The incredible Canadian band The Organ (if you don’t know of them, think The Smiths with no Y chromozome) has officially announced on their

The Organ will be missed by many :’(website that they are breaking up.

This is horrible, horrible news. The Organ was one of my favorite bands for the past few years and I’m pretty sad knowing that they only released an EP (Sinking Hearts), and a full-length (Grab That Gun)—both of which are some of the best records I’ve ever heard.

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• I downloaded Civilization IV the other day. I love sim games and back in the day I was all about the Warcraft and Age of Empires. Anyway I had read a lot of good things about the Civilization series and I was pretty excited to play it and build my empire. Well, this game BLOWS!@!!!@@ WTF there’s like “turns” ?? You actually have to hit [return] like every 3 seconds to tell the game your turn is over. Ugh I wanted to kill myself after playing just the tutorial for all of 5 minutes. Not to mention there were all kinds of horrible animated scenes with ugly cgi characters getting all up in my grizzle about diplomatic relations. I don’t think anything will ever come close to the original Warcraft or Age of Empires. I downloaded Age of Empires III as well and will give that a try tonight. Otherwise I suppose I’ll play some Sim City 4, which isn’t nearly as great as I’d hoped it would be. Why do games always have to ruin themselves?

• Orange Fanta is really good until you drink more than 8oz., at which point it makes your intentines shrivel up and you will feel like gutwrenching death.

• I was bummed to hear about the James Kim saga ending in death. After actively following the story on Digg for a week, I felt so invested in the story. And the fact that it could have happened to anybody just made it so relatable and tragic :’(

• After a month of playing the horribly slowpaced, text-only online strategy game Inselkampf, I have finally amassed 80 points. I will soon be destroying all the weaklings surrounding my island.

• Am I completely retarded or is it impossible to post comments on Gawker-Media blogs such as Gawker and Deadspin?? I wanted to post a comment on Deadspin the other night to tell everyone how to stick it to the NFL Network by streaming the games on their PCs, but apparently it’s just simply not possible to register and post a comment?? WTF? Am I missing something?

• Every time I see a Scion xB business vehicle (about every 3-5 minutes if I’m driving somewhere), a shiver of rage traverses down my spine.

• Apparently The Decemberists accepted Stephen Colbert’s counter-counter challenge and will… compete in some sort of instrument challenge? I have no idea. The whole thing’s weird. And the Decemberists suck. Yeah they used to be good but they went too far with their Renaissance revival shtick and now every time I hear them I feel like I’m supposed to be dressed up as a Midieval peasant driving my friends to the Renaissance fair after our weekly Dungeons & Dragons game.

• Bob Dylan’s The Hurricane is still one of the greatest songs ever.

• Just say NO to the new NBA basketball. I vote for bringing back the cowhide. No one likes synthetic crap.

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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah burst onto the indie scene last year with an album that reminded us all of David Byrne, but in a good way.According to Aversion.com, the David Byrnesque band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! will be putting out their new album, Some Loud Thunder in January. Apparently the cd will be available for download from Insound on January 16. Huzzah!

Personally, I hate downloadable albums which is probably a contradictory statement since I hate and refuse to buy cds, but I suppose this is the way of the future. If they press it on vinyl (doubtful), I’ll be heading over to Parasol to buy a copy. But alas, that’s unlikely :’(

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I got this horrible dose of reality emailed me today from the crank people at Kranky records:

Well WTF!??@? This is horrible news, as Benoît’s debut is definitely an album worth owning on vinyl. So please send out a collective FU to Kranky records.

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Well, it’s that time of year again—that time when all the obsessive list-making indie fans turned bloggers like myself go crazy making year-end best-of lists—and this year is no different. The quantity of good albums was way less than average this year (I could barely find 30 to even consider for the top 25), but the quality more than made up for it. Pretty much each album listed here rocked my pants off and the entries near the top are among some of the best albums I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. Anyway, to the list we go~!!

EDIT/// This list has been amended. I just recently found out that Vaux’s Beyond Virtue, Beyond Vice was released in 2006 (I had always thought it was 2005). That album jumped to #14, bumping Thom Yorke’s The Eraser off the list.

	025	The Walkmen A Hundred Miles Off [Record Collection]
	Moody New York hipsters’ third album is cool, cocky, and filled with brash moments that recall vintage rock and roll. High point: Don’t Get Me Down (Come On Over Here) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	024	Two Gallants What The Toll Tells [Saddle Creek]
	The second album from this Californian duo is an earnest, booze-laden mixture of folk-punk and good old fashioned Southern rock. High point: Steady Rollin Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	023	Sparklehorse Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain [Capitol]
	Esteemed Indie recluse returns with fourth album of bizarre lyrics and morose pop melodies that masquerade as playful and sanguine. High point: Knives Of Summertime Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	022	Uncut Modern Currencies [Paper Bag]
	Overlooked Canadian band delivers a luscious and energetic album layered with breathy vocals and shoe-gazy guitars that swirl and sparkle amongst themselves. High point: Out Of Sight Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	021	…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead So Divided [Interscope]
	Seminal post-hardcore outfit’s fifth full-length is hopeful, introspective and ultimately a viscerally creative foray into the finer aspects of the genre. High point: Wasted State Of Mind Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	020	Sophia Technology Won’t Save Us [Flower Shop]
	Laced with wistful melodies and moody lyrics that fall just short of hopeful, this veteran band’s sixth album hits in all the right places. High point: Pace Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	019	You Should Go Ahead You Should Go Ahead [Chiado]
	Portugal dance punks deliver a remarkable debut that combines post-punk and synth-rock influences with a dark, modern edge. High point: Seventy-One Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	018	White Rose Movement Kick [Independiente]
	European electroclash revivalists create fusion of frantic paranoia, throbbing beats and dramatic synth-pop that’s entrancing, disturbing and mesmerizing. High point: Kick Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	017	Band Of Horses Everything All The Time [Sub Pop]
	Seattle folk rockers’ debut is a gorgeous blend of pensive lyrics, chilling vocals and exuberant reverb that bring images of the Pacific Northwest to mind. High point: The Funeral Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	016	The Draft In A Million Pieces [Epitaph]
	Following singer Chuck Ragan’s departure, remaining members of Hot Water Music regroup to write an explosive album of mouthwatering punk bursting with folk-punk melodies and blistering gusto. High point: Wired Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	015	Ratatat Classics [XL]
	Instrumental electronic rockers’ sophomore effort combines danceable hooks with vintage synths to form a jawdroppingly stimulating collection of tantalizing beats and erotic melodies. High point: Wildcat Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	014	Vaux Beyond Virtue, Beyond Vice [Vx/Outlook]
	Colorado punk band goes all Radioheady on second full-length, resulting in an epic record exploding with moody atmospherics and ethereal melodies. High point: The Last Report From Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	013	Brand New The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me [Interscope/Tiny Evil]
	New York outfit’s third album continues to expand its emo-flavored pop/punk with additional texture, neurotic lyrics and a willingness to experiment. High point: Degausser Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	012	Sound Team Movie Monster [Capitol]
	Texas band’s major label debut spans a wide gamut of styles and influences, rendering indie rock’s recent past into a tangible, cohesive microcosm. High point: TV Torso Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	012	Sparta Threes [Hollywood]
	Former members of At The Drive-In finally find their stride with the addition of ex-Engine Down guitarist Keeley Davis. The result is a cacophonous fusion of haunting vigor and divine melodies. High point: Crawl Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	010	Duels The Bright Lights & What I Should Have Learned [Nude]
	Energetic Brits’ debut is loaded with memorable power-pop balladry, occasional synths and vibrant, spirited moxie. High point: The Slow Build Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	009	Rocky Votolato Makers [Barsuk]
	Fourth solo album by displaced Texan is a deceptively simple, western-flavored collection of genuine musings backed by melancholy, acoustic folk. High point: Portland Is Leaving Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	008	Benoît Pioulard Précis [Kranky]
	Michigan Avant-Gardist’s hypnotizing debut is an unbelievably stunning assemblage of ambient folk rock with an understated delicacy that rides the crest of delusion. High point: Ext. Leslie Park Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	007	Portugal. The Man Waiter: “You Vultures” [Fearless]
	Fractured and deliberately ambiguous, these Alaskans offer up an artsy take on dance punk that’s schizophrenic, alluring, and barely avoids pretentiousness. High point: Elephants Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	006	Silversun Pickups Carnavas [Dangerbird]
	Californian band’s fuzz-drenched debut is a brilliant overhaul of mid-90s alternative rock that hinges on androgynous vocals and huge hooks. High point: Well Thought Out Twinkles Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	005	The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones [Interscope]
	Art school paramours burst back on the scene with a delicious second helping of charming art punk that trumps their debut with brooding, reflective heartache. High point: Way Out Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	004	The Knife Silent Shout [Rabid]
	Swedish weirdos combine eerie synths and freakish vocals to produce a beautifully primal dreamscape that’s vicious, haunting and utopian. High point: Marble House Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	003	I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness Fear Is On Our Side [Secretly Canadian]
	Austin band’s first full-length is a sinister modernization of post-punk doused in a chilling nocturnal decor that’s every bit as desolate and paranoid as its title would indicate. High point: Lights Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	002	Built to Spill You in Reverse [Warner Bros.]
	Doug Martsch and Co. return from five year hiatus with their most accomplished and focused effort to date—a dramatic album that’s simultaneously grandiose, inconspicious and explosive. High point: Mess With Time Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

	001	Bears Bears [Carrot Top]
	An obvious choice, this unsigned Cleveland band’s self-released debut is a near-perfect collection of psychedelically tinted folk-pop that’s altogether saccharine, vivacious and breathtaking. High point: Everywhere Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

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I emailed the wonderful lo-fi indie-pop band Bears the other day inquiring as to whether or not their breathtaking debut would ever be availabe on vinyl. I received this in my inbox today from Charlie (who’s birthday is one day after mine):

That’s delicious news for vinyl lovers like myself!! Please email them at bearspop [at] gmail [dot] com if you support this endeavor (which, you should)!!

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• Is it just me, or have I been updating this thing an awful lot lately. I wonder if anyone actually reads this.

