Here is my list of my top picks in music for 2008 … sadly, this wasn’t a great year for music. As I sat down to go over my fave releases of the year, I found that there wasn’t much to choose from. But, even tho the pickin’s are slim that doesn’t take away from the quality of the music that was released this year. Here, in reverse order are my fave albums of the year:

In the #10 position, Beyoncé’s I Am …:

Altho I didn’t love every single track on this album, much of it is really fun and very memorable. Honestly, for Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) alone the album is a hit. I may not be totally on board with the whole Sasha Fierce thing but as long as Beyoncé keeps bringin’ the jams like the ones on this album, I think I can get used to it.

At #9, Jason Mraz’s We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.:

I’ve been a minor Jason Mraz fan for a while now but this album really won me over to Team Mraz. I must admit, I didn’t really pay that much attention to him before he started blogging on My Space but once he got my attention, I was hooked. I’ve yet to listen in full to Jason’s other albums but if this one is any indication, I think I’m gonna like what I hear. Additionally, Mraz just published his own book of Polaroid photos … which wins my heart in other ways as well.

At #8 is Juliana Hatfield’s How To Walk Away:

Juliana always comes at us with great music and this album is proof positive that she’s still got it. For me, this album was an even better treat because I ordered it from her official website and it came packed with a bonus disc of demos that were recorded with the album. I really wish more people knew about Juliana … I think she appeals to so many people. I’m just glad that she continues to make music because discs like this one are always welcome on my iPod.

In the #7 position is the Ryan Adams and the Cardinals album Cardinology:

Ryan Adams releases music almost on a daily basis and, amazingly, it’s all good. While I wasn’t too crazy about Easy Tiger, I really loved Cardinology. My only regret is that the album is too short. I wish there were about 3 more songs on the disc but, knowing Ryan, I’m sure it won’t be long before we get a whole new disc of stuff to enjoy.

At #6 is the new Leona Naess album Thirteens:

I was SHOCKED when I learned that Leona Naess had released a new album months before I heard about it … but was very happily surprised. Thirteens is a great album of somber and poignant tunes … and comes with 13 bonus tracks that are still downloadable HERE. One can never have too much Leona Naess … the hits just keep on comin’.

After the jump, check out my Top 5 Fave Albums of 2008 including my fave of the bunch AND my list of Top 10 Singles of the Year …

READ THE REST OF THIS POST »

Beyoncé made an appearance on MTV’s TRL this week to give further information on her new album, I Am …, which is set for a November release. Beyoncé clarified that her new album would be a 17-song double disc — the disc comprised of ballads will be called I Am … Beyoncé and the other disc comprised of dance tracks will be called I Am … Sasha — which would explain why B released two music videos simultaneously … one for a Beyoncé ballad track and the other for a Sasha dance track:

Beyonce fans will see a new side of the R&B star with the release of her new studio album on November 18. The singer’s latest will be a double-disc set, according to Entertainment Weekly. But fans could be getting more than just Beyonce on the 17-track release. While the ballad-oriented first disc will be reportedly titled “I Am… Beyonce,” the dancefloor-ready second disc is reportedly rumored to be titled “I Am… Sasha,” after the singer’s on-stage alter ego. And a new Web site, WhoIsSashaFierce.com, is asking fans to call in if they think they know Sasha’s identity for the chance to win a $500 grand prize and a personal message from Sasha – whoever she may be. Beyonce isn’t the first to face off against herself on an album – T.I. tried a similar tactic on 2007’s “T.I. Vs. T.I.P.” Her new CD, the follow-up to 2006’s “B’Day,” will also be offered as a single-disc version priced $4 or $5 less than the double disc, according to Entertainment Weekly. The star recorded over 70 tracks for the album, telling fans on her MySpace page, “I have taken the time so I can create my sound. I have poured my heart and soul into it. It is my baby.” She will also reportedly be releasing a video disc in February with clips for every song along with a Spanish-language version of the album – not to mention a 110-date world tour that’s set to launch in April.

Brills! Beyoncé really knows how to capitalize and I know I, for one, am looking forward to this new bunch of songs. While I have a very hard time believing Beyoncé’s claim that she really recorded “60 to 70″ songs for her new album, I am starting to believe that she prolly did record a large number of tracks … resulting in this double disc idea. Offering a cheaper single-disc option is also quite brilliant. After the jump, check out the tracklisting for the double-disc album I Am … and see a few photos from Beyoncé’s appearance on TRL earlier this week …

READ THE REST OF THIS POST »

Beyoncé is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Essence magazine wherein she FINALLY comes clean and confirms (what we all knew already) that she DID MARRY Jay-Z (née Shawn Carter) earlier this year in April (so, congrats again B-Jay!). Additionally, her as-yet-untitled album has, at last, been titled — according to BeyonceWorld.net the album will be called I Am … Here are a few of Beyoncé’s Essence mag photos and portions of her revelatory interview:

Beyonce is finally breaking her silence on her hush-hush wedding to Jay-Z. The singer, 27, tells November’s Essence that she kept their April wedding at Jay-Z’s NYC apartment quiet and small because she is not a “traditional woman.” She adds, “It’s been my day so many days already.” Despite being engaged, she never confirmed rumors or wore a ring. “People put too much emphasis on that,” says the singer, whose new album drops Nov. 18. “It’s just material, and it’s just silly to me.” (Instead, the couple have matching IV tattoos on their ring fingers. They were each born on the fourth day of a month – Beyonce on September 4; Jay-Z, December 4. They wed on April 4.) Beyonce — who’s been dating the rapper since 2002 — says she wasn’t surprised when they walked down the aisle. “We’ve been together a long time,” she says. “We always knew it would happen.” “What Jay and I have is real,” she goes on. “It’s not about interviews or getting the right photo op. It’s real.” Jay-Z recently hinted at a desire to have a baby. “Most people I guess dream of having a family some day,” he told reporters in NYC, “so I’m just a regular American boy.”

I’m glad that B has finally decided to end the nonsense of not disclosing that she and Jay got married. While I understand that celebs want to keep certain things about their private life quiet, it strikes me as silly when they maintain a total radio silence when other folks in the know talk freely about their biz (you may recall that Mary J. Blige publicly congratulated B-Jay on their nuptials the day after they were wed). I, personally, do not find it intrusive to know if a celebrity is married. But, in any event, B-Jay must’ve had their reasons for staying mum … and have finally given confirmation.

Yesterday, we got to hear Beyoncé’s two new singles, If I Were A Boy and Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) and today we learn that those tracks (of the reported “60 to 70 songs” that she recorded) are the first to be released from her newly titled album I Am …, which is due for release in December. So much new info from Beyoncé today, I don’t even know what to do with myself!

[Source, Source, Source]