Best 50 Albums of 2019

A little bit later than usual, but earlier than last time at least. I'm still compiling my singles list and you can expect 2010s albums and singles lists as well. Stay tuned! Music is still a very exciting place despite my lack of posts.

1. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising 
2. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors 
3. Brittany Howard – Jaime 
4. Big Thief – Two Hands 
5. Jamila Woods – LEGACY! LEGACY! 
6. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana 
7. Tyler, The Creator – IGOR 
8. Clairo - Immunity 
9. Spellling – Mazy Fly 
10. Shay Lia – Dangerous 
11. Little Simz – Grey Area 
12. Mereba- The Jungle Is The Only Way Out 
13. Snoh Aalegra – Ugh, those feels again 
14. Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs 
15. Danny Brown – uknowehatinsayin¿ 
16. Crumb – Jinx 
17. Faye Webster – Atlanta Millionaires Club 
18. Julia Jacklin – Crushing 
19. Dave – PSYCHODRAMA 
20. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars 
21. YBN Cordae – The Lost Boy 
22. Hatchie – Keepsake    
23. Jenny Lewis – On The Line 
24. The Regrettes – How Do You Love? 
25. Bon Iver – i, i 
26. Cate Le Bon – Reward 
27. Ari Lennox – Shea Butter Baby 
28. Chai – Punk  
29. Ariana Grande – thank u, next 
30. Beck – Hyperspace  
31. Solange – When I Get Home 
32. James Blake – Assume Form 
33. Nilüfer Yanya – Miss Universe 
34. Marika Hackman – Any Human Friend 
35. Rapsody – Eve 
36. 21 Savage – I am > I was  
37. The Chemical Brothers – No Geography 
38. Leven Kali – Low Tide 
39. Kota The Friend – FOTO
40. Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
41. Sir Babygirl – Crush On Me 
42. Maxo – Lil Big Man 
43. Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee 
44. FKA twigs – Magdalene 
45. Girlpool – What Chaos Is Imaginary 
46. TEEN – Good Fruit  
47. Denitia – Touch of the Sky 
48. Birdman & Juvenile – Just Another Gangsta 
49. Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride 
50. Eryn Allen Kane – A Tree Planted By Water 

Honorable Mention: 

2 Chainz – Rap Or Go To The League 

Anderson .Paak – Ventura 

Angel Bat Dawid – The Oracle 

Benny Sings – City Pop 

Beyoncé – The Lion King: The Gift 

Bibio – Ribbons 

Big Thief – U.F.O.F. 

Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? 

Bleached – Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough 

Boogie – Everything's For Sale 

Chance The Rapper – The Big Day 

Charli XCX – Charli 

Charly Bliss – Young Enough 

Chris Crack – Crackheads Live Longer Than Vegans 

Coldplay – Everyday Life 

Common – Let Love 

Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? 

Default Genders – main pop girl 2019 

Denzel Curry – ZUU 

Devin Morrison – Bussin'  

Diamond D – The Diam Piece 2 

Diät – Positive Disintegration  

Doja Cat – Hot Pink 

Domo Genesis – Façade Records 

Dreamville- Revenge of the Dreamers III 

Earl Sweatshirt – Feet of Clay  

EARTHGANG – Mirrorland 

Emily King – Scenery  

Ex Hex – It's Real 

FIDLAR – Almost Free 

Flying Lotus – Flamagra  

Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel  

Gang Starr – One Of The Best Yet 

GoldLink – Diaspora 

Helado Negro – This Is How You Smile  

Honeyblood – In Plain Sight 

Jade Bird – Jade Bird 

Jasmine Thompson – Colour 

Jay Som – Anak Ko 

Jim Jones – El Capo  

JPEGMAFIA – All My Heroes Are Cornballs 

Kari Faux – Cry 4 Help 

Kehlani – While We Wait 

Kelsey Lu – Blood 

Kevin Abstract – ARIZONA BABY 

Koffee – Rapture  

Little Brother – May The Lord Watch  

Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life  

Mariah The Scientist – Master 

Marlon Craft – Funhouse Mirror  

Megan Thee Stallion – Fever 

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen 

Ol’ Burger Beats – Daybreak  

Pink Sweat$ – Vol. 2   

Pivot Gang – You Can’t Sit With Us 

Priests – The Seduction of Kansas 

Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains 

Raveena – Lucid  

Rico Nasty & Kenny Beats – Anger Management
(Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar 