• I really hate ESPN Page2. Not only are their writers idiots and think they need to litter their columns with iPod and YouTube references to come across as hip, but they’re also huge douchebags. Oh, and calling a team by a nickname that’s close to, but not actually, its nickname (for example, calling the Ravens the Nevermores) is NOT FUNNY. Anyway, last week, Page 2’s Scoop Jackson completely ripped off a character and idea (the Orange Roundie) from the hilarious NBA blog Yaysports. The original column appeared with no credit or link to Yaysports, whatsoever. But outrage on another popular sports blog, Deadspin, managed to get ESPN to insert a crappy credit (an afterthought in parenthesis and not even linked that stated where the name Orange Roundie originated from) to Yaysports. But they refused to change the column or take out the references to Orange Roundie, which they stole. This really pisses me off. I tried submitting it to Digg in hopes of generating some community outrage that would force ESPN to pull the column, but apparently no one cares. Please Digg it if this bothers you and/or if you hate ESPN.

• It’s been quite awhile since I’ve heard a good new album (omg a week???). That’s probably one of the factors leading to the increased amount of sports content on this site. I’ve been listening to a lot of old-school Modest Mouse, Pixies, Wolf Parade, Minus the Bear, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, et al. I posted a pretty rad cover of my favorite Sonic Youth song Diamond Sea (by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) last week. And an awesome rarity by everyone’s favorite creepily weird Scandinavian band The Knife. If you haven’t figured out by now, you can add the mp3 blogz0r RSS feed at the top of the page to your subscribed podcasts in iTunes and get each song automatically.

• If you are in a band and stuff, don’t be afraid to email me your songs. Most of your bands are crappy, but I’ve gotten some decent stuff. This band, Dead Leaf Echo recently emailed me a few mp3s and I was pretty surprised by the quality. They’re not quite there yet, but there’s definitely a hint of some promising things to come. They sort of have the whole post-Pixies, post-Joy Division vibe that a lot of indie bands are rocking these days. With a little booze and some heartbreak, this band could be awesome.

• Am I the only one who remembers Dweebs (Nerds’ less sour and more circular cousin) and will forever resent Willy Wonka for discontinuing them?

• To anyone that actually read my interview with Ray Frenden, this will be a recurring series focusing on various artists, illustrators and designers that I eKnow. Stay tuned.

• Florida is heading to the BCS championship game. It’s painfully obvious that no one wanted to see Michigan make it. There’s no reason whatsoever that Florida shouldn’t have already been ahead of Michigan if they weren’t ranked above them before this weekend. That said, I have no problem with the decision, though I don’t think they can beat Ohio State.

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Well, only three weeks to go in the regular season, and this might have been the strangest yet. A few highlights: the Bears’ offense played about as bad as humanly possible (even worse than that infamous Monday night game against the Cardinals) and won. The Raiders’ defense played about as good as humanly possible and lost. Both the Raiders and Texans had fans wishing it was Kill Yourself Day™ in Oakland. And Ladainian scored again.

• The Colts lost to a suddenly-reborn-with-Vince-Young-at-the-helm Titans team on a last second 60 yard field goal. Yes that’s two weeks in a row the Titans have come from behind to win on a field goal. 78 rushing yards for Young. Steve McWho??

• 178 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs and 14 receiving yards for Ladainian Tomlinson. Best RB ever? Too soon?

• Trent Green threw 4 TDs and Larry Johnson had 110 rushing yards but the Chiefs still managed to lose to the Browns, on a field goal in OT.

• Rex Grossman, who should probably change his name to Rex Disgustingman pretty soon, completed 6 of 19 passes for 34 yards and 3 interceptions. That’s a 1.3 quarterback rating, in case you were wondering. Amazingly, that wasn’t even the low passing yard total of the day. Yet the Bears still managed to win thanks to a defensive TD and another Devin Hester punt return for a touchdown.

• WTF @ the Jets scoring 38 points. Well, I guess they did play the Packers, but Chad Pennington probably didn’t even know football scores could be this high.

Who the crap is this dude???• The Cardinals actually won a game (over the Rams, who would probably allow over 100 yards rushing to Stanford), and Edgerrin James became the first Cardinals running back to rush for 100+ yards in… over two years. But for some reason, every time they got into the red zone, out went James and in came… Marcel Shipp?? Yes, Marcel Shipp. He scored 3 TDs—the first, second and third time he’s managed to get into the endzone since scoring 3 in a game four years ago… against the Rams.

• Drew Brees threw for less than 300 yards for the first time in like, 100 years. So how did the Saints win? Well, Reggie Bush scored 4 TDs to go with 131 receiving and 37 rushing yards. That’s four times more than he had scored so far this season (not including his punt return TD).

• Kill Yourself Day™ in Oakland saw the Raiders lose another

Sebastian Janikowski sucks at life more than anyone else in the NFLgame despite only allowing 32 yards passing. That’s right, David Carr didn’t even complete a pass in the second half. The Raiders also had 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and a touchdown. Luckily for them they employ the worst kicker in the history of the universe (Sebastian Janikowski) who missed 3 more field goals. And just to make sure you were paying attention, he made sure to hit the uprights on two of them.

• Chris Chambers caught 121 yards against a tough Jacksonville defense, seemingly giving the finger to all the fantasy owners who had him benched because he is averaging like 2 yards a game this year.

