Each year David Bash, founder, and CEO of International Pop Overthrow sends out his top 125 list on Facebook. I will always go through the list to see if someone highly ranked passed me by. Note that does not include download-only releases because he’s still old school and still believes in the physical product. I post it here for those not on Facebook (?) and also as a quick reference. We did share a few in the top 10 this year.
1. Sloan-12 (Yep Roc)
2. In Deed-Everest (Open Mind)*
3. The Grip Weeds-Trip Around The Sun (JEM)
4. Danny Wilkerson-Wilkerson (SpyderPop)
5. Caper Clowns-A Salty Taste To The Lake (Self-Released)
6. Kai Danzberg-Pop Up Radio (Self-Released)
7. Yorick van Norden-The Jester (Excelsior)
8. Linus of Hollywood-Cabin Life (Magic Beach)
9. Jeff Whalen-10 More Rock Super Hits (Supermegabot Music Concern)
10.Chris Price-Dalmatian (Omnivore)
11. David Myhr-Lucky Day (Lojinx)
12. Starbelly-Four (Tallboy)
13. Groovy Uncle-Meanwhile Back In Medieval Britain…(Trouserphonic)
14. Pikal-Music For Girls (Self-Released)
15. William Duke-Quatro (Familiar)
16. The John Sally Ride-Nothing Doing (Snoopenned Music)
17. Greg Pope-A Few Seconds of Fame (Octoberville)
18. Nick Frater-Goodbye Kayfabe (Kool Kat)
19. Rob Bonfiglio-Trouble Again (Damask)
20. Michael Simmons-First Days of Summer (Crab Apple)
21. The Shellye Valauskas Experience-History of Panic (Self-Released)
22. Tim Smolen’s Iss.-It’s A Girl (Self-Released)
23. Fireproof Sam and The Network Stars-Get Passive (Timber Trout)
24. Bill Lloyd-Working The Long Game (SpyderPop)
25. The Essex Green-Hardly Electronic (MERGE)
26. Green Seagull-Scarlet Fever (Mega Dodo)
27. Lisa Mychols-Sugar (Strataplastic)
28. Nine Violets-The Crazy Trilogy (Self-Released)
29. Mothboxer-Open Sky (Self-Released)
30. Richard and The Young Lions-Volume 1 (Wicked Cool)
31. Valley Lodge-Fog Machine (Tee Pee)
32. Ken Sharp-Beauty In The Back Seat (Jet Fighter)
33. The Well Wishers-A View From Above (That Was My Skull)
34. Ex Norwegian-No Sleep (Think Like A Key)
35. The Cherry Drops-Good To The Last Drop (Pyramid Music)
36. Cullen Omori-The Diet (Sub Pop)
37. Belle Adair-Tuscumbia (Single Lock)
38. The Spindles-Past and Present (Self-Released)
39. The Stan Laurels-Maybe (Kool Kat)
40. Scot Sax-Drawing From Memory (Self-Released)*
41. Tim Knol-Tim Knol (Excelsior)
42. Oberon Rose-Tell Me All About It (ThouART)
43. Three Hour Tour-You Never Know (Martian Record Corp)
44. Bird Streets-Bird Streets (Omnivore)
45. Fernando Perdomo-Zebra Crossing (Forward Motion)
46. Zombies of The Stratosphere-The Physical Kids (Self-Released)
47. Rooftop Screamers-Vol. 1 (Mirasongs)
48. The Connection-Wish You Success (2 Win Disc)
49. Kidd-Where Are The Strange People? (Self-Released)
50. Diamond Hands-II (Kool Kat)
51. The Junior League-Eventually Is Now (Kool Kat)
52. The Peewees-Moving Target (Rum Bar)
53. St. Paul & The Broken Bones-Young Sick Camellia (Red Music)
54. Neil Sturgeon & The Infomaniacs-Geography & Luck (Buzzwagon Beat)
55. Soft Candy-The Luvers & The H8ers (Self-Released)*
56. Jim Wilson with Phil Jones-Now Playing (Swinging Pipe)
57. Dot Dash-Proto Retro (Self-Released)
58. Goodfellows-10 Bites (Rock Indiana)
59. The Decibels-Scene, Not Heard (Screaming Apple)*
60. The Most-Beat Beat Boom!!! (Self-Released)
61. The Occasional Orchestra-Urban Foxes (Self-Released)