ScHoolboy Q – CrasH Talk  

Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow 

Sheer Mag – A Distant Call 

SiR – Chasing Summer 

Steve Lacy – Apollo XXI 

Summer Walker – Over It 

Tacocat – This Mess Is A Place 

Taylor Swift – Lover 

The Game – Born 2 Rap 

The Highwomen – The Highwomen  

The National – I Am Easy To Find 

The New Pornographers – In The Morse Code of Brake Lights 

Tool – Fear Inoculum 

Toro y Moi – Outer Space 

Tove Lo – Sunshine Kitty 

TOY – Happy In The Hollow 

Twist – Dancing 

YG – 4REAL4REAL 

Yola – Walk Through Fire 

Young Nudy & Pi’erre Bourne – Sli’merre 

Young Thug – So Much Fun 

Zaska – It Takes A Village 

My Favorite Albums and Singles of 2018

It's been a while since my last post, but I've never stopped following or listening to music. If anything, I probably listen to more new artists than before, who are especially easier to find due to the advances of the 21st century.

So why no posts? The typical answer that any blogger who started last decade will tell you: life.

Life has blessed me in many ways since I last posted, but it has changed in such a way that it's forced me to adapt in a way that I have yet to accomplish.

I don't see myself posting regularly in the future, although the thought is nice. It's too hard to predict when I'll bring an idea to fruition. The good news is that I still have ideas and I hope to share them more often than I have in the past few years.

I still host my radio show, Noteworthy at UIC Radio on Mondays from 6PM-8PM CT, so if you would like a reliable, steady source for what I'm listening to or some of my ideas, that's your best bet. The radio show also has its own Facebook and Twitter.

I never stopped coming up with ideas about music and I still started on year-end lists for 2016 and 2017. I would like to finish them at some point because it's going to bug me until I do, but I can't guarantee anything. I have no idea when the next time I'll pop up on here will be. I'll definitely do my 2019 lists, and if I've learned any lessons, it should be released in a more timely manner.

All I know is that I was frustrated that I hadn't posted a list in two years and it nagged me. I was simply determined to rectify that for 2018.

The actual list itself was done around late December/early January, but I'm just now getting around to posting it. Yes, it's going on April and I'm not going to let that be an excuse.

Perhaps fewer excuses and more ideas would do me some good.

Top 50 Albums of 2018

1. Saba – Care For Me
2. Beach House - 7
3. Noname – Room 25
4. Tirzah – Devotion
5. The Beths – Future Me Hates Me
6. Tune-yards – I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life
7. Robyn – Honey
8. Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar
9. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
10. Meshell Ndegeocello – Ventriloquism
11. Reason – There You Have It
12. Nao - Saturn
13. Tom Misch - Geography
14. Mac Miller – Swimming
15. Kali Uchis – Isolation
16. Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer
17. Cornelia Murr - Man On My Mind
18. Pusha T – Daytona
19. Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap
20. DJ Koze – Knock Knock
21. Royce da 5’9” - The Book of Ryan
22. Anna Calvi - Hunter
23. Black Panther: The Album
24. Arin Ray – Platinum Fire
25. Snail Mail - Lush
26. J.I.D. -DiCaprio 2
27. Mitski – Be The Cowboy
28. The Internet – Hive Mind
29. Jon Hopkins - Singularity
30. Ariana Grande – Sweetener
31. Lucy Dacus - Historian
32. Tash Sultana – Flow State
33. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – Everything's Fine
34. J. Cole – KOD
35. St. Beauty – Running To The Sun
36. Travis Scott – Astroworld
37. Jeff Rosenstock - Post-
38. Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen
39. Eleanor Friedberger – Rebound
40. Vince Staples – FM!
41. Fatima - And Yet It's All Love
42. NoMBe – They Might’ve Even Loved Me
43. Tracey Thorn – Record
44. Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog
45. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
46. Soccer Mommy - Clean
47. Esperanza Spalding – 12 Little Spells
48. Smerz – Have Fun
49. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy
50. U.S. Girls – In A Poem Unlimited

