It was darn near impossible coming up with just ten albums to name from 2009.

Here are seven.

The Forks, “Mad Libs.” Like a cross between Metallica and Hooked on Classics. I can’t believe more people haven’t heard of this album. Sure to be on my Ipod for years. The title song with the chorus: “Mary Cassatt drove a blue Passatt” just inks itself right onto your genome.

Sweet Thursday, “Postcards from Boring Places.” Probably on a lot of other top ten lists as well, I know, but it’s just that good. Embarrassing story, I got asked to leave the club car of an Amtrak train this summer when I was so moved by Steve Shipman and Rob Colwell’s ethereal vocal harmonies I forcibly tried to put my earphones on this lady next to me.

The Scissor Kicks, “#4.” I heard they spent six weeks just trying to nail the opening chord on “Kiss the Cook.” Worth it.

Bo Gilder, “Swingline.” Have you ever walked into a coffee shop and not known anyone, and ordered something, and sat down with your cup, and your phone goes off and it’s this guy you know from high school and you ignore it and there’s a girl sitting across from you and she kind of cleans up her paper and pulls her purse next to her chair? Right.

“You Asked For It” by the Romak Family Music Project. You go through a number of stages listening to this double-disc offering from these Outsider Music darlings, 144 full minutes of Len Romak playing the cowbell: bemusement, annoyance, disgust, abject pain, blackout, awakening, dull throb, the vomiting, clean up/ginger ale, relief, self-empowerment, self-actualization, tantric orgasm.

The 6-19s, “Live at the Beacon.” Just good-old, straightforward, Midwestern rockabilly by this accordion trio.

The Eagles, “Greatest Hits.” Not technically a 2009 release, but have you ever listened to this album. I mean, really, really settled in and heard it, man?

“Your prison is walking through this world all alone.”