Year End Favorite Albums: 2014

2014 really brought the conversation of cultural appropriation to the forefront in music with the breakout year for Iggy Azalea and Sam Smith, who have both found tremendous success with Black sounds on the charts. While Iggy commanded the single's chart and Sam broke ground on both the Hot 100 and Top 200 Album charts, D'Angelo made a much welcomed return with arguably the best album of the year, if not the past few while K. Michelle continued to grow her fanbase with a sublime sophomore effort and Ledisi continues to pump out solid and thoughtful material.

While a lot of great records were released within 2014, these 5, ok 6, as well as the honorable mentions stood out to me as some of the best vocal, sonic, and lyrical work to debut this year. The list is not numerical in order of "most favorite" as the field this year was so tight and definitely offered a variety of great albums depending on your mood. Some artists had strong comebacks this year (D'Angelo; Mary J. Blige), others were brought more into the mainstream with solid efforts (Ledisi; K. Michelle), and two superstar were overlooked with stunning sets that is some of their best work in years in my opinion (Mariah Carey; Whitney Houston). Peep the list below and in addition to several honorable mentions.

Year End Favorite Albums: 2013

2013 appeared to be a year or resurgence when it came to soulful sounds on the charts. While is has been noted that not a single Black artist topped the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist during 2013, even though soulful sounds were clearly making a comeback and topping the charts (see Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, Macklemore, etc.), that didn't mean that great music from Black artists didn't hit the airwaves and the charts.

While a lot of great records were released within 2013, these 5, ok 6, as well as the honorable mentions stood out to me as some of the best vocal, sonic, and lyrical work to debut this year. The list is not numerical in order of "most favorite" as the field this year was so tight and definitely offered a variety of great albums depending on your mood. Some artists had strong comebacks this year (Tamar Braxton; Fantasia; some would argue Beyoncé), others were brought more into the mainstream with solid debuts (Laura Mvula, K. Michelle), and one artist "reintroduced" herself with a blaring empowered LP that warrants further attention as we enter into 2014 (Janelle Monáe). Peep the list below and in addition to several honorable mentions.

Year End Favorite Albums: 2012

Below you will find a brief outline of my top 5 albums to drop this past year. While a lot of great records were released within 2012, these 5 as well as the honorable mentions stood out to me as some of the best vocal, sonic, and lyrical work to debut this year. The list is not numerical in order of "most favorite" as the field this year was so tight and definitely offered a variety of great albums depending on your mood. Some artists had strong comebacks this year (Brandy; Alicia Keys), others were brought more into the mainstream with solid debuts (Emeli Sandé; Frank Ocean), and one cat "reintroduced" himself with a hot mixtape that snowballed into a solid sophomore LP (Miguel).  Peep the list below and in addition to several honorable mentions.

1.  Our Version of Events - Emeli Sandé

2012 brought with it the introduction of some great new artists to the mainstream and while I had been rocking with Emeli Sandé since 2011 with her sublime joint "Daddy," her debut album Our Version of Events saw her explode in the UK becoming the best-selling debut album of 2012 and making some waves here in the US as well. While she didn't pick up a lot of traction here in the States yet (chart success, Grammy nominations, mainstream radio play), her debut put forth a solid collective of songs that made this such an enjoyable album to listen to from start to finish. Some standouts in my book include "Heaven," "My Kind of Love," "Wonder," "Mountains," "Clown," "Daddy" of course, " "Maybe" and the thumping "Next to Me." As you can tell, I listed more than half of the joints featured on Sandé sublime debut and it really is worth checking out as she is not just an accomplished singer, but also a songwriter as she co-wrote her entire album as well as several tracks on Alicia Keys' Girl On Fire and Rihanna's Unapologetic.

2. Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys

Speaking of Alicia Keys, 2012 saw the release of her "comeback" fifth studio LP after taking a mini-musical break to have her first child Egypt. While I did not really feel her fourth album The Element of Freedom, Keys brought it back to the basics a bit with her latest release. Openly not fan of the title-track or "New Day," if you skip these two songs (which happen to be back-to-back on the album), you have a complete album that is up there with her best effort Songs in A Minor. The Emeli Sandé co-written "Brand New Me, "Not Even The King," and "101" are some of the real standouts from her LP which even saw her collaborate with Maxwell and Gary Clark Jr. on the grown and sexy fire of a cut "Fire We Make" and my personal favorite "When It's All Over," which features her son Egypt at the end. "Listen To Your Heart" is also a solid mid-tempo banger which has single potential written all over it. While Keys' lead single and "New Day" originally turned me off from the album, I was pleasantly surprised to find an album worthy of her immense musical and vocal talents that are still shinning over a decade since her debut LP.

3. Two Eleven - Brandy

Brandy had a true comeback in 2012 with her Chris Brown assisted single "Put It Down" becoming the biggest hit of her career since her joint "Full Moon."  While Brandy's sixth album Two Eleven was a welcomed commercial return since the release of 2008's commercial failure Human, it also marked an album that successfully combined Brandy's classic 90s sound with some more contemporary sonic discourse. Though "Wildest Dreams" seems to of stalled on radio and the charts and Brandy is busy selecting the upcoming third single to be lifted from Two Eleven, the album as a whole followed perfectly well that it is one of a few albums that were released in 2012 that I can listen to all the way through. Other standouts in my book include "So Sick," "Slower," "No Such Thing As Too Late." "Let Me Go," "Without You," the background vocal blowing "Hardly Breathing," should be next single "Do You Know What You Have," the Frank Ocean penned "Scared Of Beautiful," and "Paint This House." As you can tell, Brandy really work her behind off on this LP and the culmination of this work was one of the best R&B albums of 2012 hands down and also one of the most slept on releases in my book. Hopefully 2013 will find more commercial appeal to Two Eleven as it really has the musical gas to go for the next 12 months.

4. channel ORANGE - Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean made a huge splash last year with his mixtape "nostalgia, ULTRA" and expectations were high for his debut album and Frank delivered with channel ORANGE. Topping many best of lists and securing him a nominations for Album of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards, Frank Ocean's debut album push both sonic and ideological boundaries as he stayed true to himself and put out arguably one the best album of the year. Singles "Thinkin Bout You" and "Pyramids" are just two of the numerous standouts that include "Sweet Life," "Super Rich Kids," "Crack Rock," and the poignant "Bad Religion" and "Forrest Gump." There is really not that much that one can say about this album that hasn't already been said, but his critically acclaimed LP, which will hopefully find more commercial appeal after the Grammys is the clear standout of 2012 that people will be listening to years after we ring in the new year at midnight tonight.

5. Kaleidoscope Dream - Miguel

Miguel burst onto the scene at the end of 2010 with his solid debut LP All I Want Is You, and his appeal was very much rooted on the R&B charts with his hit singles "All I Want Is You," "Sure Thing" and "Quickie." With that siad, 2011 saw him build himself as an artist and 2012 has really been a breakout year for Miguel with the release of his sophomore LP Kaleidoscope Dream and his #1 hit "Adorn," which even secured him a Grammy nominations for Song of the Year. Though he was shut out of the Grammys this past year, Kaleidoscope Dream nabbed him 4 Grammy nominations for the pending ceremony. Kaleidoscope Dream has some really brilliant moments for me, but suffers a bit from its lack of cohesion in my book and is an album that I find myself skipping several tracks to get to the bangers. "Adorn," second single "Do You...," the title-track "Kaleidoscope Dream," and 'ad-libbed' "Pussy Be Mine" are the clear standouts from his solid sophomore LP.


