Best of lists can be deceiving. Are we writing about albums we really like or that we’re supposed to lie – I mean like. What’s cool, what lasts and what is enjoyable inter-mingle in complex dances impossible to predict in the here and now. Only time provides any perspective on what’s enduring vs. flavor of the moment, ground-breaking vs. sell out, perfectly crafted vs. happenstance.

So, each year, if I have the opportunity to share, I choose to write about what I spent the most time listening to. With so much music out there and a finite amount of time to invest in really listening even I fail to recognize great records and enjoy seeing year-end lists knowing I’ll discover a few gems.

This year’s clutch of lists has already helped me discover Blitzen Trapper and created a commitment to buy the Bon Iver CD.

Most of my listening time is spent with music suited for my show on KIWR. A mix of new music and deep classics; singer-songwriter, adult-alternative, folk rock, pop, bluegrass, alt-country, modern rock, rhythm & blues and, as usual, female artists populate my list.

Two of my favorites for the year include the U.S. debuts of Duffy (Rockferry) and Adele (19). After hearing “Mercy” and “Chasing Pavements” at the beginning of the year I picked up the imports on both albums in NYC in Feb and have been spinning them on my show ever since. Way cool to see Grammy nominations for both. Of course, those weren’t the only female-driven projects I enjoyed this past year.

I thought Sheryl Crow delivered an unexpectedly strong album with “Detours,” Aimee Mann regained her muse with “@#%&*! Smilers” and Juliana Hatfield grew up and crafted her best record to date – the honest, mature “How To Walk Away.”

Joan Osborne returned to the sound that made her famous with the very pleasurable “Little Wild One,” Cyndi Lauper went full-blown dance floor with “Bring Ya To the Brink.” Woefully over-looked Leona Naess made it a perfect hat trick with her third sublime album, “Thirteens,” and Alanis Morissette vented passionately about her break-up on “Flavors of Entanglement.” Chrissie Hynde moved back to Ohio, formed a new band with lap steel and re-invigorated her sound on “Break Up the Concrete.” It was impossible to resist the Brill Building pop of actress Zooey Deschanel and M Ward’s collaboration She & Him and if you liked that you should investigate the wonderful sound of the Weepies and their 2008 release, “Hideaway.”

I would not call my self a big Black Crowes fan but I thought “Warpaint” was loaded with what-will-be classic Crowes tracks. Tom Petty reformed his first band, Mudcrutch, and you have got to hear the folk rock psychedelia of “Crystal River” off their self-titled disc. My Morning Jacket continue to prove they are one of America’s best rock bands by embracing Prince (?) and southern rock on “Evil Urges.” Wilco recorded “Glad It’s Over” for the Heroes soundtrack and that one song is better than almost everything released by anyone this year.

Todd Rundgren got angry, rocked and reclaimed his integrity with a new fully solo-outing the aptly titled “Arena.” Elbow’s “The Seldom Seen Kid,” practically over-looked in the U.S., was awarded the Mercury Prize, Britain’s recognition for album of the year and Coldplay proved they are already a career/heritage act less than 10 years into their career. Snow Patrol may be categorized as a Coldplay rip-off but they still sound good to me and “Hundred Million Suns” is gonna be a consistent seller through 2009.

Speaking of careers, the Counting Crows dinged the bell with the way-above-average “Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings” while Ryan Adams restrained himself and the Cardinals to just one album in 2008 with the solid “Cardinology.”

Outstanding re-issues included the re-mastering of the entire Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog all featuring bonus tracks, a special 15th anniversary edition of Liz Phair’s highly-influential “Exile in Guyville,” a two-CD collection of Josh Rouse’s recordings for the Ryko label (really great pop music) and the remastered early U2 albums available as single or expanded edition two-CD sets.

I loved former Tony Toni Tone leader Raphael Saadiq and his retro soul on “The Way I See It” and Memphis music legend and guitarist Steve Cropper’s collaboration (Nudge It Up A Notch) with former Rascals songwriter-vocalist Felix Cavaliere and the Talking Heads-intellectualism-meets-Paul Simon’s “Rhythm of the Saints” sound on Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut.

Finally, I can’t leave out singer-songwriter Greg Laswell’s stunning sophomore release, “Three Flights From Alto Nido” (think more nuanced Pete Yorn), Death Cab For Cutie’s “Narrow Stairs” or the Americana-meets-indie rock aesthetic of San Diego’s Delta Spirit, not to be confused with the British Blondie-like swagger of the female-fronted Duke Spirit.

REM cut a new album using the full touring band and “Accelerate” is their best in quite a while. Same for Joe Jackson; “Rain” was a nice surprise. Conor Oberst and Ray Lamontagne are turning into very consistent artists and the Raconteurs have transcended the White Stripes to create their own identity.

Finally, I recommend “Hotel Cafe Winter Songs” for the best holiday album of the year.