About This Site
Each month I select 20 songs (10 songs twice a month) that I am either hooked on or am curious about. Most of the music I select are rock, hip-hop, R&B and pop songs.
My song selection comes from 20-30 CDs I get from various sources each month, as well as recommendations from iTunes and Amazon. I also check out the charts in US, UK and Japan.
Spin magazine voted Deerhunter’s fourth album, Helicopter, as the second best album of the year (followed by #1 Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy). The single, “Helicopter” placed on numerous end-of-year charts as one of the best songs of 2010. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia USA, they describe themselves as “ambient punk.” I do get sleepy listening to this song.
With so much of the rap world focused on newer superstars such as Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, younger rap fans may not be so aware of Puff Daddy’s “Bad Boy” existence. But, Diddy has finally released much anticipated album, Last Train to Paris using the group name, Diddy-Dirty Money, which also includes, singer-songwriter, Kalenna Harper and former Danity Kane member, Dawn Richard. I didn’t expect too much from this album, but the current single is quite catchy, after you listen to it a couple of times.
Kansas City native R&B singer, Janelle Monae released her debut album, The ArchAndroid in May of 2010 from Bad Boy Records label. This single, “Tightrope” had placed on top 10 tracks of the year on numerous music magazines and blogs.
LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy was chosen as one of the artist of the year from Spin magazine. Also on its magazine’s top 5 list, it places on #4. #1
Cee-Lo Green – Fuck You; #2
Arcade Fire – Ready to Start; #3
Kanye West – Power; #4 LCD Soundsystem – All I Want; #5 Neil Young – Hitchhiker.
MTV News announced their list of top 25 songs of 2010, and the top 5 ranked as: #1
Usher – OMG; #2
Kanye West – Runaway; #3
Kanye West – Power; #4 Rick Ross – BMF; #5
Cee-lo Green – Fuck You. I’ve reviewed all of those songs, except for Ross’ BMF (Blowing Money Fast). It wasn’t a huge radio hit, considering that MTV ranks it amongst the best of the year, here it is.
T.I.’s follow up album after 2008 mega-hit, Paper Trail was delayed due to his jail sentence. And just when we thought he got out, he was sent back to jail again for violating his probation. The album is strong with guest stars ranging from Kanye West, The-Dream, Chris Brown, Drake to even Christina Aguilera. On the regular edition, you can’t get the previously released singles such as “
Got Your Back” or “Yeah Ya Know” and “I’m Back.”
Will.I.am, Fergie and the other two guys (yes, I do know their names) are back with a band new album, after their international phenomenon, The End from last year. For the lead off single, they sample “Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing. It is catchy, but so far doesn’t have the infectious sound of “
Boom Boom Pow” or “
I’ve Got A Feeling.”
When I first heard this song on the radio, I thought it was The Gorillaz. But it turned out to be Broken Bells, who is one half Gnarls Barkley (producer Danger Mouse) and other half, The Shins (lead singer James Mercer). It’s a catchy fun track that stays in your head.
I’ve never watched the original movie, Tron, but seeing the trailer, and hearing Daft Punk’s name makes me want to go to the theater, just to hear Daft Punk’s soundtrack in surround sound. And the movie looks amazing, visually. I do have to say that a lot of the songs on the soundtrack doesn’t sound much like Daft Punk from the past. But this single makes you want to break out the glow stick.
Finally! The most anticipated album of the decade – Dr. Dre’s final album of his career, Detox, may be coming close to finishing. This album has been in work since 2003. There has been several leaked songs, but this one seems like an official song, as it was released as a single on iTunes. The beat is still the Dre’s hardcore Westcoast sound. And how can you hate on the collaboration between Snoop and Dre.
Welsh singer, Duffy had a huge success with her debut album, Rockferry, which contained hit singles such as “
Mercy” and “
Warwick Avenue”. She had the Amy Winehouse style of throwback voice, and all of us expected more of that for her sophomore album, but she decided to go for more upbeat sound. Duffy still maintains her unique soulful voice, but this lead off single may turn off some initial fans.
There has been controversy surrounding this song, as some have said that the voice doesn’t sound like Michael Jackson’s. I think it does, though maybe not as strong as he used to sound. I’ve only heard snippets of Michael’s latest album, but there are a few songs that could turn into next single and do well on the radio.
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