My eMusic subscription provides me with 75 downloads per month, which usually amounts to around six full albums (not bad for $20.) Thanks largely to that subscription, I now have over 50 new albums this year alone. That’s beyond what I’ve ever acquired in a single year, most likely, much less in six months. I can already tell that, considering it may be close to 100 by late December, narrowing them down for my annual year end list will be more difficult than usual.

The other unusual thing about this year is that the majority of it is digital only. Of around 50 new albums this year, I only have an actual, physical store-bought disc of about a quarter of them. With the eMusic subscription and an occasional iTunes purchase, I’m just not buying many real discs anymore. I figure it won’t be too much longer before that’s true of everyone. How often do I look at liner notes anyway? Most of the info is available online, too, so what’s the point?

So, let me first say that this is not to replace my year end list, and that many of these will no doubt appear there in December. However, since I’ve acquired so much more music than I normally would have at this point in the year, I thought I’d go ahead and post a recommendation list from what I have so far. This, like my year end list, is not necessarily all brand new music from this year (although most of it is from this year or last), but rather my favorites that are “new to me” this year. I should also not that, in order to recommend the maximum number of artists, I chose not to include more than one album by a given artist, since I’ve gotten multiples by a few artists.

The list is strictly alphabetical by artist, not in any “ranked” order. And, since I’ve written about most of these already this year, I’m just providing some links of previous posts instead of writing more now. I’ve indicated which ones are available on eMusic with a ^e next to the title. So, here you go:

• Emotionalism - The Avett Brothers ^e
  It’s called “non-traditional bluegrass.” And it’s outstanding. I wouldn’t have thought I’d be listening to any bluegrass this year, but I love this album.

• Vena Sera - Chevelle
  Chevelle didn’t really break any new ground with this album, but I think I’ve enjoyed this more than anything they’ve done previously. If you like hard music, check it out.

• The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
  Excellent indie pop/rock. This was on a lot of “best of the year” lists last year, and for good reason. It was. Get it.

• So Much More - Brett Dennen ^e
  Excellent young singer-songwriter. I initially wasn’t crazy about Dennen’s voice, but after a few listens I didn’t notice it anymore. I only noticed what a great album this is.

• Hope & Other Casualties - Mark Erelli ^e
  This was one of the two albums I downloaded with my free trail when I first joined eMusic. A very good folk album, a great response to 9/11/01 in “The Only Way”, it’s worth checking out.

• Noise From Words - Michael McDermott ^e
  Get this now. No, I’m serious. Now. Today. Here. I’m finally ready to join Scott and Jason in saying this is the best album of the year. Why he isn’t more well-known is unfathomable and, in fact, unjust.

• The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
  Sure, it’s a concept album about death, but I can’t stop listening to it. It’s just a great rock and roll album.

• Rival Factions - Project 86
  These guys are one of my favorite hard music bands, and this is one of their best thus far. It’s a little different at times from some of their previous stuff, but it’s a good kind of different.

• Five Score and Seven Years Ago - Relient K
  Power pop/punk at it’s finest. Relient K is always a lot of fun. This is their best (imo) since their sophomore disc, and the 11-minute album closer “Deathbed” is terrific.

• The Animal Years - Josh Ritter ^e
  Great singer-songwriter and another one that was often found on “best of” lists last year. After Michael McDermott, get this one.

And, here are some honorable mentions as well, several that I’ve had less than two weeks now but are already worth mentioning. Some of them may even move up given more time, but for now, here’s the second tier:

• So Divided - …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
• Nuclear Daydream - Joseph Arthur ^e
• Armchair Apocrypha - Andrew Bird ^e
• Who You Are - Cary Brothers ^e
• Leaders of the Free World - Elbow ^e
• Freedom’s Road - John Mellencamp
• Boxer - The National ^e
• Villain - Jamie Randolph ^e
• Rock Garden - Ty Tabor ^e
• The Ringing Bell - Derek Webb

And, finally, some links where I mentioned some of these previously:

• Project 86, Cary Brothers, The National, Andrew Bird & Jamie Randolph
• The Avett Brothers
• Michael McDermott, The Decemberists, Derek Webb, Brett Dennen & Joseph Arthur
• Chevelle, My Chemical Romance, Michael McDermott & Elbow
• John Mellencamp, Josh Ritter and Mark Erelli
• Ty Tabor & Mark Erelli

That’s it. That’s the list.