About // Contact

• Home
• Interviews
• Music
• Podcast
• Reviews

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

---

Reader Best of 2008: Julian

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 reader is Julian, who is one half of the DC-based duo Bullets over Romance.

Name: Julian
Location: Washington, DC

Album (No particular order)
Q-Tip - The Renaissance
The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
The Knux - Remind Me in 3 Days
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah
Radiohead - In Rainbows

(Honorable mention) Guilty Simpson - Ode to The Ghetto

Song
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
Erykah Badu - The Healer
Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out
Q-Tip - Gettin’ Up
MGMT - Electric Feel

Tags: Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, Radiohead, The Cool Kids, The Knux

---

Reader Best of 2008: DJ O.S.U.M

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 reader is DJ O.S.U.M from Toronto, and you can hear him spin at the Swank Society every Wednesday from 3 -5 EST.

Name: DJ O.S.U.M.
Location: Toronto
Website: www.cantslowdown.net and www.swanksociety.com

Top 5:

Erykah Badu - Nu Amerykah
Nikolay & Kay - Time: Line
Q-Tip - The Renaissance
Jazmine Sullivan - Fearless
Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

Tags: Erykah Badu, Foreign Exchange, Jazmine Sullivan, Nicolay and Kay, Q-Tip

---

Reader Best of 2008: Madeline

Sam Sparro

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 reader is Madeline, who resides in DC, and who you might remember provided us the pictures from U street on Election Night.

Name: Madeline
Location: Washington, DC

Albums:
Brazilian Girls- New York City
Raphael Saadiq- The Way I See It
Thievery Corporation- Radio Retaliation
Q-Tip- The Renaissance
Santogold- Santogold

Songs:
Ray LaMontagne- I Still Care For You
Sam Sparro - Black and Gold
MGMT- Electric Feel
Adele- Chasing Pavements

Tags: Brazilian Girls, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, Santogold, Thievery Corporation

---

Reader Best of 2008: Ian of Different Kitchen

1. Santogold - Santogold album
2. Q-tip - The Renaissance album
3. The Game - LAX album
4. Jazmine Sullivan - “Need You Bad”
5. Lil Wayne - “A Milli”

Tags: Jazmine Sullivan, Lil' Wayne, Q-Tip, Santogold, The Game

---

Review: Q-Tip The Renaissance

Q-Tip
The Renaissance

The Renaissance is a solid effort from the leader of one of the most renowned- groups of hip-hop’s timeline, historically known as the Native Tongues era. Q-Tip’s greatest feat may have been the fact that he successfully pushed the boundaries of boom-bap, which often times can get protected and stagnated by it’s own pioneering producers and emcees. Everything that you expect from a Q-Tip album is sonically displayed from the bass knocking-harmonic production to delivering tales of love, current conditions and the future of hip-hop’s culture, with a slice of politics, with that signature voice and cadence which he often refers to as an instrument in itself.

Here’s the problem, we missed the full development of Q-Tip after we were introduced to him via his debut album Amplified, because of record label issues many of us missed out on what was to be his second installment, Kamaal the Abstract, which was to be released in ’02. So, the only thing we have to give this work real context is Amplified, which sounds similar at times to the Renaissance. However, The Abstract displays his talent and versatility–if you listen closely you can still here the expansion in the Renaissance, a perfect title for an artist who has dealt with many obstacles just to get his music out.

With all the redundancy that exists in rap music today, anything different would sound refreshing but “the Abstract” has the proven ability to take it a step further and progress the fundamental sound of the origins of rap music a little bit more with tracks like “You”, “Johnny is Dead” and “Official”. The Renaissance is an album to have in the collection, similar to a classic pair of Timbs.

Tags: Q-Tip, The Renaissance

---

Hip-Hop

Video: Q-Tip - Renaissance Rap

Q-Tip - “Renaissance Rap” from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

Tags: Q-Tip, The Renaissance

---

Prince Takes Over Q-Tip’s Set In Vegas

I stopped posting “news” articles a while back, but I couldn’t pass this one up (from Nah Right, Miss Info):

“Yo, while me and Q-tip were performing “Vivrant Thing” in Vegas last night….this n—a Prince walked out on the stage, took the guitar from our guitar player and just started rocking! None of us knew he was there until he popped up on the stage….then the n—a vanished like Batman, LOL!

The sound crew said Prince was in the balcony watching the show from the very beginning (The balcony was closed off). Then when “Vivrant Thing” came out, he just came backstage and walked out on stage.

None of us knew what was happening, then when we finished the show he was gone LOL!”

Why does this not surprise me? I’m laughing my ass off at this only because I’m having flashbacks of Chappelle’s Show.

Tags: Prince, Q-Tip

---

Hip-Hop

Q-Tip Feat Eve - Gettin’ Up Remix

Q-Tip Feat Eve - Gettin’ Up Remix

So I initially dismissed this track as one of those fake remixes where some rapper phones in a verse at the beginning of the track. (We all know what I’m talking about) I’m shocked to hear that this is a proper remix, with Q-Tip flipping Puffy’s “All About the Benjamins” sample and Eve proving once again that she’s one of the most underrated female rappers in the game.

The Renaissance drops next month.

Tags: Eve, Q-Tip, The Renaissance

---

Video: Q-Tip - Move

Wow….this song is HOT! The Video is so-so. I can’t wait until The Renaissance drops in November!

Q-Tip - “Move” from Three/21 Films on Vimeo.

Tags: Q-Tip, The Renaissance

---

Connect

Podcast

Features

Reviews

Events

Quick Hits

Last.FM

Popular Tags