MidPoints Year-End/Decade-End Recap

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! ITS 2010!!

So in 2009 the economy was crap, the environment melted, the Phoenix Suns didn't make the playoffs, and half of all celebrities died. But musically speaking, it was a pretty rockin turn through the ol' calendar. Heres my favorite music from the past year:

TOP ALBUMS of 2009

15. Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Pains of Being Pure at Heart

14. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

13. Eminem - Relapse

12. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

11. Morrissey - Years of Refusal

10. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

9. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

8. The Decemberists - Hazards of Love

7. Drake - So Far Gone

6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Its Blitz!

5. The xx - xx

4. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

3. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

1. Passion Pit - Manners

Honorable Mentions:

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of the Day

U2 - No Line On The Horizon

Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey and the Gru Grux King

Flaming Lips - Embryonic

Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster

TOP SONGS of 2009

25. "I'm On A Boat" - The Lonely Island

24. "Tik Tok" -Ke$ha

23. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce

22. "Forever"Drake ft. Lil Wayne, Kanye West & Eminem -

21. "Rome" - Phoenix

20. "Alive (Nightmare)" - Kid Cudi ft. Ratatat

19. "Zero" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

18. "Run This Town" - Jay-Z ft. Kanye West & Rihanna

17. "Heart Skipped A Beat" - The xx

16. "City Lights" - Method Man and Red Man ft. Bun B

15. "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)" - Jay-Z

14. "Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga

13. "Moth's Wings" - Passion Pit

12. "Magnificent" - U2

11. "Blood Bank" - Bon Iver

10. "Its Not Your Birthday Anymore" - Morrissey

9. "Uptown" - Drake ft. Lil Wayne & Bun B

8. "Daniel" - Bat For Lashes

7. "Audacity of Huge" - Simian Mobile Disco ft. Chis Keating

6. "Heads Will Roll" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

5. "Evacuate The Dancefloor" - Cascada

4. "Little Secrets" - Passion Pit

3. "1901" - Phoenix

2. "My Girls" - Animal Collective

1. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z

LAST.FM MOST PLAYED ARTIST of 2009

10. Eminem

9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs

8. Lil Wayne

7. Drake

6. Fleet Foxes

5. U2

4. Animal Collective

3. Kid Cudi

2. Radiohead

1. Jay-Z

In related news, we just ended a decade so here is my favorite music from the past decade:

TOP ALBUMS of the 2000s:

15. Kanye West - The College Dropout

14. Justice - Cross

13. Jay-Z - The Blueprint

12. Stars - Set Yourself On Fire

11. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism

10. Passion Pit - Manners

9. Sufjan Stevens - Come On Feel The Illionoise!

8. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People

7. The National - Boxer

6. Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake Its Morning

5. Radiohead - Kid A

4. The Postal Service - Give Up

3. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows

1. Arcade Fire - Funeral

Honorable Mentions:

Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker

The White Stripes - Elephant

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

Girl Talk - Night Ripper

TOP SONGS of the 2000s:

25. "Apartment Story" - The National

24. "Live Your Life" - T.I. ft. Rihanna

23. "Does He Love You" - Rilo Kiley

22. "When You Were Young" - The Killers

21. "Beautiful Day" - U2

20. "Sleepyhead" - Passion Pit

19. "Do You Realize??" - The Flaming Lips

18. "Wolf Like Me" - TV On The Radio

17. "Come Pick Me Up" - Ryan Adams

16. "Atlas" - Battles

15. "Fell In Love With A Girl" - The White Stripes

14. "99 Problems" - Jay-Z

13. "My Girls" - Animal Collective

12. "Kids" - MGMT

11. "Empire State of Mind" - Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys

10. "The Funeral" - Band of Horses

9. "All My Friends" - LCD Soundsystem

8. "Stronger" - Kanye West

7. "Crazy" - Gnarls Barkley

6. "Paper Planes" - M.I.A.

5. "Digital Love" - Daft Punk

4. "Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

3. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire

2. "Such Great Heights" - The Postal Service

1. "Reckoner" - Radiohead

TOP ARTISTS of 2000s:

10. Jack White (The White Stripes/The Raconteurs/The Dead Weather)

9. Wilco

8. Death Cab For Cutie

7. Daft Punk

6. The National

5. The Hold Steady

4. Arcade Fire

3. Jay-Z

2. Kanye West

1. Radiohead

Its been a hell of a decade, but now its on to the next one...

ScatterPoints #2: Late October/Early Novemberish

Here is a breif recap of this past weekish in the world of MidPoints music...