62. Paul Steel-Carousel Kites (Raygun)
63. Dana Countryman-Cabaret of Love (Sterling Swan)
64. The Turnback-Spinning The Earth In Reverse (Kool Kat)
65. Anchor & Bear-Raincoats and Gold (Self-Released)
66. Ben Pirani-How Do I Talk To My Brother? (Colemine)
67. Athanor-Hills of The Universe (Kool Kat)
68. Paul McCartney-Egypt Station (Capitol)
69. Custard Flux-Helium (Self-Released)
70. The Tearaways-Anthems and Lullabies (Alternative Music)
71. Michael Roberts-There Is No Blue (Digitalis)
72. P Hux-This Is The One (Self-Released)
73. Amoeba Teen-Selection Box Vol. 1/The Appleyard Sessions (Kool Kat)
74. Rob Bonfiglio-Acoustic Trouble (Damask)
75. Caddy-Ten Times Four (Kool Kat)
76. The Coral-Move Through The Dawn (Ignition)
77. Emperor Penguin-Rum Pop Engineer (Savage Frenzy)*
78. Addison Love-Thoughts On Lunch (Big Stir)
79. Bennett Wilson Poole-Bennett Wilson Poole (Aurora)
80. Sha La Das-Love In The Wind (Dunham)
81. Nick Eng-Nick Eng (Beatnick)
82. Lane Steinberg & His Magical Pony-Lane Steinberg & His Magical Pony (Self-Released)
83. The Jeremy Band-Joy Comes In The Morning (JAM)
84. Billy & Dolly-Five Suns (Shitkrystal)
85. Streetcar Conductors-The Very Best of Streetcar Conductors (Self-Released)
86. The Decibels-Big Hits! (Screaming Apple)*
87. Gilbert O’Sullivan-Gilbert O’Sullivan (Grand Upright Music)
88. The Monkees-Christmas Party (Rhino)
89. The Innocents-Teardrop Kiss (Public Opinion Music)
90. Nick Piunti-Temporary High (JEM)
91. Popdudes-Maximum Rock Stupidity (Not Lame)
92. Mick Terry-Days Go By (Emptyhead)
93. The Genuine Fakes-Issues (Rock Indiana)
94. Ash-Island (Infectuous)
95. The Resonant Heads-What You Don’t Know (Self-Released)
96. Ruler-Winning Star Champion (Self-Released)
97. Richie Parsons-Black Throated Blue (Lawless)
98. Fernando Perdomo-Out To Sea (Forward Motion)
99. The Cherry Bluestorms-Whirligig! (Roundhouse)
100. The Fratellis-In Your Own Sweet Time (Cooking Vinyl)
101. The Hanging Stars-Songs For Somewhere Else (Crimson Crow)
102. The Magic Gang-The Magic Gang (Warner Bros.)
103. The Bottle Kids-Let Me In On This Action (Rock Indiana)
104. Dragon Rapide-See The Big Picture (Freemount)
105. Tommy Lorente-Stupefaction (Rock Indiana)
106. Hajimepop-Hajimepop (Good Melody)
107. The Supahip-The Two Sided Face (Self-Released)
108. Tom Curless-Songs of The Movement (Futureman)
109. Daniel McGeever-Cross The Water (You Are The Cosmos)
110. McPherson/Grant-Song (Self-Released)
111. Deaf School-Let’s Do This Again Next Week… (Cava ?)
112. Chris Richards and The Subtractions-Peaks and Valleys (Futureman)
113. Blank Pages-Before Your Summer Fades (Self-Released)
114. Matthew Sweet-Tomorrow’s Daughter (Honeycomb Hideout)
115. Alfa 9-My Sweet Movida (Blow Up)
116. Minky Starshine-Dirty Electric (Thistime)
117. SMASH Fashion-Rompus Pompous (Self-Released)
118. The Hungry Onions-She’s A Mod (Deep Eddy)
119. The Sick Rose-Someplace Better (Area Pirata)
120. The Chills-Snowbound (Fire)
121. Kayak-Seventeen (Sony)
122. Blake Jones and The Trike Shop-Make (Big Stir)
123. Nathan Hall & The Sinister Locals-Mute Effigies Soundtrack (Hip Replacement)
124. The Jayhawks-Back Roads and Abandoned Motels (Legacy)
125. The Davenports-Don’t Be Mad At Me (Mother West)
Note: Those marked with an * are vinyl-only releases. Those marked with an ** are cassette-only releases.