• The Cowboys won on a last second field goal despite releasing douchebag kicker Mike Vander Jagt earlier this week and signing Martin Gramatica, who hadn’t kicked in the NFL for two years. He nailed a 46 yarder with 1 second left. No pressure.

• The Seahawks beat the Broncos in the Sunday night game—on a last second field goal that probably kicked the Broncos out of the playoff picture. Also, Broncos linebacker Al Wilson snapped his head back going for a loose ball and laid on the field for quite awhile before getting carted off on a stretcher and taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The word is it’s just a sprained neck and he could move his extremities.

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I’m watching the USC and UCLA game right now, and I think it’s time for college football fans to rise up and say what everyone’s been thinking all year:

USC does not deserve to play in the national championship.

Michigan does. Do I need to remind you that their only loss this year came by three points, AT Ohio State???

Michigan deserves to play in the national championship, but no one likes a rematch so they’re most likely headed to the Rose Bowl.There are three teams right now that are garnering talk of playing in the BCS title game: USC, Michigan and Florida.

USC LOST to Oregon State, only won by six to Washington State, six to Washington, seven to Arizona State and very well might lose to UCLA.

Florida lost to a good, ranked Auburn team; barely beat a ranked Tennessee; and barely beat Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. They also played in one of the toughest conferences in the country (the SEC) and appear to be on their way to winning the championship.

Then there’s Michigan. Though the Big 10 isn’t the toughest of conferences, they’ve still managed quality wins over then #2 Notre Dame and Wisconsin. And, to pound you over the head with this some more: their ONLY loss was by just three points AT Ohio State.

When you have multiple teams with one loss all vying for a spot in the championship game, you go with the team with the toughest loss. That team is Michigan. The only reason people don’t want to see them is because for some reason no one likes a rematch. Michigan actually went down a spot in the BCS WITHOUT even playing.

Well I’m here to tell you: I like rematches. I like them a lot. They’re like the good kind of movie sequels (like Back to the Future). If Michigan were Back the the Future and USC were Cruel Intentions and Florida were American Pie, I don’t think we’d be disputing this. Michigan would be safely in the championship—ready and willing to defend Marty McFly’s honor.

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The 500 albums project is a comprehensive list of my favorite records ever released. It was incredibly difficult to rate such a massive amount of music and this is probably as close as I can ever hope to come to compiling such a detailed archive. From the culturally significant and historically important to the largely ignored or underrated, this list represents all the music that I will forever cherish. It will grow by the hundreds in the coming days and weeks so please keep checking back until the project is complete.

EDIT: I am totally sucking at this project. I would still like to finish it eventually, but with so much awesome new music constantly coming out, it is rather difficult.

	001	The Pixies Bossanova [1990; 4AD]
	The Pixies’ third LP consummated Black Francis’ genius blend of weird, cryptic lyrics with his prodigious vocal sensibilities (which ranged from caustic to ethereal and alternated without hesitation); resulting in a record stuffed with surrealistic undertones, alien imagery and surf-laden love songs which would influence nearly every indie band for the next two decades.

	002	Neutral Milk Hotel In The Aeroplane Over The Sea [1998; Merge]
	A stunning assemblage of gorgeous instrumentation intertwined with jarringly melodic vocals—all the more striking when paired with Jeff Mangum’s creepy, demented lyrical subject matter. Neutral Milk Hotel’s sophomore album showcased Mangum’s innate ability to unearth the beauty of human frailty.

	003	Nirvana MTV Unplugged In New York [1994; Geffen]
	In one of rock’s most memorable and chilling performances, grunge’s reluctant savior Kurt Cobain humbly surrendered to an impassioned display of humor, dejection and heartache—effortlessly transcending his already iconic stature by way of haunting, acoustic renditions of classic Nirvana songs and several obscure covers. The session was recorded less than six months before his death and serves as an ideal, if unforseen, curtain call.

	004	Weezer The Blue Album [1994; Geffen]
	Fueled by Rivers Cuomo’s sugary vocals, infectious songwriting and lyrics ranging from dungeons & dragons to KISS, Weezer’s self-titled debut taught an entire generation of kids how to be cool whilst wearing black-rimmed glasses and cardigan sweaters. The hipster bingo card in its current fashion simply wouldn’t exist without the influence of this geeky, distortion-soaked oeuvre.

	005	Hum You’d Prefer an Astronaut [1995; RCA]
	A sonic barrage of droning guitars, druggy vocals and blazing feedback with lyrics that could moonlight as a crash-course in science or astronomy, Hum’s major label debut simultaneously glimmered with hope and drowned in despair—ultimately imploding into a bottomless pit of beautifully dismal malaise.

	006	The Pixies Doolittle [1989; 4AD/Elektra]
	The Pixies’ second LP expanded on the abrasive nature of their debut by revealing an increasingly mature sense of songwriting and eventually coalescing into a sensational mixture of sporadically playful he-she vocals, erratic guitars and humorously gruesome subtext. Doolittle showcased Black Francis’ aptitude for catchy surf-drenched hooks and propelled him to the indie rock legend he has since become.

