Category: God

Work It!

12/11/2015

The QUEEN is back.

Imagine. I'm just sitting there alone, in the library, scrolling through my social media, when I see Missy Elliott's new music video flash before my eyes. It was manna sent from heaven. Rap god apparent, Missy Elliott was back from an extended hiatus.

The public has been clamoring for a Missy Elliott come back. Clamoring might be a strong word. Most of us forgot about Missy and then she came up on that stage with Katy Perry at the Super Bowl and literally murdered us all by bringing “Work It” back. The most iconic of all of Missy Elliot's hits.

It's not that surprising that Katy brought Missy out. Back in the days of global domination and chart success with Teenage Dream, Katy had Missy do a remix of “Last Friday Night (TGIF)”

Missy Elliott has not been releasing solo material, but she's been putting her foot back in the studio. When Skrillex and Diplo got together with Kiesza and produced the bombastic “Take U There”, they turned right around and had Missy Elliott drop some bars. It's literally better then my entire life.

Buy "Last Friday Night"

Buy "Take U There"

After Janet Jackson released “No Sleeeep” and it did marginally well for the aging R&B diva, she teased her album Unbreakable with a collaboration with Missy Elliott, “Burnitup!” The songs a little retro, a little done before, and also one of the best songs to come out of her canon. And, it united her with Missy Elliott.

Buy "Burnitup!"

Missy Elliott is a goddess. She was part of the insurgence of female rappers in the nineties. She was right there with Lil Kim, Queen Latifah, Left Eye, Foxy Brown, and Eve. I miss the days of female rappers. Now all we have is Nicki Minaj and Dej Loaf trying to make it big.

The new song from Missy is called “WTF (Where They From)”. It's fire. This is the first of new music we've heard from her since “Best Best” in 2008. We have been waiting seven years for a new Missy Elliott album.

The last album we had from Missy was The Cookbook. It had that one good Ciara collaboration on it, “Lose Control”. Not to be confused with the iconic "Lose Control" by Kevin Federline.

Since, then we have been lost in the ocean, just waiting for Missy Elliott to return and gift us with her presence again. “WTF (Where They From)” has reminded us why we miss her. In a smart move she's included Pharrell on the track. His contribution is a few throwaway, absolutely delicious verses. With his enhanced radio presence after the massive hit that was “Happy” his appearance is sure to help garner radio play.

The music is nothing we haven't seen before, but it's a fun ride. There's some rhinestones on the lips. Reminiscent of J. Lo's “Goin' In” video and Latrice Royale's time on RuPaul's Drag Race. Some stimulated dance sequences. Puppets. A few people rolled up into body bags. Missy Elliott is back and about to let us have it.

Buy"WTF (Where They From)"

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Best Albums of 2014

12/27/2014

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Let's be really clear about this list. It is simply a review of the albums I have bought this year. I could never numerically list my favorite albums for a year. I could knock some out of the top ten, but let's be honest. I love music too much. Now almost all the music I got this year, I bought the day it came out.

You know I like my CD. That means some albums I may have talked about or have wanted, I do not have. RuPaul never released Born Naked in a physical format, Troye Sivan didn't release TRYXE physically in the United States, and Azealia Banks will be putting Broke With Expensive Taste out in January. It will make next years list.

I'm going to try to be a cold calculated bitch to my faves. Will see how well this goes. I'll give you a general rating out of five bubbles and include the song I played the most individually according to my computer.

Buy Lights Out

Lights Out: Ingrid Michaleson
3 ½ Bubbles
I bought this album as a spur of the moment seven dollar purchase at Target. I really do enjoy it's acceptable hit “Girls Chase Boys” and its a nice album. It's a good folk pop. It's not my favorite, though. Like, I think it's good album, but I don't listen to it very often. The ballads are what bring this album down. It just drags. That being said there are some standout tracks including “Warpath”, “Time Machine”, and “One Night Town”.

