Christopher Muther's picks
1. Scissor Sisters,
‘‘Scissor Sisters’’ (Universal)
Everything a good
pop record should be:
fizzy melodies, clever lyrics,
and songs that possess
an ability to burrow deep into the
brain of the listener and live there for days.
‘‘Take Your Mama Out’’ is the best song Elton
John never recorded in 1978, and the
band’s disco reimagining of ‘‘Comfortably
Numb’’ is nothing short of genius.
2. Keren Ann, ‘‘Not Going Anywhere’’ (Blue Note)
A fragile collection of exquisite French
pop that channels both Francoise Hardy
and Astrud Gilberto.
3. Mellow, ‘‘Perfect Colors’’ (Atmospheriques, import)
Air, ‘‘Talkie Walkie’’ (Astralwerks)
Both French electronic bands turn their
attention to psychedelic pop with different
but satisfying results. Mellow creates a
dreamy, ’60s-inspired landscape, while
Air’s disc is a chilly, baroque masterpiece.
4. Keane, ‘‘Hopes and Fears’’ (Interscope)
An album chockablock with fantastic,
fist-pumping, anthemic rock, with nary a
guitar in sight. Impassioned, overwrought
stadium singing never had it so good.
5. The Hidden Cameras, ‘‘Mississauga
Goddam’’ (Sanctuary)
It’s easy to get lost in the lush layers of
their orchestral pop. Horns bleat away in
arrangements that circle a neighborhood
not far from where Belle and Sebastian reside.
But for all the loveliness, the lyrics reveal
that the Cameras spend most of their
time in the dimly lit confessional booth at
the Church of the Poison Mind.
6. The Go! Team, ‘‘Thunder, Lightning,
Strike’’ (Memphis Industries)
A dizzying cut-and-paste project of ’60s
soul, hip-hop samples, and woozy Bollywood
strings, lovingly pieced together by a
six-piece British collective that coats the
whole shebang with a hyperactive punk
layer of neon frosting.
7. Saint Etienne, ‘‘Travel Edition’’
(Sub Pop),
‘‘Saint Etienne Presents Songs for Mario’s
Cafe’’ (Sanctuary),
‘‘The Trip Created by Saint Etienne’’
(Family Recordings)
Technically, the lovely, ’60s-inspired
Britpop trio didn’t release any new material
this year, but the band did open up its incredible
record collection with ‘‘The Trip’’
and ‘‘Mario’s Cafe,’’ a pair of compilations
featuring artists who have influenced the
band’s breezy style. Saint Etienne also offered
a reminder of its importance with
‘‘Travel Edition,’’ a should-have-been greatest
hits collection.
8. Federico Aubele, ‘‘Gran Hotel Buenos
Aires’’ (ESL)
An ideal soundtrack for sipping gin and
tonics in a Latin American hotel lobby, Aubele’s
gentle, atmospheric electronics also
work well in living rooms.
9. Har Mar Superstar, ‘‘The Handler’’
(Record Collection)
The most important R&B record out of
the Twin Cities this year wasn’t created at
Paisley Park Studios. In a honeyed, soulful
voice, Har Mar Superstar rivals Stevie
Wonder at his funkiest and picks up where
Prince left off in the naughty department.
10. Beta Band, ‘‘Heroes to Zeros’’
(Astralwerks)
The group’s final album finds the Scottish
quartet experimenting with free-form
song structures that sound like a space-age
version of the Association with a better
drummer. Beautiful and melancholy.
Christopher Muther is a Globe staff writer
and frequent music contributor.
