Best Albums of 2010: #9 - The Roots: How I Got Over

Continuing the top ten with an amazing album from Philly's finest...

"The devil want me as is, but God, he want more" - "Walk Alone"

In 2009, Philadelphia's best Hip-Hop act signed on to be the backing band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a move interpreted by pop culture pundits to be a descent into fogeyism and irrelevance. Critics predicted musical stagnation, as their contractual obligation to perform every night on a talk show would obviously hamper their creativity and tame their edgier sensibilities. Well, the critics were half-right. How I Got Over is considerably smoother and less "underground" than Rising Down or Game Theory, but the loose improvisational style the band perfected in their live concerts and further honed on Fallon (they would mesh their signature style with whoever the musical guest was on a nightly basis) contributed greatly to the cohesiveness and jazzy and soulful feel of How I Got Over. Jimmy Fallon's musical taste must have contributed, to some degree, to the musical choices made by the Roots on How I Got Over. Fallon is a noted fan of Indie Rock, and How I Got Over features apperances by the ladies from The Dirty Projectors and samples Jim James and Joanna Newsom. The Roots' embrace of blogosphere favorites blended perfectly with their standard R&B and Hip-Hop influences, modernizing what would have otherwise been considered a throwback album.

Though How I Got Over is special for the way it defies listener expectations, its greatness comes from how frickin' tight it is. Each song bleeds flawlessly into the next one, building on the central theme of surviving in the 21st century. "Walk Alone" comments on the struggles of individualism in Hip-Hop and in American society. "Dear God 2.0" uses a Monsters of Folk sample to expound upon the world's horrors, as Black Thought plays the role of Job, trying to believe while his world collapses around him. "How I Got Over" features singing from Black Thought and Dice Raw, riding one of ?uestlove's finest breakbeats to create a modern soul classic, akin to a Hip-Hop version of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City." Though Black Thought and guest MCs (most notably Blu & Phonte) lay on the social realism pretty hard, the airy, jazz-inflected beats imbue a lightness to what would be an impossibly dark album if accompanied by Game Theory's or Rising Down's heavy backing tracks.

Though much of the album reflects on the impossibility of living in Urban America, a few of these tracks provide perfect soundtracks for a lazy summer day. "Radio Daze" is the breeziest Roots song in recent memory and the chillest since "What They Do." Blu and Black Thought leave behind the social realism to focus on wordplay, and the results are sublime. "Right On" naturally appropriates Joanna Newsom, whose music is probably the opposite of Hip-Hop, with DJ scratches and Black Thought and STS clearly revelling in the absurdity of the track. The climactic and most inspirational track on the entire album is "The Fire," a John Legend feature, in which Black Thought synthesizes the major themes of the entire album and revels in the inner spirit that allows people to overcome their daily struggles. ?uestlove's beat drives and pulsates, and John Legend wails euphorically.

Ultimately, How I Got Over proves that The Roots can probably continue to do what they do for another 20 or 30 years, since they'll always be able to fuse the original and familiar into a unique and soulful mix.

Standout Tracks: "How I Got Over," "Right On," (weird video, but good audio) "The Fire," "Radio Daze,"

Best Albums of 2010: #10 - Titus Andronicus: The Monitor

For my top ten albums of 2010, I'm going to try something a little bit different...

The Top Five References on Titus Andronicus's The Monitor:

5) "In our basements, we look so bored/we've never seen the glory of the coming of the Lord" from "Richard II or Extraordinary Popular Dimensions and the Madness of Crowds (Responsible Hate Anthem)"; Reference to: "Battle Hymn of the Republic"

4) "So now at Rock Ridge Pharmacy, I'll be waiting for my man" - "No Future Part III: Escape From No Future"; Reference to "I'm Waiting For the Man"

3) "John Brown's body lies a'mouldring in the grave and there's rumbling down in the caves" - Another reference to "Battle Hymn of the Republic" in "A More Perfect Union"

2) "Of course, you have never been to blame for the various horrible things that you did/
You may have gotten away with them too, if not for those meddling kids" - from "Richard II," and it's the greatest reference to Scooby Doo of all time.

