| the single life: issue nineteen |

// Chris Brown - Talk Ya Ear Off //

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It's been a while since I've heard Timbaland turn out a beat as nice as this - it sounds like a Justin Timberlake  FutureSex-era production. This time, though, the benefiary of Timbo's handiwork is none other than Chris Brown. Built on some creative Timbaland beatboxing, "Talk Ya Ear Off" is definitely club-friendly without sounding too canned. Brown is chameleon-like, putting his own flair on the verses while channelling a little bit of JT on the chorus. He even attempts - albeit questionably - a little Michael Jackson during the break. All in all, it's a solid toe-tapper that'll make a fine addition to any R&B dance playlist.

// The Pains of Being Pure at Heart  - Belong //

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Contender for Top 50 of 2011 alert. Easily one of the most hyped releases so far this year, The Pains' sound harkens to some of our favourite 90's alternative rock bands. It would be cool if they did it all on their own, but the truth is some of that vintage (holy crap is early 1990's "vintage" yet?) alt sound is owed to their teaming with British superproducers Flood and Alan Moulder. These two legends can count U2, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche Mode, and The Killers as their past collaborators. Ho hum. Check out their album, also titled Belong. Past Me is playing air drums to this as we speak. Hell, Current Me is air drumming too.

// The Wilderness of Manitoba - Hermit //

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You'd think that a band called "The Wilderness of Manitoba" would be from Manitoba, but these guys actually call Toronto home. Rich, layered vocals and masterful control of pacing and harmonies are the hallmarks of this folk quintet. I've been listening to their album "When You Left The Fire" for about a week now, and it really is one of the most complete albums I've heard in a while. Nothing about them is overwhelming, which is ironically a godsend when you're like me: always thirsting for the next sound/song to knock me out of my chair. "Hermit" is the first song of theirs I came across, and it remains my favourite. Just don't listen to it while operating heavy machinery...

 // Lupe Fiasco - Airplanes //

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For those of you who like Lupe and/or still haven't gotten sick of B.o.B's "Airplanes". By the way, Lupe proves that he was made for this beat. Originally slated for L.A.S.E.R.S., the track was passed into Bobby Ray's hands at the request of Atlantic. Including "Nothin' On You," that's two hits that B.o.B. jacked from Lupe. Gee, I wonder why the guy hates his label...

// Savoir Adore - Sparrow //

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Labelmates to MGMT and Francis & The Lights, this Brooklyn-based indie pop duo has recently caught my attention with their new single, "Sparrow." It could be a transitive property of that wicked glowing ball of christmas lights they have (above), but there is a warmth and innocence to them that I can't deny. In true dreampop style, "Sparrow" reminds me of stupid love - the kind that is awkwardly normal when you're young but really, really uncool when you're older. Maybe that's what they're trying to get away from? Puppy love really is a lie, after all.

| the single life: issue fourteen |

// The Civil Wars - I've Got This Friend //

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 The Civil Wars are an indie folk duo comprising of Joy Williams and John Paul White. Best known to date for having their heart-wrenching ballad "Poison and Wine" featured on Grey's Anatomy, the pair recently released their first full-length studio album. Barton Hollow features many soaring harmonies that Williams and White have seemed to perfected in the relatively short period of time they've been performing together. "I've Got This Friend" is a folky number about that friend who just can't seem to find love. The tone of the song meanders between playful and melancholic, while both singers let loose vocally. Great stuff.

// One Republic - Secrets (Oblivion RMX) //


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I've got to admit, the release of One Republic's Waking Up two years ago totally flew under my radar. I've got a ton of respect for frontman Ryan Tedder, but One Republic's stuff has always seemed a bit one dimensional to me. Enter: Oblivion. Quite a few blogs have been showing much love to Oblivion's dubstep reinterpretation of One Republic's "Secrets." As we've seen lately, dub is slowly but surely creeping its way into mainstream pop. The glitchy robotic beeps and buzzes hit hard and enliven the polished (but relatively pedestrian) strings and percussion of the original. Check this out if you're curious about dub, but can't stomach whole tracks of it (yet).

