The People’s Choices for Album of the Year
It was such a hit last year, and even in 2013, why not do it again?
Freelancers, columnists, bloggers, podcast and radio hosts, influencers, editors, hosts, and even more have contributed to the 2016 edition of the blog’s holiday tradition: The People’s Choices for Album of the Year. Their tastes in albums? All amazing. Here’s this year’s picks.
99.9% by KAYTRANADA
Release date: May 6, 2016
Reviewed by: Erik Leijon, @eleijon, freelance journalist (bylines include: Montreal Gazette, Complex, Cult MTL, and First We Feast)
If you lived in Montreal in 2016, you witnessed three stars somewhat unexpectedly breakthrough from young, indie fame to more stodgy official levels. The completely amazing iconoclast Safia Nolin wore a Celine Dion t-shirt and riled up the easy-to-rankle puritanical Janettes. Bilingual teens across the province gained like-minded musical heroes to relate to in Sud Sale rap crew Dead Obies. But it was producer extraordinaire Kaytranada who flew the city’s flag worldwide this year.
Long underappreciated here, the South Shore artist completely countered pop convention with his long-awaited debut on XL, the Polaris Prize-winning 99.9%. His sound, despite being made partially with the cut-n-paste UI’s and DM collabs of today, is one of old disco, Dilla, Gal Costa samples and drumming wizardry at least partly inspired by the Haitian music of his youth. There was a warmth and innocence to it, far removed from the current trend to go darker with one’s electronic beats. He even brought Craig David out of his cryogenic sleep. 99.9% is the result of a true, unflinching artistic vision, even if it sounds a bit uncool at times. The album’s grooves accompanied me throughout 2016, from dishwashing to long drives to making deadlines.
The moribund Quebec music industry has an entire system set up to keep young artists out, but they weren’t able to stop Kaytra, the Obies and Nolin from making their mark. The upcoming 375th anniversary is a complete sham — simply another way for Montreal’s usual suspects to line their pockets. Kaytranada and our beat generation is my Montreal.
1992 by THE GAME
Release date: October 14, 2016
Reviewed by: Justin Mob, @justinmob, digital marketing strategist, 1/2 of Slomocup
My favourite rap album for 2016 is from a West Coast artist known recently for his Instagram rap beefs, among other antics. In a world where people tend to pay more attention to headlines such as his beef with Meek Mill, Game‘s music was not to be overlooked.
Game was able to bring us back to what made that year so special — The release of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Rodney King trial and the LA riots — with the help of his storytelling skills. Every track has a sample from classic cuts including Wu-Tang, Ice Cube, and the D.O.C. The most annoying thing about Game you might dislike is the name dropping, which is something we all should be used to by now. I absolutely love everything about that album. Even it dropped around the same time as Meek’s DC4, Jeezy’s Trap Or Die 3, and 2 Chainz’s Hibachi for Lunch, I couldn’t stop listening to Game’s album and really didn’t care about anything else.
Game is one of the most talented rappers of the 2000’s era — just look at his catalog. This project is just a reminder that no matter how many dick prints he might post on Instagram, Game is definitely out rapping your favourite rapper (The “Oouuuh” diss track to Meek Mill is proof of that).
A SEAT AT THE TABLE by SOLANGE
Release date: September 30, 2016
Reviewed by: Meghan Joong, @megzsz, blogger-in-crime
Whatever 2016’s misgivings were, there was no shortage of great music, and music that perfectly encapsulated our unapologetic embracing of oneself. But the ineffable Queen Bey’s sister did (in my opinion) the best job on painting the landscape of pride amidst pain.
Solange’s A Seat at the Table perfectly encapsulates the struggle of being a minority, a woman, or anyone who has been continuously left out of the conversation. She reminds us that we deserve to be a part of that discourse, that we are not forgotten, and that we, quite literally, deserve a seat at the table. Solange herself said this album was meant to “provoke healing & journey of self empowerment.” and it certainly came at a time where we all needed a little healing. The album is cohesive while swimming through a range of emotions, she whispers but those whispers have roots. From the start, “Rise” — reminds you to “fall in your ways” so you can go to bed at night and wake up in the mornings knowing who you are. “Cranes in the Sky” a definite high-point of the album, breathes a breath of hopefulness in a dark well of constant sadness. Even “M.A.D” redeems Lil Wayne from his sizzurp-induced pitfalls, with the poignancy in stating you got the right to be mad, but shit is draining.
