One More Robot release their special double edition Nineties Hip-Hop Issue, available to buy in Dublin City and worldwide via mail order: http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320837656863

One More Robot is a print magazine covering music, media, culture and beyond. Published and printed in Dublin, Ireland, it’s available to buy in independent stores Trout Records (George’s Street Arcade), All City (Crow Street, Temple Bar), The Record Art and Game Emporium (Fade Street), The Winding Stair Book Shop (Lower Ormond Quay), The Blind Tiger Collective Store (South William Street) and can be purchased worldwide via mail order: http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320837656863

Pusha T: Fear of God II: Let Us Pray

Having spent ten years as one-half of Clipse, a hard-as-nails Virginian duo whose tales of drug pushing and dope dealing earned them the first contract on The Neptunes’ record label, Pusha T was a curious addition to Kanye West’s GOOD record label when the pop superstar did serious remodelling work to his all-star crew last year. With stablemates like Common, John Legend and Mr. Hudson, Pusha’s lurid rhymes – which consistently coaxed the darkest reaches of The Neptunes sound – seemed of a different ilk than the rest of the gang, and unsurprisingly, his debut solo record, Fear of God II: Let Us Pray (an implied sequel to the Fear of God mixtape) is an unsteady and muddled first step.

For the full review visit: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/152748-pusha-t-fear-of-god-ii-let-us-pray/

A History of Melody, Myth and Music

Last year I was invited to write a piece for Tourism Ireland on Irish music that would be printed in travel magazines and brochures all over the world. Presumably I got asked because of my work as a music journalist, and presumably they wanted me to make Ireland sound like an appealing place to go on your holidays. This meant having adopt a somewhat ‘softer’ writing style than I usually employ, an it also meant bigging up a lot of artists and music I’d never actually listen to (Trad, Mundy, Dana et al). Still, I think it’s quite a pretty piece.

A History of Melody, Myth and Music

From street ballads to rock’n’roll, for a tiny island Ireland has produced an amazing body of great music. While artists like U2, Van Morrison and Enya take many of the plaudits, the success they have achieved is a testament to the fact that music is an integral part of Irish culture, writes Dean Van Nguyen.

In Ireland music is inescapable. It flows through every street and around every corner. Take a stroll down Dublin’s Temple Bar or through any remote rural village and you will hear music audible from almost every dwelling, bringing people together for the sheer joy of hearing Irish music being performed live or echoing out of a speaker. The great Irish songbook is full of compositions with lyrics that evoke imagery of the country’s rich history. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Ireland is the only country in the world that has a musical instrument – the harp – as its national emblem. 

Evolving through time, the sound and message may have changed, but Ireland has remained a cultural centre for a variety of musical forms and genres. For a tiny island sitting between the US and Great Britain, Ireland continues to produce internationally recognised and revered performers. Yet despite the universal appeal of artists like U2, Van Morrison and acts like Riverdance, there is something uniquely Irish to every star that emerges from this country.

An Ancient Pedigrees

The qualities that have run throughout Irish musical history were first formed centuries ago. In Topographia Hibernica, an account of the landscape and people of Ireland written around 1188, Gerald of Wales claimed that the Irish were more skilled at playing music than any other nation he had seen. The ancient Celts passed religion, myths and history from one generation to the next through song. According to Irish folklore, Celtic bands travelled from village to village, performing for bed and board, swapping songs with fellow musicians as they went. These days our internationally acclaimed acts still take to the road, but now on a much larger scale, playing sold out shows in large arenas worldwide. The passing of music still exists in some form. Over the years legendary performers like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash have incorporated many Irish songs into their repertoire.

Ireland is known for its traditional street ballads such as Molly Malone, a tale from the 1750s of a fishmonger who died and whose ghost is said to haunt the market. Opening with the lines “In Dublin’s fair city/Where the girls are so pretty” the song is an anthem among natives of the capital. But unlike Molly Malone many street ballads are tales of drinking best enjoyed when drinking. Songs like The Moonshiner, The Wild Rover and Whiskey in the Jar have been popular for many years among Irish natives who enjoy singing a good melody with their pint of stoat. They were introduced to a wider audience during the folk revival of the 1960s, when Irish musicians such as The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers and The Chieftains gained some popularity throughout the rest of the world.

