6. Sharon Van Etten, 'Tramp'

A year's worth of couch-surfing and touring led to Tramp, an emotional road map for the sullen marauder and long-distance couple alike. Working with the National's Aaron Dessner, Van Etten was able to combine her folk tendencies with a gritty rock edge. Songs like "Give Out" and "Serpents" are some of her saddest to date, but she enters each dark space with an undeniable strength and sultriness. -- Cameron Matthews