147.Erykah Badu - Baduizm (1997)

I remember loving this album when it came out. At the time the whole neo-soul thing was still new and fresh, with artists such as Badu, D'Angelo, Angie Stone and Eric Benet its most notable proponents. While I can still enjoy some of this album to a degree the glut of copycat faux-neo-soul artists that have come and gone since this album came out have dulled my enjoyment of the genre. This is still a good album though with highlights such as 'On & On', 'Otherside of the Game', 'Next Lifetime' and 'No Love'.

Apologies for the lack of updates. No excuses.

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148. Playa - Cheers To You (1998)

Another graduate from Devante's 'bassment', Playa didn't really receive the recognition they deserved upon the release of their first (and only) album in 1998. This album has all the trademarks expected from an album with input from Timbo/Missy but adds another level with Playa's very distinctive vocal sound. Its a laid back type of album with the standout tracks tending to be the ballads. Not all the songs on here are great and ironically its the Timbaland produced tracks end up sounding a bit predictable and commercial. Favourites include 'Together', 'Cheers 2 U', 'Push' and 'I-65'.

RIP Static

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149. Sisqo - Return Of Dragon (2001)

Back to our regularly scheduled program....

I know it's probably not 'cool' to like a Sisqo album but fuck it, I'm uncool and proud. One of my favourite songs on this album (surprisingly) is the Teddy Riley 'produced' 'Can I Live'. I think Teddy might have been on something when he produced this but after a while it grows on you. Despite this being a blog about R&B, its the rap on this song that blew me away. Why dude never showed up again anywhere i don't know because that is a hot 16.. I was looking for the lyrics to post but every single one I came across was wrong so i won't bother... Anyway other good songs on this album include 'Without You', 'Homewrecker' and 'Not Afraid'. There does seem to be a formula being applied here on occasion that is so obvious that it just grates on your nerves.... (Dance for Me = Thong Song 2). Still this is an energetic album with a fair amount of catchy tunes. Download only if you can stand being labeled as uncool....

P.S Where is a new Dru Hill album? Get your act together guys...

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My Top Albums of 2007

Wow, so here we are, 50 albums down, 150 to go. Given my rather short attention span, i'm slightly surprised that I actually managed to stick with the list this long. I guess it wouldn't be very fair to those of you who actually read what i write to just leave you hanging.... so I guess that means i'll just have to finish the damn list.

Hopefully some of you may have found some albums on here that you have grown to like, or at the very least, have filled a few holes in your collections.

I said previously that I was going to do a top ten of songs from 2007. It wasn't until I started doing this that I realized how many albums were released last year and just how many of them just weren't that good. I ended up having 3 or 4 songs from each of a handful of albums and thought that this just wouldn't make a very interesting list. So i will instead mention a few albums here (in no particular order) that I think deserve an honorable mention from the year that was 2007.

Trey Songz - Trey Day








OK so anyone who has ears knows that Trey Songz has a near perfect voice. Sure some of the material isn't up to par but with songs like 'Wonder Woman' and 'Cant Help But Wait' this album bangs.

Tank - Sex Love & Pain


Nice Production, nice vocals, nice album. Check out the Timbaland produced 'I Love Them Girls'.

Ne-Yo - Because Of You


Probably close to being the best R&B album of the year. Fuck all that try hard neo-soul shit, I want a song I can sing to.

Mario - Go


Hmm.. seems to be the year of the 20 something male vocalist.... Another great album vying for top spot.

Luke & Q - Luke & Q (advance)


Not exactly sure if this was released (my copy is an advance i believe) but you should check it out if you have the chance...

Keith Sweat: Sweat Hotel Live


Hey, its Keith Sweat....

Joe - Aint Nothin Like Me


Another quality effort from Mr consistent.

Jagged Edge - Baby Makin Project


Didn't think much of it in the beginning but it grew on me and hey, it's JE.... 'Round and Round' = favourite track.

Chris Brown - Exclusive


Ok so usually i hate that southern flavoured shit and I despise T-Pain's tired old, vocoder dependant, ugly ass, but 'Kiss Kiss' is damn near my favourite track of the year. Go figure. Thats not the only hot track either. Damn, i'm turning into a 14 year old girl....

Bobby Valentino - Special Occasion


Follow up to his debut solo joint that appeared earlier in the list. Another good effort supported with the highlight once again coming from Timbaland in the form of 'Anonymous'.

