Boards
Grower "new" band of the year: Beach House
I noticed them popping up in a surprising amount of top fives on that DiS reader's poll thread.
Aren't they amazing? I wasn't convinced the first time I saw them, it was very very slow and quiet and the audience were a bit overexcited because Fleet Foxes were playing so it didn't really work, but I've listened to Devotion more and more until I'm basically completely in awe of how great it is.
I wrote a live review here, and two of their best songs are there for download - http://fireworksnightinamusia.blogspot.com/2008/12/beach-house.html