10. Keane - Perfect Symmetry



The change in sound was exactly the shot in the arm Keane needed. This’ll probably end up being my favorite Keane album, especially the first half. Who knew that an indie piano-pop band could morph into a stadium-ready pop group in such a short time? It puts Coldplay to shame, at least in my eyes. Keane are infinitely more upbeat and melody-conscious than their peers and it all came to a head with this album. Lovers Are Losing is just achingly beautiful, as is the title track. And who knew they had the funk of Spiralling in them??

Myspace

9. Infernal - Electric Cabaret



I did not expect this album to be anything special. I’d never been particularly impressed with Infernal before, though I did quite admire the feistiness of I Won’t Be Crying. Turns out that was just an appetizer, though. Electric Cabaret is filled with genre-busting dance pop that knows how to be dramatic while still not taking itself too seriously. It’s a long album, for sure, and with that comes some minor filler, but there are too many fantastic tracks here to count. Punk Disco and Redefinition are definitely among the best, and would find themselves near the top of my 50 tracks list had they been singles.

Myspace