1. Wilco Sky Blue Sky: You know how you get older and your friends start talking about how the trip they just took proved that California wine is underrated, or how they're "investing in a porch swing," or they send you pictures of the adorable cat they just adopted which they "hope gets along with the baby when it comes!" and every time it comes up you die a little inside? That's the new Wilco album.

2. Bloc Party A Weekend in the City: Bands with ambition are all well and good, but sometimes it's, to quote Jack Donaghy, "like seeing dogs wearing clothes." (Seeing Dogs Wearing Clothes, by the way, is an excellent name for a cat emo band.) It's an interesting idea - a concept album of limited scope - but Bloc Party's strengths do not lie here and they lack the subtlety to pull it off.

3. PJ Harvey White Chalk: Lovely, but so cold you can see its breath. As much as I love being reminded of my stern Victorian-era upbringing (and: harpsichord!), I was hoping for a little bit more hot water in my tea.

4. Arcade Fire Neon Bible: Poor Neon Bible, forced to grow up in the shadow of Funeral, burdened by high expectations. "Why can't you be more like Funeral," we plead. "Where're the songs about Russian space dogs? I demand Russian space dogs!" Neon Bible just shrugs its slight shoulders, puts on its headphones, and listens to Springsteen.

5. The Pipettes We Are the Pipettes: While not bad by a long stretch of the imagination, this is another example of me falling in love with a sugary gimmick. This is totally my fault. Did I learn nothing from The Go! Team?