VSN 2013 Albums of the Year Lists/Discussion Thread

[mgoblue2290]

I was a Gambino hater up until this album but I enjoyed it as an experience with the whole screenplay/video thing that supplemented it. His rapping skills are still below average but he made up for it with the production and storytelling.

The second half of the James Blake album is poor. If it was on par with the first half it would have easily been in my Top 10.

I actually prefer when he just shows off his lyrical ability. This new album is like some wannabe Drake/Frank Ocean stuff.

 

[NAHSTE]

This new album is like some wannabe Drake/Frank Ocean stuff.

I find myself unable to listen to any song by Gambino without thinking it's derivative of another artist. Kanye, Drake, whoever. It always sounds like he's doing an impression.

Which doesn't surprise me given his whole MO, according to himself in interviews, is to do whatever is most likely to be popular.

 

[Woy]

Blog post will come this week, but here's my list. (Sorry I'm late.)

HONORABLE MENTION (In no order)
Anxiety - Autre Ne Veut
Old - Danny Brown
Born Sinner - J. Cole
Overgrown - James Blake
Sail Out EP - Jhene Aiko
Watching Movies With The Sound Off - Mac Miller
PARTYNEXTDOOR - PARTYNEXTDOOR
My Name Is My Name - Pusha T
Blue Chips 2 - Action Bronson & Party Supplies
The 20/20 Experience, Part 2 - Justin Timberlake
The Electric Lady - Janelle Monae
Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels
Wolf - Tyler, The Creator

10. Acid Rap - Chance The Rapper (“Lost” ft. Noname Gypsy, “Cocoa Butter Kisses” ft. Vic Mensa & Twista, “Favorite Song” ft. Childish Gambino)
9. Nothing Was The Same - Drake (“From Time” ft. Jhene Aiko, “Wu-Tang Forever”, “Hold On, We’re Going Home” ft. Majid Jordan)
8. Substance Abuse - Charles Hamilton (“The Desired Answer (Say Yes)”, “Press C”, “Return to Sender”)
7. Where Does This Door Go - Mayer Hawthorne (“Back Seat Lover”, “Her Favorite Song”, “Crime” ft. Kendrick Lamar)
6. Because The Internet - Childish Gambino (“Telegraph Ave. (“Oakland by Lloyd”)”, “The Worst Guys” ft. Chance The Rapper, “Flight of the Navigator”)
5. Love In The Future - John Legend (“All of Me”, “You & I (Nobody in the World)”, “Who Do We Think We Are” ft. Rick Ross)
4. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk (“Instant Crush” ft. Julian Casablancas, “Get Lucky” ft. Pharrell, “Fragments of Time” ft. Todd Williams)
3. Flying Colours - Shad (“Love Means” ft. Eternia, “He Say She Say”, “Progress (Part 1 American Pie, Part 2 The Future is Here)”)
2. The 20/20 Experience, Part 1 - Justin Timberlake (“Mirrors”, “Pusha Love Girl”, “Blue Ocean Floor”)
1. Southeastern - Jason Isbell (“Elephant”, “Flying Over Water”, “New South Wales”)

 

[Pitty]

Getting ready to post mine during a slow day of work, is it me, or does Woy's list and HM look like they should be switched?

 

[calgaryballer]

Lots of ones I'd agree with in here. This is one I didn't see that I Really liked

 

[calgaryballer]

Another, only an EP but I enjoyed it

 

[NAHSTE]

Better late than never, Happy New Year, fucksticks.

10. "The 20/20 Experience, Volume 1" by Justin Timberlake
9. "Old" by Danny Brown
8. "Dynamics" by Holy Ghost!
7. "Waking on a Pretty Daze" by Kurt Vile
6. "Run the Jewels" by Run the Jewels
5. "The Bones of What You Believe" by CHVRCHES
4. "AM" by Arctic Monkeys
3. "Pure Heroine" by Lorde
2. "Modern Vampires of the City" by Vampire Weekend
1. "Southeastern" by Jason Isbell

 

[Anthony]

Ahem....

 

[Aso]

I thought Hopsin's Knock Madness was pretty damn good.

 

[Golden Taters]

Started listening to some of these listed that I haven't heard. Played about half of Kurt Vile's album and I'm not sure what I think of it yet. Not really sold on the vocals but the music so far is solid.

 

[dell71]

Listened to a few mentioned in this thread.



I really liked Lorde and Childish Gambino. Lorde is a terrific writer. I found myself listening it to it twice in a row trying to pick up on everything she's got going on. Gambino is also an excellent writer and a free spirit. In most songs, it seems like at some point he just says "fuck it, I'm gonna do something different right now" and it works.

Also liked Ghostface's album and Pusha T's, both gave me that 90s hip hop feel. Ghost is still one of the most dense lyricists ever, hard to always make sense of (on purpose, usually), in a good way. Pusha just gives off that raw, thugged out feel. Sure, he's probably exaggerating his street legacy to ridiculous levels but he manages to have a little more depth than you might think.

I liked but didn't love Em's album. He is still a fantastic lyricists, and "Rap God" is just amazing, but he either reverts back to his old stand-by topics too often or makes blatant reaches for radio.

I had pretty much the same reaction to Jay-Z's album. Some really good stuff but some too obviously commercial. Another problem, Jay was once a solid 70-30 split personality with the bigger part being the deep insightful side. It's been slowly switching over the years and now seems to be completely reversed, or worse (20-80 even), with his shallow, brand-name shouting, pop-culture referencing side taking up the lion's share. Still some good stuff, just not much that sticks.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Late comer to the party...

 

[NAHSTE]

So 5 months later I'm still playing the Chvrches album non-stop. Less so for anything else that made my list.

Retroactively moving them to #1.

:boom:

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Late comer to the party...

If you ain't jammin to J Roddy...we ain't friends.