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In Search of the 24 Best Albums of 2024: May

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Once upon a time there was a guy named Chris. Having spent years backfilling on decades gone past, in 2021 he set out on a quest to catch up on newer music. He listened to the critics choices for the best albums of the 2010s, and picked his favorites. He did the same for 2020, picking his top 20 from the critics most highly rated albums. And he listened to new releases monthly in 2021, eventually picking the 21 best albums of 2021. That was so much fun he decided to do it again in 2022 and 2023, listening each month and picking out the 22 best albums of 2022 and the 23 best albums of 2023. He is me!

There are links to the albums in the posts cited above, but if you’d like a one-stop playlist, I’ve got that set up in YouTube Music:

Also, do you want to know a secret? The review is still going on! Here are the previous editions of the 2024 monthly review if you missed them:

( January February March April )

A quick word on the “yes” and “maybe” categories I’ve sorted things into, before we get going with the latest:

Yes– This isn’t a guarantee, but it represents the albums that, upon first listen, I think could definitely be in the running for best of the year.

Maybe– These albums have something to recommend them, but also something that gives me pause. I’m putting them in their own category, because I have found “maybes” sometimes linger and eventually become “yeses”.

Now let’s get on with my top picks from 124 May new releases that I listened to!

Adeem the Artist, Anniversary– It’s country, but with a sheen reminiscent of 70s AM radio, and just the tiniest hit of electronic as well. Mostly, it’s good hooks, lyrical clarity, and emotional honesty. And songs describing same sex love, advocating for trans rights, mentioning Palestine, and discussing the historic legacy of racism tell you how out of country mainstream this North Carolina by way of New York artist is.

Amen Dunes, Death Jokes– Combining a sometimes-dark psychedelia with electronic music in a very evocative way. And sure enough, AMG subsequently told me that, “The project of Damon McMahon, Amen Dunes unites folk, psych-rock, electronic, and industrial elements into an intuitive, searching whole. ” Along the way there are samples from Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, and J Dilla, which gives you an idea of the scope of what the music and lyrics are going for here.

Anastasia Coope, Darning Woman– The vocal and musical loops and layers, the echoes, the stark voice, intelligent lyrics, and hint of the unearthly all steal one’s breath. Whatever it is this 21-year-old musician and painter is doing, it’s both beautiful and unsettling.

Belly, 96 Miles From Bethlehem– Spare and powerful hip hop based on the unrest in Palestine from this Palestinian-Canadian artist. In many ways, it sounds like a typical (though very good) socially conscious hip hop album in production and themes- family, faith, odes to one’s love. But in this case the family is in Palestine, the faith is Islam, and the lost love is Gaza and the West Bank. Powerful and timely.

Blitzen Trapper, 100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions– Warm, fuzzy pop with elements of singer-songwriter, psychedelia, and Neil Young-style ragged edges. Altogether, it brings to mind 70s AM radio, which is not to say that this Portland, Oregon band doesn’t feel fresh and vital. Well done Portland, Oregon band!

Crimeapple & Big Ghost Ltd, Bazuko– This collaboration between Colombian-born Crimeapple and anonymous blogger, hip hop writer and music producer Big Ghost is from another era, in several ways. Its stark mix, flow, and stories of the street feel like they belong to the late 90s/early 00s, and the subject matter largely revolves around the crack epidemic of the eighties. It doesn’t feel lost in time for all this, though, more like a great album that we all somehow missed.

F.U.N, Slum Village– J Dilla’s old group demonstrating that their excellence never was all about J Dilla. The mix is varied, metallic and urgent, the flow dynamic, and the lyrics interesting and positive. The whole thing feels redolent of the best of 00s hip hop. This Detroit group has been through a lot of changes, but they still know how to bring it!

Girl and Girl, Call a Doctor– Well, holy shit. The opening reminds me of one of Lou Reed’s story-poem songs. What follows carries on with that literate wordiness and uncomfortable emotional openness and marries it with a spare nervy rock as it sketches out the inner life of a troubled youth confronting some sort of medical crisis. An actual story arc! Delivered with equal helpings of wryness and sincerity. I’m keeping my eye on this Australian band!

Gyasi, Rock’N Roll Swordfight– Rock ‘n’ Roll Swordfight is a live album stitched together from three concerts in 2023. You could be forgiven for thinking that the concerts were by some kind of amalgam of Led Zeppelin and glam-era superstars like T Rex and David Bowie, which is to say, it is delightfully over the top rock in the best seventies fashion. Gyasi has me sold!

Hannah Vu, Romanticism– This second album from Los Angeles-based songwriter Hannah Vu certainly lives up to the title, it’s full of lush romanticism, though it serves equal parts darkness and difficulty with the sweetness. AKA it tells the truth about romance in a way that’s musically and lyrically compelling.

Ibibio Sound Machine, Pull the Rope– Such a joyful mix of multiple different strains of dance/electronic music! Fronted by London-born Nigerian singer Eno Williams, it is not a surprise that it’s redolent with Eurodance and Afrobeat. But what is, if not a surprise, a welcome find, is its knack for musical and lyrical hooks amidst the energy and fun.

King Hannah, Big Swimmer– Between hypnotically plainspoken vocals, poetic lyrics, and slow spare arrangements with a distorted feedback-laden guitar wall in the background, the songs here are arresting. This second album from singer Hannah Merrick has a lot to recommend it.