Honorable Mentions:

Perfectly Imperfect - Elle Varner

Beautiful Surprise - Tamia

I Will Always Love You: The Best Of Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston

Landing On A Hundred - Cody ChesnuTT

Greater Than One - Dwele

Black Radio - Robert Glasper Experiment

Is Your Love Big Enough? - Lianne La Havas

True - Solange

Superconductor - Andy Allo

The After 2am Sessions LP - Ahmed Sirour 

Devotion - Jessie Ware

Heaven - Rebecca Ferguson

Year End Favorite Albums: 2011

Below you will find a brief outline of my top 5 albums to drop this past year. While a lot of great records were released within 2011, these 5 as well as the honorable mentions stood out to me as some of the best vocal, sonic, and lyrical work to debut this year. The list is not numerical in order of "most favorite" as the field this year was so tight and definitely offered a variety of great albums depending on your mood. 2011 was also the year for the ladies in my book as my top 5 is occupied by 5 sublime releases from some phenomenal female vocalists.  Peep the list below and Enjoy!

1. "21" - Adele

While other artists attempted to stake claims to 2011 and there were many, Adele came out of what seemed like nowhere to the mainstream public to seize the day with her sublime sophomore effort "21". From the lead single and first song on the effort "Rolling In The Deep," to the last track and second single "Someone Like You," "21" played like a true body of work and not a copy and paste job that is too often done during this era of singles fame. In addition to Adele's two chart-toppers, "Rumour Has It," "Set Fire To The Rain," "Don't You Remember," "Turning Tables," and "One and Only" are other standouts from the effort and the unmentioned songs are also great additions to her growing discography.  In addition to offering up some of the best music of the year, Adele's "21" is also the best selling album of the year surpassing 15 million units sold around the world and counting!

2. "The Light of The Sun" - Jill Scott

It had been a minute since Jill Scott released a body of work (2007's "The Real Thing: Words & Sounds Vol. 3") and lord knows I was craving some new material from my girl Jilly from Philly as she always delivers vocally and lyrically with her efforts. Possessing one of the best pens in the game, Jill Scott certainly delivered with 2011's "The Light of The Sun" from the thumping buzz single "Shame" to the highly emotional torch ballad (and one of 2011's best) "Hear My Call." Jill as in all of her records had something for everyone and has the unique ability to craft a sonic masterpiece that appeals to different aspects of music while maintaining her vocal and lyrical integrity. Other standouts from the record for me include "Blessed," "Le BOOM Vent Suite," "Making You Wait," "Missing You," "When I Wake Up,"  her Anthony Hamilton assisted "So In Love" and clearly "So Gone (What My Mind Says) ." Essentially the whole album is diesel and is one of those bodies of work that can and should be listened to in a continuous loop.

3. "Pieces Of Me" - Ledisi

Ledisi always delivers in my book and just when you think you've figured out what Ledisi is all about sonically, she drops another tightly crafted album that explores other vocal and musical aspects of her music. 2011's "Pieces Of Me" is no different and while I wasn't expecting a new album from Led until 2012, partly due to me still rocking with 2009's "Turn Me Loose," I am always glad to get a fresh new album from Ledisi because she always brings it vocally and lyrically for me. With that said, the whole album is a sonic masterpiece in my book and I will be highly surprised if she doesn't snag at least one of her 3 Grammy Award nominations for this album. From the title track and lead single "Pieces Of Me" to the final official track "I Gotta Get To You," the album plays seamlessly and the various bonus tracks are just an added treat to this musical feast. "So Into You," "Bravo," "Stay Together," "Coffee," "Hate Me,"  "Shut Up," "Shine," and the John Legend written cut "I Miss You Now" are all favorites and have all been and still are in heavy rotation in numerous playlists of mine.  Honestly you can never go wrong with a Ledisi album because with a voice like hers you can do no wrong.

