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Best of 2008: Top 50 Albums of 2008

I’m an old soul. I’ve been reading reports about how the album format is dead, and that more and more people are choosing to buy a couple of singles from iTunes than cop a full album from your local mom and pop record store. Times have changed, and I’m sure that writing is on the wall for the album format, just like it is for newspapers, magazines, and broadcast television.

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Brittany Bosco, Danny Swain, Estelle, Foreign Exchange, Gnarls Barkley, Jazzanova, Kanye West, Lykke Li, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, Santogold, Solange, The Black Keys, TV On The Radio, Wale

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Reader Best of 2008: Rob from Bold As Love

The Black Rock Musical Passing Strange

We’re ringing in 2009 with our reader Best of 2008 lists. I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day over the next several weeks. Today’s Reader is Rob Fields of Bold As Love.

Name: Rob Fields
Location: Brooklyn
Website: http://www.boldaslove.us

TV On The Radio–”Dear Science”.  See DLZ and Love Dog
Passing Strange original cast recording.  A great show full of music that shines light on our humanity.
Gnarls Barkley–”The Odd Couple”.  I can’t think of a more introspective, and in some ways, existential album put out by a Black artist
Saul Williams–”The Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust”. Hard-hitting and truth-telling.
BLK JKS–”Mystery” (EP)

Honorable mentions
Chewing Pics–”Tarantula” (EP)
The Knux–”Remind Me in 3 Days…” Just a lot of fun

Tags: BLK JKS, Gnarls Barkley, Passing Strange, Saul Williams, TV On The Radio

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Reader Best of 2008: Lady Glock

Thunderheist

This year, instead of just having me yap on about my Best of lists, I reached out to several of our readers to give their Top 5 of the best releases of the year. I’ll be profiling a new reader each day until the end of the 2008.

Today’s writer needs no introduction. Lady Glock is a fixture on both sides of the Atlantic. Check out her website at ladyglockphotography.wordpress.com.

Name: Lady Glock
Location: Washington, DC
Website: ladyglockphotography.wordpress.com

Top Five (In no particular order)

1. Jerk It – Thunderheist
2. Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun
3. Going On – Gnarls Barkley
4. Lights Out -Santogold
5. Day & Nite (Crookers Remix) - Kid Cudi

Runners Up (In no particular order)

1. Magic – Robin Thicke
2. A Milli – Lil Wayne
3. Rolex It Up (The Heatwave Refix) – Beenie Man & Wiley
4. Inna Da Ghetto - Diplo & Buraka Som Sistema
5. Electric Feel – MGMT

Honorable Mention

1. Biko – Bloc Party

Tags: Beenie Man, diplo, Empire of the Sun, Gnarls Barkley, Kid Cudi, Lil' Wayne, MGMT, Robin Thicke, Santogold, Thunderheist, Wiley

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Video: Gnarls Barkley - Mystery Man

Mystery Man is a previously unreleased cut which will be featured on their Who’s Gonna Save My Soul EP, dropping on November 11th.

On an unrelated side note, someone tried to say that Kanye’s 808s and Heartbreak is going to be better than Gnarls Barkley’s The Odd Couple. I then accused him of being the lovechild of Amy Winehouse and Marion Barry.

Tags: Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple

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Review: Gnarls Barkley at the 9:30 Club

This isn’t even a review.

See, what had happened was…..

I drive over to the 9:30 Club nice and early, not only to get a good spot for the sold out Gnarls show, but to check out the opener Hercules and Love Affair that everybody has been buzzing about. So I roll down to U Street, find rock star parking and make my way down to the venue. Then I realize something….I don’t have my tickets.

Damn. I run back to my car, and while I’m approaching the drivers side a woman comes and begs me for a dollar. See, she claims that she lives in Greenbelt and she needs money for the bus to get home. Usually, I’m nice to people who ask me for money, even if I don’t have any to spare. I give everybody respect, especially a sister in a dire situation. This time I was in a foul mood over the whole ticket thing and didn’t want to speak to anybody. As she pleads to me, tapping on my window with a puppy dog face, I yell at her and screeched out of the parking space leaving her in the middle of the road.

Long story short, I get back to my apartment, grabbed my ticket and shut the door to my place. And what do I realize? My keys are still inside. I locked myself out.

Karma is a bitch.

So after waiting over an hour for the locksmith and dropping $150 for the “service” and a new lock, I wearily made my way back to the 9:30 club to catch only 4 songs from Gnarls’ set.

The moral of the story is: treat people with respect. You never know when the Lord will spite you for your bad deeds.

I heard the show was awesome though.

MORE PICTURES IN THE FLICKR PHOTOSTREAM

Tags: 9:30 Club, Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple

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Negroclash!

Video: Gnarls Barkley - Who’s Gonna Save My Soul

Hmm…..Gnarls drops another er….interesting video for my favorite track off of The Odd Couple. The beginning was great, the ending, not so much. That heart looks like The California Raisins from back in the day.

Having that said, The Odd Couple is a remarkable album, even though it was not commercially successful. Pick it up today. Gnarls is playing the 9:30 club here in DC and it’s predictably sold out. Time to hit up Craigslist.

Tags: Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple

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Hip-Hop, Negroclash!, R&B

Just Added: Gnarls Barkley at 9:30 Club, Other Shows

DC is getting some fly shows lately! They’re not free like our friends in New York , but I still can’t complain.

Gnarls Barkley at 9:30 Club - August 5th

Show just added today. Gnarls is rocking 9:30 with (er, transvestite fronted) Hercules Love Affair on August 5th. I saw Gnarls at the MCI Center when they opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers, but to see them at a club as small as 9:30 will be a treat. Tickets go on sale today at 10 AM.

Other shows to check out next month:

July 7th - Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, 9:30 Club
July 8th - Rza As Bobby Digital Feat. Stone Mecca, 9:30 Club
July 11th - Platinum Pied Pipers, Black Cat
July 16th - DJ Shadow, 9:30 Club
July 18th - Clipse, Club Five
July 19th - George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic, 9:30 Club
July 25th - Anthony David, Black Cat
July 28th - MGMT, 9:30 Club

Also, in September:
Sept 21st - Mos Def Big Band, Kennedy Center

Tags: 9:30 Club, Anthony David, Black Cat, clipse, DJ Shadow, George Clinton And Parliament Funkadelic, Gnarls Barkley, MGMT, Platinum Pied Pipers, Rza, Seun Kuti

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Negroclash!

Video: Gnarls Barkley - Going On

Amazing video from Gnarls off of the excellent Odd Couple LP. Pick it up.

Tags: Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple

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Contest: Gnarls Barkley And Santogold Poster — LAST DAY!!

I’m giving away two limited edition Gnarls Barkley and Santogold posters in support of their show last night at Highline Ballroom in NYC.

All you have to do is email me your name, age, and location to articleonline [at] gmail [dot] com by Friday at 6:00 PM (US Eastern Time). I’ll notify winners over the weekend.

Tags: Gnarls Barkley, Santogold

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Couch Sessions Appoved Artist, Hip-Hop, House/Electronic, Music News, Negroclash!

Announced: The Roots Picnic in Philly

Wow. So Every weird Black person on the East Coast is gonna be at this event. Including me. More details as they come.

Tags: diplo, Gnarls Barkley, j*davey, sharon jones, the roots, tour dates

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