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TOP 10 of 2004

Hey Soul Mates,
here you go. These titles get my whole-hearted endorsement. You will be entertained, moved or energized by these albums. Each one is worth the price of admission. It's very hard to rank them beyond the top choice; any given day #8 could be #4, etc.
I will devote entire blog entries to the top 5. The "bottom 5" of the top ten are:

#10: To The 5 Boroughs... The Beastie Boys. This is a return to form with An Open Letter To NYC as the wonderous centerpiece. Ch-ch-ch-check it out.

#9. This Is Not A Test... Missy Elliot. Missy brings some wicked beats with Timbaland. A straight up danceable disc featuring Pass That Dutch and some hysterical raps in Toyz and Let Me Fix My Weave. I never would have guessed I would enjoy Missy E so much.

#8. College Dropout... Kanye West. If this were a vinyl album, it would be all about side one with All Falls Down and the rap reverie Spaceship. Plus, Kanye's got the funniest skits on record this year: "Gonna make 'em start jumpin up and down, sharin' candy and stuff!" If you can find the spoken word version of All Falls Down called Self-Conscious you'll be blown away by the poetry.

#7. Astronaut... Duran Duran. Comeback of the year ('cause Prince didn't "come back"). I saw D2 twice in 2003, playing Sunrise and What Happens Tomorrow. Fantastic material toward the end of the disc = this CD could have been programmed better. A small complaint. Make sure to stick around to hear Chains.

#6. Diary Of Alicia Keys... Alicia Keys. I know we complained about Fallin' 3 years ago. It got played out. But remember the first time you heard it? There was tons of promise there. Well, AK has delivered. This CD is superior to her debut. You Don't Know My Name is a perfect slice of Philly Soul. Even with the goofy spoken middle section, it's a contender for my favorite single of the year. It's like a song from my childhood (considering the affinity I have for the Jacksons, the O'Jays and the Spinners). There's a reason why Grammy has smiled upon this Soul Child. Check out If I Ain't Got You (that is if you've been miles away from radio this year) & So Simple (produced by Kanye West).

Stay tuned for my top 5!
Love, Power, Peace

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