by vivrant thang on underrated albums of the year
So we’ve covered my favorite songs of the year that you’ve probably never heard. More great suggestions showed up in the comments. Keep them coming. It should go without saying that I highly recommend each of the albums from which those songs came.
The following list of albums were in constant rotation as well. However, I absolutely could not pick a favorite song from any of them. Every song had me grooving harder than the last. Each song had me feeling harder than the one before.
Green Tea is a local DC artist I’ve been following for a few years now.Her second release, Dosage II: Choices has completely blown me away. She is one to watch.
If you need to be convinced to check out Maiysha’s debut album, you may be swayed by the fact that she was nominated for a Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Again for her debut album.
I’m going to stop calling myself a true soulful house fan because I was late getting Reel People’s latest release. But once I pressed play, I couldn’t stop. Expect this album to show up again.
Major props to the good folks over at Blak’s Lair for putting me on to The Rurals. My latest musical addiction, Marie Tweek (whose sound will surprise you), sang with this group. Once I heard that, I knew this album would be on constant repeat. Tweek would have been all over my lists as well if she had another solo album out this year. Check for her as well.
You already know how I feel about Tamara Wellons and Leigh Jones.
I have had Giovanca’s album in my collection for a while but after Fave (remember that podcaster I said you should be listening to? Get on that because he’s backkkk in a HUGE way) mentioned her on Twitter, I moved her to the top of the list – where she belonged.
I’m really excited about what’s ahead for Yazarah. Her appearance on the album you know is going to be all up and through my other top 10 lists (that would be Leave It All Behind for those of you a little late to the party)definitely has people checking for her again. This EP is called Prelude. If this is just the introduction, ya’ll ain’t ready for what’s up next.
Green Tea, Dosage II: Choices
Listen | Myspace
Grammy nominated artist Maiysha, This Much Is True
Listen| Official | Follow her on Twitter
Reel People, Seven Ways To Wonder
Listen| Official
The Rurals, Farming Grooves
Listen | Myspace
Tamara Wellons, Life Is
Listen| Official
Leigh Jones, Music In My Soul
Listen | Official
Giovanca, Subway Silence
Official | Myspace
Yazarah, Prelude(EP)
Myspace
Honorable Mention:
Grammy nominated artist Wayna, Higher Ground
Joey Negro and the Sunburst Band, Moving With The Shakers
Eric Rico, Higher Frequency
Feel free to share the criminally underrated albums that are in heavy rotation for you this year in the comments.
13 Comments
December 17, 2008 at 4:39 am
Good post as always.
I’m mos def checking for all of them but especially YahZarah and Green Tea. I happen to have Green Tea on my old MySpace page so I’m in the know about her and I have a copy of YahZarah’s actual first solo effort “Blackstar” too.
Now I’m working on getting The Prelude, so thanks for the heads up on that!
If you need a copy of it or “Blackstar” for a review let me know. Oh, and keep writing these great posts here and @ SB too!
December 17, 2008 at 5:12 am
Some great picks as always …. you are the woman in the know!!!
Yahzarah, Green Tea and Maiysha are all fav’s as is Wayna.
I’m racking my brain to think of additions but you have covered most of my fav’s here or in your previos post.
A couple that spring to mind are Kylie Auldist ‘Just Say’, Jamie Lidell ‘Jim’ & Stacy Epps ‘The Awakening’
December 17, 2008 at 11:41 am
GREAT picks, you always, put me up on the best music, my Ipod, is like overloaded with music choices from your site. I have to say that Yahzarah, is FIRE…I keep that on repeat, the song Come to Me…is my absolute favorite.
December 17, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Nice. I’ll have to check these out. I enjoy listening to new artists (or new to me anyway).
December 18, 2008 at 6:49 pm
[...] you all have enjoyed the first of my best of lists for 2008. We started out with the best songs and albums that you probably never heard to give you a break from some of these best of lists that are [...]
December 22, 2008 at 12:25 pm
[...] Top Albums of 2008 You’ve Probably Never Heard Before [...]
December 31, 2008 at 1:50 am
What? These are obscure pics just to be different, you missed on including Raphael Saadiq and TV on the Radio. Girl Talk’s, “Feed the Animals” is my #1 on the year. I am a white male and will give your pics a listen but some of these ladies i’ve heard and cannot back you up. I respect your choices but please open up your mind. I am stunned you did not include the instant classic New Amerykay Pt. One by Ms. Badu.
January 3, 2009 at 4:03 am
[...] Songs In The Key Of Life: 2008 Albums Of The Year You’ve Probably Never Heard [...]
January 5, 2009 at 12:06 am
@TitansFan Read the title of this post. ALBUMS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD. People have heard of Badu’s album and Raphael Saadiq’s. They are on everyone’s Best of 2008 lists. Not that I have to justify my choices but this is just one of my Best of 2008 lists. You’ll be happy to know that both Badu and Raphael Saadiq’s music appear on my other lists. You seem to be new here so I’ll let you know that the idea behind this site is to introduce my readers to “obscure” music they’ve never heard before. That was the idea behind this particular post. Stick around, you may learn something!
January 8, 2009 at 1:35 am
[...] (After the Prelude she gave us, I need for her to hurry up this way [...]
February 2, 2009 at 3:44 am
[...] his debut album, The Adventures of Seymour Liberty. The only reason it didn’t appear on my Top Albums of 2008 You’ve Never Heard is because I was so sure it had been released in 2007 and I was late. I’ll be spotlighting [...]
February 26, 2009 at 12:37 am
[...] She has collaborated with Reel People (most recently on the Seven Ways to Wonder, one of my top 2008 Albums of the Year You’ve Probably Never Heard), 4 Hero , Bugz in the Attic and released a solo album, Shades back in [...]
March 18, 2009 at 1:10 am
[...] with Reel People (most recently on the Seven Ways to Wonder, one of my top 2008 Albums of the Year You’ve Probably Never Heard, 4Hero, Bugz in the Attic and released a solo album, Shades back in [...]