// Big Sean f. Chris Brown - My Last //

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To the average casual music listener, the name Big Sean probably isn't considered a household name. Still a relative unknown compared to his famed GOOD Music stablemates, the Detroit native comes full-value on his latest single, "My Last." Assisted by a classy No ID production and catchy Chris Brown hook, the slick emcee raises his glass to life in the bigs. It's a feel-good track with a few whip-smart lines that'll crack a few smirks: "Since I signed the con’, I’m Louie Vuitton shine/ Up in Benny Han Han eating all the Wonton / Rose rose over a little Chandon / Put her hands down my pants, now she rocking Sean John." Look out for Finally Famous, due out early May.

 // Lupe Fiasco - All Black Everything //

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With LASERS, it's clear that Lupe Fiasco had to go for a more radio-friendly aesthetic. With Atlantic breathing down his neck, it's not surprising that album sales became the focus. Thankfully, Fiasco's lyrical pedigree is still front and centre for the majority of the album. On "All Black Everything", the Chicago emcee reimagines Black History had the cards been dealt differently. Set to a glamourous sample of the jazz standard "I'll Be Seeing You", the track soars as Lupe ultimately rallies for a brighter future. The other side of the coin, then, is a criticism of modern day Black culture. Take from what you will, but it's at least an intriguing conversation starter. What if...?

| best of 2010: 29 - 20 |

29. Lil’ Wayne f. Drake – Right Above It

As hip-hop continues to be dominated by punch-line rap, it should come as no surprise that Young Money honcho Lil’ Wayne and top protégé Drake continued to feast like kings throughout 2010. While some may think the emphasis on one-liners takes away from storytelling and actual rhyming, no one can dispute the fact that these two are the leaders of the pack. “Right Above It” is boastful, but still has a positive tone to it. Weezy’s hook is almost like a call to all Young Money fans (of which there are plenty these days), smartly milking the cult-like following the fledgling label has earned over the past few years. This kind of “you’re either with us or against us” philosophy isn’t new by any means, but it sure is a powerful tool when used properly (see: The Miami Heat).

28. Lupe Fiasco – I’m Beaming

If you can’t tell, I’ve got a jones for positive rap. As long as rap exists, there will always be a market for the hard, dark, grimy aspects of hip-hop culture. What we should celebrate is artists who want to change the game and help it evolve. While he doesn’t always hit the mark with his highly-opinionated lyrics, Lupe Fiasco should be applauded for using his voice to create change. His forthcoming album, L.A.S.E.R.S. is an acronym for “Love Always Shines Everytime, Remember 2 Smile.” On the single, “I’m Beaming,” the Chicago-bred emcee bangs a drum for today’s young dreamers, imploring them shed their dark futures and join him in the metaphoric spotlight. Whatever your calling is, Fiasco empowers you to march to the beat of your own drum.

27. Big Boi f. Yelawolf – You Ain’t No DJ

On an album chock-full of winners, I could not possibly ignore “You Ain’t No DJ.” The ATL hip-hop ambassador teamed up with Yelawolf to basically talk shit to wannabe emcees and DJ’s, trading verses seamlessly and scorching the competition. The off-kilter Andre-3000 production is a perfect platform for the two unconventional emcees. As the words fly like expertly-thrown daggers, the condescending tone is ironically welcome. The difference this and some bum rapper’s diss track is that Big Boi’s pedigree commands respect. It’s no coincidence that no one dared to respond to this track. “You Ain’t No DJ” is the first and last shot fired. It’s a one punch knockout made possible by lyrical acrobatics and a history of excellence on both the street and mainstream levels.

26. Arcade Fire – We Used To Wait

There’s a good chance Arcade Fire’s “We Used To Wait” wouldn’t have made it this high (or at all) on this countdown if it weren’t for the brilliant music video. Whether by streaming concerts for free online, or being the first to stage a music video website built on HTML 5, Arcade Fire stayed on top of emerging online trends to push their popularity to wild heights. Each strike of the piano is instantly given life as you see the opening scene of the music video – the character (yourself) literally running home. It hits on many levels: nostalgia, loathing of adulthood, regret, etc. “We Used to Wait” is also on the tamer end of Arcade Fire’s musical spectrum, which is a nice departure from their normally-raucous sound.

