On Wednesday I was invited to a sneak preview of Estelle’s new album All of Me listening event at Open House  in New York City. The UK-born singer is preping for the release of her latest album, All of Me, which is her first offering in almost four years. The album features collaborations with Rick Ross, Janelle Monae and John Legend among others, and is meant to be a more personal effort than her US debut. All of Me hits stores February 28th.

I really haven’t been digging music from Estelle like that in quite some time. In fact, I had pretty much (sadly) chalked her up as a one hit European wonder (nothing else she dropped hit quite as hard like “American Boy” did). However, this new Don Cannon produced track “Break My Heart” featuring Rick Ross is actually not that bad. Estelle surprisingly impresses with her vocal strength and range in melodies and although there is something kind of Mary J Blige/Keyshia Cole-ish about this song, overall, it still works for her. Check it out.

PHOTO CREDIT: Johnny Nunez

Say what you will about the BET Awards. Most insiders know that it’s all about the afterparty. Case in point the The Atlantic Records Party Presented by SWAGG, which was  was held at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood. On tap were Atlantic Urban recording artists (and Couch Sessions favorites) Janelle Monael, B.O.B., Trey Songz, and Estelle.

B.O.B. and Janelle Monae

Jermaine Dupri

Trey Songz and Mom

Estelle

Busta Rhymes is back, this time with Estelle on the club track “World Go Round.” Hip-hop purists might scoff at Rhyme’s new dancefloor persona, but I think this track is a perfect summer tune and can even bring the hipsters AND the hoods together. I’m loving that nod to Sweet Dreams here too.

World Go Round is the fourth single from last year’s eighth studio album Back on My B.S. Unfortunately, it seems this video and track is not made for US consumption, with Universal seeming to target France and the UK instead of us Yanks. It makes sense, however, since most hip-hop fans are allergic to anything over 90bpm, however club DJs should get on this remix ASAP.

What do y’all think?

But as much as I love tracks and remixes, there is nothing that substitutes for an album. Sure, ANYBODY can create a track these days, but it still takes a true artist to create an album.

My top 50 albums of the year might surprise some of y’all. First off, there is a scarcity of hip-hop in the top 15 albums. Also, the biggest album of the year, Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter III is at 49. And finally, the album is missing some critical favorites, such as Black Milk’s Tronic. But hey, it is what it is. These albums are the one’s that I’ve listened to in 2008, and unfortunately Tronic slipped through the cracks. Also, to those who lament the lack of hip-hop, I offer no apologies. This list is compiled from how many spins each album got on my iPod, and just like that female at the club, I can’t help what I’m attracted to.

Without further adieu, here is the list. The top 15 is here with the rest after the jump.

15.) Wale – The Mixtape About Nothing

Even though he didn’t even drop an album, Wale has had a big year. The DC rapper has been on everybody’s “it” list in ’08, and the 2009 debut is going to be massive. This year, the dude had the nerve to create a Seinfeld (a show which I’m boycotting because of you know who), and still retain his swag. Even if you question his 90s television refrences, you have to agree that he’s one of the best upcoming rappers in the game right now.

14.) Brittany Bosco – Spectrum EP

Brittnay Bosco is going to tear s*#t up in 2009. The Savannah/Atlanta artist’s EP showed a creativity and versatility that most R&B singers lack these days.

13.) Estelle – Shine

Performance wise Adele blows Estelle out the water, however, I found myself enjoying Estelle’s album Shine even more than 19. Producers like Kanye, Will.I.Am, and Wyclef created an album that not only had pop hits like “American Boy,” but more mellow tracks like “Back In Love.” This album isn’t no Miseducation, but a classic nonetheless.

12.) Solange – Sol Angel and The Hadley Street Dreams

While Beyonce was busy being Sasha Fierce, her little sister crafted one of the best R&B albums of the year. Whether Solange’s love of Dilla and Zero 7 is genuine or a record company ruse is yet to be known. However, Solange is taking the place of Kelis as the left-field R&B chick everybody wants to get with.

11.) Santogold – Santogold

Santi White’s first solo album carries over her rock sensibilities from her punk days while incorporating that Brooklyn hipster swag that is the big thing in music nowadays. This was a big year for Santi, who not only got sampled by Kanye (a feat usually reserved for 70s era soul singers), but also by licencing every track of her album for TV shows, movies, and commercials, ensuring that she will be getting paper well into 2009.

