Bibio – Fire Ant – MP3 (2009)

…the looping effect on “Fire Ant” … Wilkinson sounds like he’s been doing this for decades with the ability in which he maneuvers the vocal “ohs,” the terrific snares and the inspired melodies.
Read more on Delusions of Adequacy

Download: Bibio – Fire Ant (Track) – MP3
Buy: Bibio – Ambivalence Avenue (Album)

Wild Beasts – All The King’s Men – MP3 (2009)

The opening trio of ‘The Fun Powder Plot’, ‘Hooting & Howling’ and ‘All The King’s Men’ is one of the best you’ll hear all year, comprising a number of genuine mouth-open, fuck-me-this-is-good moments.
Read more on Drowned in Sound

Download: Wild Beasts – All The King’s Men (Track) – MP3
Buy: Wild Beats – Two Dancers (Album)

wild-beasts-all-the-kings-men.mp3

Family Portrait – Mega Secrets – MP3 (2009)

Like a ‘Stand By Me’ for 2009. There’s ample opportunity for finger-snapping and toe-tapping plus reverby vocals and gritty effects that build to a spit-on-the-microphone type crescendo.

Download: Family Portrait – Mega Secrets (Track) – MP3

The Crayon Fields – All The Pleasures Of The World (2009)

A purple-hued pop song that begins with smooth synths and whispery, Whitest Boy Alive-like vocals and resolves with a satisfying Byrds-esque time change.

Download: The Crayon Fields – All The Pleasures Of The World (Track) – MP3

Graham Coxon – Dead Bees – MP3 (2009)

“Indeed, he’s at his best when reverting to rockier form, as on the muscular, swaggering “Dead Bees “.”
Read more on Clash Music

Download: Graham Coxon – Dead Bees (Track) – MP3
Buy: Graham Coxon – Spinning Top (Album)

White Denim – I’d Have It Just The Way We Were – MP3 (2009)

The hard rocking trio take time out from punishing the drum kit to show their softer side with joyful percussion and crooning vocals evocative of the 70s, summer and driving with the windows down (who cares if you Mess Your Hair Up?).

Download: White Denim – I’d Have It Just The Way We Were (Track) – MP3
Buy: White Denim - Fits (Album) 

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (featuring Julian Casablancas) – Little Girl – MP3 (2009)

“Little Girl”, featuring a intoxicating turn by a self-deprecating Julian Casablancas, echoes a more electronic-sounding Strokes, all the way down to the noodly guitar solo.
Read more on Pop Matters

Download: Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (featuring Julian Casablancas) – Little Girl (Track) – MP3
Find out why you can’t by the full album, Dark Night Of The Soul

 

Thee Oh Sees – Visit Colonel – MP3 (2008)

If Tarantino doesn’t have ‘Visit Colonel’ or another of TOS’s square-dance-in-the-devil’s-workshop floor fillers shortlisted for his next soundtrack, he’s missing a trick.

Download: Visit Colonel – Thee Oh Sees (Track) – MP3
Buy: Visit Colonel – The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In (Album)

VEGA – No Reasons – MP3 (2009)

“…an addictive brink-of-summer jam with the kind of sugary refrain that affixes to your frontal lobe…”
Read more on Pitchfork

Download: VEGA – No Reasons (Track) – MP3

The Intelligence – Thank You God For Fixing The Tape Machine – MP3 (2009)

“… some enjoyably warped/slightly demented lo-fi pop genius from Seattle’s Intelligence…”
Read more on gorilla vs bear

Download: The Intelligence – Thank You God For Fixing The Tape Machine (Track) – MP3
Buy: The Intelligence – Fake Surfers (LP)