Top 250 Singles of 2018

1. Kanye West feat. Kid Cudi, PARTYNEXTDOOR and 070 Shake – Ghost Town
2. Janelle Monae feat. Grimes – Pynk
3. Jessie Reyez - Sola
4. Radiant Children – Go Left
5. Pusha T - If You Know You Know
6. Ariana Grande – get well soon
7. Cassie – Don't Play It Safe
8. A$AP Rocky feat. Moby – A$AP Forever
9. Jonny Greenwood – House of Woodcock
10. J. Cole – ATM
11. Xander feat. Malik Elijah - askmeificare
12. Janelle Monae – Make Me Feel
13. Pusha T – The Story of Adidon
14. Madison McFerrin - Insane
15. Kacey Musgraves – High Horse
16. Drake – Nice For What
17. Janelle Monae – Django Jane
18. Jessie Reyez – Apple Juice
19. Ari Lennox – Whipped Cream
20. Coco O. Bled For You
21. Mac Miller – Small Worlds
22. Anderson .Paak - ‘Til It’s Over
23. Halsey feat. Big Sean & Stefflon Don – Alone
24. Low - Disarray
25. Anderson .Paak - Bubblin’
26. Hatchie – Sure
27. D.R.A.M. - Best Hugs
28. Khalid feat. Swae Lee – The Ways
29. Cornelia Murr – Man On My Mind
30. Anderson .Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar – Tints
31. The 1975 – Sincerity Is Scary
32. Snail Mail – Heat Wave
33. Gucci Mane feat. Kodak Black & Bruno Mars – Wake Up In The Sky
34. Vanessa Zamora – Al Fondo de Mi
35. Drake – God's Plan
36. DJ Esco & Future feat. Nas – Walk Thru
37. Brandi Carlile – The Joke
38. N*E*R*D feat. Kendrick Lamar – Don't Don't Do It
39. Doja Cat – Mooo!
40. Courtney Barnett – City Looks Pretty
41. Dean – instagram
42. Jessie Reyez feat. JRM – Imported
43. Rosehardt & Space People – Electric Slide (In Ya DMs)
44. Nipsey Hussle feat. YG – Last Time I Checc’d
45. Hatchie - Sleep
46. Moonchild - The List
47. serpentwithfeet – bless ur heart
48. Hoodboi feat. Tkay Maizda – Glide
49. Bruno Mars feat. Cardi B – Finesse (Remix)
50. St. Beauty – Caught
51. Charlie Puth feat. Boyz II Men – If You Leave Me Now
52. Sunflower Bean – Twentytwo
53. The Internet – Roll (Burbank Funk)
54. Rich The Kid – Plug Walk
55. Ella Mai – Boo'd Up
56. Childish Gambino – This Is America
57. Swizz Beatz feat. Lil Wayne – Pistol On My Side (P.O.M.S.)
58. Laura Jean – Girls on the TV
59. Japanese Breakfast – Boyish
60. Phony Ppl – Way Too Far
61. The Weeknd feat. Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me
62. John Mayer – New Light
63. Ariana Grande – No Tears Left To Cry
64. Vic Mensa & Valee – Dim Sum
65. Years & Years - Sanctify
66. Kanye West feat. Lil Pump – I Love It
67. Car Seat Headrest – Beach Life-in-Death
68. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – My Contribution To This Scam
69. audiobooks – Dance Your Life Away
70. Noname feat. Saba & Smino - Ace
71. MorMor – Whatever Comes To Mind
72. Gender Roles – Plastic
73. Drake – Duppy Freestyle
74. Radiant Children – Life's A Bitch
75. Leikeli47 – Roll Call
76. Westside Gunn feat. Anderson .Paak - Wrestlemania 20
77. Jay Rock feat. Kendrick Lamar - Win
78. Riton feat. Kah-Lo & Mr. Eazi – Catching Feelings
79. Me’shell Ndegeocello – Sometimes It Snows In April
80. Blocboy JB feat. Drake – Look Alive
81. Rina Sawayama – Valentine (What's It Gonna Be?)
82. Channel Tres – Topdown
