This was one of the toughest Fab Five Fridays I've ever put together -- because a ton of good music came out this year.

Some of these albums stayed in my car stereo for weeks at a time.

Even with two honorable mentions, I still spent a long time figuring out this list.

So here it is, the best Baltimore albums of 2007: 

1. Hamsterdam 2: Stash to the Strip by Darkroom Productions Inc.

When Darkroom makes the beats, local MCs step up their game. 

2. Spiderman of the Rings by Dan Deacon

Deacon makes music for the five-year-olds in all of us.

3. Hail Megaboys by J-Roddy Walston and the Business

Everybody knows Baltimore is a rock town, but nobody put out a better rock album this year than J-Roddy. 

4. If Children by Wye Oak (formerly Monarch)

A morbid but brilliant debut album. 

5. The Collective Now by the Seldon Plan

Their catchiest, most cohesive album yet. 

Honorable mentions: Come Back Home by Caleb Stine and the Brakemen and The King of Roq by Blaqstarr