#4 Yves Tumor "Heaven To A Tortured Mind"
What I would consider to be one of the best rock records of the year is by an experimental electronic artist? The album ends up being an original oddball blend of different rock styles, not unlike a certain late chameleon made a career out of. Standouts are "Gospel For A New Century", "Kerosene!", "Romanticist", "Dream Palette" and "Strawberry Privilege".
#5 Sammy Brue "Crash Test Kid"
This one is a more of a straight forward rock record. Great songwriting and a fun set of tracks ranging in style from americana and blues to punk and power pop. Standouts include "Megawatt", "Teenage Mayhem", "True Believer", "Skatepark Doomsday Blues" and "Gravity".
A top 10 album of last decade, in my book. A central R&B focus, yet so ambitious with its mixture of other genres ranging from baroque pop, psychedelic rock, classical, and hip-hop.
#6 Sorry "925"
Modern rock with tons of swagger. They're not afraid to riff off legendary bands like Tears for Fears on the opener and Depeche Mode with the guitar lick on "Starstruck". I find there's a certain excitement in deconstructing all of these obvious classic references into something fresh and modern. I also love the incorporation of horns and synths. Standouts are "Starstruck", "Right Round The Clock", "Perfect", "More" and "Rock n Roll Star".
Jeff Parker & the New Breed - Suite For Max Brown[276/326]
The sounds explored by the guitarist from Tortoise's wonderful TNT album are so diverse here. Soulful bits, lots of groovy rhythm sections, and even a few minutes of droning. Could this be a jazz masterpiece in years time? One of my top 10 from this year.