Ok, some good suggestions here, when I consider top releases of the year, I think it's important to take an open mind to artists you've not heard or not been that keen on in the past rather than simply past favourites.
1. A case in point was Philip Sayce. I'd not been blown away by Peace Machine, but Innerevolution came over as very fresh and a release of exceptional high quality. His impressive guitar work was slightly reigned in to focus on a song focussed album. From the powerful and dynamic Changes to the psychedelic blues of Little Miss America, this album is diverse guitar led rock, funk and blues, with Sayce's vocals as impressive as his guitar playing.
2. Simon McBride had caught my ear with his debut Rich Man Falling, yet he has surpassed this with Since Then, which is one of those albums you can hear once and love. The key elements from his first album are retained, yet the strength of song writing has developed, its more rootsy, blues rock par excellence as Classic Rock magazine wrote.
3. It's been out since end of last year in Germany, but Henrik Freischlader Recorded by Martin Meinschäfer is an exceptional album, some albums can facde after time, but the quality of the song writing, the vocals and musicianship all by one man on this CD is very hard to beat.
With three blues rock releases already listed, there is no place on my list for BlackRock (nor BCC) which I have to say in my view does not reach the same heights.
4. A superb release from the last year is Todd Sharpeville's Porchlight. It's a collection of self composed contemporary modern electic blues, with personal and political themes, great musicianship (including guests Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker & Kim Wilson) and very convincing vocals from a somewhat upperclass Brit.
5. A change of pace with Sean Taylor's Walk With Me. This is a gem of an album of primarily acoustic folk/blues. It's a really stripped down release of atmospheric tracks which is worthy of great attention. Reminicent at times of John Martyn.
I'd also give honoury mentions to the so far unmentioned WT Feaster Band, 24 Pesos, Marcus Bonfanti and Dani Wilde.
"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk