As always, the game is simple. Describe your favorite records of the year. Count backwards.

Jenny Lewis, lead singer of the little-bit-country-little-bit-rock indie supergroup Rilo Kiley used her "solo" debut to make this year's little record that could.

Originally, I wasn't blown away by this album. The song writing really is not all that super fantastic. But you can't help being mesmerized by the expert vocal stylings of Ms. Lewis and her identical twin backup singers. For my money, Lewis has the best voice in rock, and it's on full display here.

What really makes this album, though, is that it's just so damned earnest. My buddy Adam (BTP's official NBA Correspondent) turned me on to this idea, and I think it's really true. Although the record is credited to Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins, it's really a solo record. Lewis wrote and sings lead on all the songs.

What this means is that for the first time in her career, she's singing about ideas and emotions that are totally and completely hers. Rilo Kiley songs are, by definition, a collaboration. These songs are all Jenny's, which fills her already stellar voice with more and more emotion. The song writing's not fantastic. But that's OK, because you know that she's pouring her heart into every word.

I should take a minute here to tip my hat to Blake Stennett, the other primary creative force behind Rilo Kiely. He also released a terrific "solo" record this year under the name of The Elected. The record is quite charming in its own right and in many ways technically superior to Rabbit Fur Coat. But in the end, Jenny Lewis is too electric a performer to leave off this list.