In what's become an annual pre-summer tradition here at Hectic But Eclectic, I've decided to try my hand at guessing who will be nominated in the general field at the Grammys. The 58th Grammy Awards won't be handed out until next year and nominations will be announced later on in 2015, but we've already been through most of the eligibility period, which means we've already heard a lot of the likely nominees. I will of course share my final predictions in December, so check back in for that.
Album of the Year
1. Taylor Swift - 1989
What's in its favor: She's practically guaranteed an AOTY nod at this point in her career as long as she can deliver a few hits and change her sound with each release. Swift is also the only artist who can be counted on to sell a million in a week, which makes her appealing to have in the biggest category of the night.
What might work against it: Absolutely nothing.
2. Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color
What's in its favor: They're former Best New Artist nominees and it wouldn't hurt the NARAS' credibility to nominate them. A lot of strides have been made to include rock acts that break away from previous mainstream sounds here and they fit the bill best so far this year. Include a #1 album and a great reputation as a live act among their credentials and the blue ribbon panel that picks nominees for the general field will have a hard time saying no.
What might work against it: Despite all the good reviews, they're lacking a song the casual listener can identify them with.
3. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
What's in its favor: It's a topically relevant album with the year's best reviews and has sold very well. He's also another former Best New Artist nominee that has lived up to their potential.
What might work against it: All the critical acclaim may not matter if it fails to land a single within the top 40 this year.
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Jhené Aiko - "Eternal Sunshine" music video
The first image we see is of Aiko on her back facing the camera with her eyes closed and her body slowly ascending from the pavement. Even when she starts singing and her eyes begin to open, they don't do so fully, suggesting that she's only half-awake while reciting the lyrics, "Is it strange for me to say/That if I were to die today/There's not a thing that I would change/I've lived well." Meanwhile, the camera continues to follow her as she rises and we see more and more of the scene that's happening below her. No cuts. No jumps. Just Jhené. It's a terrific way to draw in the audience within the first thirty seconds.
"Eternal Sunshine" is a song about reflecting on the good in one's life and in this Jay Ahn-helmed video, we picture Aiko doing so in a fashion that's meant to detail her soul leaving this world. Things become clearer as the video goes on and our patience is rewarded with a graceful depiction of life and death that's earned it a spot as one of the best music videos of the year. By incorporating personal events like a 2013 car accident with her family and the death of her brother, the emotional gravity of it all is on Aiko's face to carry and it's done successfully with a calm, contemplative melancholy. In this interpretation of death, all of the good things come to us right before our time. It's undoubtedly somber, but there's some comfort to be found in there.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
#classicalbumtweets: Weezer (The Blue Album)
#classicalbumtweets will be coming up shortly. Got my copy of Weezer's Blue Album ready to go. pic.twitter.com/oKS2GIDYyI
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
Pushing play on The Blue Album...now. #classicalbumtweets pic.twitter.com/73sntjyui5
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
"My Name Is Jonas" kicks it off. Didn't have enough money as a kid to buy it in '94. Had to wait several years... #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
...so after hearing all the singles for years, imagine my surprise to hear an acoustic guitar as the first sound. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
It felt delightful to not only bask in the Blue Album, but the first track was undeniably them: quirky, heavy & catchy. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
I hear the Ric Ocasek touch most on "No One Else." Similar chord progression & crunch to Cars' "My Best Friend's Girl." #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
"I want a girl who laughs for no one else." Rivers Cuomo understood younger me so well. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) December 13, 2014
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Charlie Belle - "Shake You Off"
With all the members of Charlie Belle still being in their teens, it's only fitting that their music reminds me of a time when I was a younger listener more in tune with the purity of a message and more open-minded in my embrace. I can still do it as an adult, but it was certainly much easier as a kid that wasn't as preoccupied with the cynicism of trends. Indie pop is a term that has been slowly disappearing from the landscape for sometime now as the focus of online music criticism has practically shifted its attention towards R&B influenced sounds and the DIY alternative phase of the mid-90s when it comes to rock. What's so endearing about "Shake You Off" is that it exists in its own bubble outside of the trends of the world and these three kids from Austin are simply making the music that sounds best to them, which existed during the late 90s and early 2000s. It covers some of the same ground that a lot of great twee rock from that era did, which often placed itself sonically and thematically in the mindset of adolescence and childhood with a heavy dose of wonderment. That makes a lot of sense as to why this song is so charming since Charlie Belle didn't have to journey back in time too far to go that place.
