DDoff Daily's Best Albums of 2009 (So Far)

No intro necessary, but please fill the comments field with your picks.

15. Manners, Passion Pit: Thanks to the group's hit single, "The Reeling," Passion Pit has become 2009's answer to 2008's MGMT, who was 2008's answer to 2007's Peter Bjorn and John. Am I sensing a pattern here? I worry that this band will disappear as quickly as it came (PB & J's sophomore album is actually a worthwhile listen, but do you care anymore?); in the meantime, I will keep rocking out to this impressive sophomore effort.

14. The Hazards of Love, The Decemberists: I'm not going to try to pretend I understand every moment of this rock opera, but I love it anyway. Colin Meloy and company did the unthinkable and topped The Crane Wife; to catch the live show and hear the album performed in chronological order was quite a treat.

13. BLACKsummers'night, Maxwell: Finally awake from his eight-year slumber, Maxwell proved that the nu-soul renaissance of the early 2000s was no fluke. This is baby-makin' music at its finest...D'Angelo, please follow suit and join the reunion party.

12. Back & Fourth, Pete Yorn: I found this album's sound to not be as "indie" as Yorn's reputation, and that's fine by me. Yorn's Americana-inspired effort is part-Counting Crows (the *good* Counting Crows), part-John Mayer (the *good* John Mayer), 100% awesome.

11. Above the Bones, Mishka and
10. Asa, Asa: Mellow guitar music seems to be a dime-a-dozen these days, but some international flavor helped turn these albums into iPod staples for my daily commute. If you're desperate for some chill-out tunes, these two are must-haves.

9. Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do, Major Lazer: While Mishka feeds the hunger for a laid-back, mellow reggae setting, Diplo and Switch's Major Lazer does the exact opposite. The duo's experimental dancehall disc is a balls-out party from start to finish, and deserved each bit of hype it received.

8. The Ecstatic, Mos Def: Thank goodness, we can put Mos on a "best-of" list again. Supporting this rapper/actor's music became hard to do after some sub-par efforts following Black on Both Sides, but The Ecstatic was a shot in the chest, reminding all of us why we love his work so much. Glad you're back on track, Mighty Mos.

7. Fondo, Vieux Farka Toure and
6. Welcome to Mali, Amadou & Mariam: One of the joys of the digital revolution is being able to hear music to which you might not have ever been exposed -- and these two fall under that umbrella. This might not be the place to start if you're unfamiliar with modern African music, but it's definitely the place to finish.

5. Keep It Hid, Dan Auerbach: Many dismissed this album as simply being a Black Keys side project, but it's much, much more than that. Auerbach's solo set borrows from the Keys' darkest, grittiest undertones, then takes it a few feet deeper. A truly overlooked album.

4. Troubadour, K'naan: Why this guy isn't multi-platinum by now is beyond me. I felt the same way about k-Os when I first heard his work, but the help of a major-label machine convinced me that K'naan's seamless combination of pop melodies and world-driven hip-hop was a recipe for success. This album is fun, plain and simple, and I'm still rooting for K'naan to take off and show the world how special he is.

3. A Matter of Time, Mike Posner & the Brain Trust: This Duke junior is giving hope to all you student-producers out there. What many older hip-hop fans don't yet understand is that today's hip-hop and pop markets are virtually inseparable (read: Asher Roth), so Posner's happy-go-lucky "urban pop" has a value much higher than label heads think. Posner might not ever convince the hip-hop community that he's the real deal, but he can rest assured that a writer/producer career is pretty much on lock for years to come.

2. Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear: I've decided that "hipster music" isn't anything more than very, very left-of-center pop music, and Grizzly Bear proves that point. Who could deny the straight-up CATCHINESS of "Two Weeks," much less the rest of the album? It still irks me that all these Brooklyn hipsters feel the need to come up with a weird title to prove how cool they are, but I'll let this one slide on account of tremendously special tunes.

1. So Far Gone, Drake: Surprise! (Hey, at least I didn't pick Animal Collective like every other damn blogger out there. But I digress...) Drake's mixtape is at the top of this list not only for its musical prowess, but also for how it changed the rules of the music industry altogether -- that might deserve its own post, so I'll leave it at that for now. I was taken aback by the "Best I Ever Had" video; for an artist with this much hype, a titty-infested cliche video was the LAST thing we needed from our so-called "next big thing." Nonetheless, the song has cemented itself as the official summer jam for 2009, and I'm very much looking forward to Drake's first proper release later this year.

Honorable Mentions and Other Notes:

- If you like singer/songwriters, Angel Taylor's debut might be the most overlooked album in your 2009 collection. The Colbie Caillat, girl-with-a-guitar sound has never been my thing, but there's something about Taylor's sympathy-arousing vulnerability that I find irresistible.

- Although I didn't like either albums as whole bodies of work, I've still got my eye on both Asher Roth and Chester French. The talent is too obvious to ignore, and I think the lack of label pressure on their respective sophomore sets will help us really see what they're all about.

- Love 'em or hate 'em, but Dave Matthews Band and Ben Harper (with Relentless7) both put out stellar albums this year. It's not easy having careers like these two men, and it's safe to call Dave and Ben living legends of our musical generation.


- It seems both Green Day and Eminem lost some of the shock value that made them such iconic artists (while I'm at it, same goes for Marilyn Manson...you probably didn't even know he dropped an album this year). The talent is still there, and I thought both 21st Century Breakdown and Relapse were both good, just not great.

The first half of 2009 brought us quite a bit of great music, but there's still so much to hear. There's a ton of already-released albums I've yet to give a proper listen, namely: The Dead Weather, Discovery, and Street Sweeper Social Club, so maybe you'll see one (or none) of them on my year-end list. A bevy of hip-hop debuts (Wale, Kid Cudi, The Cool Kids, B.o.B.), follow-ups (Eminem, Lupe Fiasco) and potential classics (some album called Blueprint 3) are all on my radar, and a couple more hipster-credible sets (Little Boots, Amanda Blank) should be interesting, too. See y'all in December -- ddoff

Michael Joseph Jackson: 08.29.1958 - 06.25.09

Mixtape Triple-Post: J. Cole, Wale, B.o.B.

We all know mixtapes are a dime-a-dozen these days, but there have been 3 significant releases over the past few days that all get the *official* DDoff Daily seal of approval. Please enjoy.

J. Cole - The Warm Up [click to download]

Wale and 9th Wonder - Back to the Feature [click to download]

B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray - The Mixtape [click to download]

3 Decades Old And Rising

(Above: a comparison of age among today's hottest hip-hop acts. Click the image to zoom.)

"There's still a stubbornness, man. There's a lot of people who don't like me, don't understand. But then again, there's a lot that do. It's just gonna take some time. We're not gonna win everybody over right now. And there's a lot of people who only want to f--- with [DJ] Premier beats and the Black Milks — two very dope producers, by the way — but they're stubborn, you know? They won't be into a TV on the Radio record. They won't be into a Gaga feature. They want the boom-bap. But the boom-bap is still here, it's just evolved a little, you know what I'm saying?"

This quote by Wale (taken from this MTV News article) speaks for a new generation of hip-hop lovers who are ready for the game to evolve. Problem is, too many skeptics have become so comfortable with what defines hip-hop, that it has limited the genre from maturing properly with time.

According to Bakari Kitwana's book Hip Hop Generation, those who are truly part of hip-hop's birth and development were born between the years of 1965-1984. I barely missed the cut (he also said you have to be black), but all you 30-somethings are welcome to test me if you think I don't know my hip-hop. I dare you.

This older generation of hip-hop "purists" are quick to ignore what's going on with hip-hop as it continues to transform. If it's not making your head nod the same way KRS-One did in the '80s, or it's not as "gangsta" as Death Row in the '90s, it ain't shit to you. And that's cool with me. But please, generation before me, please: do not get in the way of what has the potential to be something special. Your generation got their own version of hip-hop, and now it's time to let us get ours.

Of the four original elements of hip hop culture (MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing), only one remains an *essential* part of the game anymore. Lyrical prowess will always be there. But these original elements grew tired. Then gangsta rap killed itself. Soon enough, "bling bling" went bankrupt. Remember when hip-hop was about having fun? That is exactly what this "new school" is trying to accomplish.

