GUEST BLOG: Detroit Mike presents his "Top 10 Albums of the Decade" - Part 2

#7

Artist: System of a Down

Album: Toxicity

Released: 2001

I reeaaally wanted to put a Tool album in the top 10, but unfortunately all their stuff was either too old, or couldn’t cut it. Toxicity did. This album shot System out of the underground like the machine-gun music they put out. It also made for a great “heavy metal alarm clock” ala Jackass. Just ask anybody I went to college with unlucky enough to be the last one to rise the morning after a party. They would most likely “Wake Up!” to their hangover with a speaker blasting SOAD next to their head, possibly with the couch or chair they passed out in being shaken violently by other hungover maniacs, screaming the lyrics.

#6

Artist: Girl Talk

Album: Night Ripper

Released: 2006

Before becoming a major act at the big Festies and getting hipsters to shake their asses, Girl Talk was rocking his laptop at gutter Break-Core parties. “Night Ripper” sounds like every big pop, rap, and 80s hit, playing on the radio all at once, mangled together by someone with ADD. Girl Talk (Gregg Gillis) loops and glitches out all the songs you know every word to, whether they’re BS or legit. It’s something you can throw on at a party and everybody’s into. The why-borrow-what-you-can-steal attitude of this album completely blurred the line between “sampling”, re-mixing, and copyright infringement, and literally earned him an appointment with the Supreme Court. Taking the safer route, producers Ewun and Knick made a similar album as a side project called LudaChrist, and gave it away for free on the internet, because they didn’t want to deal with the legalities of selling it, or clearing all the 100s of samples. If you’re already a fan of Girl Talk, check out the LudaChrist mix “Bangfest” at http://www.worshipludachrist.com/ or I Worship LudaChrist on FaceBook.

#5

Artist: Kanye West

Album: College Dropout

Released: 2004

Kanye’s debut is a hip-hop classic, even though he’s still the #1 asshole of the decade. What other star could have their Mother die young and get no sympathy? “College Dropout” has got the choice selection of what Kanye does best: THE BEATS! The hits, “Slow Jamz” (ft. Jamie Foxx), “All Falls Down”,” Through the Wire”, and “Jesus Walks” as well as the lesser known cuts “Get Em High” (ft. Talib Kweli), “Never Let Me Down” and “We Don’t Care” have got soul, but still hit just as hard as the crunkest trunk bangers. This time capsule of an early stage of his career shows unusually modest lyrics: “we’re all self-conscious, I’m just the first to admit it”. But if there’s one thing that actually makes him a genius, it’s the ghetto-maestro production work that most MC’s don’t dare to touch.

#4

Artist: Mr. Lif

Album: I Phantom

Released: 2002

“I Phantom” is Boston MC Mr. Lif’s supercharged take on our capitalist, consumerist society. What Lif brings to the table is conscious, well thought out lyrics, straight up. “Live From the Plantation” is a track ANYONE can relate to about getting up to go to a job you hate, being condescended to, and even a daydream about flipping out on the boss. “Now I'm off to slave quarters, With a whole bunch of other people's sons and daughters, Working so they can be mothers and fathers, Laboring real hard, hoping the boss offers, More petty cash to us bums and paupers, Kissing his ass cuz they hoping they’ll prosper”. Other standout tracks are “Return of the B-Boy” where Lif goes through how he would defeat all the greatest rappers, finishing with an epic battle against himself, and “Earthcrusher” which describes a nuclear holocaust that would end the planet. As with most of the other releases on the Def Jux label, the beat production is on a soundscape of futuristic, space funk.

GUEST BLOG: Detroit Mike presents his "Top 10 Albums of the Decade" - Part 1

First of all, welcome back to O-Nation...that goes for myself as well. Due to a couple crazy fun months I have not had a whole lot of extra time to work on this here blog. I think a lot of my lack of motivation comes from December-March being the down time of the year for shows. But alas...concert season is back and there are plenty of shows on the slate starting next Monday's Coheed and Cambria show at The Webster (which should be of EPIC proportions).