4.  "4" - Beyonce

It takes a lot of guts to change up your sonic approach to music while at the top of your game and Beyonce's "4" definitely took the charge with this one moving away from her urban pop club ready hits to more of an artistic album that offers up her best vocal and lyrical effort to date in my opinion. Opening up with the power ballad "1+1," Beyonce offers up her most raw and emotional vocal performance that rates as one of, if not her best vocal recording thus far. In addition to "1+1," Beyonce charges in new sonic directions with the alternative "I Miss You," Motown throwback "Love On Top," and Fela inspired "End of Time." In addition to these exciting new sonic charges, Beyonce even gives fans some throwback R&B love on the Andree 3000 assisted "Party" and Boyz II Men sampled "Countdown." Though not her most commercially successful effort, it's her most artistic and critically acclaimed album to date and I think she is helping lead the charge in refreshing R&B music, which has seen a decline in recent years. B's "4" is definitely a sublime record and hopefully fans of the diva's early work will get hip to her best work to date because you can tell she truly put a lot of effort into crafting such a powerful album.

5. "Late Nights & Early Mornings" - Marsha Ambrosius

Though "Late Nights & Early Mornings" was thought to of been scheduled for a late 2010 release, fans of the former Floetry songstress were finally treated to her sublime solo debut in March. Propelled by the lyrically and vocally phenomenal Grammy nominated "Far Away," Marsha proved that she just isn't a classic songwriter for the likes of Michael Jackson, but that she saved some of those gems for her own solo debut. Even Marsha's highly underrated lead single ""Hope She Cheats On You (With A Basketball Player)" was a great addition to radio and her Kim Kardashian reference proved to be even more poignant as 2011 comes to a close. Other highlights from this body of work include "With You," "Your Hands," the title track "Late Nights & Early Mornings," "Anticipation" and the Lauryn Hill penned "Lose Myself." Offering up one of the greatest lyrical minds in the game paired with an amazing vocalist, Marsha Ambrosius' "Late Nights & Early Mornings" is a great debut solo album that truly matched both of her sublime gifts.



Honorable Mentions 

Amy Winehouse - "Lioness: Hidden Treasures"
Anthony David - "As Above So Below"
Anthony Hamilton - "Back To Love"
Eric Roberson - "Mister Nice Guy"
Frank Ocean - "nostalgia, ULTRA"
Jessie J - "Who You Are"
Jill Scott - "Hidden Beach presents The Original Jill Scott From The Vault Vol 1."
Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger"
Kindred the Family Soul  - "Love Has No Recession"
Lalah Hathaway - "Where It All Begins"

Year End Favorite Albums:

Here are my top 5 favorite albums for 2010. While many releases came out with regards to Soul music, the following 5 were my favorites.

1.  "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye West

While hip-hop has become a component within soul music with the emergence of neo-soul which often combines a hip-hop backbeats, there has never been a mainstream rap album that truly crossed the lines into soul music in my opinion. While many artists sample soul music songs, few rappers grasp the essence of soul music as Kanye West has on his latest album. Standout tracks include "Runway", "Blame Game", "Lost In The World", and "All Of The Lights".

2. "New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh)" - Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu shocked the world with the video for her first single "Window Seat", where she strips to her birthday suit.  New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) though is a standout which pits Badu back to her neo-soul roots. Personal favorites include "20 Feet Tall", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", and the amazing "Out My Mind, Just In Time".

3. "Back To Me" - Fantasia

In an industry seemingly full of pretenders and imitators, Fantasia stands alone as a unique singer who wears her heart and soul on her sleeve. On her third album, Fantasia shows growth as both and artist and a vocalist. While a strong album in it's own right and well deserving of the Best R&B Album Grammy in 2011, one can hope that Fantasia will continue her artistic and vocal grown into the creation of more classic material more inline with her unparalleled voice. Lead single "Bittersweet" is one of a number of standouts including the retro "Collard Greens & Cornbread",  "I'm Doin Me",  "The Worst Part Is Over", and "The Thrill Is Gone" featuring Cee-Lo Green.

4. "Soldier Of Love" - Sade

2010 brought the comeback of smooth soul legend Sade. With the release of Soldier Of Love, which was Sade's first release in 10 years the group proved that beyond a doubt they have staying power. While Sade doesn't stray from her original sound, their music is more then welcome in an era where lyrics, vocal ability, and composition have taken a backseat to image, auto-tunes,  and catchy hooks. Standouts include the title track "Soldier of Love,  my personal favorite "The Moon and the Sky",  and "Babyfather". Here's hoping that it won't take another 10 years for more new music from Sade.