We could go on about every track, the above didn’t even touch on Don’t Touch My Hair, F.U.B.U., Junie or Borderline (An Ode to Self-Care) and honestly if we went through the strengths of each track, this review would be almost endless because there is always something new to appreciate. Unlike another one of my favourite albums of the year, “Blonde” there are no gaps in this album, every track is strong as hell. Every track holds it’s own, and flows seamlessly into the next. Even the spoken word interludes (mostly collaborations with Master P) are provocative and brief enough you hardly realize that they are brief pauses for breath before they are over. But here it is, said by Master P on the album itself — “If you don’t understand my record, you don’t understand me, so this is not for you.” That’s what makes A Seat at the Table my pick for album of the year. The strength in it’s quiet confidence.
ANTI by RIHANNA
Release date: January 28, 2016
Reviewed by: Jameel Raeburn, @MeelzTV, 1/2 of the 2BELTZ podcast, freelance journalist (bylines include: Billboard, Complex, The Hundreds)
Gonna have to come completely clean, this probably isn’t album of the year — nor my album of the year. It’s probably going to go to Beyoncé (my actual pick is probably going to be Beyoncé), but chances are you’ve already read over how incredible her album is a million times. I want to roll back the calendar and talk about Rihanna’s Anti for a second.
One of the major plot points behind the release of this album was Rihanna’s collaboration with Samsung (similar to that of Roc Nation chief, JAY Z) in which they gave her a boatload of money ($25 million to be exact) to sponsor the release of her album — her first independent album free of the Def Jam label. This included buying copies of her album to give away for free on Tidal. Speaking of Tidal, the streaming service premiered the album to the world (albeit in sloppy fashion with a premature leak) as a Tidal Exclusive.
But 11 months after the release of the album, the album is now available everywhere and the sponsorship deal hasn’t even been close to the conversation regarding her eighth studio album. Whether it’s an Album of the Year candidate or GRAMMY snub talk, the conversation has been the top notch quality of Rihanna’s latest LP.
It’s 2016, we’re all aware that pop stars don’t have to release amazing album, just amazing singles. Frankly, pop acts harboring on creating a critically-acclaimed album usually hinders their commercial success which in turn may hinder their status and influence in music (see Carly Rae Jepsen or Tinashe). Rihanna found the balance. For every monster single like “Work” and “Needed Me”, she matched it with incredible album cuts like “Kiss It Better” and “Love on the Brain”. Experimental ventures on this LP gave way to previously uncharted territory for Rihanna including her cover of Tame Impala’s “Same Ol’ Mistakes” and Travis Scott-tinged “Woo”.
Beyoncé may have stopped the world, but the bar for the modern pop star has been raised this year thanks in part Rihanna’s Anti. She continues to up the ante (pun not intended) with each album release, and her latest is arguably her best piece of work to date.
BIRDS IN THE TRAP SING MCKNIGHT by TRAVIS SCOTT
Release date: September 2, 2016
Reviewed by: Sina G, @legendofsina, founder of Montreality
“Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight” was my fave.
Trav blessed us with a masterpiece, Birds is a solid piece of himself. Consistent from the eerie intro (the ends) to the closing anthem (wonderful), the immersive soundscape of a Travis Scott project is just different.
What I enjoy most about Travis’ artistry is how pristine these records sound, the engineering is to be admired (shoutout Mike Dean). From his unique vocal stamp to the stellar production, he owned it.
The presentation of it all is also very appealing. Even the tracklist is special, all lowercase letters no capitalization. It might be trivial to some, but I appreciate these little intricacies. In an industry full of clones, Travis is a 1 of 1.
Every guest appearance on the record was properly executed. It’s fly to me how none of the featured artists were credited. Is that Andre 3000 on the intro?! Nav, Cudi, Kendrick?!! That first listen was full of surprises & quite the experience.
Just found out Birds isn’t nominated at the GRAMMYs, they did him dirty. It’s overlooked at the moment, but watch ’em crown it a classic in a few years.
My fave track is ‘Lose’, pure fuel for the come-up.
Fun fact: Andre 3000 was supposed to narrate this album.
“Pulled out of the hood Toyota, Drove back to the hood Lambo”.
More power to LaFlame.
