It’s that time of year where everyone is putting out their list of the top 10 albums of the year. What kind of respectable blog would I be running if I didn’t do the same? So here’s my favorites that came out this year, and in no particular order.

1. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals

Girl Talk has been blowing my mind since his Night Ripper release. It’s like John Oswald with longer samples. And a beat you can dance to.

2. The Breeders – Mountain Battles

One day I hope to live in a world where you don’t have to have to wait 7 years for every new Breeders album….although I find this album to be well worth it. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

3. The Magnetic Fields – Distortion

This is, in my opinion, the best of The Magnetic Fields albums. It’s consistently awesome and sonically cohesive from beginning to end. Amazing lyrics too.

4. Beach House – Devotion

I’ve already mentioned Beach House before, but I would like to reiterate how great this album is.

5. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

I really didn’t want to like this band. They’re pretentious and contrived…but they still sound really good. I know it’s been said by countless other critics, but they sound like a Wes Anderson movie.

6. Portishead – Third

I think we might have all waited as long for this album as we did for that new Breeders album. Finally!

7. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

I got turned onto this band courtesy of Kimber at Stinkweeds in Phoenix, AZ. Stinkweeds is one of my favorite record stores on earth and Kimber’s opinion seems to be pretty much always right. Everyone I know that I’ve played this Fleet Foxes album for as fallen completely in love with them.

8. Ratatat – LP3

This album sounds pretty much like the two albums before it, which is to say full to totally awesome instrumental jams. I suppose this one has slightly fewer guitars that sound like they’re from outerspace and more harpsichords and other obscure instruments.

9. Stereolab – Chemical Chords

Like Ratatat, Stereolab tents to put out pretty consistently similar albums, although this one seems to be a step up from their last couple efforts.

10. Kanye West – 808’s and Heartbreaks

I don’t even like Kanye West, but this album is amazing. It’s super dark and may possibly make you want to hang yourself after listening to it. 808’s and auto-tune throughout the whole album….what’s not to love?

Stay tuned for my upcoming list of the top songs of the year.