2009 was – for me – the Year of The GaGa. This is a woman who only twelve months earlier was parading around, swearing by the disco-stick that pop music would never be low brow. And now she’s become this… phenomenon. Whether you like her or not, it was hard to avoid the topic of GaGa in the pop world. Bloggers were divided, some were on the fence about her where even I sat for a while; but once The Fame Monster’s leading single “Bad Romance” surfaced, everything changed. And much like with “Bad Romance”, the music on The Fame Monster served as A-grade pop from beginning to end; the breezy-summerpop of her “La Isla Bonita” meets “Coco Jamboo” homage “Alejandro” comes complete with a simple (but effective) chorus-hook, “Dance In The Dark” brings Jon Bennet Ramsay and Princess Diana together in an industrial-goth take on europop, even her Bowie/Queen-driven ballad “Speechless” proved that ballads didn’t necessarily need to be boring. And then, to top it all off, the second disc comes complete with one of the greatest albums of 2008 (which didn’t see a release in most countries till 2009, FYI); her debut The Fame. Bad Romance, Paparazzi, Lovegame, Just Dance, Poker Face; all on the one album? GaGa redefined the way artists should be utilising the opportunities an album repackage presents; she gave us a fresh new album of quality songs and used her debuts inclusion on the record as the bonus, rather than the tested-and-proven method of that very disc being made the central key-point. Surely this makes The Fame Monster more than worthy of being heralded Album of the Year. [Read my original review.]

The day I wrote the somewhat cringe-worthy review of this album on the blog was a day I’d rather forget. The piece, although in glowing praise of this wondrous record, had a bitter-underlay that could only be justified by saying I was in way-too-a fragile state to even try writing about any record, particularly one whose suitcase of emotions, to me, felt so fresh and familiar. That said, I won’t delete the offending review or edit it. Like Florence herself on this remarkable debut, it’s all-out or nothing. “Drumming Song” felt as if it were mine nearly every time I heard it, “Hurricane Drunk” soundtracked almost to-the-word the way I felt partying over the weekends… It’s one of the more personal and private celebrations of music I’ve had. Some may understand why Lungs affected me so much in 2009, others may not, but there’s no denying this was also an era-defining moment in music in pop culture.  [Read my original review.]

I’m hoping that the darling Antigone will forgive me, for I have sinned. As I got together my list of links for previously reviewed albums in this end-of-09 list, I realised that the review I’d penned on this magnificent debut had never actually been published. Because I’m a dickhead. So until I publish that piece in the New Year, let me detail to you briefly just why Antigone’s Land was one of the finer, more deluxe and exquisite places to visit in 2009. “Promiscuity” is still so sonically magical that it serves as one of the most original (and cruelly overlooked) singles of the Naughties, the scattered dub-beats of the L-Word-loving “Palomino” is the actual definition of bringing sexy/back, the stripped-trip-hop beauty of “Life Without You” is entrancing, and my morning-after cure of the soulful “Life Without You”… It’s all just so fabulous. Antigone Land is such an interesting and captivating palate of sounds that I’m surprised things haven’t exploded for Tigs; the talent is undeniable and the music speaks for itself.

Repackaged in 2009 (which is when these guys came fully into my attention), Friendly Fires’ debut was, essentially, the greatest Rapture album that never was. Where The Rapture sometimes fail in their pop-execution, Friendly Fires’ lead vocalist Ed Macfarlane has such a pop-assurance in his voice that it’s hard to fob them off as just some other indie-dance band. The best bits? The Paul Epworth produced “Jump In The Pool”, “Paris”, “White Diamonds”, “Skeleton Boy”, and the years most interestingly crafted remix, the Aeroplane mix of “Paris”, which used the originals backing vocals (sung by Au Revoir Simone) as the lead vocals. A pleasant surprise, and one I’m fairly sure the cocky blokes from The Rapture would never have stood for were it actually their song.

