Me'Shell NdegéOcelloI must say that 2009 proved to be another... challenging year for me. If it weren't for these songs and these albums from these artists, I'm sure that I would be alot more... unstable than i am now...
The ALBUMS:
"Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel" ~ Mariah Carey
Fuk the masses. They are sheep. But I am a (tentative) lamb. This album is hands down my favorite MiMi offering since... since... well... since the 90s. Rapperless since the mid-90s. & the first almost-mood album of her career (the dreadful "Obsessed" ruined that flow) proves that this woman is a true artist when she has a THEME that she's working with (see Butterfly or Glitter). Here's to more concept-driven endeavors from Ms. Carey-Cannon.
"Straight No Chaser" ~ Mr Hudson
Fuk Kanye. He didn't need to take credit for Mr Hudson's talent. This man still woulda done bad all by himself (see Mr Hudson & The Library). There was really only 1 other album released that year that was as... righteously melancholy as SNC - & it too was filled to the brim with beautifully articulated heartbreak... & that was...
"Complete Me" ~ Frankmusik
Fuk LOVE. That's what Hudson & Frank gave me this year. They both expressed that sentiment so beautifully, so melodically, so... RAWly. & I can so relate to the feeling.
"Kleerup" ~ Kleerup
Fuk avoiding repetition. Although released overseas in 2008, the U.S. finally saw the domestic release in '09. This album is the perfect complement as background OR forefront muzik to any lounge session, smokeout session, spades/dominoes tournament, fellowshipping experience. Just put on "Repeat All" and the electronic music here will prove any non-believer that electronic music can have more soul than any band of live instrumentation.
"Pink Elephant" ~ N'Dambi
Fuk mainstream labels & radio stations. This woman smacked down the Alicias, the Beys, the Keyshias, the Angies with 1 fell swoop of a SOUL record that didn't hafta sound like it was obviously ripping off past divas and pawning the sound off as something new. This album is INDEED neo-SOUL: the samples of the klassix are minimal, but the project is steeped in fresh blood, sweat, & tears. Which is an appropriate segue into...
"Everything Is New" ~ Jack Peñate
Fuk Life. The clever anthem "Let's All Die" reminds me (us) that my (our) time here is ephemeral. There're celebrations to be had. Immediately. Because, sure, I (we) can - & do - so easily get caught up in the tumult that a new day can bring. Fuk that shit. LIVE! For, the fear of death - in my case - has proven to be death itself. Sooo...
"BLACKsummers'night" ~ Maxwell
FUK! Though I've come to the conclusion that I am a toxin for romance & love & all the traditional trappings that seem to come with this passionate relationshipshit, Maxwell does indeed remind me of what is possible when that REAL experience presents itself. Although I may not have experienced it in my lifetime, I still need reminders like this fukkin' project that real LOVE, real JOY, real CONNECTION is indeed possible. I'm such a pessimist anymore that I tend to forget. Routinely.
<<<>>>
Each 1 of these consecutive moments has done a stellar job of making me feel. No matter which emotion is evoked from these songs, that particular feeling - for a good 3 to 6 minutes - is heightened to an appreciable level. Of course I appreciate feeling happier after a delicious groove. But, I freely admit that it's the masochist in me that also revels in feeling more miserable than I was before the blasted tune commences. In any event, I'm ALIVE. And every one of these songs lulled, cajoled, or beat me over the head with emotion - pulling me out of a monotonous haze that I found myself in most of the calendar year.
The SONGS:
Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity Of Huge
Janet Jackson – Make Me
La Roux – In For The Kill
Jack Peñate – Let's All Die!
Lisa Shaw – Can You See Him
Maxwell – Pretty Wings
Maxwell – Stop The World
Maxwell – Love You
Kleerup – History (With Linda Sundblad)
Kleerup – Forever (feat. Neneh Cherry)
Frankmusik – Run Away From Trouble
Frankmusik – Vacant Heart
Basement Jaxx – Distractionz
Basement Jaxx – Scars (feat. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk)
Fol Chen – Cable TV (they won my heart over with that Janet sample)
Christina Aguilera – Falling in Love Again
Bria Valente – Everytime
Mariah Carey – It's A Wrap
Mariah Carey – The Impossible (the reprise)
Mariah Carey – Candy Bling
Melanie Fiona – You Stop My Heart
Kanye West – Paranoid (ft. Mr. Hudson)
Air – You Can Tell It To Everybody
Maral Salmassi – My Shit Is On
Sa-Ra Creative Partners – Spacefruit (my official theme song for the '09)
Radiohead – Life In A Glasshouse (Full Version)
Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Love You Down (yes, THAT "Love You Down")
Brandy – True
Camera Obscura - James
Lily Allen – The Fear
Franz Ferdinand – Feel The Envy
Franz Ferdinand – Die on The Floor
Mika – Blue Eyes
N.A.S.A. – Gifted (Ft. Kanye West, Santogold, & Lykke Li)
Sally Shapiro – Moonlight Dance
The ALBUMS:
"Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel" ~ Mariah Carey
Fuk the masses. They are sheep. But I am a (tentative) lamb. This album is hands down my favorite MiMi offering since... since... well... since the 90s. Rapperless since the mid-90s. & the first almost-mood album of her career (the dreadful "Obsessed" ruined that flow) proves that this woman is a true artist when she has a THEME that she's working with (see Butterfly or Glitter). Here's to more concept-driven endeavors from Ms. Carey-Cannon.
