracks: Empire State of Mind, D.O.A., Run This Town

13 Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream

Another January album, this one by Mr. Bruce Springsteen is his 16th studio album and has already sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide this year alone. This album also turned me into a full-on believer in what Springsteen can do and holds another of the greatest songs of 2009: "The Wrestler". I might be a late-bloomer on the whole Springsteen bit, especially coming from New Jersey, but better late than never. While I wasn't a fan of his previous album "Magic", I found this one to be relatable on a lot more levels and felt like it really took me to a place a lot of other music doesn't have the ability to - whether I'm making too much out of one album has yet to be determined. I'm still nowhere near the diehard level of many other Springsteen fans and still can't grasp that "boss" title just yet... but I'm getting there.

Best Tracks: The Wrestler, Tomorrow Never Knows, Surprise, Surprise

14 The Dead Weather - Horehound

Jack White, one of the craziest workaholics I've ever heard of, has truly done it again. Whether it's The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, or The Dead Weather, White is out there making more music than most musicians do in an entire career and making most of it better than the others. It took me a long time to come around to this kind of crazy, throwback, experimental, blues/pop/rock sound that is none of that and all of that all at once but out of all of White's ventures thus far, The Dead Weather has been the easiest to swallow. The creativity of this band is outstanding - and if you're counting, the third supergroup to make it on the list (Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, and of course Jack White, the leader of the pack).

Best Tracks: I Cut Like a Buffalo, Hang You From the Heavens

15 Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young

Although I'm putting this excellent album on the list and firmly believe that Julian Casablancas probably was the heart of The Strokes, I must say that this is only one in the long line of superb solo albums from various members of that band. This happens to be the one that came out this year and therefore, here it is, but if you love The Strokes as much as me and want to hear what the others have been up to you will check out Albert Hammond Jr.'s solo disc "Yours to Keep" and Fabrizio's band Little Joy's self-titled debut that are really unique and worth their own praise. Phrazes for the Young, an album that consists of only eight songs (unless you purchase the complete album on iTunes) is definitely unique and worthy of its own praise as well but if I'm being honest here, none of the songs live up to the genius single "11th Dimension" that I've had on repeat for the past month. Casablancas' voice is eternally enticing and exciting and his signature style is all over the place but in the end these tracks leave me wanting more Strokes and less EPs masquerading as full length albums.

Best Tracks: 11th Dimension

16 Michael Johns - Hold Back My Heart

Throughout the year I had high hopes that I would have to look at this list and be embarrassed that I had three American Idols on it: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Michael Johns. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending how you look at it), two of those Idols failed to deliver on their promise of excellent music, and while Lambert is still the one that will come out on top in the end, it is Johns that successfully created an album that is listenable from start to finish. If you had the statistics on the table: Top 100 Billboard album in its first week, on the same label as Cold War Kids and Santigold, and touring across country on a semi-successful concert trek, I don't think Michael Johns would be the first guy to come to mind. Even if he gets dropped from the record label (or maybe already has as almost all American Idols are proned to do), he has a lot of accomplishments under his belt, the greatest of which being this old school soul record that truly lives up to its "Otis Redding/Marvin Gaye" promise. Although I loved him from the minute he stepped foot on that stage, I didn't truly believe he could pull it off. This is the proof. Support him and listen to this album - it could be his last.

Best Tracks: Little Bear, Mountains, Fire, Feeling Alright

17 Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster

Fun, weird, trippy, beautiful, underrated (for the singing), overrated (for the theatrics), crazy, wonderful, dancy, freaky, not-so-freaky, poppy, Top 40, silly, stupid, Madonna, not-Madonna, controversial, perfect, lovely, soft, hard, different, great, Lady Gaga.

Best Tracks: Bad Romance, Speechless, Telephone

18 Train - Save Me, San Francisco

I was obsessed with Train this year mostly because of the silly glory that was "Hey, Soul Sister", their first single off Save Me, San Francisco, the band's fifth album. This folk-rock band has consistently been full of surprises whether it's their long breaks away from the music industry after extremely successful albums or their strange lyrics ("Ain't that Mister Mister on the radio, stereo/the way you move ain't fair you know") that completely boggle my mind long after I've changed the station on the radio dial. I'm a little infatuated with this band and their frontman Pat Monahan that kind of looks like a possessed Muppet in every one of their music videos. I always like a band with a little personality and guts - this one has plenty (you may remember them primarily for their smash hit "Drops of Jupiter"?)

Best Tracks: Hey Soul Sister, Save Me, San Francisco

19 Pete Yorn - Back and Fourth

Produced by Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes and Monsters of Folk), this is Yorn's fourth full-length release and the follow-up to the end of his "day" trilogy that was completed in 2006 with "Nightcrawler". Pete Yorn is the reason I love singer/songwriters as much as I do. My story of picking up his debut cd at The Wiz way back when has been told more times than the story of my own birth at this point. It was the defining moment for my love of music. I will be forever in debt to Mr. Yorn and while I don't think this is his greatest work, the first single, "Don't Wanna Cry", is one of the most beautiful songs of the year by far and touches me every time I hear it. Pete Yorn can do very little wrong in my eyes. If you haven't yet, check out "musicforthemorningafter" to be blown away by what Yorn can do when he sets his mind to it.

Best Tracks: Don't Wanna Cry

20 Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be

Although this is Banhart's seventh studio album, it is my first foray into his music after hearing good things about him for years. This is another artist I was a little scared to get into but my half-hearted attempt to listen to his single "Baby" when it became available on iTunes ended up being the first step to my newfound appreciation for all things Devendra. I continued to buy this album track by track until I realized that I had almost the complete package and stood back to take in what had happened: I'm a real fan now. I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize it. He's a nut but this is one of the best albums you're going to find all year, I promise. Of course it doesn't hurt that track two is named after me.

Best Tracks: Baby, Angelika

21 Silversun Pickups - Swoon

I don't know if you recall awhile ago when MTV was hawking this band like it was the next Beatles but that made me sick. I felt like they were everywhere all at once and I didn't understand why MTV, a channel that hasn't played music in 100 years chose this band over all the other deserving bands to promote in between every commercial break for their crappy shows. Now that is just a faded memory and the Silversun Pickups are back with Swoon, their second album that has really won me over in a short time. Lead vocalist Brian Aubert's soothing, albeit whiny voice is slightly reminiscent of a young Billy Corgan and their songs are a mixture of alternative '90's rock and modern indie stylings. I look forward to seeing what else they can do.

Best Tracks: Substitution, Panic Switch

22 Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio

Let me try to keep this short: Sondre Lerche is in the league of M. Ward and Pete Yorn, that is artists that will always be perfect to me. Lerche's mix of worldly pop, stylish jazz, Elvis Costello rock, and a personal dash of wonderful, yet-to-be-defined Lercheness, make his work incomparable. While this particular album doesn't hold the key to the world for me, it is still ten times better than most of the mumble jumble on the radio today. Luckily Lerche is 150% dedicated to his craft and comes out with an album or two almost every year so I can't even begin to guess what he has cooked up next. Heartbeat Radio got very little recognition or promotion this year which could be why I see it as a little less glossy than his other recordings but I assure you, this is something you have to hear to understand. Sondre Lerche is a true troubadour of excellence.

Best Tracks: Don't Look Now, Heartbeat Radio

23 Will Dailey - Torrent, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Will Dailey. Wow. Everything about time spent with Will Dailey will surprise you. If you want to know about my time spent with Will Dailey, just click on the link that will lead you to all my posts about him but for now take these words and search for his music on iTunes: He is an artist in progress. I know a lot of music blogs out there are popular primarily because they hold the secret to finding artists before anyone else and bringing them to the masses at just the right moment. Of course this blog is nothing like that but I do believe I found Will Dailey at just the right time - I have never had the good fortune of seeing an artist grow right before my eyes the way I have with him and do believe I can honestly say he is getting better with every song and performance put out there. This is a guy that works his tail off to make good music and every inch of his sweat is visible for anyone that wants to come out and revel in it. He's a sweet, genuine guy that is making a name for himself the good, old fashioned way - no strings attached. I'm in awe of his motivated, ambitious nature and really hope he blows up the way he so desperately wants to. He's got charisma coming out of every pore and you'd be a fool not to get on board right away.

Best Tracks: How Can I Make You Happy, Tomorrow Still Comes, Never Be Your Baby

24 Regina Spektor - Far

This is Regina Spektor's fifth studio album and the first that I gave a chance. Maybe it was Spektor's overly cute ways or her overly sweet voice but I never particularly warmed to her style the way so many others around me were in the past few years. It took her performance this year on Saturday Night Live to change my mind. When I heard her sing "Eet" off this album I knew that I had to find out more. The lyrics, feeling, and piano drove me crazy. It was so beautiful and moving and I began to wonder if her other songs were anything like this. Turns out they were and once again, I had probably been missing out for quite some time. There is an otherworldy current in Regina Spektor's voice and this album showcases that perfectly.

Best Tracks: Eet, Laughing With

25 Various Artists - Dark Was the Night

Although it falls at number 25, the end of the list, this record is entirely -if not more so- deserving of your listen as any other. Compiled by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National as a charity project to get funding for AIDS research and awareness, they called on all their most talented friends to donate songs that when combined, filled two full albums and contained some of the artists' best works. Some of the greatest names in the business today, from Sharon Jones to Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire and My Morning Jacket, can be found on here performing songs exculsively for this album. Of course the best song you'll find is my ringtone, "So Far Around the Bend", performed by the most generous, most amazing band on the planet: The National. This is a one of a kind treat for all music lovers.

Best Tracks: So Far Around the Bend