The Best Things In Life Are Free

Although I find it absurdly self-indulgent, I gotta hand it over to Kanye West (or his minions) for maintaining such an entertaining blog. I mean, the guy's got me hooked already -- at this point I check up daily. And let's just face it, Kanye woudln't be Kanye without a little hedonism here and there. Despite his tendencies, which include flashing lavish photos of incredibly hot women, state of the art gadgets, and/or homes you or I can never possibly dream of affording, he will as willingly throw up a decent MP3 or two (see last week's PB&J post).

Well today we got a treat. Sky High, the mixtape that was streaming for free on imeem a couple months back, can now be downloaded FREE via Kanye's blog. The collection includes stellar remixes from the likes of Diplo (from MIA/Santogold fame) and Stretch Armstrong. The best part: the collection includes songs that span West's four albums ouevre (including 808's).

Click HERE to download.

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

With the ongoing saga that is Kanye West's seemingly daily behavior swings, it's only appropriate that we get something completely out of the blue from the uber-talented hip-hop demigod. Something that is, oddly enough, very un-hip-hop at all. A few days ago, West claimed that he is the "voice of our generation." But honestly, who would have thought that he meant this "voice" thing literally? Because, as you'll discover, long gone is the innocuous flow that made his first three albums rap masterpieces. On 808's & Heartbreak, which comes out on Tuesday, West has forsaken rap ENTIRELY, instead choosing to focus on delicate crooning, albeit with a TON of help from his handy Auto-Tune device. As far as content is concerned, consider 808's to be hip-hop's concept album equivalent to Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness -- if you can even classify this to even be hip-hop. And much like Mellon Collie, or Kid A, or even Highway 61 Revisited, this is one is a risky shapeshifting album by an already legendary artist -- one that will be simultaneously applauded and lambasted. West has got quite the cahones for stepping out of his cash-cow of a comfort zone, but did he take it too far here?

For one, it's apparent that 'Ye is feeling pretty insecure these days. After the unexpected death of his mother, coupled with some bad break-ups, it's understandable that the guy's been a little bit of a mess (on a personal note, I can DEFINITELY identify at the moment). On the same token, he's clearly been inspired by this recent turn of events. Rather than choosing to wallow around in his own misery, Kanye has opted to constructively get it all down on paper. In doing so on Heartbreak, West invites his fans into the innermost part of his soul -- one that just so happens to be very vulnerable at the moment. By limiting collaborations and scratching the over-the-top production from The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation, West has indeed proven that he has forged ahead musically. Ironically, in this case, "graduating" is the equivalent of taking it down quite a few notches. With some exceptions, 808's & Heartbreak is as stripped down and minimalist as it gets, and this echoes the overarching themes of the record beautifully.

If you couldn't guess from album's deflated heart balloon artwork or the morose song titles, this one is, for lack of a better word, a heartbreaker. Album opener "Say You Will" features a synthetic lo-fi church choir backed by a hypnotically droning blip that resembles a heart pulse on life support. Or, if you will, video game sound effects circa 1985. Either/or, this is a completely new direction for Mr. West. We get our first taste of verbal heartbreak from Kanye's machine-enhanced "Don't say you will, unless you will" wails. The song carries on a little longer than it should for an intro track, but eventually segues into the superior "Welcome To Heartbreak," which based on title alone, would assume to be an album kickoff. Knowing Kanye's penchant for eccentricities, there's probably a reason for this sequencing strategy. The track begins with a weeping violin intro before launching headlong into a TR-808-produced synthetic beat. The song assumes the "I'm rich but because I'm lonely, I'm poor" mantra that appears to be the cornerstone of the record. Kanye confesses, "My friend shows me pictures of his kids/And all I can show him is pictures of my cribs," along with some other sob story comparisons which drive the point home pretty quickly. The track itself, although by no means backed by a traditional hip-hop beat, is textured like the Kanye of old -- a true rarity on this album. This holds true on the proceeding song/second single "Heartless," which, for the record, makes these two the only potential holdovers from "academic" era Kanye. And even this is a stretch. Off the bat, the most recognizable element to "Heartless" is the heavy Auto-Tune dubbing, which makes the cut's chorus seem aurally similar to the T-Pain-assisted "The Good Life" (from last year's Graduation). Furthermore, this one is really the only radio hit on the entire record. You'll be hard pressed to find another song that will bode well for Top-40 radio. Which, to tell you the truth, doesn't really bother me a hell of a lot. The self-defeating "Amazing" is Kanye's most confessional track to date, and brings back the synthetic choir from "Say You Will". It also happens to be one of the few tracks to feature a cameo -- Young Jeezy makes an all too fleeting appearance.

