They Were Among The Best Of The decade (If not In The Top Ten)

Chocolate Factory – R. Kelly – This was his pop move and it worked COMPLETELY for me especially the free EP that came with me, but a song or so were pordinary and which I consider it better than, say, TP-2.com (the album it precedes) I don’t consider it a major improvement.


Falu – This woulda been my fave album of 2007 if Idda heard it in 2007. It is essentially flawless but it is also essentially an isolatinist album, even from itself, it feels too stuck in its own time and place and mores the shame because Falu is more than simply a World Charts phenom, given the right time and place she could do more for Indian music in the States than even Ravi Shankar ever did. More than Kula Shaka or Cornershop ever did, she could break it pop in the States.


S.D.E. – Cam’ron – This is gangsta rap as a pop album. I wrote a coupla days ago about how the late 90s, early 2000s were a pretty good episode in the story of rap (better than the past five years, especially 2008, which was a destitute mess) and because it was so good a truly great rapper like got delegated into the bin on S.D.E. A coupla years later Purple Haze would get the accolates and though Haze is the better album S.D.E. was both first and more fun.


The Execution Of All Things – Rilo Kiley – You know why Costello sucks up to the limitedly talented Jenny Lewis? Because she sang “With Arms Outstretched” from this Saddle Creek release. RK’s second album is as smart and powerful a young American statement as you’ve ever heard by an indie rock. Made em all superstars and deservedly so.


Gold – Ryan Adams – This album is so important to me but is it so important to the rest of the world?


A Celebration Of Hunger – Spider Bags – Same as Gold. I love em both… Celebration is one of my fave albums of all times but it feels somewhat subjective.