	007	Radiohead OK Computer [1997; Parlophone/Capitol]
	One of the few artistic bands to gain international stardom while staying true to their unconventional music approach (an uncompromising cavalcade of instruments which at times border on cathartic and even inaccessible to casual listeners), Radiohead’s OK Computer was a postmodern stew of foreboding instrumentation, cryptic lyrics and hypnotic vocal paranoia—vaulting the band to its rightful place as one of the greatest in history.

	008	Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights [2002; Matador]
	Characterized by Paul Banks’ slightly disconnected, Ian Curtis-esque vocals and enveloped with narcotic guitars, pulsating basslines and heavy drums, Interpol’s critically acclaimed debut deftly redefined post-punk with a renewed sense of importance and a detached, melodramatic elegance.

	009	Modest Mouse Good News For People Who Love Bad News [2004; Epic]
	Modest Mouse’s most mature and accessible record, Good News For People Who Love Bad News was the perfect sequel to the bitter, antagonistic Moon & Antarctica. Isaac Brock’s existential lyrics are not just typically brilliant but also encompass an auxiliary serenity and a much more sophisticated understanding of the universe.

	010	My Bloody Valentine Loveless [1991; Creation/Sire]
	Overflowing with densely layered guitars and dreamy vocals to form a colossal wall of sound shrouded in quasi-sexual imagery, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless pulses, vibrates and evolves like a living, breathing organism—eventually overwrought by the complexity of its own existence and surrendering to an everlasting eternity of frozen love.

	011	The Brian Jonestown Massacre Thank God For Mental Illness [1996; Bomp/Tangible]
	An apt title for an album essentially written by psychotic genius Anton Newcombe, Thank God For Mental Illness exemplifies The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s brand of neo-retro drug-fueled hippie pop. Championed by increasingly complex musicianship and a dirty, drugged-up eastern influence, this record showcases the band at its finest.

	012	National Skyline This=Everything [2001; File 13]
	Intricate and demure, National Skyline’s sophomore album treads further into the icy cold territory of post-rock; sparkling and shimmering with the flare of a frozen wasteland. This=Everything is a sensory overload scourged with chilling synths, ethereal samples and emotionless drum loops.

	013	Engine Down Engine Down [2004; Lookout]
	Engine Down’s fourth album decidedly absolved the band from their math-rock tendencies and instead acted as a vehicle for Keeley Davis’ seductively discordant vocals. Combining layered harmonies with tumultuous waves of distortion and thundering drums, the band effortlessly skirts the line between radio-friendly pretense and demiurgic integrity

	014	Pidgeon From the Gutter With Love [2004; Absolutely Kosher]
	Pidgeon’s guttural take on Pixies-esque loud-soft-and-loud-again indie rock is an exquisitely dirty musical mélange of delicate rasping and brutal ass-kicking that [gently] pulverizes everything in its way. Equal parts love songs and kegstands, From the Gutter With Love is an unquestionably flawless piece of work by an unfortunately overlooked band.

	015	The Jesus & Mary Chain Darklands [1987; Blanco Y Negro]
	Having almost completely abandoned the feedback-soaked guitar massacre that characterized their early releases, the Reid brothers inverted the formula—resulting in a refined, introspective resilience which could pass for a dark, rainy day in and of itself. Haunting and morose, Darklands paints (scribbles, even) a picture of a barren landscape so far removed from reality that only shadows can survive.

	016	The Organ Grab That Gun [2004; Mint]
	Though essentially a Smiths record without a Y chromosome, The Organ’s debut LP is a voyeuristic joyride of self-deprecation and slit-my-wrists style diary entries chillingly sung by not-quite-drama-queen Katie Sketch. Stark, succinct and ultimately exhumed of its grave subject matter by a subtle glimmer of hope, Grab That Gun is a sort of timeless suicide faux pas—riding the wave of near-death with an inherently cool nonchalance

	017	Circa Survive Juturna [2005; Equal Vision]
	Androgynous and sexy, Circa Survive’s Juturna is an ambiguous soundscape of frozen warmth and blinding ethereality. Synapses pulse, neurons shiver and tension builds exponentially throughout the icy hallucinations of this celestial vignette.

	018	The Knife Deep Cuts [2003; Rabid]
	A schizophrenic kaleidoscope of beautifully psychotic recordings that render themselves as a physical manifestation of sexual abstraction—Deep Cuts is a gleeful deconstruction of normalcy; a bitter call and response between lethal warriors and young, silent lovers.

	019	The Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream [1993; Virgin]
	The Smashing Pumpkins’ second album moved further away from their earlier masturbatory guitar solos and blithe optimism towards a sense of hopelessness and unequivocal melancholia. Endless layers of thundering, fuzz-drenched guitars and complex, jazz-influenced drumming provide the perfect adversary for Corgan’s storybook lyrics and nasal gloom.

	020	The Dandy Warhols Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia [2000; Capitol]
	Just like their iconic namesake Andy Warhol, the Dandys have an ingenius grip on pop culture. Combined with their sleazy, drugged-up power pop, it forms a precocious mishmash of irony-laced sarcasm and a pompous arrogance so egregious its derisive of itself—letting loose an indigenous guise of cool that further lends credit to the band’s sneering cynicism.