1) "No, I never wanted to change the world/ but I'm looking for a new New Jersey/Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die" - from "A More Perfect Union"; Reference to "A New England," by Billy Bragg and "Born to Run," by Bruce Springsteen

The Monitor is loaded with fantastic guitar riffs, barroom sing-a-longs and historical and music references, influenced by the Pogues, Hold Steady and Husker Du. The Monitor rocks harder than any album released in 2010 and uses more words than the average Dickens novel.

Standout Tracks: "A More Perfect Union," "Richard II or Extraordinary Popular Dimensions and the Madness of Crowds (Responsible Hate Anthem)," "Theme from 'Cheers,'" "To Old Friends and New"

Best Albums of 2010 (15-11)

15. Halcyon Digest - Deerhunter

"When you were young, you never knew which way to go" - "Desire Lines"

Besides winning the 2010 Richard D. James Award for Creepiest Album Cover, Halcyon Digest represents exactly what we've come to expect from Deerhunter. Like the band's previous albums, Halcyon Digest combines churning shoegaze with Beatles-esque melodies and filters frontman Bradford Cox's reminiscent and sentimental lyrics through a dreamy haze. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Though Halcyon Digest is not a huge stylistic departure from Deerhunter's previous work, it does sport some of the band's best songs. "Helicopter" showcases the band's ability to mix unconventional instrumentation to create something that sounds both innocent and alien, and "Desire Lines" works into a slow instrumental groove that most Indie bands are not capable of sustaining. Deerhunter is rivaled only by Animal Collective for their ability to make the avant-garde seem so Pop.
Standout Tracks: "Helicopter," "Desire Lines," "Revival," "Don't Cry"

14. Teen Dream - Beach House

"We were sleeping till you came along" - "Norway"

Teen Dream, like Halcyon Digest, has a strong shoegazer and dream pop vibe, but uses its slow vibe and powerful vocals by Victoria Legrand to paint a portrait of general teenage emotion, as opposed to Bradford Cox's highly personal songs. Teen Dream marks a giant leap forward, as their accustomed snail-like pace becomes hypnotic, instead of just boring. "Norway" utilizes a churning drum beat and liquid keyboards to depict the cold beauty of the song's namesake. "Walk in the Park" is a gorgeous lament that makes the loss of a loved one sound breezy. Ultimately, the record lies on Legrand's voice, which expands upon the instrumental tracks and elevates and illuminates Teen Dream's many inspired artistic flourishes.
Standout Tracks: "Walk in the Park," "Norway," "Zebra," "Used to Be"

13. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

"All hail King Neptune and his water breathers!" - "Superfast Jellyfish"

While his former rivals Liam and Noel Gallagher have devolved into a snarling, irrelevant self-parody of their angry selves, Damon Albarn manages to retain a relevance that bypassed his contemporaries over a decade ago. The flexibility of his Gorillaz alter ego allows Albarn to shun expectations and do whatever he desires, musically. While previous Gorillaz releases are mixed bags, inevitably featuring one or two excellent songs and lots of filler, the loose concept and impeccable guest casting of Plastic Beach keeps the record fresh and an insane amount of fun. The concept (everyone on the record is reporting from a resort island made out of trash and plastic floating in the ocean, hence the plastic beach) provides for some fantastic songs, such as underwater fast-food jingle "Superfast Jellyfish" (featuring a welcome appearance by De La Soul) and "Rhinestone Eyes," which examines the consequences of our modern materialistic lifestyle through a hypnotic electro background. Old-guard alt-rock legends Mark E. Smith and Lou Reed stop by for "Glitter Freeze" and "Some Kind of Nature," and Snoop Dogg welcomes us to the world. The key guests are Mos Def, who graces "Stylo" with a brief rhyme and carries "Sweepstakes," an album highlight, and Bobby Womack, who imbues "Stylo" and "Cloud of Unknowing" with genuine soul. However, the key track is a solo performance by Albarn, "On Melancholy Hill," which echoes the Kinks' classic "Waterloo Sunset" in both melody and lyrical subject matter (manufactured, yet true nostalgia through voyeurism). I can't wait to watch his musical vision continue to evolve.
Standout tracks: "Superfast Jellyfish (ft. De La Soul)," "Sweepstakes (ft. Mos Def)," "Rhinestone Eyes," "On Melancholy Hill," "Some Kind of Nature (ft. Lou Reed)"