25. Kanye West f. John Legend – Blame Game

As My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is Kanye’s most intimate work to date, no other song on the album is more personal than “Blame Game.” Magic always seems to happen when Kanye and long-time collaborator John Legend jump on a track together. The content reminds me much of one of my all-time favourites by Eminem, “Love You More.” The volatile nature of Kanye’s high-profile romances (i.e. Amber Rose) no doubt provided plenty of fodder for him to tell this tale. Legend’s piano accompaniment is heart-touching: delicate, sombre, and almost mournful. Chris Rock appears to lighten the mood for the final 2:30 of the track. His presence isn’t all that important aside from adding insult to injury for Yeezy’s former flame. Yeah, Yeezy’s enormous ego taught you.

24. Quadron – Baby Be Mine (Cover)

When covering any of Michael Jackson’s classics, one must be sure to provide an interesting twist. If done in the same style as the original, the song dies a quick and furious death as soon as anyone with a shred of music intelligence identifies it as a shitty imitation. I was mildly interested when I saw that Danish electro-soul duo Quadron had tried their hand at MJ. I read the description and saw that the response was actually quite favourable. Whereas MJ’s “Baby Be Mine” was funky and up-tempo, Quadron brings things to a slow crawl. Replacing MJ’s charisma is Coco’s subdued yearning. The song’s transformation is remarkable – almost to the point where the connection between the two isn’t readily apparent. A spoken piece from the King of Pop creeps in just before the end of the song as a nice homage to the fallen icon. A must-have.

23. Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love

This is a bit of a cheater pick because the song actually came out in Europe during Summer 2009. The dance anthem didn’t hit North American shores until early 2010 (which is when most of us finally heard about it), so here it is. “Stereo Love” is the first single from Romanian musician/producer/DJ Edward Maya. This collaboration with DJ/singer Vika Jigulina has turned into a global hit, spending a record 52 weeks atop the European Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was also re-released in Canada as a cover New Brunswick’s Mia Martina replacing Jigulina. Though popular, Maya never the Mia Martina version and openly debunked it on his webpage. If you have a problem with Vika Jigulina’s accent, then the Mia Martina version might be a better pick. My vote goes to the original.

22. Janelle Monae – Say You’ll Go

How Janelle Monae can generate such huge sound from such a tiny package never ceases to amaze me. In 2010, the petite siren finally broke into the mainstream with The ArchAndroid. Combining a unique musicality and enough vocal chops to fill a football stadium, Monae’s album was more than satisfying for her fans and was spot-on in displaying her diverse artistic repertoire. Much like most of the album, “Say You’ll Go” is spectacular in every sense of the word. Theatrical and extravagant in composition, it even manages to incorporate “Claire de Lune,” which caught me by surprise. Classy, dramatic pop courtesy of an out-of-this-world talent.

21. T.I. f. Kanye West & Kid Cudi – Welcome to the World

Thanks to his latest incarceration, T.I. finds his role diminished on what was easily the best song off No Mercy. “Welcome to the World” is a splash of cold water to face of those living life through rose-coloured glasses. T.I. and Kanye relate their stories of the street life and the dark side of celebrity while Kanye and Cudi caution obsessed females on the hook. “If you’re lookin for real love, it ain’t here my dear,” groans Cudi. T.I. rips his verse, filling his bars with series of visceral, stuttering rhymes aimed at pretty much anyone in his way. Kanye spends his words on the subject of gossipmongers and conspiracies against – what else? – Black people.  

20. Corinne Bailey Rae – The Sea

No one personifies “delicate” more than Corinne Bailey Rae. Even looking at her wiry frame, you feel like tossing her a Whopper or two. Sure, she has decent pipes, but what makes her unique is her ability to drop down to that whisper-quiet level and draw us into the song. “The Sea” seems to be about cheating, and the feelings of foolishness and disbelief that accompany the moment you realize the truth. The crushing defeat is penned as beautifully as one could ever imagine. Bailey Rae proves once again and soulful doesn’t necessarily mean louder.

| best of 2010: 60 - 69 |

69. Kid Cudi, Best Coast & Rostam Batmanglij – All Summer

In a stroke of advertising genius, Converse spent some dough to reaffirm their popularity with hipsters by spearheading probably the coolest collaboration in recent memory. When you take an alt-hop icon such as Kid Cudi and mix with the ethereal vocal stylings of Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, the result is a track that can rock both any kegger or beach bash. As writer and producer on the track, Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij’s contribution is less obvious, but at least he got some shine in the video (which was pretty wicked too).

