Hmmm..
Er..

The Duckworth Lewis Method thingy. And Madness' The Libery Of Norton Folgate.

There y'go. I didn't think much of the latter but everyone else seems to think the sun shines out of it so..

Otherwise I've been left very, very cold this year musically. Bring on the new Midlake.

I can recall when my son was born in 85', I lost touch with music, film and television for a few years. Some things are just too important.

As far as suggestions go, I would ask santa for the new revamped versions of the Grizzly Bear cd and also the Fever Ray cd, both have got an extra disc now with extra tracks/videos. Shouldn't imagine you will have many complaints from other members of the massive, when I suggest the wonderful Duckworth Lewis Method cd. Add onto that the debut by The Phantom Band and also the latest Decemberists effort, and I predict a very merry xmas, esp with a newborn.

...and as for the FloMachine album, it seems to be something of a Marmite. She's either the new Kate Bush, or a massively hyped fuss over very little talent, depending who you ask. Definitely try before you buy.

cornershop - judy sucks lemon for breakfast - stupid title but what can ya do!

richard hawley - truelove's gutter - more of the same but still excellent

yo la tengo - popular songs , current fave, not sure whether it will stand test of time

From what's been recommended so far, personally I'd leave off Duckworth Lewis, but add the new Richard Hawley, Truelove's Gutter and Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest.

Despite the "shoeing" it got from one or two on here, I like Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion too. And there's no shame in admitting a liking for Little Boots' Hands.

The Florence + the Machine album is a bit "meh" in that it just tries too damn hard.

The Unthanks's "Here's the Tender Coming".

Not much has come close this this year, though I concur with Duckworth-Lewis,and then throw in the best bits of the VV Brown, Staff Benda Bilili and Dizzee Rascal albums and what I have heard so far of Madness and Animal Collective gives me hope.

Otherwise, no, not a vintage year. Me, I have been playing catch-up with classical and folk, and it is the year I finally learned to love Leonard Cohen. I am hoping that for Christmas someone gets me the new Julie Fowlis, the Francophonic Volume 2 collection, I must admit to being curious about Loudon Wainwright's High Wide and Handsome collection and if someone is feeling really flush, the Three Score & Ten - A Voice to the People box from Topic Records, but I think that will be my present to myself.

To Be Still.Three or four listens to allow the tunes to sink in and you won't need to trouble yourself any further.

Luke Haines - 21st Century Man/Achtung Mutha
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
plus The Unthanks, Madness, The Cribs, Lady Gaga...

Or failing that, The Unthanks.

'Oh my god charlie Darwin' - My favourite so far this year. It has been a rather poor year so far I think.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Joyful pop of the highest order.

for Florence and the Machine. Really imaginative lyrically, musically and production - she's a very talented singer, and it has great charm - she's surprisingly likeable and certainly not the talent-free fame hungry souless wannabe that she's often portrayed as round these parts.

It's not a 100% success but I've not heard much by Kate Bush that's better. I'd much rather listen to Flo.

...then 2009 was probably a good one to choose. Or possibly it only seems poor in comparison to 2008's hearty crop of albums, several of which are still in regular rotation on my player (Elbow, Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver are all probably somewhere near the top of my all-time favourites).

That said, there have been a few little gems. My personal favourite is The Sleeper by The Leisure Society, which is quite magical. I also really enjoyed Dear John by Loney, Dear, though I suspect it's more of a love it or hate it affair.

As for Florence - none of the album quite matches Rabbit Heart, but it's a damn fine listen nonetheless and well worth sticking on the Chrimbo list.

How about the new albums by (of ones not mentioned earlier)

The Phenomenal Handclap Band
Silversun Pickups
Lindstrom & Prins Thomas
Wilco
U2
Placebo
Fall Out Boy
Monsters of Folk

and in compilations, how about the new Amorphous Androgynous compilation or the first one that came out at the end of last year. Well packaged with a splendidly eclectic playlist

This is what they sounded like at The Green Man (apparently)

1.The Drive By Truckers, B-sides and rarities,altho the songs didn't make the albums when recorded, this is a great DBT's record.

