Anni Rossi

Rockwell (4AD)

Anni Rossi’s debut album, “Rockwell,” feels like one of your friends is playing live inside your dorm room. She’s cool, she doesn’t brush her hair, she wears plaid, and while all of this is pretentious and annoying, it’s also completely appealing because it feels real. “Rockwell” feels like Mirah, Devendra and Feist, but with higher pitches and one girl playing all of the instruments

-Chloe Popescu

The Lonely Island

“I’m On a Boat” (UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC)

T-Pain indulges in auto-tune, while Andy Samberg indulges us with wholly average humor – and all of its surprising pleasantries. The video from SNL-affiliated trio The Lonely Island mocks ’90s hip-hop decadence – with sweeping camera pans, champagne references and tuxedo-laden boat tours. Most significantly: The video offers the most appropriate venue for T-Pain to sport a crucial top hat.

-Amanda Pacitti

The Thermals

Now We Can See (KILL ROCK STARS)

From Wikipedia: “The Thermals have made many fine contributions to rock journalism, including the terms no-fi, some-fi, mid-fi, post-pop-punk, pre-post-punk, neo-grunge, post-power-pop, i.d.w.t.d.i.m. (i don’t want to do it myself) and s.e.d.i.f.y.(somebody else does it for you).” Good for them.

-Ani Mamourian