Hume – Penumbra. Dare you to sing along to this record. You want to, but you just can’t. How can they write such amazing songs that defy predictability listen after listen. The record doesn’t get old.  It is filled with drama, intelligence and craft. Love this band.  And the name is great too.

Hermit Thrushes – Mystery Ocean. These guys are great. Read the Flotzam review here. And interview here.

Never Not Funny Presents Rock Solid – Okay, this is a podcast and not an album, but goddamn it cracks me up. Check it out via iTunes or download the episodes here.

Wax Fingers – Wax Fingers.  Again, fitting in that genre of avant pop, making music that challenges but not just for the sake of challenging.  Along with Hume and Hermit Thrushes, who have single handedly made me believe that avant pop is alive and well in 2011.  

Morning Teleportation – Expanding Away. This album just continues to grow me. Read the Flotzam review here.

Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape Artist. The second half of this record is off the hook.  Production is so lush.  A keeper for sure. Read review here.

Wye Oak – Civilian. Heartbreaking. Read the review here.

Kathryn Calder – Bright and Vivid. A really pretty record, lush, very feminine, but in a totally different way than Wye Oak. Read an interview about the record here.

Operation ID – Legs. Local boys! Read the Flotzam review here.

Madlib Medicine Show #10: Black Soul – Officially this came out in 2010, but only just got hip to it, so including it. So good.

This record is fuckin great. Love the fact that there are no overdubs.  Some serious composition going on here.  And some wack meters.  First song like a round, synthetic, robotic, turning linguistic with a chorus about “here I am only to becloud the reason” and the next with straight up rhythm only to be beclouded, some 5/4, prettiness no doubt wandering like thoughts in and out of different times, 7/8s too, cool riffs amidst empty space, even bass solos.  Yeah, mad props to these guys. 

Off the hook:

Operation ID "Where Are You" from Nick Simmons on Vimeo.