It’s just 3 weeks into 2009 and while we are promised with loads of much-anticipated albums (Justin Timberlake, Lily Allen, Electric Valentine, Timbaland, Christina Millian, Kelly Clarkson, The Black Eyed Peas, Keri Hilson, Lights, Esmee Denters), we must not forget the goods 2008 has delivered.

Here are my 8 album faves of last year :

**CIRCUS**
Britney Spears

Britney’s back, b_tches! The 6th album under her belt, Circus debuted the Billboard 200 at number 1, making it her 5th number-one-album. Highly anticipated by me, this clubby adventurous pop/electropop album certainly didn’t disappoint. From the upbeat, catchy and synthy track ‘Womanizer’ to a lovely ballad ‘Out From Under’ to the cunningly-titled saucy ‘If You Seek Amy’ and to the melodic ‘Unusual You’ that glows with brilliance, this album promises varied pace.

It’s addictive. It’s so amazing that almost every track could be a potential single. Evident with some traces from her previous album, ‘Blackout’, ‘Circus’ is deffo one of her best works ever. And undoubtedly good at what she does, she is still the best entertainer around.

With the huge success of her lead single ‘Womanizer’, there’s one obvious declaration – she’s not going away.

Stand-out Tracks :
Womanizer, Circus, Out From Under, Kill The Lights, If You Seek Amy, Shattered Glass, Unusual You, Phonography

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**THE FAME**
Lady GaGa

‘The Fame’ is the debut album by American singer-songwriter Lagy GaGa, whose real name is Joanne Stefani Germanotta. To get the picture, she’s somewhere between Gwen Stefani and Madonna.

I would say this is the most exciting electropop album ever produced. Right from the hugely popular bouncy-dance infused hit song ‘Just Dance’, up till the very last track ‘Summerboy’, I was mesmerized. No matter how many times ‘The Fame’ is played, it still sounds fresh and new. It just never gets dull. This proves that Lady GaGa is making some serious electropop.

‘The Fame’ is unbelievably contagious, fun, and contains some of the hottest electro tracks I’ve heard in a while. Throughout the rest of the album, you may spot some influences of the 80s  (Boys Boys Boys) and 90s Europop (Eh Eh, Nothing Else I Can Say).

Here’s a trivia : she has penned songs for Pussycat Dolls (Elevator) and Britney Spears (Quicksand).

Unique with her own class and style, she is clearly ahead of her time – and that’s what set her apart from most of the pop singers out there.

Well-crafted, infectious and packed with addictive uptempo melodies, this album is just flawlessly fantastic.

Stand-out tracks :
Just Dance, Pokerface, Love Game, Paparazzi, Boys Boys Boys, Summerboy, I Like It Rough

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**ALIENS AND RAINBOWS**
Ferras

‘Aliens and Rainbows’ is the first album from Jordanian-American singer-songwriter Ferras.

Of the album, he says its “about that other place where you can go in your mind, when you just want to escape, when the world lets you down, when you feel misunderstood. It’s a place for dreamers and misfits and outsiders.”

Sounding damn good, every song has been composed with intelligence and emotional complexity. Every song is given ample arrangement with meticulous attention to detail. The lyrics are poetic and metaphorical. With deft piano skills and crystalline vocals, Ferras carries each song perfectly well as if they’re meant for him and only him.

Despite remaining generally pop, Ferras keeps surprising listeners with different sounds and elements at every turn. You get a little R&B,  the next acoustic and electric guitar sounds, and then some techno-pop, not forgetting lots of clever combination piano-pounding moments – which is what he is best at. Influences of Elton John, The Beatles and David Bowie are certainly felt.

A strong professional debut by this fresh talent,  ‘Aliens and Rainbows’ is pop-rock at its finest, nothing short of spectacular.

Stand-out tracks :
Liberation Day, Aliens and Rainbows, Hollywood’s Not America, Rush, My Beautiful Lie, Soul Rock, Take My Lips

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**FEARLESS**
Taylor Swift

Fearless. That’s the title of this album. That’s also our country pop darling, Taylor Swift.

Certified a two-time platinum, the highly-anticipated ‘Fearless’ debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard 200, Billboard Top Country Albums, Canadian Album Charts and Canadian Top Country Albums. It has received positive reviews from various music critics.

She’s a blue-eyed blond, a superb story-teller who plays a guitar and writes her own songs. In fact, 7 out of 13 songs in ‘Fearless’ were entirely written by her, including lead single ‘Love Story’.

Containing more dreamier ballads than spirited songs, ‘Fearless’ is packed with girly lovey-dovey – but not cliche – tracks aimed at teens but has a broad appeal. Many of the songs are personal and sound like intimate confessions taken from pages of a teenage girl’s diary.

