...Only three albums mentioned more than once.

Defines the year perfectly, in both positive and negative ways...

As deep a run of "good" albums as I've ever seen.

As limited a supply of undeniably "great" albums as we've seen in many years.

Along those lines, I do think these titles will be near the top of the Village Voice poll, which I think, other than being a little biased towards rap/hip hop genres, is the best end of year poll of the bunch...

My picks for Village Voice top ten

Top Five, in no certain order - Modern Times, Ys, Return to Cookie Mountain, Orphans, Fishscale

Bottom Five - Silent Shout, Destroyer's Rubies, Fox Confessor, Boys and Girls in America, Hell Hath No Fury.

Possible interlopers - Whatever People Say I am, Gulag Orkestra, Black Cadillac, The Drift, Stadium Arcadium, The Greatest, Living With War, The Seger Sessions, I am not Afraid of You and I wil Beat Your Ass, The Warning