Rich*

30 | Bloc Party - One More Chance - Brilliant, real grower as well 29 | Maximo Park - Questing, Not Coasting - Amazing, such an underrated song 28 | Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets - Brilliant, hoping for more great tunes from her in 2010 27 | Tubelord - Propeller - Not heard 26 | The Killers - A Dustland Fairytale - Very good, agree it should have been bigger 25 | Passion Pit - Moth's Wings - Not heard 24 | Lady GaGa - Bad Romance - Superb, such a good chorus 23 | Frank Turner - Poetry Of The Deed - Love it, love him 22 | Marina & The Diamonds - Mowgli's Road - Very good, good to see it so high 21 | The xx - Crystalised - Very good

40 | Metric - Sick Muse - Excellent 39 | The xx - Islands - Very good 38 | The Futureheads - Struck Dumb - Have a lot of love for this 37 | Little Boots - Remedy - Great 36 | Paramore - Ignorance - Adore this 35 | Jay-Z - Empire State Of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) - Excellent, listening now. Still continuing to grow 34 | TV On The Radio - Family Tree - Good 33 | White Lies - Farewell To the Fairground - Excellent, my favorite of theirs 32 | Johnny Foreigner - DJ's Get Doubts - Not heard 31 | Editors - Papillon - Brilliant, should have been bigger

50 | Doves - Kingdom Of Rust - Brilliant 49 | Kong - Blood Of A Dove - Not heard 48 | The Horrors - Who Can Say - Good 47 | Jamie T - Sticks 'n' Stones - Loved this at the time, very good song 46 | Jay-Z - D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) - Brilliant 45 | Coldplay - Life In Technicolor II - Excellent 44 | Thrice - All The World Is Mad - Good 43 | Manchester Orchestra - Shake It Out - Not heard 42 | Animal Collective - Brother Sport - Not heard 41 | Marina & The Diamonds - I Am Not A Robot - Very good

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3 Frank Turner - Poetry of The Deed http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/XMR022CD.JPG I'm gonna live fast and I'm gonna die old. I'm gonna end my days in a house with high windows The three remaining albums were all released within three weeks of one another. The first, Frank Turner’s ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is at No.3. I was introduced to Frank Turner towards the end of 2008, and have listened to him intensely ever since. ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is Frank’s third studio album, following 2008’s ‘Love Ire & Song’ and 2007’s ‘Sleep Is For The Week’. Unlike it’s predecessors, ‘Poetry of The Deed’ was rehearsed and road tested and recorded with a full band. As you’d expect at this stage, there are so many standouts; ‘Live Fast, Die Old’, ‘The Road’, ‘The Fastest Way Back Home’, ‘Richard Divine’ and the title track to name but a few. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Frank live twice, at Leeds Festival and at Rock City in Nottingham (and have tickets for his tour in March). I can’t quite explain it (if you’ve seen him before I am sure you’ll know what I mean) but after the gig you can’t help but smile. Frank’s music is so uplifting and you can just tell he loves what he is doing and he puts his heart and soul into his live shows which makes it all the more enjoyable for the audience. ‘Poetry of The Deed’ is another strong collection of folk rock songs that sound great both on record and on tour. For most artists, releasing three albums in three years is unthinkable, let alone three records off such a high standard. He may not be selling records by the bucketload (yet), but the former Million Dead frontman has a cult following which is growing at a rapid pace. “I would go so far as to call him the voice of a generation, expect that our generation has so many worthless w*n**rs in it that they don’t deserve to be associated with him.”

Thanks for commenting :) Glad you are a fan of 'Humbug' and 'To Lose My Life' :D

I went off 'Crying Lightning' quite a bit :(

Thought as much :(

4 Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/WIGCD205.JPG What's the matter there? Feeling kind of anxious? The hot blood grew cold Franz Ferdinand’s third release ‘Tonight: Franz Ferdinand’ is, in my opinion the year’s most underrated records. Every since I heard , I couldn’t help but get excited towards the Glaswegians third release and thankfully it surpassed all expectations. Home to one of the videos of the year, why ‘Ulysses’ wasn’t a bigger hit I’ll never know. There’s just something about it that I really connect with. The beat, the lyrics, the chorus and the big build up towards the final 60 seconds is just perfection. It’s different to your average formulaic pop song but is all the better so for it. The album is a change in direction for the band but at the same time you can tell its them. ‘Tonight’ is a concept album, based loosely around a night of partying and the effects that follow the day after. There’s not a weak song on the record, all twelve songs blend so well together and the mix of tempos is just right. From the eight minute extravaganza of ‘Lucid Dreams’ to the soft, soothing closer ‘Katherine Kiss Me’ (which is an acoustic version of ‘No Yu Girls’). I had the pleasure of seeing them in October and that hour and a half just cemented my love for this record further. I’d argue this Franz Ferdinand’s finest work to date. For starters it’s a very personal album for me, its been the soundtrack to the first year of University for me and my friend. Yes, their self titled debut received mass critical acclaim, but ‘Tonight’ is so much better than that. The band have grown up somewhat since their debut and sound all the better for it.

What are your favorites on it?

But where is it? :o

On reflection, there are five albums that I think deserve to be higher than 'Quicken The Heart', hence why it is at No.6. SIMPLE MATHS :o

MAMA, WHY DID YOU DO IT? :wub:

I know there's a lack of love for 'Humbug' :( I agree with that you've said. Yes, 'Pretty Visitors' is awesome :wub: Yes, I love Maximo a lot and 6th is still a very good position :) Just five albums I love more, GET THAT? :D

5 Morrissey - Years of Refusal http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/4781435.JPG “Life is nothing much to lose, it’s just so lonely here without you” The best Morrissey album of the decade is at No.5. ‘Years of Refusal’, released in February contains some of Morrissey’s best work in over a decade. It’s an entertaining record from start to finish and a record that suggests Morrissey has rediscovered himself. , ‘When I Last Spoke To Carol’, ‘It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore’ and ‘I’m OK By Myself’ are just few of the many standouts on the record. “Then came an arm around my shoulder, well surely the hand holds a revolver?”, as with every Morrissey album, the lyrics are full of negativity, conveying the (obvious) message Morrissey if somewhat of a loner. ‘Years of Refusal’ very much revolves around the subject of lovers, enemies and wannabes and the fierceness of Morrissey’s vocals at times is quite something. Whilst both ‘You Are The Quarry’ and ‘Ringleader of The Tormentors’ have their moments, there’s nothing that can quite compare with ‘Years of Refusal’. The album flows with ease and although it’s an easy listen, it’s an incredibly powerful one.

6 Maximo Park - Quicken The Heart http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/WARPCD178X.JPG For those of you that know me, this may come as quite a shock. Maximo Park’s third full release ‘Quicken The Heart’ is at No.6. The air horn sirens of opener ‘Wraithlike’ gets the album off to a very strong start. ‘The Penultimate Clinch’ and ‘Let’s Get Clinical’ are the only two songs on the album that don’t impress me. ‘Tanned’, and ‘Calm’ are all personal highlights, the latter robbed of a single release this year. The band work best on stage, I should know, I’ve seen them over a dozen times. Frontman Paul Smith’s raw energy and ability to work any crowd is something I admire. How he is still standing up by the end of the bands hour and a half set, I don’t know. ‘Quicken The Heart’ works best in a live environment, its a very groovy record at times. The one thing lacking with the record, as is the case with ‘Humbug’ is the lack of ‘big’ songs. There are some very good songs, but there’s nothing on the record that majorly stands out. Despite my slight criticisms, by no means is ‘Quicken The Heart’ a bad album, in fact for many months it was in contention with my top 3. Sadly the bar was raised very early on, ‘A Certain Trigger’ is my favorite debut of the decade and the follow up ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ also ranks very highly with me, therefore it was always going to be a hard sell. A thoroughly enjoyable listen nonetheless and if you’ve not heard it I recommend you listen to it.