I used to judge what really defined "hip-hop" in terms of its lyrical "value." So much did I hold a distinction between the two genres that I organized them separately in my iTunes library. It used to be easy to organize: "hip-hop" contained conscious collections (Tribe, De La, and Mos Def), while "rap" held a potpourri of party anthems and gangsta classics (Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Ludacris). In recent years, however, it's become painfully difficult to define which is which. For example, where do I put the Cool Kids? The duo doesn't spit about anything remotely important, but clearly pays homage to its "b-boy" predecessors through its old-school production.

In an effort to find where the line is drawn, I've concluded that there is no line. Like what you like, take the music for what it is, and enjoy. There's too much good stuff out there to argue over what is or isn't "real hip-hop."

Most hip-hop heads fell in love with this music because it was something new, something different. Today's artists are doing that more than ever -- Wale with TV on the Radio, Izza Kizza with Colin Munroe, Kanye West with his flavors of the week -- is this so different than the so-called "groundbreaking" sound of Run-DMC and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way?" Getting in the way of this development goes against the very principles on which hip-hop was founded, and haters are too busy hating to recognize that.

In ten years or sooner, there will be a healthy array of "old-school rap" stations on the airwaves -- er, Internet -- because no genre can truly last forever. But the name "hip-hop" will never disappear, even for new music. To call an artist like Wale "not hip-hop" because a pop singer is on his hook, is 100% absurd. Longtime hip-hop fans, you have two options: come along for the ride, or get left behind. This ain't your uncle's hip-hop game anymore.

"There is NO such thing..."

YN and the RapRadar team just posted a message from Jay-Z, which was written following an Arizona show that was co-headlined by himself, Kelly Clarkson, and Third Eye Blind:

"I thought that to be the oddest pairing EVER but, soon realized, it's what I've always professed..There is NO such thing as BLACK music or WHITE music only GOOD or BAD music..It's stupid cool to like things that are not like you, and that goes for outside of music.."

If DDoff Daily had a mission statement, this would be on page one.

B-boys, get your hip-hop on; hipsters, get your rave on; teeny boppers, let your ears bleed to that Disney Channel nonsense. Most importantly, DO YOU. If you like what you're hearing, isn't that all that matters?

Shouts to my cousins -- aka DDoffs #2 and #3 -- both of whom were lucky enough to attend last night's show in Tucson.

Remember the Name: Chris Mann

Prologue: My sincerest apologies for the lack of posting, I've been traveling like crazy and have been too busy working (read: partying) to contribute to the blog. Thanks to all of you who continue to visit DDoff Daily, I continue to post new music on the right side on a frequent basis, and more writings are on the way...

In the meantime, take the time to check out up-and-comer Chris Mann. Dude is a classically trained opera singer who has decided to take a stab at pop stardom. If you liked the Fray's cover of Kanye West's "Heartless," this version will truly blow you away. In fact, it's more than just a cover; this is an all-out remake.

So enjoy this ditty for now, and check back in the coming days for more goodies.

You can follow Chris at twitter.com/iamchrismann.

(Obligatory Eminem Post)

If you like the new Eminem single, "We Made You," that's fine by me. Your ears might need a checkup, but I'm happy for you.

If you're like me and aren't impressed, let me simply remind you that this is all part of Em and Dre's fool-proof formula that has yet to fail. A quick case study:

2000: The Marshall Mathers LP

First single: "The Real Slim Shady," a goofy ditty with countless pop culture references and subversive jabs.

Second single: "The Way I Am," a lashed-out screamer that spooked the hardest-of-hardcore junior high punks. A complete antithesis of the first single.

**Interesting fact: Both of these songs were recorded just hours before this album's deadline, when Jimmy Iovine wanted a "My Name Is" sequel to introduce the new album. Marshall wrote "The Way I Am" in response to these demands (evident in the lyrics: "I'm not gonna be able to top a 'My Name Is'"). Once he cooled off, "The Real Slim Shady" was born.

2002: The Eminem Show

First single: "Without Me," another silly track aimed at current chart-toppers, namely boy bands and Moby.

Second single: "Cleaning Out My Closet," an introspective journey through Em's troubled childhood and adolescence.

**Are we beginning to notice a pattern here? Read on.

2004: Encore

First single: "Just Lose It," complete with a Pee-Wee Herman imitation in the chorus. 'Nuff said.

