Hall of Awesome: Top 5 Albums of 2005

It's that moment you've all been waiting for, where I reveal my top 10 album picks of 2005! This also marks the end of the First Annual DiMattiaFilms Hall of Awesome. I hope everyone had as much fun reading these as I did writing them. So, without further ado, let's begin!

1. Devin Davis, Lonely People of the World, Unite!

I don't care if anyone thinks I'm bias for putting a musician whose name is the same as mine at number one. This guy is the real deal. Lonely People of the World, Unite! flows in a way I have rarely heard albums flow before. Every single aspect of this album, from writing to production to instrumentation, is stellar. Lead track "Iron Woman" begins at breakneck speed, with a sense of immediacy rarely heard on an indie rock album. And Davis' driving force never slows down as the album races through ten more songs, each one just as good as the last. His voice may not be as good as those of his contemporaries, but he delivers each vocal track with a wail and a yelp, as if he's betting all he's got on these eleven tracks (which he probably has). Bottom line: This is the record for those who wish bands would just get to the point and stop peppering their albums with pointless filler.

2. The Decemberists, Picaresque

One of the most imaginative albums of the year, The Decemberists pull the ideas for their songs right out of a long-lost Alexandre Dumas novel. Whether they're telling stories of a daydreaming young Indian princess ("The Infanta") or of a pair of shipmates in a giant whale's stomach ("The Mariner's Revenge Song"), you can be assured that The Decemberists will tell it to you in riveting detail using words you've never heard used in songs before. They are also well-experienced in setting the mood. There's the upbeat pomp of the political jab "16 Military Wives," the winner of Catchiest Political Song of 2005, the solemn bass drum of "From My Own True Love (Lost at Sea)," and the highway-chasing acoustic guitars of "The Engine Driver." There's no doubt that if The Decemberists had existed in the 18th century, they would be singing the same songs that they're singing now. Thankfully, they weren't, so you don't have to travel far-and-wide to listen to their well-weathered sound. Bottom line: This is the album for people who are sick and tired of "Yeah, yeah, since you been gone" passing as song lyrics.

3. Sufjan Stevens, Come On Feel the Illinoise!

What can I say about Sufjan Stevens that hasn't already been said by every single weblog in existence? When he's not coming up with paragraph-length song titles, he's crafting some of the most beautiful and well-orchestrated indie rock ever made. Even though his 50-state project may ultimately end up too daunting to be completed, at least Illinois will be around for our listening pleasure. Bottom line: This is the best album about Illinois to come out in 2005. It's also pretty damn good in every other aspect, too.

4. Oasis, Don't Believe the Truth

Up until now, every artist on this list has been new to my ears. Leave it to Oasis to deliver a blast from the past while staying just as relevant and just as groundbreaking. After the stumble-and-fall of their previous two albums, they find their footing and release Don't Believe the Truth, one of the best albums of their career. Listening to these eleven amazing songs, it's almost like nothing happened between this album and their previous masterpiece, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. Their guitars blaze, the drums (by Ringo Starr's son, Zak) are triumphant, and Noel and Liam trade off vocals with relative ease. Bottom line: This is the 2005 album for those who want to party like it's 1995.

5. Andrew Bird, The Mysterious Production of Eggs

Andrew Bird has always been the diamond in the rough as far as musical talent was concerned. He added a dark and seductive touch to any Squirrel Nut Zippers song he was invited to perform violin on. His own band, Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire, also released wildly varying albums, the best of which was 2001's The Swimming Hour. Now, he's on his own and after releasing a sweeping EP, Weather Systems, he's ready to blow our minds with the Nick Drake-meets-prog-rock opus The Mysterious Production of Eggs. None of his brilliantly-crafted tunes follows any sort of traditional structure. Just when you think you've figured out the melody of a certain song, he pulls the melodic carpet out from under you. He also makes use of his large vocabulary, crafting stories like the one in "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left," about the destruction of the world because of a neglected tanker filled with HAZMAT...I think. Bottom line: This is the "fine wine" album, one that's bitter upon first taste, but proves its worth with every repeated listen.

(GASP!) It took me forever just to write those five reviews, so I'll take a breather and post the next five later.