To purchase Charlie Belle's Get To Know EP, visit their Bandcamp page.
To purchase Charlie Belle's Get To Know EP, visit their Bandcamp page.
Friday, March 06, 2015
Gunakadeit - "After School Special"
This guy in the video gets it. Sometimes you hear a marimba and you just have to lip-synch yourself into a frenzy on the beach. "After School Special" lends itself pretty easily to such hysterics. That slight tropical feel during the chorus ups the giddy factor considerably even as the song details a teacher-student infatuation that flirts with the inappropriate. Much like "South" before it, Natasha Kozily's harmonies brightly burst through with a sweetness that belies its dark material. It's pure pop music with some muscle and a freewheeling nature.
For more info on Gunakadeit, you can go to the official website here.
For more info on Gunakadeit, you can go to the official website here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The Major & Minor of the 87th Academy Awards
Welcome to the first edition of the Major & Minor. I'm trying this out as way to provide analysis to the many awards shows that are out there, while hopefully bringing something new to the table. I'll be looking at the highs and lows, best and worst, positives and negatives, or whatever you want to call it, of the 2015 Oscars, which is the biggest of all awards shows and not a bad place to start.
Major: Good Things Happen When Neil Patrick Harris Sings (and Jack Black & Anna Kendrick Cameo)
The opening show number written by Robert and Kristin-Anderson Lopez (Frozen's "Let It Go") provided the kind of pizazz and showbiz acumen most of us had hoped for when it was announced that Harris would be the host. His past stints doing the same duties for the Emmys and Tonys showed how apt he was and for four minutes, he lived up to the hype. Comedic timing and a solid voice should be all you need to do this thing successfully, right?
Major: #Cumberflask
Best "I'm A Big Star, But Don't Take Myself Too Seriously" moment since Meryl Streep stared down Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt.
Major: O to the N to the D to the Pearls Of Love
I'll leave the fashion analysis to the experts, but the eyes don't lie: stunning is stunning. Also, someone please include Lupita Nyong'o's smile in a romantic comedy.
Major/Minor: This Was More Of A Leading Role, But The Right Man Won
I'm a huge fan of Whiplash and I'm happy to see J.K. Simmons get some recognition, but you can't convince me that he didn't have a leading role. There's no doubt that Miles Teller had the bigger transformational arc. He's the protagonist. I get that, but Simmons' is the force that pushes that movie. I understand studios submit actors and actresses in categories they have the best shot at winning (once upon a time, Harvey Weinsten tried to push off Kate Winslet as a supporting actress in The Reader), but it will always continue to rub me the wrong way. I could always just stop nitpicking and appreciate the fact he won an award for the role of the tyrannical Terence Fletcher, one of the scariest, most well-rounded, brimstone-spewing characters we've seen this decade. I'm not entirely sure that it's a given he would have lost if he had been submitted in Best Actor. Sure, the category was already loaded with major contenders like Keaton, Redmayne and Cumberbatch already, but neither one of them was as showy as Simmons' performance, which the Academy often leans towards. Let's say Best Actor ends up like this:
Major: Good Things Happen When Neil Patrick Harris Sings (and Jack Black & Anna Kendrick Cameo)
The opening show number written by Robert and Kristin-Anderson Lopez (Frozen's "Let It Go") provided the kind of pizazz and showbiz acumen most of us had hoped for when it was announced that Harris would be the host. His past stints doing the same duties for the Emmys and Tonys showed how apt he was and for four minutes, he lived up to the hype. Comedic timing and a solid voice should be all you need to do this thing successfully, right?
Best "I'm A Big Star, But Don't Take Myself Too Seriously" moment since Meryl Streep stared down Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt.
