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ABOUT ME:
Home to a half Mexican who now lives in Silverdale, WA and who supports the Hawks, Sonics and Mariners along with the alma mater (WSU). I also post wacky links, pictures of insanely hot women and what have you (if you don't want to read my ramblings), so enjoy.


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Friday, January 07, 2005
(DOIN' IT) BIG (DOG PITBULL STYLE) IN 2004~~, PT. II: THE TOP 25 (AND THEN SOME)







I don't know why I'm doing this. This is SO last year.

*rimshot*

OK, all lame jokes aside, it's time for my favorite songs of this year, which will include ones you probably have never heard. But enjoy the list.

25. Ghostface featuring Sheek and Styles of the Lox: "Metal Lungies" - One of the more underrated beats of the year, No I.D.'s track made Ghost's gun hand shake ever so slightly, Sheek's sneer sound sinister and gave Style's quiet snarl some edge.

24. The Streets: "Blinded By The Lights" - What NOT to do when looking for your friends in a club. Oh yeah -- "Always know your dealer."

23. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: "Maps" - The next generation in power ballards.

22. Destiny's Child: "Lose My Breath" - Why more artists don't use marching band samples in their songs, I will never know.

21. Von Bondies: "C'Mon C'Mon" - I guess the album sucked, but this is still the shit.

20. Sonic Youth: "Paper Cup Exit" - Thanks to Matt at Fluxblog, I was really impressed by this joint. It was written by Lee Ranaldo and it reminds me of early 90's alt-rock. A must download.

19. Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz featuring Lil' Scrappy: "What U Gon' Do" - YEEEEEAH!

18. Jim Jones featuring Cam'ron: "Certified Gangstas" - Such a guilty pleasure.

17. Instamatic: "LudaKriss" - Definetly a party jam.

16. Dilated Peoples featuring Kanye West: "This Way" - I'm glad more artists are making inspirational stuff. It really helps out.

15. Eightball & MJG featuring Puff Daddy: "You Don't Want Drama" - I don' t think the album did as well, but this was a dope track.

14. Eminem: "Mosh" - Good song, but it should have been out sooner.

13. Mobb Deep: "Got It Twisted" - Listen to this at the club to get the full effect of the sample.

12. Young Buck featuring 50 Cent: "Let Me In" - Who would have thought he would drop the better solo album? Not me.

11. Nas featuring Olu Dara: "Bridging the Gap" - Now this is how family should spend time with each other: by making dope songs about their history.

10. Lil' Wayne featuring Mannie Fresh: "Go DJ" - Just a straight up club banger.

9. Jay-Z: "What More Can I Say (Dangermouse Remix)" - Off one of the most talked about albums of the year comes the best version of this song.

8. RJD2: "1976" - I don't know if DJ Shadow missed his chance to become large (or is struggling to follow up Endtroducing), but RJD2 is quietly sliding in to fill his place. Keep an eye on this guy.

7. Loretta Lynn featuring Jack White: "Portland, Oregon" - The steel pedal guitar is the real star of this jam right here.

6. Yung Wun featuring Lil' Flip, David Banner and DMX: "Tear It Up" - EA Sports should have used this joint to advertise NCAA 2005.

5. lostprophets: "Last Train Home" - Bonus points for them signing my CD cover when I gave it to my brother since he was working with them when they came to town on tour. Thanks guys!

4. Ebolarama: "Every Time I Die" - It's fight night at CBGB's y'all!

3. Jay-Z: "99 Problems" - Only three??? Yep. I loved loved loved this song, but I'm going to be cheap and list four songs that were better.

2. (tie) The Go Team: "Huddle Formation" & De La Soul featuring MF Doom: "Rock Co. Kane Flow" - Thanks to Music For Robots for the former. A great song that gets me amped for anything. The latter features the beat of the year from local producer Jake One. Crazy crazy crazy track.

1. (tie) Muse: "Stockholm Syndrome" & Crime Mob "Knuck If You Buck" - My favorite download of the year. Why does it work? Who knows? Just chalk it up to the proverbial X-factor that just hits you right there. Meanwhile, "Stockholm Syndrome" - wow, what an incredible piece of art. Not just music, but art. This song means so much to me.

