The Return of the Weekend Music Game

1. The Who – Don’t Get Fooled Again. Best workout song ever.

2. Creed – My Sacrifice. Love Creed. Didn't know they were Christian band til after I started loving their music.

3. Meatloaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Phil Rizzuto is a bonus in this tune.

4. Eagles – The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks. Forgotten song from the Long Run album.

5. Elliott Yamin (of American Idol fame) – Wait for You. First embarrasing tune, but I think it's a good one. Not great for workouts though.

6. Taylor Hicks (of American Idol fame) – Do I Make You Proud. I'm blushing at having two Idol songs in a row, but I dig this tune.

7. Jimmy Eat World – Pain. Little new age, but I'm a fan of Jimmy.

8. The Hives – Try It Again. Heard this tune first on Alt Nation Sirius radio and had to have it on my iPod.

9. Guns N Roses – Knockin on Heaven’s Door. Better than Dylan, in my opinion. But I like the hard rock better than nasal singer/songwriter stuff.

10. Creed – One Last Breath. I have a lot of iPod songs. Honest. Don't know how two Creed or two Idol songs came up.

1. Private Hall of Shame--The HorrorPops. Danish Psychobilly band with oddly well crafted pop songs for the genre, but with all the trappings one expects from psychobilly.

2. The Sun Ain't Shining No More--The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Love the groove to this song.

3. Idiots Rule--Janes Addiction. I wasn’t much of a Jane’s fan when they were around, even though somehow I would up seeing them repeatedly. I’ve only rediscovered their music over the last few years.

4. Room on Fire--The Strokes. Surprised the Strokes didn’t hit bigger. Good post-grunge garage pop.

5. Search and Destroy--Iggy and the Stooges. No comment needed.

6. Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin--Zappa and the Mothers. Apostrophe was my first Zappa album. I’ll admit, it took a couple listens until I really appreciated the man’s brilliance.

7. Great Radio--Bongwater. If you can’t tell from the group’s name, Bongwater is best enjoyed with headphones in a room illuminated by a lava lamp. Trippy music, interesting lyrics.

8. Not Great Men--Gang of Four. One of my all time favorites. Dissonant, minimalist post-punk.

9. Angel of Death--Slayer. No one “kinda” likes Slayer. You either can’t stand them, or you’re a borderline psychotic rabid fan.

10. Sucking my Love--Diamond Head. A band that should have been huge as part of the brit metal scene of the early 80s. It’s heard it said that every track on their debut had more riffs than the first four Sabbath albums. Damn fun stuff to play on the guitar.

1. Distance Equals Rate Times Time: The Pixies — This is a strange little song. 1:24 of noise. It's absolutely frantic. I'd never noticed it before.
2. Baby Boomer: Monsters of Folk — This album bored me when I listened to it the the first few times. It's growing on me. Somewhat.
3. Antichrist Television Blues: Arcade Fire — It's the Arcade Fire, of course it's good.
4. Grounds For Divorce: Elbow — This song will steal your girlfriend. 100 percent pure swagger.
5. Winter Winds: Mumford & Sons — A co-worker sent me a video of these guys and I was hooked. This is a beautifully paced folk album. Perfect for the winter or a trip to the UK.
6. Andy, You're A Star: The Killers — I can't imagine a situation in which I'd say to myself, "You know what, I want to go back and listen to Hot Fuss right now." The Killers music ages in dog years.
7. Write What You Know: Stars — Sage advice from a band I love.
8. Penitentiary Bound: Bishop Allen — I challenge you to not have fun listening to Bishop Allen's Charm School album.
9. Recurring Motifs in Historical Flirtings: Say Hi To Your Mom: I would like this band 35% more if they had a better name. Ferocious Mopes is a pretty kickass name for an album though. I'm very much into this kind of music right now.
10. I Need a Girl Show Knows a Map: Kaki King: I like Kaki King's songs where she sings better than the straight instrumentals. Incredible guitar player though. Thus endeth the most bizarre 10 song collection ever. No coherence here.

