Odds and ends, things that I feel need to be recognized to sum up the year. Some categories return year-on-year, some don't.

These guys may trace their roots to a surf sound, might even call themselves surf sometimes, but their sound is undeniably modern and often unto themselves. Surf isn't a code to live by, and Instro is a genre of possibilities meant to be explroed and tinkered with.

There were no shortage of good records for this category, and it was extremely difficult for me to choose between them. I'm looking forward to publishing this so I can stop agonizing and be done with it!

For a lot of us I know this album answers a prayer we never considered having. John Reis of Hot Snakes, Rocket From the Crypt and all sorts of other groups have teamed up with The Blind Shake (lesser known but a great band, especially if you're a Hot Snakes fan) to make a surf album.