Boyz II Men - The Remedy


I dont know what the deal was with the release of this album. Japan gets this and the rest of us get the Motown album? Insane. This is probably their best album since Evolution and really should demonstrate to whoever makes decisions at the major labels that the Boyz are relevant and a viable act. Or maybe I should just move to Japan....

Timbaland - Shock Value


Ahh Timbo, what would we do without you. When it came out I called this the album of the year and was promptly shouted down. The rap heads didn't like the rock elements, the R&B cats didn't like the rap elements. It's definitely a difficult album to categorize but it flows from one track to another with such skill I found myself forgetting all about categories and just listening to the music. The R&B tracks on here ('The Way I Are', 'Fantasy', Scream') are just awesome and I dare anyone to say that Timbaland didn't own R&B in 2007. I double dare ya. Thought not.


Thats about it for 2007, like i said not much happening but still a few nice albums to sink your teeth into.

150. Maxwell - Now (2001)

Now i'm not really one to gush over artists but if I was going to gush over anyone a likely candidate would be Maxwell. My first exposure was actually through his unplugged CD which just left me stunned and amazed at the man's vocal prowess and his ability to convey emotion through a song. His studio albums don't always have the same power but Maxwell is still a very obviously talented artist. This album is a front to back listener. There isn't a single weak song on here and there are a couple of stellar ones. A special mention must go to the cover of Kate Bush's 'This Womens Work' however as it really stands out even amongst some other very strong songs. The live version is better but this studio version still makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Listen. Now!

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151. Smooth - Smooth (1995)

I'm sure this one will come as a surprise to many, if only because it can only barely be classified as R&B. Smooth is a part time rapper, part time singer. She does both serviceably, but probably ends up sounding like a singing rapper most of the time. That having been said there are a few nice tracks on this album. The favourite by a country mile is 'Mind Blowin', a mid-tempo jam featuring a very catchy melody and a nice mix of raps and vocals. Other favourites include 'PYT' featuring none other than 2Pac, 'Good Stuff', 'Jeeps & Benzos' and 'Undercover Lover'. This is one album that i actually bought when it first came out and has a nice summery vibe to it as well as some sentimental value. Keep this in mind when listening, we might file this under my strictly 'personal favourite' file.

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152. Joe - And Then... (2003)

The second album from Joe to make it to the list is 2003's 'And Then...'. This album features quite a few good songs, which is what Joe has lacked on some of his other albums. Joe is always a great singer, but he can only do so much if the material is lacking. The album starts off strong with 'Sweeter than Sugar', 'And Then..' and the R Kelly produced 'More & More'(no need for credits to make that deduction - the track couldn't sound more 'R Kelly' if he had of sung it himself). 'Ride With U' is alright for an obvious attempt at some crossover pop appeal and 'You Dropped Your Dime' is another good, typical Joe song. All in all a solid effort from a solid entertainer.

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153. Ricky Bell - Ricardo Campana (2000)

This is a bit of a strange one. For me this album may as well only be 3 songs long because they are the only songs i listen to. The songs are so good though that this album made it all the way up to 153 on the list. You guys might like some of the other songs on here, but for me its all about 'Cant Stay Away', 'Its All About You' and 'Come Back'. I only found out about this album about 2 years ago and i swear i listened to those three songs for a week straight. That is unusual for me and so cemented this album in my brain as being list worthy. I probably should mention that New Edition and BBD are two of my favourite groups (as you will see later on) so Ricky had a head start on a lot of other artists...

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154. EOL - Elements Of Life (1998)

Sometimes you really just have to scratch your head and say wtf? Why didn't these guys ever get a second album? Sure there was a glut of male r&b groups at the time but the good ones stand out. Don't they? Apparently not because if that were the case we would have more albums from Elements of Life.

The album starts off with a beautiful little interlude, then jumps into the bouncy familiarity of 'Freaky Tonight'. There are a couple of missteps where things get a little too syrupy (coming from me thats saying something) but tracks like 'Gift of Love', a great rendition of 'Sweet Love', 'Get it On', the heartfelt 'Not Afraid to Love' and 'All I Need is Your Love' are just some of the reasons that this disc accompanies me to my Desert Island hideaway. EOL are a pinch of Boyz II Men, a dash of Shai, a dollop of 112 and all good......Do yourself a favour...