1. Root Down - The Beastie Boys – How you gonna kick it? Gonna kick it Root Down.

2. Honeyspot - The Asteroid No. 4 – I think these guys are from Philly. This is a nice record of Byrds inspired country rock. This is one of my favorites off the record.

3. How Am I Different - Aimee Mann – One of my favorite artists, and a great song to kick off a fantastic album. She puts on a great live show as well.

4. Web in Front - Archers of Loaf – Love these guys. Need to get more of their stuff, but I love their raw sound.

5. Slow Down - Alejandro Escovedo – A great artist who I'll always remember for putting on a great show at the XPoNential Music Fest in 2008.

6. The Town Halo - A.C. Newman – I love everything this guys does - Zumpano, New Pornographers, solo. This is a great song that features a killer cello riff.

7. It's Not Safe - Aimee Mann – Evidently my computer is digging Aimee Mann. Another great song from one of her earlier records.

8. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulders) - The Beach Boys – It took my a while to give into the hype of Pet Sounds, but everything they say is true. An amazing record. If you appreciate music, you find something to like in this record.

9. My Girls - Animal Collective – One of my favorite songs from this (last?) year. Love the build up that happens throughout.

10. Why - Annie Lennox – Can't mess with this song. Pretty much a classic.

1. Bang - Blur And once again we start out in the 90's! I love this album, it's just fun and takes me back to spring/summer high school days
2. Sugar Cane - Sonic Youth You knew this was coming. Somehow Sonic Youth always shows up when I do this. I actually do have more than one of their albums.
3. Hall of Mirrors - Distillers Hah! This isn't from the 90's! I really like this album. I'm always into rockin' female bands and this one's in your face death punk. Awesome!
4. El Matadore - Los Fabuloso Cadillacs off of the Grosse Pointe Blank soundtrack (as well as the Matador soundtrack) This song makes me feel like I'm in a Tarentino film for some reason.
5. Thank You Boys - Jane's Addiction This is probably the jazziest song I own.
6. Theresa's Sound World - Sonic Youth This is a great slower, nonscreaming song by them, once again off Dirty. I always think of Fall when when I listen to SY, so this fits this time of year. It also helps that my middle name is Theresa!
7. Show Me How to Live - Audioslave OK, not technically 90's, but comprised of members of two of its best known bands. It's a great jam out to tune.
8. Call Me a Dog - Temple of the Dog Interestingly enough, also comprised of two of the 90's biggest bands (Seattle wise anyway), but this really is from then. A great, but sad album.
9. Kool Thing - Sonic Youth OK I swear I'm not trying this. #9 was actually a different SY song, but I figured that would be boring so I skipped it, but the pod played this. I can't fight it! Besides, this song was their breakout hit! It features Chuck D as Kool thing, though he pretty much doesn't say anything.
10. The Beast - Concrete Blonde This album was also one of my favs in, you guessed it, the 90s! It coincided with my fascination with vampires and Anne Rice. I did actually outgrow it (the vampires, not Concrete Blonde), but it's been sneaking back in slowly...

1. The Who – Don’t Get Fooled Again. Best workout song ever.

2. Creed – My Sacrifice. Love Creed. Didn't know they were Christian band til after I started loving their music.

3. Meatloaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Phil Rizzuto is a bonus in this tune.

4. Eagles – The Greeks Don’t Want No Freaks. Forgotten song from the Long Run album.

5. Elliott Yamin (of American Idol fame) – Wait for You. First embarrasing tune, but I think it's a good one. Not great for workouts though.

6. Taylor Hicks (of American Idol fame) – Do I Make You Proud. I'm blushing at having two Idol songs in a row, but I dig this tune.