83. Mitski – Nobody
84. Courtney Barnett – Need A Little Time
85. Valee feat. Pusha T – Miami
86. Samana – Beneath The Ice
87. Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho
88. Black Eyed Peas – Street Livin'
89. D.R.A.M. - WWYD?
90. Arin Ray – Skeemin'
91. The Carters – APESHIT
92. Tracey Thorn - Queen
93. Hop Along – Prior Things
94. Leon Bridges – Bad Bad News
95. Saweetie feat. Kehlani – ICY GRL (Bae Mix)
96. Jade Bird – Lottery
97. The Beths - Future Me Hates Me
98. JGrrey – Don't Fade
99. Saba – Life
100. Young Fathers – Border Girl
101. Jessie Reyez – Body Count
102. Cam O’bi feat. Smino – Tenderheaded
103. Lady Gaga – I'll Never Love Again
104. Sun June – Discotheque
105. Ashley Monroe – Hands On You
106. Kadhja Bonet – Delphine
107. Denzel Curry feat. Twelve’len and Goldlink – Black Balloons
108. Cardi B feat. 21 Savage – Bartier Cardi
109. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Hunnybee
110. Ash – Confessions In The Pool
111. Tom Misch feat. Loyle Carner – Water Baby
112. MorMor –Heaven's Only Wishful
113. 1010 Benja SL – Wind Up Space
114. Troye Sivan – My My My!
115. Riton feat. Kah-Lo – Fake ID
116. Let's Eat Grandma – Hot Pink
117. Lucy Dacus – Night Shift
118. Twist - Venus
119. Wafia – I’m Good
120. Gender Roles – About Her
121. Free Nationals feat. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Beauty & Essex
122. HONNE feat. Tom Misch – Me & You
123. Soccer Mommy - Cool
124. Nicki Minaj – Barbie Dreams
125. Saba – Busy
126. Zilo – Keep Up Wimmi
127. Boosie – Webbie I Remember
128. Young M.A. - Praktice
129. Valee feat. Jeremih – Womp Womp
130. Phoebe Ryan feat. Tove Lo – Heart Attack
131. SG Lewis feat. AlunaGeorge - Hurting
132. Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny & J. Balvin – I Like It
133. Jade Novah – Next To You
134. Beulahbelle – You Only Live Twice (Living Room Version)
135. Ebony Bones – No Black In The Union Jack
136. Gabrielle Aplin – My Mistake
137. Tomberlin – I'm Not Scared
138. J. Cole – Album of the Year - Freestyle
139. PREP feat. DEAN – Cold Fire
140. 88Rising feat. Blocboy JB – Peach Jam
141. Confidence Man – Out The Window
142. The 1975 – TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME
143. Okay Kaya – IUD
144. The 1975 – Love It If We Made It
145. Radiant Children – Tryin'
146. The Regrettes – Back In Your Head
147. Richard Reed Parry – Song of Wood
148. Cardi B – Money
149. Moaning Lisa – Comfortable
150. Daphne & Celeste – Alarms
151. Gorillaz feat. George Benson – Humility
152. L8LOOMER - < 3
153. Bas feat. J. Cole – Tribe
154. H.E.R. - Focus
155. Janelle Monae – I Like That
156. CHVRCHES – Never Say Die
157. Speedy Ortiz – Lean In When I Suffer
158. Reason – The Soul
159. Gallant – Gentleman
160. Eleanor Friedberger – Make Me A Song
161. Royce da 5’9” feat. Eminem & King Green - Caterpillar
162. Beach House - Alien
163. Raveena – Honey
164. Amber Mark – High On Your Love
165. Carrie Underwood – Cry Pretty
166. Kyle Craft – The Rager
167. H.E.R. feat. Bryson Tiller – Could've Been
168. Jenny Hval - Spells
169. Mariah Carey – With You
