Arcade Fire

Here's how you can tell that the dense, graceful Dark Was The Night is a genius compilation: The third-to-last song is a duet between Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch. Exactly. There's no padding here, and rarely a dull track. (Decemberists, consider yourselves warned.) The belly of this beast rocks -- thanks to the New Pornographers and Sufjan Stevens, in part -- but its two gangly arms embrace the cream of the indie crop and the American folk tradition together, and that seemingly awkward bear-hug leads to some of the most imaginative and stirring covers -- and originals -- we've heard.

The Red Hot Organization, an AIDS charity, always makes top-shelf comps, and their latest
is a smart, indie-rock-minded who's who. My Morning Jacket and Arcade Fire weigh in, but
as usual the covers rule. Feist flutters through a Vashti Bunyan gem with Ben Gibbard, and
Sharon Jones sanctifies Shuggie Otis' psych-soul classic "Inspiration Information." Conor
Oberst covers himself with Gillian Welch; their "Lua" imagines George Jones and... More >