Member Since: 6/8/2008
Posts: 24,791
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Top 10 R&B Albums Of The Year
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#10 Chapter V by Trey Songz
Critics tend to talk out of both sides of their mouths: if you’re too consistent, you can be blasted for becoming musically predictable. Those same critics will tear you apart if you venture outside of your comfort zone and discover your reach exceeds your grasp. Trey, at this point in his career, knows what his strengths are and is comfortable in his niche. That niche being squarely between Usher and R. Kelly. Like most of mainstream R&B in 2012, Songz gave a few nods to the dance pop revolution, but also released his most focused collection of songs since Ready.
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#9 Two Eleven by Brandy
Brandy could have easily settled into complacency as a former 90s star slumming on a VH1 reality series for the sake of holding onto fame. But she’s always been a more ambitious artist than she’s gotten credit for, and on her comeback album she reminded everyone how dynamic a vocalist she can be when surrounded by the right collaborators. An album that reinvigorated her career by playing to the strengths she honed over a decade ago while also cutting a path for her in the fickle world of contemporary R&B circa 2012.
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#8 Write Me Back by R. Kelly
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#7 Radio Music Society by Esperanza Spalding
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#6 The MF Life by Melanie Fiona
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#4 Awe Naturale by THEESatisfaction
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#3 Perfectly Imperfect by Elle Varner
You could call the vocally-voluptuous Varner this year’s Jazmine Sullivan and it wouldn’t be too far off-base. But it would be slightly limiting, because Varner his a vision that’s all her own. She’s capable of vulnerability-with-a-wink; not so much of the heartbroken fury that the aforementioned Sullivan is known for. Varner’s willingness to make fun of herself is refreshing in an R&B climate that too often relies on convenient caricatures to tell stories. Weaving between R&B and folk-pop, this debut proves that she’s not just a stellar singer—she’s one with a clever perspective.
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#2 channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean
After dropping one of 2011’s most acclaimed digital releases (“Nostalgia, Ultra”) and with all of the furor surrounding his coming out (via that infamous open letter), the brilliance of Ocean’s debut was almost lost in the buzz. Keyword: “almost.” Despite the love-it-or-hate-it “Thinkin’ Bout U,” Ocean’s album is one of the more fully-assured R&B “debuts” urban music has seen in years. This is an artist that knows who he is musically, and the inspired songwriting and distinctive production pulls neo-soul pretentiousness and hip hop soul accessibility together. This is Ocean’s own sound. And with channel Orange, he crafted a nearly-perfect record.
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#1 Kaleidoscope Dream by Miguel
Thoughtful and slightly eccentric, Miguel’s second album borrows pages from Prince, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Usher and R. Kelly; and re-writes them in his own handbook. Sonically, this is an album that engulfs the listener, dynamic and fluid—you don’t just listen to Kaleidoscope Dream, you experience it. The album’s less-than-successful moments are still interesting; with Miguel himself displaying a deceptively emotive and versatile vocal ability. This is a big album. Even its hushed moments seem to bounce off the walls. And the guy’s a stellar songwriter. Some of the more explicit moments feel a bit forced, but that’s forgivable. While you were sleeping, Frank Ocean and this guy re-introduced artistic ambition to mainstream R&B.
Good for them.
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http://rollingout.com/music/frank-oc...ms-of-2012/11/
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