La Luz, News of the Universe– I’ve liked other things by La Luz, and how could I not? Their synthesis of surf music, reverb-drenched garage rock, and the sixties girl group sound is fuzzy, warm, and dark all at the same time. On this album the Seattle band is in top form, and the songs are informed by lead songwriter Shana Cleveland’s experience with cancer. It all adds up to a deep and powerful album.

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Lenny Kravitz, Blue Electric Light– Lenny Kravitz is in fine form here- 90s guitar god rock, funk, R&B, and electronic dance music all get their due, and never feel like they don’t fit together. It may not be especially new or different per his usual, but there’s genuine tenderness and vulnerability here, and musically it can’t be faulted.

Of Montreal, Lady on the Cusp– It starts off with a song declaring rock is dead, then transitions into another lamenting being too depressed to f&^%, and goes on in this lyrical arch vein supported by weary vocals, and a lively off kilter musical mix bridging the asynchronity of post-rock, impossibly stirring melodies, and the kaleidoscope mix style of electronic. Now I don’t want rock to be dead, but this 19th studio album from this Athens GA band at least gives us some hope that, if so, something interesting might replace it.

Shannon and the Clams, The Moon is in the Wrong Place– Shannon and the Clams have always been a great band, and I really love their retro garage rock/60s girl group feeling. But there’s no denying their music here is lent a terrible additional power and focus through lead singer Shannon Shaw’s wrestling with the untimely passing of her partner.

Shellac, To All Trains– While it definitely gets an added layer of import from being Steve Albini’s final album, honestly it does very well on its own even without that. This reminds me of the playful, more inventive side of 80s hardcore, and is full of clever surprises. All the way around, a fitting epitaph for one of noise rock’s greatest champions.

Sisso & Maiko, Singeli Ya Maajabu– Hello glitchy beats, over the top low-bit video game sound effects, and afro-pop exuberance! Tanzanian producer Sisso’s eponymous Dar es Salaam studio represents the forefront of the East African singeli genre. Singeli’s relentless speeds of over 200 BPM provide ample room for experimentation, which is taken further by collaboration with avant garde keyboardist Maiko. This is how the new is born.

The Courettes, Hold On, We’re Comin’– Potent garage punk combo featuring a Brazilian guitarist, a Danish drummer, and lots of cool rock & roll stomp. Amen. And an incredible set of covers ranging from early sixties pop rock to the New York Dolls to Taylor Swift. Really. Nothing but solid fun!

Willie Nelson, The Border– His 75th Album! And my goodness he’s in fine form here. A border patrol agent, a dream about being Hank Williams’s guitar, a passel of sweet love songs. Not thematic unity, but it sounds and feels like it belongs together and has a powerful intro and a sweet outro.

Willow, Empathogen– Willow has ended up on my Honorable mention list in two previous years, and for good reason- her music is inventive, brash and as smart as it is fun. She’s pushing her previous boundaries again here, with a glitchy electronic approach joined to something more like jazz, torch songs, and R&B crooning.

Young Jesus, The Fool– It feels like an anguished indie folk acoustic kind of thing, but sharper and darker than the typical outing in that oeuvre, and with surprising (and haunting, unsettling) music and vocal effects along the way. This Chicago band currently located in L.A. is on my watchlist now!

Maybe

  • Arab Strap, I’m Totally Fine With It Don’t Give a Fuck Anymore– As Days Get Dark was on my Honorable Mention list for 2021, and this has the same things going for it- heavy shimmering wall of guitar, sometimes even slightly upbeat lyrics, and a vocal and lyrical commitment to tales of burned out bitter darkness. It doesn’t sound as fresh to me now, but it’s still a compelling combination.

  • Axolotes Mexicanos, 4ever– Of all the female lead vocalist poppy melodic fun Mexican punk bands, Axolotes Mexicanos are my favorite! Okay, they’re also the only example I know of, but I always love this band when it’s American, so I can’t help loving the Mexican version too, even if it isn’t the newest thing in the world.

  • Connie Smith, Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches– Well my, my, my! Between her personal bona-fides- she was a hit-charting country singer in the 60s and 70s- and a smart selection of classics from a variety of country greats, this whole album sounds like a bygone school of country music living again. And if it’s frozen in time in that sense, it is a reminder of how grand a time that was for the genre.

  • Crumbs, You’re Just Jealous– I loved this album in the eighties! It was just the right amount of pop new wave edge on genuine punk exuberance. Now, my sources tell me this was recorded by a quartet from Leeds in 2024, so I’m not sure how I loved it in the eighties. But I know I did!

  • Dehd, Poetry– Is there room in your heart for slightly snotty, straightforwardly rocking indie rock? Then this Chicago trio might be for you! It’s solidly fun and energetic the whole way through.

  • Dua Lipa, Radical Optimism– Not quite the consistent level and energy of her 2020 big splash album, but her charms are still high, and the tracks never work less than well.

  • I.Jordan, I Am Jordan– This album brings in elements of dubstep, old school house, acid house, and is musically pure fun. As an often-instrumental piece I’m not sure if it gets in its hooks enough to be great, but it’s solidly good!

  • Joywave, Permanent Pleasure– Since my dear wife hails from Rochester NY, I always pay special attention when I run across a band from there. And this album is worth the attention- it has a bit of sleazy garage rock revival sound, a bit of EDM production/disco revival feel, a bit of 00s indie, and a bit of hazy and heavy guitar seventies. The bits all add up to a solidly enjoyable album, even if it isn’t the freshest or newest thing ever.

