Dec
31

The 50 Best Albums of 2009 (#25-1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLIdD5UfXIo Brought to you by our sponsors, Brother Love and The Honky Tonk Man.  25. Diamond District – In The Ruff [Mello Music Group] Taking artists at their word is a notoriously tricky enterprise. Even allowing for 100 percent sincerity, intentions and ambitions are often discordant with the final results. Luckily, anyone attempting to assess… Continue reading »

Dec
30

The 50 Best Albums of 2009 (#50-1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_9ByHQ6PAY Brought to you by our sponsor: “Piper’s Pit.” 50. Exile – Radio [Plug Research]  Best known for producing 2006’s acclaimed collaboration with Blu, “Below the Heavens,” Exile emerged as a viable creative force in his own right on “Radio,” a found-art opus that found him re-configuring taped snippets of everything from old commercials to… Continue reading »

Dec
28

ZIP File of The 50 Best Songs of 2009 (Rap Lite Edition)

Because this is the only Calling Bird worth a damn. Download: ZIP: The 50 Best Songs of 2009 (Rap Lite Edition) (Left-Click)

Dec
24

2009′s 50 Best Songs (Rap Lite Edition)

To be fair, the urchin on the far right has bars for days. Like Quinton, a zip is on its way. 50. Dan Ex Machina – “Beautiful Women, Busy Plot” [Self-Released] 49. Times New Viking – “Move to California” [Matador] 48. White Denim – “Mirrored In Reverse” – [Downtown] 47. Souvenir – “Drums, Sex, Dance”… Continue reading »

Dec
17

ZIP File of The 50 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2009

There it is. Take it. Download: ZIP: Passion of the Weiss 50 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2009 (Left-Click)

Dec
17

The 50 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2009 (#25-1)

25. Big Boi ft. Gucci Mane – “Shine Blockas” Somehow, Big Boi, one half of the most popular rap group of all-time, has leaked fantastic album material for over a year-plus and still Sir Luscious Lead Foot can’t get a release date. The latest gem from Daddy Fat Sacks’s solo album, “Shine Blockas” combines Gucci’s… Continue reading »

Dec
16

The 50 Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2009 (#50-1)

If you’re kind enough to link, use this post, as the complete list will be added tomorrow. Yes, there will be a ZIP file at the end.  Yes, we have no bananas. 50. Magr ft. Blu – “Laminated Looseleafs” Odes to the pen and pad seem prosaic in 2009. We’ve all heard a million encomiums… Continue reading »

Dec
14

The Best Reissues & Compilations of 2009 (New Testament)

I strolled through the books of Job to unfold and open bibles/ instead of hopin’ on revivals. V/A: Hyperdub, 5 — 5 Years of Hyperdub  [Hyperdub] This wasn’t supposed to happen–what with Internet-era Jeremiahs prophesizing the demise of regionalism and the end of localized movements.  Steve Goodman and company intuitively understood that change could come… Continue reading »

Dec
10

The Best Reissues & Compilations of 2009 (Old Testatament)

 In no particular order. Old stuff today, new stuff later.   Amadou & Mariam-The Magic Couple [Wrasse] Best-Of compilation culled from Amadou & Mariam’s 1997-2001 material, in which the divinely gifted Malian blind couple honed the style seen on sacred earth-opus, Welcome to Mali. Coldplay-endorsed, NPR-approved, and the darling of every critic cognizant of the word,… Continue reading »