Major: O to the N to the D to the Pearls Of Love
I'll leave the fashion analysis to the experts, but the eyes don't lie: stunning is stunning. Also, someone please include Lupita Nyong'o's smile in a romantic comedy.
Major/Minor: This Was More Of A Leading Role, But The Right Man Won
I'm a huge fan of Whiplash and I'm happy to see J.K. Simmons get some recognition, but you can't convince me that he didn't have a leading role. There's no doubt that Miles Teller had the bigger transformational arc. He's the protagonist. I get that, but Simmons' is the force that pushes that movie. I understand studios submit actors and actresses in categories they have the best shot at winning (once upon a time, Harvey Weinsten tried to push off Kate Winslet as a supporting actress in The Reader), but it will always continue to rub me the wrong way. I could always just stop nitpicking and appreciate the fact he won an award for the role of the tyrannical Terence Fletcher, one of the scariest, most well-rounded, brimstone-spewing characters we've seen this decade. I'm not entirely sure that it's a given he would have lost if he had been submitted in Best Actor. Sure, the category was already loaded with major contenders like Keaton, Redmayne and Cumberbatch already, but neither one of them was as showy as Simmons' performance, which the Academy often leans towards. Let's say Best Actor ends up like this:
Friday, February 20, 2015
Best Films Of 2014
These are the movies from 2014 I loved the most. Anything from my top ten stayed with me hours, most cases days after my first viewing and even in the second month of 2015, I can recall them vividly. If you're wondering why this list is so late, I do not have the luxury of attending the festival circuit, nor do I live in New York or Los Angeles, so a lot of late 2014 prestige releases don't make their way to the rest of the country until January. To be able to put movies in the proper context of their respective years, it helps to see the films that have been lauded the most or were highly anticipated, hence the February arrival of this list. In my own world, it's still relevant as long as it's before the Oscars. So here it is.
1. Life Itself
Roger Ebert was a huge influence on me as a cinephile. If I hadn't started reading his reviews as a high school freshman, this very list you're reading may not even exist. I fought hard not to make Life Itself, my #1 movie of 2014 because of how much I adored its subject and for fear that I wasn't being objective, yet in the end, honesty won out. The emphasis on Ebert's love for movies alone would have still made this a memorable film, seeing as how his writing was filled with an observation, wit and insight that made him more accessible than some of his more sophisticated contemporaries at the time. The love he had for cinema was a very genuine and touching one, but in the spirit of objectivity, director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) delved into the man behind the reviews, warts and all. The documentary follows Ebert through the last months of his life as he battled cancer, an ordeal that is not skimmed over in the least and quite graphic at times, in addition to less flattering biographical nuggets mentioned throughout the film. It's the kind of portrayal Ebert himself likely would have championed.
1. Life Itself
Roger Ebert was a huge influence on me as a cinephile. If I hadn't started reading his reviews as a high school freshman, this very list you're reading may not even exist. I fought hard not to make Life Itself, my #1 movie of 2014 because of how much I adored its subject and for fear that I wasn't being objective, yet in the end, honesty won out. The emphasis on Ebert's love for movies alone would have still made this a memorable film, seeing as how his writing was filled with an observation, wit and insight that made him more accessible than some of his more sophisticated contemporaries at the time. The love he had for cinema was a very genuine and touching one, but in the spirit of objectivity, director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) delved into the man behind the reviews, warts and all. The documentary follows Ebert through the last months of his life as he battled cancer, an ordeal that is not skimmed over in the least and quite graphic at times, in addition to less flattering biographical nuggets mentioned throughout the film. It's the kind of portrayal Ebert himself likely would have championed.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
#classicalbumtweets: Crazysexycool
The front page of Hectic But Eclectic was getting a little too #classicalbumtweets heavy, so I withheld posting and tried to space them out more. I still kept on with the tweets and now I do it every 2nd Saturday of the month instead. I'll be doing Discovery by Daft Punk this Saturday, actually.
