...my ten favourite albums of 2009.It is funny because this list came fairly quickly to me. There was no internal debating or wrangling on what deserved to be included and what didn't just a clear decision on what stood out in my mind this year. Now this isn't the best albums to have been released, (I will leave that to the hipsters and those that apparently know better), they are simply my favourites.
Presented here (in no real order) are those ten:
Jen Cloher & The Endless Sea- Hidden Hands
A beautiful sophomore release from the Melbourne songstress and her brilliant music collective.
Jamie Cullum - The Pursuit
The pint sized Jazz pianist/vocalist is still putting a new spin on old standards but it's his original songs that make him one of my favourite musicians.
Doves - Kingdom Of Rust
British trio's most complete work yet. In a perfect world, 'Winter Hill' would be a number one smash.
Swell Season - Strict Joy
It is one thing to break up in the public eye. It is another thing entirely to record an album about it when you are in the same band. Glenn Hansard & Marketa Irglova do both and pull it off with dignity (and another great album to boot).
Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
A leftover scrapbook full of lyrics from the missing Richey Edwards is the source for The Manics most abrasive album since The Holy Bible. Also one of their best.
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Seattle journeymen finally have a bit of fun. This should have happened years ago.
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Everything great about Phoenix can be found right here.
Pete Yorn - Back & Forth
After two disjointed albums, New Jersey native Yorn finds the right balance of forlorn ('Don't Wanna Cry') and bittersweet ('Last Summer) tunes.
7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out
This will more than tide me over until the new Crowded House album. Neil Finn and Friends once again check their egos at the door for a good cause, in the process releasing some of the years best music.
Parallel Lions - Holding Patterns
If I had to choose just one album from this list it would probably be this. A new venture from Art Of Fighting's Ollie Browne, Holding Patterns is an embarrassment of riches: Grand sonic landscapes, brilliant drumming and Browne's golden voice. Oh, and the tune 'Separated' - the best five minutes committed to disc this year.
