Previous Entry: Albums 50-41
40 -- LOOSE, Nelly Furtado (2006)
Loose is a groundbreaking hip-hop/pop fusion album thats as eclectic as it is unexpected. Following a sophomore effort that flew under the radar to mainstream listeners, Nelly Furtados partnership with Timbaland proved to be a pivotal moment in the mid-00s transition into club-friendly synths and genre consolidation. More importantly, it was albums like Loose that led the charge in friendly hip-hop, a movement that allowed artists who had otherwise no business recording hip-hop/R&B material to release it to the public with positive reception. If Nelly Furtado had released Loose five years prior, it most likely wouldnt have received the same reaction from the masses. Loose is very much the spiritual successor to P!nks early R&B material, but leans much more heavily toward the edgy club-synths that ended up defining radio pop today. Beyond the musical implications of the records release, Loose is also a brilliantly-constructed album filled with energetic songs with out-of-this-world production and esoteric lyricism.
Brightest moments: Maneater, Do It Right
39 -- LAUNDRY SERVICE, Shakira (2001)
A beautiful collection of powerhouse latin-rock anthems and brilliant pop executions, Laundry Service was hardly Shakiras musical debut, but was very much her mainstream emergence. While it lacked the subtle, more alternative flavors of her squarely Latin predecessor, Laundry Service provides an energetic abundance of songs that collide beautifully with her charmingly heavy vocals. Objection is a modern classic, and the Mayer-esque Underneath Your Clothes shows her tender emotive side. Whenever, Wherever has every element of a timeless classic, but the Estafan-penned banger is only a single gear in this well-oiled machine. The entire album is a single cohesive sound, and its exotic charm oozes throughout.
Brightest moments: Whenever, Wherever, Ojos Asi
38 -- SUPERNATURE, Goldfrapp (2005)
The true queen of weird, Goldfrapp delivered this delectable gem two years after its timeless predecessor, Black Cherry. While most critics will mostly likely prefer Black Cherry in hindsight, I prefer Supernatures edgier synth-pop material and moodier productions. Its an album that doesnt try to dress up as a pop record, but still serves quite accessible material for non-fans to find a home with. Ooh La La is both the most accessible track on Supernature and one of its best, and most songs on the album (with the exception of the admittedly duller finishers) are completely intoxicating. This album will definitely stand the test of time as more and more people get introduced to Goldfrapps creepy little world.
Brightest moments: Ooh La La, Ride A White Horse
37 -- TEENAGE DREAM, Katy Perry (2010)
What modern critics and general Perry nay-sayers dont understand about Teenage Dream is that a strong, well-crafted concept album can come in all forms and colors. Teenage Dreams genius is not in substantial or poetic source material but in its brilliant ability to take modern expectations (and stigmas) of pop music and toss it back out at the listener. What you find is that with every insufferable trope that we make fun of in regards to pop music (female singers excreting sexuality, overly esoteric lyrics, tireless hooks at the expense of depth), we end up falling in love with those tropes all over again with Teenage Dream. The album is the quintessential example of its time. Every song on the album stands as a contemporary exemplar of what we consider to be a guilty pleasure, and together every song collides into one giant commentary on the superficiality of youth issues, and the superficiality of pop music. Katy Perry is a smarter woman than we give her credit for, and though this album may seem to serve her negatively in that regard, to me it shows a ground-breaking insight into how packaged, sugary-sweet pop music can be just as influential and profound as the most celebrated classics of old.
Brightest moments: The One That Got Away, Teenage Dream
36 -- SOME NIGHTS, Fun. (2011)
To me, Some Nights is the perfect gay album. Though the project was very much crafted with youth culture in mind, its absolutely mind-blowing to me how accurate and relatable the material is in regards to young gay issues and insecurities. Dark motifs about alcoholism, domestic violence, wavering political opinions, family troubles, social justice and progressivism are showered throughout, but the most brilliant presence in Some Nights is its title track, an overwhelmingly honest and forthright confessional that could easily pass as a high-quality Queen smash. This is a spectacular pop-rock electo-opera hybrid that any slighted demographic or personality type can feel at home with, and it stands as one of the most honest and intelligent records in recent time.
