32 more gone

*Could have been a contender: Fanfarlo, Reservoir.

*Should have been a contender: There were some albums I looked forward to this year and ultimately didn't meet expectations. Despite a few strong songs, Langhorne Slim's Be Set Free didn't match the energy of his 2008 album, which, if I had have made a best-of list last year, would have been in my top 20 for sure.

*Purchased the album, not buying the hype: Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion. Widely regarded as the album of the year in critic circles, there's no question this album is creative and musically engaging. But that doesn't I'm ever going to listen to it again. I remember the first time my mom tried goat's milk at a farm where we were guests. She didn't want to be rude, so she took a sip and said, "Hmmmm, interesting." That sums up my feelings of this album.

*Check you out later: Dawes, North Hills. This album could have gone in the "Could have been a contender" category because it had top 53 potential. With L.A.'s Dawes, San Francisco's Or, the Whale and Seattle's Maldives, The west coast is full of young, twangy, country-influenced bands. The Maldives are the best of the bunch, but Dawes isn't far behind.