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An earthquake in China kills 8000 people

1. Death Cab For Cutie-Narrow Stairs
In a month of 4 fantastic albums, Death Cab just edged it for my favourite of the month (they are my favourite band after all). I go through phases of thinking this is amazing and the album of the year, and phases of being disappointed by it. It is their best album musically by along way, but Gibbards lyrics are somewhat too literal, and not the dark and subtle stuff of early Death Cab. Its a brilliant album nonetheless. Bixby and Possess are epic as are you can do better/grapevine/twin sized bed. My love for Death Cab continues...
Best Track: Death Cab For Cutie-You can do better than me
Bonus: search the box in the top left for no sunlight/thin ice demos!!
Metacritic (73)
2. Bon Iver-For Emma, Forever Ago
Heartwrenching lyrics and tranquil, beautiful guitar and legendary voice=amazing album. What a talented guy Justin Vernon is...
Best track: Bon Iver-Skinny Love
=Cut Copy-In Ghost Colours
I imagine Friendly Fires will be this good in a few years. Great production, and awesome danceable tuuunes. Almost perfect album.
No link as it'll get removed, sorry.
=Santogold-Santogold
Santi White is constantly compared to MIA, and has even been outshone by her this year despite the fact she has done practically nothing (paper planes is suddenly huuuge), but she is different. This album is a huge blend of about 10 different genres, and its brilliant. Best produced album of the year? Diplo, Switch, Sinden et al do an amazing job. Her mixtape with Diplo is equally awesome.
Best track: Santogold-LES Artistes
Bonus: check out a few tracks from her diplo-collab mixtape
Honourable Mentions:
The Futureheads-This is Not The World
The Futureheads are the most frustrating band in the world. This album is rubbish, bar 2 tracks which show what the band is capable of. Radio Heart and the Beginning of the Twist are both brilliant singles!!! why cant they produce this more often!!!!!
The Futureheads-The Beginning of the Twist
Usher-Here I Stand
Another big disappointment. The ballads on this album (pretty much the whole thing) seem so empty and insincere and overly cheesy. I dont know if the Confessions ballads were the same (and i was too young to realise), or if they were actually good. That album is still very high up in my estimation, but this is definitely not.
Usher-Love in this club (MSTRKRFT remix)