Brightest moments: Some Nights, Carry On
35 -- FUNHOUSE, P!nk (2008)
Theres no sweeter vision than watching an established pop icon go back to the confines of straight pop. After flirting with faux-rock and R&B, P!nk pumps out this energetic pop gem that flirts with those neighboring genres without losing track of its intentions. What makes Funhouse so great is not revolutionary material; its the fact that the album is so unapologetically un-revolutionary. Its completely comfortable in its own skin, and yet presents a series of unforgettable vulnerability that P!nk had always flirted with but never completely committed to (Glitter in the Air does this most effectively). Her raspy vocal reaches a euphoric critical mass on Funhouse, and her ability to jump from pop-rock bangers to silky-smooth productions is actually quite remarkable. People are always the quickest to avoid handing P!nk any credits in her field, but the truth is that she has developed the most consistent and committed portfolio of songs and albums so far in modern pop music. For that, she deserves a hell of a lot of acclaim.
Brightest moments: Glitter In the Air, Sober
34 -- SPICE, Spice Girls (1996)
The Spice Girls emerged out of a new-found corporate formula for selling pop music to our generation, and with this new formula came a lot of disposable pop that simply wouldnt stand the test of time. While the Spice Girls receive most of the flack for this new shift, the fact is that their debut album is pure, high-quality sugary pop bliss. While, yes, a few tracks on Spice could be categorized as filler, the rest of the album is a celebration of tongue-in-cheekery and forces the listener to approach the album (and the genre) while leaving their expectations at the door. The production choices still stand the test of time admittedly, and for the ten years following its release, pop acts were still trying emulate its seamless and infectious hooks. Whether youre fan of the Spice Girls or not (we can all understand why you wouldnt be), the fact is if you were to define pop music by what the late 90s turnover defined it to be, then Spice ends up being one of the most perfect pop albums. Ever.
Brightest moments: Who Do You Think You Are, When 2 Become 1
33 -- BREAKAWAY, Kelly Clarkson (2004)
Theres an overwhelming sense of courage that permeates throughout Breakaway, and I couldnt help as the listener but feel like the artist went through an incredibly cathartic experience to make this album a reality. Pairing the loudness of Since U Been Gone with the heart-wrenching honesty of Because of You creates an explosive combination, and its with this album (and more specifically its lead single) that modern day hit-makers like Katy Perry owe a great deal of their success to. While were unsure of this albums legacy-work, one cannot travel through the sonic brilliance of Breakaway and not feel like they just experienced a timeless piece of contemporary pop music.
Brightest moments: Breakaway, Because of You
32 -- CRAZY LOVE, Michael Buble (2009)
Michael Bubles vocals have an untouchable glisten and sheen that stay front and center in Crazy Love, one of the most well-balanced traditional records in the past decade. While the album serves many highlights with its brilliant homages to jazz classics old and contemporary, its the seamless fusion of pop and jazz that elevate the record into something more profound and meaningful. It retains the established chords and melodies that only jazz could produce, but it ushers in an approachability and an irresistible likability thats unique to Buble and Buble only. The soaring moments in Cry Me A River are so overwhelmingly powerful that the listener might risk getting sonically injured. If you havent listened to Crazy Love yet, you should.
Brightest moments: Cry Me A River, Havent Met You Yet
31 -- I AM... SASHA FIERCE, Beyonce (2008)
While I Am... Sasha Fierce is another rousing example of a collection thats greater than the sum of its parts, that fact is unrelated to the bottom-line: Sasha is a completely self-aware concept album that serves nothing if not to elevate the appeal and credentials of its artist. It takes a great deal of gravitas to market yourself as a master of two separate styles of performance, but it takes an even greater deal of talent to pull off both sides so effortlessly. Beyonce weaves her silky vocals through enchanting faux-folk-pop ballads and soft confessionals, showing her impeccable ability to transition smoothly between different tempos. The rambunctious, hard-hitting R&B/pop in the second half of the album provide us with Beyonces true calling however: her absolutely masterful ability to complement a beat with a charismatic vocal flow that only Tina Turner could compete with. Beyonce had always been compartmentalized talent-wise among different types of outlets, but its a testament to her multiple talents that an album like this can work double-duty, and create a double-dose of brilliant pop.
Brightest Moments: Halo, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
ALBUMS 30-21 COMING SOON