2.Hayden, The place where we lived, a great Canadian singer/songwriter who will be compared to Neil Young if he keeps making records like this one.

3.Monsters of Folk, I saw the first show of their tour, and when they come to the UK, don't miss it.This album is the setlist.

4.John Doe and the Sadies, Country Club, if you like 70's country, this album is a covers record, with a great singer and the best back up band in the world (just ask Neko Case).

5.The Trajically Hip, We are the same.Another great Canadian Band.Check out the song 'Morning Moon'

One other. Skanky Skanky by Toddla T. It's the sort of thing you'd expect to hear thudding out of the subwoofers installed in the boot of a poxy Clio covered in fibreglass shite and driven by a pasty-fced scrofular youth but I like it. It's wildly exciting and makes me do silly dancing when no-one else is around. I'll expect everyone else to hate it. I probably should hate it myself.

Broken Records - Until the Earth Begins to Part. They're "the Scottish Arcade Fire"

Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears - Flight of the Knife; Bonkers power-pop-prog concept album from Brooklyn

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges ; Alt-country dudes get funky.

My album of the year is the latest from Chuck Prophet.
It's been mentioned my myself and a couple of others on other threads, but it really is an absolutley marvellous record. It's called ¡Let Freedom Ring!.

Duckworth Lewis, Monsters of Folk, Madness, Low Anthem, Richard Hawley have all been mentioned already.

Add to that:
Vetiver
Camera Obscura
Richmond Fontaine
Felice Brothers
Duke & the King
Fanfarlo
M Ward
Andrew Bird
Great Lake Swimmers
Trashcan Sinatras
Luke Haines
All of whom have produced albums ranging from the good to the very good apart from M Ward and Andrew Bird which are bordering on the brilliant.

Best of all, Lloyd Cole's rarities and B-sides box Cleaning out the Ashtrays which goes a long way to proving his has been one of the greatest unsung careers of the last two decades.

But, as ever, depends on your preferences.....

A Camp - Colonia (warm, tuneful and beautifully produced)

Little Boots - Hands

Springsteen - Working on a Dream

Manic Street Preachers - Journal for Plague Lovers

La Roux - La Roux

Kasabian - West Ryder Paper Lunatic Asylum (this ROCKS like a beast and shakes it rump - believe the hype)

I've loved 2009 - all the following are brilliant

Clever noisy album of the year: Future of the Left - Travels with Myself and Another

Old fashioned electronic pop album of the year: Katsen - It Hertz!

Balkan-folk-prog-rock-instrumental album of the year: Storsveit Nix Noltes - Royal Wedding Divorce

Quality folk-pop album of the year: Nat Johnson and the Figureheads - Roman radio

Bonnie Prince Billy album of the year: Beware (best since Master and Everyone, but nothing like that...)

Bouncy tiggerpop just-the-right-side-of-the-landfill-indie-borderline album of the year: The Kabeedies - Rumpus

Oh and best Sheffield album, not Hawley (though it is v.v. good) or Nat J, but Smokers Die Younger's self-titled album

and there was loads of other good stuff

It's been a good year with a few highlights:
Madness - The Liberty Of Norton Folgate
Metric - Fantasies
M. Ward - Hold Time
Grand Duchy - Petit Fours
Devon Sproule - ¡Don't Hurry for Heaven!
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk
Eels - Hombre Lobo
Silvery - Thunderer & Excelsior

but probably my favourite has been the long awaited new Brendan Benson album - My Old, Familiar Friend

the Ian Hunter album 'Man Overboard' yet?

And there was the evergreen Moz of course.

And Stackridge.

Otherwise largely Yawnsville I thought.

called The Beatles had some remixes out, or something? And a video game for the Sega Megadrive. Not sure if anyone mentioned it on The Word website? They were from the 60s - quite good by all accounts.

This is getting better with every listen. I haven't heard any of his other albums. Can anyone recommend where to start for further investigation? Is his other stuff similar?