Guardian Music — (Domino)Owen Pallett's second album as Final Fantasy divided listeners, not because of its content - a song cycle about Dungeons & Dragons for string quartets - but with its title. There were those who insisted that grown-ups should be neither making... more info

Guardian Music — A recently discovered letter written by Brian Wilson's father sheds more troubling light on their relationshipMurry Wilson was in the habit of beating his children. We know that from his oldest son Brian's autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Nice, publishe... more info

I Guess I'm Floating — Most people would say that Animal Collective has completely reworked their sound since Sung Tongs was released, and to some extent they have... although there's one thing that hasn't changed and probably (hopefully) won't: their love and channeling o... more info

Jam! Showbiz Music, Canada — Beach Boy Brian Wilson's acclaimed Smile album has topped a new list of the best reviewed CDs of the decade. more info

Guardian Music — This French DJ and producer is being hailed as a bona fide eclectic warrior, capable of flitting wildly between stylesHometown: London.The lineup: Julian Brambilla.The background: They've been great, haven't they, this year's Guardian Albums of 2009?... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — Van Dyke Parks is best known for his work with Brian Wilson, penning those imaginative lines from the the SMiLE era (”I’ve been in this town so long that back in the city I’ve been taken for lost and gone and unknown for a long, long time”)... more info

411 Mania — The White Stripes, Drive-By Truckers, Bob Dylan, OutKast, Animal Collective and others score best reviews of the decade... more info

Guardian Music — With eight albums behind them, it was the dizzying charm of Animal Collective's ninth that won the Baltimore quartet the acclaim they so richly deserveWhich other albums made our critics' poll 2009 list?When Animal Collective's ninth album was releas... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Brian Wilson’s “Smile,” the long-delayed Beach Boys project that he resuscitated and finished in 2004, has come in atop Metacritic.com’s list of the best-reviewed albums of the decade, while Austin, Texas, indie-rock group S... more info

Guardian Music — These West Palm Beach indie rockers surf the zeitgeist (if not the waves) with their percussive lo-fi medley soundHometown: West Palm Beach, Florida.The lineup: John Paul Pitts (vocals, guitar), Tyler Schwarz (drums), Thomas Fekete (guitar), Marcos M... more info