Say “howdy” to Lady Gaga’s new release, Joanne. Who is this woman? She plays chameleon in this album, between a country gal, a pop star and an R&B singer. Oh, but she delivers—this is her most versatile album yet. Tracks like “Joanne,” “A-YO” and “Sinner’s Prayer” make it sound as though she’s been singing country her whole career. Don’t be fooled, though: her addictive pop dance songs are still present. “Dancin’ in Circles” sounds just like the Gaga tunes that have played again and again on every radio station for the past few years. Her powerful voice will get you hooked on songs like “Perfect Illusion” after just one listen. Another one of this album’s great country tracks is “Diamond Heart,” where she mixes pop and country like mashed potatoes. For “Hey Girl,” Gaga becomes the sophisticated R&B singer, as confident as can be. The track has an 80s electro mixture that sounds just right. Give Joanne a listen, you’ll go Gaga for it.
After dropping four singles in anticipation of this album, The Darcys, a Toronto-based two-piece band, have finally released their fourth album, Centerfold. This project is something a little different from their usual sound. The bleak tone and heavier sounds of their previous albums are now replaced with electro-pop funky freshness. Lead singer Jason Couse’s silky smooth voice guides the album. Another surprise is the way the album is produced—it has normally been on the darker side, on this record, it has an 80s and 90s pop vibe—Prince is a clear inspiration in particular. The main attraction when it comes to this project: it’s just so goddamn cool. Suave instrumentals on the part of Couse and Wes Marskell radiate swagger on every track. The lead single, “Miracle,” is honestly one of the most fun pop songs to come out this year. The old-school vibe of the entire album, combined with the simple but fantastic vocals makes this one of the best Canadian albums of the year.
D.R.A.M. – Big Baby D.R.A.M. (Atlantic Records, 2016)
Rapper D.R.A.M.’s debut album is by far one of the happiest records of the year. The album’s perfect blend of rap, R&B and soul instantly puts you in a good mood and keeps you coming back for another listen. Besides the smash-hit single on the album, “Broccoli,” featuring Lil Yachty, songs like “Cash Machine,” “Cute” and “Misunderstood” are buttery smooth tracks that showcase D.R.A.M.’s infectious personality. Musically, the album tends to jump around. One moment you could be listening to an upbeat rap tune, and the next, you’re listening to an R&B mood-setter. The record starts off strong, but after the song “Cute,” the hype dies down. Songs become more repetitive and so does the subject matter, which mainly discusses relationships and success in the music industry. Despite its flaws, D.R.A.M.’s debut is a fun record that displays an artist who truly enjoys making music.
Dave East – Kairi Chanel (Mass Appeal Records, 2016)
Dave East is no rookie. The Harlem MC continues to give his listeners that old-school New York feel that fans have come to expect. One would think that venturing outside of this sound would prove to be a nice change of pace, but moments when East experiments are where the album falls flat. The track “It Was Written” is a great song, with East describing his rise from the bottom to signing with Def Jam. The album’s highest point is “Don’t Shoot,” one of the best storytelling hip-hop tracks of the decade. East uses different vocal pitches to rap his point of view at different ages, telling his story from the age of 10 to now. The album’s high point, however, is matched by the extreme low of “Eyes on Me,” featuring Fabolous—an autotuned mess of a track filled with unnecessary exaggerated talk of him trying to sound proud. All in all, a solid record from East, despite a couple of very sour moments.
Danny Brown has created an album that’s as eccentric and captivating as his public persona. This Detroit MC’s third commercial release is his most ambitious, experimental and introspective work yet. The album explores Brown as a 35-year-old trying to cement his legacy in a genre run by the young. His perspective, paired with production that is completely unique to this album, makes Atrocity Exhibition a breath of fresh air. The album kicks off with “Downward Spiral,” a song exploring Brown’s loneliness and substance abuse in a way that is so self-aware it’s almost uncomfortable. “Rolling Stone” has Brown addressing the disconnect between himself and the world around him as his fame increases. The wildest moment on the album comes in the form of post-punk inspired “Dance in the Water,” a song about living on the edge without paying the ultimate price. With this album, Danny Brown has created an experimental hip-hop masterpiece, with a soundscape that is completely its own.
Trial Track: “Rolling Stone” featuring Petite Noir
High Bias is Purling Hiss’s eighth studio album in seven years. This Philadelphia-based trio has moved away from the fuzz-draped, grungy, slacker sound of their previous two releases into edgier territory, reminiscent of 70s hard rock. Although chock-full of heavy riffs and frontman Mike Polizze’s signature delay pedal-ridden guitar freakouts, his sensible songwriting shines through when necessary to offer a refreshing sense of balance. For every “Everybody in the USA,” the no-holds-barred 11-minute ender, you have a pop-y, jangly number like “Follow You Around.” The album’s opener, “Fever,” best exemplifies this balance. A thick harmony of scuzzy, psychedelic guitars played out with utmost pop sensibility, this track brings out a yin and yang of heaviness and accessibility, which comes together beautifully. The moments when Polizze and the band move away from this pop-feel, however, is where the album starts to falter. In songs such as “Teddy’s Servo Motors,” we hear the group lean too far toward the heavier end of the spectrum musically, losing the infectious edge which makes them so appealing.
