Nice Baltimore styled club mix by Tittsworth of the classic Cars' track "Just What I Needed" nice track to play out at your New Years eve party. Thanks to my friends over at Discobelle for this one.
Here is a brief list of the most overrated and underrated albums of 2007 as I saw it. Love to hear the opinions of some others as I know there are some that found Graduation overrated and probably really enjoyed some of my overrated albums.
Overrated
1. Dan Deacon: The Crystal Cat. I just don't get this dude's music and its just so hipster its ridiculous.
2. Lil Wayne: Da Drought 3. So, so tired of Lil Wayne.
3. Of Montreal: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
4. Dressing like its the 80's and you're broke. Look I love Charles Barkley vintage kicks too but do you have to be wearing an outfit entirely made up of neon?
5. Panda Bear: Person Pitch. Don't get me wrong its a wonderful record but I am seeing it above In Rainbows, Graduation, Kala, and Sound of Silver on year end lists and I just don't think its that good.
Underrated
1. Brother Ali: The Undisputed Truth. Political hip hop fire.
2. Boys Noize: Oi Oi Oi
4. James Pants. Cool music, responds to myspace emails and is from my home state Washington. All good things. "This Christmas Girl" best holiday song of 2007!
5. Buck 65: Situation
6. Midnight Juggernauts: Dystopia
7. Switch. XLR8tr got it right.
8. Cinematic Orchestra: Ma Fleur
9. El Michels Affair: The PJ's...From Afar. Forgot this record came out in 2007. I kind of wore out the record after listening to it for days on repeat but this was certainly one of the year's best.
Second list down one more to go. Hard to rank 25 tracks in some type of logical order. Of course some of these tracks and be moved around, but overall this is what I was loving in 2007. With the Cool Kids, Pharoahe Monch, Aesop Rock, El-P, Kanye and Jay on the American Gangster soundtrack I thought 2007 was strong for hip hop. Sound of Silver and In Rainbows were two of the best albums to come out in the last 7 years. Great to see more electronic tracks and albums climbing up people's lists and some of what I think is over done indie music sliding. 2007 was a good year for music.
1. LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends" (stream)
Yeah me and all the other bloggers out there pick this track as the number one track of the year. Boring? Sure but this track is undeniable. The frantic piano is one of my favorite openers of any track. Love the ode to Bowie video as well. When the album dropped I easily listened to this track 8 or 9 times on repeat.
2. Kanye West feat. T-Pain - "Good Life" (video)
Probably my favorite video of the year and it was my favorite track off the album. Nothing mind blowing here just great pop styled hip hop. T-Pain is a perfect match on this track. Probably better written and more complex beats out there but nothing beats this track for sheer catchiness.
3. Blue Scholars - Back Home (video)
Great sounding hip hop? Check. Political? Check. Two things I love in my hip hop. Great video too.
4. Pharoahe Monch - "Desire" (stream)
Love Alchemist's production on this and the passion that Monch brings to this track makes it stand out on what was a great record.
5. Aesop Rock - "None Shall Pass" (video)
Awesome video, awesome song. One of my favorite tracks of the year.
6. Radiohead - "House of Cards" (stream)
7. Burial - "Archangel" (mp3)
8. Justice - "Genesis" (stream)
9. M.I.A. - "Bird Flu" (video)
10. LCD Soundsystem - "Someone Great" (stream)
11. Santogold - "LES Artistes"(stream)
12. Timberland feat. Keri Hilson - "The Way I Are" (video)
Overplayed? Yes. But the beats on this song were my favorite of the year. Great work by Danja. Its unfortunate that this record over all was a bit poor since this track along with "Give It to Me" were so strong. Tracks with the Hives, She Wants Revenge and Fallout Boy were weird and ruined the record for me.
12. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - "I'm Not Gonna Cry" (stream)
Best soul track of the year. Love Sharon Jones and this one is such a damn good track. Too bad this record isn't getting the attention that Back in Black is getting. Its a better record.