Most Played Song: "One Night Town"

Buy 1989

1989: Taylor Swift
4 Bubbles
Who else was shocked at how great this album was. I bought it the moment it came out. The Target staff was still putting it up and I had to reach past them to get it. This album is so much better then “Shake It Off” predicted. I know I said I wouldn't it. Of course I did. I'm so glad, I did. I am now a proud and out Taylor Swift fan. This album is everything.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Welcome To New York” and “Blank Space”

A.K.A.: Jennifer Lopez
3 ½ Bubbles
This is Queen J.Lo's latest album. I was hyped for it. I wanted it so badly. And, it was kind of a disappointment. One of my favorite albums ever was her previous studio album Love? A.K.A. Really wasn't going to top that. As much as I've listened to the album it's not my favorite. And, this rating is actually based on the standard ten track album. I really love this album until “Booty” ends and then it just slides down. If you're not a Jennifer Lopez fan and you want this album. Get the standard edition. Its a more solid performance over all, then the deluxe.

Most Played Song: “Booty” featuring Pitbull

Buy A.K.A.

Aquarius: Tinashe
3 ½ Bubbles
Critics adored this album. I think it's solid, but like many albums I don't enjoy listening to it per say. I see the artistry and I think it was executed well, but Tinashe wanted to be both an R&B starlet and an expiremental mix tape girl. She tried to make it work. I don't know if it did. Some songs I thoroughly enjoyed were the title track, “Bet”, “All Hands On Deck”, and “Wildfire”

Most Played Song: “2 On”

Buy Aquarius

Cheek to Cheek: Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
4 Bubbles
I bought it for Lady Gaga. Real talk. That's why the world bought it. This is a jazz album. I tentatively think it was well executed. I don't listen to jazz. When I do listen to this album I jam, but is it going to take the place of ARTPOP? Absolutely not.

Most Played Song: “I Can't Give You Anything But Love”

Buy Cheek to Cheek

Food: Kelis
4 Bubbles
This is an album. I don't listen to the songs individually when I listen to Kelis it is the full experience. This is a soul funk R&B album. I love it. It may not be for everyone, but it's an insanely well executed project.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Bless The Telephone” and “Jerk Ribs”

Buy Food

Flashing Lights: Havana Brown
3 Bubbles
I know technically this album came out in 2013, but the version I have of this album came out in 2014. So, I'm going to include it anyway, you know I love Havana Brown. That said it's surprising how not good I thought Flashing Lights was. Like it's everything to me, but I'm like wow this isn't actually tht good of an album. This happened, because of the lackluster quality of some of the filler tracks that are strung together four songs long. When this album is at it's high. It can't be beat. At it's lows it hurts. It also come as a surprise to me that the most played song I had was not “Warrior”, “We Run The Night”, “Big Banana”, "Naughty” or “Flashing Lights”. All songs I would say were better, but a song I would label as filler, but apparently incredibly enjoyable filler.

Most Played Song: “You'll Be Mine”

Buy Flashing Lights

Buy It's The Girls!

It's The Girls!: Bette Midler
3 ½ Bubbles
Legendary Bette Midler released yet another studio album. It is a collection of standard girl group songs. Executed well, not as well as other albums by her. I thoroughly enjoyed it.The album also offers great love advice.. Take the staggeringly over optimistic “Tell Him”. Sure just tell your crush you'll never leave him in his whole life. That you'll love him forever. That's not creepy. Side note do not go out of your way to get the Target edition. It's just two sappy ballads that are sub par for the set and don't add much to the record.

Most Played Song: “He's Sure The Boy I Love”

Going to Hell: The Pretty Reckless
4 ½ Bubbles
One of the best albums of the year. Obsessed. I love. Every song is almost perfect. It strays a little too hard rock for me at times, but that's because I'm not usually one of hard rocks biggest proponents. Buy this album. It's fronted by Gossip Girl alumn, Taylor Momsen, and man does she kill it as a provocative Lolita figure.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Heaven Knows”, “Why'd You Bring A Shotgun To The Party”, and “Fucked Up World”

Buy Going To Hell

Motion: Calvin Harris
4 Bubbles
DJ Calvin Harris has hit his stride. This album is everything you want, radio friendly pop fodder with plenty of bangers. The fantastic Big Sean feature with “Open Wide” or the Tinashe led “Dollar Signs”. He did a great job creating a flowing record. It also doesn't hurt that he back loaded the album with it's best songs. Another collaboration with Ellie Goulding hit home and you should check this album out before these songs hit the top ten.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Pray to God” featuring Haim and “Dollar Signs” featuring Tinashe

Buy Motion

Buy The New Classic

Nick Jonas: Nick Jonas
3 Bubbles
I wanted more from this album. There are no shirtless pictures in the booklet, so what the fuck Nick. But, just at it's core I'm not in love. It doesn't turn me off. I'm not opposed to buying another Nick Jonas album, I'm just not entirely bought into this Nick. The lyrics really do bother me on some of these songs. “If I can't have you, no one will”. It's kind of creepy. His duet with Mike Posner is disgusting. There are just some things that turn me off to this album. That said I was pleasantly surprised at how good the duet with Demi Lovato was, and you know I don't like her.