The Legend of Philo

Although Whiskey in the Jar originated in the 17^th century, it was turned into a rock classic in the 1960s by the band Thin Lizzy. Their frontman Phil Lynott remains one of Ireland’s most popular and lasting musicians. His merging of poetry and rock’n’roll made him one of the most revered stars ever to pick up an instrument. Their version of Whiskey in the Jar was a nod to the band’s musical forefathers, linking the past to the present. When Lynott died in 1986 it left an irreparable hole in the hearts of many Irish music lovers. Such was the connection that he made with his fans around the world, many who travel to Ireland visit his statue, located just off Grafton Street in Dublin.

As well as the Phil Lynott statue, music fans from around the world commune at the famous U2 Graffiti Wall on Hannover Quay in The Dublin Docklands. Rory Gallagher devotees can visit a tribute sculpture at Rory Gallagher Place in his hometown of Cork, while lovers of band The Undertones can take a trip to their hometown of Derry~Londonderry, which has also produced an impressive array of talent including songwriter Phil Coulter, Eurovision Song Contest winner Dana and Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle. The city remains one of Ireland’s most effervescent for live music.

Less than 100 kilometres away from Derry~Londonderry, Belfast too has been an important part of Irish musical history. Remembered as being one of the world’s most prominent cities for producing punk music during the genre’s explosion in the 1970s, it was the home of bands like Stiff Little Fingers and Rudi.

Such is the level of interest in the Belfast music scene, in 2012 the film Good Vibrations – penned by Belfast writers Glenn Patterson and Colin Carberry – was released, charting the career of Terri Hooley (the godfather of Irish punk) who signed the Undertones. It was during the previous decade that Van Morrison – sometimes referred to as ‘The Belfast Cowboy’ – really put the city on the pop music map, achieving international success with the rock group Them before launching a solo career that has spawned over 40 albums to date

The MTV Odyssey

These days Belfast still reaches the world. Musician David Holmes first started DJing at club nights at Belfast Art College. Today he’s one of Hollywood’s most sought-after composers, and has also made a significant run for success as a solo artist. Rock bands Snow Patrol and Ash have received international recognition, selling millions of albums worldwide, while The Odyssey Arena hosted The MTV European Music Awards in November 2011, underlining the city’s continuing significance for fans of contemporary music.

Traditional Music

Admirers of more traditional music can visit the more rural parts of the country, such as counties Kerry, Wicklow, Clare and Donegal, which have produced Irish trad legends like Johnny Doran, Willie Clancy and Michael Coleman. Trad (also known as Irish folk) is perhaps the most distinctive form of music. Utilising instruments like the bodhrán, the banjo, the fiddle and the guitar, the music has survived for centuries now. Today, acts like Kíla and Gráda continue to record old fashioned trad music, but it also survives in sessions which take place informally in country and city pubs up and down the country. Even young artists like Damien Rice, Paddy Casey and Mundy remain faithful to these roots. They embrace the acoustic guitar, an instrument of choice for generations of Irish musicians. It was a humble acoustic that Glen Hansard gently strummed when performing his song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the film Once during the 2008 Academy Awards. With Markéta Irglová, he would bring home the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Indie Rock Heaven

But while these artists acknowledge Irish musical history, there has been a flood of modern acts who look elsewhere for inspiration. Jape, for example, creates laptop electro pop. His only acknowledgment of the past is in the title to the song ‘Phil Lynott’. The Thrills have been compared to The Beach Boys, and even travelled to California to record their sunny style of pop music. Republic of Loose dabble in retro fink, while perhaps the most notable breakout stars of the last couple of years, Two Door Cinema Club have received international recognition for their crowd pleasing style of indie guitar-pop. In a way, Dublin has become a haven for kids more interested in indie rock, metal, hip-hop, funk and jazz music than the genres that the city has traditionally excelled in. There is something there for fans of any music almost every night of the week, and it’s these artists who are taking Irish music brave new places as we look to the future.

Festival Fever

This explosion of creativity is reflected back by the amount of international stars who regularly visit Ireland to play shows. The Oxegen and Electric Picnic summer music festivals are ranked among the best in Europe. In fact, there are festivals almost all year around here catering to a range of music fans. The O’Carolan International Harp Festival takes place in County Roscommon celebrates trad music, song and dance as well as instrumental instruction. The Féile lorras in County Mayo is an international folk arts festival that covers traditional dancing, piping, music, exhibitions of arts and crafts and music master classes, as well as workshops in the visual arts and sculpture.

