2011 Album Reviews

I think this may be a easier way than video blogging it cause so much has to say about the albums. In this review I am going to mix my reviews with what albums I thought impressed me this year. Some were popular & some were not.

See a lot of albums came out earlier but the singles went both in 2010 & 2011 in extensions to their original release dates. And some came out in the hype of things and in between with a few hit singles but the albums kind of got less praise.

I have to say that 2011 brought out a lot of mixtapes more than albums, but there was a good balance.

I have to start with saying that I think Ryan Leslie as one of the most underrated artist out there. His album Transition had a release but suddenly got pulled out and it is rumoured that Les Is More was shelved as well. Nonetheless I think that this album was one of the forgotten of the bunch earlier last year. The hit single You're Not My Girl got a few plays on TV stations. But I love the album until this day.
There are technically 11 tracks on this album the other 3 are bonus tracks.
Each song are very decent in their own right & production on the album has a upbeat tempo with a R&B feel to it.
Song listing:
Never Gonna Break Up
Something That I Like (feat. Pusha T from The Clipse)
Zodiac
Is It Real Love
Sunday Night
You're Not My Girl
To The Top
Nothing
Guardian Angle
All My Love
I Choose You
Bouns Tracks:
When We Dance
Promise Not 2 Call
Rescue U

Worth the listen: Zodiac, Is It Real Love, Nothing, Guardian Angel,I Choose You, Promise Not 2 Call

Another denoted mixtape that came out that went un-noticed in my books has to be Teedra Moses. Although it has been years and changes in her career. I have to say since her only official release I have to say her mixtapes between Lionhearted the mixtape and Royal Patience - Compilation... A Royal Journey has to be one of the better releases since Complex Simplicity.

Teedra Moses worthy tracks to listen to between the two mixtapes:
Raindrops, I Told U, So Kool, Get Yours, Put It In The Wind, R U 4Real (Freestyle), Everybody Rock!!!, Take It Away, Realize, All That I Have

2 albums that did not got unnoticed are: Late Nights & Early Mornings by Marsha Ambrosious & On The Brink by Dru. I have to say that I have to say got unnoticed this year was Marsha Ambrosius.

I have to give credit to her as her depart as the duo of Floetry is always a risk to go solo but I believed she pulled it off with Late Nights & Early Mornings. There isn't one terrible song here, cause each song puts you on the album. With a remake to her original Butterflies from Floetries first album it shows that her vocal talents is there cause I love her flawlessness. This album is a mood album and shows that no matter how you feel, it can mature you in any mode.

Dru's - On The Brink  got released through Universal Music Group in December and I have to say it is a long departure since his time in the group In Esssence (Canadian R&B Group - search on Youtube). This album has grown on me and it is another feel good disc with a mixture of fast tracked island songs with a mixture of a true R&B album. I think it has been a long time coming. With the song Gettin It In succeeding as a top hit here in Canada and getting some notarity in the States shows that no matter how long you are in the business you can get a hit. I do love his R&B songs on this album.
Most played jams for me: Love Collision, Countdown, Let You Go, Solid Ground, Win Your Love, Long Time Coming, Until The End Of Time, Give Her What She Wants
Sidenote track: Runnin feat. Dru & Lincoln by Doman & Gooding 

Note Worthy & Album Anticipation for me: After a long time anticipation for Melanie Fiona's On The Bridge. She released 2 news songs during this period but her album is not out yet until later this year; I hear the album is speculated to be called: The MF Life. With songs 4 AM & Gone & Never Coming Back became huge hits worldwide besides North America, I was very suprised on how it is doing and had her performing on worldwide TVs mostly on American Shows. I have to say that I am proud she is Canadian and very excited to see what other tracks will come out of the production for this album.

Video's That Got Noticed In 2011:
Noteworthy: Although Metric's "Fantasies" came out in 2009. The album is really strong and had video's come out between 2010 and 2011 with Gimme Sympathy, Stadium Love, Help I'm Alive, Sick Muse I have to give a shoutout with coming out with some of the most simple and yet innovate video's for a Canadian band representing Last Gang Records and their counterpart band mates who made some interesting video's themselves. Shoutouts go out to Metric. 

Noteworthy: For those who forgot who Nina Sky since there first self titled album, the twin sisters Natalie & Nicole have release many songs besides Move Your Body debut back in the day. With the issues of their former label Polo Grounds/Universal Music/Sony Music. I think Nina Sky has put out their best work to date. With a dramatic change in there look from recent years. I have to give the New York natives a lot of credit for their success and with their mixtape released: The Other Side which is downloadable I think on their site, they have matured in the industry and cannot wait to see what else they do in the near future with a official album I hear is in the works. *cross fingers* From The Other Side mixtape: You Ain't Got It (Funk That) is the notable single. Tracks to listen to: The Other Side, Too Long To Let Go, Beautiful People (Refix), Only You


We saw a lot of late releases come out later in the year of 2011. With the popularity of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and other teen sensations with a lot of matured members of boy band groups. I tend not to follow a lot of trends but I have to give a lot of credit to a lot of the major artists that I enjoyed this year.

