Top Five Overlooked Albums of 2008

In an economy where even the employed folks are worried about budgeting their next meal, the concept of an “overlooked album” may seem a little dated. Very few of us can splurge on an album just because we’re curious, so purchases are obviously regulated to a greater extent. “That new R.E.M. album? I heard it got some good reviews, but do I really need it?” This is the thought process of the American citizen as they peruse the record store or iTunes.

So what’s the end result? Well, the masses flood to the record store to pick up their copies of I Am…Sasha Fierce, just to make sure they have something to talk about at the water cooler (if they’re lucky enough to have one). What they don’t know is that they’d be better off just buying “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” for 99 cents and saving up their cash to purchase one of the albums listed below…

Raphael Saadiq, The Way I See It: It saddens me that half of the people reading this aren’t going to be familiar with Raphael Saadiq. My sorrow grows even deeper when I realize that the other half probably knows him as “that dude who boned Joss Stone”. Well, here’s a brief history lesson—“that dude” was also a member of the R&B dance group Tony! Toni! Toné! and later founded Lucy Pearl, a short-lived R&B super group. He’s worked with everyone from Whitney Houston to Snoop Dogg, and has released four albums within the past six years. His latest, The Way I See It, draws inspiration from 1960s soul and the Motown Sound, and Saadiq didn’t need to call in Mark Ronson or trendy producers for help. “100 Yard Dash” easily could have found a place within The Four Tops’ repertoire, and “Oh Girl” sounds like an unreleased Stylistics’ song. The album doesn’t try to put a “modern twist” on an old sound, making it just as timeless as the classics that influenced it. Sure, it may seem antithetical to call an album nominated for three Grammy awards “overlooked”, but why the hell don’t you own it yet?

Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree: Goldfrapp’s latest album was a complete departure from the direction they were heading in, but unlike Kanye West’s recent venture into the village of auto-tune… it worked out for the best. Inspired by an acoustic guitar session, Seventh Tree showcases the softer side of the band, producing song-after-song of exceptional down to midtempo electro-pop. However, there’s one major problem with it—fans who loved the band for Black Cherry and Supernature were bound to be disappointed, fans who abandoned the group after Felt Mountain weren’t coming back, and a handful of people just never imagined they could be fans in the first place. That latter group needs to listen to this album. I suggest they start with “Caravan Girl” (not that I’m implying you belong to that group or anything…)

Hello, Blue Roses, The Portrait Is Finished And I Have Failed To Capture Your Beauty: When Dan Bejar (of The New Pornographers) releases a new album, an angel gets their wings specifically so they can fly onto indie-bloggers’ crotches and place a giant boner. The latest Bejar project, Destroyer’s Trouble In Dreams, didn’t make it onto many year-end lists, but it seems like Hello, Blue Roses was forgotten altogether when critics and bloggers made their lists and checked them twice. Portrait finds the indie-rock god collaborating with his girlfriend Sydney Vermont, without becoming some sort of Sonny & Cher act. When they’re not churning out adorable harmonies, Vermont sweetly sails over her man’s trademark compositions. Don’t get turned off by the particularly irritating title or the particularly cute premise—this album is the perfect addition to your “sad winter music” collection.

Khia, Nasti Muzik: I can see your eyes rolling, but how many people actually realized that the chick who wrote “My Neck, My Back” released her third album this year? Hell, who even knew that she had a second album? Nasti Muzik defines “overlooked” in 2008, considering that so few people even knew it came out. Would you even admit you enjoyed it if you knew the album was released? Well, if you won’t… I will. Even if the rest of the album is mediocre, “Whistle On It” is the guilty pleasure you didn’t know you needed in your life. The song mixes porno samples, playground nursery rhymes and sexual braggadocio like nothing you’ve ever heard before. Sure, there may be good reason that you’ve never heard anything like this before, but can we really doubt the genius of an artist who repeats the word “bitch” over 19 seconds and calls it a skit? I think not.

The Notwist, The Devil, You + Me: It’s been six years since Neon Golden, the largest gap between any of The Notwist’s six albums. While some may think the band didn’t know how to produce a decent follow-up, they were actually busy working on extracurricular musical projects, including 13 & God, Schweisser, Ms. John Soda and Lali Puna. Unfortunately, “blog” is now part of the regular public’s vocabulary—they’ve returned to a world where nobody cares about them until they’ve procured a Panda Bear remix. Lame! Select tracks from The Devil, You + Me are capable of unlocking those feelings you felt when you heard “Consequence” for the first time. The Notwist may not be able to blow the collective minds of the college radio crowd anymore, but they’ve still got it!

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