Eleven
Nigel Hall and DJ Harrison – The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire.
Just a whirlwind of goodness. Nigel honors the past and keeps the integrity of the EWF’s originals.
“Our hope is that the listener will use our renditions to research the originals and how amazing the world of EWF actually is. We are true believers in the fact that, if everyone started their day with at least one EWF song, the world would indeed be a better place.” – Nigel Hall on Grateful Web
I honestly think that goal works. Had me revisiting EWF originals and hopefully it will for you too.
Twelve
Tyler, the Creator – CHROMAKOPIA
Shhh, but could this possibly be Tyler’s best? The raw introspection with his stellar production is quite the combo.
Tyler’s mother guides him across Chromakopia, even if her voice notes often just summarize the content of the songs. The exception is the devastating “Like Him,” in which Tyler questions if he’ll end up just like his estranged father and his mom suggests the truth is more complicated. – Pitchfork Review
I think this one is going to linger. Be revisited. Get a couple of rebirths in the next year. And then we might rank it higher in his catalog than we originally expected.
Thirteen
pigbaby -i don’t care if anyone listens to this shit once you do
I don’t know what this is. A musical full confessional mental health letter? Spoken word folk? It can be hypnotizing. I couldn’t shake it. Every listen I learn something new and wonder what to do with it as a whole.
Fourteen
Arrested Development – Bullets in the Chamber
Arrested Development’s 1992 debut album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of…will chart high in my upcoming Top 100 of all time. This is just my opinion, but I always felt that album burdened them (like many artists) to revisit its greatness. I mean when you follow up that debut with an Unplugged album you know you are riding something special you don’t want to let go. If you know the artist at all you might surprised they have released fifteen albums!
But, back to this one. It is littered with beautiful rhythms, psychedelic soul, and hard truths. I think I thought their day had passed them by. And yet every listen had me fully in, captivated, hopeful, and glad. I will be spending more more time with this one.
Here is a classic from 1992.
Fifteen
Brittany Howard – What Now
I keep trying to hear Sound & Color (Alabama Shakes) on Brittany’s solo stuff. And when I don’t I get thrown off. This has been on and off my list all year. And whether she was aiming for it or not, this has Prince written all over it. And when I view it from that lens I get drawn in.