1. Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass (122)
The music here included is actually even better than the title. It plays like a perfect jukebox: psychedelic, lounge pop, folk, noise rock - it is all here. And I will never get tired of addictive "Pass The Hatchet..." bassline for sure...
2. Blossom Dearie - Blossom Dearie (111) This lady makes me smile anytime. Her chilly, positive pop-jazz tunes from 50s are ideal background music in the best sense of it. I just found out Ms. Dearie died this year at age of 82, but her lovely voice keeps her hip forever.
3. project serendipity - Linear Lullabies (97) This genious guy turned breakcore electronics into something very melodic and enjoyable. The gig my collective Bleeding Ear did turned out to be one of the greatest live expiriences. Plus he is super nice as a person.
4. Low - The Great Destroyer (84) I especially like "Monkey" but the whole record is just beautiful. Angelic wife/husband voices and slooow songs stripped to the core. This record is their loudest (well, in Low terms anyway) and probably my favourite one too.
5. Sic Alps - A Long Way Around To A Shortcut (80) Unlike many hipster lo-fi bands of today, these guys know how to write a song. This nearly 30 songs collection is ultimate guide to their early years. Another band Bleeding Ear organized show for. I just wish they could come again.
6. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords (78) This album makes me laugh a lot AND it has some serious hit potential. Rhymes like "When you're unemployed, there's no vacation. No one cares, no one sympathizes. You just stay home and play synthesizers." are the ones I can't resist.
7. Handsome Furs - Face Control (78) Celebration of summer parties! It might be not be very deep, but this
electro beats-driven pop rock is so sexy and danceable it hardly matters. Definitely much more fun than their debut.
8. Woven Hand - Mosaic (74) Woven Hand may spread the word of the Lord, but their music is so dark even black metal warriors like it. Yup, these christian gothic country songs are like black psalms. Ecstatic and passionate, I nearly can imagine what the final day on Earth would be like.
9. Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire (73) Slow perfection that feels so good it hurts...As awkward it may sound, those mindblowing drug-soaked symphonies are like sound equivalent of orgasm to me.
10. New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom (73) While I think The Klaxons are kind of boring and Houdouken! simply suck, New Young Pony Club is different story. Almost every song on their debut is ultimate hit and I can't but singalong and dance.