Far East Movement – Identity (Transparent Agency, 2016)
The anticipation of Far East Movement’s new release, Identity, had everything needed to impress its listeners. It promised to feature both American and Asian artists in its songs, creating a bond between two flourishing music industries from opposite sides of the globe. In this respect, Identity truly did a good job. With some songs featuring both K-Pop stars and renowned American artists, one cannot help but be intrigued when listening to it. Musically, however, Identity falls a little short. The album isn’t bad per se—in fact, many songs truly captivate the listener, like the pre-release single “Freal Luv,” featuring K-Pop group EXO’s Chanyeol and American R&B singer Tinashe, or the soothing “Church” with Elijah Blake. Despite its great and surprising variety of styles, rhythms and breakdowns, the album as a whole is still lacking that spark that would make us want to listen to it on repeat. Overall, Identity is a good album—it’s just too bad it’s not a great one.
Trial track: “Freal Luv” feat. Marshmello, Chanyeol and Tinashe
The rhythm and blues records that bring nostalgia to our eardrums
R&B, the acronym for rhythm and blues, is a genre that sometimes gets lost in the shadows of hip-hop nowadays. In the 90s, just like hip-hop, R&B prospered, changed and grew. The move into experimental R&B set the scene for talented contemporary artists. In case you aren’t familiar with the smooth, cool, funky sound of 90s R&B, here are some picks for best artists and albums of the era.
Aaliyah – One in a Million(Blackground Records & Atlantic Records, 1996)
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was “more than a woman,” and she remains an R&B legend to this day. Her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, was released in 1994 when she was only 15 years old. The album sold three million copies in the U.S according to Billboard Magazine. Two years later, she worked alongside producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott to release an essential album of the 90s, One in a Million. It sold another three million copies in the U.S and over eight million worldwide according to Billboard Magazine. Aaliyah was known for her smooth seductive voice. You can hear the maturity in her vocals and lyrics—she inspired class, professionalism and dedication. The song, “One in a Million,” is one of Aaliyah’s classic hits, it is a romantic tune that will definitely make you fall in love with her. “If Your Girl Only Knew,” “4 Page Letter,” and “Hot Like Fire” were her top hits from that album. She had the voice of an angel and was taken from us much too soon at the age of 22 years old. A week after her death, her self-titled album, Aaliyah was released. She truly was “one in a million,” and her musical influence lives on and on and on.
Trial Track: “One in a Million”
Mary J. Blige – What’s the 411? (Uptown/MCA Records, 1992)
If you’re searching for some “Real Love,” Mary J. Blige gave it to you on her debut album, What’s the 411?, back in 1992. The album was produced by Sean “Puffy” Combs (now known as P. Diddy). It peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and sold 3.4 million copies in the U.S according to Billboard Magazine. She is known for her soulful voice. Mary J. Blige was praised for mixing her powerful vocals with hip-hop—she was one of the first R&B artists to do so. This blend of genres can be found in “You Remind Me,” featuring Greg Nice, which peaked at number one on the R&B singles chart in the summer of 1992. Critics view her album, What’s the 411?, as one of the most important records of the 90s. Her second album, My Life, spoke about her dealing with an abusive relationship, drugs, alcohol and depression. She expressed feelings that every woman has felt at one time: “How can I love somebody else/If I can’t love myself enough to know when it’s time to let go?” are the lyrics from her top hit, “Be Happy.” She expressed how happy she truly wanted to be, yet she admitted “I don’t know why, but every day I wanna cry.” Her strong voice, along with her powerful emotional messages, touched fans across the globe.
Trial Track: “Real Love”
D’Angelo- Voodoo(Virgin Records, 2000)
Few artists do R&B with as much soul and funk as D’Angelo. Fusing jazz, soul and R&B, D’Angelo is one of the most important figures in the neo-soul movement that emerged in the 90s. The artist’s second album, released in 2000, captures D’Angelo’s emphasis on complex musicality with original use of instrumentation and rhythm. The artist’s first album, Brown Sugar, released in 1995, abided more to the traditional R&B and hip-hop conventions of the time. Voodoo was, in a sense, revolutionary to 90s R&B. It reflected the jams and flows of the artist’s music collective, Soulquarians. The sound of D’Angelo’s second album moved in a more contemporary direction—a direction in which the artist continued and strove for in his latest album, the 2014 jazzy neo-soul masterpiece, Black Messiah. The sexual, sensual and personal album was part of an important shift in R&B. D’Angelo and Voodoo’s influence are still tangible in today’s R&B, in artists like Solange Knowles and Frank Ocean.