Most Played Song: “Numb” featuring Angel Haze

The New Classic: Iggy Azalea
2 Bubbles
I want to read this album, but the hits bolster it just enough for me not to tear it apart. I am not a fan of this album. The Reclassified is probably the shit. Streamlined with the best. All the effort was put into the hits. I don't know. She makes stabs at 'real' hip hop and it just doesn't strike home like her pop renderings. There were some album only songs that I adore like “Fuck Love” and the ridiculous “Lady Patra”. I even like “Walk The Line”. But, when paired against the hits. The other songs fall flat. This doesn't fulfill the joy of an album experience.

Most Played Song: “Fancy” featuring Charli XCX

Buy Nick Jonas

Platinum: Miranda Lambert
3 ½ Bubbles
Miranda is my country darling, I love her music. This is a rambling album and it works. It does, but as a rambling album some songs turn me off to the overall aesthetic. “Little Red Wagon” being the biggest put down. And, I read in a review that they consider it a stand out track, so I might just be missing something. There's her trademark humor in tow with “Old Shit” and “Gravity is a Bitch”. I am also not impressed with lead single “Automatic”. It's kind of condescending and it doesn't really sound like Miranda. It also must be known that I am overwhelmed with both “Smokin' and Drinkin'” and “Platinum”. They barely missed being the my most played song.

Most Played Song: “Something Bad” feauturing Carrie Underwood

Buy Platinum

Queen of the Clouds: Tove Lo
3 Bubbles
Another album I want to get into. I didn't it. It didn't click for me. “Like Em Young” did resonate with me. I just want to send this song to my crush anonymously and say how does this make you feel. The concept of splitting the album into three distinct parts of “The Sex”, “The Love” and “The Pain”. That was really cool. I know someone who loves this album. Give it a shot. I'm going to keep trying. Tove Lo as a pop star intrigues me.

Most Played Song: “Not On Drugs”

Buy Queen of the Clouds

That's Christmas to Me: Pentatonix
3 Bubbles
People went gaga for this acapella Christmas album this year. I bought it because of Mitch and Scott. It's acceptable Christmas fair. It does not compete with Celine Dion or Bette Midler. If you want it I say go get it.

Most Played Song: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”

Buy That's Christmas To Me

Shakira: Shakira
3 ½ Bubbles
Shakira did a stint on The Voice and tried her damnedest to get American radio play by throwing Rihanna onto the lead off single “Can't Remember To Forget You”, but never the less her latest album didn't produce a sizable hit in the United States. I enjoy this album. I don't think it's as good as say Laundry Service, She Wolf, or Sale El Sol. But, it's an easy breezy listen that stands up stronger then either part of the Oral Fixation series. I also thoroughly enjoyed her duet with country superstar, Blake Shelton that was trashed by more then one critic.

Most Played Song: “Can't Remember To Forget You” featuring Rihanna

Buy Shakira

Sex and Love: Enrique Iglesias
3 Bubbles
This is one of those weird albums that works, but I can't honestly tell you it's a good album. It's Enrique Iglesias. I've listened to this album numerous times and I love it. Also, the song I trashed when I compared him to Shakira is my most listened to song. This is just a thoroughly good ride. You can't take it as artistry, but more as good fun. Whether that be “Bailando”, “There Goes My Baby”, “Physical” or “Beautiful”. It works because Enrique plays off of his public persona. If you like his public image. You should really enjoy this album.

Most Played Song: “I'm A Freak” featuring Pitbull

Buy Sex and Love

Buy Sheezus

Sheezus: Lily Allen
2 ½ Bubbles
Thunder and J.Lo bought me this album for my birthday. I still like Lily Allen, but this album blends. Most of the tracks are too similar. There are definitely some songs I jam out to, but it's just not my favorite thing this year. I wouldn't avoid it, still it's not on the top of my list. Some of the songs I really enjoyed were the title track, “Close Your Eyes” and “Silver Spoon”. If you are a die hard Lily Allen. Buy this album. You need it as part of your collection.

