Madness Tops "Best of 2009" Lists

Editor's note: I was pretty sick over the Christmas break and only now am beginning to feel somewhat like my old, healthy self. So, I'd like to offer my apologies for being absent for so long.

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Madness' extraordinary The Liberty of Norton Folgate was named one of the top albums of 2009 by both MOJO Magazine and All Music Guide. Of particular note, The Liberty of Norton Folgate was ranked #9 in MOJO's "The 50 Best Albums of 2009" article (in their January 2010 issue), which the editors declared was "possibly their finest" release ever. In addition, MOJO's editors highlighted "Dust Devil," one of TLNF's ska songs/singles, as the record's "standout track" (love that song, but "We Are London" is pretty incredible, too).

You might also be interested to know that in MOJO's ten best reggae reissues of 2009 category, Don Drummond's Memorial Album: Deluxe Edition (Trojan/Universal) was ranked at #6 and Laurel Aitken's Ska with Laurel (Cherry Red) was at #10 (I would have gone with either High Priest of Reggae or Laurel Aitken Says Fire--but I've always been a sucker for his skinhead reggae material: make sure to play "Reggae Prayer" for me when I eventually slip this mortal coil).

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that Pama International received a rave review (4 stars) from David Katz in MOJO for their latest, Pama Outernational....

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I haven't been feeling well enough to put much though into this yet, but which releases would make your list of top 5 or 10 best ska albums of 2009? Post 'em in the comments section!