Natalie Imbruglia released the best album of her career in 2009 and, apparently, only about three people knew of its existence. From collaborating with her Silverchair ex-hubby Daniel Johns (on the jilty break-up pop of “Want”), to collaborating with Coldplay genius Chris Martin, Imbruglia’s music truly came to life (pardon me) on this, her fourth studio effort, after going from strength-to-strength with each album prior. Her reward? A number #67 debut on the Australian ARIA Albums chart. Whatever peoples aversion to Imbruglia may be, one thorough listen through the record should change even the harshest of critics minds. Martin-co-penned “Lukas” is Natalie playing with the grand gestures of Kate Bush, the heartbreaking “Fun” lives in the same camp as Leona Lewis’ “Happy”, in that its title is of no suggestion as to your general mood after listening to the song. But everything on here is beautiful, and I’m hopeful that, when she launches this in the UK next year, things turn out a little better for her than they did back home.

One of my best friends Michelle got me onto the Yeah Yeah Yeahs a few years ago; their debut Fever To Tell spawned one of the single greatest love songs ever written (the crushing “Maps”), and the loveability factor of Karen O as a frontwoman was always going to be too hard to resist for the general population at some point. Although big before, It’s Blitz! took the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from alternative radio stations like Triple J and RRR to a more mainstream audience… whilst still maintaining the relationships with those alternative stations. It was the first time that, from beginning to end, it felt like you were listening to a Yeah Yeah Yeahs pop record. And that is why It’s Blitz! is their best effort yet; it’s the strongest collection of songs in their back catalogue. Aside from the killer singles “Zero” and “Heads Will Roll”, it’s all about the tender ballad “Runaway”, which gives the aforementioned “Maps” a run for its tender, fragile money.

I hold this record in a very similar league to Florence’s debut. Swede Erik Hassle was heralded as the next Robbie Williams in 2009, but this first impression of an album demonstrated he was more than just the next anything. His unique sincerity and tender-loving-themes generally made this a Kleenex-happy 45 minutes, but boy, what a thrilling 45 minutes it is. “All That I Wanted Was You” still tugs a little tighter on the heartstrings than the other tracks, but everything on Hassle is worth the namesake. [Read my original review.]

Boasting the likes of Robyn, The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson, Anneli Drecker and Lykke Li on vocals, Nordic ravers Royksopp delivered the kind of neatly polished and well executed pop album – from start to finish – that the likes of Basement Jaxx could only dream about. Robyn served up the records best moment in “The Girl and the Robot”, but it was the vocal-free “Royksopp Forever” that gave us the long players most interesting; think AIR’s Virgin Suicides Soundtrack meets the disco.

Can you imagine if “The Reeling” had’ve been a Kylie Minogue single? Holy Mother of God, that would have been something. That being said, Passion Pit themselves certainly do a corker of a job on the song. Although I’ll agree that last years EP release, Chunk of Change, is the better release of the two, Manners still managed to back-up all of the hype generated behind that very EP and the enormity of “Sleepyhead.” Will they pump out another record in 2010?

Infinitely better than their three-and-a-half-star debut, Alphabeat came through like a bat out of hell with their bubbly follow up, The Spell. From the records title track, to the adorability of “DJ”, The Spell is about as pure-a-pop album as you’re going to get. The Michael Davidson/S.A.W-licking “The Beat Is” remains a solid favourite, but the euphoric nature of everything from “Heatwave” to the explosive “Heart Failure” showcase that perhaps the best is still yet to come from these clever little Danes.

READ NUMBERS 11 – 50: HERE.

NUMBERS 50 – 41: HERE.
NUMBERS 40 – 31: HERE.
NUMBERS 30 – 21: HERE.

Breaking the rules once again; this album is from 2008. I was always aware of Kalkbrenner’s place in the dance music circuit but – and I’m not quite sure how – overlooked the Berlin Calling Soundtrack when it was released. Now, in 2009, after the record was played in full to me by my mate Peter, it’s topping the Twenties in my OH-NINE list. Sixteen of some of the most interesting, fresh and vibrant dance/electronica moments of the decade, including the outstanding “Aaron”, the wondrously gorgeous “Sky & Sand”, the tough bassline of “Square 1″, and the glitchy-tech-trance of “Gebrunn Gebrunn.” An artistic triumph; if you are even remotely interested in the sounds of electronica, then this record will be right up your alley.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; My favourite Beatle is and has always been Yoko Ono. Whilst she may be a running-gag for those who’ve not bothered to look beyond her placement in pop culture as John Lennon’s wife, Ono is one of those truly magnificent and rare talents who defies the odds and does what she wants. There is a bit of everything on here; bonkers guitar-licks (on the ace “Waiting For The D Train”), to electronic bleeps and blops (”The Sun Is Down”), to a beautiful piano-ballad “Higa Noburu” which, although may not give Leona Lewis many-a-sleepless night, it’s certainly one of the more thought-provoking ballads of the year.