7. Jimmy Eat World – Pain. Little new age, but I'm a fan of Jimmy.

8. The Hives – Try It Again. Heard this tune first on Alt Nation Sirius radio and had to have it on my iPod.

9. Guns N Roses – Knockin on Heaven’s Door. Better than Dylan, in my opinion. But I like the hard rock better than nasal singer/songwriter stuff.

10. Creed – One Last Breath. I have a lot of iPod songs. Honest. Don't know how two Creed or two Idol songs came up.

1) Wilco - I Must Be High
It's the boom-flam drumkit, it's the recorded-in-the-same-room feel, it's the pseudo-regretful restrospective lyrics, it's the reason I fell in love with Wilco in the first place.

2) Sam Butera & The Witnesses - French Poodle
Stepping out of the sideman shadows, Louis Prima saxophonist and bandleader Sam Butera leads the Witnesses through a finger snapping ode to love with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

3) Wait - White Lion
Oh man, I do love the hair metal. I have the pics that let my teenaged hair prove it too.. One of my all-time fave guitar solos. Vito Bratta nails it with just the right amount of flash, technique and sweet melody.

4) The Bens - Stop!
Mssrs Kweller, Lee, and Folds join forces for a little indie pop charmer that sounds very Pavement-esque.

5) Joey Welz - The World's Gone Bananas
Proof that my music collection is not necessarily filled with The Awesome. This song sucks. Succinctly. Sucks.

6) Further Seems Forever - Snowbirds & Townies
Prior to naming himself Dashboard Confessional, Chris Carrabba fronted this picture perfect postcard of emo goodness. Not too screamy, not too distorted, all dreamy and melodic.

7) Wes Montgomery - Bumpin' On Sunset
Play this track as your pimp slowly walks down the street, fading into the sunset, roll credits...

8) Brendan Benson - Sittin' Pretty
Damn I love this guy. Some may know him as the cute Detroit-friend of Jack White in his Raconteurs guise, but BB has been around for quite some time. This track is from his first album (circa '96). Chock fulla "Ah-ah" backups, and chimy powerpop goodness, this is a stellar track. See if you can find the album (One Mississippi), and snag it. Should be in bargain bins. If you like power pop, shimmer pop, or classic pop at all, I personally guarantee you'll love it. If not... uh, I'll make you a sammich?

9) Whodini - Freaks Come Out
Let's get Ol' Skool on yerass, why not. Thanks Whodini for letting us know that freaks were out there, and when they come out. (Answer: night)

10) Charlie Hunter Trio - Come As You Are
Jazz bop take on Cobain. Straight, no flannel.

"Moon River" by The Innocence Mission
Lancaster's own with as beautiful a version of this song as you'll ever hear. Ethereal and enchanting.

"Cape Cod Girls" by Sharks Come Cruisin'
Once heard them described as "sea shanty folk punk," and have yet to come up with a better description. You can hear this track on their own site, http://www.sharkscomecruising.com. I recommend you do.

"Skunk (Outtake)" by The MC5
Some very raw hippie-influenced proto-punk from a nifty CD of demos and rarities I picked up about a year ago.

"Steve" by The Pooleys
You won't find this anywhere - The Pooleys were a band made up of some of my friends from college. Think R.E.M. meets Elvis Costello circa 1986 and you're in the right ballpark.

"Second Chance" by The Lemonheads
Before Evan Dando became the ultimate scenester and went all introspective on us, his band were snarly punk kids spitting out great snarly punk. Like this.

"Zissou Society Blue Star Cadets/Ned's Theme" by Mark Mothersbaugh
Mothersbaugh's very un-Devo film scoring work is always surprising. This is from the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

"(Say No To) Saturday's Girl" by Human Switchboard
Every indie band currently doing the male-female shared vocal routine owes a debt to this late 70s/early 80s band; who in turn had nicked it all from the Velvet Underground w/ Nico album anyway.

"Walking Talking Johnny Cash Blues" by The Godfathers
Good stuff from these mid-80s college radio darlings (remember "Birth School Work Death"?)