Tribal drums happen to play an omnipresent role on this album, and they're never more prevalent than on "Love Lockdown." Despite receiving the royal first single treatment, this is actually one of the album's more forgettable songs. The Auto-Tune appears to be on overdrive here, causing the single to feel all too manufactured. This is hardly the case for "Paranoid," which belongs on the opposite end of the spectrum. Although fun as hell (you can picture Kanye shedding a rare smile here), this is pure demo material. It's shocking that Kanye, being the perfectionist he is, would tolerate this as a final cut. Despite some mid-album imperfections, this is when things start to get really interesting. The first fifteen seconds of "Robocop" evoke aggressive industrial music more than anything else. If you were to play "Name That Tune," and were given the first five seconds to take a stab, 90's era Nine Inch Nails would be a worthy guess. The album digresses entirely from hip-hop on this one, and manages to go even further off the deep end on "Street Lights." Forget hip-hop -- classifying this as R&B would even be a stretch. The first thing that comes to mind here is emo-pop -- the kind of farfetched filler you would find on a Hellogoodbye or Fall Out Boy album. But it ain't half bad here. Maybe I'm biased to Kanye, but he manages to make it work. For all the skeptical naysayers, this foray is fortunately a one-off. "Bad News" follows the tribal drum beat pattern of "Love Lockdown," and features nothing more than a piano track over Kanye's no-so-perfect singing. 'Ye does manage to rebound by pulling out of all of the synth stops on what will surely be labeled 808's signature track -- the appropriately titled "See You In My Nightmares." Jeezy made an appearance earlier, so what would this album be without a cameo from Weezy? Lil Wayne does his best Kanye Auto-Tune singing impersonation on this one to mixed results. Like all of the appearances on this record, it just seems a little unnecessary. The album is intentionally meant to be barebones; adding collaborations is somewhat contrary to the point. With this being said, Kayne gets the drift on the final somber track. Inspired by the passing of his mother, "Coldest Winter" features a withdrawn Kanye and is a fitting bookend to and album that oozes all that is melancholy.

Chances are, those who have never experienced heartache won't understand 808's & Heartbreak. And those who are simply expecting an encore of his previous three opuses will certainly be disappointed. So right away, the odds are against Mr. West. Is this album flawed? Absolutely. Rushed? Without a doubt. But you know what? It's actually not bad at all. I will go so far as to say it's excellent. It's one of those rare instances where the finished product is greater than its individual parts. Furthermore, when you consider the machismo that is traditionally infused in the greater hip-hop realm, it's refreshing to see an artist take the high road and actually get personal. Kanye undoubtedly has his issues, but he's proven he's not too much of a man to bottle them up.

My Rating: 8.2/10

Kanye All the Way

We've gotten more than just a sample of the new material from 808's & Heartbreak. There's obviously a theme going on to this new record (one that I can relate to very well right now on a personal level), and let's just say it ain't smiles and butterflies. Yet another new track was "leaked" the other day called "Anyway," which is "experimental"to say the least. Here's a listen:

And in other Kanye news, the artwork for the album has been released. Not surprisingly, it's a deflated heart balloon -- the same image from the "Love Lockdown" promotional single. Now all you pirates have some iPod images to accompany your leaks:


808's & Heartbreak comes out November 25th.

