Top 20 Baltimore Albums (and Mixtapes and EPs) of 2005
For years there's always been a handful of local bands and rappers that I've checked for. But my interest in Baltimore music has definitely blossomed in the last year and a half since I started Gov't Names and had a place to talk about it and shed some light on this city's hip hop and Baltimore club music. And in particular this year, as I slowly turned GN's content into all Bmore all the time, I've spent a lot of time thinking about local music, going to shows and hunting down record stores, meeting and interviewing artists, and it's been real rewarding and exciting for me. For the most part, this list consists of local hip hop, but there's also club music and a few rock bands. I voted in the City Paper's The Year in Local Music poll, and half of the list was stuff I voted for, but this is a more complete version of my list. I'm definitely not on top of everything that goes on here and not everyone would agree with my opinions, but I've spent a lot of time on this and I think it came out good. I've posted an mp3 of one of my favorite tracks from each release and, when available, links to artist and label websites and places that you can buy the CD. Help yourself.
1. Rod Lee - Vol. 5: The Official (Morphius Urban/Harm Squad/Club Kingz Records)
Rod Lee has been one of my favorite Baltimore club music producers for years, and it's been real exciting to watch his profile rise along with the whole genre this year. And, not to give myself too much credit, but I do think I helped to get the ball rolling with my Gov't Names review that let people know there was a good club music CD that they could actually order off the internet, which is rare. People are primed for more of this music, it's just hard to find outside Baltimore. This has a lot of the same songs as a lot of other club mixes this year, but it gets placed above those for its potential significance, and because it's paced really well and sounds good, like it was mastered better than a lot of other club mixes.
K.W. Griff - "Good Man" (mp3)
2. Bossman - Law & Order (1Up/Double Down/NEK)
Technically this was released in the last 2 weeks of 2004, but it was such an event in Baltimore when it dropped, and it really was worth the wait. I just hope he steps it up for his major label debut in '06.
Bossman - "Law & Order" (mp3)
3. Darkroom Productions - Hamsterdam: The Best of Baltimore, Vol. 1 (Darkroom Enterprises)
The city's best mixtape of the year because a couple of talented producers took control and did all the beats, so it's not a hodgepodge of different sounds like most various artist mixtapes.
Juan Donovan - "Take It Like A Man" (mp3)
4. Tyree Colion - The Problem And The Solution (Hustle Hard Blvd/Rare Ent.)
I pretty much said in my review last week why Tyree is someone to watch right now.
Tyree Colion - "Rise To The Top" (mp3)
(photo by Christopher Myers)
5. Mullyman - Mullymania (Major League Unlimited/Unruly Records)
After anticipating this album for over a year, it was kind of surreal to get into a little conflict with Mully and his people right around the time the album dropped after I interviewed him. But I'm not gonna let that bias me, it's a real hot album.
Mullyman f/ The Clipse and Fam-Lay - "Got It" remix (mp3)
6. Lake Trout - Not Them, You (Palm Pictures/Rx Records)
Lake Trout have been one of my favorite live bands for years and years, and studio recordings have never really been their strong suit, but they're getting better. I think I was a little too harsh on this album in my Stylus review, which was given a C based on what I wrote, and I feel kinda bad that it's actually the lowest rating on the album's Metacritic page. It's a good album, just a little too similiar to the last one, which probably isn't a problem for most of the other reviewers that aren't as familiar with their back catalog.
Lake Trout - "Pill" (mp3)
7. Ogun - Real On Purpose (Real On Purpose Ent.)
Ogun is the kind of super driven dude that holds Baltimore's scene together like glue and he's got some real hot songs, although some of his best stuff dropped after the album.
Ogun f/ Jitter B.U.G. and EJ - "Bmore" remix (mp3)
8. Club Queen K-Swift - Vol. 6: The Return (Unruly Records)
Between being the city's most popular radio DJ and constantly doing big parties and mix CDs like this one, K-Swift is a one-woman industry and you can practically keep up with the whole Baltimore club scene just by listening to what she's spinning. But man, I gotta get that new CD that just dropped, I haven't found it yet.
Manny - "Down The Hill" remix (mp3)
9. Private Eleanor - No Straight Lines (The Beechfields)
I know or have met probably more than half the artists on this list, but Chris, the drummer from Private Eleanor, is the only one who I've been friends with outside of the music thing for a long time. This album has really grown on me over the past few months, good mellow music to cook dinner to.
