Earlier this week, we posted the top songs of 2010 according to Dylan Fagan, Music Director, and Matthias Brown, Assistant Music Director, of SCAD Atlanta Radio. Their show “MD” airs Sunday nights, from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. right here.
If their song choices inspired you, their album selections will make you smile.
Top 5 albums of 2010
by Dylan Fagan and Matthias Brown
1. Kanye West, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”
Matthias: This is an album best listened to as a whole. I believe that “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is a reflective album that mixes previous Kanye West records together. “College Dropout” and “Graduation” were largely boastful and driven by a persona, while “808s and Heartbreaks” was an album that was introspective. This album is introspective, and it analyzes Kanye West’s boastful and larger-than-life persona.
Dylan: I think that the way he takes everything from his catalog — the soul samples, the big drum patterns, the symphonic instrumentation, the rapping juxtaposed with singing, the electro mixed with vintage Chicago and New York City hip-hop — it couldn’t have worked better for him.
Matthias: While it is a pop record, many of the songs are in formats that do not lend themselves to radio play, both in length and style.
Dylan: Some notable collaborations during these sessions included: the RZA, Raekwon, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Common, Jay-Z, No ID and Mos Def. In addition, he also landed many pop and indie notables in his samples and features. In fact, “All of the Lights” is just a list of notables. There are so many people in that 5-minute song that it is hard to pick them out.
Matthias: Elton John plays piano, doesn’t he?
Dylan: Yes, and The Dream is in there, but I haven’t figured out where yet. Also, Kanye has always been a progressive sampler, if that is a term.
Matthias: I forget the title of the spoken word piece that ends the album.
Dylan: It is “Comment No.1” by Gil-Scott Heron.
Matthias: It seems out of character for Kanye West to give the final word to someone else, but it works. If the same words or sentiment were to be said by Kanye, it wouldn’t have the same poignancy.
2. Gorillaz , “Plastic Beach”
Matthias: “Plastic Beach” refers to an island made entirely of trash.
Dylan: The lyrics reflect that.
Matthias: I was going to say that it is darker than previous Gorillaz albums. Not that [the album] is unapproachable, but there is no equivalent to ‘Feel Good, Inc.” The album still sounds British, because everything David Albarn works with sounds British somehow.
Dylan: It does, and it also seems to have many throwbacks to British pop music. “Melancholy Hill” is a good example of that.
Matthias: It’s another pop record that pushes its boundaries and incorporates artists that could have easily derailed the album.
Dylan: Agreed, and I know that we both enjoy “Superfast Jellyfish” very much.
Matthias: It’s what I set up to play after almost all of my radio shows, both those I did with and without you.
Dylan: It was a sad day when that left rotation.
Matthias: I’ve liked Gorillaz since I first watched “Clint Eastwood.” Also, Del tha Funkee Homosapien was a featured artist on their self-titled album, including that song. That got me into listening to Del, Hieroglyphics, and more alternative hip-hop. But as far as “Plastic Beach” goes, I’d have to say that the album is the most interesting and multi-layered Gorillaz album so far and perhaps my favorite.
3. Janelle Monae, “The ArchAndroid”
Matthias: This was the album I listened to most this summer. The wide array of influences surprised me.
Dylan: Like our other two choices so far, it is an incredibly eclectic album.
Matthias: Individual songs are very eclectic. For those unaware, this is a concept album that was initially going to be released as a series of EP’s about Janelle Monae being a time-traveling android from the future, where dancing is outlawed and stuff isn’t all that great in general. There was one EP released, but then it was decided that ArchAndroid would replace the 3 other EP’s.
Dylan: It’s like “Footloose” with prostitutes and robots.
Matthias: And “Back to the Future” or “Terminator.”
Dylan: It’s a cinematic album.
Matthias: It’s every 1980s movie, made into an album.
Dylan: Rarely does an album cover this much ground and stay consistently “listenable.”
Matthias: The album has an overall cohesion.
Dylan: Also, the drums at the intro of “Locked Inside” are the exact same as those found at the beginning of “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson. In an album of standouts, that song may be my favorite.
Matthias: It’s hard to play non-single versions of songs from this album on the radio, because every song transitions directly into the next.
Dylan: That has happened a few times at events and on our radio show. It makes for some abrupt endings.
Matthias: And improvised fade outs.
Dylan: Any closing thoughts on ArchAndroid?
Matthias: “Take me back to wonderland/I think she left her underpants.”
Dylan: Great wrap-up indeed.
4. Big Boi, “Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty”
Dylan: This is a triumphant album.
Matthias: It was a long time in the making.
Dylan: It is rare that an album gets pushed back so many times and still be thoroughly enjoyable.
Matthias: Nothing was like OutKast when they were making albums and nothing is like Big Boi now. The rapping is as important as, if not more important than, the production, which is something that I miss from older hip-hop. The beats complement the voice, but they could also function by themselves.
Dylan: He’s a talented lyricist.
Matthias: He is one of the last remaining fast rappers, especially in popular music.
Dylan: I noticed that many reviews of OutKast albums focus on the eccentric nature of Andre 3000, and seem to overlook the importance of Big Boi because of that. However, this album proves that Big Boi is a successful solo artist. “Speakerboxxx” was a great album, but “Sir Luscious” sounds more creative and varied. He really branched out on who he worked with for this album, but he still [has] the staples of the OutKast sound. He was able to evolve without losing touch with his past.
Matthias: It’s funky and soulful, with real horn samples.
Dylan: And we can’t forget about the sped up voices. In fact, I’d say that OutKast made a genre all their own, and Big Boi is pushing it further.
5. Flying Lotus, “Cosmogramma”
Matthias: I’m not sure what about Flying Lotus is fueling this alternative music interest, but I’m glad it’s happening. I think it might have something to do with the fact that Flying Lotus is less of a beat-maker and more of a instrumental music producer.
Dylan: He is not a beat-maker exactly, and he’s not a pop musician, nor is he a DJ.
Matthias: A sound arranger.
Dylan: He’s great at blending multiple genres. There are elements of electronic, hip-hop, breakbeat, downtempo, jazz, and found sound in these songs.
Matthias: I think the jazz influence might be my favorite aspect because it feels like the music was created and not programmed.
Dylan: That’s my favorite aspect, too. I also enjoy surprises like “Cosmic Drama.” That song is built around a wonderful string sample. I hear a hint of Boards of Canada on this album as well, but he has upped the tempo and made it more accessible. This is one of those “washing machine” albums I enjoy so much, where everything is kind of off-kilter and wobbly.
Matthias It’s easier to connect with the music when it isn’t perfectly timed or tuned.
Dylan: I agree. It’s interesting to note that this album originally leaked as one long track. That should tell you something.
Matthias: We like albums that are albums and not a series of singles.
Dylan: Exactly. This is an artist’s concept: a collection of songs that they feel belong together. I find that albums are less jarring and more consistent that way.
Tags :
SCAD Atlanta Radio