Movin' On Up

Yet more Kanye news, I know. Those eagerly anticipating the new Kanye West album are in store for some pretty good news. According to the rapper, he's moving up the release date of the highly-anticipated 808's & Heartbreak substantially. Stereogum reports 'Ye as saying, "I CHANGED MY ALBUM TO NOVEMBER SOMETHING CAUSE I FINISHED THE ALBUM AND I FELT LIKE IT.. I WANT YALL TO HEAR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."

So there you have it, the album is now coming out some time in November.

Love Letdown?

Apparently too many people complained about the quality of Kanye West's new single, "Love Lockdown". Kanye's re-recorded it, and it sounds a little better. In any case, 'Ye's found yet another way to make headlines. I'm not audiphile, but methinks still not great. But what are you gonna do? Snatch it HERE before it gets taken down once again.

The 411 On The 808

Kanye West's new album will be called 808's & Heartbreak, and has a tentative release date of December 16th according to Target and Amazon. This marks a new era for 'Ye, as he's apparently decided to move on from the "academic" themes of his first three albums (College Dropout, Late Registration, Graduation). For those in the dark about things, "808" is a type of drum machine that is often used to compose hip-hop. Kanye performed the album's first single, "Love LockDown" at the VMA's this past Sunday night. Here is the album artwork for the song:

VMA's? We Don't Care....

As much as I hate to acknowledge the existence of the VMA's, the one silver lining is that we got a first taste of the new Kanye West song, "Love LockDown". Kanye closed out the show with the first single off his still untitled album that comes out this upcoming December. Check it out HERE.

Even Stronger

Apparently, Kanye West hasn't stolen the spotlight enough this year. News has filtered in that he will be releasing his fourth album this December. Although there is no word yet on the title of the record, it has been confirmed that the first single will be "Love LockDown". I'm sure it will be as good as Ye will inevitably claim it to be.

The List (Part 8)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.
For 80-71 (Part 3), click HERE.
For 70-61 (Part 4), click HERE.
For 60-51 (Part 5), click HERE.
For 50-41 (Part 6), click HERE.
For 40-31 (Part 7), click HERE.

30) King of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
Tennessee rockers Kings of Leon successfully evaded the sophomore slump with their American breakthrough Aha Shake Heartbreak. The Followill clan, who successfully took Europe by storm with Youth and Young Manhood, finetuned their sound to make a record that appealed to their own countrymen. They've since never looked back. Leadoff single "The Bucket" was met with considerable acclaim, which really got the ball rolling for these guys. It didn't hurt to have multiple songs featured in commercial campaigns and top-rated TV shows such as "Entourage". Evoking everything from early seventies garage rock to Southern blues, Aha Shake is simply 36 minutes of the decade's best rock music.


29) TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (2006)
Any band that can swing a David Bowie collaboration gets the stamp of approval in my book. TV On the Radio's third full length album, Return To Cookie Mountain (a possible Super Mario reference?), did indeed feature Mr. Stardust's background vocals on the brilliant "Province". But this is just the tip of the iceberg, as the record contains a host of other guests that only further cement this album's standing among the best of 2006. The anthemic "Wolf Like Me" is what really launched this Brooklyn band into the indie-rock stratosphere. Big things are expected for TV On The Radio's follow-up, Dear Science, which comes out in just over a month.


28) The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002)
The first thing that comes to mind when people initially hear The Streets is "England's answer to Eminem". However, if you skim below both Mike Skinner's (his real name) skin color and his delivery, you'll discover that there simply is no comparison. And despite what the pseudonym might imply, Skinner does not exactly lead a thug life. In fact, the content of The Streets' debut completely forsakes stereotypical hip-hop undertones all together -- to the point that some could argue that this is even a rap album at all. Hell, this one could very well fit in the notorious spoken word bin for all I care. But, if you want to get all technical, The Streets is considered "garage" music in the sense that it blends rap, two-step, and reggae. In any case, Skinner is a wizard of wordplay as is evident on a stellar debut.


