2005 has been a great year for music so far. One of my favorite albums to come out this year is the fantastic sophomore release from the Brooklyn band The Hold Steady. This album works in a big way. Lead singer Craig Finn talk-sings compelling stories of sex, drugs, and strung-out self-mutilating hoodrats all in front of a fat rock guitar-driven soundtrack. This record will invariably draw comparisons to Bruce Springsteen – and with good reason. In addition to a clear Boss musical influence, the songs are anthemic in the tradition of Thunder Road and Born to Run. Finn and at least one other member of the band were formerly of Lifter Puller and thus, not surprisingly, there is also a tasty punk rock flavor to this album. I give it a solid A-for-Excellent.