It’s been four years since Vitalic (real name Pascal Arbez) released his (back then!) long awaited debut album OK Cowboy. It spawned some of the biggest dancefloor destroyers of the 21st Century and cemented Pascal into the books as a true face to watch. So has the wait, and the years of following, been worth it? Flashmob is just as fresh and exciting to the ears as OK Cowboy was when first released (and, not surprisingly, still IS). ‘Poison Lips’ is a prime example of Vitalic’s sheer genius. It is about as close to Giorgio Moroder as we’ll ever get in the 21st Century, with an explosion of sound that is the audio equivalent of a giant burst of cocaine fusing with your brain on the dancefloor of a 1970’s discotheque. Yup; that good. Arbez shows the Justice boys how demonic you can REALLY make horror-disco sound on ‘Flashmob’ and the bonkers-great ‘Station Mir 2009’, ‘One Above One’ is the sort of thing you’d maybe hope Daft Punk would do next, and current single ‘Your Disco Song’ comes complete with a thick, dirty bassline that sounds fresh but still somehow manages to sound EXACTLY like the Vitalic we know and love. Genius.

Cheryl Cole’s debut long player release – her first without Girls Aloud – divided opinions across the Blogosphere. I loved it. I’m willing to admit that songs such as “Happy Hour”, “Heaven” and “Boy Like You” were more filler than killer, but, to be honest, they were filler I was quite happy to sing along to. The title track (featuring will.I.am) is a monstrously epic and dramatic pop song, “Parachute” carries on where Cheryl left off on first single “Fight For This Love” (the latter which remains the best moment on here), whilst “Rain On Me”, “Stand Up” and the discofied “Make Me Cry” still come up trumps as being key-go-to moments on the CD. Read my original review here.

Just in case you’re wondering what your Don’t Stop tracklisting in iTunes should look like (as opposed to the silly order of tracks on the actual CD), here; Hey Annie, My Love Is Better, Bad Times, Songs Remind Me Of You, I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me, The Breakfast Song, I Can’t Let Go, I Don’t Like Your Band, Don’t Stop, Anthonio, Take You Home, Marie Cherie, Loco. “Sweet” and “When The Night” can fuck right off though, can’t they?

I had no idea until a few months back that two thirds of Miike Snow were actually Bloodyshy & Avant. Amazing! No wonder I love it, particularly because the glossy big-beats found throughout the record harbour some dark, lonely and depressing lyrics, ones which will have you playing the record again to make sure you heard right. A truly remarkable effort from some of pop musics greatest producers.

The success of Calvin’s debut album, 2007’s I Created Disco, helped place Harris in a position which gave him free-range on what he wanted to do for the follow up. Whilst the debut, although a brilliant listen, was a tad patchy in places, Calvin’s sophomore hasn’t a patch in sight, and don’t let those ridiculous music snobs tell you otherwise. From the get-go, Ready For The Weekend does exactly what it says on the tin; even if it’s nowhere near Friday night yet. Album opener “The Rain” has an explosive and genuinely joyous chorus, with some interesting blips-n-bops going on through the verses. “Stars Come Out” is like a jaunty-electro-pop ode to ABBA, and current Aussie single “I’m Not Alone” pays tribute to the raves of yesteryear. But the real gems on Ready For The Weekend lie with “You Used To Hold Me” and “Flashback.” Both tracks take what is essentially the musical core of some prolific 90’s dance tracks and mesh them together with Calvin’s clever lyrics and modern production. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about this record. Even the lounge moment, “Burns Night”, serves as a kind of Sunday afternoon hangover cure. Rumours have surfaced this might Calvin’s last artist album. Let’s hope not.

Josh Homme and the Arctic Monkeys? A young rock-n-roll fans wet dream no doubt, one which is very much an exciting reality on this, the Monkeys’ third studio album. Alex Turner and his band of equally genius craftsmen have grown a lot since their last record, just as they did from their debut to their sophomore. Humbug is classy, poetic (thank you Turner for the best lyric writing of your career), dignified and, above all else, mature. First single “Crying Lightning” isn’t even one of the better moments on the long player “Secret Door” has one of the dreamiest closing sequences the band have ever recorded, whilst the mysterious “Potion Approaching” meshes the best elements of their first two albums together with this Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-esque premise felt through the record. It all gets monstrously sexy by the 2’’51’ mark, where you can almost hear the ghost of Jim Morrison peering through Alex Turner’s voice. Eerily satisfying. Other brilliant moments include the will-be-amazing-live “Cornerstone”, “Pretty Visitors”, “Dance Little Riot” and the Bonus track, a cover of Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand”, which is just as good as the original. Where the hell was the promotion behind this though?!

By far my favourite Gossip album. From beginning to end, Music For Men came across as being a stronger, more powerful and upfront release from a band whose reputation proceeds them. From the tongue-in-cheek album title, to the placement of someone other than Beth Ditto from the band on the cover, Music For Men is bold, brash and confronting… much like the band themselves. “Dimestore Diamond” is the kind of big-drum-driven rock and roll-cum-hypnotic-trance you’d expect to hear in a Quentin Tarantino movie; heroine dancing in front of a jukebox, whilst energetic pop moments “Love Long Distance”, “Pop Goes The World” and “Men In Love” make this record the magnum opus that it is. Of course, the Fred Falke remix of “Heavy Cross” (not on the album, sadly) wipes the floor clean with the original.

The best Pet Shop Boys album since Very. End of discussion. Read my original review here.

Numbers 10 to 1; tomorrow morning. The top 209 songs of 2009; Christmas Day…

NUMBERS 50 – 41: HERE.
NUMBERS 40 – 31: HERE.
NUMBERS 30 – 21: HERE.

NUMBERS 50 – 41: HERE.
NUMBERS 40 – 31: HERE.

Because I’ve definitely missed out on a lot of blogging opportunities due to life getting in the way in 2009, I missed out on sharing the wonder of the Fagget Fairys with you. Introduced to me by my darling friend and editor Clare Dickins earlier this year, the brilliant thing about this alarmingly named, Copenhagen-based female two-piece is that their song lyrics are sung in a mixture of English and Ex-Yugoslavian. Think Peaches for the Eastern Block. Album highlights are “Roll The Dice” and the stunning “Oci”, which, when translated, comes to light as being quite the L-Word-Romper.

And this is how you make a pop star on reality television ladies and gentlemen! On this, The X-Factor 2008’s winners debut album, Burke manages to do in three minutes what, perhaps, Jessica Mauboy’s been trying to do for the last 12 months. Lead single (featuring Flo Rida in the years best rent-a-rapper moment) “Bad Boys” could be a big hit here in Australia if it was pushed, whilst next single “Broken Heels” (where, I  swear to God, it sounds like she says “ladies take the biggest cock” in one of the verses) and the incredibly sultry “All Night Long” prove to be Overcome’s highpoints. Other moments of interest include the hilarious “Dumb”, and the Stevens-esque “Nothing But The Girl.” Even the ballads (Hallelujah not withstanding) are easy to digest!

Everyone fizzed from the slit this year over that David Guetta album, but the real crossover Superstar DJ album of the year goes, hands down, to Tiesto who, on Kaleidoscope, finally found the crossover happy medium between dance music that sounds like pop music, and pop music that sounds like dance music. If you’re a dance purist that thinks he’s sold out, take a listen to the album first and then decide. You simply cannot overlook the haunting drama of his Tegan & Sara collaboration, “Feel It In My Bones”, the Nelly Furtado jam “Who Wants To Be Alone”, or that spikey Sneaky Sound System one; “I Will Be Here.”

The infamous Queen of Smut, Peaches teams up with Digitalism, Soulwax, Simian Mobile Disco and Drums of Death on a production level for this, her fifth studio album. Abrasive electroclash beats melded together with elements of hip-hop, this is easily her best album since 2000’s debut, The Teaches Of Peaches. The incredible “Lose You” is by far the greatest (and sweetest) moment in her discography.

Natasha Khan’s sophomore long player cements her place within pop cultures history books quite firmly. From start to finish, Two Suns is a record of properly epic proportions. The album, described by Khan as being a collection of songs which explore “dualities on a number of levels – two lovers, two planets, two sides of a personality,” spawned two of the years most beautiful songs; “Daniel” and “Pearl’s Dream.”

Lily’s long awaited follow up to her debut, Alright, Still is a nicely polished, intelligently put together pop record from one of the genre’s biggest hopes. On this, her sophomore album, Allen discusses everything from drugs, to George Bush, broken friendships and premature ejaculation. A truly remarkable selection of tracks from start to finish that fought it out with five other albums this year to make the Top 20.

After the success of their 2007 debut, Attack Decay Sustain Release, it’s nice to see SMD have upped the ante on this, their much sought after follow up. There’s definitely a lot more pop on this record than their previous, but it’s all danceable. ‘Cream Dream’ sounds like it’s been ripped straight out of the Cliff Richard 80’s Songbook and remixed for the disco (ie: Amazing), and first single ‘Audacity Of Huge’ is a cheeky palate of brilliance, one which name drops Tammy Faye Baker (!!!!!!!!) of all people. Everything really takes off though with the Beth Ditto vocal ‘Cruel Intentions’, which is one of the greatest tracks to come from The Disco over the years. Other clever vocal-cum-dancefloor moments through the record include the smashing ‘Off The Map’, and the funky-and-very-Hot-Chip ‘Bad Blood’ (featuring he of the Hot Chip himself; Alexis Taylor). However, ‘Turn Up The Dial’ gives Temporary Pleasure its first (and only) dud moment; Skip, skip, skip. Floorfillers without a vocal punch also take up a bit of space on the record, with ‘Ambulance’ and bonus track ‘Are You In The Picture’ doing exactly for Temporary Pleasure what ‘Wooden’ and ‘Sleep Deprivation’ did for their first record; this is an exceptional follow-up by a force who – if they play their cards right – could be around for many years to come.

Did you know that the artwork for this album, when looked at directly in full size, actually moves?! It’s like one of those old school 3D Magic books or something! Anyway, this record = quite good. “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes” being the Collective’s best moments to date on this, their most enjoyable album thus far.

What the hell happened here?! Frankmusik’s debut album should have propelled him to the heights he oh-so-deserves but, instead, he seems to be hanging around the Dumper of late. Perhaps the closest thing we’ll get to being this years ‘Come & Get It’ (not just music wise, it would seem, but commercially so as well) Complete Me came, er, complete, with top-notch pop and dance floor ditties like “In Step”, “Better Off As 2″, “Gotta Boyfriend?”, “When You’re Around”, “Time Will Tell”, and my favourite; the stunning “Vacant Heart.”

Although My Guilty Pleasure wasn’t as powerful as Shapiro’s 2007 debut Disco Romance, it’s still one of the most interesting and creative records of the year. Combining a mixture of Italo-disco, eurodance and Swedish pop, My Guilty Pleasure proved to be anything but very quickly – “Love In July” is subtly explosive, “Save Your Love” is an absolute joygasm of pop, and album favourite “My Fantasy” does its best fusing sounds from her debut album and incorporating it into the new. Nothing guilty about this pleasure.

NUMBERS 50 – 41: HERE.
NUMBERS 40 – 31: HERE.

Numbers 50 – 41 here…

Although not quite up to scratch of his previous records, Wolf’s Bachelor still managed to provide an array of powerful moments which saw it garnering a few plays on ye olde iTunes. “Hard Times” relies on its heavy violin-strings for what’s probably the most interesting moment on here, followed by “Theseus”, my other favourite. Of course, the less said about “Thickets” and “Vulture”, the better…

I was just like you once, you know. I scoffed at the thought of enjoying a Cascada record without having even given the poor lass a chance.  Thankfully, I tuned in just in time; Natalie Horler’s third collaborative release as Cascada has proven to be the outfits finest. From its GaGa-ripping title track, to the donk-tastic bassline orgasms of “Ready Or Not”, Evacuate The Dancefloor is a fun pop record that doesn’t try to be anything else.

Good ‘ol Loch Nessa’s fourth studio album came like a bat out of hell in 2009. If you had told me 12 months ago that Nessa would not only be singing about masturbation (or, for that matter, a song with Seany B as rent-a-rapper), but that her album would be in my 2009 top 50, I wouldn’t have believed you. Regardless of the fact that this Swedish-produced record seems a little like Ness trying out other peoples shoes, at least the shoes she’s trying out aren’t exactly cheap, imitative knock-offs from the Sunday Market.  Ace lead single “This Is Who I Am” will go down as one of Australia’s best pop moments in ‘09, with other favourites being “Blow Me Away”, “Sleep With Me” and “Aliens & UFOs.”

Another year, another fan release. I wonder just how many more unreleased albums Dannii has in the vaults, ready to go for yet another year of avoiding recording any new music?

I once heard Paloma being referred to as an Amy Winehouse-type, “without the drugs. Similar hair though.” This albums total running time is around the same as Winegums’ Back To Black. Maybe they were onto something?

Her hands are small, she knows. But they’re not yours, they are her own. Great artwork, mainly killer with not a lot of filler, though haven’t reports of her being a little on the bitchy side put you off her a little? I know I have been. Luckily, she’s got some quality pop to back-up the apparent attitude, though I’ll be damned if I know why she went with “Remedy” and the Number 84 peak of “Earthquake” as singles, when surefire Top 10’s such as “Symmetry” (with Sir Philip Oakey) or “Meddle” sit, collecting dust as album tracks. Read my original review here.

I still think this is better than Chasing Lights, their debut, but it would appear I am definitely in the minority when it comes to said opinion. Oh well. First single “Forever Is Over” is a grower, but it all sits on “Ego” and the title track – the two truly solid moments on here. Read my original review here.

There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking on here but by Golly, what a fun pop record it is! Whitney channels Michael Jackson circa-1979 in “Million Dollar Bill” (which is just fine as it is, thank you Freemasons), then channels the 1990’s in the empowering “Nothin’ But Love”… there’s even a cover of the Leon Russell track “A Song For You” (which, admittedly, I’ve only ever known as a Carpenters song) that goes a little bit Thunderpuss-remix-in-1997 at the 90 second mark. If you’ve ever liked Whitney, at all over the years, there is literally something on here for all of you.

It’s been eight whole years since Miss Kittin & The Hacker combined their electronic forces to produce their seminal debut “The First Album”. One of the most celebrated records within its genre, it still manages to sound fresh even now after all these years have passed. Following up such an iconic effort can’t exactly be easy, which is maybe why it’s taken the duo so long (aside from all of their solo efforts over the years) to push “Two” out into the world. Comprising of 10 tracks, “Two” works as an homage to some of the classiest sounds electronica has given us over the years. There’s a bit of everything here; industrial (“PPPO”, the hellish “Indulgence”), minimal techno (“The Womb”, “Emotional Interlude” and “Electronic City”), electroclash (“Party In My Head” which, brilliantly, spends most of its running time referencing the heroes and champions of the electronic music scene), to the pulsing disco beats found within their (surprisingly) incredible cover of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds”, one which comes complete with a stunning homage to Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” in its final 35 seconds. There’s no “Frank Sinatra” or “Life on MTV” here, but “Two” comes out a better record because of it. There are no moments on the record which give off the impression they’ve repeated themselves. Maybe that’s what happens when you take eight years to follow up your debut effort? The Avalanches; I hope you’re taking notes.

Yet another (incredible) 8-track LP released in 2009; seems to be the year for it. An electronic album that, primarily, works best on a Sunday afternoon after a big night out, or after a few days of being awake in a row. Not that I would know anything about that, I’m just merely saying. Hem.

Numbers 50 – 41 here…

Ladies and Gentlemen, after a shortlist of 103 albums, I present to you my Top 50 favourite long players of 2009.