27) Kanye West - Late Registration (2005)
If Kanye West were to hang up his glow-in-the-dark shutter shades tomorrow, there's no question that Late Registration would be considered his masterpiece. When Mr. West burst onto the scene in 2003, he took hip-hop by storm. Everyone became Kanye-crazy -- so as one can imagine, a lot was at stake for his follow-up. And let's just say he didn't exactly disappoint. Whether it was the Jamie Foxx-duet "Golddigger," or the Curtis Mayfield-sampled "Touch The Sky," Kanye took it to a whole other level with his poppy, radio-friendly blend of hip-hop. Hell, he even made Adam Levine of Maroon 5 fame tolerable with ballad "Heard 'Em Say". The success of this release prompted 'Ye to even release a live album called Late Orchestration, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.


26) The National - Boxer (2007)
The National are just another success story of relentless perseverence. Matt Berninger and gang had been around since 1999 and had been cranking out some pretty excellent records since 2001. However, they only recently started turning some heads last year with the near-flawless fourth album Boxer. Berninger's morose baritone single style is definitely an aquired taste, but if you give the band a chance, you'll discover some pretty deep material here. Just to give you idea of this album's accoladaes: Paste Magazine named it their album of the year, "Mistaken for Strangers" was #92 on Rolling Stone's list of 100 Best Songs of 2007, and yes, even Pitchfork (boo!) ranked Boxer #17 in their annual end of the year best-of list.


25) Bob Dylan - "Love And Theft" (2001)
What can I say? Bob's the man. After a forgettable run of albums in the 80's and early 90's, Dylan returned to form with 1997's Time Out of Mind. Earning critical acclaim from nearly every source (and even Album of the Year at the Grammys), this one proved that Bob still had a little gas in his tank. And although many thought that this record would be Dylan's swan song, he returned in 2001 with the equally brilliant "Love And Theft". And as the fantastic 2007 film I'm Not There depicts, this one explores Dylan's continually changing musical persona. Long gone are the days of early 60's folk, mid 60's electric rock, and pretty every other genre that Dylan has straddled throughout his legendary career. "Love And Theft," at its core, is a homage to rockabilly, jazz, jump blues, and country swing -- music that manages to even predate his folk days. How bout them apples?


24) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (2008)
I think I've driven my point home about this album, so I will spare you my accolades. For my complete review of Evil Urges, click HERE. When the dust settled, this one actually ended up received some pretty mixed reviews (most notably from arch-nemesis Pitchfork), but don't be fooled because Urges actually shows some growth for MMJ in a VERY positive direction. I really like how they progressed from their masterpiece, Z -- so much so that this one steadily gains some ground on its predecessor. I've said it before and I will say it again: My Morning Jacket is the best live band in the world.


23) Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell (2003/2004)
This is yet another controversial Ryan Adams pick, but hell, this one's just a classic to me. Love Is Hell was originally supposed to Ryan's highly-touted follow-up of completely new material since successful breakout Gold. However, one Adams' label listened to the material, they insisted that it was not "commercially viable" and scrapped plans to release it at all. As a result, Ryan was forced to quickly regroup and record Rock N Roll. Upon Ryan's insistence, Lost Highway compromised by choosing to release Love Is Hell as two separate EP's in late 2003 - Love Is Hell pt. 1 and Love Is Hell pt. 2. Both did much better than expected, prompting to release the album as initially conceived in 2004. And here's a fun fact, if any of you ever wondered where I came up with the title for this very blog's name, just listen to "Please Do Not Let Me Go".


22) Sun Kil Moon - Ghosts of the Great Highway (2003)
After splitting up the Red House Painters -- one of the more under appreciated bands on the '90's -- Mark Kozelek formed Sun Kil Moon with former Painters drummer Anthony Koustos. This move proved to be fortuitous, as Ghosts of the Great Highway soon became Kozelek's best-selling and most critically-received album to date. Inspired by a laundry list of deceased boxers (of all things), Ghosts proved to be a much more quiet and intimate setting for Kozelek. Most of the content on this record is acoustic-driven and lyrically more extroverted than the work from his former band. Drawing up comparisons from everyone from Nick Drake to Neil Young, this album only goes to show that Kozelek is one today's most gifted songwriters. If you've ever seen the Steve Martin/Claire Danes film "Shopgirl," Ghosts is represented in the soundtrack with the inclusion of "Carry Me Ohio," and "Lily and Parrots". As an added bonus, Kozelek himself has a small role in the movie.


21) Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
It boggles my mind that this album was released over eight years ago. I was a junior in high school and I recall fondly hearing "The Real Slim Shady" being incessantly blasted from the cars in the student parking lot. To me, this song was the high school equivalent of "Hey Ya". Ah, the days. And here's an even more mind-boggling stat: The Marshall Mathers LP sold over 1.76 million copies in its first WEEK. Today, in a era of a record industry meltdown, an artist would be lucky to sell this many copies in a YEAR. Needless to say, this record went on to sell 21 million copies worldwide and solidified Eminem as one of the most influential artists of all time. And although he's been laying low for quite awhile now, Eminem is supposedly releasing his forst studio album in four years in late 2008.

The List (Part 5)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.
For 80-71 (Part 3), click HERE.
For 70-61 (Part 4), click HERE.

60) Interpol - Antics (2004)
The New York foursome's follow-up to a tremendous debut, Antics proved that this "New New Wave" band had more staying power than Joy Division -- the very act that these guys unmistakably mimic. Whether it's Carlos D's thumping bass on tunes like "Evil," Paul Banks' hypnotically monotone singing style on "C'mere" or Daniel Kessler's throbbing punky guitar on leadoff single "Slow Hands," Interpol delivers an album that is wrought with nuances that collectively welcome a throwback sound. This band took indie rock to a new level when it most needed a swift kick in the ass. They returned last year with highly underrated Our Love To Admire.


59) Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit (2006)
Often referred to as Scotland's greatest band, these indie rockers certainly have the pop song formula down pat. They kind of reinvent the wheel on this one -- churning out sing-along gems like album standouts, "Funny Little Frog" and "Another Sunny Day," but who says this is a bad thing? If you're ever in a crabby mood, I can't recommend a better band to lift your spirits. The Life Pursuit is the latest from Belle & Sebastian, and is thankfully their most successful to date in the States. It's taken awhile for this stellar band to catch up and it's reassuring to know that they are getting their just due. No word yet of a new album in the works, which is unfortunate.


58) Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
This is the album that started it all for 'Ye. Spawning three top ten hits in "Through The Wire," "All Falls Down," and "Jesus Walks," The College Dropout turned this producer into hip-hop's greatest superstar. And make no mistake about it, Kayne will be the first to agree with this claim. Featuring collaborations with Talib Kweli, John Legend and Jay-Z, The College Dropout is nearly flawless hip-hop and was a breath of fresh air for a genre that was struggling back in '04. Featuring a slew of hooky familiar samples mixed in with Kanye's super-intelligent rhyming scheme, this one set the tone for hip-hop's evolving state in the new century.


57) Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (2007)
Named after a spiritual community in Florida, this record is appropriately themed. Oozing all things Americana, this one is Conor Oberst's most folky to date. First single "Four Winds" is one of the best songs of 2007 and features backing vocals from a very talented Maria Taylor. But the cameos don't end there. Cassadaga may very well go down in the record books as having the most collaborations in the history of rock and roll. If you listen carefully, you can also hear M. Ward, Rachael Yamagata, Davind Rawlings, Gillian Welch, and a host of others making their respective contributions. Fun fact: this album comes with a spectral decoder that allows users to uncover hidden phrases in the artwork. This was considered so novel that Cassadaga won a Grammy this year for "Best Recording Package".


56) Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cold Roses (2005)
Ryan Adams' first release with his current band The Cardinals, Cold Roses is a virtual homage to the Grateful Dead and Neil Young. After experimenting with a more rock-oriented sound on previous releases Gold, Rock N Roll, and Love Is Hell, this marked Adams' return to the alt-country realm most associated with Heartbreaker and prior band Whiskeytown. Critics who lampooned Adams for his disconnected and choppy feel on prior albums all agreed that this was a return to form. From the slide-guitar sprawl on cuts like "Let It Ride" and "If I Am A Stranger" to the heartfelt tenderness on "Now That You're Gone" and "Friends," Roses showcases some of the better songwriting of the decade. While we are on the subject of packaging, this record was released as a "vinyl" double-disc set despite the fact that all songs fit on a standard compact disc. Had to throw that out there.


