Mr. Miller’s Top Picks

Andrew Miller is the archbishop of Kansas City music critics. His cat is the duke. Here’s what they liked this year.

METAL-ONLY BIN

10. Dillinger Escape Plan, Ire Works (Relapse)

9. Death Breath, Let It Stink (Relapse)

8. Pig Destroyer, Phantom Limb (Relapse)

7. Xasthur, Defective Epitaph (Hydra Head)

6. Machine Head, The Blackening (Roadrunner)

5. Baroness, Red Album (Relapse)

4. Yakuza, Transmutations (Prosthetic)

3. Wolves in the Throne Room, Two Hunters (Southern Lord)

2. Horse The Band, A Natural Death (Koch)

1. Between the Buried and Me, Colors (Victory)

FRESH FEMALE VOICES

10. Arch Enemy, Rise of the Tyrant (Century Media)

9. Feist, The Reminder (Cherry Tree)

8. Dri, Smoke Rings (Range Life)

7. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone)

6. Charlotte Gainsbourg, 5:55 (Vice)

5. Tiny Vipers, Hands Across the Void (Sub Pop)

4. Bat for Lashes, Fur and Gold (Caroline)

3. Electrelane, No Shouts, No Calls (Too Pure/Beggars)

2. Shannon Wright, Let in the Light (Quarter Stick)

1. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (Republic)

HEAD EXPLODERS (Prog, Experimental, Noise, Instrumental, Epic, etc.)

10. Jesu, Conqueror (Hydra Head)

9. Sigur Ros, Hvarf/Heim (XL)

8. Isis, In the Absence of Truth (Ipecac)

7. Gonzales, Solo Piano (Sunny Side)

6. Grails, Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence)

5. Battles, Mirrored (Warp)

4. Black Dice, Load Blown (Paw Tracks)

3. Explosions in the Sky, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (Temporary Residence)

2. Minsk, The Ritual Fires of Abandonment (Relapse)

1. Hrsta, Ghosts Will Come and Kiss Our Eyes (Constellation)

TOP 10 LOCAL SONGS

10. Carmine Red “Orchid”

9. Ghosty “A Good Customer”

8. White Flight “Deathhands” (Superargo Remix)

7. Anti-Crew “Keep Talkin’”

6. Minus Story “Come into My Arms”

5. 4th of July “Bad Dreams Are Only Dreams”

4. Republic Tigers “The Drums”

3. Mac Lethal “Rotten Apple Pie”

2. Dri “Smoke Rings”

1. Pendergast “Almighty Dollar”