In this age of dying labels and dwindling resources, it’s with all certainty that when you see a top ten list with any of these albums, the (I use the term loosely) critic has either hounded a record label or publicist for a free copy. And what to do when that fails? Well, you download it for free, you dunce….
Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
Battles – Mirrored
Deerhunter – Cryptograms
Of Montreal – Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
M.I.A. – Kala
The National – Boxer
Dirty Projectors – Rise Above
More lists forthcoming. Suggestions are welcome in comments. And no, "go to hell" isn’t a suggestion. That’s advice.