BLACKSTAR by DAVID BOWIE
Release date: January 8, 2016
Reviewed by: Matt Fish, @afishcalledmatt, evening host & promotions coordinator of 94.7 WYUL HITS FM (Chateaugay, Montreal, Massena, Malone)
Though the likes of Beyonce, Chance the Rapper, Kendrick and even the 1975 had standout moments in what can be considered the best year for music in some time, one artist stands above the rest for conjuring up the most chilling moment of career-defining performance art I think I’ve ever witnessed. That man is David Bowie.
Even before the word of his passing met the public’s eyes and ears on social media, “Blackstar” packed a punch that startled even his biggest fans. His death certainly puts an exclamation point on this carefully calculated swan song, but it goes so far beyond that. It’s easily the best work he’d done in more than thirty years, indulging listeners with one more go-round of what made him such an icon. Whether it’s the title track which addresses and even applauds his larger-than-life persona, the compelling-but-sideways character piece “‘Tis a Pity She Was a Whore”, the sax-infused melancholy of “Lazarus” or the chilling reflectiveness of “Dollar Days”, even those with only a casual knowledge of the depths of David Bowie will be able to properly whet their appetites for his idiosyncratic stylings.
Then there’s the final track, “I Can’t Give Everything Away”. It’s a glorious toe-tapper of a tune that leaves the listener with the impression that he knew exactly what he was doing, in every moment, on every album, with every vocal inflection he ever made. I grew up in a household where the man called Ziggy Stardust was revered and I found myself shedding more than a single tear by the time that last song had finished — not because we lost a great artist, but because of how blessed we were to receive one last masterstroke of creativity out of him. In a year where we’ve lost so many icons, this album will go down as the most perfect ending to any of those illustrious careers.
BLONDE by FRANK OCEAN
Release date: August 20, 2016
Reviewed by: Michael Eidelson, @Mookelll, music journalist
Frank Ocean takes listeners on a personal journey with his highly anticipated album Blonde. Sedating us on his latest piece of work; which has been four long years in the making; Ocean is able to bop and weave through the ethereal production all over the record and utilizes his own voice as a powerful instrument. From the harrowing intro on “Pretty Sweet” to the gospel enriched track “Godspeed”, there isn’t a single track that I couldn’t find myself enjoying. The album holds together exceptionally well from one song to the next, listening to Blonde from front to back is an effortless feat that feels rewarding by the end of each full play through.
“Self Control” is one of my favorite tracks off the LP. It’s a story of a time where love was mutually felt between Ocean and presumably his ex, but due to differences from one another had to end. He talks about how much self restraint he tries to put on himself for the betterment of both himself and his past lover while simultaneously admitting it’s tough to control the way he feels. The harmonizing vocals that finish the track are stunning and resonate with me every time. “Nights” has Ocean spitting bars for the first half of the track before the beat switches halfway through and introduces a slower instrumental that feels atmospheric in contrast to the first half of the song. “Solo (Reprise)” is the next track that follows “Nights” and features André 3000 doing what he does best, rapping at an unprecedented rate that’s exhausting to try and keep up with and further solidifies the artist as a legend.
Ocean has proved to an entire generation of young adults that patience is indeed a virtue and art in any form should not be rushed by anyone. Take the time to sit down with his latest work and understand the amount of effort that is backed into every piece of production and lyric that has made it’s way onto the LP. You might learn a couple of things about yourself and how you might want to approach your work, regardless of the medium.
Reviewed by: Spencer Murdock, @SpencerMurdock, former sports editor of The Fulcrum
Flawlessness is the key to victory for the oft self-obscured Ocean, Blonde is the best album of the year, because not only is it ambitious, it’s pretty much perfect. One of the most talented singers in music decides to flex his songwriting skills and play around with arrangements rather than just overpower each track.
There seems to be absolutely everything present on this album, making it a fool’s errand trying to describe it all. Ocean’s leave from music was worth it, because it opened up the floodgate that gave us Blonde. For the people that think that channel ORANGE is better, please don’t play yourself and trust me — you’re sitting on the wrong side of history.
Reviewed by: Jonathan Cook, @hiimbiracial, editor-in-chief of The Link Newspaper
No other album this year captured as much raw emotion as Blonde by Frank Ocean did. Four years after the New Orleans native dropped Channel Orange and solidified himself as one of the industry’s premier lyricists and producers, expectations were almost too high.
