4. Fiona Apple

Given its back story of record-label interference and Internet leaks, Fiona Apple's third album could have been one hell of a mess. Instead, the finished product -- including reworked versions of nine songs from her original sessions with producer Jon Brion -- is a classic breakup record that maintains a deep emotional undertow without ever getting lost in misery. Fans may prefer the artier, meandering Brion versions to the final Mike Elizondo-produced songs, which have more overt hooks. But on the reconfigured "Tymps (The Sick in the Head Song)" and the new "Parting Gift," Apple's percussive piano frames lush ornamentation and woozy yet restrained lyrics like "Oh, you silly, stupid pastime of mine/You were always good for a rhyme." Apple's previous albums were rarely so focused or direct, and at twenty-eight, she's just now hitting her stride.

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