Annnnnnd….we’re back. Hope you had a great summer, one rich in sonic awesomeness. And, with excellent releases from M.I.A., Spoon and Okkervil River among others, it wasn’t that hard to do. But, with temperatures dropping, school returning and Caveman debuting, even more awesome music has hit shelves in the last two weeks alone. In case you got distracted buying a new comforter at Bed Bath & Beyond, I’ll offer you some quick takes on the best records to come out in the last two weeks.

And, just to get it out of the way, I did not listen to 50’s new album, nor do I ever plan to. So, we shall never mention it here ever again.

Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam

The Brooklyn four-pieces latest full length outshines every other album the band has put out this decade (that would be seven others), and that’s quite the accomplishment, considering the group’s last two albums (Sung Tongs and Feels) both seemed like crowning achievements in pop. Strawberry Jam, though, pushes pop in many exciting new directions. The Collective embraces electronics heavily on this delicious LP, but the shift towards mixers hasn’t cost the group the human feel cultivated on previous releases. Opener “Peacebone” is the most accessible song Animal Collective have ever produced, mixing a cacophony of electric squeal with verses and choruses straight from the 60’s. “Chores” and “Cuckoo Cuckoo” experiment with time, while the straightforward “For Reverend Green” is powered by lead singer Avey Tare’s screechy vocals. The album’s centerpiece is “Fireworks,” the best tune the group has ever released. Both joyful and melancholy, “Fireworks” glides along on pyrotechnic-like drums and gentle ooohin, cumulating in choruses packed with emotion. Animal Collective are one of the most groups of the oughts, and Strawberry Jam is not only one of the year’s best albums, but also one of the decade’s.

The Go! Team – Proof of Youth

Honestly, how do you expect The Go! Team to mix things up? Proof of Youth follows the same formula laid out in the marching band-like band’s debut album – cuts like “Grip Like a Vice” exude the same high octane energy of, well, every Go! Team song. Still, it’s hard to hate on the group when they have such joyous tracks like “Fake I.D.” The Go! Team know what they do best, and stick to it.

Kanye West – Graduation

I was all ready to hate the new Kanye album. First, he released “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” a bland single from an artist who bestowed “All Falls Down” and “Gold Digger” upon this Earth. Then came the Daft Punk sampling “Stronger,” a solid song, but still not up to par with his previous output. Plus, the whole John Mayer thing…..

So, before you now, I humbly admit Graduation is the best rap album of the year (albeit in the weakest year for rap this decade). The album doesn’t come close to eclipsing his masterwork, 2005’s Late Registration, nor does it topple his debut. But, where the other two albums shined thanks to awesome beats and collabs, Graduation is West’s most human album. Even with all the bling, Kanye West is an everyman — he wonders aloud why he isn’t as loved as other rappers, while also analyzing his own faults.

Graduation focuses solely on this feeling of being looked over from various angles — on “Champion” and “The Good Life,” he rubs his success in hater’s faces. On the aforementioned singles, he unleashes venom at his critics. And, on “Everything I Am,” he examines himself, analyzing his downfalls, and then turning that into motivation. A certain type of person will enjoy this album immensely — the type of human who feels constantly overlooked. The album’s final track “Big Brother” captures the sentiment perfectly – Kanye raps about being caught in the shadow of Jay-Z, and it captures the pain of being slept on perfectly. So yeah, Graduation may be his weakest album to date, but it’s also his most personal, and the most human thing he’s released in his bright career.