13. Collie Buddz - "Come Around"(video)
13. Devin the Dude feat. Andre 3000 and Snoop Dogg - "What a Job" (stream)
14. Feist: 1 2 3 4 (stream)
15. Kanye West - "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (video)
16. Cool Kids - "I Rock" (stream)
17. Simian Mobile Disco - "I Believe"
18. The White Stripes - "Rag and Bone"
19. Rhianna - "Umbrella"
20. Amy Winehouse - "Tears Dry on Their Own" (video)
21. M.I.A. - "Boyz" (video)
22. UGK feat. Outkast-"Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)" (video)
23. Tobias Thomas - "Bleed"
24. Radiohead - "All I Need" (stream)
25. Little Brother - "Good Clothes" (stream)
Funny and just classic Little Brother. Great record that didn't get much attention.
Here it goes...the most self-indulgent time of the season when bloggers and would be music people a mass their objective year-end-lists. I am hoping to get a best tracks, best remixes and best albums list going. Lets kick it off with the best 25 albums I've listened to in 2007.
25. Chromeo: Fancy Footwork
24. Tobias Thomas: Please Please Please
23. Black Milk: Popular Demand
22. Wu-Tang Clan: 8 Diagrams
21. Buck 65: Situation
20. Blockhead: Uncle Tony's Coloring Book
19. Blue Scholars: Bayani
18. Jay Z: American Gangstar
17. Jazzanova: Computer Incarnations for World Peace
16. Jose Gonzalez: In Our Nature
15. Simian Mobile Disco: Attack Decay Sustain Release
14. Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass
13. El-P: I'll Sleep When You're Dead
12. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: 100 Days, 100 Nights
11. Heliocentrics: Out There
10. Feist: The Reminder
One of the few indie records I listened to this year. Love her voice and this thing is simply a really cool record to listen to. Such a sweet voice.
Video: Feist - "1,2,3,4"
9. Daft Punk: Alive 2007
Best live record every assembled. Almost did their live sets that I saw in Chicago and Vegas justice. This showcased Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo's first hometown show in 10 years in front of a capacity crowd. Unbelievable stuff.
Video: Daft Punk - "Too Long" (Live Lollapalooza 2007)
8. Justice: †
Most hyped album out there and maybe deservedly so. Every hipster's favorite electronic album. I have to admit its starts great and crushes all the way through. Dance record of the year and one of the best. I wanted to hate it because of the hype but just couldn't.
7. Oh No: Dr. No's Oxperiment
All chopped up and sounding like a million bucks, Oh No puts out the best hip hop instrumental album of the year. 30 beats deep and I found nothing boring. Raw and rare psych from Turkey, Lebanon, Greece and Italy served hot on a silver platter.
6. Pharoahe Monch: Desire
No Kanye and this is the best hip hop record of the year in my opinion. It was way overdue, but it finally dropped and with tracks like "Body Baby," "Let's Go" and "Desire" it was worth the wait. No Internal Affairs, butdamn good.
Video: Pharoahe Monch - "Body Baby"
5. LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
Most years this is the best album of the year, however I just seemed to play the other three more. This record was no joke and I found it a lot better than the first one which is no easy task. "All My Friends" might be my favorite song of the year and 4 of the first 5 songs on this record are all singles material which in today's world rarely happens.
Video: LCD Soundsystem - "All My Friends"
Video: LCD Sounsystem - "Someone Great"
4. Kanye West: Graduation
His ego is too much for some, but his music is undeniable in my ears. "Stronger" was a bit weak(too similar to Daft Punk's and Kanye should stay out of French house...video was nice though), but "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Good Life" are two of the best songs of the year.
Video: Kanye West feat. T-Pain - "Good Life"
Video: Kanye West - "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
Video: Kanye West - "Stronger"
3. Burial: Untrue
I guess dubstep has finally gone mainstream. This record was fantastic and an improvement on what I thought was un-improvable self-entitled debut. Record is all over the charts of bloggers and deservedly so.