  • Mandy, Lawn Girl– This album has an appealing combination of 90s inspirations including grunge-pop, noise rock, and more introspective indie rock. It’s not a new thing under the sun, but it’s like sinking into a warm bath of 90s guitar-powered alt rock.

  • Mo Troper, Svengali– They were on my list in 2021, and darned if they’re not threatening to do it again! The music here is so sweetly melodic and delivered with such sincerity. Along the way you’ll hear sixties chiming, jangly eighties alt, and even electronic, and it all fits together. It would have been straight to yes, but I’m not sure about the multi-part abstract theme it ends with.

  • Pokey LaFarge, Rhumba Country– Pokey LaFarge’s blend of old school rock, swing, and dash of polka and rumba had me won over on his 2021 album In the Blossom of Their Shade, and I’m feeling it again here. Inherently not new, but damn well done and with a sincerity that makes it sound fresh.

  • Rapsody, Please Don’t Cry– Her album Eve was one of my favorites, and the poetry and power on display in that album is present here, with an extra bit of verve via wrestling with increased fame. The production tends a little often toward contemporary hip hop standard though, and the guest appearances don’t always serve the flow.

  • Shaboozey, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going– There’s something to be said for traditionalism in country music, I certainly am a fan. But there is also, in any genre, a need for artists who seek the new, and push themselves to evolve. Musician, producer, and film maker Shaboozey has my attention with this take on country informed by EDM and hip-hop. It sometimes is a little too production slick for my tastes, but also holds the various sources in reverence, and I’m a sucker for the beats and minor chords.

  • Slash, Orgy of the Damned– You throw together Slash, covers of blues and soul standards, and an array of well-chosen and well deployed guests, and you’ll get me to go along! It’s not blazingly original, but solid good fun at what it does.

  • Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross, Challengers (Original Score)– The Nine Inch Nails’ veteran provided a techno-driven score to Luca Guadagnino’s love-triangle tennis dramedy, and producer Atticus Ross then remixed it into a pumping megamix. I expect soundtracks to be abstract and orchestral, and also long- both are not true here! It has moments like that, but is a fine and dynamic electronic mix, which feels not surprisingly like the nineties. And even seems to tell a story!

  • Various Artists, I Saw the TV Glow (Original Soundtrack)– In keeping with the film’s surreal take on nostalgia, a crew of indie pop musician, including Caroline Polachek, Bartees Strange, Jay Som, yeul pay tribute to the ’90s. Between the varied choices, their individual excellence, and how well they understood the assignment, the results are pretty excellent, and cohesive without being all the same. I have some concerns about length and relative fizzling out toward the end, but still, a solid contender.

  • Yaya Bey, Ten Fold– The range is a little narrow in the neo-soul direction, but there are places it gets livened, and regardless her voice and sharp lyrical wit are pure gold.

And there we are, May out. June should follow soon! And, since I’m about to start listening to September, July and August review notes are complete and those postings should be out before too long…

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: The Chronic, Mecca and the Soul Brother

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2023 was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind last year that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years. Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging last year, so I didn’t finish the series. But I’m back at it, and I don’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review covers 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Dr. Dre, The Chronic (1992)– For his debut solo album, N.W.A. co-founder and producer extraordinaire Dr. Dre pulled out all the stops. There is no denying this album’s quality and influence- it almost single-handedly introduced the G-funk musical style of minimal (and retro funk) sampling, laid back grooves, live bass and guitar, and squelchy synths that would dominate a good chunk of 90s hip hop. It commercially established Death Row Records when it went triple platinum, and launched the careers of Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Warren G. And it remains a consistent pick among both artists and critics as one of the best (and best produced) hip hop albums ever. There’s also no denying that the album is thick with misogyny and glorification of violence. It’s true that this isn’t the only mode- there’s also a lot of humor, and post-L.A. riots tracks that rival anything Public Enemy did in terms of sharp and furious social/political critique. But it can still be hard to listen to without getting a little morally queasy. After all the hue and cry though, and despite my qualms, as an album it’s masterful. It has a narrative frame holding the whole thing together, musically it grooves, swings, and surprises, it’s alternately menacing and hilarious, and there isn’t a track that sounds out of place or lets you down.

Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Mecca and the Soul Brother (1992)- Whatever I listened to after The Chronic was going to have a tough act to follow, and I wasn’t familiar with this album at all beyond the track “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”. But, with the quiet spiritual incantation that opens the first track, and the hard metallic beats and jazz samples it slides into from there, I was immediately in. The debut album from New York duo Pete Rock and CL Smooth is definitely working in a recognizable groove- sophisticated East Coast conscious hip hop circa early 90s- and perhaps doesn’t do a lot new or different with it. But it’s a favorite groove of mine! And, if one could often wonder if G-funk is furious at, or in love with, the problems of the neighborhoods it rose from, this album is unambiguous about (as one track puts it) escaping from “The Ghetto of the Mind”.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)
  16. Geto Boys- Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)/Kool G Rap & DJ Polo- Road To The Riches (1989)
  17. The D.O.C.- No One Can Do It Better (1989)/Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)
  18. A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory (1991)/Ice Cube- Death Certificate (1991)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: The Low End Theory, Death Certificate

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Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory (1991)– They weren’t the first to do this, in fact we’ve had several examples so far in this list, but this album is a whole new level of jazz sample-fueled hip hop. More than that, it consciously seeks to link the genre to the larger history of Afrocentrism and Black music in America, and to use that history to critique the ways the contemporary industry isn’t measuring up to the social and political legacy of the music. All of that might be a bit heavy, except it’s delivered with such an innovative music mix, and poetic and quirky flow and rhyme. In other words, this album overflows with the energy and positive power of the conscious hip hop of the nineties. Formed by a circle of high school friends from Queens, A Tribe Called Quest were co-founders of the Native Tongues Collective with Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love. They went into this, their second album, with group MC Phife Dawg’s recent diagnosis of diabetes leaving him and fellow member/rapper/producer Q-Tip determined to make something beyond what they’d previously done, which led them to focus on the “low end” of the status of Black men and the bass end of music. The results speak for themselves, with an album that was their commercial breakthrough, a long term critical favorite, and an ongoing influence on the next generation of hip hop artists and producers. As for me, this genre of hip hop was my jam in the nineties. Listening to it now, there’s certainly an element of familiarity and nostalgia, but the energy, innovation, and downright fun is as fresh as ever.

Ice Cube, Death Certificate (1991)- It’s interesting that these two albums ended up together in post order, because this might very well be the yang to the yin of the prior selection. In all kinds of ways- the anger in the flow, the hard and dense mix, the lyrics sketching out the darkest sides of street life. But as is true of all yins and yangs, you can also see the inextricable link between the two. Both are founded on response to the frustration of the Black American experience, both are musically innovative while hearkening back to cultural heritage (jazz for A Tribe Called Quest, 70s funk and soul for Ice Cube), and both deliver their message with humor and artistic ambition. In Death Certificate‘s case, the very structure shows the intent to aim for statement, with a “death” side stating the problems of contemporary life, followed by a “life” side describing his vision of where things need to go, and intros/outros and sketch sections holding the whole thing together. So, despite personifying two nineties sub-genres that seem diametrically opposed musically and thematically- alternative/conscious hip hop and gangsta/g-funk hip hop- the aims and the means of these two albums are not so different. This is not to excuse the racialism, homophobia, and misogyny of Ice Cube’s lyrics so often on display here, that all deserves criticism. But I can see how much more crafted and ambitious this is than his previous album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, how much of the West Coast nineties sound it anticipates, and understand how it ended up on so many “best” lists.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)
  16. Geto Boys- Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)/Kool G Rap & DJ Polo- Road To The Riches (1989)
  17. The D.O.C.- No One Can Do It Better (1989)/Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: No One Can Do It Better, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

5 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

The D.O.C, No One Can Do It Better (1989)– This sounds to me like an encapsulation of 80s hip hop- it’s replete with the breaks, turntabilism, and hard rock samples of the new school, and the soul and funk samples and swing of new jack. It also exemplifies the hard-hitting gangsta rap sound of the eighties as it was turning to the G-funk gangster sound of the nineties, but with a substantive heft more reminiscent of Public Enemy. My initial impression on this is backed up by subsequent research- Tracy Lynn Curry, a.k.a. The DOC, came out of Houston’s Southern hip-hop scene, but became a collaborator with N.W.A. and even contributed lyrics to their debut album. They returned the favor here, Dr. Dre producing this album, multiple N.W.A. members contributing to various tracks, and Eazy-E putting it out on his fledgling record label. For good measure, one of the closing tracks of the album, “The Formula” is even credited as being the first G-funk single. Shortly after release, The D.O.C. would join Dre in becoming one of the co-founders of Death Row Records. All in all, a solid album that feels like the eighties turning into the nineties.

Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)- I think it’s no accident that this installment of the blog is feeling all kinds of liminal. With this album, we have a double milestone- it’s our 34th review, meaning we’ve now made it past one third through, and it’s the first album on the list from the nineties. After Ice Cube split from N.W.A. and their record label amidst various financial disputes, he worked with lyrics from Dr. Dre’s cousin Sir Jinx and production from Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad to make this solo debut. The album feels like it puts together the best of all these worlds- Ice Cube’s hard-hitting delivery, the humor of Southern California gangsta rap, the densely layered production of Public Enemy, and both N.W.A.’s and Public Enemy’s versions of social and political commentary. It also brings along Ice Cube’s considerable misogyny and revelry in scenes of violence. But it sounds consistently powerful and high quality, and dives full-force into its mission of rubbing America’s face in everything about rap in general and Ice Cube in particular that made it uncomfortable. That’s not a bad way for the genre to kick off the nineties!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)
  16. Geto Boys- Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)/Kool G Rap & DJ Polo- Road To The Riches (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Grip It! On That Other Level, Road To The Riches

6 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Geto Boys, Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)– My initial impression is that this album sounds like somebody put N.W.A., Public Enemy, and the 2 Live Crew in a blender. And I don’t mean that in a bad way! The best of all those groups is here- the driving force, g-funk groove, uncompromising politics, street narratives, and over the top raunchy sexuality. Another thing that’s notable is that this Houston group is the first Southern hip hop to make our list, and indeed one can already hear the distinctive dirty beats of the region. The sampling is varied and great as well, with soul, funk and 70s rock all being well-represented. One does get the sense that the different approaches here are fronted by different members though, and there’s a kind of incoherence of the sound as a result. On further research, this impression turns out to be correct- the CEO of Rap-a-Lot records was disappointed with the group’s debut album, and dismissed several members, while adding two local artists with solo aspirations (Scarface and Willie D) to the roster for their second album. I also found the extreme misogyny and graphic violence of some of the songs really hard to stomach. Sometimes it’s clearly tongue in cheek, but sometimes not so much. Nevertheless, the album/group influenced many future hip hop artists, and is often credited as the origin of the horrorcore sub-genre.

Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, Road To The Riches (1989)- This Queens duo got their start as part of Marley Marl’s Juice Crew, and he produced this debut album by them as well. The opening track already features several of the notable features of this album- peak eighties heavy beats and scratching, swinging background samples, and rapid-fire delivery of its tales of crime and big success. While still feeling very much of the eighties, the album seems to anticipate the directions, musically and lyrically, that rap would take in the nineties. And indeed that is the reputation that landed it on this list. The opening track “Road to the Riches” is considered an influence on nineties gangster rap while another track “Men At Work” has been cited by the Roots as the track that got them started, and the album’s track “Poison” even got sampled by Bel Biv Devoe, which gives you some idea of the range on influence. I found it to be a solid listen that still holds up as a signpost of one era about to turn to another.

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)
  15. De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)/EPMD- Unfinished Business (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: 3 Feet High and Rising, Unfinished Business

7 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)– Boogie Down Productions and Jungle Brothers may have gotten there first, but this album is the beginning of conscious hip hop as a recognized genre. It sounded different from everything else out there at the time, and it still does today with it’s sunny and widely varied samples, psychedelic production effects, relaxed beats and flow, and overflowing themes of whimsy, anti-materialism, and counter-cultural self expression. It even has a classic psychedelic concept album wrap around theme with the game show skit structure (and began the trend of comedic skits between tracks in hip hop). It would be enough if this Long Island group and producer Prince Paul had “merely” produced a ground-breaking album regarded as hip-hop’s psychedelic masterpiece. But even better, it remains a thoroughly joyous, rewarding, and in a way timeless, listen today.

EPMD, Unfinished Business (1989)- The follow-up to the Long Island duo’s 1988 Strictly Business reminds me of their earlier album with its funk and rock samples, driving flow, and spare metallic sound. The stripped down feel is likely no accident- whereas their debut album was produced by electro-funk driving-force Kurtis Mantronik, the group self-produced this second album. If this makes it a little rougher and more slap-dash feeling than their last album, I think I actually like it better for that!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)
  14. Beastie Boys- Paul’s Boutique (1989)/Big Daddy Kane- It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Paul’s Boutique, It’s a Big Daddy Thing

8 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique (1989)– There were two obvious paths open to the Beastie Boys for their sophomore album- make essentially the same kind of album as Licensed to Ill (safe and commercial goldmine) or revert to their roots and record something in a more punk vein (a departure, but one in their comfort zone). They picked a third option. Their desire to do something more serious and complex to shake their reputation as a joke act, joined with the densely layered sampling techniques of producers the Chemical Bros, resulted in a dizzying kaleidoscope of an album. Over 100 songs were sampled, with sources as diverse as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, jazz, soul, and funk. The Boys added to this dynamic mix their signature three-part flow, and lyrics that augmented the beer-soaked braggadocio of their debut with more fantastical and surreal stories. It all adds up to a kind of hip hop psychedelic masterpiece. On a purely personal level, I recall being dismayed by this album as a teen, and not getting it. The commercial reaction of the time agreed with me, but the album’s critical reception and regard in the hip hop community were high at the time and have loomed larger over time. Which an older and perhaps wiser me agrees with!

Big Daddy Kane, It’s a Big Daddy Thing (1989)- For his sophomore album (apparently our theme for this post) Big Daddy Kane stepped in and joined his original producer Marley Marl to do much of the production himself. The product is bright and smooth, and I can certainly understand why it was popular. While I appreciate the positivity of the album, it feels rather pop bland to me. I had a similarly lukewarm response to his first album Long Live the Kane a few reviews back, so maybe Big Daddy Kane just isn’t my cup of tea. Sorry Kane!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)
  13. Slick Rick- The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)/Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Beatdown (1988)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, Critical Beatdown

9 Replies

Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded singles not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

Slick Rick, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)– The influence of Slick Rick in general, and this particular album, are undeniable. Born in the U.K. and raised in the Bronx, Slick Rick rose to fame for his work with Doug E. Fresh before going solo as the third artist signed to Def Jam. He’s renowned for his story-telling chops, which are on display here, and for his unique voice (which carries the UK influence). Somewhere between these factors he’s been sampled well over a thousand times by other hip hop artists, and artists as diverse from each other as Busta Rhymes, Kool Moe Dee, and Nas have cited this album as a favorite. Listening to it, I can get on board with that- it is vintage hip hop in the Def Jam style of the era, and swings with the swagger and ego of the best MCs while also deflating the tropes of the scene with Slick Rick’s humor.

Ultramagnetic MCs, Critical Beatdown (1988)- You may have noticed that this album is our ninth entry in the series from 1988. That’s no accident, that was a peak year in innovation from hip hop’s golden age, and many of the albums issued that year have influenced everything that came after. Critical Beatdown is no exception. The production work of member Ced-Gee, already a great under-recognized contributor to the sounds of Boogie Down Productions and Eric B. & Rakim, included an unusual range of samples and innovative sampling re-arrangement techniques that immediately influenced Public Enemy and gangsta rap, and have continued to echo down since then. Beyond the sonic joy, the rapid flow of the vocals and sometimes surreal lyrics really caught my attention as well. I can see why this got on so many lists!

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
  12. N.W.A- Straight Outta Compton (1988)/Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back (1988)

Finally, if you’d like a playlist for the entire list, you can find that here. Listen to it sequentially for the historical development of the genre, or play on shuffle for maximum historical scramble!

In Search of the 24 Best Albums of 2024: April

1 Reply

This is the true story of someone who set out in 2021 to catch up on newer music. They listened to the critics choices for the best albums of the 2010s, and picked their favorites. They did the same for 2020, picking their top 20 from the critics most highly rated albums. And they listened to new releases monthly in 2021, eventually picking the 21 best albums of 2021. That was so much fun they decided to do it again in 2022 and 2023, listening each month and picking out the 22 best albums of 2022 and the 23 best albums of 2023. That someone is me!

There are links to the albums in the posts cited above, but if you’d like a one-stop playlist, I’ve got that set up in Spotify for the 2021 top 21 and the 2022 top 22, and in YouTube Music for the 23 Best Albums of 2023. (Eventually I’ll move the 2021 and 2022 lists to YouTube, because artists are asking us to avoid Spotify for very good reasons.)

Okay, so now you know the story Well guess what? It’s still going on! Here are the previous editions of the 2024 monthly review if you missed them:

( January February March )

A quick word on the “yes” and “maybe” categories I’ve sorted things into, before we get going with the latest:

Yes– This isn’t a guarantee, but it represents the albums that, upon first listen, I think could definitely be in the running for best of the year.

Maybe– These albums have something to recommend them, but also something that gives me pause. I’m putting them in their own category, because I have found “maybes” sometimes linger and eventually become “yeses”.

Now let’s get on with my top picks from 91 new releases that I listened to from April!

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Anders Osborne, Picasso’s Villa– I was inclined by the Scandinavian first name and the album title to expect something arty and abstruse. What we actually have here is an album with elements of alt country, heartland rock, and guitar squelching southern rock, with great hooks and sharp storytelling lyrics. And in fact, Anders Osborne is a Swedish blues singer and guitarist who move to New Orleans in the ’90s. The move must have been pretty successful, because he sounds like the real deal here!

Bad Bad Hats, Bad Bad Hats– High energy, redolent of new wave and power pop, but still sounding very fresh. Lead singer Kerry Alexander also often gets soulful crooning in along the way, and suitable lyrical snark, as befits her avowed love of the Breeders. This album from a Minneapolis trio is pleasing from start to finish.

Caleb Landry Jones, Hey Gary, Hey Dawn– This is really something! I started off getting strong grunge vibes, then it reminded me heavily of seventies Bowie, and along the way had Beatlesque moments of psychedelia. Texas native, actor, and musician Caleb Landry Jones has apparently been releasing this kind of music since 2020, and I’m happy to finally make his acquaintance!

Cuffed Up, All You Got– Some crunching garage rock, with just the right touch of sleazy boredom. This Los Angeles post-punk trio’s debut is a testament to their years of striving to break through, and a promise of things to come.

English Teacher, This Could Be Texas– There’s others treading this spare, post-punk yet classical, lyrically literate, vocally stripped-down UK path (think Yard Act, tuneyards, anything with yard in it). But darned if this Leeds four-piece band fronted by the hypnotic while understated Lily Fontaine it isn’t affecting!

Eris Drew, Raving Disco Breaks, Vol II– The title “Raving” gives you a clue that this is a kind of late nineties throwback. It also happens to be a dynamic propulsive DJ set with fantastic energy and interesting musical references- 80s hip-hop, nineties dance music, and classic rock including Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin all make it into the mix. DJ/Producer Drew was on my honorable mention list for Quivering in Time in 2021, and this definitely makes it on my preliminary list for this year.

Gangrene, Heads I Win, Tails You Lose– On their fourth collaborative album, rapper-producers Oh No and the Alchemist have created a stark mix, full of the dynamism of their dueling flow, great and varied sampling including aspects of the last 25 years of hip-hop, and a general feeling of import to both the light and heavy moments.

Ian Hunter, Defiance, Pt 2: Fiction– Classic rock still sometimes makes contemporary albums. And those albums are often quite good! That is certainly the case here, with former Mott the Hoople frontman Ian Hunter. Technically, he bridges both classic rock and proto-punk (or at least glam), and that’s richly on display here, with co-contributors from all over the map- Brian May, the members of Cheap Trick, Jeff Beck, members of the Foo Fighters and Stone Temple Pilots, Lucinda Williams and others all show up to help Hunter do a fine rocking romp.

Judith Hill, Letters From a Black Widow– Trading on her not so flattering nickname from having worked with Prince and Michael Jackson just before their deaths, Judith Hill comes in with a powerful album that shows why everyone wanted to work with her. She rocks, she sings the blues, she gets funky, she does straight-up R&B, she pulls out the tricks of electronic dance music. Sometimes all on the same track! Her album Baby I’m Hollywood was on my list for 2021, and I think she may do it again!

Loren Kramar, Glovemaker– He’s a slut for his dreams! So the Southern California native Loren Kramar himself says in a song from his debut album. This album lives in the realms of cinematic soundtracks, theater music, torch songs, and power ballads, and it does so spectacularly. Musically hitting on track after track and powered lyrically by a wicked wit.

LustSickPuppy, Carousel From Hell– Absolutely blistering electronic hyperpop. At times impossibly sweet, at times grating, at times just overwhelming in the number of things its simultaneously tossing out. Omasyn Hayes, also known professionally as LustSickPuppy, is an American rapper, painter, make-up artist, and model and here takes us to a realm where glitchy distorted EDM, hip hop, and noise rock are one and the same.

Lynks, Abomination– This is great! On one level, an EDM album full of contemporary production tricks, but also nods to low-bit video-game sounds of the 90s and 80s synth pop. There’s the cleverness of arrangement, but what really puts it over the top are the approachable vocals and snark-filled lyrics that explore multiple aspects of the UK gay male experience.

Maggie Rogers, Don’t Forget Me– Smart lyrics and impeccable vocals that know how to work with propulsive music. She brings together strains of 90s female singer songwriter, storytelling country, and some folktronic production. Maryland native Rogers is deservedly getting widespread acclaim.

Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department– Say what you want, girl can write and deliver a song! In all senses of that- musical composition, intelligent lyrics, sure vocal phrasing. There’s nothing here that’s less than flawless contemporary pop, technically. And smart, and I don’t fault women for talking about their emotional lives or call them self-indulgent for doing what every singer-songwriter in the seventies did, so I have no complaints. Though I did sneak off after her closing song “Clara Bow” to listen to the entirely different 50 Foot Wave song “Clara Bow”.

The Pernice Brothers, Who Will You Believe– Per AMG, the Pernice Brothers is an, “… outlet for acclaimed indie misanthrope Joe Pernice, whose music ranges from hushed to orchestrated pop.” And indeed, there is a bitter edge to the songs here, but also weary wistfulness and wisdom. Joe Pernice has been doing this since the late nineties, and apparently wisdom does come with age! So too does a fine burnishing of production touches that bring to mind seventies singer-songwriters and AM radio. Musically, it’s like flowing gold, with a dark emotional core.

The Reds, Pinks & Purples, Unwishing Well– The fuzzy echoing guitars, melancholy nostalgia, and world-weary vocals and lyrics do not fail. This is maybe the fourth Reds, Pinks and Purples album I’ve listened to too since I started this a few years ago, and they always get under my skin.

Maybe

  • Blue Bendy, So Medieval– The sprightliness of Magnetic Fields, the wordy poetic jerkiness of Modern Lovers, off kilter experimental arrangements which bring in the electronic and the psychedelic. I’m not entirely sure what this London band is up to, but it is intriguing!

  • BMX Bandits, Dreamers on the Run– Twee lives with these founders of the anorak movement. It even reminds me at times of dancehall music and the sillier side of the Beatles. It may be a little too sweet to take sometimes, but it is compelling.

  • Cloud Nothings, Final Summer– Many of the same charms of their release The Shadow I Remember which was on my honorable mention list for 2021: “Crunchy feedbacky rock with dreamy choral background, lyrical and vocal power, great way with melody-It’s really pretty delightful”? I agree with myself, again!

  • Drahla, angeltape– Jerky rhythms, grating edges, and something like a hardcore art approach, given just enough accessibility by lead singer Lucile Brown’s arch vocals. I wonder if it’s a little too grating for repeated listening, but this Leeds band is definitely up to something interesting!

  • Gesaffelstein, GAMMA– Now this is a great DJ mix! Dark and decadent in that European way, driving and serrated, but dynamic and energetic. At times it sounds very contemporary, at other times redolent of nineties techno, which I appreciate. I’m not sure if it has enough musical or thematic through line to totally succeed as an album, but I appreciate what this 39-year-old French DJ is doing.

  • Jane Weaver, Love In Constant Spectacle– an explorer of krautrock and modern psychedelia, interspersed with deft, arty touches of synth pop. A spare European electronica, ghostly vocals, synth pop, and occasionally blistering fuzzed out guitar. It sometimes feels like it’s going to lull out, but overall, it adds up to something that compels when listening, and stays with you after.

  • Louisa Stancioff, When We Were Looking– Her beautiful ethereal voice and an acoustic setting that is spare and yet uplifting power something that is somehow happy and sad at the same time. It may be a little narrow in musical and vocal tone, but with literate lyrics to add to the musical and vocal palette, Maine native Louisa Stancioff has produced an arresting debut album.

  • Old 97’s, American Primitive– Muscular chords and fuzzy guitar power this mix of country-influenced heartland rock. It’s got hooks, a way with melody, and an anthemic feeling. It got a little wobbly at the end by veering hard back into their more usual country and ending in a Spanish-themed instrumental, which were both out of tune with the main body, but there’s not a bad song in the mix.

  • Parsnip, Behold– A rocking off kilter girl group with wacky sonic flourishes is always going to be near and dear to my heart. In the case of this Australian quartet, they have a solid base of stripped-down pop punk (think early Go-Gos), sixties pop, and hints of indie electronic and psychedelic garage rock. It’s not the most original thing ever, but it’s fun, surprising, and it moves!

  • Sinkane, We Belong– Ahmed Gallab, the Sudanese-born, New York-based multi-instrumentalist behind Sinkane. The music here effortlessly mixes so many varieties of Black music- 80s R&B, afrobeat, disco, electro. It sounds a little too smoothly produced for my taste, but every track is buoyant musically and lyrically explores the pain and celebration of being Black in the global diaspora.

  • Spooner Oldham/Texas, The Muscle Shoals Sessions– What do you get when you put together a great Scottish pop band, a storied southern rock keyboardist, the venerable Muscle Shoals recording studio, and smartly chosen covers? Just about the best set of blue-eyed soul one could ask for! It’s not breaking new ground, but it is solidly well done.