"Livin' On Livin'" by The Lords of the New Church
The late great Stiv Bators channeling every acid rock band ever. Groovy, man!

"I'm On Fire" by Guana Batz
Probably the weakest pick of the ten: a by-the-numbers rockabilly revival band covering The Boss. Smile-worthy, but better on paper than in execution.

1) Automatic Flowers - Our Lady Peace: Clumsy
Alright. Our Lady Peace is... meh. Good music, but nothing that really moves me.

2) Insomnia And The Hole In The Universe - Live: Secret Samadhi
I love Live, but some albums considerably more than others. For instance, The Distance To Here is by far my favorite. Secret Samadhi is simply OK.

3) Every Morning - The Cranberries: Wake Up And Smell The Coffee
I have a lot of The Cranberries - possibly too much. I think I just fell in love with No Need To Argue and felt compelled to listen to their other albums. Their music is very intense, often politically-charged, and a nice change of pace for me.

4) Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes - Jimmy Buffett: Boats
This song brings a smile to my face. Then again, what Jimmy Buffett song doesn't? I regularly dream of sailboats, white sandy beaches, island music, and tropical beverages. While I'm not a full-fledged "Parrot Head", Jimmy Buffett does reflect another part of my personality.

5) Mobile - Avril Lavigne: Let Go
WTF?! I hate your rules, Ken! I'm so embarrassed!

6) Kiss and Control - AFI: DECEMBERUNDERGROUND
AFI is above average for me. I don't listen to them nearly enough, and this is a fantastic album with several very memorable songs.

7) The Diary Of Jane - Breaking Benjamin: Phobia
Breaking Benjamin is easily one of my favorite bands, and I'm glad they made it to my list. Their music is very powerful, and emotionally-charged. Ben is a fantastic lyricist.

8) Scared of Girls - Placebo: Without You I'm Nothing
When I want to listen to something more unique, but still alternative, I listen to Placebo. They're also among my very favorites! I like Lazarus, Running Up That Hill, and who can forget Pure Morning?

9) When the Coast is Clear - Jimmy Buffett: Beaches
See #4.

10) Nine Inch Nails - 36 Ghosts IV: Ghosts I-IV
omg - NIN is easily my very favorite "band", and I would've been cross if they didn't appear in this list. And I'm SO glad it was this song! This is a beautiful, amazing, stirring piano. It's a short, slow song with no lyrics.

1. O.A.R - I Feel Home - These guys were my absolute favorite in High School. Folksy/Jam Band.
2. Michael Jackson - Blame It On The Boogie - The only time I listen to Michael is when I am doing something nice for Holly, or I'm heading to a dance partaaaaay!
3. Coldplay - Moses -
4. Kings of Leon - Charmer - Lord, I'm starting to look like a boring trend following music listener....
5. Miike Snow - Black & Blue - Redemption! Miike Snow is my favorite new find of 2009. Listen to this one here: http://bit.ly/2OgVRw
6. Kings of Leon - Rememo - Again....
7. The Killers - Uncle Jonny- I do love the Killers. Their a great rock group.
8. Death Cab for Cutie - We Laugh Indoors (New Mix) - Best Death Cab song ever is Glove Compartment.
9. The Dandy Warhols - Cool as Kim Deal - Another good find in '09...
10. Coldplay - Clocks - Anybody ever heard of Coldplay before? Their really great.... Check them out and remember, you heard it here first.
11. Johnny Cash - Luther Played the Boogie - I'm Johnny for Halloween this year, look for me out and about, bar hopping and giving free shows tomorrow night!
12. MGMT - Electric Feel - Once and a while I fall in and out of love with a band an incredible rate. This years winner was MGMT.

I added two extras since I had two repeats....