170. Simmy - Umahalela
171. Ebhoni – Opps
172. Kylie Minogue - Dancing
173. Kadhja Bonet – Mother Maybe
174. Joyner Lucas & Chris Brown – Stranger Things
175. Chance The Rapper – I Might Need Security
176. Machine Gun Kelly – Rap Devil
177. Benin City – Double or Nothing
178. Deerhunter – Death in Midsummer
179. 6ix9ine feat. Nicki Minaj – FEFE (Remix)
180. Barrie – Tal Uno
181. Jean Grae & Quelle Chris – Gold Purple Orange
182. Tash Sultana – Free Mind
183. Lil Baby feat. Drake – Yes, Indeed
184. NAO – Another Lifetime
185. Bazzi feat. Camilla Cabello – Beautiful
186. Leon Thomas feat. Buddy – Favorite
187. Lil Wayne – Dedicate
188. Mahalia – Surprise Me
189. Carly Jepsen – Party For One
190. Lykke Li – Hard Rain
191. Lizzo – Boys
192. YG feat. 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj – Big Bank
193. Wiley feat. Scratchy and D Double E – Bar
194. Trouble & Mike WiLL Made-It feat. Drake – Bring It Back
195. Charly Bliss – Heaven
196. Leon Bridges – Beyond
197. Kendrick Lamar feat. SZA – All The Stars
198. Rhye – Count To Five
199. Sylvan Esso – There Are Many Ways To Say I Love You
200. Jay Rock feat. Kendrick Lamar, Future, and James Blake – King’s Dead
201. Azealia Banks – Movin' On Up (Coco’s Song, Love Beats Rhymes)
202. Nilufer Yanya – Baby Luv
203. Travis Scott feat. Drake – Sicko Mode
204. Your Smith – The Spot
205. Tyler the Creator feat. A$AP Rocky – Potato Salad
206. Chloe x Halle feat. Joey Bada$$ - Happy Without Me
207. Shawn Mendes feat. Zedd – Lost In Japan (Remix)
208. Ilham feat. Arin Ray - Cycle of Games
209. Mothers – Pink and Blue
210. Julia Holter – I Shall Love 2
211. Eminem feat. Joyner Lucas – Lucky You
212. Kandace Springs – 6 8
213. Brian Fallon – If Your Prayers Don’t Get To Heaven
214. Janet Jackson feat. Daddy Yankee – Made For Now
215. Jay Som –Pirouette
216. Dilly Dally - Doom
217. CASISDEAD – Pat Earrings
218. Gavin Turek – WHITNEY
219. Dilly Dally - Marijuana
220. Sheck Wes – Mo Bamba
221. Lou Phelps feat. Jazz Cartier – Come Inside (Kaytranada Edit)
222. Joseph Chilliams feat. Saba – Unfriendly Black Hotties
223. Trippie Redd feat. Travis Scott – Dark Knight Dummo
224. Riton feat. Kah-Lo – Ginger
225. Cazzu - Chapiadora
226. Royce da 5’9” feat. J. Cole – Boblo Boat
227. DJ Koze – Pick Up
228. Aloe Blacc – Brooklyn In The Summer
229. Tres Oui - Séance
230. Cardi B – Be Careful
231. SOB X RBE – Anti Social
232. Robyn – Honey
233. Chloe x Halle – Grown
234. JID feat. BJ The Chicago Kid - Skrawberries
235. Tangents – Swells Under Tito
236. Diana Gordon – Wolverine
237. Hatchie – Bad Guy
238. Miya Folick – Stock Image
239. Kimbra – Version Of Me
240. Natalie Prass – Short Court Style
241. Towkio feat. Teddy Jackson – Symphony
242. NEIKED feat. Miriam Bryant – How Did I Find You
243. The Go! Team – The Only Thing New Is U Finding Out About It
244. Craig David feat. Goldlink – Live In The Moment
245. JD. Reid feat. Katy B – Call Your Bluff
246. Buddy – Trouble On Central
247. T.I. feat. Meek Mill – Jefe
248. Victoria Monet – The Glow
249. Field Music – Time In Joy
250. Soleima – Low Life