12. New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh - Erykah Badu

"If I get off my knees, I might recall I'm 20 feet tall" - "20 Feet Tall"

I'm gonna get this out of the way early: New Amerykah Part II is not as good as Part I. But there's no one else who can do what Erykah Badu does. Badu is better than anyone at fusing her revolutionary vision of the future with the all-too-rare Marvin Gaye-style concept soul of the past. Though Return of the Ankh's laid back atmosphere can't quite match the revolutionary fervor of 4th World War, the songs are uniformly terrific, including bubbly "Umm Hmm" and the wonderful "Window Seat," with its effortless jazz piano groove and emotionally bare lyrics (illustrated by her more literally bareness in the music video). Even the iTunes bonus track is awesome ("Jump Up in the Air and Stay There," featuring a fantastic guest verse from Lil Wayne).
Standout Tracks: "Window Seat," "Fall in Love (Your Funeral)," "Umm Hmm," "Incense"

11. Cosmogramma - Flying Lotus

"I need to know you're out there. Need to know you're listening." - "And the World Laughs With You" (ft. Thom Yorke)

Flying Lotus filters the belches and whines of IDM legend Aphex Twin through the futurist lens of Sun Ra and George Clinton, lending his music an alien and jazzy quality that you can't find anywhere else in modern electronic music. Like Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus excels at combining individually ugly sounds to make them sound beautiful and like Sun Ra, he claims to channel his experimental jazz through cosmic, space-inspired concepts. Cosmogramma, while a work of instrumental genius, also represents the rantings of a crazy person. See this blog post off Steve Ellison's myspace (FL's real name). Cosmogramma is the translation of a cartoon world's ancient language into aural form. It's no surprise that Thom Yorke, a fellow insane genius, sees a kindred spirit in Ellison; Cosmogramma does not sound like it was composed as much as it was beamed to our hard drives from the Moon.
Standout tracks (the album should really be taken on its own, but here are a good few places to start if you are intimidated by instrumental works): "...And the World Laughs With You (ft. Thom Yorke)," "Satelllliiiiiiiteee," "MmmHmm (ft. Thundercat)"

Best Albums of 2010 (20-16)

20. Everything in Between - No Age

"I don't fear God. I don't fear anything at all. Cause I know that's where we've been" - Glitter

The latest release from L.A.'s preeminent post-hardcore duo arrived with considerably less fanfare and buzz than Nouns, their last album, but I'm really not sure why. Everything In Between, while ten minutes longer than Nouns, is a more cohesive record and showcases a band that has truly developed a unique sound. Guitarist Randy Randall (a first-ballot inductee to the Mitch Mitchell Hall of Fame for people who have the same first and last name) brings the noise, often veering off into nails-on-chalkboard diversions, and singer/drummer Dean Spunt brings the band back to reality, with his steady beats and deadpan delivery. The crown jewel of the record is "Glitter," in which No Age filters T.Rex through the world's dirtiest sieve, leaving behind only only snares and screeches. Though Everything In Between isn't a huge artistic leap forward for the duo, it's a pretty lofty status quo.
Standout Tracks: "Glitter," "Fever Dreaming," "Life Prowler"

19. Crush - Abe Vigoda

"Cruelty is what we share" - "Dream of My Love (Chasing After You)"

I never used to care for Abe Vigoda. Their "tropical-punk" seemed a lot better when I read about it than when I actually heard it. The band's older stuff is far too spare and tuneless for me and even their best songs sounded to me like they needed a couple more takes. Crush represents an effort by the band to expand their sound, taking cues from label-mates and L.A. contemporaries No Age, and the effort is mostly successful. The title track is easily the best track they've recorded to date, recalling Drums and Wires-era XTC and the Buzzcocks' later work, merging their signature stringy guitar riffs with a distortion pedal and more expressive drumming. "Pure Violence" takes a page out of the Echo & the Bunnymen playbook, and "Dream of My Love" features the band trading in their guitars for 8-bit midis. Hopefully, Abe Vigoda will continue to improve as they showcase Michael Vidal's expressive voice and expand their musical pallette.
Standout Tracks: "Crush," "November," "Pure Violence"

18. Gorilla Manor - Local Natives

"I'll endure the night for the promise of light" - "Sun Hands"

Aaaand the Los Angeles lovefest continues with the third straight band out of L.A. on my list. Though Abe Vigoda and No Age both spring from the modern L.A. punk scene, there's very little that's punk about Local Natives, who sound like a sun-fried Fleet Foxes. Like the Fleet Foxes, Local Natives rely on pretty harmonies and elaborate guitar and string arrangements to convey warmth, but the driving drum beats signify that the warmth comes from the sun, not from a fireplace. "Sun Hands" is a tribal freakout with freak-folk lyrics ("my hands are blessed, they touched the sun"). "Airplanes," reverses the perspective of "Leaving On a Jet Plane,"as they pine for a lover who has left for Japan. The band said that Gorilla Manor was inspired by Music From Big Pink, and Local Natives' three-part harmonies and pure American sound almost approaches its inspiration.
Standout Tracks: "Sun Hands," "Shape Shifter," "Wide Eyes," "World News"

17. Pilot Talk/Pilot Talk II - Curren$y

"I get highed up so I can autograph the skyyyyy...fool!" - "Michael Knight"

Ladies and gentlemen, please bow down to Ski Beatz. Once celebrated for making the "Dead Presidents" and "Feelin' It" beats for Jay-Z, Ski faded into semi-obscurity for a decade until he hooked up with New Orleans MC, Curren$y, known only as Lil Wayne's weed carrier. Ski specializes in airy, spaced-out and expansive beats that fill the whole track, leaving Curren$y to find the negative space and exploit it with his rhymes about smoking weed, pop culture (he apes Training Day and Rocky, among others), driving cars and living an amazing life. Though the beats are the story of the first Pilot Talk (see the fried "Seat Change," the percussive, steel-drum laden "Audio Dope II," and the rolling piano of "The Hangover"), Curren$y capitalizes on his relationship with Ski, riding the atypical synth-heavy "King Kong" to perfection and brings in Mos Def to interpolate The Karate Kid in "Breakfast." By Pilot Talk II, Ski and Spitta developed a shorthand, each artist understanding eachother's limits and rarely exceeding them. About half the tracks on Pilot Talk II barely reach the three-minute mark. Pilot Talk II also boasts the highlight of both albums: "Michael Knight," where Spitta repeatedly and hypnotically chants the name of David Hasselhoff's signature character and mimes the sound made by the Six Million Dollar Man ("scu-du-du-du-du-du-du").
Standout Tracks: "Michael Knight," "Seat Change (ft. Snoop Dogg)," "Hold On," "The Day (ft. Mos Def & Jay Electronica," "King Kong," "O.G. (The Jar)"

16. Transference - Spoon

"And now you're back is against the wall" - "Who Makes Your Money?"

Though Spoon's previous album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, was their most mainstream effort to date, Transference took the band in an opposite direction. Though they have always been praised for their minimalism, sparse instrumentation and simple song structure, Transference took Spoon's minimalism to the extreme. A few of these songs drone on with an unchanging beat, no chorus and only two chords. However, on some tracks, Spoon, usually tight and organized, seem downright raw. "Written in Reverse" features Eric Harvey attacking his upright piano and singer/songwriter Britt Daniel stretching his voice to its limits. "Out Go the Lights," one of the aforementioned two-chord songs, shows enough musical inventiveness and lyrical wit to make up for its monotony. The best track, by a long shot, is the closer "Nobody Gets Me But You." Britt Daniel obliquely references his perception in the music community ("no-one else remembers my name, just the parts that I play"), drummer Jim Eno provides one of his steadiest grooves and Harvey once again freaks out on the piano in between phrases. Through thirteen years and six albums, Spoon remains remarkably inscrutable and untouchable.
Standout tracks: "Nobody Gets Me But You," "Who Makes Your Money?" "Written in Reverse," "Out Go the Lights"

Best Albums of 2010 (25-21)

2010 was a pretty stacked year for music, so I had to make some tough cuts when compiling my list. Last cut was the BAWSE! I hope he can find it in his giant heart to forgive me.

Probably not too broken up about his near miss on my list

Honorable Mentions:
Completely Removed - Medications: These guys are kinda like a poppier Dismemberment Plan and Completely Removed is a very solid record.

Friday Night Lights - J. Cole: It's a Cole World and we're just living in it. Though loaded with great tracks ("Villematic," "Home for the Holidays"), Friday Night Lights barely missed the cut because it plays more like a J. Cole greatest hits collection than a cohesive album and because of the lack of references to the amazing television show.

The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth: Scandinavia's answer to Bob Dylan continues to flourish and write fantastic, yet nearly indistinguishable, songs about death and love.

The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monae: Monae wrote two of my favorite songs of the year ("Cold War" and "Tightrope" are better than almost everything else found on the albums on my main list), but I found the album a tad too conceptual and experimental for my tastes. Still, The ArchAndroid is a fascinating debut and Monae is capable of even greater things if she hones her pop instincts.

Teflon Don - Rick Ross: I wrote a glowing review of this one back in the Summer, but it just barely missed the cut because of the pure volume of quality music released this year.

Now on to the list:

25. Kush & OJ - Wiz Khalifa

"Everything is better when you're high" - "Up"

Wiz Khalifa reached the Billboard top 20 this year with the Stargate-produced "Black & Yellow," but his most buzzworthy release, the Kush & OJ mixtape, proves that Wiz is strongest when rapping over reverb-drenched guitar and 70s drums. Kush & OJ is a comprehensive chronicle of Wiz Khalifa's favorite things: smoking in the morning, orange juice, smoking in the afternoon, video games (see Chrono Trigger sampling "Never Been,") smoking with girls, Chuck Taylor shoes, smoking with his boys (he invites fellow stoners Curren$y and Big K.R.I.T. to join him in his "Glass House"), singing, smoking at night and rapping. By the end of listening to the record, they'll likely be your favorite things, too. Wiz boasts an infectious laugh (he seems to giggle on every track) and an even more infectious flow, reminiscent of stoner legends Snoop Dogg and Devin the Dude. Kush & OJ posits Khalifa as the quintessential 21st century partier, inviting you into his world of blunts, 40s and beautiful girls. Once you step in, its hard to leave.
Standout tracks: "Never Been," "Glass House," "Supply," "Still Blazin" (download link for the whole mixtape above)

24. Stuck on Nothing - Free Energy

"Bang pop pop. When does this searching stop?" - "Bang Pop"

Stuck on Nothing is what music would sound like if Big Star and the Replacements were the most popular artists of the past 30 years, instead of Madonna and Michael Jackson. Free Energy makes excellent pop songs with guitar and drums, instead of MPCs and 808s. More importantly, Free Energy is one of the few bands that do not try to hide their enthusiasm for their music. Stuck on Nothing is a fantastic synthesis of modern and classic rock, giving it a sense of timelessness that most music does not have . "Dream City," with its "na na na" chorus and sax outro, could have been written any time since Sgt. Peppers and "Hope Child" resembles what you would get if you let Julian Casablancas sing for Beggar's Banquet era Rolling Stones. That's the essence of Stuck on Nothing: a throwback that manages to convince you that it isn't a throwback.
Standout Tracks: "Free Energy," "Dream City," "Wild Winds."

23. The Hybrid - Danny Brown

"'Bout to live the title of the GREATEST RAPPER EVER"

Instead of posting a capsule review of Detroit MC Danny Brown's The Hybrid, I'm going to list some of my favorite lines from what might be, pound-for-pound, the best album for one-liners to come out in years:
"I rap like I bet my life on it/cause in all actuality, n***a I did/you rap like you used to hit the pipe/no that ain't dreck that's crackhead shit" - "Greatest Rapper Ever"

"I'm spittin' that shit, smokin on the regular/Writin' sixteens like internet child predators" - "Greatest Rapper Ever"

"Parque floor, green like Celtic/furniture you touch and be like 'what's that, velvet?'" - "Nowhere 2 Go"

"Sittin' in an Audi, L.A. hit the do-over/throwin' up the middle finger yelling f*ck Oprah!" - "The Nana Song"

"Eatin' Cheese Doodles, don't let the size fool you/tonight we eat shrimp take a break from the noodles" - "Thank God"

"Used to get domed up by crackheads/and still got my balls licked by pretty bitches" - "Re-Up"

22. Str8 Killa No Filla - Freddie Gibbs

"My sentiments exactly n***as can't outrap me" - "Crushin Feelin's"

Freddie Gibbs has a booming, authoritative voice and packs a lyrical punch to back it up. Gibbs has an uncommon versatility behind the mic, lending the same virtuosity and gravitas to weed anthem "Personal OG," as his autobiographical standout "The Ghetto." Like Danny Brown, Gibbs excels at painting a portrait of his unfortunate life for his readers, but unlike Brown, he has a fantastic ear for hooks. "National Anthem (F**k the World)" is Gibbs' mission statement, cursing out record labels who wouldn't sign him and the radio stations that wouldn't play his tracks, saying "all my sh*t still be bumpin/Never change my style up for any of them I'm strictly thuggin'." Str8 Killa lives up to its name, with great track following great track. Gangsta Gibbs is ready to hit it big and he's gonna do it his own way.
Standout tracks: "National Anthem," "The Ghetto," "Crushin' Feelin's," "Do Wrong," "Personal OG"

21. Astro Coast - Surfer Blood
"If you're movin' out to the west, then you'd better learn how to surf. The tide will break in on itself. There are no ghosts to exhume or unearth." - Floating Vibes

Astro Coast starts with the best 1-2 punch of 2010, when the Feelies-esque groove of "Floating Vibes" makes way for "Swim," a Weezer-like power ballad. "Floating Vibes" rides a distorted, yet melodic, guitar line to create atmosphere that lives up to its title. "Floating Vibes" is a perfect song to listen to when lying on a float in a public pool. "Swim," one of those songs that sounds like the band took the best parts of four or five songs and combined them, boasts a big guitar riff and an even bigger chorus. There's even a glockenspiel in the build-up to the chorus. Though the album tails off slightly after its exhilarating start, West Palm Beach's Surfer Blood out-California's most bands from California, recording the first great surf-rock album since Dick Dale died. (Bonus points for the red Gibson SG in the "Floating Vibes" video)
UPDATE: A little research shows that Dick Dale is not dead. Whoops! I still like the line though, so it's staying in. I hope you never die, Dick Dale! Here's "Misirlou"!
Standouts: "Floating Vibes," "Swim," "Harmonix"

A Year in Playlists #4 - I'm About to Blow Up!

Here's a good playlist featuring rappers who hit it big in 2010 (or so). Either these guys released their debut albums this year or garnered more critical and commercial attention than ever before:

1. The Announcement - Jay Electronica
2. Massive Attack - Nicki Minaj
3. Hard in Da Paint - Waka Flocka Flame
4. Westsiders - Pill ft. Killer Mike
5. The Ghetto - Freddie Gibbs
6. Fake Kings - Co$$
7. Bet I - B.o.B ft. T.I. & Playboy Tre
8. Never Been - Wiz Khalifa
9. Michael Knight - Curren$y
10. Home For the Holidays - J. Cole
11. Looking for Trouble - Pusha T ft. Kanye West, Cyhi the Prince, Big Sean & J. Cole
12. 4 My People - Big Sean
13. Light Up - Drake ft. Jay-Z
14. Large on the Streets - Vado

Best of 2010 - A Year in Playlists (#3) - You ain't got no Yeezy?

If you were wondering why I left Kanye West off one of my best of the year in Hip-Hop playlists last week, it's because he released enough amazing music in 2010 to warrant his own list. Can we get much higher? (all songs by Kanye West except when noted):

1. Power
2. That's My Bitch (ft. Jay-Z & La Roux)
3. Live Fast, Die Young - Rick Ross ft. Kanye West
4. Gorgeous (ft. Kid Cudi & Raekwon)
5. Good Friday (ft. Kid Cudi, Common, Big Sean, Pusha T & Charlie Wilson)
6. Chain Heavy (ft. Talib Kweli & Consequence)
7. The Joy (ft. Pete Rock, Jay-Z & Charlie Wilson)
8. Dark Fantasy
9. Monster (ft. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Bon Iver & NICKI MINAJ!!!!)
10. Blame Game (ft. John Legend [and Chris Rock])
11. Runaway (ft. Pusha T)
12. Lost in the World (ft. Bon Iver)
13. See Me Now (ft. Beyonce & Charlie Wilson)