#classicalbumtweets is about a few minutes away. pic.twitter.com/OzEvoWflun
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
The intro to CrazySexyCool only reminds how closely R&B and hip hop camps circled around each other back in the day. Was the norm back then.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
Me and my friends were not ready for all the maturity and sexiness TLC had when the "Creep" video dropped. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
I enjoyed the brattiness and color of the first album, but didn't feel betrayed when they decided to dress alike. "Creep" was perfect intro.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
"Kick Your Game" was the track to remind you that TLC were still down and had attitude, in case those horns on "Creep" made you think other.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
Bass lines from Jermaine Dupri productions from 1992-1995 are God's gift to us. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) October 8, 2014
Sunday, February 08, 2015
Live Blogging The 2015 Grammys
7:00 Back here to live blog the Grammys again another year. I'll be providing running analysis on who might win and the overall spectacle of the show.
7:02 AC/DC are kicking off the show. LL Cool J makes it a point to tell everyone that this is their first performance at the ceremony. I'm totally happy for them and all, especially with Malcolm Young having to leave the band, but it doesn't scream current. My only guess is that the NARAS noticed there was an alarming lack of guitars on the show, so they had to dig into the vault to balance things out.
7:08 LL Cool J is back onstage the show officially begins. He just announced that there were will be 23 performances tonight. 23. Oof.
7:11 Sam Smith takes home Best New Artist in a win that shocks absolutely no one. I'm still recovering from the shell shock that we're going to have to sit through 23 performances. It appears as if the awards have truly become secondary, which is a shame. You look at the Oscars, Tonys, Emmys and even the Golden Globes, there is buzz and importance surrounding who will win. For the Grammys, it's as if Album of the Year is the only thing anyone is waiting for. The collaborative performances have always felt desperate and forced. It's great that veterans can still get a rub from being on a nationally televised appearance because I think it's important that younger viewers know about previous generations, but it's done in a way that's very insincere and not entertaining in the least. I love music, so naturally I look forward to the Grammys, but it's frustrating when you know it could be so much more.
7:24 Ariana Grande performs "Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart" and does a solid job, because well, she's Ariana. I would have preferred to see her do a more uptempo song, but I like that she went opposite of what her singles have been. If she still feels like she has something to prove, I think everyone is much better off for it. Jessie J and Tom Jones also perform "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in honor of its songwriters, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Neither were bad choices to perform, seeing as how Jones' baritone is not a half-bad match for what Bill Medley did on the original, but it's incredibly stiff. I dislike it whenever they have performances on that small stage in the middle of the audience that isn't minimal. It feels too overstuffed for such an intimate and the entire sequence felt like it could have been on telethon instead of the biggest night in music. Pharrell beats out Sam Smith and Sia for Best Pop Solo Vocal Performance with a live version of "Happy." This is the first sign of vulnerability for Smith I've seen tonight and I like Beyonce's chances for AOTY better now. We'll have to see how Record and Song of the Year pan out.
7:02 AC/DC are kicking off the show. LL Cool J makes it a point to tell everyone that this is their first performance at the ceremony. I'm totally happy for them and all, especially with Malcolm Young having to leave the band, but it doesn't scream current. My only guess is that the NARAS noticed there was an alarming lack of guitars on the show, so they had to dig into the vault to balance things out.
7:08 LL Cool J is back onstage the show officially begins. He just announced that there were will be 23 performances tonight. 23. Oof.
7:11 Sam Smith takes home Best New Artist in a win that shocks absolutely no one. I'm still recovering from the shell shock that we're going to have to sit through 23 performances. It appears as if the awards have truly become secondary, which is a shame. You look at the Oscars, Tonys, Emmys and even the Golden Globes, there is buzz and importance surrounding who will win. For the Grammys, it's as if Album of the Year is the only thing anyone is waiting for. The collaborative performances have always felt desperate and forced. It's great that veterans can still get a rub from being on a nationally televised appearance because I think it's important that younger viewers know about previous generations, but it's done in a way that's very insincere and not entertaining in the least. I love music, so naturally I look forward to the Grammys, but it's frustrating when you know it could be so much more.