ScatterPoints #2: Late October/Early Novemberish

Welcome back to ScatterPoints! This week I've got some hot new track downloads, music videos and a handful of reviews. Lets go!

DOWNLOAD THIS ISH:

"Mirrors" - Wale ft. Bun B (Produced by Mark Ronson)

Hey Wale, this song is awesome. I've been on a crazy Bun B/UGK kick lately, so way to time your leaks with my mood. Can't wait for your new album!

"Bye Bye Bayou" - LCD Soundsystem (Alan Vega Cover)

Long, bizarre and dancey as shit "Bye Bye Bayou" is typical LCD Soundsystem in the best way possible. New album drops in March of 2010 and it can't come quickly enough.

WATCH THESE VIDEOS:

ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS:

Lil Wayne - No Ceilings

Rating: 77/100

It's been a while since Weezy has released anything really noteworthy and it looks like it could be years before we get Rebirth or Tha Carter IV, but until that day arrives No Ceilings serves as uncharacteristically sleek and focused addition to the Lil Wayne mixtape canon.

High Point Track: "I Gotta Feeling"

Michael Jackson - This Is It (Special Edition)

Rating: 95/100

Contrary to what it would seem This Is It, is NOT the live recordings from the film or the rehearsals but rather just the original recordings of the songs that appear in the film making it essentially another greatest hits collection although the new song "This Is It" and the surprisingly incredible bonus disc demos make this a must-have for serious MJ fans.

High Point Track: "This Is It"

FILM REVIEW:

Michael Jackson's This Is It

So I went and saw This Is It this past weekend and it offered an immensely fascinating look inside the final months of the legendary entertainers life. The film is entirely comprised of rehearsal footage for MJ's 50 show residency at London's O2 Arena and clearly was never meant to be an actual feature length film as much of the footage is lo-fi and incomplete. That being said, the film perfectly illustrates the eccentric genius of Michael Jackson. As I walked out of the film I came to the conclusion that he is essentially a mad scientist; as bizarre and bat-shit crazy as he is meticulous and intelligent. His approach to his music and his show was unlike anything I have ever seen. The film outs Jackson as a perfectionist (to put it lightly) but it simultaneously shows us that the results of his process are truly unparalleled in popular entertainment. In one of the most insightful and intriguing scenes, Jackson discusses his music with the show's sound director and he explains that the music must sound exactly as he wrote it. Rather than updating or reorganizing his timeless compositions, MJ wanted to his show to be a flawless replication of the original recordings; demanding that the audience hear it precisely how they have been listening to it for years (this explains why the This Is It album is the just original recordings). Had the This Is It concert series ever actually made it to the stage, it would have been everything he promised: a show that is entirely dedicated to the fans. Decades after his prime, the man still could dance and sing exactly as he was able to in the 80s and he even looked pretty much the same although I have a sneaking suspicion that he has had some work done. Overall, the film was enormously satisfying and anyone who has ever enjoyed his work would be wise to see what he was planning for his own personal finale. Unfortunately, This Is It ends essentially the same way Jackson's life did: abrupt, unexpected and sadly incomplete.