Private Eleanor - "Everything You'd Heard About" (mp3)
10. Huli Shallone - It's My Turn (Hit 'Em Hard Records)
I personally don't think it's as solid as some of the albums by Huli's old group Nature's Problem, but it's still got a lot of jams.
Huli Shallone f/ Paula Campbell - "Work That Body"
(photo by Jefferson Jackson Steele)
11. Skarr Akbar and DJ Radio - Show Me Your Soul: The General, Pt. 2 (Streetsweepers)
I interviewed Skarr over the summer and he's a real good dude, seriously talented rapper. I really think his next album is gonna be something hot, but for now he's got a lot of mixtapes out there.
Skarr Akbar - "Switches" (mp3)
12. Little Clayway - The Takeover (Clayway Records)
I'd been hearing stuff by Clayway and trying to cop a CD for years, so I'm glad that he dropped this compilation of material from his first 3 albums so I can get caught up.
Little Clayway f/ Cooli High, Tim Trees, Cappadonna and DL - "Tha Murda Collaboration"
13. DJ Unique - Classic Odell's Club Mix Vol. 2
Baltimore club music was around for a decade before I really started paying attention to it a few years ago, so I only really get to hear what it was in the early days on old school mixes that Mike Crosby and KW Griff do on 92Q, shouting out old extinct clubs like Odell's, and that's what Unique is representing here. It's mostly old hip house stuff from Chicago and New York and wherever, stuff like "Perculator" and "Brighter Days", stuff that Bmore DJs spun before there were actual local producers making Baltimore club music, with occasional homegrown classics like "Big Girl".
Jimmy Jones - "Watch Out For The Big Girl" (mp3)
14. The Oranges Band - The World & Everything In It (Lookout!)
Like the Lake Trout album, I think I was a little too harsh on this in my review, it sounds great if you're in the right mood for it. Someone please ID the riff that they're ripping off/paying homage to at the beginning of "Mountain," it's constantly on the tip of my tongue but I can't quite place it.
The Oranges Band - "Mountain" (mp3)
15. various artists - The Movement, Vol. 3: Bmore Live 2005 (Real On Purpose Ent.)
Another solid mixtape put together by Ogun's crew, with great tracks from Backland, Tim Trees, Mullyman, damn near everybody.
Ammo freestyle (mp3)
16. Lungfish - Feral Hymns(Dischord)
I've always been more into the idea of Lungfish, Dischord's sole Baltimore band, more than I'm really into their music, and I'm still not sure if I "get" them, but I think I'm starting to. Of the 3 albums I've heard by them, this is probably in the middle, but "Sing" might be my favorite song I've of theirs.
Lungfish - "Sing" (mp3)
17. Comp - U Will Be A Believer: Bang-A-Rang Mixtape Vol. 2 (DNA)
Comp has kept a relatively low profile since I interviewed him last year, but this mixtape that I reviewed recently is an encouraging progress report.
Comp - "Official" (mp3)
18. Cex - Know Doubt (Record Label)
In 2003, Cex ended a 4 year streak of releasing an album a year by releasing two that happen to be my favorite (Being Ridden) and least favorite (Maryland Mansions) that he's made, and since then, things have been pretty quiet. This EP of his "IDM jam band" is just a small stopgap release, but "Contains It" might be one of the best tracks he's ever done.
Cex - "Contains It" (mp3)
19. Labtekwon - The Ghetto Dai Lai Llama: African Rhythm American Blues (Morphius Urban/Ankh Ba Records)
I kinda slept on him for a few years because he's the kind of conscious/abstract rapper I don't listen to much, but dude can really rhyme and this album sounds great really late at night.
Labtekwon - "Father's Day" (mp3)
20. D.O.G. - Champagne Dreams: The Prequel (Invisible Set Ent.)
Maybe the most crack-obsessed mixtape to come out of Baltimore this year.
