It seems once again artists have looked past shriveling album sales and pooh poohed format worries while creating a truly outstanding crop of longplayers. Whether exploring the sinews connecting electronic music and jazz, amalgamating traditional African and house sounds, gearing up a set of club bangers or driving into unknown recesses in listeners' heads, the 10 albums LWE's reviewing staff chose represent the best 2009 had to offer. We have only one regret: last year we voted DJ Sprinkles' breathtaking Midtown 120 Blues as 2008's #3 album of the year, which disqualified it from being included this year as well. Rest assured, LWE still has love for this great work; we just wanted to make room for the rest.