7:24 Ariana Grande performs "Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart" and does a solid job, because well, she's Ariana. I would have preferred to see her do a more uptempo song, but I like that she went opposite of what her singles have been. If she still feels like she has something to prove, I think everyone is much better off for it. Jessie J and Tom Jones also perform "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in honor of its songwriters, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Neither were bad choices to perform, seeing as how Jones' baritone is not a half-bad match for what Bill Medley did on the original, but it's incredibly stiff. I dislike it whenever they have performances on that small stage in the middle of the audience that isn't minimal. It feels too overstuffed for such an intimate and the entire sequence felt like it could have been on telethon instead of the biggest night in music. Pharrell beats out Sam Smith and Sia for Best Pop Solo Vocal Performance with a live version of "Happy." This is the first sign of vulnerability for Smith I've seen tonight and I like Beyonce's chances for AOTY better now. We'll have to see how Record and Song of the Year pan out.
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Grammy Winner Predictions for 2015
The 57th Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday, Feb. 8 on CBS. As I do every year, I took my hand at predicting who will walk away with a miniature gramophone on the big night. I'll also be live blogging the event, so make sure to come back during the show for up-to-date analysis and comments.
Record of the Year
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX - "Fancy"
Sia - "Chandelier"
Sam Smith - "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)"
Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off"
Meghan Trainor - "All About That Bass"
Will win: It'll likely be between Sia and Sam Smith, with "Chandelier" taking the edge due to it feeling like more of an event song.
Should win: "Chandelier," because it cracked my top ten singles of 2014.
Overlooked: Arctic Monkeys - "Do I Wanna Know"; Paramore - "Ain't It Fun"
Album of the Year
Beck - Morning Phase
Beyoncé - Beyoncé
Ed Sheeran - x
Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour
Pharrell Williams - G I R L
Will win: Beyoncé delivered an album worthy of her superstardom and she will be rewarded for it.
Should win: I was pretty fond of the Beyoncé album as well.
Overlooked: Miley Cyrus - Bangerz; Haim - Days Are Gone; St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Record of the Year
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX - "Fancy"
Sia - "Chandelier"
Sam Smith - "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)"
Taylor Swift - "Shake It Off"
Meghan Trainor - "All About That Bass"
Will win: It'll likely be between Sia and Sam Smith, with "Chandelier" taking the edge due to it feeling like more of an event song.
Should win: "Chandelier," because it cracked my top ten singles of 2014.
Overlooked: Arctic Monkeys - "Do I Wanna Know"; Paramore - "Ain't It Fun"
Album of the Year
Beck - Morning Phase
Beyoncé - Beyoncé
Ed Sheeran - x
Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour
Pharrell Williams - G I R L
Will win: Beyoncé delivered an album worthy of her superstardom and she will be rewarded for it.
Should win: I was pretty fond of the Beyoncé album as well.
Overlooked: Miley Cyrus - Bangerz; Haim - Days Are Gone; St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Sunday, January 18, 2015
#classicalbumtweets: Tapestry
This month's edition of #classicalbumtweets will be taking place in an hour. Carole King's Tapestry will be getting the treatment.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 10, 2014If you've never heard Tapestry, you're kind of missing out. It was like the 21 of its time, except better.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 10, 2014Time to get started on #classicalbumtweets. Join me when I press play on Carole King's Tapestry. pic.twitter.com/azzNPK0mXw
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 11, 2014Pushing play on Tapestry...now. #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 11, 2014That opening to "I Feel The Earth Move" feels so much like 70s AM. I literally started seeing things from filter of photographs back then.
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 11, 2014It's pretty much the closest Tapestry comes to rocking. Sign of the times and possible nod to acts she used to write for #classicalbumtweets
— Eloquent 2-Year Old (@hecticivan) September 11, 2014Friday, January 09, 2015
Top 250 Singles of 2014
As the years go on, this list has become more agonizing to sift through because of the amount of great stuff that's out there. I won't complain though. The time and effort that goes into this makes me feel good about songs even in the lower reaches of the list, and that's a feeling that increases with each year. So yes, it's definitely worth it. As usual, I've included a Spotify playlist and for the tracks that weren't available there, I used Soundcloud to compile them (those songs will have a * next to them). Both playlists are also embedded at the bottom. For songs that couldn't be found on either, I just simply included a hyperlink to where you can listen (designated with a ^). If you haven't yet, check out my albums list as well. Hope you find something new that you'll enjoy!