Best 50 Albums of 2015

Enjoy the list. Enjoy and share anything new you discover. Enjoy the time that we're living in that we have an unending amount of quality music out there Enjoy the Spotify playlist and enjoy my singles list which will be up pretty soon. 

1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly 

The consensus on how great this album is so overwhelming that I'm not even sure how to approach it in a way that no one has yet, so I'll just name my top ten favorite moments instead:

10) The first time you hear Thundercat's harmonies in the background during "Complexion (2 Zulu Love)."

9) The placement of "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)" so late in the album sequencing as a brief palate cleanser between some of the heavier material.

8) "This dick ain't freeeee..."

7) The conversation between Kendrick and 2Pac on album closer "Mortal Man," which puts the whole experience into context. It's as if To Pimp A Butterfly was an essay about what it's like to be African-American in 2015 submitted to be graded by Professor Shakur.

6) The first time the chords move up a half-step in "King Kunta" as Lamar lambastes rappers employing ghostwriters.

5) Every single vocal inflection Anna Wise does on "These Walls" and when Bilal bursts through during the chorus. 

4) The moment the beat drops on "Alright" and you feel like you can take on anything the world has to throw at you.

3) The last verse of "The Blacker The Berry."

2) The audacity of rapping over the jazzy time signature of"For Sale (Interlude)". 

1) The gravity when you finally reach the end of "How Much A Dollar Cost?"

The jig is up, I seen you from a mile away losin' focus

And I'm insensitive, and I lack empathy

He looked at me and said, "Your potential is bittersweet"

I looked at him and said, "Every nickel is mines to keep"

He looked at me and said, "Know the truth, it'll set you free

You're lookin' at the Messiah, the son of Jehovah, the higher power

The choir that spoke the word, the Holy Spirit

The nerve of Nazareth, and I'll tell you just how much a dollar cost

The price of having a spot in Heaven, embrace your loss, I am God"

The Definitive Track Listing of Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz

At the conclusion of this year's MTV Video Music Awards, hostess Miley Cyrus announced her latest album, Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz, was available to stream for free on her website. It was surprising that a pop star of Cyrus' stature would give away her music, considering that sales of Bangerz was solid enough to not steer away from a traditional promo strategy. Although we're currently in an era where the public either expects music for free or at least easily accessible, the rule is that if you can still sell records, you keep charging (it would be difficult to imagine Taylor Swift or Beyoncé pulling the same move, for example).

When listening to Dead Petz, which was released outside of Cyrus' contract with RCA and paid for out of her own pockets, it wasn't hard to tell that this was a project dear to her. With The Flaming Lips producing the majority of the album and a few oddball songs dedicated to the passing of her aforementioned pets, it was clear radio was never the goal here. It was also clear that this was an album made without the assistance of an A&R or someone who could keep everything tethered. At a running time of 92:06, it's a slog to get through at times as Cyrus goes to many lengths to not be placed in a box, much to the detriment of the listener or anyone with an attention span.

The main source of my frustration is that I can never shake the feeling there's a better album lurking within. While there are a good deal of quality songs, one can only judge an album as a whole, not just cherry picking their favorites, which is why the critical response has been pretty divisive. Still, the potential for a good album was so intriguing to me that I decided to revise the sequencing and come up with my own track list, one that would still hold the original freewheeling intent and hopefully cut straight to the core of some of the album's main themes of loss and lust. I came up with something that tries to be a bit more cohesive and that comes in at just over an hour. This version is at least worth 3 stars.

1. Cyrus Skies
2. I Get So Scared
3. The Floyd Song (Sunrise)
4. Karen Don't Be Sad
5. Space Boots
6. Slab Of Butter
7. Pablow The Blow Fish
8. BB Talk
9. Bang Me Box
10. I Forgive Yiew
11. Lighter
12. Tangerine
13. Something About Space Dude
14. Twinkle Song

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.

#classicalbumtweets: Rumours

This is the fourth time I've done #classicalbumtweets. Each time I feel like there's more that I can do to make it better, so if you have any constructive feedback, I'd be willing to listen. Next month, I'll be doing D'Angelo's Voodoo, so make sure to come back for that one. The focus will still be on blockbuster albums that nearly everyone has heard, but from time to time I also want to take on critical faves that were extremely popular and have a large following as well.