ALBUMS THAT I BOUGHT THAT WERE GOOD:

Muse - Absolution & Kanye West - The College Dropout:

I don't cry to many albums - Stevie Wonder's Innervisions gets me all the time, but that's about it - until this one. Chalk it up to personal stuff I was going through earlier this year (my shitty valet job, my disgust with how my life turned out like this) but it still hit me like a sledgehammer. Every time I listen, it still gets me: Saul Williams' verse from "Never Let You Down," "Two Words," "Through The Wire," "Family Business" - all powerful and emotional songs. Yeah, he's a cocky asshole, but damnit, he can admit that he makes mistakes and that he learned from them. And so can you.

Absolution is one of those life changing records - an album that affects you in ways that a good album should. Along with "Stockholm Syndrome," "Butterflies & Hurricanes" is another inspirational track that helps me stay positive. Phenominal album.



Mash Out Posse - s/t

While M.O.P. sits in purgatory (which will probably be longer since Dash sold the label off) they still put out a good mixtape and a great rock album. If you think they would be good with a hardcore band behind them, check this one out.



Mobb Deep - Amerikaz Nightmare

Their best work since Murda Musik, it was a welcome relief to hear them overcome the crap that was Infamy. Just dope hardcore music that we all know and love. "Amerikaz Nightmare" is one of the best opening songs I've heard in a while.



Young Buck - Straight Outta Cashville

I'll let him pass on bitin' N.W.A.'s classic title, but this was the album that not many folks had high expectations for. While Lloyd Banks is the cool, calm (almost too cool) lyrical star of G-Unit, Buck is the loud, flashy, charismatic older cousin of yours that always got on the nerves of the adults but you thought was the coolest person in the world. He's a decent MC, but his personality makes up for his lack of flashy rhymes.




Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer

If you're looking for an album that won't overwhelm you with bling and gun talk, look no further. Supposedly's Ace's final album before going into a new career as an exec for his new label, Ace drops a fine album that is simple, yet warm and inviting. Bonus points for "Good Ol' Love," a mad underrated summer jam.



Lil' Jon & The Eastside Boyz - Crunk Juice

Is it loud? Oh yeah. Is it offensive? Yeah. Does it feature a lot of guests? Uh huh. Is it dumb? At times. Is it the most fun you will have listening to an album this year? YEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAH!!

If nothing else, cop it for "Lovers & Friends" and "Stop Fuckin' With Me" where Jon raises hell over Slayer's "South Of Heaven" & "Raining Blood." Yes, SLAYER. My favorite moment is when he drops into his normal voice before the first verse. Probably the most jarring musical moment of the year.



Vast Aire - Look Ma...No Hands

Another dope underground album from one of the best groups to come out in some time (Cannibal Ox), Aire's album is one of my favorite for it's lyrics. Winners such as: "Man, I defeated you with eight letters/So imagine if I formed a sentence/You wouldn't even be here/You'd be past tense" ("Pegasus") makes him one of my favorite MC's out there today.



Ghostface - The Pretty Toney Album

When this first hit the net, I told Tan over at his forum that this was a classic. While it doesn't hold up that well, it's still better than a lot of mainstream acts that dropped this year. Too bad Def Jam couldn't get their shit together and promote it right. Thank God Ghostface sounds like he still gives a fuck.



David Cross - It's Not Funny

"And then, if it's not that it's like the other thing, where they telling you 'how hard it is to have kids. oh David, it's so hard. I mean, God, I love her so much but it's so hard having kids.' I'm like, 'C'mon man, that's not hard. I'll tell you what hard is: Try talking your girlfriend into her third consecutive abortion.' Yeah. That's hard. That takes finesse. You're just inconvienced."

-from "Certain Leaders In Government Look Or Act Like Certain Pop Culture References!"

ALBUMS THAT I BOUGHT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

Eminem - Encore
Nas - Street's Disciple
Lloyd Banks - The Hunger For More
Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle


I'll try to post more mp3 for the top 25, so keep an eye out. Enjoy!

etch-a-sketched by john at 12:58 AM