‘Fearless’ is a balanced, well-written, genuinely honest and refreshing album. All the songs are carefully sequenced to near-perfection. She may not be as vocally gifted as Carrie Underwood but her charm is her songwriting skills and she sure knows how to write a hit. Every single songs is incredible and almost any of it can be a single.

What separates Taylor Swift from the rest of the singers is she doesn’t rely on high-priced big producers and songwriters to be successful.

Showcasing more maturity compared to her debut album, ‘Fearless’ is as good as – if not better than – its predecessor.

For the stories behind each song, head to Fearless : Cut By Cut.

Stand-out tracks :
Fifteen, Love Story, White Horse, You Belong With Me, You’re Not Sorry, The Best Day

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**UNBEAUTIFUL**
Lesley Roy

Her music has been described as a cross between Avril Lavigne and Melissa Etheridge. ‘Unbeautiful’, a debut album by the Irish singer, Lesley Roy, which was recorded over a two-year period.

From the breakout single ‘I’m Gone, I’m Going’ to the slower ballads ‘Slow Goodbye’ and ‘Thinking Out Loud’ to the other tracks on the album, Lesley Roy pulls off each song successfully with her distinctive powerful and semi-raspy voice, unmatched by many other singers around.

All the songs are intense but brilliant. In some songs however, her voice gets drowned by the drummings.

This is definitely an excellent debut record album from an exciting new star. I’m looking forward to hearing more from her.

Stand-out tracks :
Slow Goodby, Unbeautiful, Thinking Out Loud, Dead But Breathing, Come Back

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**DOLL DOMINATION**
Pussycat Dolls

Doll Domination, which debuted the Billboard 200 at number 4, is the second studio album from the Pussycat Dolls. Coupled with the Deluxe Edition Bonus Disc (which contains 5 additional solo songs from each of the Dolls) with a total of 25 songs, this is one surprisingly lengthy album and any normal listener would easily be tired out.

Offering a variety of elements, ‘Doll Domination’ starts off with synthesised catchy ‘When I Grow Up’ going to the vocally-robotic-enhanced ‘Bottle Pop’ with dizzying vocal overlays. Next we get a fantastic ballad ‘I Hate This Part’ which shines with emotions. More down-tempo songs follow up including ‘Hush Hush’, ‘Happily Never After’ and ‘Out Of This Club’.

The only one thing that annoys me is the fact that Nicole Scherzinger hogs the spotlight and I think it’s unfair to the other Dolls. After all, they’re called the Puccycat Dolls.

This is lots of mainly safe but decent songs randomly grouped together into an album. It’s a really riskless attempt at throwing any possibly hits on the charts by the Dolls.  Although this is definitely not their best work, is worth some really enjoyable spins. At least by me.

Stand-out tracks :
When I Grow Up, Bottle Pop, I Hate This Part, Out Of This Club, Who’s Gonna Love You, Magic, Halo, Elevator, Hush Hush, I’m Done

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**CURIOUSER**
Kate Miller-Heidke

‘Fearless’ and ‘fun’ were the two words that came up while pretty Australian singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke was dreaming up this second album, ‘Curiouser’.

She first got my attention with her unique voice (which reminds me of Dido’s) the tracks ‘The End Of School” and ‘Caught In The Crowd’, which is about a real story from the old days with lingering childhood regret.

Having trained as opera singer, her high-pitched vocals is highly prominent throughout the  album packed with a little quirkiness. The first half of the album is exciting but progressing to the second half, the excitement fades away a little.

All in all, ‘Curiouser’ is one playful and exuberant album. I don’t like all the songs on this album but her talent and voice are uniquely invigorating enough for her to be one of my faves.

She was right. This is fearless. This is fun. And certainly fresh.

Stand-out tracks :
Caught In The Crowd, God’s Gift To Women, Can’t Shake It, The Last Day On Earth, The End Of School

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**WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL THINGS**
Jason Mraz

‘We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things’ is the third studio album by Jason Mraz. The rather-odd title refers to a piece of art which caught his attention while he traveled through Scotland. Known for his clever wordplay from his first album, Jason Mraz is a guy who can write and sing a catchy verse-and-chorus combo.

From the faux-reggae lead single ‘I’m Yours’ to a melodramatic solid mid-tempo ‘Love For A Child to a mellow ‘Details In The Fabric’ up to the manic lightning-speed vocals in ‘The Dynamo Of Volition’, Jason maintains his lightweight tunes signature style.

I won’t say this is a superb album but it certainly contains quite a number of sunny tracks to my liking, promising an easy-listening spin.

Stand-out tracks :
Make It Mine, I’m Yours, Lucky, Live High, Details In The Fabric, The Dynamo Of Volition.