10.) The Black Keys – Attack and Release

Attack and Release started out as collaboration with Ike Turner until his death in 2007, which would have been off the chain. However, what remains is The Black Key’s finest album to date. The Danger Mouse produced disc is their first studio-recorded album and their best selling so far.

9.) Danny – And I Love Her

Danny Swain is still the most underrated hip-hop artist of the past decade. The Couch Sessions Approved artist has been creating hot tracksfor years now, and he’s past dude for his shine. And I Love H.E.R. is a concept album that was better executed than most, with Danny’s nonchalant rhymes and incredible beats (with some of the most random samples imaginable), make this album a hip-hop lover’s dream.

8.) Lykke Li – Youth Novels

I initially dismissed Lykke Li, but she had me at this one line from her track “Little Bit”: “For you I keep my legs apart/and forget about my broken heart.” From that moment I was sold. The album itself is a stripped down, organic affair with Lykke’s voice being the main instrumental. And the girl has cred with fans like David Banner, Kanye, and Q-Tip among others.

7.) TV On The Radio – Dear Science

As someone who simply hated TVOTR’s disjointed musical style and downright depressing lyrics, I was so presently surprised by their new album that it made the top 10. TVOTR made a downright upbeat and danceable album that still retains their trademark vocal styling and instrumentation.

6.) Kanye West – 808 and Heartbreaks

I had REAL low expectations for Kanye’s venture into experimental avant garde emo and thought that this album would be a dud. However, Kanye not only knocked this one out of the park but AGAIN flipped the script on Black popular music in America. You may hate Kanye all you want (and I still do), but let’s face it: Kanye West is Steve Jobs. He’s a outlier (props to Malcom Gladwell) who sees the future and where music is headed way before we can comprehend it. Just like Job’s said we wouldn’t be using floppy drives way back in 1998.

5.) Gnarls Barkley – The Odd Couple

Even though Gnarl’s sophomore release didn’t get the attention or sales numbers it deserved, the Atlanta duo’s return marked their best work so far. Their lead single “Run,” couldn’t match the juggernaut that was “Crazy,” but songs like “Can You Save My Soul?” and “Going On,” have cemented the duo as a musical force.

4.) Q-Tip – The Renaissance

Q-Tip’s return to the rap game marked a return to the golden era rap that hip-hop needs right now. Q-Tip never really changed his formula from Amplified, yet crafted an album that that the grown and sexy can cling to without being ultra nostaglic about the past.

3.) Jazzanova – Of All Things

Jazzanova makes music for people who love music. I’m not talking about people who love to dance to music or those who simply just cop CDs or go to concerts, but for those who are simply obsessed with the art of music. The German collective has arranged some of the greatest heard and underheard talent this year–Phonte, Dwele, Jose James, Bembe Segue and Ben Westembach to name a few and created music around each artists’ personal style. This album should be in every music lover’s collection.

2.) Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It

When I heard Raphael Saadiq was doing a Motown album, I dismissed it outright. I thought that he was yet another artist jumping on the bandwagon. Even if The Way I See It could be called “bandwagon jumping,” Saadiq has not only set a standard for what a revival album should sound like, but raised the bar so high that I doubt any artist will ever come close.

1.) Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind

When Foreign Exchange dropped their latest album, I almost felt like it spoke to me. Phonte’s soulful voice, combined with Nicolay’s always organic, smooth beats, made this album a must own for frustrated rap fans like myself that wanted something deeper in their music. Instead of played out cliche’s about poppin’ champange in the club, the duo made an album about breakups, and self deprecation. Billbord chart topper? No. But do we really care anymore?

Albums 50-16 after the jump.

50.) Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
49.) Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
48.) The Game – LAX
47.) Guns and Roses – Chinese Democracy
46.) Thievery Corporation – Radio Retaliation
45.) Tittsworth – 12 Steps
44.) Femi Kuti – Day By Day
43.) Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
42.) Flying Lotus – Los Angeles
41.) Portishead – Third
40.) Coldplay – Viva La Vida
39.) T.I. – Paper Trail
38.) MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
37.) People Under the Stairs – Fun DMC
36.) Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro
35.) Slakah The Beatchild – Soul Movement Volume 1
34.) The Roots – Rising Down
33.) 10 Deep Presents The New Deal
32.) Mickey Factz – Heaven’s Fallout
31.) N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds
30.) The Constellations – Southern Gothic
29.) Ludacris – Theater of the Mind
28.) Erykah Badu – New Amerykah: Pt. One (4th World War)
27.) Common – Universal Mind Control
26.) Jazmine Sullivan – Fearless
25.) Daedalus – Love to Make Music To
24.) Various Artists – The Food Chain Collective
23.) 88 Keys – The Death of Adam
22.) The Knux – Remind Me In 3 Days
21.) Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
20.) Clipse – Road Till When The Casket Drops
19.) Tawiah – In Jodi’s Bedroom EP
18.) Kid Cudi – A Kid Named Cudi
17.) Tricky – Knowle West Boy
16.) Adele – 19