"Straight No Chaser" ~ Mr Hudson
Fuk Kanye. He didn't need to take credit for Mr Hudson's talent. This man still woulda done bad all by himself (see Mr Hudson & The Library). There was really only 1 other album released that year that was as... righteously melancholy as SNC - & it too was filled to the brim with beautifully articulated heartbreak... & that was...
"Complete Me" ~ Frankmusik
Fuk LOVE. That's what Hudson & Frank gave me this year. They both expressed that sentiment so beautifully, so melodically, so... RAWly. & I can so relate to the feeling.
"Kleerup" ~ Kleerup
Fuk avoiding repetition. Although released overseas in 2008, the U.S. finally saw the domestic release in '09. This album is the perfect complement as background OR forefront muzik to any lounge session, smokeout session, spades/dominoes tournament, fellowshipping experience. Just put on "Repeat All" and the electronic music here will prove any non-believer that electronic music can have more soul than any band of live instrumentation.
"Pink Elephant" ~ N'Dambi
Fuk mainstream labels & radio stations. This woman smacked down the Alicias, the Beys, the Keyshias, the Angies with 1 fell swoop of a SOUL record that didn't hafta sound like it was obviously ripping off past divas and pawning the sound off as something new. This album is INDEED neo-SOUL: the samples of the klassix are minimal, but the project is steeped in fresh blood, sweat, & tears. Which is an appropriate segue into...
"Everything Is New" ~ Jack Peñate
Fuk Life. The clever anthem "Let's All Die" reminds me (us) that my (our) time here is ephemeral. There're celebrations to be had. Immediately. Because, sure, I (we) can - & do - so easily get caught up in the tumult that a new day can bring. Fuk that shit. LIVE! For, the fear of death - in my case - has proven to be death itself. Sooo...
"BLACKsummers'night" ~ Maxwell
FUK! Though I've come to the conclusion that I am a toxin for romance & love & all the traditional trappings that seem to come with this passionate relationshipshit, Maxwell does indeed remind me of what is possible when that REAL experience presents itself. Although I may not have experienced it in my lifetime, I still need reminders like this fukkin' project that real LOVE, real JOY, real CONNECTION is indeed possible. I'm such a pessimist anymore that I tend to forget. Routinely.
<<<>>>
Each 1 of these consecutive moments has done a stellar job of making me feel. No matter which emotion is evoked from these songs, that particular feeling - for a good 3 to 6 minutes - is heightened to an appreciable level. Of course I appreciate feeling happier after a delicious groove. But, I freely admit that it's the masochist in me that also revels in feeling more miserable than I was before the blasted tune commences. In any event, I'm ALIVE. And every one of these songs lulled, cajoled, or beat me over the head with emotion - pulling me out of a monotonous haze that I found myself in most of the calendar year.
The SONGS:
Simian Mobile Disco – Audacity Of Huge
Janet Jackson – Make Me
La Roux – In For The Kill
Jack Peñate – Let's All Die!
Lisa Shaw – Can You See Him
Maxwell – Pretty Wings
Maxwell – Stop The World
Maxwell – Love You
Kleerup – History (With Linda Sundblad)
Kleerup – Forever (feat. Neneh Cherry)
Frankmusik – Run Away From Trouble
Frankmusik – Vacant Heart
Basement Jaxx – Distractionz
Basement Jaxx – Scars (feat. Kelis, Meleka & Chipmunk)
Fol Chen – Cable TV (they won my heart over with that Janet sample)
Christina Aguilera – Falling in Love Again
Bria Valente – Everytime
Mariah Carey – It's A Wrap
Mariah Carey – The Impossible (the reprise)
Mariah Carey – Candy Bling
Melanie Fiona – You Stop My Heart
Kanye West – Paranoid (ft. Mr. Hudson)
Air – You Can Tell It To Everybody
Maral Salmassi – My Shit Is On
Sa-Ra Creative Partners – Spacefruit (my official theme song for the '09)
Radiohead – Life In A Glasshouse (Full Version)
Me'Shell NdegéOcello – Love You Down (yes, THAT "Love You Down")
Brandy – True
Camera Obscura - James
Lily Allen – The Fear
Franz Ferdinand – Feel The Envy
Franz Ferdinand – Die on The Floor
Mika – Blue Eyes
N.A.S.A. – Gifted (Ft. Kanye West, Santogold, & Lykke Li)
Sally Shapiro – Moonlight Dance
