Overlooked: The Best Album Tracks Of 2011

As we come to the end of 2011 people always like to reflect on the year just passed - the good, the bad and the ugly. However people always focus on the highlights, what about the hidden gems that people don't take notice of, or don't appreciate?

I've decided to blog about my favourite album tracks of 2011 - the filler, the diamonds in the rough, the tunes that the record labels didn't feel deserved any promotional release (at least not as of yet....). So I dedicate this blog to anyone who feels they have been overlooked and underappreciated in the year 2011 - this blog is for you.

15) Made In America - Jay-Z, Kanye West & Frank Ocean

From their duet album 'Watch The Throne' this track is the best highlight of the album, fusing classic and contemporary beats to bring about this sentimental partnership with Frank Ocean, definitely a highly underrated moment on the album.



14) Everybody Hurts - Avril Lavigne

Think whatever you like of Ms Lavigne as an artist, but her songwriting abilities are pretty much spot on - I think she's the perfect example of an artist being pulled apart by her record label trying to achieve commercial success at the risk of honing her craft - little ditties like this track, show that there's much more to her than meets the magazine cover - (and no I'm not referring to her self-branded perfume).



13) I Can Only Imagine - David Guetta, Chris Brown & Lil Wayne

This next track was a major standout for me on David Guetta's 'Nothing But The Beat'. The bridge that leads into the chorus is quality, with Weezy's rapping hinting at the sheer genius that could be achieved if only G-Dawg and him would hook up more often.....



12) Abracadabra - Jessie J

Having recently been confirmed as the  best-selling debut of the year, Jessie J is in high demand both in the UK and globally. Abracadabra is a great feel-good track that really shows off her musicianship. One of the best on the album.



11) Microphone - Example

Example - the rapper-come singer has seen his music turn mainstream in 2011. Microphone is such a well-written song, a ballad completely throughout which helps to balance his street cred against credible musicianship.




10) Bad Kids - Lady GaGa

When Gag-Gag first came onto the music scene, she was interesting and quirky - now she's become something of a novelty act. She has taken the 'shock' out of 'shock factor', but when you look past the preachy sermons she calls songs, you can remember the reason why she maintains success over her contemporaries - because at the heart of it all, she's just a talented songwriter.



9) Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran

The unexpected success story of 2011 comes in the form of short, ginger couch-hopper Ed Sheeran. Already having released 4 EP's on iTunes before his signing to Warner Music, Ed Sheeran has followed in the footsteps of Adele and SuBo by defying convention and achieving massive success. Give Me Love is one of my favourite songs on his album... of many more to come, I hope. Good on ya ginge!



8) Oh My Love - Chris Brown

2011 saw the first 'proper' return of Chris Brown musically since THAT INCIDENT which abrubtly stunted his chances of becoming a legend for all the right reasons. Nevertheless this song is a highpoint of his album F.A.M.E.  - if people can just look past the ginormous elephant in the room.



7) Hard To Get - Katy B

The closing track of 'On A Mission' this is a song that Katy's voice is perfectly suited for - showing that her abilities as a vocalist are in top notch condition! All that Brit-School training has certainly paid off.....

12-katy b-hard to get by tiger2801

6) Love Is A Suicide - Natalia Kills

Sadly one of the major flops of 2011 - Natalia Kills is a British artist mentored by Will.i.am through his interscope hybrid record label. Kills uses the same glam-pop-shock-factor method as GaGa, although her efforts weren't met with nearly as much success.... bad times 'talia.



5) Hurts Like Heaven - Coldplay

Coldplay - the marmite gods of music, you either love them or hate them - I myself have become a turned believer. This track is more upbeat than Coldplay's previous offerings, but carries the same euphoric feelings as 'Viva La Vida' or 'Every Teardrop'. Classic.

Coldplay - Hurts Like Heaven by DJ ERM

4) Teach Me How To Be Loved - Rebecca Ferguson

There will be those people who will have felt themselves visibly shiver when I mentioned a former 'X Factor' contestant - never mind a RUNNER-UP. However unbiased or not - this track is undeniably an excellently written/performed song. Her voice is fantastic and having co-written every track on the album could it be that the X Factor ACTUALLY FOUND some real genuine talent?... I hope so....(btw Glitter & Gold, is also a tune.)



3) Brixton Briefcase - Chase And Status Ft. Cee-Lo Green

Such an unlikely pairing that works absolutely BEAUTIFULLY. Chase & Status really are musical geniuses. Nothing more to be said. Brilliant, just brilliant.



2) I'll Be Waiting - Adele

The Woman of the year, and what a year it has been. This track is my a personal standout on the album and really shows the more upbeat side to Adele, beyond the darker sadder tales - but tbh, every track on that album is a standout.
Adele - I'll be Waiting by apohllionaire

1) I Was Here - Beyonce

4 was probably one of Beyonce's most understated albums released - although there was a lot of hype around it. This track is the musical highpoint on the album, written by Diane Warren - why it wasn't released as a single is beyond me. Definitely the most overlooked track of 2011.

Ones To Watch: Lana Del La Machine

I first heard the debut single from Lana Del Rey back in august - while fumbling around online, her single 'Video Games' popped up - 'hmmmmmmm' I thought 'I wonder what this is...' after one listen I came to a very quick conclusion - 'pfffffffffffft - this is shit'.

