Top 5 - Lang Whitaker
1) Rob Swift, The Ablist (Asphodel). Rob Swift's turntables might wobble but they sho 'nuff don't fall down. Finally distinguishing himself from his X-men collborators, Swift shows who's the fastest of them all, laying down thick beats with tight hooks.
2) Beck, Midnite Vultures (DGC). White men can't dunk, but Beck proves they can funk like the best of them. This straight-faced homage to '70s chocolate soul needs only the Love Unlimited Orchestra to push it into classic territory.
3. Goodie Mob, World Party (LaFace) After two records of serious soul-searching, the Mob finally gets their party on in grand fashion, with their most commercially viable record yet. Plus, Cee-Lo gives long-overdue props to the Chicken Melt Plate at Waffle House.
4. The Roots, Things Fall Apart (MCA) Don't stick the spear in the side just yet - hip-hop isn't dead, as long as The Roots are still around. And their track "You Got Me," featuring Erykah Badu, might be the most poignant hip-hop song ever.
5. Ibraham Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibraham Ferrer (Nonesuch). Even though I didn't understand a word on this record, Ferrer's voice is imbued with a sense of bittersweet pathos that goes far beyond lexicon.