68. Curren$y – Breakfast

“Breakfast” first caught my attention for being co-written and produced by Mos Def. By the time Curren$y’s Pilot Talk mixtape dropped in July, the song had been reworked by Ski Beatz (aka DJ Ski, best known for his previous work on early Jay-Z material). Both versions of “Breakfast” are dope, each featuring a swanky trumpet sample. If I had to choose, though, I prefer the Ski version because it’s cleaner. Mighty Mos still makes an appearance on the album version, providing a sung ad lib as the track winds down. Classy all around.

67. The Naked & Famous – Young Blood

New Zealand isn’t exactly known for its burgeoning indie pop scene, so it was a huge surprise when this fresh-faced quintet exploded all over the internet earlier last year with their mega hit, “Young Blood.” They could be a flash in the pan by the time we look back a year or two from now, but they even got enough attention to be long-listed for BBC’s Sound 2011 poll. The song carries a sense of teenage innocence/naivety, which leads me to believe with near-certainty that it was probably featured on Gossip Girl or 90210 at some point last year. I don’t know why, it just speaks to me on a “you can’t tell me what to do” kind of level. Yeah! Rebelling and shit!

66. Chiddy Bang – The Good Life

I like this song a lot. Honing in specifically on the percussion, Pharrell’s influence as producer on the track is clear here. As the voice for the duo, Chiddy keeps things in check with his flow and sure delivery. What stops me from liking “The Good Life” even more is the “swelly” chant. When asked what the word means, Chiddy explains it as a word to substitute “swag,” because everyone uses swag and it “sounds corny.” If we’re talking buzz-word overuse, hearing them repeat “swelly” over and over makes the word sound silly and almost bumps it down gimmick status. Focusing on the positive again, Chiddy Bang lands on #66 because of the amount of promise they’ve shown here over the past year and a half. “The Good Life” exemplifies how solid their album could be when it drops later this year. 

65. Aeroplane – We Can’t Fly

It’s too bad that Aeroplane’s first studio album will go down as their only one. The project proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the once-great remixing tandem cited artistic differences and promptly parted ways last summer. Their name had become synonymous with great electro-dance remixes over the past couple of years. Seeing the popular team grounded for good, the name of the first single, “We Can’t Fly,” drips with irony. Still, the last hurrah is a good one. The rousing gospel section brings the song to a high. As good as it is, the back story puts a damper on the mood.

64. Wiz Khalifa – Black & Yellow

Even if you don’t know or care who Wiz Khalifa is, no doubt you’ve heard his song. “Black & Yellow” is the unassuming rap song turned unofficial city anthem. I’ve lost count of the number of remixes and freestyles that’ve been done to this beat. Everyone wants a “Black & Yellow” for their city. Everyone wants a fight song for their sports teams like what Wiz has done for the Steelers and Penguins (and I guess the Pirates, if they count). The hook is infectious, simultaneously stirring up wonderment, pride, and aggression. The lyrics aren’t much but boast enough swag so that the song doesn’t sag until the next time we hear “YEAH, UH HUH! YOU KNOW WHAT IT IIIIIS!” A left-field hit, for sure, but one that’ll buy Wiz Khalifa a good nine rap lives.

63. Girls – Heartbreaker

Girls’ Broken Dreams Club EP was probably one of my favourite smaller releases of the year. Frontman Christopher Owens’ voice has a certain frailty that I adore. Predictably, “Heartbreaker” finds Owens bemoaning a lost love. “There’s a voice in the back of my head that says ‘You’re always going to be alone’,” he whimpers, echoing the very sentiment that that haunts even the most outwardly confident singles out there. Painful music can be very good music, too. 

62. LCD Soundsystem – Dance Yrself Clean

At just under 9-minutes in length, “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem is definitely one of the longest tracks on this list. I wasn’t that hot on the hit-or-miss This is Happening, but the intro track is a work of art. You’ll miss this if you’re impatient and judge a song by its first 30 seconds (like my brother, which annoys the crap out of me). It takes a 3:07 for the song to hit its stride, but the build-up is masterful. I’ve come to appreciate it more and more upon each listen. “Dance Yrself Clean” plays out like a riding on a wild rollercoaster surrounded by neon lights and fireworks. Honestly, it’s so marvellous I have never bothered to look up what James Murphy is actually singing. I just hope I haven’t been accidentally jamming to lyrics about eating babies or punting small dogs...