The Blueprint 3 Review & VMA Performance

JAY-Z - THE BLUEPRINT 3

Rating - 84/100

Ok, so The Blueprint 3 was the first album I went to a record store at midnight to purchase. Thank you Zia Records for operating on college kid hours (late morning to midnight). I got home, hit play and was immediately intrigued by the albums opener "What We Talkin' About" which sounds more like an atmospheric M83 dance track than a Jay-Z songs. But it's no secret that Hova has become quite the fan of indie rock as of late as evidenced by his appearance at a NY Grizzly Bear show, his use of a "D.A.N.C.E." sample, as well as the fact that Luke Steele, lead vocalist for Empire of the Sun appears on "What We Talkin' About". The album is clearly a bit top heavy with the two singles "D.O.A." and "Run This Town" coming back to back and immediately followed by the outrageously incredible duet with Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind". The ballad is swelling with well deserve pride and egoism, both a tribute to the rapper's home city and his own empire. Keys' vocals matched with Jay-Z at his most epic level of class proves to be more than just a great duet, it's easily one of the finest song either artist has released. Unfortunately, the album peaks early because after "Empire Sate of Mind" things die down a little. I'm not normally a fan of Swizz Beatz production style, but "On To The Next One" is a straight up, capital 'J' Jam. And of course, it samples Justice so of course I'm gonna drool all over it. When I first saw the tracklist for BP3, I got really jazzed up about both Kid Cudi and Drake features. The fact that neither of these up and coming rappers gets to actually rap on the legendary MC's latest outing is surprising but interestingly fitting. They are good enough to be on the album, but not big enough to actually do anything yet. The Drake track "Off That" is a fairly typical Timbaland joint with a futuristic, dancey beat that wouldn't be complete without the attention loving producer yelling 'HEY!' over the beat from start to finish. The Cudi track on the other hand is one of the slickest, most polished songs I've ever heard in hip-hop lately. Jay-Z's verses aren't super memorable, but the beat is baller. The album closes on a nostalgic and surprisingly heartfelt note with "Young Forever" which features K. West protege Mr. Hudson singing the chorus to the cheese 80s classic "Forever Young". I wouldn't go so far to say that the song is humble, but there is a glimpse at humility and an acknowledgement of just how far he has come since the Reasonable Doubt days. However, my favorite track on the album is easily the first single "D.O.A". Its a scorching, natural sounding reminder that he is the best at what he does and contains a bold and refreshing statement; Jay-Z doesn't follow trends, he only sets and kills them. The track also highlights the production skills of No ID, with natural drums, guitars and other elements not commonly found in the realm of hip-hop. Also, that drum breakdown at the end of the chorus before the verse is just nuts. I'm pretty sure I'm going to break my steering wheel in my car because I pound on the thing so damn hard during that part. Overall, The Blueprint 3 is a solid effort from start to finish. It's somewhat a departure from familiar Jay-Z, but it seems like a natural progression for the artists. BP3 is a glossy, epic production that is yet another high-quality entry into the Jay-Z canon.

Heres a special bonus just for you! Jay-Z & Alicia Keys last night at the VMAs performing "Empire State of Mind" and in case you missed it, this was obviously the best performance of the night.

Jay-Z - New Music - More Music Videos

Jay-Z x Kanye West x Rihanna = "Run This Town"

I already wrote a whole post about this song and then my browser crashed, so in the interest of my own laziness, I will be brief. If my calculations are correct, this fresh new track that just leaked from Jay-Z's highly anticipated The Blueprint 3 (scheduled for release on September 11, 2009) is mere weeks away from being massively overplayed on radio stations across the country. Luckily, "Run This Town" is good enough to warrant it. I wouldn't expect anything less from a collaboration of three of the biggest names in the music industry. In short: talent cubed equals sick jams. Don't be late, download the track now.

The Grammy's

Last night's Grammy performances were impressive, to say the least.  If you didn't have a chance to catch it, here is what you missed:

KANYE WEST, JAY-Z, LIL WAYNE, TI, and MIA - SWAGGER LIKE US

Swagger Like Us indeed.  It's just Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and a super pregnant M.I.A.  I'm still in shock.  For the most part, I just can't believe all of five(!!!) of them were on the same stage at the same time.  I suppose it makes sense.  I mean they are all there, right?  Why not get five of the biggest musicians in the world to perform one of the biggest songs of the year?  The plan was so simple, I didn't even expect it.  Once that curtain roles up and The Rap pack appear, one fact becomes incredibly clear: this is going to be good.  And good it was.  

RADIOHEAD - 15 STEP

Radiohead (ya know, the best band in the world) also showed up and with the help the USC marching band to play the In Rainbows lead off track "15 Step".  Although the absence of Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood, Phil Selway is curious, the marching band gives this already brilliant track a very cool feel.  I could write pages about the injustices of In Rainbows not winning album of the year, but I don't have the time and I assume you don't have the patience. Instead, use your time effectively and watch this.

There was other stuff, but these two were my favorite.  For more performances check out Pitchfork's video recap.

Kanye and Coldplay ft. Jay-Z

Two new tracks for your ears:

1.  Kanye had an outragous party, that as far as I can tell from his blog, consisted of nothing but concrete, lights and naked women.  He premired his new album 808s & Heartbreak for the nude crew and released another Auto-Tune filled mp3 of a song called Heartless.  

2. Jay-Z has yet again teamed up with Chris Martin and the Coldplays.  Although billed as a remix with Jay-Z, this version of Lost! is pretty much the same except for the verse Hova adds in the last part of the song.  It's cool, but kinda dissapointing.  Maybe it's just because the quality isn't great, but I'm less than impressed.  Download it for yourself, maybe I'm wrong. 

Dead & Gone (T.I. STRIKES AGAIN!!!)

