Their kitschy, winsome DIY pop is earning them fans on both sides of the pond, but Micachu and the Shapes' most important devotee hails from an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Photos by Nick Haymes

While Coney Island's distractions are many -- especially the ancient Cyclone rollercoaster, for which one SPIN editor made at least two detours -- there's always plenty of incentive to stay glued to the annual Siren Festival's dueling stages, and the 2009 installment was no exception. These four performances stood out as the best of this year's wild ride.

Here's a rundown of the essential albums available online and in record stores today: