1. The New Pornographers -- Mass Romantic (Mint CAN): Splendid songwriting form Carl (ex-Zumpano) Newman and Dan Behar, great vocals from Newman and alt-country goddess Neko Case and explosive production and playing turn your stereo into the coolest transistor radio ever, unless I missed the era when AM Top 40 played Sparks, Pixies and Elvis Costello. This disc is so energetic, it spins even when it isn't in the player.

2. Hawksley Workman -- (Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves (Isadora/Universal Can.): Canuck wunderkind urges us to be "clever not beautiful", but manages to be both, along with witty, wise, catchy and challenging. Piano is his main weapon, but he throws in synth-pop, Kurt Weill, Queen and white reggae in the mix. He's Jeff Buckley crossed with Ron Mael and twice as audacious as Rufus Wainwright is perceived to be.

3. Pernice Brothers -- The World Won't End (Ashmont): The best effort yet from Joe Pernice, who makes music that is inviting, but not quite sweet, married to poetic lyrics that are downcast, but not quite bitter. Littered with tracks that show a melodic flair on par with prime Zombies and Beach Boys, the album has just enough variety to give it a perfect flow.

4. Ted Leo/Pharmacists -- Tyranny Of Distance (Lookout): Extremely hard to classify, which is probably why it is so great. Fast shuffles (a la the Feelies and Woodentops), Irish folk rock (a la Thin Lizzy) and angular pop songs, with Leo's near falsetto vocals nailing some of the best lyrics I've heard in ages. Intelligent powerful rock that the kids dig, but some of us oldsters can get too.

5. Robbie Fulks -- Couples In Trouble (Boondoggle): Fulks is now a story teller, in a Raymond Carver meets Flannery O'Connor style, chronicling the downtrodden and using his encyclopaediac command of traditional American music forms as the vehicle. This album works on so many levels and firmly cements Fulks as a legend in progress.

6. Bob Dylan -- Love And Theft (Columbia): The revival continues, and Dylan has decided to adopt one of his old song titles, "Jokerman", as a persona. As his touring band dazzles on the blues, rockabilly and '40s type pop numbers, Dylan uses the simple tuneage as a backdrop for him to throw down a variety of observations - curmudgeon of the year, I say.

7. Lolas -- Silver Dollar Sunday (Jam): Dazzling and uplifting, an out of the box power pop smash, Tim Boykin and his bandmates soar into the stratosphere with these buzzing melodyfests, with their wings showing no evidence of melting. This make-you-happy rock and roll is why I became a music freak in the first place.

8. Pulp -- We Love Life (Island UK): No longer overwhelmed with success, Jarvis Cocker and his mates get back to the business of being great. Perhaps even better than Billy Bragg at weaving together social commentary with flatout love songs, the Motown/50's love ballad feel is overtaking the Roxy Music and disco influences, drizzled with some Kinks-like pastoral magic.

9. Sloan-- Pretty Together (Murder CAN): They continue to decheese '70s rock and pop, while maintaining their unique riffage and melodies. Moreover, they resonate more emotionally, as the pipeline from head to heart is busier than ever.

10. Cockeyed Ghost-- Ludlow 6:18 (Karma Frog): Adam Marsland has never lacked for ideas, both musically and lyrically. He just gets better and better at putting them together, creating emotional power pop songs that are both dense and economical. His incorporation of '70s-R & B vibes adds even more dimension on the Ghost's first truly complete album.

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