Everybody else is doing it, so I may as well do it too. Note that these are my personal faves, and they don't really take into account such niceties as cultural significance, etc.

In mid-January I'll be doing the math to come up with a WXDU top 60+ local releases of 2009, which will be far more scientific.

So, for starters:

My 2009 Top 10 Local Releases

1. Horseback - The Invisible Mountain
2. Americans in France - Pretzelvania
3. Calico Haunts - After All
4. Grappling Hook - ... and Those Who Would Keep Us Safe
5. The Mountain Goats - The Life of the World to Come
6. Polvo - In Prism
7. Whatever Brains - Mt. Whatever 7" (I checked my records - I bought it on January 2nd)
8. Floating Action - s/t
9. Spider Bags - Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World
10. Red Collar - Pilgrim

Honorable Mentions

• Dexter Romweber & New Romans - Night Tide
• The Loners - Revolution!
• Bowerbirds - Upper Air
• Megafaun - Gather, Form & Fly
• Soft Company - EP
• Dynamite Brothers - AGAIN
• The Love Language - S/T
• The Bain Music Project
• Veelee - Three Sides
• Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies - EP II

(note that there is no dishonor in not being mentioned -- there are at least 30 other local releases that I enjoyed, but if you want to see a big long list, wait until I do the WXDU top-60+)

Favorite NON-Local Releases of 2009

1. Double Dagger - More
2. Girls - Album
3. Japandroids - Post-Nothing
4. Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
5. Micachu & the Shapes - Jewellery
6. Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away
7. Mission of Burma - The Sound The Speed The Light
8. St Vincent - Actor
9. Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Beware
10. tUnE-yArDs - BiRd-BrAiNs