I know Adam and I are both old-men curmudgeons when it comes to embracing the digital-media transformation, but if you're hip to the whole downloading albums thing, then I've got news for you: Amazon.com is offering a bunch of ridiculously good albums for $5. I don't know how much longer they'll be on sale, but some of my recommendations are:

--The Avett Brothers' "Emotionalism"
--The Avett Brothers' "Four Thieves Gone"
--Regina Spektor's "Far"
--Neko Case's "Middle Cyclone"
--The Gaslight Anthem's "The '59 Sound"
--Okkervil River's "The Stage Names"
--Okkervil River's "The Stand Ins"

If you only want to lay down $10, my picks are "Emotionalism" and "The '59 Sound." One's a bunch of unplugged instruments romping through some rocking Americana tunes, the other is a blue-collar, New Jersey-ode to catchy songs from, well, the '59 era.

There are also other albums I don't have, but either imagine are good or I've been told are enjoyable:

--The 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack (still haven't seen the movie)
--The Decemberists' "The Crane Wife" (never really got into them, myself)
--Grizzly Bear's "Horn of Plenty" (this was popular at the radio station)
--Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago" (again, never really got into them/him)
--Weezer's "Raditude" (okay, I'm just fucking with you on this one)

So yeah, $5 albums. Not too shabby. (Minus Weezer's sure-to-be-atrocious new album. [What if it's actually one of the best releases of 2009 and no one's given it a shot because of its horrible name and horrible cover art?])