Another prominent figure in the neo-soul movement, Erykah Badu was part of the Soulquarians music collective alongside D’Angelo. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, produced Badu’s second studio album, Mama’s Gun, which was released in 2000. The album beautifully showcases Badu’s unique, identifiable voice and experimental R&B sounds. She conveys raw, powerful emotion so naturally through her lyrics and vocals. The album is vulnerable—a painful but beautiful heartbreak album. What is particularly interesting about Mama’s Gun is how vulnerable the confident, sassy Badu lets herself be, in a musical genre that doesn’t necessarily encourage heartbreak or vulnerability in the same way pop and folk do. “I can’t imagine why I feel so weak, say, say/That’s when he took my heart in his hands, and kissed it gently,” she sings in “In Love With You.”
Trial Track: “Didn’t Cha Know”
Anthony Hamilton- XTC (MCA Records, 1996)
Hamilton’s debut album, XTC, released in 1996, is so pleasingly 90s. The sound is less experimental than Badu’s and D’Angelo’s, and has more of a classic, early 90s R&B vibe. Hamilton’s voice was made for R&B—both smooth and nasally, his vocals match his jazzy guitar and bluesy, slow drumline. Next time you’re chilling with friends or hosting a dinner party, switch this gem on for a groovy soundtrack. “And she said ‘baby baby, I know it might sound crazy, but I just want to spend some time to relax your mind/Spend some time with you is what I really wanna do,’” he sings in his smooth, sax-backed ballad, “Spend Some Time.” The lyrics and music are simple, but that is part of what makes the album work. In R&B, simplicity often translates to smoothness.
Regina Spektor – Remember Us to Life (Sire Records, 2016)
Regina Spektor’s seventh studio album, Remember Us to Life, is arguably one of the singer’s strongest to date. The album is full of slow, melodic tunes that tell stories reminiscent of Spektor’s previous albums, including Far and What We Saw From the Cheap Seats. However, this new album also has a maturity and sadness that her previous albums lacked. While Spektor takes risks with more electronic sounding, fast-paced tracks, like “Bleeding Heart” and “Smalls Bill$,” the album’s strongest songs feature mainly piano and orchestral strings. Songs like “Sellers of Flowers” and “Grand Hotel” really use these instruments to create a stunning dream-like vibe, while telling stories of an old winter marketplace and a hotel haunted by indolent demons. The album tackles themes such as aging and death, leaving loved ones and disillusionment. Spektor’s masterful storytelling, poetry and timing are what really make this album a masterpiece.
Norah Jones – Day Breaks (Blue Note Records, 2016)
Day Breaks is Jones’s sixth solo album. After 15 years in the industry and five albums under her belt, she’s got her sound down and she’s sticking to it. With her alto, muted jazz voice, armed with her piano and smooth bass lines, Jones is unstoppable. Over the years, she has consistently produced albums that are critically acclaimed and grow musically a little each time. Day Breaks is a jazz album—a slow-paced, no-frills jazz album. Unfortunately, a few of the songs in the middle of the album muddle together, as they sound too alike. While the songs are individually pleasing, there isn’t an apparent musical story throughout the record. Like a lot of Jones’s albums, the sound is nostalgic, with an added twinge of melancholy. The piano takes up a lot of room in the album, gracing us with its beautiful solos, song after song. “Fine lines, moments pass by, and I cry / Rewind, step behind, it’s hard to find the flipside,” she sings in her jazz-rock tune, “Flipside.”
Colbie Caillat – The Malibu Sessions (PlummyLou Records, 2016)
Colbie Caillat’s sixth studio album is her first release under her new, independent label, PlummyLou Records. The album is a collection of beachy, breezy, catchy tunes about love and letting go. It opens with the sound of ocean waves and subtle echoey vocals. Caillat’s warm and friendly voice shines through the entire record—it feels as though she is personally telling you her stories. “Good Thing” is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac, with its expressive vocal harmonies and drumbeat. “Cruisin’” has the island vibe and relaxing feel fans have come to love and expect from Caillat—she doesn’t shy away from her roots in the slightest. The album comes full circle, concluding with the sound of ocean waves. The Malibu Sessions is emotionally honest, but also oozes with cheerfulness. It’s the perfect way to warm up as the winter months approach us.
Van Morrison – Keep Me singing (Caroline Records, 2016)
Who hasn’t danced with a huge smile on their face to Morrison’s 1967 classic hit “Brown Eyed Girl”? Morrison’s new album, Keep Me Singing, includes some compelling songs. It remained relatively true to the distinct sound we know and love from this artist, however, it was presented in a disappointing way. Although the renowned Irish musician is known for his upbeat and ballad tunes, this album’s sound feels forced and has inauthentic joviality. Morrison, now 71-years-old, is starting to sound his age. Throughout the album, the singer’s voice sounds pushed to its limits and tired. The tiredness of his voice awkwardly clashes with the upbeat swinging rock ballads that seemingly seek to replicate what the folk-rock genre was doing in the 60s. Although Morrison introduces some original elements with interesting hints of jazz in his songs “Every Time I See a River” and “Look Behind the Hill,” overall, the album was disappointing musically.