1. John Coltraine - Resolution (Part 2), A Love Supreme - One of the great "conversion" works, among which I'd also include Zwan's "Mary Star of the Sea."
2. Benjamin E. Morsberger - Near - something indie
3. U2 - Vertigo - something arena rock
4. Lonestar - Amazed - something country, and hence something added to iTunes by someone else
5. Chapeau Claque - Last Dance - something wimpy
6. Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine - a song that get stuck in your head and you don't mind
7. House of Pain - House of Pain Anthem - something from the streets
8. Twelve Stones - Fade Away - something hard
9. Sara Bareilles - Between the Lines - something mushy
10. James Brown - Get up Offa That Thing - something funky

1) The Girls in Hawaii - The Ship on the sea
A rather moody start. I like it. Ambience and unsettled emotions, perfect for my lack of sleep, early morning ritual before work.

2) Jewel - You Were Meant for Me
Sort of blows my indie-cred, (lol if I ever had any to start with), but I still love this song.

3) Florence & The Machine - Kiss With A Fist
Now this is the PROPER way to start a day. And it works for me, because my coffee just finished brewing. Huzzah!

4) Scott Tuma - Heeler
Slowing things up a bit as the caffeine hits the bloodstream, a nice, autumn-y tune.

5) Counting Crows - Colorblind
One of my favourite songs; my shuffle is determined to make me introspective this morning, it seems.

6) Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack - Kidnap the Sandy Claws
Oh dear. I may have to kill someone for this. Now I'll be at work with this stuck in my head. At least it's holiday approaching appropiate!

7) Bombay Bicycle Club - Emergency Contraception Blues
Finally, something I can bop around the room to!

8) Collapsis - Believe in You
A really old song in my collection that I'd forgotten about. Nice. I don't even think Collapsis are even still together.

9) Death Cab for Cutie - This Charming Man
Great cover. 'Nuff said.

10) Something Happens - What Now
Another oldie (well, early 90's) that I haven't heard in a long long time. Used to LOVE this band - so catchy and fun. In that great 90's alternative way. Rocking!

1. Whirlwind - Dispatch - I like the steady beat (accented by the drum, of course) through all the urgency created with - oddly enough - sustained notes
2. The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine - Simon & Garfunkel - Not quite what I think of when it comes to folk rock, but it always gets my foot tapping along at work
3. Blackbird - Sarah McLachlin - A well-done cover of a classic song
4. One and Lonely - Superchick - Speaking of embarrassing songs you'd rather skip over... Oh well. It's always good to remember you can choose how you see things
5. Cat & Mouse - Vitamin String Quartet - I was first introduced to these guys when they did covers of My Chemical Romance. Their music was so good, I thought it might make me like MCR (nope). This cover is ok, though I still prefer the MCR cover.
6. Amy's Song - Switchfoot - I liked Switchfoot a lot more a few years ago
7. Candy - Seventh Day Slumber - I like it because it can be applied to numerous things... including love of candy, if you really want to stretch it
8. Save Me - Shinedown - I can't say enough good things about this band (not necessarily this song). They have diverse music with strong (musical and principle) themes.
9. Grim Goodbye - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Starts better than it finishes.
10. Recognize - Better Than Ezra - His distinctive voice adds to the music, rather than distracting from the great guitar sounds

1. Private Hall of Shame--The HorrorPops. Danish Psychobilly band with oddly well crafted pop songs for the genre, but with all the trappings one expects from psychobilly.

2. The Sun Ain't Shining No More--The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. Love the groove to this song.

3. Idiots Rule--Janes Addiction. I wasn’t much of a Jane’s fan when they were around, even though somehow I would up seeing them repeatedly. I’ve only rediscovered their music over the last few years.

4. Room on Fire--The Strokes. Surprised the Strokes didn’t hit bigger. Good post-grunge garage pop.

5. Search and Destroy--Iggy and the Stooges. No comment needed.

6. Invocation & Ritual Dance of the Young Pumpkin--Zappa and the Mothers. Apostrophe was my first Zappa album. I’ll admit, it took a couple listens until I really appreciated the man’s brilliance.