In the months leading up to Blonde’s release, it felt like the “will he, won’t he” drop his album saga dominated feeds across social media. You couldn’t escape the memes and fan impatience. I remember when the sophomore album finally dropped in mid-August. I had just finished a night shift bussing and dishwashing, and cozied up in my room with a free trial of Apple Music.
I felt relief. At that point, the new semester, and all its responsibilities, neared. The summer escape was almost over. On the surface, I was laughing, drinking, smoking, mostly happy, experimenting with illicit substances. Inside, I was numb, anxious, unnerved, sitting in a theater watching the antics and minutia of my life play out like the crackling, flickering frames of an early black and white film.
What seems like the disillusionment of today’s youth: feeling content and discontent all at once. The kind of conflict when you’re not sure why you do anything but you do it anyway. Confusion, self-doubt, dissatisfaction. These are the raw emotions that Frank captured on Blonde, and why the record has been my go-to since its debut.
This heavy tone seeps through all the love and heartbreak Frank nostalgically raps and sings about. On the first track “Nikes,” in an electronic falsetto, he sings he don’t care for me, but he cares for me and that’s good enough, then on the bridge, he continues we’re not in love but I’ll make love to you. On “Nights,” the ninth track, he raps round the city, round the clock, everybody needs you, no, you can’t make everybody equal; and then later, wanna see nirvana but don’t want to die yet, wanna feel that na na though, could you come by? The thirteenth track, “Closer to You,” he confesses I’ll be honest, I wasn’t devastated but you could’ve held my hand through this, baby.
What’s so great about Blonde is how each line is memorable and relatable, as if he’s speaking for the monotonous and pressurized routine many people act out daily. You feel this despite the fact you know he’s talking mainly about himself, about his circumstances. The lyrics, both smooth and vulgar, are cryptic yet brutally honest. The loves he, an openly Queer man, reminisces about often aren’t gendered. The album is quintessential Frank, completely his art and vision. For all the shit 2016 was, Blonde became a gift we didn’t know we needed.
COLORING BOOK by CHANCE THE RAPPER
Release date: May 13, 2016
Reviewed by: Robert Arzenshek, @Rob_21_Arzy, co-host of VIBE$TATION on CJLO 1690AM in Montreal.
For me personally, 2016 was one fucking great year for music. Through the various new projects that came out this year, I have finally discovered my personal taste, and what type of music and artists who truly push my personal boundaries and make me feel some type of way.
However there is one that jumps out above all the rest, Lil Chano from 79th down in Chicago produced the album (mixtape, whatever, same shit at this point) of the year in my honest and unqualified opinion. Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper had everything, it made me smile, hope, feel inspired, blessed, contemplate, sad, and angry all at the same time.
This was the first time I truly listened to Chance, never paying much attention to his previous two projects, but after hearing his verse on “Ultralight Beam” from TLOP, I knew Chance 3 was a must listen, and I’m sure glad I finally did see what this man had to say. For a 22 year old student trying to figure out my way in life, what drives me and make me happy, but at the same time trying to do right by family and friends who have always been there, Chance the Rapper is the perfect person to help you through this crossroads in one’s life.
Through tacks such as “Blessings” (both), “How Great”, “Angels”, and “Finish Line/Drown”, not only does one understand how thankful Chancelor Bennett is of his own life and the opportunities that were granted to him by the man upstairs, but it allowed me to reflect positively back on moments in my life where I have felt truly blessed to experience. In “No Problem” and “Mixtape”, Chance and friends (2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, Young Thug and Lil Yachty deserve a huge nod for their unreal verses) make you feel a type a way about people holding you back or not understanding the things you’re trying to do. While “Summer Friends” and “Same Drugs” make you reflect about certain decisions you have made, friends who have entered and exited your life, and what road your life is heading down now. Both “Smoke Break” and “Juke Jam” express frustrations that one may have with a significant other, with one expressing the tiredness of always arguing and needing a break, while the other just asking for one dance in an attempt to finally woo over your unrequited crush.