D.O.G. - "Higher" (mp3)
The Next 10 Bubbling Under:
various artists - Architects Studio presents Street Radio 2 (Streetsweepers)
Mullyman - Believe In H.I.M. (Major League Unlimited)
Tha Plague - Hitvilliainz Tha Mixtape
DJ Chris J - Club Mix Vol. 16
DJ Lil Jay - Operation: Playtime (Morphius Urban/Club Kingz)
Labtekwon - Avant God (Morphius)
Skarr Akbar - Da Lobotomy: The General, Part 3 (Streetsweepers)
Billo - The Hood Rock Star: The Daily Grind
Bossman - This Is A Warning
South Paw Entertainment - South Paw Entertainment
1. Rod Lee - Vol. 5: The Official (Morphius Urban/Harm Squad/Club Kingz Records)
Rod Lee has been one of my favorite Baltimore club music producers for years, and it's been real exciting to watch his profile rise along with the whole genre this year. And, not to give myself too much credit, but I do think I helped to get the ball rolling with my Gov't Names review that let people know there was a good club music CD that they could actually order off the internet, which is rare. People are primed for more of this music, it's just hard to find outside Baltimore. This has a lot of the same songs as a lot of other club mixes this year, but it gets placed above those for its potential significance, and because it's paced really well and sounds good, like it was mastered better than a lot of other club mixes.
K.W. Griff - "Good Man" (mp3)
2. Bossman - Law & Order (1Up/Double Down/NEK)
Technically this was released in the last 2 weeks of 2004, but it was such an event in Baltimore when it dropped, and it really was worth the wait. I just hope he steps it up for his major label debut in '06.
Bossman - "Law & Order" (mp3)
3. Darkroom Productions - Hamsterdam: The Best of Baltimore, Vol. 1 (Darkroom Enterprises)
The city's best mixtape of the year because a couple of talented producers took control and did all the beats, so it's not a hodgepodge of different sounds like most various artist mixtapes.
Juan Donovan - "Take It Like A Man" (mp3)
4. Tyree Colion - The Problem And The Solution (Hustle Hard Blvd/Rare Ent.)
I pretty much said in my review last week why Tyree is someone to watch right now.
Tyree Colion - "Rise To The Top" (mp3)
(photo by Christopher Myers)
5. Mullyman - Mullymania (Major League Unlimited/Unruly Records)
After anticipating this album for over a year, it was kind of surreal to get into a little conflict with Mully and his people right around the time the album dropped after I interviewed him. But I'm not gonna let that bias me, it's a real hot album.
Mullyman f/ The Clipse and Fam-Lay - "Got It" remix (mp3)
6. Lake Trout - Not Them, You (Palm Pictures/Rx Records)
Lake Trout have been one of my favorite live bands for years and years, and studio recordings have never really been their strong suit, but they're getting better. I think I was a little too harsh on this album in my Stylus review, which was given a C based on what I wrote, and I feel kinda bad that it's actually the lowest rating on the album's Metacritic page. It's a good album, just a little too similiar to the last one, which probably isn't a problem for most of the other reviewers that aren't as familiar with their back catalog.
Lake Trout - "Pill" (mp3)
7. Ogun - Real On Purpose (Real On Purpose Ent.)
Ogun is the kind of super driven dude that holds Baltimore's scene together like glue and he's got some real hot songs, although some of his best stuff dropped after the album.
Ogun f/ Jitter B.U.G. and EJ - "Bmore" remix (mp3)
8. Club Queen K-Swift - Vol. 6: The Return (Unruly Records)
Between being the city's most popular radio DJ and constantly doing big parties and mix CDs like this one, K-Swift is a one-woman industry and you can practically keep up with the whole Baltimore club scene just by listening to what she's spinning. But man, I gotta get that new CD that just dropped, I haven't found it yet.
Manny - "Down The Hill" remix (mp3)
9. Private Eleanor - No Straight Lines (The Beechfields)
I know or have met probably more than half the artists on this list, but Chris, the drummer from Private Eleanor, is the only one who I've been friends with outside of the music thing for a long time. This album has really grown on me over the past few months, good mellow music to cook dinner to.
Private Eleanor - "Everything You'd Heard About" (mp3)
10. Huli Shallone - It's My Turn (Hit 'Em Hard Records)
I personally don't think it's as solid as some of the albums by Huli's old group Nature's Problem, but it's still got a lot of jams.
