The shows coming to San Francisco this week give us an excuse to talk about some of our favorite music of 2007.

Perhaps the best album we've heard this year comes from a Texan named Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent. She's a seasoned touring guitarist for Sufjan and the Polyphonic Spree, but at only 24 years old she just released a debut album that's sophisticated, brave and artistically mature enough to make you think that whatever you were doing when you were 24 was insufficient. St. Vincent has a rich, feminine croon and a penchant for stretching it over rugged and challenging soundscapes. The diversity on this album shows she's got a lot in store for us; we haven't been this excited about a new artist since we first heard Feist 2 1/2 years ago. Expect a long and vibrant musical career from St. Vincent. We've got a pair of tickets for one lucky winner to see her at Cafe Du Nord on Friday night, plus a copy of her outstanding debut album Marry Me. Watch her work her black patent mary janes over a stomp box in the video below, and then enter to win. (Contest ends Friday morning! Winner will be notified via email.)

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