Congrats to Beth McKee for cracking this week’s top 3! Although it’s not too much of a surprise that she wasn’t able to beat out Fiona Apple (thanks to pent-up demand) and the Smashing Pumpkins (thanks to a week of Billy Corgan giving batshit interviews), it’s still a mighty impressive showing. Maybe more local bands should plan mini-festivals in and around a record store when they have a new release … or, you know anything besides another “CD release show” with the same bands they always play with at the same bar they always play at. [Also, you guys … GO BUY THAT CAN BOX SET.]

  1. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…
  2. The Smashing Pumpkins – Oceania
  3. Beth Mckee – Next To Nowhere
  4. Glen Hansard – Rhythm And Repose
  5. Jack White – Blunderbuss – Third Man
  6. Can – The Lost Tapes
  7. The Dirty Heads – Cabin By The Sea
  8. Metric – Synthetica
  9. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Here
  10. Beach House – Bloom
  11. John Mayer – Born & Raised
  12. Sigur Ros – Valtari*
  13. The Raconteurs – Live At Montreux 2008 (DVD)
  14. Grace Potter & The Nocturnals – The Lion
  15. The Tallest Man On Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
  16. Joe Bonamassa – Driving Towards The Daylight
  17. Patti Smith – Banga
  18. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
  19. The Walkmen – Heaven
  20. Rush – Clockwork Angels
  21. Walk The Moon – Walk The Moon
  22. Dying Fetus – Reign Supreme
  23. Kelly Hogan – I Like To Keep Myself In Pain
  24. Tenacious D – Rize Of The Fenix
  25. Ryan Shaw – Real Love

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This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2012.