All of these songs are easily available for download on something called "The Internet"

Best of 2010 - A Year in Playlists (#2) - This is HIP-HOP

After a word from some of the music industry's leading ladies, we turn to Hip-Hop. Contrary to popular belief, lots of MCs not named Kanye West released some great material in 2010. Waka Flocka Flame brought back the Dirty South ("Listen to this track, BITCH!" opens "No Hands") and surprised rap fans by proving that someone could be less subtle and more abrasive than Gucci Mane. Big Boi and Yelawolf showed the South's artistic side, rapping double time over space-age beats. Though Lil Wayne spent the majority of 2010 in prison, Rikers could not stop him from releasing "Right Above It," reaffirming his place amongst Hip-Hop's elite. Underground heroes Freddie Gibbs and Danny Brown demonstrated their ability to humanize hood life and pack personal anecdotes and sharp punchlines into tightly packed rhymes. Listen on for a Modest Mouse sample and this blog's namesake:

1. "No Hands" - Waka Flocka Flame ft. Wale & Roscoe Dash
2. "(Ha Ha) Slow Down" - Fat Joe ft. Young Jeezy
3. "Shutterbugg" - Big Boi
4. "Nobody" - DJ Quik & Suga Free
5. "The Show Goes On" - Lupe Fiasco
6. "Right Above It" - Lil Wayne ft. Drake
7. "Zip That Chop That" - Black Hippy
8. "Thank God" - Danny Brown
9. "The Ghetto" - Freddie Gibbs
10. "Flawless Crowns" - Raekwon
11. "Large on the Streets" - Vado
12. "Lookin' Fly" - Redman
13. "Wonderful Life" - Sean Falyon & Playboy Tre
14. "Looking for Alien Love" - Yelawolf
15. "Al Bundy" - Intuition
16. "Shiny Suit Theory" - Jay Electronica ft. Jay-Z & The-Dream
17. "The Fire" - The Roots ft. John Legend

Best of 2010 - A Year in Playlists (#1)

Welcome to the Flawless Crowns year-end Playlist spectacular. I'm gonna release my list of best albums and songs of the year as the new year approaches, but for now, I'm making a series of one-hour playlists that represent the best music of 2010.

A Year in Divas: Though it can sometimes seem that music is a man's game, 2010 demosntrated breakthroughs by female artists in all genres. Rihanna and Lady Gaga resumed their domination of the Billboard charts, and Joanna Newsom and Sleigh Bells dominated Metacritic. Erykah Badu (who dropped an excellent album this year) found a spiritual successor in Janelle Monae. In 2010, women broke through traditionally male genres - Bethany Consentino's Best Coast stole summer buzz away from male Indie Rock counterparts, the Arcade Fire's Regine Chassagne swiped the spotlight from her husband Win Butler on standout track "Sprawl II," and Nicki Minaj spat the verse of the year on Kanye West's otherwise testosterone driven Fantasy. Here are some great songs by some of my favorite females to ring in the New Year:

1. "Tell 'Em" - Sleigh Bells
2. "What's My Name" - Rihanna
3. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce
4. "Cold War" - Janelle Monae
5. "Window Seat" - Erykah Badu"
6. "I Learned the Hard Way" - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
7. "Little Brown Haired Girl" - Frankie Rose and the Outs
8. "Good Intentions Paving Company" - Joanna Newsom
9. "Undertow" - Warpaint
10. "Boyfriend" - Best Coast
11. "Jail La La" - Dum Dum Girls
12. "Apply" - Glasser
13. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" - Arcade Fire
14. "Dancing on My Own" - Robyn
15. "Monster" - Kanye West ft. Rick Ross, Jay-Z & Nicki Minaj

R. Kelly - Igntion (Remix): Live on Fallon with the Roots

Nothing like one of the greatest songs of all time as interpreted by one of the tightest bands around. Look for an R. Kelly post coming up sometime in the future.