55) Sigur Rós - ( ) (2002)
Yes, you're reading that correctly. Sigur Rós' third studio album is unpronounceable and simply titled using two opposing parentheses. If this isn't cryptic enough, all of the songs on this record are untitled. But hey, if mood music is your thing, naming conventions don't really apply. And plus, unless you are one of like 50,000 people who speak Icelandic, this would just be gibberish anyway. It's the content that matters, and Sigur Rós certainly knocks it out of the park on this one. The first four tracks are optimistically ethereal. After a 36-second pause the mood changes and they get dark and mysterious on us. Those of who saw 2001's Vanilla Sky got a sneak peak at "Untitled #4" -- the song was featured during a crucial moment in the film.


54) The Hold Steady - Almost Killed Me (2004)
The debut from what is arguably the best live rock act around, this marked the beginning of four consecutive stellar albums from this Brooklyn-by-way-of-Minneapolis band. Centered around themes of near-death experiences, drug abuse, and youth partying, there hasn't been storytelling this top-notch since early Springsteen albums. And like the Boss' debut, this one is a little unpolished around the edges. But have no fear; it only gets better from here. The Hold Steady was supposedly formed after guitarist Tad Kubler got inspired from watching a DVD of The Band's concert feature The Last Waltz. These guys get some bonus points for being average Joe's.

53) Coldplay - Parachutes (2000)
Before Coldplay became COLDPLAY, they made a little-known record called Parachutes way back in 2000. That's when things exploded for these guys. Spawning a couple of well-known hits ("Yellow" and "Trouble"), this was the album that would not go away. Thanks to years of soundtrack help from movies such as Igby Goes Down, Garden State, and yes, even Wedding Crashers, Coldplay's debut remains on our radar eight years after it was released. Although I gotta give props for their most recent offering, nothing they've put out since comes close to topping Parachutes.


52) Modest Mouse - Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004)
I am well aware that this is this band's "bandwagon" album. But I don't care; it's still fantastic music, and without a doubt their best. People went nuts for "Float On" in 2004 -- Modest Mouse's first commercially successful song after over a decade of existence. This spawned an equally amazing follow-up hit in "Ocean Breathes Salty," a song that was picked out by Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon) for his very own Modest Mouse cover album. Good News flirts with everything from the Talking Heads to The Cure and is as endearing as it is quirky. The band went on to release their follow-up last year called We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, which features The Smiths' Johnny Marr, who joined on as a permanent band member.


51) Sun Kil Moon - April (2008)
The current band from Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters fame, this is Sun Kil Moon's second body of completely original material. And much like Ghosts of The Great Highway, this one is a masterpiece. Admittedly, though, this is an acquired taste. Fans of upbeat, fast-tempo indie-rock need not apply. This one's a downer -- inspired by failed relationships, the passing of loved ones, and imagery of American landscapes. Kozelek's brilliant lyrical sense gets a little lost through his hypnotically mumbling singing style, but take my word for it -- this is one of the most talented singer-writers at his best.

The List (Part 3)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.

80) Against Me! - New Wave (2007)
This Florida-based punk rock/folk band has been on the circuit for over a decade, but only recently turned some heads with their fourth release. Signing over to major label Sire, Against Me! recruited Butch Vig to produce a daring album chock full of political undertones. Just listen to the refrain on “From Her Lips to God’s Ears" -- “Condoleezza? What are we gonna do now?” New Wave is also the band's first release to not feature their trademark acoustic touch. Not since The Clash has a band made a punk record that seemed to matter so much. Ben Lee actually does a pretty good cover of this album, so if you're a fan, you need to check it out.