That list would have to include:
Lady Gaga with Born This Way,
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream,
Adele - 21,
Drake - Take Care,
Keshia Chante - Night & Day,
Shawn Desman - Fresh,
LMFAO - Sorry For Party Rocking,
Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon 2 - The Legend of Mr. Rager,
J-Lo - Love (Deluxe Edition),
Beyonce - 4,
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers (Deluxe Edition),
Jazmine Sullivan - Love Me Back,
Mia Martina - Devotion,
Danny Fernandes - Automatic Love
Mya: K.I.S.S.
Raekwon: Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang
Amy Winehouse: Hidden Treasures

Shoutout to the album: Alexnadra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat (Note: most of the songs sound the same with a few slight changes in melodic and sounds to them but they are fast track and I think I guarantee you that every song will get stuck in your head, I know they sure do, cause when I get tired this is something you want to wake up to.)

With so many albums coming out this year and to go through I will give you my top picks from the albums cause it would be difficult to write a individual review for each song.

Key notes to each of the albums starting with:
 Lady monster herself Lady Gaga note worthy songs of choice for me: Americano, Marry The Night, Scheiße, Born This Way, Bad Kids, Bloody Mary, Highway Unicorn (Highway to Love), The Queen, Judas, Black Jesus + Amen Fashion

Katy Perry song choices of mine: Califonia Girls, Who Am I Living For?, Teenage Dream, Pearl, Hummingbird Heartbeat, Not Like The Movies, Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F), Fireworks

Adele: Rolling In The Deep, Set Fire To The Rain, Rumor Has It, Turning Tables, Someone Like You, If It Hadn't Been For Love, Hiding My Love, He Won't Go, I'll Be Waiting

Drake: Over My Dead Body, Headlines, Shot For Me, Crew Love, We'll Be Fine, Look What You've Done, Make Me Proud, Take Care, Camera's/Good Ones Go, Practice

Keshia Chante: Hotline, Pillow Talk, Hang My Jersey Up, Ghost Love, Table Dancer, Test Drive, Victorious, Shooting Star, Set U Free, If U Say, I Miss U, Hush, Edit Cut & Delete U

Shawn Desman: Fresh, Electric, Something Stupid, Money Shot, Shiver, Night Like This, Trouble, Impossible, Dynamite

LMFAO: Champagne Showers, Pary Rock Anthem, Sexy And I Know It, I'm In Miami Bitch, All Night Long, Best Night, We Came Here To Party, Shot

J-Lo: Papi, Hypnotico (Bonus Track), I'm Into You, On The Floor (both spanish and english versions), Villian, Take Care, Charge Me Up, Louboutins, Good Hit

Kid Cudi: REVOFEV, We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up), Wild'n Cuz I'm Young, All Along, Ghost, Trapped In My Mind, These Worries, Don't Play This Song

Beyonce: Run The World (Girls), Countdown, Start Over, Best Thing I Never Had, I Was Here, Party, 1+1, I Miss You

Lupe Fiasco - every song on this album is noteworth. Never a disappointed track on here.

Jazmine Sullivan: worth the listen to. Love every song too, cause it is a emotional and upbeat CD. Every song has its own mood.

Mia Martina: Stereo Love, Devotion, Chasing The Rush, Latin Moon (both english and french version), Burning (has the aspects of Mr. Saxobeat by Alexandra Stan sound to it)

Danny Fernandes: every popular song off his album that he has video's for.

Mya: Yeah she did release a new album, I happen to cross it when I saw her tweets on Twitter.
She did a real good job with this album and although I didn't see a physical copy of this album, Mya has matured with her sound, every song is worth a R&B hit.
Tracks: Love Me Some You (feat. Marques Houston), K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Single), Rear View Mirror (feat. Sean Paul), Fabolous Life, Mess Up My Hair, Fugitive of Love, Mr. Incredible, Problem + Solution, Runnin' Back (feat. Iyaz), Before You Say Goodbye, Sorry, Love Comes Love Goes, Evolve, Alive (Bonus Track), Fabolous Life (Dawty Remix - Bonus Track)

Raekwon - Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang : worthy hip hop hit. It was most underground critically acclaimed and I say worth the download.

Amy Winehouse: I love this Hidden Treasure album because it gives the old school and raspy sound but up-tempo versions of the sounds of Motown with the moderization of Adele's 21 album.

Shoutout albums go to the late releases to Coldplay, Eminem with another brilliant album under their belt.

Noteworthy: Kelly Clarkson is something worth looking for more hits from.

I hope that 2012 brings forth a new album releases that I hear coming soon from Mariah Carey I hope, I miss her voice and presence in here. More to come soon for more releases from Keshia Chante, Shawn Desman, Melanie Fiona is what I am expecting. I hope too that Alicia Keys although writing and producing a play for broadway comes out with a future album on the way. There will be more hits from the late albums from Dru & Coldplay. I think I would look forward to more hits form unexpected talent or new songs and video's from a lot of R&B/Rap, Pop artist. Watching the scene for 2012 and so on... I hope more talent develops.

With the return of Katherine McPhee on a debut TV called Smash, it won't be far from her singing roots as a American Idol alumni. It would be interesting.