Name: Marcus KING KONG Dowling
Location: Greenbelt, MD
Website: True Genius Requires Insanity: http://www.tgrionline.com

So, I got asked by Stone to knock out what I thought were the top five songs of 2008. It’s a hard year to do this, as, if you ask anyone who has forsaken popular music in lieu of the musical revolution online that just EXPLODED this year, yeah. It’s hard. If I wanted to do a “Top Five Songs Art House Hipster Blogophiles Were Playing Off Their iPOD When They Saw that Cute Jenny Lewis Lookin’ Chick At Starbucks,” it’s a far far far different list than the “Comprehensive List of Five Songs That Will Make People Say, That Was The Best Music Anybody, Hipster, Blogger, Old, Young or Otherwise Heard in 2008.” That’s what I take this as, so, let’s go!

Without further ado:

Honorable mentions to TI and Lil Wayne, who made this year excellent, but, were oversaturated. Plus, I want to see if I can do this without their ubiquity.

5. Ne-Yo – Closer: The Smokey Robinson of our era finally has hit his stride as a pop auteur, and is now making a string of hits for himself. Closer was the best of all of them as his voice literally flutters and lands on the track. Beautiful, and oh so amazing.

4. Paper Planes – MIA: THE song of 2008. As in, people who intentionally try to be hip viewed this as their HIP song. You know that douchebag in your office who thinks they know what’s up? Yeah. He just started banging this in 2008. A year too late, asshole! And now it’s Grammy nominated. The song has the best hook I’ve heard in five years. Know who else agreed? The people that made Pineapple Express. People will forget that movie. Know who else agreed, Kanye West. He made a whole different part a great hook. That song, fucking priceless.

3. Electric Feel – MGMT: This song sort of snuck up on me and bit me square in the ass. It’s a song you’ve all heard, and wanted to dance, and wanted to sing, but didn’t know who wrote it or sang it. It’s equal parts eurotrash, funk and 80s power pop, and above all else, a song that made 2008 a lot of fun.

2b. I Kissed a Girl – Katy Perry: It’s such a great great great great pop song. Formulaic as a motherfucker, but with so many people breaking the formula these days, it’s great to have this around. From my own blog: “Controversial. I think not. There wasn’t a more insipid track with a more insipid hook on the radio this year. And sometimes, that’s what we need. Anytime Cobra Starship can make “I Kissed a Boy” and Dirt Nasty can do “She Kissed My Girl,” you’ve got something culturally relevant. Even though the lyrics IN NO WAY support homosexuality, it at least got the issue on the table and allowed gays and lesbians to have a rallying point this year. That’s bold, and that’s wonderful. Plus, it’s a hot little track, too. But yeah. it deserves to be this high.”

2a. Flashing Lights – Kanye West: Yeah. This was the track for me that signified that he was the best MC we’ve ever had. He’s on a Michael Jackson level of genius now, and makes us think. This song definitely shows the cracks that being THE artist of artists in our atmosphere can bring, and was a wonderful entry into the universe he’s in on 808s and Heartbreak.

1. American Boy – Estelle: Perfect in every way. Kanye put vocals on there that didn’t overshadow a brand new artist, and make them seem like AMIL to Ja Rule, if you catch my drift. He instead added to her cache of being important and worth listening to. Unrelatedly, it’s the first time a bespoke suit has EVER been in a song. And, Estelle captures a feeling and mood note perfectly. It’s hip, it’s hot, it’s sexy, it’s funky, it’s pop, it’s soul, it’s hip hop. And it succintly sums up 2008.

Bost & Bim Ft Brisa Roché & Lone Ranger – Jamaican Boy

(I must thank Gilles Peterson for this one.) The Parisian duo of Bost & Bim do one thing, and do one thing well–remix popular music with a reggae twist. On their MySpace page, they rework everything from Justin Timberlake to Marvin Gaye. However, their rework of Estelle’s American Boy is stellar. With French (county?) singer Brisa Roché (website probably not safe for work…you know how the French do) taking over Estelle’s part, the track is a simple, yet effective rework of the Kanye produced tune. You can cop Jamaican Boy on iTunes.