Most Played Song: “Hard Out Here”

Sound of a Woman: Kiesza
3 ½ Bubbles
Solid and unique debut by dance singer Kiesza. This is artistic dance music in the highest regard. It doesn't hit home for me quite hard enough and some of the more R&B inspired tracks leave me bored. However, I like her and would look into her next album. If you didn't hear her almost hit “Hideaway” that's something you should get on.

Most Played Song: “Hideaway”

Buy Sound of a Woman

Super Critical: The Ting Tings
4 ½ Bubbles
The Ting Tings are one of the winners this year in music. True they are my favorite band, but this album got to me. First listen I was set on three bubbles. A few more spins later and this new disco sound was everything I wanted from The Tings. It's light fun filled and some of the tracks I initially questioned, I am now in love with. The only two that haven't quite clicked are “Wabi Sabi” and “Green Poison”, but I still like them. Of the two singles released so far, I believe “Do It Again” is the best.

Most Played Song: “Failure”

Buy Super Critical

Volume 3: Pentatonix
3 ½ Bubbles
3rd EP from acapella group Pentatonix it includes covers of some of the years most popular songs. When you play a game like that it comes down to whether you like the original version better or not. They usually hold there own when it comes to the covers. It's the original song “Papaoutai” that features violinist Lindsey Stirling that disappoints me the most. I had so much hopes, because it's Lindsey Stirling and it did not come through.

Most Played Song: “See Through”

Buy Volume 3

Ultraviolence: Lana Del Rey
4 ½ Bubbles
Moody songstress Lana Del Rey came out with her second album the same day as Jennifer Lopez. I like this album better. Maybe not at first, but it's sunk into my soul. Every song is a masterpiece. I've played each individually and I don't know what keeps it from being a five bubble experience for me. Lana Del Rey knew what she wanted for this album and she delivered. I would recommend it to anyone. My mother and Boomer both claimed that they preferred Born to Die better. I told them to never talk to me again.

Most Played Song: “Ultraviolence”

Buy Ultraviolence

The Voyager: Jenny Lewis
4 ½ Bubbles
Adore would be too light of a word for how I feel about Jenny Lewis. If you want to know what emotional state I was in for a better part of 2014, you can listen to this album. It's soft, modern rock. It's easy listening. The only reason it's not a straight five bubbles is that one of the final songs “Aloha & The Three Johns” just didn't quite sit well with me. If I was to tell you an album you need to buy this year, it would be this one. Both Cosmopolitan and Billboard included this album on their year end lists.

Most Played Song: “She's Not Me”

Buy The Voyager

Buy The Pinkprint

Sucker: Charli XCX
4 Bubbles
This album could be a grower or I could hate it. Do not be fooled by “Boom Clap” this is not a traditional pop album. Like it is, but this is kind of punk rock with pop thrown in. “Boom Clap” doesn't really fit the album that well. It was just a major hit. I enjoy this album, but I am on the fence. High on the fence, but on the fence none the less. Enter into this album at your own risk, but I think Charli created a winner. Fans of her last outing True Romance may be disappointed. It is not even close to the same release as True Romance and that came out just last year.

Most Played Song: “Break The Rules”

Buy Sucker

The Pinkprint: Nicki Minaj
4 Bubbles
I really haven't had a chance to live with The Pinkprint. I am a huge Nicki fan, and I'm just so excited with the new Nicki music. It's introspective, but mantains that rap braggadocio, and there are some solid pop moments as well. The one that really stands out to me is “The Night Is Still Young”. Download it. It's going to be released as a single. Something I am holding against Nicki on this album is under utilizing Beyonce on “Feeling Myself”. Not that the song is bad, but you have Beyonce and this what you give us. What happened. At 21 tracks long, some of the songs could have been cut, but that's a hip-hop album for you. There are too many songs and it's too long and you love it. Queen Nicki, slayed it.

Most Played Song: “Bed of Lies” featuring Skylar Grey

Favorite Album of the Year: Tie between Going to Hell by the Pretty Reckless, Super Critical by The Ting Tings, Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey, and The Voyager by Jenny Lewis.

Buy

Favorite Song of the Year: “Failure” by The Ting Tings

Buy "Failure"

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Work It!

Best Albums of 2014

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