HONORABLE MENTIONS

Silver Jews
"Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea" (Drag City)
Philosophical fictions and fantasias by a stolid-sounding guy who wishes everyone would play his songs ("San Francisco B.C.," "Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer").

N.E.R.D.
"Seeing Sounds" (Interscope)
Beats of course, songs usually, singing barely -- especially sincere-type singing ("Anti Matter," "Everyone Nose [All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom]").

RZA as Bobby Digital
"Digi Snacks" (Koch)
Snacks meaning tasty bites and tastier beats that don't add up to a full meal ("O Day/Party People," "Put Your Guns Down").

Be Your Own Pet
"Get Awkward" (XL)
One keeper satire, one displaced outburst and one minor threat, all declared too violent for full-length by bad ex-teens' megacorp ("Becky").

The Long Blondes
"Couples" (Rough Trade)
Civilized sex -- the dark side ("Guilt," "I'm Going to Hell").

Dr. John
"City That Care Forgot" (429)
"My friends scuffling with contractors," he notes with nice specificity, and he has much worse Katrina stories to tell ("Say Whut?" "My People Need a Second Line").

Dresden Dolls
"No, Virginia..." (RoadRunner)
Notes for a musical about a doubly theatrical drama queen -- an arty show with laughs and heart ("Night Reconnaissance," "Dear Jenny").

Architecture in Helsinki
"Places Like This" (Polyvinyl)
Art-rockers get silly -- that is, come to terms with their existential condition ("Same Old Innocence," "Red Turned White").

El-P
"I'll Sleep When You're Dead" (Def Jux)
Still the past master of the acerbic beat ("Up All Night," "Tasmanian Pain Coaster").

The Ting Tings
"We Started Nothing" (Columbia)
Cheap dance-pop for post-post-postpunk people ("That's Not My Name," "Great DJ").

Walter Becker
"Circus Money" (5 Over 12)
His cynicism turned melancholy, rich rock star warns, "Better not get cozy with your trophy life" ("Circus Money," "God's Eye View").

Cadence Weapon
"Afterparty Babies" (Anti-)
Second-generation Alberta rapper (savor that phrase) knows a lot about, well, rapping -- and avant-electro beats ("Tattoos [And What They Really Feel Like]," "In Search of the Youth Crew").

Lil Wayne
"Lil Weezy-ana Vol. 1" (Purloined Datadisc)
Better Weezy talking tough for his crew than Weezy's crew talking tough for the world ("David Banner," "Amen").

Electrelane
"No Shouts No Calls" (Too Pure)
Instrumental raveup queens sing, softening their feminist austerity considerably ("To the East," "Between the Wolf and the Dog").

Craig David
"Trust Me" (Reprise)
Credible neosoul man glances nervously back toward 2step, saying hi with "Let's Dance" ("6 of 1 Thing," "Friday Night").

CHOICE CUTS

John Hiatt
"Old Days"
"Our Time"
("Same Old Man" [New West])

Karen O & the Million Dollar Bashers
"Highway 61 Revisited"
Mira Billotte
"As I Went Out One Morning"
The Hold Steady
"Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?"
Yo La Tengo
"Fourth Time Around"
("I'm Not There" [Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax])

Rolling Stones
"Champagne & Reefer"
("Shine a Light" [Virgin])

The Flaming Lips
"(Just Like) Starting Over"
Green Day
"Working Class Hero"
Jack's Mannequin featuring Mick Fleetwood
"God"
Youssou N'Dour
"Jealous Guy"
("Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur" [Warner Bros.])

Usher
"Trading Places"
"Best Thing"
("Here I Stand" [LaFace/Zomba])