But away from these big stages there are local bars, halls and art centres that are always vibrant with musical acts and patrons eager to have the craic (good fun). Some sessions are planned. Others are spontaneous and all are welcome to join in with their instruments, hands or even voices. It’s this delight that music brings to the heart of every Irish person that is unrivalled. The diversity of styles and tastes means that there something for everyone. Whether it’s traditional Celtic folk or rock’n’roll, music remains a fundamental part of Irish culture.

The 12 Best Films of 2011

Please Note: These all were released in the UK & Ireland in 2011, which can be sometimes months after their US release date.

01. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, USA)

02. The Skin I Live In (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)

03. Never Let Me Go (Mark Romanek, UK)

04. Incendies (Denis Villeneuve, Canada)

05. Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen, USA/Spain)

06. 50/50 (Jonathan Levine, USA)

07. Thirteen Assassins (Takashi Miike, Japan/UK)

08. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher, US/Sweden/UK/Germany)

09. The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper, UK)

10. True Grit (Joel & Ethan Coen, USA)

11. The Rum Diary (Bruce Robinson, USA)

12. Super 8 (J.J. Abrams, USA)

The 42 Best Lil B Songs of 2011

Lil B is a ridiculous man. His discography is so swollen it would take a room of fulltime historians just to index it, let alone listen to every track enough times to fully absorb his complete back catalogue. Surely the Bay Area rapper can’t recall every single track with his name attached, cutting new music almost as regularly as he hits up his fans on Twitter. This is a dude who has set up over 150 MySpace accounts as he continuously reached his upload limit. He has no filter.

Building his repuation through a sheer tidal wave of good music over the past couple of years, 2011 saw some landmarks for the still only 22-year-old BasedGod. He was named in XXL magazine’s freshman class of the year (many would argue he’s been the standout performer in a group that included Big KRIT, Yelawolf and Mac Miller) and, after a slew of mixtapes, he finally dropped an official album, which sounded much the same as his other releases and was just as free. But despite minor and silly scrapes with other rappers over the unusually titled I’m Gay, nothing stopped his extraordinary output. In 2011 Lil B continued to put up Gucci Man 2009 or Lil Wayne 2007-like numbers.

I thought an extended list of his best songs this would be a good format in my attempts to get to grips with Lil B’s output (for this year at least). He’s not got a ‘Yonkers’ or a YouTube sensation like ‘Gucci Gucci’. What he does have though is the ability to seduce listeners with his never-ending drawl. Lil B’s extraordinary output makes sense when you examine his flow. It’s as if he never leaves the studio booth, spitting one continuous verse that’s later chopped up and placed over various lo-fi beats.

01. ‘Motivation’
from Angels Exodus

Few rappers acknowledge their fans on record as much as Lil B. For example, on the closing minute of the BasedGod Velli mixtape he stops rapping and takes time to thank every one of his Twitter, Facebook and YouTube followers. Humility and hip-hop don’t always go hand-in-hand, but Lil B appears to be genuinely surprised by his success, and probably draws significant impetus from his listeners.

But ‘Motivation’ is not an ode to his fans; instead it’s a show of strength against his detractors, of which there are many, claiming their unkind words only fuel his ambition. “Give it up one time for the player haters/Y’all motivate me so I gotta thank you,” asserts B. He doesn’t name names but he doesn’t have to. Have a look online and you’ll find there’s a sizeable group of hip-hop fans and various industry people who think B can’t actually rap. What makes ‘Motivation’ such a sturdy retort is not that he’s aiming his crosshairs at his enemies as such, but that he truly spits fire on this one, urged to life by a symbol-heavy instrumental from Clams Casino.

02. ‘Gon B Okay’
from I’m Gay

One of I’m Gay’s many life-affirming jams, on ‘Gon Be Okay’ Lil B tells America to keep their head up, going as far as opening the track with a clip from an Obama speech circa-2008. In 2011, the whole ‘Change’ rhetoric sounded a bit dated, but with a Joe Hisaishi sample – lifted from the soundtrack to Spirited Away, a brilliant and haunting Japanese animation classic – this one easy to love.

03. ‘Grove St. Party’ by Lil Wayne feat. Lil B
from Sorry 4 The Wait Mixtape

As prolific as he is, Lil B rarely jacks beats or does guest spots. Certainly not compared to Lil Wayne, who will inevitably lay down a verse on every semi-popular beat. But unlike B, Wayne almost never enters the studio without bringing his A-game. The BasedGod is too unfocused to self-edit and too weird to leave his odd lyrical experiments unreleased. On ‘Grove St. Party’ though, Wayne’s presence is enough to light a fire under B, and he holds his own against Wayne’s A game, which is made all the more impressive by the duos choice of beat: Waka Flocka Flame’s monstrous ‘Grove St. Party’. It’s about as far removed from B’s lofi style as you get.