There’s something about Chance the Rapper, and that’s coming from a guy who has never met the guy, but only gotten to see glimspes of him through interviews and his music. The positivity that seems to follow him, is contagious, but yet there’s some sadness deep in there, that you can’t help to miss. At age 23, he just became a father while trying to maintain a relationship with the mother of his child, and at the same time just wants to create music, work with creative people and develop his craft. While Coloring Book seems to have opened many moor doors and dollar signs for him, he still feels the need no matter what to do right by his people and city of Chicago that he loves so much in hope that the violence that surrounds it will disappear one day. To top it all off, he still refuses to sign with a record label (a theme expressed many times in the album), preferring to release his music for free, and deciding to make his money through performances, merchandise, and other creative projects. Some call it stupid, others revolutionary, but it just makes me respect him and his music more as he stuck to his guns no matter what. You just can’t help but get up, applaud and root for this man, and Coloring Book was another chance for the people to do so.
For me, Chance the Rapper has changed my life, and not afraid to say it, his album opened my eyes to many things about myself and my taste in music, and his personality that came along with the project only made me admire him more. Here’s to hoping that one day I can meet my newly anointed idol, and have a chance to work with on something.
Thank You Chance the Rapper for inspiring me in more ways then you can imagine, now time for me to start coloring outside the lines. Bob out. Now time to dance around my basement to “All Night.”
GLORY by BRITNEY SPEARS
Release date: August 26, 2016
Reviewed by: Marco Saveriano, @MarcoSav93, opinions editor of Confront Magazine. Britney Spears stan/worshiper
As if anybody is surprised, my pick for my favourite album of the year is Britney Spears’ Glory. Of course I’m biased as a huge Britney fan, but as a pop music lover, I truly think it is a great pop album. She tried to do something a little different, she worked with some of the best songwriters out there and great, fresh producers instead of giving us another will.i.am-produced mess. You could tell she was passionate about the project, and the music reflects that.
She sounds confident; she wasn’t trying too hard to make it a “personal” album, like she did with Britney Jean, or try to make a massive EDM record like Femme Fatale. She had fun with it and she took risks (hello, she recorded a song entirely in French!) and I think it really paid off. It’s easily one of the most underrated pop albums of the year.
JEFFERY by YOUNG THUG
Release date: August 26, 2016
Reviewed by: Lucius P. Thundercat aka Thrilla , @ThrillaLPT, rapper, previous contributor to the blog’s previous incarnation, mckbook
I was initially planning on going in the direction of Anderson .Paak’s Malibu as my favourite project of the year, and with good reason. It is a more than solid piece of work. However, I went with Young Thug’s Jeffery (or No My Name Is Jeffery, if you nasty). Why, you may ask? It is simply because this was the project the where Thug finally put it all together. The problem with such an over-saturation of the market (this was his 3rd project this year) and releasing so much music is that there will always be an inevitable dip in quality and/or consistency.
As someone who has listened to Thugga since 1017 Thug (i.e. before most of you guys), that was incredibly disheartening. You would end up with a full project containing only 2 songs you would even considering voluntarily coming back to. Not Jeffery, said Jeffery. Coming in at 9 tracks, it is both a brisk and consistent listen. Nary a lull to be found, I would say. What is to be found is an entertaining album filled with well-placed features, random song titles that still fit the song (Pop Man, Floyd Mayweather, Wyclef Jean and Harambe all still make sense, somehow) and that patented Young Thug sing-song flow. If this is Young Thug (no, his name is Jeffery) on his “new year, new me” vibe, I am all for it.
MALIBU by ANDERSON .PAAK
Release date: January 15, 2016
Reviewed by: Jess Romera, @JessRomz, writer at Montreal Families Magazine, formerly intern of Montreal Gazette & Concordian music editor
Malibu was a ray of sunshine in the black hole that was 2016 and definitely my pick for album of the year. Anderson .Paak weaved together 16 tracks that pull you right back into warmer summer days on sandy beaches, sipping mojitos with tiny pink umbrellas adorning them. Fueled by nostalgia, the album blends soul, funk, echoing gospel, r&b and rock ’n’ roll while the California native reflects on the trials and tribulations that turned him into the artist he is today.
His voice rasps and strains with eccentric urgency on tracks like “Come Down” while he sweetly sings his way through “Parking Lot” and “Lite Weight” to show off the depth of his sound. Paired with lyrics that bleed honesty but also leave a happy, satisfied smile on your face, Malibu was the musical highlight of my year.