2. MIA: Kala
Loved Galang and Kala came close to eclipsing it. Tracks like "Jimmy" and "Bird Flu" were on constant rotation when the record came out. Serious production on "Bird Flu" by Switch. Nice political bent and message. Tracks still are not the heavy hitters that "Sunshowers" and "Galang" were but it was a big bar to measure up to.
Video: MIA - "Jimmy"
Video: MIA - "Bird Flu"
1. Radiohead: In Rainbows
Best work since Kid A and at times better. Great music, great concept and a great message to the overbearing record industry.
This track is up there for remixes of the year when I make the post later this week. Such a great remix here. Kind of went all new age sounding...love the twist on the piano. There is a Burial remix floating around out there on the internets as well (you on the Burial bandwagon yet?). Its very likely that two Thom Yorke lead tracks make the top 10 remixes of the year with this one coming in a close second to another one I have in mind. Check it out:
Mp3: Radiohead - "Videotape" (Ring Trick Mix)
Thanks to my friends over at Get Wierd Turn Pro for the heads up. Track was made available for free download from the Eraser site (good luck trying to navigate it).
From one, if not the best album of the year, M.I.A. has released her third video off of Kala. "Paper Planes" uses the obvious Clash sample. I have spoken with a couple people about the record and it always suprises me when they call this their favorite track off the record. I just can't seem to get past what I feel like is an over used shotgun sample. Still like I said this record is top notch. Check out a remix of the track from my dude over at 51:51.
Mp3 link: M.I.A. feat. Bun B & Rich Boy - "Paper Planes" (Remix)
Flavor of the week is the remixer, DJ and production guru Mark Ronson (I think he even models?). His 2007 album, Version has been all over the place and some tracks even showed up "M"tv. Some have been calling his team up with Lilly Allen on "Oh My God" as one of the best songs of the year. I don't think its even the best song on the record. I prefer "Pretty Green" myself but I am a Santogold sucker.
With songs featuring Amy Winehouse, Santogold, Phantom Planet and Robbie Williams Versions is a solid addition to 2007 and something you should check out.
Post up why you should get a free record and don't forget to include your email. US entries only sorry. One winner gets a copy of Version, two runners up get the "Stop Me" single. Good luck.
Nice holiday track for the winter season. Classic Rat Pack remixed by Dan "the Automator" Nakamura.
Mp3: Dean Martin - "Jingle Bells" (Dan the Automator Remix)
New Cadence Weapon thanks to Ninja Tune records. "In Search of the Youth Crew" is off from Cadence's new record Afterparty Babies. His record, Breaking Kayfabe was certified hip hop gold and with the beat and delivery of this leaked single it looks like he's set to follow up in grand form.
Track is going to be released as a download-only single on Feb 18th, 2008.
Mp3: Cadence Weapon - "In Search of the Youth Crew"
DJ Troubl presents a Journey Into Fresh Diggin' (Quasimoto Meets Himself) via my dude Brent via Low Budget boards. This is THE 73 minute mix of Madlib alter-ego Quasimoto put together by the 2002 ITF world beat juggling champ Dj Troubl.
Hadn't heard the mix until Brent brought it to my attention. Its a crate diggers dream with classics cuts by Lord Quas along with their original samples. This is a mixtape and not a Stones Throw official release. Check it out:
They call it D-sides but this is a classic double disc B-side record from the Gorillaz' Demon Days. D-sides is full of early demos and previously unreleased tracks compiled together for the first time. Best part is you can get it and more for free just tell me why you think you deserve the record and you get not only the record but a whole bunch of stuff. US entries only and don't forget your email. Check it out:
Prize1 Deluxe Edition D-sides
1 Dirty Harry CD Single (with All Alone Live)
1 Gorillaz Phase 2: Slow Boat to Hades DVD
1 Feel Good Inc. DVD Single feat. both Bill Murray and Spitting Demons
1 Feel Good Single
Gorillaz Sticker set
All of it for a lucky winner. I've given the record a spin and with remixers like Hot Chip, Soulwax and DFA and rare cuts like "Bill Murray," "Spitting out the Demons" and "Hongkongaton" its definately worth the purchase. Best of luck. Peace.
