10 after 6

"They're busting down the big wall and sounding the horn!" - M.I.A., Bucky Done Gun

I did this last year (complete with mp3s and itunes links and all that good stuff). I've been trying to get this together all week and now, at 1am on the 4th of July there is finally time.

The Top 10 albums from the first half of 2005. In Order.

1. Arular - M.I.A. I don't want to start talking about Arular by mentioning The Emancipation of Mimi but there's a debate raging in my ears. Arular is a live grenade. It is packed with politics and passion and power. M.I.A. rages on the dance floor. She marries innocence and confidence, awareness and arrogance. In her sing-songy UK rhyme style (a la Estelle and Ms. Dynamite) and Diplo's adventurous production, there is the embodiment of the current youth culture of our multicultural world. She's a worldwide sociopolitical dance party. Arular is where I go to riot and revolt all while doing the robot and the running man (and maybe a little Rerun but don't tell nobody)...

2. The Emancipation of Mimi - Mariah Carey. ...But I listen to Mariah more. And there lies the debate. Arular is likely to be the best of popular genre bending forward thinking music we see this year but The Emancipation of Mimi is a pop masterpiece. I want to genre-fy that but the reality of music right now is that the R&B and Hip Hop that is Mariah Carey's album is what pop music is right now. If Gwen Stefani can have a "crossover" hit with "Hollaback Girl" (which isn't really crossover as it is completely a hip hop Neptunes beat and Gwen is invoking her punk rap girl chops) and Mariah isn't making "rhyme break free" versions of her songs for radio anymore than I can leave the genres at the door. And I can put the best tracks of the album (which, as time goes on, includes just about everything except that sore thumb of a song with Nelly) on repeat again and sing along. "Circles" and "Joy Ride" and "Stay the Night" creep into my head all the time and let's not even talk about "We Belong Together" and its remix which, while currently ubiquitous, hasn't lost any of its lustre. Everytime she sings that second verse -- "wait a minute this is too deep" -- I get caught up. I have to take a breath. I rewind. "And then I hear babyface". Its one of those rare pop albums that feels both contemporary and timeless. I can see myself calling it up on my digital media marvel of the future and being transported. So, I'm left wondering...why is this #2?

3. Be - Common. I'm old in hip hop terms. At 30, I'm irrelevant to the equation. As I said last year with The Grind Date, I want my dad rap. I want my hip hop  -- and I do mean "my hip hop", your young-ass mileage may vary -- to grow with me. I love that Common makes love records. I love that Be is reflective instead of reflexive. I love "Testify". My god I love "Testify". I'm a little tired of the sped up soul sample kind of production but "Testify" is a showcase of how a tight, hot record can be created with just that one perfect sample and a banging drum beat. I love "The Corner" which is on the top of my list of 2005 singles. That generational connection in that song between The Last Poets and Common is something woefully lacking and underrepresented in our popular culture and it is refreshing. The Last Poets aren't trotted out as some revered war horses from a time gone by -- quaint but irrelevant. No, they are participants in the conversation. They are active in this world, this life, this community. I shouldn't be surprised by this on a common record. His father takes center stage on every album at least once but when I stop to think about it...that black male bond is so rarely seen. And neo-soul be damned, I'll take this kind of good dripping with classic soul hip hop any day.

4. Motown Remixed - Various Artists. Taking a page from Verve and Blue Note, Motown goes the remix album route with surprising success. They made some jams! The cast of DJs and producers they assembled do a great job of giving some really familiar tunes a very fresh look. Both Jackson 5 reworkings are hot but I'm particularly fond of the Martha Reeves' "Love is a a Heatwave" remix that might only be on the iTunes version of the album. Martha Reeves wasn't really on my radar before this album and now she's music I seek out. I think that's what these types of albums should really do. Not only showcase what these current knob turners can do with full access to some of the finest recorded music ever put to tape but to also find a fresh audience for forgotten stars. Motown is creepin' on a comeback I think.

5. The Woods - Sleater-Kinney. Who knew Sleater-Kinney would become maybe my favorite rock band in the world? I've already seen them twice in two different states this year. That seems ridiculous but Carrie, Corin and Janet rock in the truest sense of the word. The Woods doesn't surpass One Beat as my favorite S-K album but it does showcase their ample musical talents and their always improving vocal skills better than any album previous. The leap to Sub-Pop seems to have given them the freedom to spread out a bit. To take some risks and to challenge themselves as not just artists (genre defining artists) but as musicians. Carrie shines brightest this time out and its fresh and welcome. Are we at 10 years with S-K? It doesn't really seem possible but I guess even Riot Grrls grow up.

6. The Documentary - The Game. I'm surprised how much I like The Game's album. I tried to fight it but single after single would hit the radio and the tv and I'd find myself singing along and nodding my head. "Dreams" was the kicker and I succumbed. Its been worth it. The Timbaland produced joint, "Put You in the Game" is the sleeper on the album though. It's a reminder of why Timbo is the man.

