inspired by my friend pat’s list of the top 10 new cds of 2005, i’m creating my own little list — not a top 10 list, but a subjective best-of in various categories. and to be honest, i’m sure there are others that should be on my list — this is just what i can remember at the moment…

best difficult-to-categorize cd by a group that doesn’t really exist: gorillaz — demon days. like the others on this list, i can listen to this for days without tiring of it. funky, alternative, memorable, hooky.

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best mainstream modern rock that everyone has: cold play — x & y. lush, melodic, i sing along even when i don’t know the words. probably the easiest to listen to on this list.

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best classical vocal: andrea bocelli — romanza. surprise! every few weeks i get a hankerin’ for a dose of andrea bocelli or sarah brightman. i turn it up really loud and make my co-workers wonder about me.

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best modern rock ep: jimmy eat world — stay on my side tonight. i downloaded this right before seeing them in concert during our sacramento convention, then having zack (the drummer) come back and hang out in my suite at the convention. there are a couple songs on this ep i never tire of.

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best funky modern-rock: beck — guero. beck is one of my all-time favorite artists, and this cd returns to why i’ve loved his stuff — funky and quirky modern rock, with more left-turns than a sunday drive through washington dc.

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best cd you’d be surprised to find on my list: fiona apple — extraordinary machine. fiona apple may be a poster-child of hipness, in an annoying and cloying way. but i find her music completely infectious and surprising in both musical and lyrical depth.

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best all-out weird and hilarious cd: parry grip — for those about to shop, we salute you. a 100% hilarious collection of fake product jingles. worth getting even for one listen.

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best head-banging music: system of a down — hyptonize/mezmerize. i decided to give system of a down a listen after john musick described me looking like a member of the group on his blog. these are two more cds i like to play at excessive volume in my office. they make nice bookends to the andrea bocelli cd — or put ’em all in a play list and hit ‘random’!

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best jazz cd: the bad plus — suspicious activity. these guys were a find this year, and i got three of their albums. absolutely brilliant stuff. everytime i listen, i find myself dreaming of playing the piano like that, or playing the drums like that, or playing an upright bass like that.

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best christian cd: david crowder band — a collision. certainly i’m biased, since i love these guys personally, and they’ve become important friends to me. but this cd blew me away. i hear new things every time i listen to it.

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best hard modern rock outa dee-troit: white stripes — get behind me satan. eminem and the white stripes, my detroit homeboys (and homegirl). listening to the white stripes puts me in a creative space.

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best world music: little buddha cafe. i picked this up with dan kimball and tony jones in a little record store in singapore this past summer. alternatively etherial and beat-y. very ‘other’ for me, in a good way.

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best hymn cd and cd you’ve probably never heard of: lost and found — speedwood hymns. once again, i’m biased — george and michael are good friends (jeannie and i spent new year’s eve with george and his family in nyc). and, i’ll admit, this is a bit of a tough listen — or at least a merely humorous listen — unless you’ve heard them live and already become a fan. but this cd is a total sing-along for me. only available from www.speedwood.com