Buy: Get the record here or here.
Grats to deusdiabolus for the winning comment.
Nice interview by DJ Ayres of label owners A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs of Fool’s Gold Records. Two dudes really amaze me. Check out a couple A-Trak remixes I had floating around on my computer.
Don't forget to get a copy of Oh No You Didn't! - Live In Vancouver and Dirty South Dance isn't too bad either.
Best of luck to these two on the label.
photo of A-Trak and DJ Mehdi by MesmerizingMatt.
Great article on one of the best records of the year and how the greatest band in the world doesn't fold.
Pay What You Want for This Article by JON PARELES of NY Times.
Lamont Dorrell better known as Ayatollah a Hip-Hop producer from Queens and one of my favorite producers has produced for Mos Def, Ghostface, Talib Kweli, Master Ace, Inspecta Deck among others. He is also the man behind the board on one of my favorite hip hop tracks of all time, Mos Def's "Ms. Fat Booty."
Here is a cover of the Who.
Mp3: Ayatollah - "This Song is Over"
It's a redo of The Who's "The Song is Over." The track shows up on Ayatollah's Now Playing record.
Hard to find Dilla off of the B-side 12" of Madlib and Karriem Riggins' super group, Supreme Team. "See(Suite)" is the single off of Peanut Butter Wolf's B-Ball Zombie War. The rare Dilla cut is "Mash's Revenge" featuring MF Doom and Guilty Simpson. Check it out:
Buy: Get the single here.
RIP J-Dilla.
Grammy nominees are out today. West gets a well deserved 8 nods, the trainwreck that is Amy Winehouse follows with 6. Most of the fields are pretty weak. Vince Gil for album of the year? Yuck. Record of the year Beyonce? Please. Bon Jovi best pop record? Barf. Is this the best they can do? I know they don't have to get rare, but there is a lot of good records that came out in 2007 that are no place on these lists. You can see the entire list here.
I'll be releasing my favorite records of 2007 at some point, but if I could choose from the nominees that are up this is what it would be:
Album of the Year
Kanye West Graduation
Record Of The Year
Justin Timberlake "What Goes Around...Comes Around"
Best New Artist
Feist
Song Of The Year
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Best Pop Vocal Album
Feist The Reminder
Best Rock Album
Wilco Sky Blue Sky (Had little choice all the records in this section were bad. They've never heard of a little band called Radiohead?)
Best Contemporary R&B Album
Keyshia Cole Just Like You
Best Rap Album
Kanye West Graduation
Best Country Album
No such thing
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Herbie Hancock River: The Joni Letters
Brazilian breakbeat/electronic maestro Amon Tobin just released his single for "Kitchen Sink." The track is off his critically-aclaimed The Foley Room record. The name of the record is from "Foley rooms" which are the sound-effects chambers used in film. Foley Room pushes Tobin a bit as there is more progressive sound differing from his usual electornic down tempo stuff (which I love). Check out a remix off the single, its of the down tempo variety:
Mp3: Amon Tobin - "Kitchen Sink" (Clark Remix)
Buy: Get the single here. The full record here.
Picture is of Tobin doing a field recording. For those not familiar its how he got a bulk of his sounds he wove together for the record.
Rare opportunity to get yourself a limited edition Daft Punk poster from their extensive summer tour. There is only one (1) poster to give away and therefore only one (1) winner. Post up in the comments.
Whats great about Daft Punk, an email where I can reach you, and why you deserve the poster. Share a concert moment if you got a chance to see them live.
There are three possible versions (here and here). You don't get to decide so be happy with what you get. Sorry U.S. people only on this one.
Contest ends THIS Friday. Post it up!Check out the FULL album stream here.
photo from Fader Magazine.
Contest over thanks for the entries. Congrats to Citizen Pain.