  • T Bone Burnett, The Other Side– The tone is relaxed, the musical accompaniment restrained (despite a top-flight tier of guest musicians). But that’s just what this past master wanted for his first new album in 16 years. And if it feels a little low-key as a result, his songwriting, as always, is exquisite.

  • The Libertines, All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade– Starts with a high energy hand-clappy piece redolent of the poppier side of UK original punk and alt eighties, and it stays in that mode. The music is maximum fun, and the lyrics are wordy and literate. The Libertines, of course, have been playing in this realm throughout the millennium. But, if it feels in a sense formulaic, it’s good clean fun the whole way though.

  • The Sunburned Hand of the Man, Nimbus– It opens with a trippy spoken word straight from the early seventies, and then follows up with instrumental and vocal-led pieces that are also joyously retro while the spoken word gets trippier and edgier, and more experimental music edges in. It turns out this Boston-based collective has been doing exploring the edges since the nineties. It’s weird and doesn’t entirely fir together, but that is kind of the point!

  • The Zutons, The Big Decider– Their album Who Killed the Zutons was one of my favorites of the 00s and I haven’t heard from them for a while, so I was curious. It turns out they still have a knack for hooky indie rock that sounds sincere but also hits the right pop notes. Not out of the park, but very solid. Well done lads!

  • X Ambassadors, Townie– Coming from an indie rock kind of place, but informed equally by EDM and heartland rock. The tone is uneven, but this Brooklyn band returns to their upstate New York roots here, and their heartfelt tales of hardscrabble small-town life resonate and ring true.

And there we are, April out sever days before the end of August, The catch-up continues!

50 Years of Hip Hop Album Review: Straight Outta Compton, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

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Last year was the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and in honor of this anniversary, the idea bloomed in my mind that I should review the top 50 albums of that 50 years. As I crunched together a list from various sources, 50 proved to be too restrictive- many of the classics were getting squeezed out. So, to make a little more room, I opted for 100 albums, two for each of hip hop’s 50 years.

For its formative years, hip hop was a live entertainment form, with the first recorded songs not emerging until 1979, and the first albums in 1980. So my review will cover 1980-2023, with 50 posts of two albums each. The only ground rule I made for myself (besides looking for 2×50, aka 100, albums that were widely well-regarded) was that I had to have at least one from each year. As you’ll see by and by, some years get multiple albums, but since we have 100 spots for 43 years, it tends to all work out.

*June 2024 addendum: Due to some medical situations, I took a three+ month hiatus from blogging. It’s unlikely I’ll finish this series this year. But I’m back at it, and I won’t mind extending into 2025 if you don’t!*

And with that, let’s embark on our next installment!

N.W.A, Straight Outta Compton (1988)– With this installment, we’re a quarter of the way through with the review, and both entries here are all kind of momentous. Though there were earlier examples (like Boogie Down Productions first album) this album is without a doubt the cornerstone of gangsta rap, and the beginnings of real influence for the L.A. rap scene. It’s also a new high point for furiously political hip hop. And a messy contradiction- the album criticizes the system, but also revels in the violence on the street, is full of messages of uplifiting pride, and also truly awful misogyny. But the mess is never inauthentic, backing up the group’s contention that they were doing “reality rap”. Other things that stand out to me listening to it now are the often surprising lightness and humor of the mix and lyrics, the early rumblings of the g-funk style of Dr. Dre, and also an appreciation for how great a producer Eazy-E was despite Dre’s subsequent ascendance. Every which way, the influence of this album looms large, even more remarkably given that it was recorded in six weeks for just $12 thousand.

Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)- If Straight Outta Compton was noteworthy for its explicitly political stance, this album, and indeed the entire career of Public Enemy, is what really makes it clear that hip hop had matured into a fearsome engine of social criticism by 1988. And musically, lyrically, and vocally “fearsome” remains a good description. The density of the mix, heavy metallic drive of the musical and vocal flow, and the clarity of intelligent fury in the lyrics all work perfectly together. All of this is no accident- the group specifically set out to make a hip hop equivalent to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, they were looking for a higher tempo that would better suit their live shows than their debut album, and producer Hank Shocklee developed a sample-dense “wall of noise” production style. In many ways, this album and N.W.A’s were, and remain, more rock than any rock of the era was. One other thing these two albums have in common is that they went platinum and rose in the charts with almost no radio airplay. Explicit lyrics? Or explicit challenge to America’s systemic racism?

If you’re curious about the sources I used to compile my list, you can check them out here:

And if you want to catch up on the previous installments, here they are…

  1. Sugarhill Gang- Sugarhill Gang (1980)/Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow (1980)
  2. Sugarhill Gang- 8th Wonder (1981)/Grandmaster Flash- The Message (1982)
  3. Wild Style Original Soundtrack (1983)/Fat Boys- Fat Boys (1984)
  4. Kurtis Blow- Ego Trip (1984)/Run-D.M.C.- Run-D.M.C. (1984)
  5. Whodini- Escape (1985)/The Treacherous Three- The Treacherous Three (1985)
  6. Run-D.M.C.- King of Rock (1985)/LL Cool J- Radio (1985)
  7. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (1986)/Run-D.M.C.- Raising Hell (1986)
  8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded (1987)/Eric B. & Rakim- Paid in Full (1987)
  9. LL Cool J- Bigger and Deffer (1987)/Big Daddy Kane- Long Live the Kane (1988)
  10. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary (1988)/EPMD- Strictly Business (1988)
  11. Eric B. & Rakim- Follow the Leader (1988)/Jungle Brothers- Straight Out the Jungle (1988)