79) Radiohead - Hail To The Thief (2003)
Before Radiohead gave away albums for free, they relied on traditional brick and mortar sales. Well, maybe not this century. 2003's Hail To The Thief was one of the first major releases to suffer tremendously from premature digital leakage. As a result, everyone and their mother had a complimentary copy in their hands months before it hit stores. Fans of the band's earlier material were pleasantly surprised with Thief's sound, as it marked Radiohead's return to guitar-bass-drum realm. Although not nearly as experimentally computerized as Kid A or Amnesiac, the album retained the band's edge as evidenced on the brilliant single "There, There" and album highlights "Sail To The Moon" and "Go To Sleep". They get bonus points for some pretty great album artwork.


78) Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs (2004)
The Beasties' first new release in over six years, the boys got back to the basics in 2004 with their old-school hip-hop homage to the city that bred them. Although Mike D, AdRock, and MCA had been in the game together for over 20 years, this album proved that these guys only got better with age. With samples that included everything from the Sugar Hill Gang to The Dead Boys, this record appealed to MC's, DJ's, and b-boys alike. Although the Beastie Boys have been caught-up experimenting in some crossover endeavors as of late, To The 5 Boroughs is evidence that hip-hop is this trio's lifeblood.


77) Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Rodrigo Y Gabriela (2006)
I appreciate talent when I hear it, and this Mexican duo simply oozes it. If you really want to broaden you musical horizons with some beautiful classical guitar, I highly recommend checking out the self-titled debut by these former Dublin buskers. Rodrigo y Gabriela were literally discovered on the street by Damien Rice, who took them under their wing after he got a whiff of their talent. It truly is unbelievable how harmoniously in-sync these two are when they get up on stage. For those too shy to give these guys a shot, they do unreal covers of "Stairway To Heaven" and Metallica's "Orion".


76) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)
Arguably this year's most critically-acclaimed album, this is the first release from indie-folk singer-songwriter Justin Vernon under his new pseudonym. Written while sequestered in a Wisconsin cabin during the winter months, this record constantly criss-crosses the fine line between painstaking sincerity and desperate loneliness. Not since Iron & Wine have we witnessed closure spilled so beautifully into one man's lyrics. Definitely a keeper here.


75) Elliott Smith - New Moon (2007)
Considering this album is a collection of demos and b-sides Smith recorded in the mid-nineties, it's a little questionable as to whether this qualifies as being a release from this decade. However, upon further review, this album is just too good to pass up and will consequently be granted an exception. Containing some pretty excellent stripped down versions of some of Smith's more familiar tunes mixed in with a batch of equally brilliant unreleased material, New Moon epitomizes how tragic Smith's premature death truly was to the music world. After listening to few of this compilation's cuts, it's hard to believe that it took this long for these songs to reach the light of day. Just listen to "Whatever (Folk Song in C)," "New Monkey," and "All Cleaned Out," and you'll see why most of today's singer-songwriters could only wish their a-sides could even touch this man's "throwaway" work.


74) The White Stripes - Icky Thump (2007)
As crazy as this sounds, this is the White Stripes album that officially converted me over to the this band. Sure, I was well aware of the praise this duo had been getting for the better part of the decade, but nothing really did it for me until I really sat down and gave Icky Thump a few listens. Maybe it was the emptiness of having no bassist in the band. Or maybe it was the undeniable fact that Jack White has as much talent in his pinky that band mate Meg has in her whole body. Regardless, what they produce together on their most recent effort ain't half bad. Anyone who can bring back the blues as well as Jack does on "Rag & Bone" deserves a coveted spot on this list.


73) The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike! (2004)
I can't think of an album title that is as appropriate as The Go! Team's debut. Put quite simply, Thunder, Lightning, Strike! is an upbeat celebration of sound that brings back nostalgic feelings of comic books, convulsion-worthy action cartoons, and everything else that was glorious about the '80's. This Brighton-based sextet hails from the same stomping grounds as Norman Cook (a.k.a Fatboy Slim) and successfully carries on the tradition that the legendary DJ started over a decade ago. If percussion is your thing, you'll definitely dig that this band comes with a pair of drummers.


