7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — Fever to Tell (Interscope). Another album that received its share of hype after the release of a single EP is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Fever to Tell. Like no other that I heard in 2003, this record drips with sex, pairing dirty rock riffs and Karen O's lusty rants and squeals. Compared to the band's first two EPs, though, the YYY's not only tone the raucous rock down a bit on this record, but they also experiment with song structure (e.g., "No No No") and electronics (especially with my fave, "Rich"). Both changes work to single out Karen O's commanding vocal performance (check out the pulsating "Pin", the engaging "Maps" and the gorgeous closer, "Modern Romance"). I do not mean to imply that the YYY's have gone softie on us, as "Date with a Night" and "Tick" attest — the trio has simply broadened their sound. Stream two excellent tracks off Fever to Tell: the dirty rock of "Date with a Night" and the previously mentioned "Maps" at Epitonic.

6. The Shins — Chutes Too Narrow (Sub Pop). In 2001, the Shins released, Oh, Inverted World, one of the best albums of the last five years. Bold statement? Hell yes. So, you see, I had already discounted my expectations for this year's release — until I heard their jaw-dropping first single, "So Says I" (download from Sub Pop), put out prior to the album's release date. Though nothing else matches the brilliance of the first single, the Shins' sophomore effort, unlike the Strokes' Room on Fire, earns these props on its own merits. While certain songs recall the overall vibe of the first album (e.g., "Kissing the Lipless"), the Shins do tread new waters with Chutes Too Narrow. On this divergent path are a few tracks that have a distinct Kinks-esque off-kilter pop feel (e.g., "Fighting in a Sack" and "Turn a Square") and other more subdued (though magnetic) songs situated toward the record's close. While Chutes may not flow as smoothly as Inverted World, it is certainly an admirable follow-up record.

5. Cex — Being Ridden (Temporary Residence). With Being Ridden, a melting pot of hip hop, IDM, folksy acoustic guitar, pop, rock, and one hell of a lot of sarcasm, 21-year old Rjyan Kidwell (a.k.a. Cex) proves to be a musician well beyond his years. This is no coming-of-age album for Kidwell, who certainly came into his own sometime within the last six years, during which time he released at least 6 full-length albums and co-founded the cutting edge independent label, Tigerbeat 6. Being Ridden is without question one of the most original albums of the year, and Cex is woefully neglected by the underground media. But this is not new to Kidwell, as his "Earth-Shaking Event" lyrics demonstrate: "Middle finger to the indie rock singers / Middle finger to the whack MCs / Middle finger to the uncreative underground..." Download MP3s "Earth-Shaking Event" and instrumental version of a non-album track called "Bad Girls" at the Temporary Residence website. You can also download "Arms Length" and an instrumental version of "Earth-Shaking Event" courtesy of Rjyan's own website, where you will also find tracks from his previous albums.