Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

Honorable Mentions (In No Particular Order): Fuzz - Fuzz II (In The Red) Meatwave - Delusion Moon (SideOneDummy) Hop Along - Painted Shut (Saddle Creek) The Bottle Rockets - South Broadway Athletic Club (Bloodshot) Lucero - All A Man Should Do (ATO) Will Johnson - Swan City Vampires (Undertow) Turnpike Troubadours - Self-Titled (Bossier City) Lou Barlow - Brace the Wave (Domino) Eileen Jewell - Sundown Over Ghost Town (Signature Sounds) Yo La Tengo - Stuff Like That There (Matador)

20. Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth (Merge) John Darnielle needs little introduction. He consistently writes and releases literary, life-affirming records that show up on yearly best-of lists. Since he started recording with a full band, Darnielle has crafted works of quiet beauty with an attention to more intricate instrumentation. Yet something has been missing since 2006's Get Lonely , and I found myself listening less. Darnielle's story-telling seemed to be stuck in a rut; his songs became samey and trite. Maybe I had listened for too many years and I needed a break. Transcendental Youth changes that; Darnielle seems to be back on the right path. He is less concerned with song cycles and instruments, and more focused on crafting lovely, literate songs. 19. Justin Townes Earle - Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now (Bloodshot) While not as strong as the last two, Earle's new record is still excellent. There is never a truly bum...