7. Great Radio--Bongwater. If you can’t tell from the group’s name, Bongwater is best enjoyed with headphones in a room illuminated by a lava lamp. Trippy music, interesting lyrics.

8. Not Great Men--Gang of Four. One of my all time favorites. Dissonant, minimalist post-punk.

9. Angel of Death--Slayer. No one “kinda” likes Slayer. You either can’t stand them, or you’re a borderline psychotic rabid fan.

10. Sucking my Love--Diamond Head. A band that should have been huge as part of the brit metal scene of the early 80s. It’s heard it said that every track on their debut had more riffs than the first four Sabbath albums. Damn fun stuff to play on the guitar.

1. Distance Equals Rate Times Time: The Pixies — This is a strange little song. 1:24 of noise. It's absolutely frantic. I'd never noticed it before.
2. Baby Boomer: Monsters of Folk — This album bored me when I listened to it the the first few times. It's growing on me. Somewhat.
3. Antichrist Television Blues: Arcade Fire — It's the Arcade Fire, of course it's good.
4. Grounds For Divorce: Elbow — This song will steal your girlfriend. 100 percent pure swagger.
5. Winter Winds: Mumford & Sons — A co-worker sent me a video of these guys and I was hooked. This is a beautifully paced folk album. Perfect for the winter or a trip to the UK.
6. Andy, You're A Star: The Killers — I can't imagine a situation in which I'd say to myself, "You know what, I want to go back and listen to Hot Fuss right now." The Killers music ages in dog years.
7. Write What You Know: Stars — Sage advice from a band I love.
8. Penitentiary Bound: Bishop Allen — I challenge you to not have fun listening to Bishop Allen's Charm School album.
9. Recurring Motifs in Historical Flirtings: Say Hi To Your Mom: I would like this band 35% more if they had a better name. Ferocious Mopes is a pretty kickass name for an album though. I'm very much into this kind of music right now.
10. I Need a Girl Show Knows a Map: Kaki King: I like Kaki King's songs where she sings better than the straight instrumentals. Incredible guitar player though. Thus endeth the most bizarre 10 song collection ever. No coherence here.

1. Between Us - Harry Connick, Jr.: An appreciation for Mr. Connick's music is pretty much the only positive thing that came out of one of my previous relationships...
2. All Because of You - U2: Meh. Latter day U2 rock that just doesn't have the same raw energy as their earlier stuff.
3. Beat It - Michael Jackson: Still awesome after all these years.
4. Beautiful Day - U2: ...Better than All Because of You.
5. Let It Rain - Eric Clapton: Not much of an opinion. iPod seems stuck on easy listening or something today...
6. Club at the End of the Street - Elton John: Seriously, who let the Rose program my iPod?
7. Jimi Thing - Dave Matthews Band: When I first heard DMB, I couldn't stand 'em due to the fact that I couldn't understand Dave's lyrics. I got better.
8. Power to the People - John Lennon: I believe that one of the greatest losses to the music industry was the music John would have made had he not died in 1980.
9. All This Time - Sting (Complete Chicago Sessions): Any Sting fans should seek out this bootleg album. Fantastic reworkings of some of his classic Police and solo work in an intimate acoustic setting. Brilliant stuff.
10. Humor of the Situation - Barenaked Ladies: Okay, an appreciation of Harry Connick, Jr. AND Barenaked Ladies were the only TWO positive things that came out of that relationship.

Yay! The Weekend Music Game!

Shanelle, you just reminded me that I haven't listened to that Alec Ounsworth song yet, so thanks.

1. "L.E.S. Artistes" / Santogold. I guess she's called Santigold now, but whatever. Everybody knows this song so no comment needed.

2. "Wonderful" / Rob Thomas. Yeah, yeah, the same Rob Thomas from Matchbox Twenty. It may be bland adult contemporary pop to some but I've always been a fan of Rob, good or bad.