04. ‘I Got AIDS’
from BasedGod Velli

A safe sex anthem that’s as blunt as its title. Lil B plays the part of a newly-diagnosed AIDS victim tasked with phoning his girl with the news before ending with an extended spoken word interlude warning of the potential dangers of unprotected sex. Heavy-handed sure (and criminally unaware that medical breakthroughs have meant HIV is not the death sentence it once was), but a good example of B’s straight-talking lyrical style which is both semi-hilarious and oddly compelling.

05. ‘Real 100’
from Black Flame

Lil B fan’s like to proclaim that their man is bringing back the glory days of west coast hip-hop. It’s something B himself doesn’t seem particularly keen to play down, even going as far as using a blended image of himself and 2pac on the cover of BasedGod Velli. On ‘Real 100’ though, it’s as if the west never went away. A mid-nineties beat with prominent handclaps and an old-fashioned G-Funk whistle, you can almost feel the lowrider steering wheel in your hand and LA’s pavement beneath your wheels. And B’s loose, ramshackle style was one of his most interesting flows of the year.

06. ‘How I Feel’
from Illusions of Grandeur

Lil B spitfires rhymes over ‘Africa’ by Toto, before his flow descends into a hilariously ineloquent pontification on how, despite being born in 1989, he was a child of the nineties. Evidence, if you needed it, that someone who spends this much time in a recording booth has no time to actually sit and pre-plan his rhymes.

07. ‘I’m In The Streetz’
from I Forgive You

Having impressed alongside Lil Wayne on the ‘Groove St. Party’ instrumental, Lil B cuts an original Waka Flocka-esque anthem, but with his own unique flourishes. The vocal is grainy – poorly recorded even – but The BasedGod harnesses the cheap nature of the track, turning his voice into an almost incomprehensible drone to add extra grit.

08. ‘King Cotton’
from BasedGod Velli

“How the fuck we couldn’t vote because the colour of our skin?” Lil B talks about the whole history of racism over one of the year’s most understated, soulful beats.

09. ‘Up In Smoke’
from BasedGod Velli

A smokey, hazy blues guitar flutters over the track, complimenting Lil B’s laid back drawl. Further proof that despite the somewhat unfiltered nature of his rhymes, B can adjust his flow to suit a track.

10. ‘Cocaine Killer’
from Illusions of Grandeur

Another classic Lil B character piece, here the BasedGod inhabits the guise of a doomed drug dealer over a suitably cold sample. A rare moment when B is draws inspiration from that old hip-hop standard; dope pushing.

And the rest:

11. ‘Fuckin With Da Fiens’ from Black Flame

12. ‘Ms Woman’ from Black Flame

13. ‘Based for your Face’ from Illusions of Grandeur

14. ‘Never Came Out’ from BasedGod Velli

15. ‘Gold House’ from Black Flame

16. ‘1 Time’ from Angels Exodus

17. ‘What You Think About It’ from BasedGod Velli

18. ‘The Growth’ from Angels Exodus

19. ‘BasedGod Velli’ from BasedGod Velli

20. ‘No Pressure’ from Illusions of Grandeur

21. ‘Down 4 To Long’ from Black Flame

22. ‘Ghetto Dreams’ from BasedGod Velli

23. ‘Baby Baby’ from Illusions of Grandeur

24. ‘I Seen That Light’ from I’m Gay

25. ‘The Growth’ from Angels Exodus

26. ‘Cold Nights in Boston’ from BasedGod Velli

27. ‘1 Time - Remix’ from I’m Gay

28. ‘Who You Love’ from ‘Illusions of Grandeur’

29. ‘All My Life’ from Angels Exodus

30. ‘Neva Stop Me’ from I Forgive You

31. ‘Trapped in Prison’ from I’m Gay

32. ‘Illusions of Grandeur’ from ‘Illusions of Grandeur’

33. ‘Logged In’ from Black Flame

34. ‘Angels Prayer’ from ‘Illusions of Grandeur’

35. ‘I’m Too Real’ from I Forgive You

36. ‘Unchain Me’ from I’m Gay

37. ‘What it Feel Like’ from ‘Illusions of Grandeur’