Getting ready for this month's #classicalbumtweets. As always, feel free to listen along and chime in. pic.twitter.com/tANKgib6Mm

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) May 15, 2014

Pushing play now on Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. #classicalbumtweets

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) May 15, 2014

"Second Hand News" just begs to be listened to in the sun while cracking open cold ones. #classicalbumtweets

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) May 15, 2014

I'm not afraid to admit that I was first familiar with "Second Hand News" through Kid Rock's "Wasting Time." Had a strange aversion to Mac.

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) May 15, 2014

Also, just assume that every song, my reaction is going to be "OMG, Lindsey Buckingham's guitar y'all." His picking is blissfully insane.

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) May 15, 2014

Classic Album Tweets: Jagged Little Pill

This month's choice for Classic Album Tweets was Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. You can always click here to check out past editions. I try to do them every 2nd Wednesday of the month.

Classic Album Tweets up soon Basically, I put on a well known album and tweet any insight I have on it as it plays. Jagged Little Pill 2nite
— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) April 10, 2014

It's about to go down in just a few. Jagged Little Pill will get the Classic Album Tweets treatment. pic.twitter.com/c8WQ7VB8rK

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) April 10, 2014

Just a little insight into my love for JLP: it was the first album I owned for myself. Most stuff I listened to was my stepsister's.

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) April 10, 2014

My best friend in grade school dubbed a copy on cassette for me. He was the only other black kid that watched MTV as much as I did.

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) April 10, 2014

Classic Album Tweets: Purple Rain

Once a month I'll take to Twitter and tweet about an older album that's widely popular with American audiences as I'm listening to it. For February I did The College Dropout and in March I took on Prince's Purple Rain.

Dearly beloved...we r gathered here today...2 live tweet Prince's Purple Rain soundtrack. #albumtweets pic.twitter.com/v14kTm8ldE

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) March 13, 2014

Basically how this thing goes is that on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, I'll play a classic album from my library and tweet about it.

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) March 13, 2014

Pushing play on Purple Rain now. #albumtweets

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) March 13, 2014

Almost forgot how angelic those opening chords on "Let's Go Crazy" were. You must hold your hand in the air. #albumtweets

— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) March 13, 2014

Classic Album Tweets: The College Dropout

As a lot of you may know, the 10 year anniversary of Kanye West's The College Dropout was this week. I had intended to write about it for my Ten Years Gone series, but ultimately I felt that I would have made the same points there for a future Kanye album I also considered worthy of a decade retrospective. With my desire to somehow acknowledge The College Dropout, I put the two ideas together by taking to Twitter last night and getting familiar with an old friend. Hopefully this will be a regular feature on Hectic But Eclectic.

I kinda wanted to write about College Dropout's 10 year anniversary, but decided to hold out for a future Ye album. So I'm live tweeting CD!
— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) February 11, 2014

Getting ready to put on The College Dropout and tweet about the experience. Yes, this copy is ten years old. pic.twitter.com/8EXiJuvcdp
— Ivan Mitchell (@hecticivan) February 12, 2014

Most Anticipated Albums of 2014

After plowing through my year-end lists, it's time to turn the focus onto what 2014 will bring. Along with albums that have confirmed release dates, I've also decided to include those that seem very likely to see the light of day this year. I feel that 2013 will go down as an extraordinary and very loaded year, but regardless, there's always something to look forward to as long you've got a healthy, adventurous love for music.


15. Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine
Long-awaited comebacks were in fashion last year (My Bloody Valentine, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake) and Cibo Matto looks to continue that trend with their first new album since 1999's Stereo * Type A. A lot has changed since then, but they now find themselves in a music landscape where their trippiness might be even more welcome.




14. Clipse's fourth album
What could possibly be bigger news than Pusha T rejoining his brother No Malice in the recording studio? The fact that Pharrell Williams AND Chad Hugo will be joining them. The output with these four men has always been strong and the potential for a classic is high.