1. The Breeders – Mountain Battles After 2002′s disappointing Title TK, no one was expecting much from The Breeders, so it came as a shock that their latest is great. This album stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of their earlier work and it towers over most contemporary indie rock. My enthusiasm for the album grows with each listen.

2. Various Artists – Titan: It’s All Pop! This Numero release compiles the entire output of Kansas CIty’s short-lived Titan label, which fruitlessly released great music from 1978-1981. Had Big Star been massively successful, more bands in the late 70′s would have sounded like those featured on this compilation. A treasure trove of lost power-pop gems, this is well worth the purchase.

3. The Final Solution – Brotherman Another Numero release, Brotherman was supposed to be released in 1975 in tandem with a film of the same name. Filming was never completed, and the album was shelved for over thirty years. The Final Solution were a Chicago soul group whose strongest assets were lush four-part harmonies and one of the best rhythm guitarists I’ve ever heard. It’s a shame this is their only release.

4. Steve Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash I’m pretty much a Malkmus sycophant, so I’m not going to say too much about this one to avoid sounding like a fifteen-year-old describing Twilight. RET sounds more like Pig Lib than it sounds like its immediate predecessor and that’s a good thing. A wonderful album by a national treasure.

5. Portishead – Third As one of the pioneers of a genre whose time has gone, Portishead has proved themselves capable of adapting to the evolving musical landscape with the realease of Third, the third album of their career and first in ten years. Third sounds like a Portishead album without sounding dated. I didn’t see it coming, and I am surely grateful for this expertly-produced set of stunning songs.

Honorable Mentions:

Lindstrom – Where You Go I Go Too

Genesis – 1970-1975

Robyn Hitchcock – Luminous Groove