In 2006 I found myself constantly moaning and groaning about the pop music I’ve been subjected to via radio and MTV. Although many of my peers had gave up on the industry currently in a sales struggle, I grabbed the pop world by the ankles and found 10 albums I enjoyed.
1. Clipse, “Hell Hath No Fury”
Virginia Beach brothers Malice and Pusha T delivered a towering rap album full of clever lyrics about selling cocaine without showing an ounce of repentance and are backed by the lush melodies of power producers The Neptunes. Although consumers might not have rushed out to purchase this gem, critics, including this one, have hailed this as the best rap album of 2006.
2. Lily Allen, “Alright Still”
Allen is what Gwen Stefani and Fergie are striving unsuccessfully to be: a pop girl singing the gritty lyrics she has experienced. “Alright Still” has believable subject matter unlike that of a thirty-something Stefani singing “Hollaback Girl.” Allen’s Brit-pop debut is backed by beats reminiscent of Stefani and Fergie while she sings about a world of teenage muggers, pimps and crack whores. Allen might not be the ideal role model or have the pipes of Fergie, but she offers a refreshing alternative to “London Bridge.”
3. Girl Talk, “Night Ripper”
Gregg Gillis (Girl Talk) delivered a sweat-inducing 41 minute mash-up of Ludacris, G-Unit, Jermaine Dupri, the Ying-Tang Twins, Kanye West, the Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, Michael McDonald, Fleetwood Mac, Britney Spears, Sonic Youth … simply too many to name. This album is a guarantee head-snapper, the one album of the year that was a non-stop party.
4. John Legend, “Once Again”
Legend is one of the last artists in a dying breed of soul singers who evokes a classic time of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. This time around, Legend strays a bit from the piano that defined his stellar debut and took a chance resulting in a marriage of nostalgic Motown sound and the current standards of pop. “Once Again” is R&B at its finest including delicate band arrangements and creative samples.
5. Kelis, “Kelis Was Here”
The beauty of this album is also its curse: It’s eclectic. The first album not to feature The Neptunes, who are responsible for her two biggest hits “Milkshake” and “Caught Out There.” Kelis decides to explore productions from Scott Storch, Max Martin, Gnarls Barkley’s Cee-Lo and Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am. The payoff was an album that didn’t have focus. Songs like “Till The Wheels Fall Off” captured the essence of ’70s funk and the lead single “Bossy” was complete dirty south. Her vocals aren’t the strongest, but you have to admire the guts she had for walking away from guaranteed hit-makers The Neptunes.
6. Nelly Furtado, “Loose”
The surprise make-over album of the year had to be Furtado’s Timbaland-produced pop gem, “Loose.” She ditched the alternative sound of her previous album “Folklore” and delivered one of the most infectious and certainly most-played singles of the year, “Promiscuous.” The album boasts other sure-fire hits like “Maneater” and “Say It Right.” “Loose” left me thinking this can’t be the same woman who did “I’m Like A Bird.”
7. Lupe Fiasco, “Food and Liquor”
Fiasco, who first got shine appearing on Kanye West’s “Touch The Sky,” formally introduced himself with a strong debut full of alternative hip-hop. His lyrics don’t focus on a back alley drug-deal or a senseless shooting, instead shifting his energy on trying to find a good place to skate. Fiasco might not offer shoot-em-up lyrics but does offer feel-good lyrics that make you think. The highlight of the album is “Pressure,” a hard-hitting track with Jay-Z.
8. Beyonce, “B’Day”
The lead woman of Destiny’s Child traded in the sappy love songs of her multi-platinum debut “Dangerously In Love” and opted for a little more aggression. With the erratic lyrics of “Ring The Alarm” and the bass heavy funk of “Deja Vu,” Beyoncé seemingly ruled summer. The high point of the dance-heavy album is the kiss-off to a cheating ex, “Irreplaceable.”
9. Ciara, “Ciara: The Evolution”
While I personally loathe albums with spoken-word interludes (this disc has four), Ciara proved she is capable of capturing the same dance-heavy hip-hop of her debut. The album starts with the screams of the Lil Jon produced “That’s Right” and in-between has the Prince-esque “Promise,” the hip-shaking “Get Up” and the ’80s-approved “Make It Last Forever.” The ballads at the end slow the disc down and the spoken-word interludes are distracting. But with an album this hot, I can forgive.
10. Robin Thicke, “The Evolution of Robin Thicke”
The unfairly underrated Robin Thicke chose to show how much he evolved with his sophomore effort, but unlike Ciara he let the music speak for itself. The result is a disc that builds up with each track. Thicke is better than Justin Timberlake in the vocals department, although Timberlake has him beat in the success department. The Neptunes produced “Wanna Love U Girl” isn’t as great as the ’70s funk of “Cocaine” or the Latin flavored “Everything I Can’t Have.” Although he has found successwriting and producing songs for Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera, Thicke should be acclaimed for releasing one of the best R&B albums of the year.