Second single: "Like Toy Soldiers," where Em offers a truce to his lyrical enemies and mourns the death of best friend/partner Proof.

**Yes, "Encore/Curtains Down" was technically the second single from this album, but it was released simultaneously with "Just Lose It" as a street single for hip-hop radio (aka no video) and I am counting it as a "second first single." Em kept the solemness alive after "Like Toy Soldiers" with the sappy-go-lucky "Mockingbird."

2009: Relapse

First single: "We Made You"
Second single: TBD.

**Just like "Encore," "Crack a Bottle" was a street single and can't be counted as a proper single.

So there you have it. Marshall and Andre like to get the kids excited with the funny routine, then let the hip-hop heads take notice with the next joint. Be patient, true fans. The real music is on its way.

Why Asher Roth will NOT be a one-hit wonder

I know what you're thinking: "Great, another white, 23-year-old hip-hop blogger is jumping on the Asher Roth bandwagon...big surprise."

Granted, your skepticism is warranted. "I Love College," after all, is a gimmick song. His nasal voice is also eerily similar to another white rapper you might have heard before (see left), so the kid's still got plenty to prove before he wins over fans, much less fans of "true hip-hop." (Those quotes are for a separate blog post, but I digress...)

Gimmick it might be, but give the guy some credit. The 21st-century college lifestyle hadn't yet been made into a song; Asher noticed and he NAILED it. As if my fellow recent college grads didn't miss college enough already, now I can simultaneously laugh and cry every time "College" comes on.

Thanks to some friends at Universal, I've spent the last week dissecting Asleep In The Bread Aisle (in stores 4/20 - duh), and have concluded just what this blog post's title says...Asher ain't going nowhere.

As a whole, I found Asleep to not necessarily be an outstanding body of work, but more of a testament to why this guy deserves so much hype -- a characteristic very similar to Lupe Fiasco's debut. The skills are there, no doubt about it. With that in mind, if our great white hope continues to mature in the ways Lupe did -- more consistent production and a more refined direction of "who he is" -- we should expect platinum plaques for years to come.

Roth's aptitude as a wordsmith is evident right off the bat with the album's opening track, "Lark on My Go-Cart," named for Asher's fantasy joyride with Lisa from Saved By The Bell. The track offers Eminem's humor, Aesop Rock's acerbity, and the quiet confidence of your funniest stoner friends, all rolled (no pun intended) into one. References to Cheetos and Teddy Ruxpin will keep the potheads happy and the 80s-babies listening, respectively. The album jumps immediately into cannabis cornucopia with "Blunt Cruisin'," an no-holds-barred ode to suburban blazing and avoiding the po-po. If only this song was around when I was 17!! These tracks offer something that has never been available to the masses: a hip-hop album by the white people, for the white people.

Here's the thing: Eminem is a great rapper, sure. His angry rage and resentment toward his past made it easy for parent-hating kids to easily relate. But his psychotic nature made it so that the rest of white America could never REALLY connect. Asher isn't trying to be anything except himself: a pale, scrawny, suburban MC, with a sense of humor that deserves your attention. Period.

For a number of reasons, I can't comment on specifics regarding the rest of the album. What I can tell you is this: this album is more than the frat house soundtrack that the skeptics are predicting. Asher spits (and spits well) on everything from partying to politics, chasing girls to chasing dreams, and everything in between. Knowing that they will never disappear, Roth approaches the Marshall Mathers comparisons head-on with an entire song dedicated to just why he is NOT that other guy. On a less serious yet more newsworthy note, the Michael Phelps fiasco has proven that Americans are less offended than ever by marijuana use...and I think this will only work in Roth's favor. So once your head clears up from all that 4/20 haze, go to your local record store...er, iTunes...and pick up Asleep In The Bread Aisle. A five-star album it isn't, but it surely leaves a lasting impression that keeps me itching for more.

Still can't get enough? Click here for DJ Semtex's 25-minute "Story of Asher Roth."

"Allen Iversooooon, Hakeem Olajuwooooon"

A letter to Amazon.com

Dear Amazon.com,
Please stop letting the public think that digital music is worth less than it is.

Clearly we understand the difficulty in trying to compete with a monster like iTunes. So how do you try to keep up? You look at what iTunes promotes, then swiftly slash your prices on the exact same featured artists and try to play ball.

