BEST MUSIC POLL
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NATIONAL
Best Album in National
Vampire Weekend, Contra
Hey, all you people who can't stand Vampire Weekend because they're just so frickin' white — turns out you might have a point. Despite the insane level of hateration aimed in their general direction, they just keep coming out on top. What gives? Well, not to stray from the more important matters of where they went to school and who makes their ties, but their second album, Contra (XL), is kind of rad — in an "I'm okay with getting punched in the glasses for the sake of love" kind of way. Instead of shrinking from charges of copping Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon, they get the two tipsy and pit them against each other. The results, more often than not, are way more charming than most of us would admit outside of the hushed click of a ballot. So, still asking who listens to this shit? You do!
Runners-up
2. Beach House, Teen Dream [Sub Pop]
3. the xx, xx [XL]
4. Joanna Newsom, Have One on Me [Drag City]
by MICHAEL BRODEUR
