If You Haven't Heard the New Superchunk...

... you should. Now it isn't exactly "new" anymore; it came out almost 6 months ago. But I think it might be the most satisfying album I've heard from last year. In fairness, I thought last year by and large sucked for new albums. (Which is one reason why I still haven't written up a Top 10 list.)

That aside, everyone should still check it out. I think it's Superchunk's best ever. Great melodies, great production and Mascis-like lead guitar. What's not to like?

For Your Consideration: Wye Oak

The best boy/girl duo album of 2008 and no, it doesn't feature Zooey Deschannel.

Wye Oak might be the best band to emerge from my home state of Maryland during my lifetime. (Unless you count Dismemberment Plan, who were a "DC band", but lived in Silver Spring for a lot of their time together.)

This is an album that I discovered randomly on eMusic, and I'm damn glad that I did. Technically this came out in 2007 on a label I've never heard of, but it was re-released by Merge this spring.

Compares favorably with the Beatles, Elliott Smith, Kingsbury Manx, Yo La Tengo, and even that Deerhunter CD everyone's so crazy about.

This will definitely be making my Top 10, so get ready...

Also, here's a link to Pitchfork's review of it. A 7.1, which is just as well, because if they'd rated it much higher, I couldn't be on board.