However after many various accidental exposures through radio and other media channels the song itself began to grow on me. For my taste (as I thought when I first listened to songs by Katy Perry or Ke$ha) the girl seemed just a teensy bit too american for me - not necessarily a criticism - but maybe just more a casual annoyance, she also has this hideous habit of sliding her voice from one note to the next which only accentuates her status as 'female american crooner'.

But when I stumbled upon Lana's next single 'Born To Die' I actually had a change of heart - this woman is essentially America's sexy-pouty answer to Florence + The Machine, a group that I personally am a big fan of. Always quick to judge, I wrote off Lana as being a simple gimmicky cast-off from the US market, hoping to make a quick buck overseas - however now I realise that maybe us brits are just more open to quirky acts like Lana ala Florence.

Both songstresses use classic, gothic imagery musically and visually for effect, and rely on more organic instruments for their compositions, their lyrics trying to bring about deeper meanings than what is simply prima facie (which means 'on the face of it' for any people who didn't have to study a gruelling law module for their education.) Although like most american translations, Lana's songs are a much more polished, glamorous soiree than Florence's rougher, edgier shindigs.

I will be interested to see just how Lana fairs Brit-side, when she drops her debut sometime next year - Although I'm sure there is more to her than meets the eye, I sometimes find that when record labels try to re-package a certain type of 'popstar' by 'sexing-it-up' (imagine Florence Welch with lips the size of Brazil) it can sometimes fall spectacularly flat on its face- however with 'Video Games' peaking at number 9, it appears we brits may just be warming up to this latest sultry export.....

Ones To Watch!: Grimey in the USA.

I was at work a few weeks ago when a mate of mine played me a track by an artist that I hadn't heard of before - Azealia Banks. At first I thought this was some kind of fresh-prince-of-bel-air reference - apparently not.



Turns out that rather than being a former child actress - Azealia Banks is actually a female american rap artist who is gearing up an assault on bally old blighty with her new CHOOOOONSS! :)
The tune itself is fuckin AWESOME. '212 feat. lazy jay' available on iTunes now it is siiiiiiiiickk (although quite naughty, even by my profanity meter) I think this girls gonna be huge in 2012 (as do others, considering she just made the 'sound of 2012' list).
In terms of female rappers there is a majorrrr gap in the market. Now - I'm as big a fan of Nicki Minaj as the next hardcore lesbian but I do have this eensy teensy feeling that the reason she has been so successful is because of supply and demand -  barring M.I.A's occasional advocations for ginger rights, nicki minaj is pretty much the only global female rap artist - there aren't a lot around, therefore she's in high demand. ergo - success.
Even in the UK with legends such as Ms Dyyy-naa--miii--teeeheee making revolving door appearances, meant we were hankering after a female spittterrr!

But - am I the only one who thinks that american music seems to be taking a lot of references from the UK lately? Those who recognise the dubstep break down in britney spears 'hold it against me' and Flo Rida's 'Good Feeling' will know what I'm talking about. '212' is essentially - in my opinion - a grime track.

For any americans out there - Grime is a UK version of Hip-Hop with lots of electronic influences (Grime 101) syncopation, discord, reverb and distortion (ooooo check me out with the flashy words!)- it seems that the US is taking another cue point from us tea-drinkers with a sense of innovating urban music. Personally I'm ALL FOR IT! :D but there may be those who disagree? just listen to the following tracks to hear for yourself - does Azealia Banks sound more like the american artists or the british ones?

Ones To Watch: The New David Guetta....

With the close of 2011 we have now arrived at the time of year when the media start to look to the future with anticipation of the next big artist tipped for 2012. One artist that particularly makes my heart beat with excitement is a DJ who is only just beginning to truly achieve mainstream success as an artist in his own right - I am of course talking about swedish DJ mastermind: Avicii.

Performing under a variety of names DJ Tim Bergling first found chart success in blighty with 'Seek Bromance' released under the name 'Tim Berg'. Your typical poppy club stomper, but with a bridge that hinted at a deeper talent....


Already a commercially well known remixer since 2008, Avicii's blend of tones circa Calvin Harris, combined with David Guettas own collection of beats created a recipe us brits simply LAVISHED UP.


And G-man himself (no doubt seeing the potential in Avicii's work) got him to feature prominently on his last album 'Nothing But The Beat'.... hmmmm.... so I sense some fear of being overshadowed.... I mean if you can't beat 'em...

Most recently Misseur Avicii has been featured in the media over an embarassing case of plagiarism concerning former X Factor queen Leona Lewis's new single - 'Collide'. Apparently Syco had gained permission from Ministry Of Sound and Avicii to use the sample (and I use the phrase 'sample' very loosely - 'Cover' would probably be more accurate). However no doubt someone behind a desk at Syco thought nobody would notice the pilfering of a relatively unknown DJ's track..... whooops!

Here's the track 'Fade Into Darkness' against Ms Lewis's 'Collide' hastily re-named as a collaboration between herself and Avicii before release - I'm sure after one listen you will be able to see why they had no choice.






I personally see BIG THINGS for Avicii in the coming months - if the likes of Syco and David Guetta are seeking his talents I believe it's only a matter of time before he reaches the status of super-producers such as Calvin Harris, Chase & Status and Timbaland... let's just hope he's around a lot longer than the latter....

And of course how could I forget to mention the current C-H-O-O-N setting the charts alight in the form of 'Levels' - who'dve thought a simple melody could become so addictive (no joke - this song kept me awake. all. night.)... oh Avicii... what will you bring us next....