While it has been a gradual process, 2008 was most different from preceding with the volume of free albums/mixtapes, or simple EP releases. Depending on the artist, this was already a well-used distribution method. This change continues question defining what makes the year's defining album.
Albums of the Year
1. Q-Tip, "The Renaissance" - The first one is easy, it's the rest of the ordered list where I have to pretend to rank things.
2. The Clipse / Re-Up Gang, "We Got It For Cheap volume 3" & "Road To Till The Casket Drops" - Sometimes the prelude to the album is greater than the album itself, or in this case the Re-Up Gang album was just a second rate reproduction of the mixtape.
3. Film Skool Rejekts, "Workprint: The EP" - Subtitled as the greatest mixtape ever it constitutes enough content and originality to be the official release. Still haven't checked out "Midnight Movie", hope that if I had it'd be place alongside right here.
4. Marc Collin, "Hollywood, Mon Amour" - I'm a sucker for these, beyond Nouvelle Vague, Marc Collin had me listening to (and enjoying songs) that I refused to listen to on the grounds that... I'm stubborn and elitist? Finally I'm not on the outside when hearing "Flashdance" or "Footloose", even though I'm sure I'll still act like it.
5. Santogold, "Santogold" - Even though this album just compiles "I Believe In Santogold" with this year's tracks, it kept her relevant to the onset of popularity. Best to make a playlist with the original versions integrated with the second half of the album to maintain integrity.
6. Roots Manuva, "Slime & Reason" - Reverting to bashment sounds becomes a more uplifting album, not topping "Awfully Deep" but his hiatus granted him a welcome return.
7. Erykah Badu, "New Amerykah Part One" - I was worried when I first listened to it, because the farther I got in, the more and more it sounded like a love letter to me. Months later Ice Cube reproduced that feeling (pause). But Erykah has the elements there, if only she stuck to her plan of have four-five releases this year.
8. Monkey, "Journey To The West" - Survives through my curiosity and the diversity of it's representation. Wish that the sound was more in-line with the promotional video (Monkey Bee), but wouldn't become bored with it until I see it live, take it all in.
9. Cadence Weapon, "Afterparty Babies" - Can't forget the January release that strengthens the Canadian hip-hop identity while everyone else is in denial.
10. Tricky, "Knowle West Boy" - Every time he takes a different direction with his music, he's still directing it.
Cannot rank Beck, "Modern Guilt", otherwise Ryan wins.
Songs of the Year
1. "Sister Morphine" Little Vic
2. "Drivin' Down The Block (remix)" Kidz In The Hall
3. "I Will Possess Your Heart" Death Cab For Cutie
4. "L.E.S. Artistes" Santogold
5. "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" Gnarls Barkley
6. "Posers" New Royales ft Jay Electronica
7. "Lovecraft In Brooklyn" The Mountain Goats
8. "Mathemagical" Slow Hand Motem
9. "Royal Flush" Big Boi ft Raekwon and Andre3000
10. "The Dino 5 Theme" The Dino 5
11. "The Sun" Mr. Lif
12. "Winter"/"Undeclared" The Dodos
13. "Whatever You Like" T.I. / Weird Al*
14. "Nrrrd Grrrl" MC Chris
15. "I'll Be In The Sky" B.o.B
16. "Lies" Black Keys
17. "Crazy World" Young Jeezy
18. "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" Ice Cube
19. "Don't Touch Me (Throw Da Water On Em) [remix]" Busta Rhymes
20. "Queens Gets the Money" Nas
And Cat Power covered the Hot Boyz.
*I prefer T.I.'s "A Better Day", but a Weird Al parody trumps a non-album track that I don't even know what happened to.
Show of the Year:
Galactic featuring Boots Riley of the Coup
April 10th at Lees Palace
Apologies to Black Milk, Producer of the Year:
Danger Mouse - after all his producer credits, I can finally listen and identify, "hey, that's that Danger Mouse sound." See, Beck's "Modern Guilt", The Black Keys "Attack and Release", Gnarls Barkley's "The Odd Couple", and Martina Topley-Bird's "The Blue God"
Invented the Remix 2008:
AmpLive; "Rainy Dayz EP (2007)" (Radiohead), "Baskervilles" (Tokyo Police Club)
In Anticipation Of 2009: John Frusciante, NASA, Cage, Mr. Lif, Illogic
and of course, 50 Cent's "Before I Self Destruct"
... and trying to still care: MF Doom's "Born Into This", Raekwon's "OB4CL 2"
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