72) The Hives - Veni, Vedi, Vicious (2002)
Remember when the "The" bands stormed the scene back in 2001-2002? New York gave us The Strokes, Detroit gave us The White Stripes, and Australia was kind enough to export over The Vines. Taking advantage of this trend, Alan McGee (the man behind Oasis), quickly signed The Hives and re-released Veni, Vedi, Vicious in 2002 (it was originally released in 2000). Combining bombastic late 60's garage rock (a la MC5) with classic 70's punk elements, these Swedes stormed the States with a slew of hits that included "Hate To Say I Told You So," "Main Offender," and "Die, All Right". Since then, the guys have released a couple of equally amazing records that have somehow slipped under our radar. Last year's The Black and White Album may very well be 2007's most underrated record.


71) Kanye West - Graduation (2007)
As recent events will indicate, people either hate to love this guy or love to hate him. I think I will side with the former, because he is one of the rare talents who's music can actually back up an absurd ego. For those of you in the dark, just read about his little Bonnaroo fiasco. But letting the music do the speaking, this is one hell of a hip-hop album. Granted Kanye gets help from a host of musicians on nearly every song here, you can tell he's a perfectionist who will not stop to give his legions of fans his very best. Although some critics thought he lost a step on this effort, this album is his most polished to date.

The Good Life

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I know shit about hip-hop music. Sure, growing up I listened to The Fugees' The Score, and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death, but was never really motivated to dabble in anything that wasn't deemed playable by Z100 or the other top 40 stations. As friends (white and Jewish, oddly enough) picked up rap that was on the cusp of becoming huge in 1997 (i.e. Jay-Z and DMX), I quarantined myself to Pinkerton, Be Here Now and Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness. For whatever reason, I closed my mind to hip-hop probably because I considered it silly to think that I could possibly make a connection to whatever it was these guys were bitching about (my assumptions at the time: cash, money, hoes). I guess Billy Corgan's morose lyrics about drugs and suicide were more re appealing to an awkward suburban kid growing in the mid-to-late '90s than anthems about "Ruff Riderz".

Fast-forward a decade later, and I gotta say that I would love to give the 14-year old version of myself an atomic wedgie. These days, I am happy to say that literally everything us up for grabs. Hell, the other week alone, I bought albums by the Talking Heads and Talib Kweli. More on this later. So anyway, fresh off the Giants' orgasmic Super Bowl victory, I decided this morning on my way to work to sift through my iPod to find the appropriate celebration music. I happened to stumble upon Kanye West's "The Good Life", because a) the title seemed to fit my mood and b) I think I heard this on an episode of Entourage a few months back. Now, I know I am not exactly exploring the annals of the hip-hop underworld by allowing myself to be entertained by the one artist (in all of music) who nearly broke the first-week million sales mark in 2007. You'd have to live under a rock to not give Graduation a shot. Taking a hint from the rest of the outside world, I gave "The Good Life" its just due and listened carefully. The song is fucking brilliant. It's catchy, the tune's sample hook is infectious (and nostalgic), and Kanye does not let up lyrically. Pathetically, this is one of the rare times a rap song has been able to hit the nail so precisely on the head for me. After "The Good Life", I played the Daft-Punk infused "Stronger", the "ballad" "I Wonder"( all the while loving what I heard) and the rest of the record beginning to end. Mind-blowing shit, I gotta say. I never really bought into the hype, but today I was officially converted to Kanye West. I've determined that this is not only a great "hip-hop" record; it's a great record period.

And I realize that anyone from Rolling Stone, to Entertainment Weekly could have told me this five months ago -- it's flat-out ridiculous to state the obvious way after the fact. I guess my point is that I am happy to see that I am no longer classifying just rock records as amazing works of art. There has been some unbelievable hip-hop since the "Fugee" days, and I wish I could have been less musically closed-minded to see this as it was happening. According to Nas, hip-hop is dead, which I guess is unfortunate now that I am finally opening up. Hopefully it won't be too long before it becomes "undead" so I can really dig in.