For fans of: the Pixies, Herman Brood, Pere Ubu

Same New Song
29. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin (Sub Pop)
BOH can frustrate you as much as they delight you, because you get the feeling that they will be making the same album over and over again for the next ten years. They do everything just a little better here. It's more mature, more sincere, more tender, and more focused, but I'm still not sure if it's better than the first album. Gone is a little bit of the raw energy that comes with a hungry band that has something to prove.

Now that they've settled into a groove, any of the already minimal fire that was to be found on LP #1 is all but gone. Luckily, they're really good at making sweet, thought-provoking pop music. The lyrics seem to be happier at times, but singer Ben Bridwell still sounds like he'd be comfortable hanging around at funerals all day.

All I know for sure is that #30 is the perfect spot for them. Last year, I put their debut album in my top 5 and in hindsight, that was a bit of a mistake. It was also a really crappy year for music, so who knows how far off I was? In 2007, they proved they have staying power, but I didn't want to place them higher than this because I can also see some repetition developing and in this day and age, it simply doesn't work.

They're going to have to find more than just one niche, because I predict that if they stay in this place, the same ol' same ol' will get tired fast. Simply look at a similar band — My Morning Jacket — and what they did on their superb Z and the possibilities immediately become obvious. Maybe Band of Horses themselves should do the same thing. The next level can be unlocked by simply paying attention to their peers. This album is gorgeous and has too many high points to mention, but it could clearly be so much better. This is the rare case where being in the top 30 is a mild disappointment.

Everything else from here on out will be more obvious and much easier picks, but the bottom line is that Cease to Begin is still a very good album. The vocals and melodies are passionate and heartwarming. The rock is a bit soft, but the messages are sincere. The earnestness shines through, even when name-dropping ex-NBA players with cool names. ("Deltef Schrempf")

For fans of: Built to Spill, Satchel, Neil Young, the Shins, Nada Surf

The Exclamation Joint
28. !!! - Myth Takes (Warp)
Any album by !!! is bound to be among the best and most rewarding albums of any given year because they love to have a good time and their main objective is to do the same for you. They do that by making dance music for clubs where glow sticks are nowhere to be found. These guys rock and they roll, but they groove better than any of that.