2005: I have never used steroids. Period.

or Albums: Part One.

I'm lucky enough to offer my opinions professionally on albums and artists, but unfortunately I never hear enough. There are quite a few in the class of '05 I'd still like to get to -- Devendra Banhart, Antony and the Johnsons, and so forth -- but now that the year's almost (finally!) over, it's time to weigh in on my favorite 10. Here's the first batch:

10. DangerDoom -- The Mouse and the Mask
A collaboration between one of hip-hop's best MCs (MF Doom), a notorious producer (The Grey Album's Danger Mouse) and, um, the Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, it's the second-craziest concept album of the year. Even if it proves that the best skits wear thin awfully quick, my belated foray into MF Doom-dom was a revelation.


9. Spoon -- Gimme Fiction
Long overlooked by the Hirsute Hungarian, this album was dynamic, fun and weird -- in other words, great. Gimme Spoon, har har.

8. Deerhoof -- The Runners Four
With song titles like "O'Malley, Former Underdog" and "Spirit Ditties of No Tone" (not to mention lyrics like "Baby, baby, hi"), this could've been a ponderous exercise in self-conscious weirdo-ism. Instead, it transcends quirk to be a majestic album of noisy pop.

7. The Hold Steady -- Separation Sunday
I'm still not sure I follow the narrative of hoodrats, aging stoners and people with Christ tattoos, but the band's E-Street-style everydayness is a relief from boring soundalike haircut bands. Bonus: Their passionate performance at CBGB during CMJ was the best live show I saw all year.

6. Kanye West -- Late Registration
It might seem weird to compare this album with Franz Ferdinand's first -- though West apparently called Franz Ferdinand's debut album "white crunk." Seems he was paying attention, as he cut the fluff and packed his latest with wall-to-wall hits, Franz-style. Question: With its politics, self-conscious (and self-promoting) navel-gazing and crazy-ass links, er, samples, is this the first album-as-blog?

Come back tomorrow, hungover or no.