20. Miranda Lambert

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

In 2005, Miranda Lambert released her debut album Kerosene to immense critical praise. Though none of the singles from the album reached Billboard Top 10 status, the album as a whole was often referred to as one of the best debuts ever. Now, two years later, Lambert has outdone herself with her sophomore effort, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

From the upbeat fun tracks of "Dry Town" and "Gunpowder and Lead" to the soft and soothing "Love Letters" and "More Like Here," Crazy Ex-Girlfriend successfully combines the perfect formula to make what is easily one of the top albums of the year.

- Stephen Davis

19. Arctic Monkeys

Favourite Worst Nightmare

If there's any band that has lived up to all the hype this year, it's the Arctic Monkeys. After their immensely popular debut last year thrust them into the spotlight, all eyes were on them. Amazingly though, Favourite Worst Nightmare is a thrilling follow-up that shows growth while still retaining the signature sound the Arctic Monkeys are known for.

Whether it is the frenetic guitar riffs in "Brianstorm" or the infectious drum beats in "Do Me A Favour," Favourite Worst Nightmare is solid the whole way through. It is slower paced and darker than the debut, but the Monkeys' aggressive sound and lead singer Alex Turner's witty lyrics still prevail. They even manage to cross genres, showing hints of reggae on the standout track "Fluorescent Adolescent."

With this album, the Arctic Monkeys have surpassed expectations and have proven themselves as an explosive force to look out for.

- Jo-Anne Somera

18. Various Artists

Brazil 70

This follow-up to Soul Jazz Records' Tropicalia: A Revolution in Sound introduces us to the obscure sons and daughters of that better-known period.

In 1969, two of the most important figures of the Tropicalia movement, Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, were exiled by the military dictatorship, which had gained power through the coup of 1964. While they were gone, a cultural underground - not as united as Tropicalia - developed, in which experimentation and synthesis in musical styles and lifestyles were questioned and changed, similar to the dynamics of America's growing pains in the '60s.

Communal habitats developed in Brazil's interior - groups like Secos e Molhados assumed a new stance on sexual identity; Gal Costa, the "Brazilian Janis Joplin," filled the seminal void left by Gil and Veloso; Raul Seixas wrote lyrics with Paul Coelho, the now-famous writer; and Erasmo Carlos contributed to the creation of the Jovem Guarda in Rio, "a Brazilian musical movement based around the interpretation of U.S. rock 'n' roll."

Beyond the big-picture history of the period, there are rich stories and amazing music. Like any good compilation should, Brazil 70 leads us to new artists. It also tells us that pressure makes diamonds.

- Robert Weeks

17. Jens Lekman

Night Falls Over Kortedala

Jens Lekman was sent to our time from the 1960s, unbeknown to the world, to ensure the immortality of G-rated romantic pop music much more appealing than anything "Grease" could muster. His 2007 compilation, Night Falls Over Kortedala, is packed with so many gushy, whimsical and nostalgic songs that I could comfortably dare anyone to take a listen without shimmying.

From the emotionally and instrumentally charged first track, "And I Remember Every Kiss," to the blatantly goofball fun of closer "Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo," the Swedish artist flies through a panoply of stylistic songs that target distinct emotions associated with romance. One track, "Shirin," is a true love ballad The Mamas and the Papas would have loved to think of writing first, while "I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You" captures the bitterness of leaving someone you once loved.

The best track on the album is "A Postcard To Nina" whereby Jens describes his being taken to a friend's parents' home for dinner where he is forced to act as her boyfriend. The awkwardness of the situation is intensified, because the girl (Nina) is subjecting Jens to her household to hide the fact that she's already taken - by a girl. Hilarity ensues at the expense of our narrator.

Take a stroll down memory lane with Jens Lekman on Night Falls Over Kortedala, and relive romances of old. You'll be glad you took the chance.

- Travis Bauer

16. Arcade Fire

Neon Bible

Canadian ensemble Arcade Fire's glorious debut, Funeral, was one tough act to follow, as it breathed fresh air into the indie music scene, full of energy and passion and songs you could listen to over and over and not get tired of. Somehow, Arcade Fire managed to avoid the sophomore slump, and Neon Bible is an effortless creation, with its lush instrumentation and haunting vocals, which create a rich, multi-faceted sound.

Arcade Fire uses a whole orchestra of instruments, building layer upon layer into each of their songs. "Intervention" features a sonorous pipe organ interspersed with acoustic guitar, and "No Cars Go" ends with a crescendo of drums, horns and strings.

That, with their chorus of soaring voices, makes for a powerful surge of emotion that makes Neon Bible one of the best albums of the year.

- JS

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