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155. Ashanti - Ashanti (2002)

People give Ashanti shit for her (lack of) singing ability but I for one think she has been judged quite harshly. Granted, she's no Whitney but she can hold a tune and she makes some genuinely catchy songs. This album is a light, poppy affair that has familiar sounding beats and hooks, allowing the listener to just chill out and enjoy the music without having to think too much. The beginning of the album has quite a few singles which will appeal to some people but my tracks appear a bit further into the album. 'Scared', 'Rescue', 'Voodoo' and 'Movies' are all downtempo, yet interesting tracks that lets Ashanti show off her more sultry side.

Yes Ashanti is hot, but don't hate her because shes beautiful.

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156. Babyface - For The Cool In You (1993)

I think i've mentioned previously that I don't care much for Mr Face's vocals, but I'll' be damned if he doesn't make some nice songs though. Back around the early middle nineties, i would be hard pressed naming a producer i liked more. If I hadn't been a broke student at the time i would've bought stock in LaFace records.
When i originally compiled the list i dont think it even crossed my mind to put a Babyface album on here, they just don't stand out to me like other albums do. When i actually got around to listening to his albums again, i realized that I really had to put the man on here somewhere. This album came out right around the time when his sound started to change a little bit. This album in particular sounds more mellow and less contemporary than stuff he had produced for other people previously. That almost sounds like a bad thing but the thing is it actually suits his voice quite well. Its a grown-up album for grown-ups. Highlights include, 'Never Keeping Secrets', 'For the Cool In You' and 'Ill Always Love You'.

There is another Babyface album on the list but you'll have to wait to see which one... ;)

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157. Tamar - Tamar (2000)

Despite what the 'internet' might tell you, Tamar (Braxton) isn't just Toni's little sister, she is a decent singer in her own right. She has a similar breathy quality to her singing but overall she sounds ...younger, than Toni. You take Toni out to fancy restaurants and operas, you take Tamar to Maccas and the beach. But enough of my fantasies...

This album has a soft spot for me due to when i first heard it, but thats not to say you cant look at the album discerningly and find some good songs. It is 'poppy' and 'Jermaine Dupri'y', but songs like 'Your Room' and 'You Dont Know' are quite pleasant for what they are. My favourites on this album are 'Once Again' and 'The Way It Should Be' and there are a few others that I will happily listen to when they come on. For those interested in producers, this has quite a list, including, Jermaine Dupri, Missy Elliott, Tricky Stewart, Tim and Bob and Darell Allamby. Not bad...

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158. Carl Thomas - Emotional (2000)

Carl Thomas' album Emotional gets onto the list by having a couple of fantastic songs even though there is a lot of filler. As an album it tends to meander along, doing its thing, but never really reaching out of the speakers and grabbing you, demanding your attention. Individually songs like 'I Wish', 'Woke Up In The Morning' and 'Summer rain' are nice but the standouts on this album (and the reason the album made it to the list) are 'Emotional' and 'You Ain't Right'. These two songs are just fantastic and show what Carl Thomas can do with the right material.

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159. Keith Sweat - Ill Give All My Love To You (1990)

As Ive mentioned before, Keith Sweat is one of my favourite artists. Theres not many who do a slow jam better than Keith. This album isn't his best but it still has some classic songs. 'Just One of Them Things', 'I Knew That You Were Cheating' and 'Merry Go Round' are fantastic ballads (how Merry go round' works as a song ill never know, but Keith pulls it off) and 'Your Love' and 'Make You Sweat' hold things down on the up-tempo side. All in all a great example of why people still love New Jack Swing till this very day (including me!).

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160. Eric Benet - True To Myself (1996)

3 albums in one day. Hope that makes up a bit for my absence!

I really liked this album when it came out, however this is another case where an artists' later material influenced my opinion of their earlier work. His subsequent albums did absolutely nothing for me, so I imagine that this album is probably not as good as I thought it was at the time it came out. Eric has a great voice there is no debating that. 'Lets Stay Together' is a nice track as is 'Femininity' and 'While You Were Here ' is my favourite song despite is melancholy subject matter. I think the production lets this album down a bit especially on the more uptempo tracks. It is rather unique sounding but unique doesn't always equal good.