Exhibit A: Troubadour, by K'Naan. K'naan was relatively unknown before last week, when his major label debut dropped. iTunes was ahead of the game, making it a free Single of the Week and discounting the album to $7.99 to those who liked it.

You, Amazon, upon learning this, quickly discounted the album to a whopping $1.99. Two dollars! For a whole album! What a deal! If iTunes is selling it for 5 bucks more, I'd be a fool to buy it there, wouldn't I?


Exhibit B: No Line on the Horizon, by U2. Clearly the biggest album dropping this week, and by a long shot. And how does any business drive sales to its products? With great deals, of course! The album is available for just 4 bones on Amazon, compared to 10 at iTunes. And again, why waste the extra cash on iTunes? Seems like a no-brainer if you ask me (that is, if you're a big-enough tool to actually like the most overrated band of all time).




I could list countless examples but you get the point. But, Amazon, I warn you of the long-term repercussions of your actions.

What your customers probably don't realize, is that you are taking a massive hit by offering these albums for so low. The record labels give the same wholesale price to Amazon as they do to iTunes, Best Buy, or whomever -- and when you sell an album for 2 bucks, you're taking $2-3 in the red column with each purchase.

Amazon's logical explanation must be, "if people see these great deals, they'll come back and our customer base will keep growing." And Lord knows it needs to. But these "great deals" can't last forever if you want to stay alive. 2,000 sold K'Naan albums = a $6,000 loss. That will add up after awhile.


Moreover, you are catering to a larger problem: the idea that music is not worth as much as the price for which it is sold. Most people steal all their music these days, and the few that don't are barely willing to pay $10 for a CD. If you keep convincing a customer that an album is worth your $4, your $3, even just $2 -- but not $10 -- how is anybody supposed to profit from album sales? HOW?

Please stop the gimmick, before it's too late. A great album IS worth your $10. Plain and simple.

(I started to use the rest of this space to express my strong dislike for U2 - and specifically, that Pope-wannabe on your left - but I would've written for hours. Besides, I'm all about the love, I keep my Haterade in the fridge. I hope you enjoy whatever album you've bought most recently...especially if it's Troubadour, not No Line on the Horizon.)

Side-Note: How to Rob an Industry Hipster

I called this a "side-note" since this isn't officially a post, but holy crap is this video post-worthy. Dude finds a way to diss every artist ever featured on DDoff Daily; a must-watch if you're a fan of the music that gets featured here on a daily (no pun intended) basis.

2009: The Year of the Early Adopter (Take 3)

(Thanks to Mike for hooking me up with the "lost post." A new one is coming soon, I promise)



There's little doubt in my mind that you've heard this song before: "Day 'n' Nite," by Kid Cudi. Heck, you've probably also heard the remix a million times as well. Moreover, I'm willing to bet you've known about this track for six months, or even a year.

What's crazy is that this video is only five days old. But you know the song, because you're reading blogs like this one on a regular basis; you're interactive with your music, you want to know what's popping before it pops.



You, the eager listener, are what's known as an early adopter. DJs and industry folks are the tastemakers of popular music -- we hear it first, and if we like it, we'll let you know about it. The early adopters are second-in-line in this hierarchy of music discovery; they want to know what's out there as soon as possible, so that when you finally hear it on the radio, you can look cool and tell your friends, "oh, that song is old. I loved it...last year!"

Early adopters used to be few and far between...but with music blogs and social networking becoming more commonplace by the second, the gap between tastemaker and early adopter (and consequently, early adopter and casual listener) is shrinking at an exponentially rapid level.

As far as quality of music goes, I think this is a good thing. We can weed out the crap more quickly, enjoy what we like, and point our proverbial middle finger at the rest.

On the other hand, the ridiculous speed at which we get our information is killing our attention spans; we're less likely than ever to fully dissect a song for all it has to offer. We know 30% of the lyrics to 2,000 songs, instead of 100% of 200.

If you haven't seen or heard Kid Cudi's instant classic, you're a casual fan. We hope you enjoy the song, we really do! But to us, you're a wee bit behind.

