So now that we've officially finished off 2011, let's take a look at the best albums that the year had to offer.
1. Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Weather
After all the experimenting and soul searching Me'Shell has gone through on her prior albums, she finally found her way home. Me'Shell found herself, and it's not a glossy facade without a cloud in the sky. Me'Shell is smooth neo soul, in it's most human and beautifully flawed way possible. Sometimes her voice is fragile, sometimes bitter, sometimes sensual, but it's always Me'Shell. It's the voice of somebody that has gone through hard times and survived, trying to tear down the walls she built herself. Weather is coming to terms with yourself and the world. 'Hurt, are you foe or friend?', Me'Shell muses, accepting the cracks in the concrete and finding beauty where she never thought she would. It's the soundtrack of growing up, and in a way, it's a story of relief.
Notable tracks:
Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Weather
Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Petite Mort
2. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Raphael found his niche on The Way I See It, and on his latest album he's developed the sound even more. This time he's more old school rock'n'roll, with a big dose of funk, rather than the Motown sound he tried out last time. It's an interesting look at music history that sweeps you in and gives you a month's worth of finger-snapping, head-nodding Quality music. Raphael doesn't attempt to modernize or alter too much, why change a winning concept? He has talent enough to make it just right, both vocally and with production. The only thing better than this album when it comes to retro sounds is experiencing it live.
Raphael Saadiq - Radio
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
3. Gary Clark Jr. - The Bright Lights EP
You never realize how much you've missed Hendrix-type blues until you hear it again. It's almost like walking into an old friend, hearing Gary Clark Jr. playing the guitar with a rare sincerity. The slower tracks show off blues at it's finest, just plain human feelings spread out on a bed of good music for you to listen and relate to. Gary Clark Jr. touches without meaning to, there's something in his voice that makes you stop for a second and reflect. Never have four tracks said so much as they do on The Bright Lights EP.
Gary Clark Jr. - Don't Owe You A Thang
Gary Clark Jr. - When My Train Pulls In
4. Blitz The Ambassador - Native Sun
Native Sun is that rare kind of album that you can listen to in it's entirety, every time. Every song stands just as well alone as it does fitted into the tracklisting. We haven't seen hip hop like this in a while, matter of fact, have we ever seen it quite like this? I'ts conscious rap meeting Fela in a form of organized chaos that proves to be completely wonderful and right at home. There's a triumphant horn section, rhythmic drums and Afrocentric themes; Blitz have returned to his roots, and he's done it with live instrumentation. The featured artists are impressive too: Native Sun is visited by Les Nubians crooning in French, soulful Corneille (where's he been hiding anyway?) and skilled rapper Shad. But they never outshine the album itself. Native Sun is it's very own, welcoming you to a better world where hip hop is equal parts lyricism, instrumentation, roots, and personality.
Blitz The Ambassador - Free Your Mind
Blitz The Ambassador - Accra City Blues
5. The Roots - Undun
The Roots have never been this mature before. This is a completely new approach: a journey from birth to death told backwards through pieces of classical music and backpacker rap set to ?uestlove's drums. Black Thought is as introspective as ever, the instrumental moments are just beautiful, and the closer the it gets to the story's conclusion, the more honest it gets. There are one or two tracks fit for a more mainstream audience, but all in all it doesn't seem as if The Roots will get any airplay this time either. And something is telling me that they're pretty happy with being hailed as the almost famous kings of hip hop underground. If only they could ditch Greg Porn once in a while.
The Roots ft. Aaron Livingston - Sleep
The Roots - Finality (4th Movement)
6. Cunninlynguists - Oneirology
Kno is turning darker by the minute, and Oneirology might be the darkest Cunninlynguists have ever gone. As the producer of the three man team, he thrives when making concept albums. The more pulled together the theme is, the more dramatic he gets, and the production of Oneirology borders at sheer megalomania with it's dreamlike twists and turns. Deacon the Villain and Natti are holding the lyrics down as usual, and even though they have as broad a theme as dreams to play around with, they just can't help but bringing some of their trademark socially aware material on. The album makes a good job of capturing the complexity of our subconscious, and the eerie mood of the project pulls you down into the elusive world of oneirology: the study of dreams.