Oh and nothing to do with his music but Eric looses 1 million points for cheating on Halle Berry. The man is obviously insane. ;)

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161. Brownstone - From The Bottom Up (1995)

Aaah, another classic from (my) heydey of R&B. Around 93-95, I really started to get seriously into R&B (and rap). 93 was the year I started listening and by 95 I was regularly trawling second hand shops, cd shops and record fairs searching for that elusive album that was missing from my collection. Given that I live in Australia, R&B was not huge and there wasnt much available besides the most popular albums. I used to listen to a radio show that was dedicated to R&B (on at some ungodly hour of the morning) and it was there that I first heard Brownstone. Supposedly they were a big deal because they were on Michael Jacksons new label and while I could care less about that, I kinda dug their sound. It was different to a lot of other stuff. The harmonies were more aggressive than I was used to and i thought to myself that these were some women with some serious voices. 'Grapevyne' was the first song i heard and remains a favourite. 'If You Love Me', 'Sometimes Dancin' and 'I Cant tell You Why' are my other favourite tracks but with maybe only one or two exceptions this is an album you can listen to front to back. Another one from the second golden age of R&B...

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162. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Apologies for the lack of updates, computer problems are the bane of my life.

Ok, so every man and his dog will tell you that this album is a classic. Certainly I have never heard a better singer who can rap/rapper who can sing. I have never been able to decide if Lauryn is a better rapper or singer. I'm leaning towards singing if only because she doesn't do much rapping these days. A few things have tarnished my view of this album since it came out. One was the somewhat dubious production songwriting credits and the fracas that followed surrounding this. Lauryn came across as someone who had gotten a bit big for her boots. This image (in my eyes anyway) was further enhanced when she released her second album 4 years later which was an incredibly self-indulgent affair. A live album of songs no-one had ever heard? Sorry Lauryn you lost me there and that was despite me giving you the benefit of the doubt. Don't let people tell you that album was a masterpiece and that if you didn't like it you didn't 'get it'. If you didn't 'get it', it wasn't any good.

This album has lots of great songs. I won't go through them all but my favourites are 'Ex-factor', 'When it hurts so bad', 'Everything is Everything' and 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'. I loved this album when it came out and I think artistically it certainly deserves to be on the list, but I just cant bring myself to put it any higher than 162. Maybe one day Lauryn will deign to give us another record.

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A Short Interruption

I thought i would take a moment to explain a little something about the list. Its been kinda bugging me since I started so i feel the need to elucidate..

When I was making it I started to feel a little daunted and overwhelmed with the sheer scale of it and also with the thought of stating that I thought Album A was better than Album B. I got through the top 10, then 20, then 30, then 40. That was all fine. I took a lot of time deciding which album I liked, and how much I liked it in relation to other albums. Strangely, the top 10 was probably the easiest because having listened to R&B for many, many years, I knew exactly which albums were my favourites and why. As I started to get higher on the list, I would finish a particular block, then come back to it a couple of days later and change it completely. After a while I realised that I would never finish the list if this kept happening and decided that once I had decided, I would leave it, no matter how I felt when I came back to it.

As a result, when i look at the list now, I see some glaring inconsistencies that make me wonder what i was thinking. I see some albums in the #170's that could just as easily have gone 100 spots higher if I was in a different mood. So while I have done my best to make this a list that is an accurate depiction of my taste, until we get into the lower numbers try not to think of it as a sequential list. If an album comes in at number 145, that does not necessarily mean I always like it better than the album at number 146. Its a fair bet I would like it better more of the time than an album at 195 but only as a general rule.

OK, thanks for listening to me blab on. More music to come ;)

Oh and soon (when i have the time) I will be doing a special post of my top 10 songs from the year that was 2007. Not a great year but we will see what we can dredge up from all the sludge that was released....

-GMC

163. Brian McKnight - Back At One (1999)

'Back at One' is probably my favourite Brian McKnight album, mainly due to the fact that it is free from too much outside interference and is the best example of Brian McKnight at the peak of his songwriting ability. Its a ballad heavy album (which I love) and there are a number of really classic, timeless love songs, which gives the album a sense of sentimentality that keeps you coming back for more. I wont go on about it, just give it a listen and I'm sure you will agree, that this is Brian McKnight's best album to date.

