mastodon421's End of the Year Shit That No One Cares About List-A-Thon!

[mastodon421]

40.Aesop Rock-Skelethon
Aesop Rock has been one of the driving forces of abstract hip-hop for some time now. His newest releases, Skelethon , proves that's not going to change anytime soon. His flow is great and the subtle production creates a really interesting vibe throughout the album. "Gopher Guts" also has to be one of the best songs of the year. All three verses are absolutely flawless and the lyrics are just outstanding. That being said, This album is just too abstract at times. A majority of the lyrics went above my head (Aesop Rock is way above my wavelength in terms of intelligence), which took away from my enjoyment of the record at times. The production and Aesop Rock's flow alone are enough for me to overlook the heavily encrypted lyrics that I didn't always understand. A must-listen for fans of abstract hip-hop.

Standout Tracks
1.Gopher Guts
2.ZZZ Top
3.Saturn Missiles

[hellawaits77ny]

Originally Posted by Natrlhi

It's not you I hate, just some of your opinions on music.

Always the diplomat, I like that.

[mastodon421]

39.Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-The Heist
2012 has been a huge breakout year for the mostly previously unknown Seattle MC Macklemore. His single "Thrift Shop" has exploded to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and given him a bonafide hit. "Thrift Shop", which is just alright to me, gives a poor representation of what Macklemore actually sounds like. A majority of his stuff is conscious, storytelling rap and it's pretty damn good stuff (Think of it as a more poppy version of Atmosphere.) He has a gift for telling personal, hard-hitting stories and can rap at every speed imaginable with ease. Producer Ryan Lewis makes heavy use of violin and piano and for the most part creates a lot of quality understated and mellow beats (though occasionally he breaks out of the box on tracks like the infectious "Can't Hold Us"). Macklemore is a rapper with a big heart and a lot of skill that is an artist to watch in the years to come.

Standout Tracks
1.Can't Hold Us (ft. Ray Dalton)
2.Wing$
3.Jimmy Iovine (ft Ab-Soul)

[mastodon421]

38.Big K.R.I.T-4eva N A Day
The first of Big K.R.I.T's two releases this year. I preferred this mixtape over his studio album Live from the Underground because the isn't any awful guest artists (which plagued most of his full-length and took away from K.R.I.T's verses) and the production is a bit better. K.R.I.T is a workhorse who not only raps, but does all the production himself. His southern meets jazz style really appeals to me and there are a lot of great hooks on here as well. I also liked the simple concept which essentially runs through a day in his life and the whole tape is very cohesive. 4eva N A Day is a solid collection of laid-back, southern hip-hop.

Standout Tracks
1.Boobie Miles
2.4eva N A Day Theme
3.Insomnia

[BloodoftheKings]

Pretty good hip hop choices so far. Skelethon is in my top 10. I can see why the abstract lyricism could keep someone from really enjoying his music but I really dig his lyrics even when I have no clue what he's talking about, and the production on that album is fantastic.

[mastodon421]

37.Cattle Decapitation-Monolith of Inhumanity
Cattle Decapitation is back and they are savage as ever. This is probably their best work from a musical standpoint. They are still able to produce deathgrind ragers with the best of them, but there is an enhanced focus on melody and experimentation. I would've liked this record a lot more if it wasn't for Travis Ryan's "clean" vocals. They are way too over-the top and really grated on me. Though I could've have done without Ryan's clean vocals, Monolith of Inhumanity is still their best effort behind 2009's The Harvest Floor.

Standout Tracks
1.The Carbon Stampede
2.Kingdom of Tyrants
3.Projectile Ovulation

[hellawaits77ny]

Clean vocals? WTF??!!

[mastodon421]

Originally Posted by hellawaits77ny

Clean vocals? WTF??!!

They're not your typical clean vocals lol, but they are sung. An example would be around the 1:45 mark of this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXKLv6XToeA

[mastodon421]

36.Code Orange Kids-Love is Love// Return to Dust
Most hardcore I've listened to in the past year was decent, but nothing special. I was in desperate need to find some fresh-sounding hardcore and Pittsburgh's Code Orange Kids delivered. Their incorporation of sludge, post-hardcore, and even some ambient have makes them one of the most refreshing hardcore acts to come along in sometime. They have three vocalists and they make us of them beautifully. All three have a distinct yet similar hard-hitting vocal style that suits the intensity of the music.I can see why Jake Bannon signed them to Deathwish, I can see a lot of Converge in these young guys and girl. A lot of great sludgey riffs mixed with punk energy,soothing interludes, and a flair for drastic tempo changes make Code Orange Kids a new torchbearer for modern hardcore.

Standout Tracks
1.Nothing (The Rat)
2.Choices (Love is Love)
3.Sleep (I've Been Slipping)

[hellawaits77ny]

Originally Posted by mastodon421

They're not your typical clean vocals lol, but they are sung. An example would be around the 1:45 mark of this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXKLv6XToeA

Meh, still don't dig it. Thanks for the link, though.