#1

The National

Trouble Will Find Me

Metacritic: 84

The A.V. Club: A-

Pitchfork: 8.4 (BNM)

"The National are such a powerfully gifted band, they need no theatrics to deliver an absolutely stone-cold beast of an album. With the music that is on here there is yet another thirteen songs to savor and salivate over until the next batch of songs comes about."- Delusions of Adequacy

810/32/12960/clayj41, MPizzle06, herzag17, justinandimcool, iMAC386

#2

Vampire Weekend

Modern Vampires of the City

Metacritic: 84

The A.V. Club: A

Pitchfork: 9.3 (BNM, AOTY)

"When everything here lines up the right way--and it more often than not, it does--Modern Vampires is the perfect album for the coming Atlantic summer. Think of it like saltwater taffy: bright and sweet, with plenty to chew on."- Entertainment Weekly

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#3

Arcade Fire

Reflektor

Metacritic: 80

The A.V. Club: B

Pitchfork: 9.2 (BNM)

"Reflektor is closer to turning-point classics such as U2's Achtung Baby and Radiohead's Kid A--a thrilling act of risk and renewal by a band with established commercial appeal and a greater fear of the average, of merely being liked."- Rolling Stone

760/27/10260/ryguy469, Noremac, luccic12, trippingbillie4

#4

Daft Punk

Random Access Memories

Metacritic: 87

The A.V. Club: B+

Pitchfork: 8.8 (BNM)

"This is a dazzling album, steeped in soul and brimming with an uncommon musicality, all rhythmic urgency and compelling melodies and anthemic choruses."- Blurt Magazine

646/28/9044/ComeNFrmTheCold

#5

Local Natives

Hummingbird

Metacritic: 77

The A.V. Club: B-

Pitchfork: 8.1

"From the first sung note of Hummingbird, Local Natives are frank in their presentation of a serious album, challenging listeners to heal along with them; cognizant that investment is proportional to remuneration."- Paste Magazine

585/25/7312.5/Kiko, SYDM6, laura22

#6

Kanye West

Yeezus

Metacritic: 84

The A.V. Club: A-

Pitchfork: 9.5 (BNM)

"Kanye West doesn’t give the listener a second to realize the album is more a masterly response to a masterpiece than a masterpiece itself. With one sweep of the hand, West brushes away expectations. And then he sticks you squarely across the face."- Pretty Much Amazing

623/22/6853/HR Pufnstuf, TwoStep2888

#7

Kurt Vile

Wakin On A Pretty Daze

Metacritic: 82

The A.V. Club: Not Reviewed

Pitchfork: 8.5 (BNM)

"Its ambrosial melodies and austere instrumentation edify his canon of work, which has long been rewarding for its risky sensibilities and perseverance. Yet that’s what makes Wakin so curious; it’s Vile’s most derivative record to date."- Consequence of Sound

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