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164. Tevin Campbell - Back To The World (1996)

This album by Tevin Campbell makes me kinda sad. There are a couple of Tevin's albums much higher on the list and the thing that differentiates them from this album is the simple fact that Tevin's voice broke before recording this album. Nothing he could do about that of course but it almost feel's like we lost a great voice when that happened. Tevin can still sing better than most of course but it's not the voice that gave us all those fantastic songs a few years prior.
The album is a chance to see how Tevin has grown up, both in the content of his lyric and his musical expression. As was popular at the time we have a gaggle of producers providing tracks for Tevin and the result is a mix of differing styles and sounds. Some suit Tevin more than others bu the result is a bit jumbled.

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165. Montell Jordan - More... (1996)

Montell's second album is another nice outing that starts off bouncing from the get-go with 'Super-Lover Man' and continues on in the same vein with the catchy 'All I Need'. 'Tricks on My Mind' keeps the tempo up till we get a little more mellow with 'Fallin' and 'Whats on Tonight'. Neither are great songs, its definitely the uptempo numbers that make this album. The last song worth checking out is 'I Like' featuring Slick Rick but after that it's filler and what sounds like an attempt by an A&R to get Montell to replicate 'This is How We Do It' with 'Bounce'. I like Montell so i'm blaming it on the A&R. ;)

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166. Mya - Mya (1998)

Being able to sing is always great but if you have some crappy production behind you, you are always going to struggle to sell albums. Luckily for Mya (and us), an all-star cast showed up to produce her first self-titled album.

'Movin On', 'Keep on Lovin Me' are cool up tempo jams while 'Its all About Me' and 'If you were Mine' hold it down on the softer side of things. I'm not going to pretend this is a classic but its good for a listen or two so check it out.

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167. Next - Rated Next (1997)

I'm not a huge fan of Next, but i believe that they are good enough that they should be represented on the list. RL has a good voice and there are a couple of songs on here that I kind of like. 'Stop Drop and Roll' and 'Penetration' is the extent of it but thats better than a lot of albums...


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168. Intro - New Life (1995)

Intro are a group that I struggle with when it comes to describing why I like them. I probably couldn't name more than a handful of their songs yet whenever a song of theirs comes on I rarely hit the FF button. I'm guessing the most likely reason is the voice of Kenny Greene (RIP). Kenny had such a distinctive and fantastic voice that you could listen to it and not realize that the song just wasn't that great. Having said that this album has a couple of songs that I just love. 'Funny How Time Flies' is a personal favourite, while 'Strung Out On Your Lovin', 'Feels Like The First Time' and 'Spending My Life With You' are nice tracks that show off Kenny's vocals nicely. The highlight of the album and probably the jewel in the crown of Intro's career (IMO) is the simple yet emotional 'My Loves on the Way'. 1995 was a great year for R&B and this is one of my favourite tracks from that year. Get the album just for that track alone and you won't regret it.

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169. Damian Dame - Damian Dame (1991)

allmusic says "Some excellently produced but otherwise routine New Jack R&B, urban contemporary, and hip-hop-tinged material that's most noteworthy for the fact that it's on the record label owned by LA Reid and Babyface. Damian Dame sang with earnestness and style, but lacked either the distinctiveness or the authority to make these songs memorable."

Screw that, 'Virgin Island' and 'Right Down to It' are excellent songs, as is 'Exclusivity'. Sure Babyface as producer gets them bonus points but they certainly did enough to make the album their own. On top of that I would be hard pressed to name another boy/girl group that I have ever liked so they were starting from behind the 8 ball as it was. If you haven't read about the sad story of their deaths you can do so here.

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170. Donell Jones - My Heart (1996)

The second Donell Jones record on the list is his debut 'My Heart'. This album shows Donell's promise and reveals an artist trying to find his sound. Later albums would show an ability to craft catchy, and often beautiful original compositions, whereas this album tends toward competent, if unremarkable, songs There are a few nice moments on here however such as 'No Interruptions', 'Waiting on You', 'I Want You To Know' and 'My Heart'. 'All About You' is a nice familiar sounding mid tempo track and 'The Only One You Need' makes good use of a sample from Mobb Deep's 'Shook Ones Pt 2'. A nice little album to add to your collection.