7. Picaresque - The Decemberists. I don't listen to this album nearly enough. Maybe there's a certain mood I have to be in to be reminded of how beautifully solemn these songs are. Anytime one of these tracks comes through iTunes on the shuffle, though, I have to stop and listen to more. Now if only I could catch Colin and the boys live.

8. Room Noises - Eisley. Ah, the Dupree sisters. Odd, warbling, sweet indie pop goodness. I kind of love every song on Room Noises without really knowing which is which. That is either a testament to its goodness or my reasoning for having it appear so low on my list. You can decide.

9. Demon Days - Gorillaz. No explanation necessary. They make the list for "Dirty Harry" alone.

10. A Certain Trigger - Maximo Park. I don't own Bloc Party's Silent Alarm. My electroclash fix is coming from these art-rocky boys from Newcastle.

Comments

[Terecico]

Mariah before Common? Hmmmm, don't know about that one. But I can't argue with your 10 after 6, all outstanding.

[**RPM**]

What a great way to start my back to work Tuesday. You know, as much as I didn't want to go there with Mariah, I have to agree with you. It's crazy. And Common. At 32, you put it best. Him coming back in, was just the sweetest thing. "Testify" is one of my favorites as well, and I had to crack a smile when you suggested getting a little tired of the sped up soul tunes ala Kanye. Get outta my head with that, will you?

The Game is also a strong cd. You had some here I haven't been exposed to. So, after the grind is done - it will time to do some musical searching. Great post!

**RPM**

[**RPM**]

What a great way to start my back to work Tuesday. You know, as much as I didn't want to go there with Mariah, I have to agree with you. It's crazy. And Common. At 32, you put it best. Him coming back in, was just the sweetest thing. "Testify" is one of my favorites as well, and I had to crack a smile when you suggested getting a little tired of the sped up soul tunes ala Kanye. Get outta my head with that, will you?

The Game is also a strong cd. You had some here I haven't been exposed to. So, after the grind is done - it will time to do some musical searching. Great post!

**RPM**

[Hassan]

I'm with you up until Motown remixed. As far as remix cd's,... I feel as if it's aim was my (admittedly hip) father, as if they hadn't done their research on who is doing the buying of these cds.

The songs are good but almost none are great. I was looking for more to be like "Mary Jane". I have a feeling they regulated the creativity and because of that the album is very pedestrian. And as it winds down (with few exceptions) you could easily miss the songs that are on.

[Jason T.]

You might be right about Motown Remixed being too high on this list. I completely overlooked one of my favorite Hip hop CDs of this year, The Perceptionists' Black Dialogue. That's what i get for doing this in the wee hours of the morning. It probably should be in Motown Remixed's spot and Remixed would be dropped out of the top 5.

[Tom]

Sleater-Kinney's "Entertain" is a wonderful song, probably one of my favorite songs of the year, though it took 3 or 4 listenings for me to start to like it.

[METALFACE]

You're an old Common loving backpacker. Love songs?!?! The world doesn't need anymore love songs. LL Cool J's "I'm That Type of Guy" was the last true hip-hop love song.

Love. You gotta be kidding me. What about blowing ish up? Searing hate is what drives this world.

Plus, just cause Common stopped being dressed by Badu doesn't mean his ish is hot now. That Testify ish don't stand up to any of Mike Jones' new album. Atleast that's what I read on some other blog.

Common is just pure trash, man. I thought so well of you before.

What else do you have on your list? Mariah Carey? More effing love songs? We Belong Together. That just don't compare with that new Tiera Marie joint. She talking about real issues. Like how she wants her n*gga to smack her or something. Genius.

Hmmm. MIA? Oh god, you killing me. Y'all only like her cause she some good looking, model type chick, like Russel Simmons wife. Her music is ass.

I won't even speak on the rest of your list. Shows you have absolutely no taste. Negro, please. Gorillaz? I downloaded that trash. Took me something like 3 days on my 56k dialup. Listened to it and decided not to waste my 8x cdrs on that crap. They went to pop anyway with those Apple commercials. I don't even have an ipod. I have a Craig CD player I holding down with duct tape and bubble gum. (Don't hate) with no skip protection at all, so you think I'm gonna skip my way through that depressing Bush bashing drivel.

Who the eff is Sleater-Kinney, anyway. Is that some country music, like Charlie Pride or that hot rapping Cowboy?

I knew you were teh ghey when I saw Picaresque on your list.

Again, your list is absolute tash. Thanks for wasting 10 seconds of my valuable day. I was on my way to my P.O. and you made me late, jepordizing my continued freedom. To think, I didn't even get a chance to hit this Philly. Where are my Newports?

[Stephen]

I found Mariah Carey's latest quite refreshing but my man Common aka Common Sense aka Rasheed Lynn has been the truth in hip-hop since "Can I Borrow A Dollar".

From A Windy City Native