Wednesday, December 31, 2008

MY FAVORITE ALBUMS of 2008

The I Am… half of Beyonce’s latest
The first single off the disc, "If I Were a Boy," replayed in my mind for like 3 weeks. The disc itself is compiled of several amazing songs, "Halo," "Save the Hero," and "Brokenhearted Girl" (Babyface co-wrote), that are worth a second and third listen. The best, "Hero," describes a female protector, evoking the question: "Who's there to save the girl after she saves the world?"

Estelle’s Shine
This 28-year-old British R&B singer manages to juggle crooning about her crushes and venting about the pratfalls of love—from being the other woman to trying to get past the friendship stage. I particularly enjoy the Motown beats and lyrical rhyming that are reminiscent of Alicia Keys, Lauren Hill, and Macy Gray.

Jonas Brothers' A Little Bit Longer
They did a great job of stepping into the next phase of their musical careers, solidifying their chances of securing a more stable (and decidely older) fan base. I think the main issue with boy bands of the 90s is that they relied too heavily on a formula, giving their fans the same product wrapped in a new gimmick. When Justin Timberlake broke out of N'Sync, he reinvented himself, and when he returned from his hiatus, he "brought sexy back." What the Jonas Brothers have done is allow their more mature musical influences—that most of their fans have never heard of—seep into their new music, creating a sound (nearly) for all ages—well, at least female ones.

Pink’s Funhouse
You could say that this album shows that she went through the seven stages of grief, managing to verbalize her denial ("I Don't Believe You"), her anguish ("Please Don't Leave Me" and "One Foot Wrong"), her hatred ("It's All Your Fault"), her depression ("Sober"), and even the final stage: acceptance ("So What"). She dabbled in blues-ridden country rhythms, country rock, and, of course the purveyor of all things angry, rock itself. And unlike Jessica Simpson, who practically asked her fans permission to try country, Pink just did whatever the hell she wanted...and very well too.

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