T.I. is unstoppable.  I never thought I wouldconsider myself a T.I. fan but the dude has released and/or leaked four songs in the past few weeks and I haven't heard one I didn't like.  I'll admit I was dissapointed by what should have been the collaboration of the century, Swagga Like Us.  Any song that features Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne AND a sample of M.I.A.'s insanely cool Paper Planes should be, mathmatically speaking, the best song ever.  Instead, Swagga Like Us is decent at best.  Enjoyable, sure, but not the world ending collaboration it should have been.  Then I heard the undeniably fun Whatever You Like.  This song is everything pop-rap-excessess should be.  Within hours of my first listen of the track, the phrase 'whatever you like' was solidified as more than just a  song title, but rather a whole new paradigm, nay, a lifestyle.  Then another collaboration! But instead of the best rappers in the business, T.I. called upon the top pop singer in the industry: Rihanna.  Sampling O-Zone's Dragostea Din Tei (made famous by the Numa Numa dude), Livin' Your Life is another guarunteed chart topper.  Soaring choruses from Rihanna and some pretty respectable verses from T.I. make Livin' Your Life a bonafied anthem.  But did T.I. stop there?  Is there anything left to prove?  Apparently, there is, because today yet another track surfaced this time featuring the greatest pop musician of our generation: Justin Timberlake.  Dead & Gone is awesome.  I'm tired of writing about T.I. and frankly, amazed that I had this much to say about a guy I never gave any serious credit to just weeks ago.  Check the song out, and when T.I. takes over the world, remember that I told you so. 

Jay-Z: Kingdom Come

Just three months ago I recall sitting at my desk, on my computer and reading the first rumours of the impossible occurring. It was alleged to have three different titles and three different release dates by three different sources. Soon after, the shroud of mystery began to slide back and the truth poked its head out. The impossible was about to occur: Jay-Z was coming out of retirement with a new album. Clearly, my excitement was difficult to contain. The Michael Jordan case(s) aside, how often does the best ever there ever was decide to quit and come back?

I suppose I should have expected a cheesy opening monologue. But as the opening notes unfolded from my stereo, something rather unexpected occurred: I was bored. Like a kid unwrapping socks at Christmas, I was shocked and disappointed. Me and Hov were off to a rocky start so far, but then like finding a wad of Benjamins inside those socks, the second track alleviated any fears. Sampling the classic Allman Brothers Band song Whipping Post, the song Oh My God's beat pops like a one-two punch. His energy is as powerful as it ever has been. But despite the fire of songs like Oh My God, Show Me What You Got, and Trouble, gone is some of the edge that made Jay-Z famous.

This may be for the best. The man has had ten years on the scene and has re-invented himself with each album to some degree. This album sees a large departure from the feel of previous albums like The Black Album and The Blueprint. The lyrics reflect the sad fact that Jay-Z is in his late 30s, incredibly reach and is running out of enemies. There is much less aggression and even though it would be overkill to have every song pull an audible knife on the listener, the album lacks anything comparable to songs like Takeover or Threats. The only thing that comes close is Dig A Hole, in which says "I give em enough rope/they put themselves in the air/ I just kick the chair" and a chorus with the order to "Dig a hole/ bury yourself". Threatening? Maybe. Lazy? Just a touch. Rather than staring the enemy in the face, he almost seems to think that he has become so big that enemies just die on their own. Maybe I just miss the Jay-Z who had to fight to get to the top.

At least he can not be accused of not progressing as an artist. Like it or not, this is a step in a new direction. That direction just happens to be an aging rapper trying to reinvent himself. But its not all bad. The album, though different overall is well done. It has a fair share of surprises like Anything which features Usher and Pharrell. When I hear of that collaboration, I thought that there was no way they could fail. I was wrong. It is actually one of the least original and developed songs on the album. But when I heard that Jay-Z would have a song featuring Chris Martin, I quietly snickered to myself. I love Coldplay and Jay-Z but at the time I thought that there could not have been a more misguided and hopeless collaboration. Much to my surprise, their song, Beach Chair (which even sounds lame), is one of the best and most progressive songs on the album.

As relaxed and passive as the album is at times, it is still the best ever doing his thing. In most cases, the relaxed feel translates to a slow grove, and only rarely results in boredom. Its certainly no Black Album or Blueprint, but overall I really enjoy this album. Some fans will undoubtedly reject this for the reasons I've discussed, but the album represents a new Hov. And a new, if not perfectly realized, direction by Jay-Z is still better than most others can ever hope to achieve. Take him or leave him, he is still the best.