38. ‘My Last Chance’ from I’m Gay

39. ‘Heard Her Cry’ from I Forgive You

40. ‘Hood Changed’ from XXL’s 2011 Freshman Mixtape

41. ‘Can I Live 4real’ from I Forgive You

42. ‘Open Thunder Eternal Slumber’ from ‘I’m Gay’

PopMatters Best Hip-Hop of 2011

Honorable Mention: Tyler, the Creator Goblin

As the leader of controversial teenage rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, who’ve spent the past 18 months as darlings of the alt-hip-hop world, Tyler, the Creator’s first major label release Goblin was as much anticipated by his detractors as his fans. Not since Eminem exploded into the mainstream’s consciousness a decade ago has a rapper been so wildly derided for his wicked lyrics and perceived prejudices. “I’m not a fuckin’ role model,” he declares on Goblin‘s title track, but Tyler’s profile has been on a steep rise. He spent the first half of 2011 unexpectedly gracing mainstream magazine covers, filling column inches and performing to larger audiences. All of a sudden it seemed like more than just a handful of bloggers were listening. Shit got real.

But Goblin is not The Marshall Mathers LP. There’s nothing ready-made for radio or regular MTV rotation like “The Real Slim Shady” or “Stan”, two unmissable pop culture phenoms that infiltrated the consciousness of even the most closed-eared American. Instead, Tyler has produced a long, ambitious, and testing record, giving a three-dimensional deconstruction of his own bitter, self-loathing, and delicate psyche. As with his first album Bastard, Goblin plays like an elongated therapy session between Tyler and his therapist (known as Dr. TC, also played by Tyler via voice altering software) and in this environment he’s becoming increasingly candid in his lyricism. The pressures of fame and hype surface, as well his bemusement at controversies he’s stirred (“You fucking critics are making my nerves hurt / Since I’m saying fuck everybody I guess that I’m a fucking pervert,” he declares on “Window”).

Of course, Tyler being Tyler, there’s a certain shock value attached to some of his lyrics, but, for the most part, they can offer some insight into his thought process. Tyler’s demons are laid bare as he reveals his awkwardness with girls, as well as in the tears shed over his absent father. Indeed, it’s away from the yells of “kill people burn shit fuck school!” we’re allowed into the mind of this talented, intelligent 20-year-old, punctuated by the fact that Tyler takes on most of the production duties himself and his musicianship continues to grow as he fills his arrangements with eerie synths, reverberating bass thumps, and jazzy piano chords. Dean Van Nguyen

10: Action Bronson Dr. Lecter

Action Bronson must rap about food more than any MC in the history of the game. The burly Queens-based, ethnically Albanian rapper does love his grub, working as a chef when not rhyming; both worlds frequently collide, like when he put out a mixtape in 2010 titled Bon Appetit….Bitch!!!!!. That his attention usually turns to food, often describing his own favourites in delicious detail, is a fascinating quirk that’s stamped all over Bronsonelli’s work, even if he sometimes struggles with the obsession. For instance, his candid description of his unhappiness with his weight and lack of discipline when controlling his food intake on “Ronnie Coleman” is intriguing: “If I had a little motivation, money and a hot body / I see it now, Bronson the heartthrobby,” he sighs, yearning for a picture perfect physique in a way that few rappers have ever discussed on a record. But despite drawing unusual influences, Dr. Lecter is not a gimmicky album. In fact, it blusters along with an authentic New York City corner vibe, largely thanks to its production, supplied solely by Tommy Mas. The long-time Bronson affiliate provides a rag tag selection of knuckleduster beats, built unsteadily on soul samples, horn stabs, double bass riffs, and gorgeous snares that play to the MC’s strengths. Bronson’s style is often compared to that of Ghostface Killah, which is apt, as his sharp tongue and energetic flow whizzes through the 15 lively tracks like an unstoppable force. Dean Van Nguyen

01: Big K.R.I.T. Return of 4eva

Despite the hype surrounding Big K.R.I.T. since he emerged on the mixtape circuit a few years ago, some are of the opinion that he isn’t actually that great of a rapper. Such has been the enthusiasm for the Mississippi native’s skills as a producer and songwriter that many have been compelled to talk down his abilities on the mic. Contrary to this belief, K.R.I.T. is actually a wonderful MC. His laid-back southern drawl is warm and comforting. He wraps his voice around his words with real elegance, letting his rhymes flow smoothly. And he can chant his own hooks, to neck-snappingly good effect. While his other talents have thus far threatened to elbow his merits as an MC out of sight, everything comes together brilliantly on Return of 4eva, K.R.I.T.‘s love letter to the rap game and southern hip-hop culture.

