What were your favorite albums of 2009? →[More:] I look forward to this time of year because I'm a sucker for Year End Best of lists. Usually most of my entertainment purchases the first few months of the new year are things I discovered from other people's best of lists, plus I'm up for just about any reason to talk about music, books, and movies.

My whole top 50 with commentary and links is over here, but here's my Top 10 of 2009:

1. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (Anti)
- Fox Confessor was my favorite album of 2006, and this is a grand follow up. Many listens later I was still discovering little music tidbits and lyrical twists - I don't always know exactly what she's singing about, but I love sound of her words and the images she conjures up.
- Neko's website
- “This Tornado Loves You” on Letterman
- “People Got A Lotta Nerve” video

2. Madness - the Liberty of Norton Folgate (Yep Roc)
- The original line-up returns for their first album of original material in a decade, and it might be the most consistent album of their career. This is classic British pop in the tradition of Keep Moving (1984) and Mad Not Mad (1985). It’s great to have Madness back and is such fine form.
- band site
- "Dust Devil" video
- album sampler

3. Coconut Records - Davy (Young Baby)
- This is the second album from Jason Schwartzman's one-man pop project of relaxed, expertly crafted pop numbers with an almost sublime beauty. At times there's a slightly melancholy Elliot Smith vibe, but more often his style seems more influenced by mid 60's radio pop.
- MySpace page
-"Microphone" video
-"Any Fun" video

4. AC Newman - Get Guilty (Matador)
- On his second solo album Carl Newman doesn't deviate much from what's he's been doing with New Pornographers, except ere he has a bit more latitude to make the arrangements quirkier and the instrumentation just a little more eclectic. Newman takes a classic power pop songwriting base and rebuilds the songs into something much more interesting, but he never sacrifices catchiness.
- his website
-"Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer" DUMBO session

5. Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 - Goodnight Oslo (Yep Roc)
- This is the most straight forward batch of songs Robyn has had in...well...maybe ever. It's been a long time since a new Robyn Hitchcock album has excited me this much, and it’s reminded me why he was such an important artist for me in the 80's and 90's.
- Robyn's website
- "I'm Falling" video

6. the Krayolas - Long Leaf Pine (No Smack Gum) (Box Records/Talking Taco Music)
- This San Antonio band is equal parts Tex-Mex and Mersey Beat, with a little bit of ZZ Top, Mike Nesmith, and an Americana twist on Badfinger thrown into the mix. All of the playing is top notch, and many of thee songs are complimented by a killer horn section. Almost any time a song from this album comes up on shuffle I end up playing the whole album. I have no idea why this wasn't one of the much buzzed records of 2009.
- band site

7. Milk and Honey Band - Dog Eared Moonlight (Ape Records)
- Lush, pastoral pop with shimmering guitars and rich harmonies from Andy Partridge's Ape Records. The songs are intricately crafted with beautiful multi-layered melodies. Occasionally they build up an epic Coldplay feel, but they never lose any of the intimacy that makes the record so special. It's become a late night headphones favorite.
- band site
-special effects house Framestore's montage using "Waste of Time"
- "Just You" video

8. VV Brown - Traveling Like the Light (Island UK - coming out on Capitol in 2010)
- The debut album from UK soul/pop singer V.V. Brown was probably my most played album of the Summer and is still a staple on my MP3 player. She genre jumps and throws in an eclectic mix of influences, but this is basically a poppy R&B dance party record.
- VV's website
-"Shark in the Water" video
-"Crying Blood" video

9. the Leftovers - Eager to Please (Oglio)
- This is classic big hook power pop with a high energy punk pop kick and one of 2009's most fun records. I hear early Beatles, Material Issue, the Ramones, Velvet Crush, and the Buzzcocks and a bit of supercharged bubblegum. This is driving-fast-with-the-top-down Summer music that screams to be played loud and often. They get some help from members of the Muffs, the Donnas, the Romantics and the Rubinoos.
- MySpace
- label's artist page with snippets
- "Telephone Operator" video

10. Duckworth Lewis Method - the Duckworth Lewis Method (1969 Records)
- This quirky Irish band features Neil Hannon (the Divine Comedy) and Thomas Walsh (Pugwash) and their debut album is entirely about the sport of cricket. The band is even named after a somewhat controversial mathematical cricket score keeping method. This record is delightfully fun and distinctly British - all with a great sense of melody and some fantastic harmonies. I hear bits of the Kinks, later XTC, and the pseudo music-hall style that so many UK artists in the 60's experimented with.
- artist site
- "Meeting Mr. Miandad" video

What albums did you dig this year?