7 Arctic Monkeys - Humbug http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/WIGCD220.JPG Arctic Monkeys widely criticised third release ‘Humbug’ finishes at a respectable No.7 on my year end chart. Following two and a half years on from ‘Favorite Worst Nightmare’, the album was recorded in the desert with Queens of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme. Whilst many were unimpressed by the darker sound adopted by the band, I welcomed it on board with open hands. The latter half of the album; ‘Potion Approaching’ onwards is so strong in my opinion. ‘Fire & The Thud’, , ‘Pretty Visitors’ and ‘The Jewelers Hands’ are the albums high points, and where the band are lyrically at their best. “What came first, the chicken or the dickhead?” (Pretty Visitors) to name but a few. As others have said, the album’s downside is the lack of ‘big’ tunes, like the album’s predecessors. It’s a very good album but there does seem to be something missing. It’s only really ‘Pretty Visitors’ that is reminiscent of the bands first two records. Alex Turner is a very talented man and he knows it. The fame of the band’s first two records has gone to his head and his half arsed performance at this years Leeds festival really put me off them. If they’d put on a better show, this album may be higher.

The videos good, it's their first non-performance video. I like them for that :) It has a story

I am just not AS keen on 'The Price of Love' as most of the other songs on the album Thomas :( I am rather fond of the artwork, promos for this era :) I agree about the anticipation upon release, I think that's why I listened 'SO' much and may have killed it slightly

8 White Lies - To Lose My Life http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/WHITELIESLOSE.JPG White Lies debut album ‘To Lose My Life’ is at No.8. It’s hard to believe the album was released at the beginning of 2009, it feels like I’ve had it for so much longer. White Lies first caught my attention in April of last year with the limited edition release of ‘Unfinished Business’. As soon as lead singer Harry McVeigh’s powerful vocals kicked in, I knew the band were one to watch. I, like others managed to get my hands on a few demos lying around over the summer before seeing the band perform, mid-afternoon on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds Festival. Soon after, they released ‘Death’ which builds up into the best final minute of a song ever (slight exaggeration but you get the picture) before releasing the album’s title track in support of the LP itself. Along with ‘Unfinished Business’, the album’s high point for me is . White Lies have a knack of writing songs that build up to an almighty finish. My one problem with the album however are the two songs that follow ‘Nothing To Give’ and ‘The Price of Love’, which ruin the enjoyment of the album for me slightly. Yes, both are good but they don’t quite live up to the brilliance of the previous eight tracks. Nevertheless, ‘To Lose My Life’ is an incredibly powerful debut and one that should cement White Lies as one of the year’s best new bands.

Gets better every time I hear it amazing. Album is superb :wub:

'Bad Romance' is amazing :wub: Forgot to add she makes great videos as well :D

9 Lady GaGa - The Fame: Monster http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/2726601.JPG Her eccentric performances and outrageous fashion sense have made Lady GaGa one of the most talked about women of the last twelve months. She’s dominated the charts in 2009 and rightly so, ‘The Fame’ (and it’s recent companion; The Fame: Monster’) is by far the best pop album of 2009. I first heard of Lady GaGa towards the end of summer 2008 and was instantly taken a back at just how good she was. Lead single ‘Just Dance’ immediately caught my attention and ‘Poker Face’ followed suit. I was in two minds whether or not to include the album as part of my 2008 countdown and I am pleased I waited. My love for ‘The Fame’ has grown immensely over the last year, and the recent release of ‘The Fame: Monster’ has further cemented my love for this album. There are many standout moments to choose from, ‘Just Dance’, ‘Poker Face’, ‘Paparazzi’, 'Bad Romance' and ‘Boys Boys Boys’ to name but a few. Say what you want about her, but Lady GaGa is so creative and so good at what she does it’s so hard not to like her. To put it simply, she makes pop music with attitude and should be applauded.

I think it's pretty awful. Such a letdown. I love their first 5 albums, even 'Pull The Pin' is better than this

They are amazing :(