BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH - A HEAP OF BROKEN IMAGES (Dirty Loop)
Two discs in one album? Each containing entirely different musical approaches? And the both work?!? Yeah, for real. Kingston and Young God present two sides of the coin. Disc one is some of the nicest instrumental music I’ve ever painted to, and disc two is straight-up hip-hop, built around the guest MCs appearing on each track. Think I’m kidding? Just listen to how good Guru and Chief Kamachi sound on “Floor Chalk (Best Reprise)”.
FLOGGING MOLLY - WHISKEY ON A SUNDAY CD/DVD (SideOneDummy)
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a band documentary as perfect as this one. It somehow manages to capture their love and passion for what they do, their onstage energy, their genuine appreciation for all their good fortune, and the fact that they’re some of the nicest human beings you’ll ever meet. All of this is told by the members themselves, remembering each and every step that led to the unrivaled musical experience that is Flogging Molly. The accompanying CD includes an unreleased track, acoustic versions of classic F.M. tunes, and a handful of live cuts well worth the price of the package alone.
J DILLA - THE SHINING (BBE)
It’s a fucking shame that he can’t be here to see how well his new album’s gonna be received. He was one of the greatest producers. Not just in hip-hop, but in music. And even though he isn’t around anymore, it’ll be years before someone else puts out an album this subtle, clever and eloquent.
LUPE FIASCO - TOUCH THE SKY (Mix Unit Records)
“Kick, Push” has been in rotation for so long now, Lupe could probably never even realease his once-leaked record, and still be regarded as someone to watch out for. But until his label stops being a bunch of cunts and puts out a product for us to buy, this’ll more than do. (Now if only he had magic powers to make mixtape DJs stop shouting over the fucking tracks...)
PSALM ONE - THE DEATH OF FREQUENT FLYER (Rhymesayers)
Dick-smack anyone who refers to Psalm One as a FEMALE MC. ‘Cause unless you plan on putting “male” before every mention you make of Kanye, Biggie, or Bid Daddy Kane, you need to show the same level of respect. The Death of Frequent Flyer has some really raw, cold tracks that prove that, when in her hands, the mic can still be used to tell a good story.
WADE WATERS - RETURN OF THE KINGS MIXTAPE (Wandering Soul/Hazmatic)
This is a hip-hop Voltron made up of equal parts Haysoos and SoulStice. And since I think SoulStice is one of the best hip-hop artists out there, I got nothing but love for this.
VARIOUS ARTISTS - SNAKES ON A PLANE SOUNDTRACK (New Line Records)
To be honest, this could have been a CD full of goldfish farting, and I still would have loved it. It’s the soundtrack to SNAKES ON A MOTHERFUCKING PLANE!!! By law, you have to bask in its awesomeness. But damn if they didn’t load this up with good music. Sure, most of it’s remixes, but the most notable original track, courtesy of supergroup Cobra Starship (featuring members of The Academy Is..., Gym Class Heroes, and The Sounds) makes having to face a bunch of deadly motherfucking snakes at 30,000 feet a lot easier to do.
WALE OYEJIDE - AFRICA HOT! THE AFROFUTURE SESSIONS (Shaman Work Recordings)
One Day, Everything Changed was one of the most brilliant, perfect albums ever recorded. If you don’t have it yet, get it. It’s as personal a record as you’ll hear. And until Wale can finish his next four-course morsel, he offers up this mix CD of afrobeat-heavy cuts, remixes and other assorted goodies. Fela would not be disappointed.