Cunninlynguists ft. Rick Warren - Stars Shine Brightest (In The Darkest of Night)
Cunninlynguists ft. Anna Wise - Darkness (Dream On)
7. Superstar Quamallah & DeQawn - Talkin' All That Jazz
Backpacker rapper Superstar Quamallah has hid well lately, but 2011 he came back, and he had newcomer DeQawn in tow. Their album Talkin' All That Jazz was... well, basically what it sounds like. It's an album that doesn't take itself too seriously, but still offers lots of entertaining word play, good beats, and the return of the Nation of Gods and Earths to rap. Inspirations are obvious; there are references to golden age New York hip hop like Tribe Called Quest and Slick Rick, and even '70s Soul group The Floaters. At their best they even bring Poor Righteous Teachers to mind. Yes, that nice.
Superstar Quamallah & DeQawn - Guerilla Tactics
Superstar Quamallah & DeQawn - Conversations
8. Akua Naru - The Journey Aflame
The newly arrived rapper's debut album is vibrating with warm energy and sensual in it's tone, but don't confuse her for just another hip hop sex kitten. Naru goes deeper than that, exploring both the block and the mind. Her rhymes are calm and methodic, distinctively feminine without conforming to the strict norms of being a female emcee. Strong women like Nina Simone, Toni Morrison and Lauryn Hill are referenced over intoxicating beats, and Naru even tries (and succeeds) with some spoken word over smooth jazz. The Journey Aflame is a beautiful, meditative and sensuous experience, made for late nights.
Akua Naru - Nag Champa
Akua Naru - The Ride
And now for some Honorable Mentions:
Blu & Exile - Give Me My Flowers While I Can Smell Them
Another step in the direction of sophisticated hip hop dressed up in hipsterish behavior. Some might argue that Blu is striving a little too far out of known hip hop territory, but the rapper's relaxed way of rhyming together with the laidback vibe of Exile's many soulsamples would hopefully be able to calm even the most mainstream-stressed hearts.
Blu & Exile - The Only One
Jesse Boykins III - Way of a Wayfarer
It's not only hip hop that decided to try and take a new approach to the craft lately. Jesse brings neo soul into the grey zones with his breezy mellow-vocals-over-trippy-beats style. Through adding electronic producers like Gold Panda the songs get a dreamy feeling, and that is where Jesse thrives the most. While some of his songs slide over a bit too much to the electro side, most of the EP manages to balance the influences in a fresh way.
Jesse Boykins III - Back Home (Mermaids & Dragons)
King - The Story EP
The silky-voiced trio are only one short EP into the game, but are already approved by Prince (yes, that Prince). Together, KING have developed a very warm and harmonious type of Neo Soul. It was enough to convince The Artist, and more than enough to have us mere mortals fiending for more.
King - Hey
Ocote Soul Sounds - Taurus
Let's throw in some instrumental latin jazz mixed with afrobeat. Ocote Soul Sounds lends rhythms from both funk and rock, and ultimately soaks it in flavorful modernized salsa. It's an interesting mix, and makes for a lively album that is slickly pulled together into a 50 minute fusion jam session. Taurus is the best album of Ocote Soul Sounds to date, and hopefully they'll continue along this way (even though it would be interesting to see what they'd do to some Middle Eastern tunes).
Ocote Soul Sounds - Cumbia La Magdalena
Lenny Kravitz - Black And White America
To be honest, this is only here because of tracks Liquid Jesus and Superlove. It's baby-making soul slipping over into the Bee Gees era. Does it sound scary? Might be, but you won't be able to stop humming.