In part 1 today, I present to you Numbers 50 through to 41. Enjoy…

Whilst there are moments on Fixin’ To Thrill (Dragonette’s sophomore follow-up to 2007’s debut Galore) which almost mirror musical happenings from their debut (see “Don’t Be Funny”, a slightly inferior version to “True Believer”), there are some honest-to-god pop gems on here that make this their best body of work yet. Tracks such as the hilbilly electro-rock of “Gone Too Far” and the Goldfrapp homaging “Easy” leave the strongest of impressions.

Lady GaGa wasn’t the only person in 2009 to release an 8-track album. Stuart Price has, once again, delivered the goods on this – the greatest Zoot Woman production yet. Cleverly combining everything Price has learnt over the last four years about pop music into this record, it’s any wonder why it stands a cut above other Zoot works. Album opener ‘Just A Friend Of Mine’ is a spikey (but heartbreaking) ode to unrequited love, whilst record highlight ‘Lonely By Your Side’, in a decent world, would have been number one for weeks. Vocally speaking, Adam Blake can do no wrong here; heavily Bowie-inspired ‘More Than Ever’ shows little hints of Sting creeping through Blake’s voice. This is the most cohesive and substantial Zoot Woman record to date, and perhaps it’s partly due to the production-prowess of Price. There are so many good pop moments on here, but some seriously inspiring electronica too. Everyone wins.

Accessible and overly-enjoyable songs like “Fifteen”, ace single “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” soundtrack the thoughts of a teenager in messy-love  and, at time, soundtracked my own travels through 2009. This is Swift’s second album (which was actually released in 2008), with 2009 being the year which propelled the Pensylvania-born 20 year old into the kind of situations where she was being praised by Beyonce, and tortured by Kanye West.

La Roux’s debut album is a far-cry from being the record to save pop music that so many in the media and the blogging community have made it out to be. It’s good, but far from being perfect and it infact suffers from “filler-mode”; there’s also that voice, which tends to drive me nuts after 25 minutes of listening. Odd single choices have tainted this release that little bit more for me (”Tigerlily” and “Colourless Colour” overlooked? An outrage), but singles “Quicksand” and “In For The Kill” still pack one quiff of a powerful pop-punch. (Read my original review here.)

The whole record is actually quite brilliant in that “what is this, 1993?” kind of way; 2008 X-Factor contestants JLS’ debut album is a joyous return to the days when there was a fine-line between boybands making pop and rnb music. “Beat Again” and “Kickstart” are the obvious corkers, with ballad “Close To You” being the better of the slower numbers.

Okay, so more of an EP than an album, but a worthy addition to the list nonetheless. Aside from the truly magnificent Viva La Vida/Domino Dancing mash-up (of sorts), there’s also the brilliant “My Girl”, and a souped-up version of “It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas” which makes this one of the better PSB’s releases overall. Robbie at ChartRigger recently compiled a list of his favourite PSB releases this last decade; clicky clicky to have a read.

If Stuart Price or Calvin Harris were to team up with Daft Punk, DatA’s Skywriter is perhaps the kind of record you’d get. Male vocals over upfront synths and chord whirls, it is however all about the title track, “Skywriter”, which has so much pop-crossover potential I’m incredibly surprised it’s not bigger than it is.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of  Just Jack’s first two albums when they were released, and if it weren’t for the magnificent xolondon sending me in the direction of lead single “Embers”, I may not bothered with this, his third. “Embers” is gorgeously orchestrated with its double-hand-claps and violently stunning string section, whilst Electroglam even makes an appearance via the bonkers “Goth In The Disco”.

From start to finish, this is all kinds of amazing, and not only for the mere fact that, 27 years on, they’re still going strong (ish). “Love Comes”, Viva’s first single, is a slice of such strong 1990’s eurotrance, the likes of Alexia and Whigfield would be quite pleased someone’s carrying their torch of euro-flavour into the next decade. The ‘international’ “Voyage Voyage” is magnifique, whilst their cover of iio’s “Rapture” is – surprisingly – tops.

Kylie’s getting better at these fan releases than The Queen of Fan Releases and fellow sister, Dannii, isn’t she?!

[Numbers 40 - 31: Tomorrow...]