The Black Keys: Brothers - If there was anyone out there worried that the best blues rock band in the world was growing stagnant, Brothers put that baby to rest. Expanded instrumental sections and bolder songwriting put the Akron duo firmly in the spotlight, and it'll be interesting to see where they go next.

Crystal Castles: Crystal Castles ( II ) - Hear about album. Acquire album. Listen to album & dismiss it out of hand. Later come back to album. Listen to it for the rest of the year, rabidly.

Chromeo: Business Casual - My favorite…

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Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion substaintially altered the way I listened to music this year, and cemented AC as one of my favorite bands.

Mew dropped an album that took longer to grow on me than I expected, but was very rewarding once I'd stuck with it for more than just Hawaii and Repeaterbeater, and I now consider it second best in their catalogue.

Wolves in the Throne Room's new album did not disappoint, and it was a lot of fun to see them play from it live, In a similar vein…

Blut Aus Nord's Memoria Vetusta II -…

Anthrax
AZ
Arctic Monkeys

Beatles
Bob Dylan
Built to Spill

Common
Cormega
Camp Lo

Destroyer
Devin the Dude
Deep Purple

Eminem
E-40
Elliott Smith

Franz Ferdinand
Frank Sinatra
Funkadelic

Godsmack
Gnarls Barkley
Gluecifer

Isis
Iron & Wine
Iron Maiden

Jay-Z
John Jennon
Johnny Cash

Killers
Kenna
Kyuss

Lacuna Coil
Led Zeppelin
Living Things

Metallica
Mogwai
MF DOOM

Nine Inch Nails
Neil Young
Nirvana

Opeth
Oasis
Of Montreal

Plastic Ono Band
Porcupine Tree
Probot

Queens of the Stone Age
Queen
…dammit

Raconteurs
Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine

Slayer
Silvertide
Smashing Pumpkins

Tiesto
Tool
Theivery Corporation

Unicorns
…dammit 2 times

Voxtrot
Velvet…

Had the discussion last night on who the creme de la creme axmen on the planet were…active of course. I've got far too much bias to see around the monolith of Tom Morello, I truly think he's the best guy strumming a 6 right now. Best riff constructionist, most innovative…man he rocks.

Other ones thrown around were Jack White, John Frusciante, and Josh Homme. I forgot Kirk Hammett, and Dave Mustaine. Kerry King too. I dunno, there's a shitload of cats out there who can wail on their Strat or Les Paul…your thoughts?

1. Mogwai
-First Song Heard? Hunted By A Freak
-Current Favorite? Summer (Priority Version)

2. Eagles of Death Metal
-First Song Heard? I Only Want You
-Current Favorite? Whorehoppin (Shit, Godamn)

3. Weezer
-First Song Heard? Undone (The Sweater Song)
-Current Favorite? In The Garage/Mykel and Carli/Jamie

4. Elliott Smith
-First Song Heard? Coast to Coast
-Current Favorite? Bottle Up And Explode!

5. Sublime
-First Song Heard? What I Got
-Current Favorite? Santeria

6. Rage Against the Machine
-First Song Heard? Bulls on Parade
-Current Favorite? Testify/Killing In The Name Of/Sleep Now In The Fire (my hardest choice…love these guys)…