Reviewed by: Mr. Wavvy, @TheMrWavvy, founder of MrWavvy.com, Contributor at Cult MTL
You know an album is special when it comes out at the very top of the year and already has you posing the big “Album of the Year” question. Whether it’s his prolific storytelling abilities, impressive range, or eclectic blend of sounds, Anderson .Paak has something for everybody to appreciate.
Not only does Malibu deliver a fresh flavor that the R&B genre has been lacking in recent memory, but also sees the Oxnard native adding his own unique perspective to the California lifestyle, following in the footsteps of recent triumphs such as labelmate Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City, and of course, mentor Dr. Dre’s Compton, in which the good doctor siced the young great upon us.
The project sees .Paak stepping his foot in the game with utter confidence and charm, letting us know he’ll be continuing to flourish for years to come.
STAGE FOUR by TOUCHÉ AMORÉ
Release date: September 16, 2016
Reviewed by: Omar Sonics @omarsonics, CJLO 1690AM Head Music Director, Host/Producer of “Hooked on Sonics” on CJLO 1690AM in Montreal
The Los Angeles band’s fourth album might find them adding 80s style post-punk and shoegaze flourishes to their yell-y brand of post-hardcore, but it’s the deeply personal lyrical content and frontman Jeremy Bolm’s vocal performance that really elevate this record — a fairly direct exploration of Bolm’s journey dealing with his mom’s recent passing from cancer.
As someone who has faced the unfortunate reality of losing many close relatives over the last ten years, the subject matter hit even harder because I lost my father four years ago and a lot of the lyrics resonate to such a strong degree that a couple songs still give me chills when they come on. Bolm tackles many topics within the wide spectrum that grief casts, as well as reveling in the fact that those loved ones don’t really leave us (“you keep finding new ways to make yourself reappear”), and something that I’ve personally been realizing more and more as time goes by — you no longer have that person around to answer “the questions that went unasked/That appear when time has passed”.
It’s one thing to be able to talk about loss in a frank and open manner, but it’s another to be able to relate to, and connect with, anyone who’s gone through or going through the same thing. That’s what a lot of this record is — a reassuring, comforting hand on the shoulder. I don’t know if that was Bolm’s intention or if it was a positive result of his deeply confessional words, but it’s really his primal screams throughout the coda of “Skyscraper”, howling under the din of swirling sounds and guest Julian Baker’s delicate backing vocals, that pretty much gets the point across of what a lot of people feel.
THE COLOUR IN ANYTHING by JAMES BLAKE
Release date: May 6, 2016
Reviewed by: Myles Perkins, @CarlFlooty, co-host/producer (on hiatus) of VIBE$TATION on CJLO 1690AM in Montreal.
James Blake continues his god-level evolution by dropping one of the most quality projects of the year. If you didn’t know this already, well… I guess now you know.
Throughout the course of the album, Blake shows off his signature song structure, building the songs up like endless stairways to heaven as opposed to a set of mountain peaks, creating a feeling of euphoria at every turn. If you listen to tracks like Love Me In Whatever Way and Choose Me (which is possibly song of the century), then you’ll probably realize exactly what it is that I’m talking about. He brings so many new sounds to the table, which is something that he never fails to come thru with, and as per usual his chord progressions and changes are just not to be played with. I’ve been listening to this man’s music for a while now and it still blows my mind as to how he comes up with some of the ideas that he puts out there. You simply just can’t decipher the logic to his creativity.
If anyone’s thoroughly listened to this and says that it’s either incomplete or too long (i.e. Mr. NeedleDrop), than I don’t really know what to tell you; go listen to Down With Webster or something. This album may have been slept on among the masses, considering it released along side both Kaytranada’s and Skepta’s debuts, but in my opinion it is nothing short of being Nobel prize worthy (shout out to Bob Dylan though). James Blake’s game is strong and his genius continually flowers. The only possible downfall is the exclusion of Vince Staples’ verse from Timeless (which I think we can all agree rivals the beauty of Correggio’s Assumption of the Virgin). All in all, this project is more aesthetically luxurious than a Louis Vuitton condom and I highly recommend that you all give it a chance.
THE LIFE OF PABLO by KANYE WEST
Release date: February 14, 2016
Reviewed by: Josh O’Kane, @joshokane, reporter and frequent music writer for The Globe and Mail, author of “Nowhere With You”, a book about Joel Plaskett.
