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The Cave Singers — Summer Light

At just 35 minutes, Welcome Joy is short, but oh-so-sweet, and opener Summer Light is the perfect first course. If you’re not sold on the simply picked melody, gorgeous layered vocals or building drums, it’s time to book that hearing test. A very welcome joy indeed.

Album: Welcome Joy

The Wooden Birds — The Other One

I’ve been a sucker for The American Analog set’s silky smooth tones for a long time, and The Wooden Birds - frontman Andrew Kenny’s new band - takes off right where The AAS left, if in a slightly more acoustic vein. It’s not particularly ground-breaking, but nonetheless lovely stuff.

Album: Magnolia

Alberta Cross — Taking Control

I’d enjoyed Alberta Cross’s “The Thief and the Heartbreaker” EP a year or two back which showed great things could be around the corner. “Broken Side Of Time” builds heavily on the folky-rock sound of that EP (indeed, several tracks are re-hashed here) signifiantly beefing things up, to great effect. Several tracks are comparable in sound to Kings of Leon with a side order of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Pearl Jam and occasionally the slight sneer of Oasis (see: ATX), but still retain their own distinct style. “Taking Control” is just one of a handful of huge sounding slabs of rock that deserve to find a big audience.

Album: Broken Side Of Time

Miike Snow — Silvia

I’m not really sure how to classify Miike Snow’s album, and on paper it shouldn’t really appeal to me, but I defy anyone to not get a kick out of some of the melodies and soundscapes created here by the Swedish trio. Eminently listenable, it’s a great fusion of electronica, indie rock sensibilities, and wickedly catchy vocals. Give it a chance.

Album: Miike Snow

The Boxer Rebellion — Soviets

What I like most about The Boxer Rebellion’s “Union” is its ability to effortlessly shift from searing, riffing, snarly tracks like “Evacuate”, to the achingly beautiful melodies of the likes of “Soviets”, to the groove of “Spitting Fire” and “Semi Automatic”, all the time maintaining an overall expansively cinematic feel. It’s an album that reveals its charms fairly immediately, yet still grows with repeated listens. Most definitely a highlight of 2009.

Album: Union

The Rural Alberta Advantage — Drain The Blood

Officially, I suppose Hometowns was released last year when it was done so independently by the band, but since they were subsequently signed to Saddle Creek this year who released the album again in July, that - along with the fact that it was the first new album I got in 2009, and it being my most listened to album of the year, by a long shot - means it’s going on this list.

The vocals are a slightly acquired taste, but once embraced, tracks like Drain The Blood will pummel their way to your heart forever more.

Album: Hometowns

Mumford & Sons - Little Lion Man

A late discovery this year, but an absolute must for the shortlist of my favourite albums from 2009, “Little Lion Man” being just one of many banjo-fuelled tracks that blew me away right from the get-go. A real gem of a record.

Album: Sigh No More

White Lies — Fifty On Our Foreheads

Dark, brooding yet anthemic — all ten tracks here are absolute winners, and just what your stereo’s bass dial has been crying out for.

Album: To Lose My Life

The Appleseed Cast — Raise the Sails

Sagarmartha gets the award for some of the most lovely rock textures this year — “Raise the Sails” leading the way a minute or so in. You’ll be instantly transported somewhere impossibly beautiful, the ocean wind running through your hair and those raised sails.

Album: Sagarmartha