Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

10. Afghan Wigs - Do To The Beast (Sub Pop) I'll be the first to admit that I was late to the party with the Afghan Wigs, missing out on Greg Dulli's soulful vocals and the dark subject matter that makes the band original until long after they broke up. So I was waiting with bated breath for new material. Like Mark Lanegan, Dulli is a masterful singer who knows how to shine in any given situation and adeptly takes control of the mood and the tone of any song he sings. Do To The Beast sounds fuller than the older records, relying on more instrumentation to give the record a punchy, full feel, but the band's gritty vibe remains intact. "Parked Outside" comes on strong and powerful, a ferocious salvo that takes your breath away. "Matamoros" contains electronics but they don't take away from Dulli's clever phrasing and expressive yowl, although the violins make the track feel even more seasick. "Algiers," the first single off the record...

29. Ryan Bingham - Tomorrowland Bingham is a survivor. He has released several great records of rootsy rock 'n' roll, while walking a tightrope between immense popularity and guarded obscurity. His worn vocals have been compared to everyone from Tom Waits to Steve Earle; they are referred to far too often as whiskey-soaked. Yet they are an acquired taste. He garnered tons of acclaim for "The Weary Kind," from The Crazy Heart soundtrack, yet retreated to his own label for Tomorrowland . In many cases, Bingham would be seen as a country outsider, more akin to the outlaw songwriting camp of Billie Joe Shaver than that of Waylon Jennings. Tomorrowland maps this divide. Ever the iconoclast, Bingham does what he wants, whether he falls into a comfortable groove or rocks harder than Nashville has seen in years. The record isn't as big on production, nor is it as rock 'n' roll as his earlier ones, but Bingham has created an honest, heartfelt a...