The Book Tower
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My favourite albums of 2009. Try to imagine Alan Freeman reading this chart rundown.

10. Bob Dylan: Christmas in the Heart

    Dylan’s Christmas album is a joy. The choice of songs isn’t particularly revolutionary – Little Drummer Boy, I’ll be Home for Christmas, Winter Wonderland give some idea of just how traditional this record is – but this is a collection given with great charm and, indeed, heart. And the best thing about it is Dylan’s lived -in voice; he sounds like an old man who has attended one too many Christmas parties, smoked more than his fair share of cigars and indulged in too much port. A classic.




9. The Duckworth Lewis Method

   An insanely catchy collection of songs from an excellent working partnership between The Divine Comedy and Pugwash. Whilst Neil Hannon has an excellent sense of humour, The Divine Comedy are often a little too irritating. The presence of Pugwash, the Beatly Irish combo, inject something very refreshing into this weirdest of concepts – an album all about cricket. Relish the songs Jiggery Pokery, Test Match Special and Meeting Mr Miandad. Then for good measure go and find the Pugwash album Jollity.




8. Florence and the Machine: Lungs

   Florence Welch is scary but has a truly amazing voice. The standout songs on this very odd album are Dog Days are Over and Rabbit Heart. If you have to go in for all this the new Kate Bush stuff then I’d say Florence was the new Kate. Nominated for 2009’s Mercury prize.




7. Graham Coxon: The Spinning Top

   The music event of the year was undoubtedly Blur at Glastonbury. However Mr Coxon also released his best solo album to date, and the paradox is that it was eclipsed by his reunion with Albarn and co. The Spinning Top is rather wonderful, and don’t be put off by the descriptive words folk and concept.




6. Friendly Fires

   Also nominated for the Mercury prize, Friendly Fires have remained unjustly obscure. This really is a superb album. Check out: Skeleton Boy.




5. Cribs: Ignore the Ignorant

   Cribs have escaped my radar until now, but I love this album. Perhaps because of their newly added key ingredient: Johnny Marr.




4. Little Boots: Hands

   Hands is the iTunes favourite of the year in my household, and I’m glad my offspring has invested in this as an introduction to pop music (although the threat of Cheryl Cole is still a very real one). Even if you don’t like this sort of thing, please listen to Symmetry – the excellent duet between Ms Boots and Phil Oakey from The Human League.




3. Kasabian: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

   Q magazine’s album of the year. Kasabian are annoying in many ways, but I couldn’t stop listening to this album. Although unoriginal, this band rise above their former peers Oasis in the way that they manage to make the retro 60s sound just as good as the bands they are emulating. The weird Thick as Thieves sounds likeRay Davies in cheeky mode, whilst Where Did all the Love Go may win the prize for infuriatingly catchy song of the year.




2. Doves: Kingdom of Rust

   Doves quietly beaver away at their albums, but it’s certainly been worth the wait for this one. Best track is the whipcracking House of Mirrors. I’m placing Doves as my number two album. My liking for Kingdom of Rust also led me to reinvestigate their earlier offerings The Last Broadcast and Some Cities.




1. Arctic Monkeys: Humbug

   After The Last Shadow Puppets I wasn’t sure where Alex Turner would go next. Humbug manages to fuse the ambitious sound of the side project with the Monkey’s more recognisable jangle. This is a record that takes a very long time to get to know, but it is worth the endurance. Standout tracks are Cornerstone and Dance Little Liar, although the entire collection is their best to date. And this is why I’m making it my top choice; this album isn’t instant gratification but takes time and effort. It’s worth it.

Must mention a worthy runner up in Snow Patrol’s A Hundred Million Suns, purchased in 2008 so not really a qualifier. But their best album to date. And I’m also getting to grips with the much touted Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective, although it’s too early to form an opinion.