Review of the Year 2010: Best Albums (25-16)

Right this is it...from today I will be looking at the best (and, in places, worst) this year has had to offer. So let's get the album countdown underway:

25. Flaws- Bombay Bicycle Club
Found moderate success as a run of the mill indie group with their first album, but it was with this they became a far more interesting acoustic proposition. In a year filled with suprising reinventions, this was one of the best.
Best Track: Rinse Me Down



24. Sea of Cowards- The Dead Weather

After a promising but somewhat underwhelming debut, Jack White's other "other" band hit back with a tough, bluesy offering to silence the critics. Updating the blues via Nick Cave's brand of fire and brimstone, White is one step away from taking over the universe.
Best Track: Blue Blood Blues


23. The Family Jewels- Marina & The Diamonds

In a year dominated by female pop artists, Marina Diamandis proved you didn't need to be stuck in retrofit or force your ubiquity to be an interesting artist. Her album filled with inventive, powerful pop songs proved this.
Best Track: Mowgli's Road



22. The Drums- The Drums
Hyped beyond the point of death, the leaders of this year's US indie invasion managed to live up to it for once. Dropping the surf-pop of their Summertime EP, their debut was filled with pert yet heartbreaking laments to love lost. Losing their guitarist has barely touched their confidence either.

Best Track: Forever and Ever Amen




21. Odd Blood- Yeasayer
Reinvention #2: formerly purveryours of world music through an indie prism, on album number 2, the Brooklyn group streamlined their focus into one of the most forward thinking pop albums of the year. They even scored some radio play with O.N.E, so the future is bright for one of the world's best kept secrets.

Best Track: Ambling Alp



20. Treats- Sleigh Bells


One of the big new sounds of 2010 to hit the mainstream was this: mixing sweet, Shangri-La alike vocals to tough hardcore dance-rock. Sleigh Bells were by far the best at this new movement, and turned in a fascinating debut album.

Best Track: Riot Rhythm

19. Diamond Eyes- Deftones
This year's been one dominated by pop and urban music, meaning it's been difficult at times to be a fan of metal and hard rock. Flying that flag were the metal Radiohead Deftones. Marrying a forward thinking attitude and strong melodies to the crunching guitars, this was by far their best set yet.

Best Track: Diamond Eyes

18. Band of Joy- Robert Plant

An erratic solo career in the shadow of a certain mothership came to an end in 2007 with the multi-grammy winning Raising Sand. Ever the restless soul, Plant left Alison Krauss behind to explore American country music deeper. He found there a set of wonderful songs to make his own, and the best backing band in the world.
Best Track: Even This Shall Pass Away

17. Brothers- Black Keys
No longer labelled White Stripes copyists,Auerbach and Carney moved into their own space on album number six. Smooth, funky and hearfelt, this was probably the most suprising US Top Ten hit of the year, but one of the most quietly exhilarating at the same time.

Best Track: Tighten Up

16. Crazy For You- Best Coast
Featuring on its cover the second most talked about cat of the year (presumably this one didn't end up in a bin), Best Coast led the Pavement-obsessed slacker movement from the West Coast. Lyrics about boredom, smoking weed and losing your boyfriend, this stood as one of the most accessible indie albums of 2010. Quite whether the formula can work again remains to be seen.

Best Track: Crazy For You