Los LlamaradaIn much the way Psychedelic Horseshit's debut was a hard pill to swallow, Los Llamarada's second record is something of an acquired taste. The Monterrey, Mexico quartet tends to re-invent punk on every trip they take through their self-dug rabbit holes. Here it gets louder and more visceral, the band completely unaware of their surroundings but knowing full and well they're tapping into something simultaneously chaotic and full of sonic bliss. KJE
Fleet FoxesFleet Foxes made one of the all-around best records of the year—and the live shows they play back up that talent. Robin Pecknold has the voice of an angel, and it's showcased brilliantly on this album. Fleet Foxes is the perfect mix of imagery, folk-like twang, and beautiful harmonies. JF
No AgeHalf phased-out, post-Floyd electronic hiss, half indie-rock tooth-kicking anthems, No Age burbled out of the usually dull two-piece drums and guitar latrine with the surprisingly dynamic Nouns. Until witnessed live, some of the sounds are mysterious, but once unveiled they leave you banging your head long after you're home in bed. MPO
Thomas FunctionThomas Function delivered a solid psyche-pop gem with Celebration, reference points including Television, C86, the Lindsay, and the Pixies. With standout tracks like "Filthy Flowers," "Can't Say No," and "Earthworms," Thomas Function are a standout in the current garage punk circles and another steller addition to the already great Alive Records roster. TB
Frightened RabbitWhen the Agit Reader caught up with these Scottish lads in late June, it would've been hard to forecast the attention they'd garner by year's end. However, once you pop in their breakthrough sophomore effort, The Midnight Organ Fight, one last time this year, it's hard to deny the pop dynamite the group purveys and the authenticity with which they do it. PG
DeerhunterMicrocastle is one of those fully enjoyable records that you can put on and get completely lost within for an hour or two. Strange and much more minimalist than Deerhunter's last record, it somehow works, especially during the brilliant climaxes and despair-inducing lows. JF
Crystal StiltsPerhaps tops among the recent bumper crop of bands to sprout from Brooklyn's cracked avenues, Crystal Stilts have divined a vesperal sound haunted by whisps of shoegazed past lives and Nuggets bands never heard from again. The band's full-length debut, Alight of Night, is a near perfect melding of new and old sounds, a cacaphonous trip into a black hole of sound where the rewards are derived more from getting lost in it than coming out the other side. SS
Bon IverBy the time one makes it through For Emma's first track, "Flume," the listener knows their in for the musical equivalent of a Midwestern winter. The methodoloy of Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver) is what makes this album truly stand out as he blends orchestral elements with more claustrophobic tendencies befitting a lonely singer-songwriter. Above all, For Emma is a remarkable document of the mourning we all do for the part of our lives we have already lived—or wish we had. PG
Times New VikingPerhaps unsurprisingly, Times New Viking exceeded expectations with their Matador debut. Rip It Off finds the band determinedly honing their craft, collecting their shards of fuzzy lightning pop with hard-earned experience and focus. Few records come as loaded with songs that are both so supremely catchy and challenging. RW
Sic AlpsBy scaling back the pyrotechnics and noise collage that obfuscated past efforts, this duo from San Francisco revealed their love of intimate, woozy pop songs without sacrificing the scruffy charm that got them in league with Siltbreeze in the first place. U.S. Ez is a cohesive snapshot that pits the paranoia of the best loner folk, the prismatic jangle of the '60s, and damaged blues-psych against the idea of what a modern record with this cloak of modesty should sound like. KJE