43. MISUN-After Me
Tell me again why these guys aren’t superstars?
42. ROSIE TUCKER-The Lowlight
Knee-weakening lyrics, plaintive vocals, and quietly catchy melodies…And it’s free! A tremendous debut from a folk artists who should be packing in crowds at college campuses.
41. DIRTY NIL-Provisional (Fugazi cover)
I love Dirty Nil. I’ve loved everything they’ve ever done. So I was thrilled to see them do a pretty faithful rendition of one of my favorite Fugazi tunes.
40. JOSE GONZALEZ-Waterfalls (TLC cover)
He turned the hip hop slow jam into an indie ditty and didn’t lose anything in the conversion. Someone’s got to keep the TLC legacy alive, and Gonzalez does a great job.
39. MF DOOM
There wasn’t an MF DOOM album this year. Again. He’s been so fucking quiet it’s maddening. But he did hit us with a bunch of his signature beats and rhymes. He appeared on MED, Blu and Madlib’s experimental album, “Bad Neighbor,” which was a solid rap album made all the better by DOOM…
Then the Czarface collective of Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric released a new record, and with a name like “Every Villain Needs a Hero,” it made perfect sense for an appearance by the Vaudeville Villain.
And we got another Ghostface/Doom collaboration via adult swim—the first in years.
38. EDISON-Dead Canary Sessions EP and Ghost EP
Why didn’t this wonderful singer with a perfect voice give us a proper album? I don’t know. But crudely staple these two EPs together, and you’ve basically got one. Don’t miss “New York” and her haunting Counting Crows cover….
37. REINA DEL CID-The Cooling
Sultry country rock with a blues bent.
36. YUCK-Hold Me Closer
This band makes some of the tastiest rock and roll hooks around. And this latest single is no exception.
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