Anyway, one of the guys heading to the show with me is my buddy Mike, or as he is better known around Hartford...Detroit Mike. Mike and I work together at ESPN and share a mutual love for music (and beer). A couple of months ago there were a bunch of us hanging out at the bar and we got to discussing what our Top 10 Albums of the Decade would be. As I had just completed doing my yearly lists I had lost the urge to do another list at the time. Mike volunteered to do a guest blog at the time and that's how this whole thing came about. So without further adieu here's Mike's Top 10 Albums of the Decade...part 1 of 3...

Like everyone else I’m a lifelong fan of music. Since being old enough to choose what I listened to, I’ve been involved with: Alternative - which turned into a love for punk rock and ska, hip-hop, underground electronic music, and reggae. I’ve played in or run sound for several bands, worked as a stage hand for an auditorium that brought through off-Broadway plays, and I’ve run sound for the morning news.

About 10 years ago I started DJing and am known in that scene as SureShot aka Detroit Mike. I spin mostly Drum ‘n Bass mashed up with other styles - hip-hop, dancehall reggae, gheto-tek, whatever I’m feelin’. I know I’m about two-and-a-half months behind on the decade’s best list, but I live most my life about two-and-a-half months behind. Just look at my hair sometime if you need proof of that. Thanks to Matt for putting up my list. Now let’s get down to it.

I have to start out by saying that making this list became a whole lot easier to make once I realized that a whole mess of “recent”, great music came out in 1999, and was automatically disqualified (The Chili Peppers’ “Californication”, Dr. Dre’s “Chronic 2001”, Mos Def’s “Black on Both Sides”, etc.). In this list I’m trying to highlight albums that are solid all the way through, not ones that have 1 really really awesome song. My list has some of the usual favorites praised by the music-critic press, but also others that have been more overlooked. Hopefully this recognition will get them to a few new sets of ears. Here we go…

#10

Artist: Long Beach AllStars

Album: Wonders of the World

Released: 2001

I was surprised to find that LBDA’s best album ‘Right Back’ was quietly released in 1999. However, the band, made up of former members of the iconic group Sublime, managed to just sneak onto the list with their 2nd effort. “Wonders of the World” continues the tradition of chilled out reggae riddims, hip-hop lyricism, and punk rock guitar riffs. This album is perfect for a ride to the beach, or even when the low-rider is all put away and you haven’t seen the sun in months. Highlights include “Rolled Up” (use your imagination); “Kablammin' It”, which sounds like a 10-year-old’s goofy take on sex; “Listen to DJs”, a tribute to classic reggae artists; or if star-power is your thing, “Sunny Hours”, which features Will.I.am from the Black Eyed Peas.

#9

Artist: Wolfmother

Album: Wolfmother

Released: 2006

Wolfmother’s debut record blazes out the gate with “Dimension” and rarely looks back. The guitar driven group from down under sounds like this generation’s take on Led Zeppelin or Guns ‘n Roses. They’ve made a quick impact in the few short years since they emerged. Despite being featured in Guitar Hero, on South Park, and a grip of movie previews, this album got left off a few ‘best of’ lists. Choice cut = “Joker and the Thief”.

#8

Artist: Sean Paul

Album: Dutty Rock

Released: 2002

At a quick glance Sean Paul might come off as just another pretty face trying to cash in on his home Jamaica’s tough reputation. The truth goes much deeper. The Jamaican reggae scene is arguably one of the toughest and one of the most corrupt music scenes in the world. Not just a fly-by-nighter, Sean Paul has been a part of that scene as an MC and a DJ since a young age. While the pop music corporations latched on, he made hits out of traditional riddims (“Like Glue” & “Get Busy”). The impact of his songs led to literally hundreds of remixes, and has made him the best selling reggae artist since everybody’s hero – Bob Marley. Marinate on that.

The O is coming back...

...sorry for the recent absence. Lots of stuff going on right now. Be back up and running within the week with a guest blog from my buddy Detroit Mike who has compiled for O-Nation his Top 10 Albums of the Decade! This is a great list you won't want to miss.

Stay tuned O-Heads...