	021	The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike [2004; Memphis Industries]
	An uncompromising assault of avant garde cheerleading, retro theme songs, urban funk and schoolyard anthems, Thunder, Lightning, Strike deconstructs decades worth of music—creating a cultural collage so surreal it transcends history and becomes a microcosmic effigy of music itself.

	022	65daysofstatic The Fall of Math [2004; Monotreme]
	A math rock album in post-rock clothing, The Fall of Math is a torrential musical soundstorm—constantly on the verge of chaos and riding the wave of apocalypse for all it’s worth. Thundering bass, robotic drums and atmospheric (if catastrophic) guitars impulse and surge like a sonic expedition through an ashen wasteland.

	023	The Brian Jonestown Massacre Bravery, Repetition & Noise [2001; Tee Pee]
	Arguably The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s most accessible work, Bravery, Repetition & Noise is much more refined and introspective than the band’s prior Rolling Stonesian drug-freakouts. Anton Newcombe’s genuinely honest and concise songwriting portray a truly unhappy man accepting his sorrow and at peace with his past.

	024	Nirvana In Utero [1993; DGC/Sub Pop]
	Nirvana’s third and final studio album was even more abrasive and poppy than its predecessors—crawling with dark, submissive subject matter and pulverizing hooks. Kurt Cobain’s grating vocals perfectly complemented Steve Albini’s corrosive production style, resulting in a record as disturbing as it is catchy and solidifying the band’s reputation as the demigods of grunge.

	025	The Microphones The Glow Pt. 2 [2001; K]
	The crowning achievement of lo-fi mastermind Phil Elverum (formerly Elvrum), The Glow Pt. 2 is a sprawling, do-it-yourself collage of simplistic folk-pop, bizarre segues and boyish vocals. Elvrum gracefully and carefully balances the line between embarrassing pretentiousness and genuine poetry.

	026	Bears Bears [2006; Carrot Top]
	Beautiful, catchy, happy, sad, and everything in between, Bears’ self-titled debut is the epitome of indie pop. Layered with lush bedroom-style instrumentation and laconic singing, it’s a delicious fairy-tale in a fantasy land of sugar, love and honey.

	027	Weezer Pinkerton [1996; Geffen]
	A dark tale of boys and girls and love and puberty, Pinkerton showcased Weezer at an artistic high point. Steve Albini’s typically biting production provided a brilliant companion for Cuomo’s still sugary vocals, creating a pseudo diary of harmonies and sing-alongs for an entire generation of boys to hate their girlfriends to.

	028	The Sound From the Lion’s Mouth [1981; Konova]
	The Sound’s sophomore LP was an overlooked post-punk masterpiece somehow lost in the sea of Joy Divisions, Echo & the Bunnymens and Robert Smiths of the early 80s. It unfolds in the form of a haunting voyage through a black and white world of death and gloom—altogether frozen and timeless.

	029	The Stone Roses The Stone Roses [1989; Silvertone]
	The Stone Roses’ debut was a meandering, volatile haze of psychedelic pop and danceable acid-house beats. Ian Brown’s casual arrogance gave the album a cool nonchalance—his voice dissolving in the mixture of swirling guitars and rhythmic drums like a drug itself.

	030	New Order Get Ready [2001; London]
	Despite gaining international recognition for their flawless mixture of post-punk and dancefloor synth pop, New Order’s apogee actually came during the guitar-charged Get Ready. Bernard Sumner’s silky vocals purveyed an icy sea of calm-turned-catastrophe when paired with such surging attitude and melodious keyboards. In addition, the band’s rejuvinated (if feigned) youth effectively relegated their past to mere footnotes of the 80s.

	031	Radiohead Kid A [2000; EMI/Parlophone/Captiol]
	The long-awaited sequel to OK Computer was a decidedly antisocial excursion into the mind of a madman. Ice cold in sound and schizophrenic in personality, Kid A plays out like a sort of humanless, timeless mirage only visible to the frozen surroundings accurately depicted on the album cover.

	032	Radiohead The Bends [1995; Parlophone/Captiol]
	While only hinting at the artistic genius of their future material, Radiohead’s second album was a breathtaking collection of catchy, atmospheric pop music in its own right. Brimming with Thom Yorke’s moody vocals and bizarre lyrics, The Bends showcased the germination of the band’s emerging creativity.

	033	Sonic Youth Goo [1990; DGC]
	Further distancing themselves from the avant-garde, street-theatre antics of their early work, Sonic Youth’s major label debut was even more impressive than the critically hailed Daydream Nation. Defiantly accessible while still retaining the band’s integrity, Goo was smothered in dissonance, noise and intellectually obscure subject matter.

	034	Modest Mouse The Moon & Antarctica [2000; Epic]
	A tantalizing, existential concept album, The Moon & Antarctica meanders in and out of consciousness—evolving slowly as Isaac Brock’s brilliant lyrics unfold. The album is something of a deity in itself, telling a story of an antagonistic universe created, aged and ultimately destroyed.

	035	Built to Spill You in Reverse [2006; Warner Bros.]
	Built to Spill’s sixth full-length perfectly encapsulates Doug Martsch’s Neil Youngesque vocal delivery and the band’s penchant for subtle hooks and non-obtrusive guitar solos. You in Reverse seems almost coy upon first glance—a dark, acquiescent remittance that when dissected further reveals exactly the opposite, resulting in an epic record of thinly veiled discontent masqueraded by faux hope.

