20. George Harrison - Brainwashed (2002)
Maybe his best since All things must pass, but then he had 13 years since his last album, a cancer scare and the realization that he was going to die for things to write about. It's really a charming little album, from the opening "give me plenty of the guitar..." to the ukelele on 'devil and the deep blue sea' to the wry humour of 'brainwashed' and 'pisces fish', to the fadeout of him and Dhani reciting an indian prayer, it's truly a *George* album. And that's saying something, since from the moment I heard he'd left the album in JEFF LYNNE'S hands when he died, I was worried it would turn into an ELO album, like everything else Lynne produces. Luckily, the Lynne-isms are few and far between, and I think we have Dhani to thank for that. Wonderful effort, I'm just saddened we had to lose George to get him back. Highlight: Brainwashed. Mike rating: 9/10
19. Elbow - The seldom seen kid (2008).

This was probably the biggest grower of any album on the list. When I first got it last year, the only song that made an impact on me was 'grounds for divorce', but it's an album that's burrowed into my brain and I find my myself reaching for it regularly. They've almost become a pleasant version of Radiohead, if such a thing is possible. And the version of the album recorded at Abbey Road with the BBC orchestra? Massive. Absolutely massive. Highlight: Grounds for divorce. Mike rating: 9/10
18. Doves - The last broadcast (2002).

This was originally my pick for album of 2002, but it's fallen off on repeated listenings a little (and another one has grown, but more on that later.) The album that really broke them, with 'there goes the fear', 'pounding' and 'words', all of which are great, but...I don't know. It feels like it's missing something, but then I have it listed as my 18th favourite album of the decade, so there you go. Highlight: words. Mike rating: 9/10
17. Jarvis Cocker - Jarvis (2006 - album of the year).

I mean, it's basically a Pulp album without Pulp. Sounds like a Pulp album, feels like a Pulp album, but it's not. There's not a song on the album I don't like, but it got most of its publicity for the song 'cunts are still running the world', which is a shame, since there are far better tracks to be found here, including 'quantum theory', which is perhaps one of my five favourite songs by anyone ever. Highlight: Quantum theory. Mike rating: 9/10
16. Ian Brown - Solarized (2004)

In which King Monkey discovers trumpets and collaborates with Noel Gallagher. As much as I loved the Stone Roses, I wasn't at all interested in Brown's solo career until the announced collab with Noel. Bought the album, loved it, bought his other solo albums and liked them enough that I ended up flying to New York to see him in concert in early 2005. (Mainly because there were rumours Noel would be there too, but whatever.) Most of the songs are really good, and the collaboration with Noel is better than I could have hoped. Highlight: Keep what ya got. Mike rating: 9/10
15. Babyshambles - Shotter's nation (2007 - album of the year).

In which our hero Pete enlists a different producer from Mick Jones, and gets Stephen Street, who smoothes out the rough edges to produce something close to a Camden classic. From the Kinks-esque 'Delivery' to the quiet, shambolic 'unbilotitled', some of Pete Doherty's best work. And that's saying something, this decade. Highlight: side of the road. Mike rating: 9/10
14. oasis - dig out your soul (2008 - album of the year.)

Well, you knew it was coming at some point. At the time this came out last year, I was fully comfortable saying this was their 2nd best album ever, but strangely, since the split in August, it's gone down in my estimation. Noel's songs are still far and away the best thing on the album, and the run of the first three tracks is probably the best opening salvo since Be here now. Unfortunately, what kills it is the last four songs all being by people not named Noel Gallagher. Liam's 'ain't got nothing' is dreadful, and Andy Bell's 'the nature of reality' might be the worst song on an oasis album. Makes me wonder how bad the album by "Liam and the other three" will be. (And how good the album by Noel will be.) Highlight: The turning. Mike rating: 9/10
13. The Streets - A grand don't come for free. (2004).

Skinner does a concept album? Oh hell yes. Essentially, the story of the day in the life of a geezer and his relationships with his girl and his friends. But it's the songs themselves, and how they tie together in the larger story that makes this close to a masterpiece. From the opener 'it was supposed to be so easy' setting the scene to the closing 'empty cans', it always sucks me in, and the ending is just...perfect. An amazing achievement. And 'fit but you know it' might be the britpop song of the decade. Highlight: fit but you know it. Mike rating: 9/10
12. Kasabian - Kasabian (2004).

This was the first album I listened to on my epic journey of the last month, and for a very long time, it was at #1. It fell off a bit, obviously, but it still stands up as maybe the most stadium-ready album of the decade. They may actually have been hurt a bit by hanging out with oasis over the last few years, as this album has a unique sound that's been lost in their next two, almost closer to Primal Scream than oasis. And some of the best songs of the decade. Highlight: Processed beats. Mike rating: 9/10
11. Richard Ashcroft - Alone with everybody (2000).
Similar to Doves in 2002, this had been my album of the year for 2000 for a long time, but I realized this month that something had replaced it. That said, it's still great. I remember someone describing this as the out-takes from Urban Hymns, which was why it was still so good. (And then his next two albums were the out-takes of the out-takes, which is why they were so bad.) It still sounds like the Ashcroft Verve, with the strings and power anthems, and remains his best work out of the band. Highlight: A song for the lovers. Mike rating: 9/10