Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

This dense album from this husband and wife fronted Canadian outfit is full of gems. There is a definite connection to 80s new wave, but in a way that pays homage rather than just shamelessly apeing. The lyrics create a real sense of pain for those who still feel a crucial connection to the idealism and optimism of youth but find themselves facing adult realities. Brilliantly paced, you can listen to this album from track 1 through to 16 without getting bored. This one has been on my frequently played list for ages now and I’m not sick of it yet...

Best Coast - Crazy for you

Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno are the songwriting duo behind this refreshing album that is set to become a favourite for me over summer (as I drive with my roof down). There’s just so much to like about this album, from the simple production values (but intentional sound), through to the simplicity of the song construction and relative vacuousness of the lyrics (basically, boy/girl stuff). This is a short, simple, brilliant album that flushes away all of the pretension from the rest of your collection. Despite its simplicity, these songs will take a long while to become tiresome.

Laura Marling - I speak because I can

The striking thing about Laura Marling is her mature voice (she’s 20). I can’t listen to her without thinking ‘Joni Mitchell’. But she brings something totally original to the folk genre despite near vocal perfection. There may be a smidgen too much banjo for my liking, but her voice makes it totally worthwhile. The themes covered on this album demonstrate a life wisdom, especially around the often confused reality of womanhood.

Club 8 - The boy who couldn’t stop dreaming

Ok, so a couple of years old now, and I’m only just listening to this. I’m a sucker for introspective albums with dreamy, reverby vocals, and this album from Club 8 is perfect to reset the soul at the end of the day. Orchestral, etherial, deep. The album swoops through decades of influences, touching each lightly and creating a beautifully coherent sound. Club 8 is one of many projects from Swedish musician Johan Ångergard, who proves to be an endlessly talented and artistic individual (and label owner).

Deerhunter - Halycon Digest

This four piece US indie outfit have produced a wonderfully textured album with Halycon Digest. Their style is self described as “ambient punk”. There’s a strong pseudo-religious overtone to some of this album, which I’m still processing with lyrics like, “I'm saved, I'm saved!" and "I felt his presence heal me.” Yes, banjo and harmonica ruin this a bit, but overall a standout release in the latter half of 2010.

Check out a track below, or listen to it in it’s entirety until September 28 (US) courtesy NPR.