In the half-decade I’ve been writing about streaming music services, this year has been the most jarring. Not because people have been signing up for them in the tens of millions — that’s a separate story — or because no one seems yet to have figured out how to make them sustainably profitable despite all the widespread adoption. No — it’s because Kanye West broke the code.
You could argue that four and a half records this year will change how we access music going forward: West’s The Life of Pablo, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, Chance’s Coloring Book, and Frank Ocean’s Blonde and Endless (that’s the half record). Asked to pick, though, I’d have to choose Pablo. It’s changed how I listen to music.
After a release mired in uncertainty, Pablo delivered even more uncertainty upon release. Following his instincts — “Ima fix wolves” — he decided that the album did not need to be a fixed object. Thus came weeks of tweaking and adding tracks: here came “Saint Pablo”, there goes the old version of “Wolves” and a separate track for Frank Ocean’s interlude. In April, the fine detectives over at Noisey realized that he was tweaking 2013’s Yeezus now, too.
Harnessing the cloud — and dismissing those who downloaded the album, legally or illegally — West became the first major artist to alter a record after its release to the public, allowing fans to hear the evolution of his creative process in near-real time. This alters the listening experience, too. Every time I hit play on Pablo, I can’t help but wonder: are those horns brighter? Is Rihanna’s voice quieter? Is Frank Ocean slowly staging a coup to take over the record’s whole back half? Pablo has made me a fundamentally more attentive listener.
Without physicality, music is more malleable; the never-ending album release was an inevitable consequence of streaming. It took someone as brilliantly impulsive as West to open the floodgates.
WE GOT IT FROM HERE…THANK YOU 4 YOUR SERVICE by A TRIBE CALLED QUEST
Release date: November 11, 2016
Reviewed by: Adrian Lee, @AdrianKLee, digital editor & arts writer for Maclean’s Magazine. Polaris Prize juror.
When 2016 stole Phife Dawg from us in March, that should have been it.
We would never hear anything more from A Tribe Called Quest — the effervescently Afrocentric and profoundly influential jazz-rap trio, defined by the perfect ying-yang of the lissome Q-Tip and the yawping Phife. But somehow, instead, we got a kind of miracle: the group had been making an album all along, and in tribute to their fallen comrade they would release it nearly two decades after their last. But then for the legions of fans for whom We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service was the realization of an impossible dream we didn’t even know we even had the right to hold, the stakes were suddenly high. What did Tribe have to gain — and lose — in putting out a record now?
What if time had rusted their instincts, in a genre as fluid and unforgivingly short-memoried as hip-hop? What if our heroes, valourized in amber, broke free only to put out something…bad? Well, Tribe was on point, all the time, after all. We Got It From Here… is an album that’s redolent in dignity, that’s historic in just how good it is despite such a long layoff, that burns with Tip and Phife’s lifelong alchemy, even when the Five Foot Assassin doesn’t appear. It’s full of tender touches: “The Donald,” a second-line tribute for Phife (aka Don Juice), is the album’s final song and therefore the last A Tribe Called Quest song — serving as a bookend to the sound of the mewling baby that kicked off the group’s first album. On tracks like “Sonic Walls of Sound,” Phife’s Trinidadian patois is allowed to emerge on the sound palette more on previous projects. And while “Lost Somebody” sees a Phife-less Tribe tackle it his death head-on, it prefers to pay tribute not by mourning but through gleeful mic-trading, like a wake where the guest of honour sits up and spits rough-hewn rhymes. And as loving as it is with Phife’s memory, the album is more than mere ghost sounds.
It’s spring-veggie fresh; even if the beats largely eschew early Tribe’s trademark dustiness, Q-Tip the beatmaker is at his off-kilter, bass-first best here. Contributions from the likes of Andre 3000, Anderson .Paak, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar enliven the musical envelope, while also showing the scope of Tribe’s remarkable influence. And while Tribe refuse to succumb to mere fan service, longtime fans will take pleasure in the nod to Bonita Applebum’s twangy sitar on “Enough!!”; in the microphone chemistry and appearances from associates Busta Rhymes, Consequence and Jarobi; in the plinking postscript of “Melatonin,” sounding like the rebooting of the robot guide that gave Midnight Marauders its spine. That We Got It From Here… burnishes, rather than dims, the group’s legacy is a relief. But just listening to a new Tribe album in 2016 — a year heavy with existential disharmony — is really the mercy worth savouring.
*all photos licensed under fair use by Wikipedia*