61. Kanye West & Jay-Z f. Elly Jackson (of La Roux) – That’s My Bitch

As far as the hip-hop landscape was concerned, it’s fair to say this was the Year of Kanye. Ruling social media avenues, innovating controlled leaks of his music, and putting out A-grade music pretty well whenever he felt like it, Mr. West simply dominated the competition on all fronts. The only possible way to go bigger is to unite with Jay-Z for a joint album. “That’s My Bitch” was the first leak off the upcoming Watch The Throne EP set for release sometime this spring. Produced by Q-Tip and also featuring La Roux’s Elly Jackson (and Charlie Wilson, unofficially), the star-studded affair is almost a case of too much awesome going on in one place. 

60. Lupe Fiasco – Go To Sleep

Widely regarded as one of the best rappers alive today, Lupe Fiasco has endured his fair share of label trouble in his bid to put out his third studio album, L.A.S.E.R.S. “Go To Sleep” finds Lupe in top form, even singing his own hooks as he carpet-bombs the proverbial wack emcee. The track is heavy and menacing, featuring a headache-inducing looped bass drop. It’s unclear if “Go To Sleep” will make it to the album, seeing as the track doesn’t show up on any of the unofficial tracklistings anymore. In any case, it’s a must for any Lupe fan. The difference between a lyricist of his ilk and the next dude is like night and day.

| the single life: issue seven |

// Kanye West f. Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz - Power RMX //

For the second singles post in a row, Kanye leads the pack. I gotta say, the original Power was good but not great, in my opinion. A remix is supposed to improve upon the original, and this one does just that. Jay was nice, but GAHD DAYUM I can't remember Yeezy ever spazzing out like this. I lost my shit when I made it to the Snap section. Just crazy.

// DL //

// Lupe Fiasco - Go To Sleep //

Please do yourself a favour and listen to this song on something nice. The looped bass drop on this track is mesmerizing. A melancholy Lupe Fiasco shines on this sombre, piano-laden affair and reminds us why he's the uncrowned prince of hip-hop. Food & Liquor II coming later this year.

// DL //

// Lloyd - Lay It Down //

I've been a fan of Lloyd for a long time. His last album under-performed, which I thought was weird because it was really good. Still I don't think he's far from being where Trey Songz is now. Young Goldie's got range and this song is a fine example that he's got unique vocal power to boot. I hope for big things from him on King of Hearts, due out Valentine's Day 2011.

// DL //

// KiD CuDi - Mr. Rager //

I think he's singing to... himself? I have zero radar for artsy things, so the single-person dialogue is sort of lost on me. Oh well, he could sing about eating babies and I'm pretty sure people would still dig it. Speaking of mind-numbing bass drops, this one's got a good one.

// DL //

// KiD CuDi f. Kanye West - Wylin' Cuz I'm Young //

I know I've done a lot of praising of the dude lately, but my appreciation seems to grow daily. The crazy thing is some of his lines don't even rhyme and it still works for him somehow. Am I the only one who wishes Kanye would've ended his verse with "Am-ne-surrrrr"?

// DL //

// Robyn - Criminal Intent //

Feasting on the explosive popularity of her latest album, Body Talk Pt. 1, Swedish pop supernova Robyn is keeping her hot streak alive with the imminent release of Body Talk Pt. 2. "Criminal Intent" is a chest-thumping single sure to get bodies moving on the dancefloor.

// DL //

// Of Montreal f. Solange - Sex Karma //

Psych/glam rockers Of Montreal are a fixture on any decent indie pop playlist. Totally eccentric and somewhat creepy, the outfit from Athens, Georgia are always good if you're searching for something dreamy (if not trippy). I love the line: "You look like a playground to me.

// DL //

// Mr Hudson - Love Never Dies [No Tags] //

I was waiting for the video to drop so I could rip a version w/o that stupid "K-west dot com" DJ tag in it. Is Hudson rethinking his strategy after his major label debut blew chunks last year? If this is any indication, dubstep might be a good look for him. This collabo with Caspa is mighty.

// DL //