Over 21 brilliantly constructed songs, K.R.I.T. tips his hat to southern rap’s greats and illustrates the impact they’ve had on his life. Writing and producing every track, the 25-year-old channels the spirit of maestros like Organized Noize, Pimp C, and Three 6 Mafia in a way that recalls their mid-‘90s output. But far from just exploiting their legacy (à la Game, whose love of West Coast greats sometimes veers dangerously close to misrepresentation rather than straight homage) the record feels like a celebration of their legend. K.R.I.T. wants to his listeners to understand their importance by taking them back in time to when Southern pavements crumbled under the weight of Scarface’s bombastic beats blasting from old school Chevys. And with his snappy snares, well-chosen soul samples, and infectious hooks, he knows what made their music so great. On “Rotation”, for example, you can almost feel the steering wheel in your hand.

But away from his technical merits behind the mixing desk, K.R.I.T. is actually the perfect guide to the south because he helms the album with the humility of a kid who once had his hands and face pressed up to the candy shop window and is now right in front of the counter. He begins the gorgeously soulful “Dreamin’” by acknowledging his heroes influence before later outlining some of the hurdles he’s overcome in his fledgling career. “I ain’t rappin’ about dope nor did I sell it / I guess the story of a country boy just ain’t compelling,” he says, bemoaning today’s image-conscious industry. And while there are some surprises (“Get Right” is a cool ride through Los Angeles’ palm tree paradise, while song-of-the-year contender “Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism” sees K.R.I.T. in character as he bemoans the lack of opportunities for the poor and undereducated), they don’t detract from this being a fully cohesive work, but instead highlight that Big K.R.I.T. is far from a one-trick artist. On the contrary, he’s got all the attributes to emulate the southern greats he looks up to so earnestly. Dean Van Nguyen

Full list is here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/152139-the-best-hip-hop-of-2011/

PopMatters 75 Best Albums of 2011

51: Smith Westerns Dye It Blonde

Super young Chicago threesome Smith Westerns channel the spirit of Marc Bolan into their sophomore effort Dye It Blonde, a bright and beautiful collage of syrupy-sweet guitar riffs, dazzling disco balls and irresistible hooks. Fluttering between dancefloor fillers, acoustic ballads and choir-backed gospels, the album is comparable to T-Rex’s own second record Electric Warrior, where Bolan investigated various genres, transforming the record into a vivid glamorama by sprinkling glitter all around him. Similarly, Dye It Blonde maintains a certain flamboyance as the band pack the ten tracks (all of which are pretty much odes to teenage girls) with sugar rush after sugar rush. Each song is driven by a smooth cocktail of warm guitar licks, rinky-dink piano and Cullen Omori’s wispy vocals, while producer Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House) adds tons of echo to the band’s sound, giving a wide-open, cathedral feel to each track, underlined by the band’s affinity for beefing up their rhythm section with a hunky organ. Dean Van Nguyen

06: The Weeknd House of Balloons

When the Weeknd’s House of Balloons mysteriously dropped earlier this year with just a handful of seedy black and white images and a curiously misspelled artist name to put to the music, enthralled listeners were quick to seek out the source. The ambiguity surrounding the release was punctuated by the music, an isolated, distressing brand of R&B that sounded like an emotionally shattered The-Dream plugged full of cocaine and dipped in ice water. “You don’t know what’s in store / But you know what you’re here for,” howled the acidic vocalist on opener “High For This”, but did we know what we were getting ourselves into? Toronto singer Abel Tesfaye emerged as the man behind the music, but House of Balloons works best as a journey through the most debauched weekend of our faceless host’s life. It’s a nine-track tale of lurid sex, heartbreak and drug indulgence, set in a hauntingly beautiful world built on synthetic drum machines and striking samples. Dean Van Nguyen

Full list is here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/152303-the-75-best-albums-of-2011/

I’ve Been Writing Music Reviews..

I havn’t written music reviews prolifically since my Wireless Bollinger days, but recently I’ve been taking on heaps of reviews for both AU’s magazine and website. And I’ve really been enjoying it. Here’s some of my recent hits. In order of preference.