3. "Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground" / Coldplay. From the Prospekt's March EP.

4. "Bye Bye Bye" / Jellyfish. I like them because I like power pop in general, and they have a distinctive sound. It's easy to pick out a Jellyfish song.

5. "You Won't See Me" / The Beatles. From the Rubber Soul mono remaster.

6. "The Good, The Bad & The Queen" / The Good, The Bad & The Queen. From one of Damon Albarn's innumerable side projects. It's a good one though.

7. "Napoleon on the Bellerophon" / Beirut. He's an acquired taste.

8. "Gentle Hour" / Yo La Tengo. From the Dark Was the Night compilation, which will probably be on my best albums of 2009 list, it was that good of a collection.

9. "Rainslicker" / Josh Ritter. From his 2003 album Hello Starling.

10. "Everybody's Up to Something" / The Little Ones. Hmm, everybody IS up to something, aren't they?

1. Root Down - The Beastie Boys – How you gonna kick it? Gonna kick it Root Down.

2. Honeyspot - The Asteroid No. 4 – I think these guys are from Philly. This is a nice record of Byrds inspired country rock. This is one of my favorites off the record.

3. How Am I Different - Aimee Mann – One of my favorite artists, and a great song to kick off a fantastic album. She puts on a great live show as well.

4. Web in Front - Archers of Loaf – Love these guys. Need to get more of their stuff, but I love their raw sound.

5. Slow Down - Alejandro Escovedo – A great artist who I'll always remember for putting on a great show at the XPoNential Music Fest in 2008.

6. The Town Halo - A.C. Newman – I love everything this guys does - Zumpano, New Pornographers, solo. This is a great song that features a killer cello riff.

7. It's Not Safe - Aimee Mann – Evidently my computer is digging Aimee Mann. Another great song from one of her earlier records.

8. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulders) - The Beach Boys – It took my a while to give into the hype of Pet Sounds, but everything they say is true. An amazing record. If you appreciate music, you find something to like in this record.

9. My Girls - Animal Collective – One of my favorite songs from this (last?) year. Love the build up that happens throughout.

10. Why - Annie Lennox – Can't mess with this song. Pretty much a classic.

1. Help Help - Mates of State: Kori and Jason make some of the best melodies in music right now, as far as I'm concerned. They get a little poppy sometimes, but I enjoy this song tremendously.

2. Holy, Holy Moses - Alec Ounsworth: This came off a Paste magazine sampler. I like Alec's voice and how tender it is. It's a relaxing song.

3. Boys Keep Swinging - A Camp: If you ask me, the Swedes make some seriously great music. A Camp is no exception.

4. Amazing Love (Acoustic) - David Crowder Band: I downloaded this to learn it so I could lead praise with it at my old church. It's a pretty old song, but the lyrics never cease to get to me. And David's voice is brilliant.

5. Grass - Animal Collective: I could listen to Animal Collective every day and never get tired of them. Mostly because I'm still trying to decipher their lyrics. I love how dysfunctional they can sound.

6. City of Black and White - Mat Kearney: Mat can do no wrong by me. His voice is perfect and his music makes me want to close my eyes and just listen.

7. Moth's Wings - Passion Pit: They mix depressing lyrics with joyful music. I like to put them on the play list I use for the gym. They have a strange inspiration to them.

8. Happy Apple Poison - Lovedrug: I started listening to Lovedrug when I was in college and I never stopped adoring them. Michael Shepard's voice is perfectly matched with their music.

9. Difference is Time - Conor Oberst: Another person that can do no wrong by me. I think I own every single one of Conor's songs but this one has been especially precious to me over the last year.

10. Sweet Lady Mary - Faces: I downloaded this album after a tweet inspired me to listen to Faces' music. I'm an addict now. I always thought I couldn't stand Rod Stewart, but I have a brand new respect for him.