NG Presents: NG's Top 30 Albums of 2008 (#27-25)
27. Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
Released: May 13, 2008.
Best Tracks: Lucky (Feat. Colbie Caillat), I'm Yours, The Dynamo of Volition, Butterfly
Out of the mellow folk-pop dudes who've surfed to stardom on Jack Johnson's wave, Jason Mraz may be the most entertaining artists to ever come out on top. This is the album to take along for a great summer ride filled with many instrumental plays.
We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. is Mraz's only album to actually groove, as he sets down his acoustic guitar for much of the album and rides along on smooth rhythm. Songs like "Butterfly" and "The Dynamo of Volition" are playful with either styled horns or stuttering manic syncopation, they are your picks to jam. Also, the bubbly collaboration with Colbie Callait, "Lucky", seems to be one of the most pleasurable tracks on the album.
26. Jazmine Sullivan - Fearless
Released: September 23, 2008.
Best Tracks: In Love with Another Man, Lions, Tigers & Bears, Dream Big, Bust Your Windows
When I first skimmed through her album, the first thing you’ll notice about Jazmine is her voice. It’s smooth and husky as if I was listening to Alicia Keys' album. "Bust Your Windows," the first track off her album is a grower, but once you've liked it, you will notice the skillful melodies. I also love that Jazmine's "Dream Big" has an amazing uses of sample from Daft Punk's "Veridis Quo."
Highlight of the album for me is probably "In Love with Another Man," like holy ****, that track has got to be one of the most brutally honest song I have ever heard in a damn while. Her voice shows deep passion about the lyrics she sings and that's what I love about Jazmine. The connection she maintains with the listeners in
Fearless is a great start for her career. Watch out Mary J. & Alicia Keys!
25. The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
Released: September 27, 2008.
Best Tracks: Shut up and Let Me Go, That's Not My Name, Great DJ, Keep Your Head
This album defines a new meaning of new wave genre with a twist of disco and electropop crashing together. Talk about catchy, this album got plenty of catchy for everyone. A handful of songs seem tailor-made for heavy rotation on dance floors and in iPod ads like "Great DJ" with its naggingly basic guitar hook and one hell of a chorus, an honor the Chic-aping "Shut Up And Let Me Go" which has already impacted 2008, not to mention, the ever catchy glowing single, "That's Not My Name." However, the flaw of this album is not all of the songs shine through. Some of the songs are bland and fall short of the mainstream attitude unlike what the first three singles have. Still,
We Started Nothing is a pleasing album and a definite pop treat to 2008.
Coming soon: Third set of my top 30 albums along with my take on worst songs of 2008!
