3. Radiohead In Rainbows (W.A.S.T.E.). A mix of solid songcraft and studio adventure made Radiohead’s seventh studio effort vital well past its download-by date. Full review

4. Robert Glasper In My Element (Blue Note). In their second Blue Note outing, pianist Glasper and his triomates breathe fresh life and fire into a well-worn format.

5. Battles Mirrored (Warp). Mixing Ty Braxton’s loopy, good-natured vocals with a solid math-metal core is sort of like watching Multiplication Rock on the monitor while sweating at Crunch.

6. Muhal Richard Abrams Vision Towards Essence (Pi). The Chicago patriarch distills a lifetime spent extending jazz tradition into a single hour at the piano. Full review

7. Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles Diamonds in the Dark (Sugar Hill). Boston singer-guitarist Borges draws a straight line from Wanda Jackson to X in this memorable set of rowdy rockers and weepy ballads. Full review

8. Exploding Star Orchestra We Are All from Somewhere Else (Thrill Jockey). Globe-trotting cornetist Rob Mazurek and his big big band hit escape velocity in a fiery set that bites Sun Ra, Steve Reich, Kraftwerk and funk.

9. Brakesbrakesbrakes The Beatific Visions (Worlds Fair). It’s just a madly infectious collection of twangy pub punk—until you notice undertones of paranoia and wartime unease in Eamon Hamilton’s lyrics.

10. Sam Sadigursky The Words Project (New Amsterdam). Saxophonist Sadigursky’s literate, luminous poetry settings are given voice by a bumper crop of impressive young singers. Full review

NEXT: Colin St. John's picks »