	036	Minus the Bear Menos El Oso [2005; Suicide Squeeze]
	Sexually charged and loaded with images of drinking, drugs, posh yachts and murderous strangers, Menos El Oso is a beautifully tragic yet humorous reflection of everyday American life—made all the more captivating by the band’s intoxicating dynamics, sudden tempo shifts and Jake Snider’s mindblowing lyrics.

	037	The Faint Danse Macabre [2001; Saddle Creek]
	The Faint continued their descent into the world of post-apocalyptic dance punk with the release of Danse Macabre—a pitch-black Delphian blend of throbbing synthesizers, pounding beats and robotic vocals. Even darker than its predecessors, the album forays into a world of vicious danceclubs populated by armies of neo-human drones.

	038	Catherine Wheel Ferment [1992; Fontana]
	A dreamy, shoegazing thunderstorm of mesmeric vocals atop clouds of brooding melodies, Catherine Wheel’s debut was a gorgeous addition to its genre. Its core beauty is so immense—perhaps even immortal—it literally bleeds out of every note; every fill; and every stare-at-the-floor burst of distortion.

	039	Juno A Future Lived in Past Tense [2001; De Soto]
	Juno’s second album was a genre defying, sensory deprived hallucination of aggression and submission confined to its fatal proviso. Altogether claustrophobic and desperate and tragic, it’s a calamity of post-rock allusions and math rock dynamics consummated with a slowcore finesse.

	040	…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead Source Tags & Codes [2002; Interscope]
	A breathtaking, intrinsically sculpted creation of energy and vehemence, Source Tags & Codes expanded on the post-hardcore qualities of its predecessors by adding even more passion and a cleaner, more sophisticated production. Such texture better emphasized the searing music, allowing the intricate subtleties to stand out amidst their stentorian adversaries.

	041	I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness Fear Is On Our Side [2006; Secretly Canadian]
	I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness’ debut LP is a sinister modernization of post-punk doused in a desolation wholly indicative of its namesake. Graced in a chilling nocturnal decor, Fear Is On Our Side (just barely) glimmers with enough hope to bleed desaturated love.

	042	The New Pornographers Twin Cinema [2005; Matador]
	Led by the delectable harmonies of Carl Newman and Neko Case, The New Pornographers’ Twin Cinema is a gloriously sunny, apple pie flavored escape from the drawl of everday suburban life. Indisputably sweet and unquestionably honest, it’s a thoroughly heartwarming incursion of vintage, cinematic beauty.

	043	Blonde Redhead Misery is a Butterfly [2004; 4AD]
	An impeccably gorgeous and immaculately surreal orchestration of beauty(think Japanese-girl-on-acid-dancing-in-a-forest-full-of-dead-butterflies), Misery is a Butterfly tells a stunning tale of an enchanting world filled with possibilities but ultimately doomed to its under-laden evils

	044	The Knife Silent Shout [2006; Rabid]
	The Knife’s third LP continued even moreso down the freakishly dreamlike territory the band had become so fond of. Equal parts murderous nightmare and utopian fantasy, Silent Shout is a wickedly insane, neo-primitive battlecry between delusional savages.

	045	Deftones Around the Fur [1997; Maverick/Warner Bros.]
	Around the Fur is a ruthless salvo of distortion camoflouged by Chino Moreno’s poetically obscure lyrics and jaw-dropping vocal finesse. Moreno’s angelic singing disguises an otherwise typically nu-metal record and gives it the sensual wings it needs to take off and fly through the angry clouds of love and desire

	046	The Brian Jonestown Massacre And This Is Our Music [2003; Tee Pee]
	Though not quite as immediately accessible as its predecessor, And This Is Our Music pits Anton Newombe’s quivering sanity against an increasingly acoustic canvas of arcane folk music. The outcome is a beautifully sedated manifestation of man-vs-drugs; a bird’s-eye view of a tortured half-junkie, half-genius.

	047	The Dandy Warhols Come Down [1997; Capitol]
	Though not as ingeniously snide as its successor, The Dandy Warhols’ sophomore album is still a pop-cultural juggernaut laced with druggy hooks and a witty attitude that shapes the bands’ pompous arrogance as much as defines it. Come Down molds power-pop with psych rock in true chic fashion.

	048	Nirvana Nevermind [1991; DGC/Sub Pop]
	Nirvana’s breakthrough album was nothing short of a pummeling beat-down of society—and the single cathartic zeitgeist of the 90s. Led by Kurt Cobain’s raging, pop-inflected vocals, Nevermind is a cacophony of deafening angst and heartfelt, melodic pop music.

	049	At The Drive-In Relationship of Command [2000; Grand Royal/Fearless]
	At The Drive-In’s final album molded semi-accessible hooks with complex time signatures, convoluted guitars and intelligently insane lyrics to form a psychotic sensory overload that assaults, berates, and enlightens everything in its path. Relationship of Command is an unknowing aural Benzedrine for a band constantly veering toward madness.