TIE

5. "Love Letter" - R. Kelly

2010 was just not a comeback year for Sade but also for R. Kelly. His studio album "Lover Letter" reestablished R. Kelly at the top of his game and showed both fans and critics why they were enamored with him in the first place. His retro record, showcased Kelly's unmatched vocals and his amazing songwriting skills. Standouts include single "When A Woman Loves",  "Love Letter", "Lost In Your Love", and "Love Is" featuring K. Michelle.

5.  "The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)"  - Janelle Monáe

Janelle's debut studio album offered her more buzz, exposure, and acclaim that her debut EP started back in 2007. Standout tracks include the first single "Tightrope", "Cold War", and my personal favorite "BabopbyeYa". 


Honorable Mention 


"Love Me Back" - Jazmine Sullivan
"Intimacy: Album III" Kem
"The Lady Killer" - Cee-Lo Green
"Let Freedom Reign" - Chrisette Michele 
"Lost In Time" - Eric Benet
"Wake Up!" - John Legend and The Roots

Year End Favorite Albums: 2009 Top 5

Here are my favorite 5 Albums from 2009 in order.

1. Turn Me Loose - Ledisi


Since Ledisi's 2000 debut Soulsinger, she's been releasing a catalog of solid albums. This year, she added Turn Me Loose to her tremendous discography. Take a pick from any of the tracks and you're bound to discover just what is so special about Ledisi. This cross genre mix was a breath of fresh air into the 2009 music scene. Favorites include: Turn Me Loose, Higher Than This, Alone, Please Stay, Say No, Goin' Thru Changes, I Need Love, The Answer to Why, and the amazing Buddy Miles cover Them Changes. All and All you can listen to this album straight through without a skip... as one can see by my list of favorites, it's almost the whole album!

2. BLACKsummers'night - Maxwell


In a time where true male vocalists are hard to find, Maxwell came back in 2009 with this solid set that re-solidified his place in neo-soul. Charged with his monster classic hit Pretty Wings, Maxwell road his first of his trilogy to a very triumphant high note. Favorites include: Pretty Wings, Bad Habits, Stop the World, and Help Somebody. While the disk clocks in under 40 minutes, Maxwell gives his listeners a taste of what is coming in 2010 and 2011.

3. The Bridge - Melanie Fiona


While album delays hurt the commercial success that this album could've seen, Melanie Fiona released a very strong 60s/70s Motown flavored debut that has carried her into several Grammy nominations and will have people talking about her well into 2010. Marked by her powerfull ballad It Kills Me, Fiona proves that she is not just a pretty face but is a singer with strong vocals reminiscent of Motown's past. Favorites include: Give It to Me Right, Bang Bang, Please Don't Go (Cry Baby), and It Kills Me

4. Epiphany - Chrisette Michele


An album helmed by R&B hit maker Ne-Yo moves Chrisette Michele from her old-school throwback sound to a more contemporary sound. While many critics and some fans had issue with the more contemporary flavor, I feel as though Chrisette Michele is embracing her generation more and with her instantly recognizable voice, Chrisette Michele adds depth to many of these songs. Favorites include: Notebook, I'm Okay, Another One, Playin' Our Song, All I Ever Think About, and her heart wrenching album highlight Blame It On Me.

5. I Look To You - Whitney Houston


Say what you will about her voice, but Whitney Houston's 2009 album was the most talked about comeback in 2009. Though "The Voice" might not be back yet, Whitney proves on this album why people love her. A good lyric, a great melody, and a voice that only Whitney processes gives listeners a taste of the old Whitney material that they crave. Favorites include: Million Dollar Bill, Call You Tonight, I Look To You, and I Didn't Know My Own Strength.