1. FKA twigs - Two Weeks
The past couple of years in music have seen an increasing fascination with the spaced-out, drum heavy sounds of mid to late-90s R&B to much acclaim. One has to wonder where the critical adoration has been all this time and why it took a touch of the fringe to make it palatable and hip (i.e. Banks, The Weeknd, How To Dress Well, etc.). FKA twigs' career has definitely benefited from this growing trend, but with all the comparisons to experimental artists like Björk and James Blake, make no mistake about it; "Two Weeks" is a pure R&B record. Once upon a time, turntable scratches and Auto-Tune were alien to rhythm and blues, so don't let the screwed vocals that pop up throughout deter from classifying it as such. If anything, they add to the atmosphere, which is probably one of the most sensual to come down the pipeline in a year or two. That uneasy tension is likely what twigs wants. For the audience to be kept off guard, to be lulled away from their equilibrium leaving themselves susceptible, until finally, she coos in a voice dripping with confidence and candle wax, "Give me two weeks/you won't recognize her." You're left helpless, she's in full control and more than likely, you're regretfully enjoying every minute of it. What genre besides R&B is more notorious for moves like that?
Monday, December 29, 2014
Best 50 Albums of 2014
At first I thought 2014 was kind of an off year for music, but doing lists like this remind me that there can't possibly be such a thing. I made a Spotify playlist, which you can also listen to at the bottom and make sure to check back soon for my top 250 singles list.
1. Beyoncé - Beyoncé
Of course this album should be under 2014 consideration. How else to explain all the widespread adoration but only so few appearances on critics' year-end lists in 2013? It was released late last December, which was much too close to the end of the year for me and a lot of people to put into proper context of what it meant at the end of the calendar. Twelve months have passed since then and I can confidently say it's still the best thing I've heard in that span. One of the more intriguing developments of the pop world within the past few years was how her previous album, 4, felt like more than just an attempt to put together a radio-ready collection of songs and strove to keep up with some of her more adventurous contemporaries. This was surprising in that it felt like the first LP where we got a glimpse at Beyoncé The Artist and not just simply Beyoncé The Ridiculously Talented & Fierce Superwoman, which we had seen time and time again. The seeds of that experimentation fully blossomed on Beyoncé, her most challenging work yet. The usual Beyoncé trademarks were there, but instead of embracing their more commercial aspects, we were treated with more details that gave everything a personal feel. Girls still ran the world, but novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihe was there to explain why. You could still get her bodied, but you had to solve the riddle, and so on. It's a very rare thing when artists of Beyoncé's talent and stature make such bold moves while at the top of their game. That they pay off and in result in an amazing piece of work that's as dark and sexy as this is even rarer.
1. Beyoncé - Beyoncé
Of course this album should be under 2014 consideration. How else to explain all the widespread adoration but only so few appearances on critics' year-end lists in 2013? It was released late last December, which was much too close to the end of the year for me and a lot of people to put into proper context of what it meant at the end of the calendar. Twelve months have passed since then and I can confidently say it's still the best thing I've heard in that span. One of the more intriguing developments of the pop world within the past few years was how her previous album, 4, felt like more than just an attempt to put together a radio-ready collection of songs and strove to keep up with some of her more adventurous contemporaries. This was surprising in that it felt like the first LP where we got a glimpse at Beyoncé The Artist and not just simply Beyoncé The Ridiculously Talented & Fierce Superwoman, which we had seen time and time again. The seeds of that experimentation fully blossomed on Beyoncé, her most challenging work yet. The usual Beyoncé trademarks were there, but instead of embracing their more commercial aspects, we were treated with more details that gave everything a personal feel. Girls still ran the world, but novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihe was there to explain why. You could still get her bodied, but you had to solve the riddle, and so on. It's a very rare thing when artists of Beyoncé's talent and stature make such bold moves while at the top of their game. That they pay off and in result in an amazing piece of work that's as dark and sexy as this is even rarer.
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