The track is available for download at iTunes as well as on vinyl 7 inch soon.

This Adidas spot is a perfect reason why I shouldn’t fast forward through commercials on my DVR. I don’t know why this commercial is so dope, but probably because this is the party that I’ve always had in my dreams. So far, I’ve counted cameos by David Beckham, Russell Simmons, Young Jeezy, Estelle, Kevin Garnett, Missy, RUN DMC, The Game, your momma, and probably more people than I can count. The track featured is “Beggin,” by Norwegian hip-hop duo Madcon, which uses a Frankie Valle sample, and is a nice song in its own right. Video for that song posted below. (Spotted at VK)

The Roots are on tour again. Don’t these dudes have wives and children to go back to??

They were just on the road this spring and summer, but they head back outd with Gym Class Heroes and Estelle in the Fall. The lineup is rather odd–I don’t really see a common fanbase between these three acts, even if there might be some crossover between The Roots and Gym Class fans. Ether way, it should be a hot show. The lone DC Area date is in Baltimore on October 4th.

Tour Dates

10-03 Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
10-04 Norfolk, VA – The Norva
10-05 Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
10-06 Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
10-07 Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
10-08 Miami, FL – The Fillmore at Jackie Gleason
10-11 Dallas, TX – The Palladium Ballroom
10-12 Austin, TX – The Backyard
10-14 Phoenix, AZ – The Marquee
10-19 Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
10-21 Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium
10-23 Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom
10-24 Chicago, IL – Congress Theatre
10-25 Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
10-26 Toronto, Ontario – Sound Academy
10-28 New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom
10-30 Worcester, MA – The Palladium Downstairs
10-31 Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Park Convention Hall
11-01 Albany, NY – Washington Avenue Armory

Also….I hate you.

The 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series convenes in Brooklyn’s Wingate Field and has a stellar lineup for FREE. In addition to Jill, Estelle, Erykah,as  Patti LaBelle, July 21st will feature a “mystery guest” which people are saying could either be Issac Hayes, Aretha Franklin, or even Prince!

Of COURSE this could only happen in New York. It’s worth taking the newly messed up Chinatown bus for this one tho.

July 14 – sweet summer soul w/ The O’Jays and The Manhattans with Gerald Alston & Blue Lovett
July 21 – “mystery night” – “a legend performs in Brooklyn”
July 28 – annual gospel night w/ Mary Mary, Tye Tribbett and Greater Anointing, and Ricky Dillard & New Generation
Aug 04 – an evening w/ Erykah Badu
Aug 11 – Jill Scott & Estelle
Aug 18 – Caribbean night w/ Beres Hammond, The Mighty Sparrow, and Bunji Garlin & Asylum
Aug 25 – an evening with Patti LaBelle

Wingate Field
Brooklyn Ave & Rutland Rd
Brooklyn, NY 11203

(props: Brooklyn Vegan)

Estelle
Shine

Poor Estelle. First, she had to endure constant pressures from the UK music industry, who didn’t know what do do with a prominent, female, dark-skinned Black entertainer. Then, she finally gets her big break in America and her record label pressures her to change her teeth as well as her short hair. It’s been a long 10 year ride for the chick from South London.

However, the pain and struggle have been worth it. Stalking John Legend and Kanye West in LA landed Estelle not only with a record deal, but a talented bevy of producers who have complimented her skills as a vocalist and an MC. Shine is a mature, female-focused album with a feisty, self-confident Brit at the helm.

The production on this album shines as much as the star. The standout track on the album is “You Are,” featuring John Legend. This playful, romantic duet…. Cee-Lo’s pretty please my love is a contemporary take on the old Motown standards, which sounds fresh, and not a blatant attempt to sound Retro. Tracks like “Come Over,” “Back In Love,” and the pop-sensible “American Boy,” that showcase Estelle’s vocal abilities as well as amazing production talent behind the boards.

Having all the said, Shine does have its faults. Although “Wait A Minute,” encompasses the type of person Estelle is about (loving yourself and saying no to sexual advances) will.i.am’s production falls flat. And “Shine”, her “rap” track shows me that Ms. Swaray is a lot better vocalist than an MC.

Having that said, Shine is the best female R&B album to come out in a long time, and its slowly restoring my faith in the genre.