Jay’s Pop Records of 2011
5. Frank Ocean – nostalgia, ULTRA
There’s a lot of hip-hop/R&B on the latter half of this list, so be sure to check any of those pop records out.
Frank Ocean (of the OFWGKTA conglomerate) seems to be the only member of the ragtag hip-hop group that has any musical direction. His other more aggressive counterpart, Tyler The Creator, is too controversial and too unpredictable for classic staying power. nostalgia, ULTRA does. Remixing and rehashing a handful of his favourite tracks, interspersing them with background sighs and videogame cartridge insertion clips, Frank Ocean brings his hearty tenor atop excellent (albeit reused) production.
Strawberry Swing might just be better than its Coldplay original.
Preview on Xiami
4. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
It’s records like this that make me wish I had more indie/underground sensibilities.
The self-titled sophomore is exactly the direction I hoped Bon Iver would go, and it’s just heartbreakingly accurate. The light acoustic guitars and whispery falsetto layers of Holocene is magnificent — the country twang in it just adds a little more heart to it all.
Probably one of the best songs of the year, the 80’s influence of Beth/Rest is both unexpected and exceptional — Bon Iver’s a real talent. They better keep making stuff like this until the day I die… I’m waiting on a wedding song.
Preview on Xiami.com | Like it? Buy it on Amazon.com
3. Beyonce – 4
Beyonce always seems to fall by the wayside for me. Her first three records were all very good: Dangerously in Love was the crossover that could, B-Day was a straight-to-the-point R&B album, and I Am… Sasha Fierce, while painfully long and gimmicky, had some fantastic classic Bey singles.
But none of them were that album, that defining one that demanded attention. 4 is that album — there are no misses, no fillers, no lamely tacked-on rap verses. Everything on 4 is so perfectly molded, and I cannot help but feel the love Bey had for this project.
Frank Ocean’s collabration, I Miss You, makes it on to my list of best songs of 2011. Might be the pre-baby glow.
Like it? Buy the album on Amazon.com | iTunes
2. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale
Once a Britney stan, always a Britney stan.
Again, this may seem a little on the nepotist side, but Miss Britney Jean Spears (nee Trawick?) will always win out for me. Luckily, Femme Fatale is the perfect incarnation of a pop record — adventurous, playful, and classic, with just a twinge of roboticism. Listen to the first few bars of Till The World Ends [MV] and tell me that won’t be around for the next ten years.
The ballad grit of Inside Out is thrilling, and the experimental flute sensation Criminal is intoxicating. The dubstep drop of Hold it Against Me [MV] single-handedly brought dubstep into the forefront of dance music. It’s almost fitting that it’s Britney that’s bringing all these new sounds to the pop music table, much like her Blackout era. She’s arguably the most successful pop artist to reign in a post-Madonna world, so let it in: that Holy Spearit reign just won’t let up.
Preview on Xiami.com | Like it? Buy the album on Amazon.com
1. LIGHTS – Siberia
Who knew that this Canadian pixie crooner would snag the title of best pop album of 2011? Siberia is seriously flawless — this is exactly how you do a sophomore album. Drake and Bon Iver came close to perfection, judging by their inclusion in the list, but LIGHTS really ventured out of the musical mold and completely rebranded herself as a Canadian pop icon (albeit a little… grimier).
The dubstep accoutrements of an already solid album only adds to my fascination. Siberia has got some massive melodies, strong choruses and fantastic writing, but diving into a genre completely different from 2009’s The Listening was a huge risk, and a huge reward. Every single track is just… flawless, I cannot stress this enough. But Banner and Cactus in the Valley are some definitive highlights. Get it. You’re welcome.
Preview on Xiami.com | Like it? Buy the album on Amazon.com | iTunes
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Here’s to hoping 2012 produces some pretty good pop. #popmusicwillneverbelowbrow
by Jay de Belen
