Skip to main content

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

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

John Lennon 40 Years On

Remembering John Lennon today. Forty years have flashed by. I can still hear my clock radio turning on to the incongruent sound of the Beatles on Dec. 9, 1980 and wondering why? I think about John every day. I am fortunate to have been able to make pilgrimage to Mendips, Abbey Road and Strawberry Fields, NY; to play on stages like the Cavern, the Jacaranda and the Troubadour where he performed or made trouble, or both. Here’s a quick playlist for you and me. (Just Like) Starting Over I Should Have Known Better Bless You Nobody Told Me Strawberry Fields Forever Nowhere Man Enjoy the day. Fill it with peace. Fill it with music. #JohnLennon #Liverpool
Post a Comment
Read more

Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air - Book Review

“The Murderous Haircut of the Mayor of Bel Air” is a trippy new mystery novel from Phillip Mottaz. It captures the grit and gilt of the City of Angels with the flair of a contemporary Raymond Chandler. The brisk pace and wit are reminiscent of Douglas Adams’s entries in the detective game. Flourishes of  Fletch  and “Medium” also spring to mind. However, Mottaz has added a psychic/mutant/superhuman touch and his own comedic voice, structure and internal monologues to the proceedings that help the author announce his own style and the arrival of a literary heroine for a new generation. Hairstylist and budding private investigator, Danica Luman is the perfect character to convey the irony, angst and sarcasm needed to tell a 21st century L.A. crime story. Danica also represents anyone who thought it would be neat to get tangled up in a mystery and the darkly comic cautionary tale that follows. The genre is recognizable, but Mottaz offers a fresh take on the not-ready-for-prime-ti...
Post a Comment
Read more

Getting Better All The Time

Hey Soul Mates, long week. Thanks to everyone who sent along their best wishes for my recovery from food poisoning. I'm still creaky, but there has been a lot going on. The world keeps on spinning. Well, I finally got our ntsc (North American video) master of " A Talent For Loving " made. The original was in the pal format, so it had to be converted before it could be distributed here. As a result of several snafu's, I've upgraded my dvd drive. And thanks to KS1 Security's continuing sponsorship of the band, we have a new color photo printer! That means we can make super-pretty press kits to send out to the record labels and industry players. It's taken a long summer to get to this point. We've had several people of decent magnitude utterly flake out on us. I ain't gonna name names, but you know who you are. As a result, the band is forging ahead on its own (manufacturing our own dvd's is just the tip of the iceberg). We aim to get our music h...
Post a Comment
Read more