Huli Shallone f/ Paula Campbell - "Work That Body"
(photo by Jefferson Jackson Steele)
11. Skarr Akbar and DJ Radio - Show Me Your Soul: The General, Pt. 2 (Streetsweepers)
I interviewed Skarr over the summer and he's a real good dude, seriously talented rapper. I really think his next album is gonna be something hot, but for now he's got a lot of mixtapes out there.
Skarr Akbar - "Switches" (mp3)
12. Little Clayway - The Takeover (Clayway Records)
I'd been hearing stuff by Clayway and trying to cop a CD for years, so I'm glad that he dropped this compilation of material from his first 3 albums so I can get caught up.
Little Clayway f/ Cooli High, Tim Trees, Cappadonna and DL - "Tha Murda Collaboration"
13. DJ Unique - Classic Odell's Club Mix Vol. 2
Baltimore club music was around for a decade before I really started paying attention to it a few years ago, so I only really get to hear what it was in the early days on old school mixes that Mike Crosby and KW Griff do on 92Q, shouting out old extinct clubs like Odell's, and that's what Unique is representing here. It's mostly old hip house stuff from Chicago and New York and wherever, stuff like "Perculator" and "Brighter Days", stuff that Bmore DJs spun before there were actual local producers making Baltimore club music, with occasional homegrown classics like "Big Girl".
Jimmy Jones - "Watch Out For The Big Girl" (mp3)
14. The Oranges Band - The World & Everything In It (Lookout!)
Like the Lake Trout album, I think I was a little too harsh on this in my review, it sounds great if you're in the right mood for it. Someone please ID the riff that they're ripping off/paying homage to at the beginning of "Mountain," it's constantly on the tip of my tongue but I can't quite place it.
The Oranges Band - "Mountain" (mp3)
15. various artists - The Movement, Vol. 3: Bmore Live 2005 (Real On Purpose Ent.)
Another solid mixtape put together by Ogun's crew, with great tracks from Backland, Tim Trees, Mullyman, damn near everybody.
Ammo freestyle (mp3)
16. Lungfish - Feral Hymns(Dischord)
I've always been more into the idea of Lungfish, Dischord's sole Baltimore band, more than I'm really into their music, and I'm still not sure if I "get" them, but I think I'm starting to. Of the 3 albums I've heard by them, this is probably in the middle, but "Sing" might be my favorite song I've of theirs.
Lungfish - "Sing" (mp3)
17. Comp - U Will Be A Believer: Bang-A-Rang Mixtape Vol. 2 (DNA)
Comp has kept a relatively low profile since I interviewed him last year, but this mixtape that I reviewed recently is an encouraging progress report.
Comp - "Official" (mp3)
18. Cex - Know Doubt (Record Label)
In 2003, Cex ended a 4 year streak of releasing an album a year by releasing two that happen to be my favorite (Being Ridden) and least favorite (Maryland Mansions) that he's made, and since then, things have been pretty quiet. This EP of his "IDM jam band" is just a small stopgap release, but "Contains It" might be one of the best tracks he's ever done.
Cex - "Contains It" (mp3)
19. Labtekwon - The Ghetto Dai Lai Llama: African Rhythm American Blues (Morphius Urban/Ankh Ba Records)
I kinda slept on him for a few years because he's the kind of conscious/abstract rapper I don't listen to much, but dude can really rhyme and this album sounds great really late at night.
Labtekwon - "Father's Day" (mp3)
20. D.O.G. - Champagne Dreams: The Prequel (Invisible Set Ent.)
Maybe the most crack-obsessed mixtape to come out of Baltimore this year.
D.O.G. - "Higher" (mp3)
The Next 10 Bubbling Under:
various artists - Architects Studio presents Street Radio 2 (Streetsweepers)
Mullyman - Believe In H.I.M. (Major League Unlimited)
Tha Plague - Hitvilliainz Tha Mixtape
DJ Chris J - Club Mix Vol. 16
DJ Lil Jay - Operation: Playtime (Morphius Urban/Club Kingz)
Labtekwon - Avant God (Morphius)
Skarr Akbar - Da Lobotomy: The General, Part 3 (Streetsweepers)
Billo - The Hood Rock Star: The Daily Grind
Bossman - This Is A Warning
South Paw Entertainment - South Paw Entertainment
Labels: Baltimore music, hip hop, lists
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