If you're looking for some relaxing ambient chill out music, check out Lemongrass "Ambient Land" EP or Kiln "Dusker" both of which are great for playing in the background while you're doing something else. If you want something a little more in your face, check out The Fireman "Electric Arguments" (yes, Paul McCartney does electronica too!)

Favorite finds from abroad include the wonderful Miss Li "Dancing The Whole Way Home" (intelligent funny Swedish vaudeville pop!), David Byrne and Brian Eno "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" (nice to see these guys working together again, and the best David Byrne album in a while IMHO), The Kooks "Inside In / Inside Out" (a great album from a pretty young English band), The Fratellis "Here We Stand" (another great new-ish English band). My absolute favorites right now though are Snow Patrol "A Hundred Million Suns" (the best thing to come out of Ireland since U2 many decades ago) and Elbow "The Seldom Seen Kid" (the best thing from my old home town of Manchester for a long time). Honorable mention's go to Liam Finn "I'll Be Lightning" (Neil Finn's (Crowded House) son Liam proves that talent really does run in the family with this great album - makes me wish I lived in New Zealand!), Radiohead "In Rainbows" (worth the album price just for the stunningly beautiful track "House of Cards") and The New No 2 "You Are Here" (George Harrison's son, obsessed with old 60's TV show "The Prisoner" and the post 9-11 western world - scary!)

And finally, the Americas. Want to listen to a great American bar band? Check out The Hold Steady "Stay Positive" (start with the song "Sequestered in Memphis" and if that's your thing, feel free to buy everything else they've done - I did!), Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson "Break Up" is surprisingly good, I hadn't listened to either of them before. Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey "Here And Now" has some of the best harmonies since The Jayhawks, while The Weepies "Hideaway" is full of angelic girly vocal goodness and some great melodies. If youre more into rap check out Lupe Fiasco "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" (especially the great 60's throwback track "Daydreamin' (Featuring Jill Scott)").

That's all folks. Have a great New Year and see you in 2010 :-)