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171. Eric Cire - Ericcire.com (2005)

Damn. This album came out of nowhere for me. Being somewhat of a collector of albums (among other things) I don't get to listen to a lot of the stuff i acquire straight away. This one sat in the 'to listen to' pile for quite a while before I got around to giving it a listen but once I did i was annoyed at myself for not getting to it sooner. When I first heard it I think i described it to my wife as 'Brian McKnight meets Jagged Edge'. If you knew my taste you would know that thats a big rap from me. You can damn near listen to this album front to back but there are a few standouts. The album starts off with 'Ghetto Love Song', a catchy as hell way to start off an album. 'Love Vowels' and 'Ride It' are the kind of songs that I remember when i've finished listening and that burrow themselves into my brain, urging me at every opportunity to listen to them again. One complaint may be that some songs sound quite similar but its a small complaint. I sincerely hope we can get to hear another album from Eric sooner rather than later. It would be a shame if this ended up being his only album.

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172. Nuttin' Nyce - Down 4 Whateva... (1995)

Welcome to the latest installlment of 'wtf happened to?'

I first heard Nuttin Nyce on the 'Low Down Dirty Shame' Soundtrack with their track 'Down for Whateva' which borrowed from Soul II Soul's 'Back To Life'. It was a nice enough song that i went and picked up the album. For the most part the album gets bogged down in the kind of female braggadocio found in some albums of the time (thanks Adina Howard). Songs such as 'Froggy Style' give you some idea of the kind of themes found on the album but despite this there are a few nice tracks there worthy of your attention. 'U Aint Gotta lie to Kick it' is a nice upbeat track which is very typical of this period of time in its sound. 'Dont Make Me Wanna Do Ya' is a funky slow jam and 'What Can I Say To You (To Justify My Love)' is a nice little duet with Hi-Five. This album won't be for everyone but if you have a hankering for some mid-nineties nostalgia, you could do worse.

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173. 112 - Pleasure & Pain (2005)

This is a tough one. When I had finished my list and saw that there was a 112 album so far down on the list I was tempted to change it. Truth be told, I always tend to give 112 the benefit of the doubt whenever they bring out a new album just because their early albums were so stellar. Unfortunately every album invariably gets compared to its predecessors and usually comes off poorly as a result. So imagine if you will that this album is your naughty child that has been sent to the corner (173) for getting a B instead of an A on a Maths test. Compared to the kid next door who eats dirt and misspells his own name your kids a genius but when you get straight A's, a B just isn't good enough. There a number of very good songs on here (which is frustrating in itself). 'Let This Go' is just a cool song, 'What If' is a warm fuzzy little ballad, 'My Mistakes' is a harmless but nice little song, 'If I Hit' is a contagious if lyrically uninspired track and towards the end 3 6 Mafia lend a little (welcome) street thump to 'Closing the Club'. There is a lot of filler on here though, which for such a talented group is just unacceptable. 'Pleasure and Pain' sits at 173 with dunce hat perched precariously on top of its head.

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174. Brian McKnight - Anytime (1997)

Brian McKnight finds himself bowing to commercial pressure on his 3rd album by employing the services of Puff Diddly and Mase (Gasp!) on 'You Should Be Mine'. Wow, Brian McKnight is so cool! This is probably due to the fact that left to his own devices, a BM album can tend to lean a bit too far in the MOTR direction, you know, the kind of music people play at weddings and funerals. Alright I'm being unduly harsh but I think that's a valid appraisal. Having said that, I personally think BM is a supremely talented individual and having just bagged him for his MOTR tendencies, I freely admit that this is also the quality I like most about him. You know what you are going to get with BM release and you are never going to have to worry about your grandma accidentally hearing you listening to songs about doing things that people shouldn't be singing songs about. So, the tracks. 'Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart' is one of BM's best songs. It typifies what makes his songs great with it's lush instrumentation, heartfelt lyrics and a great melody. 'The Only One For Me' is in a similar vein, as is the title track 'Anytime'. The other standout is 'I Belong to You', a simple acoustic ode to the kind of love only found in fairytales (or my house - hi baby!).

