Favourite record

The annual compilation has been delayed by adverse weather conditions. But I thought I'd make a point about my favourite album in 2009.

Jon Boden is an English folk musician and multi-instrumentalist. Prior to this year I knew him primarily as the leader of Bellowhead, a fantastic "big-band" folk collective who are worth seeing live at any opportunity. I knew he was teamed with John Spiers, but did not really know the duo's music.

The 2009 Cambridge Folk Festival was dominated for me by four performances from Boden - Bellowhead, of course, and a support to Martin Simpson. Supporting his solo album, Songs from the Floodplain, he also had a set with his band the The Remnant Kings, and finally a gripping solo set on Saturday morning (which inspired me to buy a concertina - a step too far!).

The album is a beautifully profound and dramatic record that has all the makings of a future classic. The songs all refer to a post-apocalyptic Britain, in a sort of concept-album way. Throughout, Boden's voice has an endearing fragility, which works particularly well well accompanied by just a simple concertina.