Breaking down the Grammy Award for: Best New Artist

The Grammy for Best New Artist, one of the most sought-after awards in music, is also considered by many to be a "kiss of death" or curse to one's career. Is this valid paranoia? Let's see how NARAS has fared over the past decade:

2009: ADELE
Other nominees: Duffy, Jonas Brothers, Lady Antebellum, Jazmine Sullivan
Grade: INCOMPLETE
Clearly it's too early to tell if the Grammy gods did well with this one, although I think they're gonna end up being right on. Duffy was over-hyped by her label, and the Jonas Brothers proved in their Grammy performance just how bad they really are. Jazmine and (especially) Lady Antebellum both have the potential for bright futures, so I look forward to seeing where this goes.


2008: AMY WINEHOUSE
Other nominees: Feist, Ledisi, Paramore, Taylor Swift
GRADE: C-
If Amy can get her act together, we can at least upgrade this to a "B." But there's no denying that Taylor Swift is a bona fide superstar already. Feist is great, but she can thank Apple for this nod. Ledisi is talented but she didn't stand a chance at winning; her loyal following will keep her in the business for a long time. Paramore will have a solid career if they can stop arguing.



2007: CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Other Nominees: James Blunt, Chris Brown, Imogen Heap, Corinne Bailey Rae
GRADE: A
If I wrote this before last weekend, I'd have to notch this as a "B," since Chris Brown has all the tools to be the next Usher and more. Looks like he really shot himself in the foot with his latest drama. Corinne is talented but she'll never be Carrie in terms of success; James was a one-hit wonder, and as for Imogen...sorry hipsters, you're not gonna win this battle.

2006: JOHN LEGEND
Other Nominees: Ciara, Fall Out Boy, Keane, Sugarland
GRADE: B+
Fall Out Boy is already on a downward spiral toward irrelevance, as is Ciara. Keane and Sugarland are great talents, but John Legend defines the term "critic's darling" and was made to win this award.



2005: MAROON 5
Other Nominees: Los Lonely Boys, Joss Stone, Kanye West, Gretchen Wilson
GRADE: B-
Kanye is a megastar, but Maroon 5 is arguably just as huge at this point. I was tempted to give this one an "incomplete," but M5 has proven to be worthy of this award, even with only two albums.

2004: EVANESCENCE
Other Nominees: 50 Cent, Fountains of Wayne, Heather Headley, Sean Paul
GRADE: C
A pretty weak year, in hindsight. Evanescence had their time in the spotlight, but it's hard to argue against 50's success.



2003: NORAH JONES
Other Nominees: Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer
GRADE: C+
I can see this being a controversial grade already. Sure, Norah had two huge albums... but for 7-time Grammy winner Mayer to NOT have this award seems silly in 2009.

2002: ALICIA KEYS
Other Nominees: India.Arie, Nelly Furtado, David Gray, Linkin Park
GRADE: A+
Perhaps the most talented bunch of the 2000s; but this is a no-brainer (sorry, Linkin Park). Those who dubbed Alicia as "all hype" back in the day are eating their words now.


2001: Shelby Lynne
Other Nominees: Brad Paisley, Papa Roach, Jill Scott, Sisqo
GRADE: D
The "D" isn't for picking a bad winner, but bad nominees altogether. Who got shunned? Nelly, Nickelback, and Dido, just to name a few. Contrary to the strong class of 2002, this is the weakest field from the new millennium. With respect to Ms. Scott, Paisley probably deserves the award. (My deepest apologies to fans of "Thong Song.")


2000: Christina Aguilera
Other Nominees: Macy Gray, Kid Rock, Britney Spears, Susan Tedeschi
GRADE: B+
Notice the three TRL nominees; this was a very interesting time in pop music. It seems laughable that Britney was even nominated, but even Kid Rock stood the test of time longer than any of us imagined. A hat tip to Ms. Tedeschi, but Christina takes the cake.


That's one D, four Cs, three Bs, and two As. Not as bad as I thought. But let's not forget about some huge mishaps from years past, including:

1998: Paula Cole over Erykah Badu
1992: Marc Cohn over Boyz II Men
1990: Milli Vanilli over Indigo Girls
1982: Sheena Easton over Luther Vandross
1981: Christopher Cross over The Pretenders
1977: Starland Vocal Band over Boston
1973: America over The Eagles

Hey, at least they were right about The Beatles.