	050	Pinback Blue Screen Life [2001; Ace Fu]
	Pinback’s second LP was overloaded in a quiet, charismatic tension that was simultaneously calming and unnerving. Zach Smith and Rob Crow’s genius is revealed in their smooth blend of hypnotic beats, mellow vocals and quirky melodies that embrace a subtle sadness lurking just beneath the surface.

	051	Frank Black Frank Black [1993; 4AD/Elektra]
	Considerably more relaxed and conventional than his previous work, Frank Black’s first post-Pixies record still demonstrated his exceptional skill for writing catchy pop songs with weird underlying imagery—ultimately forming a sort of microcosm of Black’s varied musical influences.

	052	The Notwist Neon Golden [2002; Virgin/Domino]
	The Notwist’s third album moved even closer to the full-fledged lap-pop the band had been toying with since their noisy debut. Neon Golden is a labrynth of cryogenically frozen Baroque melodies backed by lazily subdued hip-hop beats that slowly mesmerize and eventually fade to black.

	053	Denali The Instinct [2003; Jade Tree]
	Amplified by Maura Davis’ stunningly ethereal vocals, Denali’s sophomore album is something of a heavenly entity in istelf. Davis’ breathtaking virtuosity adds a classical sheen to the band’s polished backdrop, forming an album so contemptuously beautiful it beckons the tears of God.

	054	Nick Drake Pink Moon [1972; Island]
	Haunting, graceful and years ahead of its time, Nick Drake’s Pink Moon was an astonishing collection of acoustic folk draped in stark melodies and barren minimalism. Drake’s bleak delivery, succinct songwriting and barely-feigned contentment created a poignant tension made even more chilling following his untimely death.

	055	The Legends Up Against the Legends [2004; Lakeshore S]
	Drenched in reverb and layered with unbelievably catchy melodies, The Legends’ debut was a brilliant modernization of classic Jesus-and-Mary-Chain style noise-pop. With nine members each lending their prodigious skills, the band’s incisive songs bleed together to form a sugar-coated collage of evocative vignettes.

	056	The Arcade Fire Funeral [2004; Merge]
	A gorgeous collection of explosive anthems, morbid subject matter and quirky songwriting, Funeral was quite literally birthed from death. The band’s frequent visits to the mortuary during the recording of their debut album contributed to a somber but celebratory record that equally mourned and caroused.

	057	Spoon Girls Can Tell [2001; Merge]
	Eccentric dynamics and a brash, slightly conceited attitude characterized Spoon’s third album. Britt Daniel’s crafty songwriting and passive-agressive delivery resulted in a coarse, memorable record that flowed seamlessly despite its eclectic span of influences.

	058	Sonic Youth Daydream Nation [1988; Enigma]
	Daydream Nation showcased Sonic Youth effortlessly transcending the genre boundaries normally associated with the kind of innovative noise rock they were so fond of. The album saw the band moving further toward genuine song structures and eliciting a deeper understanding of their unique combination of dischordant avant-garde and conventional pop music.

	059	Pavement Wowee Zowee [1995; Matador]
	Even more blasé than his band’s previous work, Wowee Zowee further magnified Stephen Malkmus’ lethargic delivery and off-kilter stoner medleys—resulting in a record brimming with lazily sublime noise pop that was equally challenging and approachable.

	060	The Afghan Whigs Gentlemen [1993; Elektra]
	The Afghan Whigs’ deep, rhythmic grooves were a perfect backdrop for Greg Dulli’s rugged swagger—melding together to form a bluesy mix of drunken ballads and danceable vigor that borrowed as much from classic R&B as it did from rock and pop.

	061	The Church Starfish [1988; Arista]
	Dripping with sparkling post-punk melodies and a despairing subtext, The Church’s seventh album was by far their most aspiring and ambitious to date. Starfish was a gorgeous, introspective record showcasing the band’s elegant arrangements, which conveyed a subtle optimism that added auxiliary depth to the album’s inherent hopelessness.

	062	Guided By Voices Alien Lanes [1995; Matador]
	The brainchild of one of indie rock’s most prolific figures, Guided By Voices was a brilliant vehicle for Robert Pollard’s short and to the point booze-tinged anthems. Alien Lanes exhibits Pollard’s remarkable gift for writing delightfully sloppy lo-fi pop fragments and half-drunk DIY gems that are both exciting and memorable.

	063	Yo La Tengo I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One [1997; Matador]
	A brazen pastiche of indie music trends, Yo La Tengo managed to take a vast assortment of styles and influences and fuse them into a genre-gapping trove of deliciously catchy pop songs that effortlessly segued through themselves with intimacy and confidence.

	064	Engine Down Demure [2002; Lovitt]
	Engine Down’s third album was moody, edgy and panoramic—a deft transition from the emo flavor of their previous records. Abreast with abrupt time changes and jagged dissonance, Keeley Davis’ nondescript vocals gave each song an incredible sense of immediacy and [implied] despair.

	065	The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones [2006; Interscope]
	Apparently satisfied with the art school cred they received from their gritty debut, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs sophomore album was nearly devoid of the avant-garde dance punk that brought them to the forefront of the New York art punk scene. Propelled by Nick Zinner’s deceptively simple backdrops and Karen O’s sexy vocals, Show Your Bones is deliciously charming and thoughtful while retaining just enough gusto to preserve the band’s danceable, artsy panache.

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