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P.S If you ever get the chance try to pick up Brian's contribution to the 'Music in High Places' dvd series. Great stuff. Check it out HERE

175. Ray-J - This Ain't A Game (2001)

Ok, ok. I know i'm going to cop flack for this one. Sure the only reason Ray-J ever got a deal was his familial ties. Sure he hasn't got the greatest voice. Sure, trying to sound like a thug just sounds silly coming from Brandy's lil' brother. Still......still, theres something about this album. My brain is telling me no, but my ears have a mind of their own sometimes. I could try and say that its only due to the Neptunes beats found throughout the album, I could say that it's only because it's got Lil Kim on a track. I wont though, Ill man up and say, yeah, i dig this album because its kinda tight. The production is (on the whole) nice. It's kind of unique in its sound and it has some genuinely good tracks. 'Keep Your Head up' is a really nice track. 'Out the Ghetto' sounds like a leftover from Kelis' album but thats not a bad thing. 'Wet Me' is a surprisingly DeVante sounding song considering its (supposedly) a Dalvin track. 'Where Do We Go From Here' is a great note to finish on. So while there may be some damn near unlistenable tracks ('U Need It - U Dont') the album has enough going for it to make it worthy of recommendation. Just dont tell anyone I said so...

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176. Night & Day - Night & Day (2000)

When I came to post this album I discovered that Night and Day actually have 2 albums. Apparently their debut album called 'Day & Night' was released in 1996. If anyone has it I would really appreciate if you can hit me up with it.

This album though is another one that leaves me wondering why the hell there wasn't a follow up. This is a really strong album, slightly reminiscent of Ruff Endz, another favourite group of mine. People might know 'Dante's Girl' but my favourite songs include the awesome 'Is It U', 'Ill Make You Say Oh', 'You Pulled Me Out The Game' and 'Testify'. I might be a bit blinded by the 'wailing' (as my wife likes to call it) on this album (or 'sangin they asses off' as I like to say), but I think that anyone who is a fan of really strong male vocals will love this album. If I had a big rubber stamp of approval I would smack it on this album by Night and Day.

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177. Monifah - Home (2000)

Monifah never had the strongest voice but I always found her very engaging. Her delivery has a genuine quality to it that has often made up for some rather pedestrian lyrics and production. When this album first came out I was quite surprised that Monifah had done well enough to justify 3 albums. I liked her first two albums but at the time I was pretty sure I would have been in the minority. As it turns out I'm glad she did get to a third album because we get the pleasure of listening to songs like 'I Can Tell', the boppy "How ya Gonna Love Me' and 'Feva'. Unfortunately that was it for Monifah, but hey, she did a lot better than a lot of other artists of the time.

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178. Craig David - Slicker Than Your Average (2002)

I was working in a music store in a busy shopping centre when this album came out and I remember playing 'Eenie Meenie' so loud that centre security came by to tell me that people were complaining and could i please turn it down. Honestly I may have been a little over zealous as Craig's first album was just amazing and there was a huge amount of expectation on my part before this came out. I may have been looking for greatness rather than really listening. Looking back now, its an alright album but not something i often seek out to listen to. I still love 'Eenie Meenie' (especially - and strangely - Craig's attempt at rapping toward the end) 'Hidden Agenda' and '2 Steps' and there are more tracks that don't get the FF treatment if they pop up on the ipod. I have a lot of time for Craig David even though I've been quite disappointed with his stuff more recently. I'm looking forward to a bit more 2 step/garage-ish stuff from him once he gets over his seeming obsession with breaking into the American market.

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179. Pressha - Don't Get It Twisted (1996)

Heres another one that might be a case of my own personal taste differing from popular opinion. There are a couple of songs on here that I dig. 'Down Under' is a simple sparse little song that occasionally sounds slightly awkward but somehow managed to get under my skin. 'Don't Get it it Twisted' is a mid tempo but low-energy track that bubbles away nicely, and my favourite song is 'My Angel', another slow jam with little in the way of instrumentation. Chart-wise, the album did nothing but in my collection Pressha's one and only album is a quiet little winner.

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180. J-Shin - My Soul, My Life (2000)

This is a nice little album from an artist that I will assume not many people will know about. (Not you though dear reader, i'm sure you know your stuff). Why J-Shin never made more of a splash I don't know because this album is really quite strong. A lot of the production sounds fresh (well it did in 2000) and there are some really catchy songs on here. J is a great singer (imagine the lovechild of Donell Jones and Tony Thompson - on second thought probably best not to) and obviously has an ear for a good melody. My favorites tracks include 'I'll Do It', 'Givin U Love' (try not singing along to that), 'Player Hater', 'Sex is Not'...damn i could go on and on. Matter of fact, can I change this album's place on the list? No? Well, anyway, DL it and have a listen, you wont be sorry.

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