Album of the year is a title that gets thrown around a lot. The problem is nobody ever agrees and everyone has different criteria on what makes an album of the year. To be considered album of the year, for me, an album has to go above and beyond expectations. As well as meet all the requirements that would make it a good album.
2013 had albums from big names like Jay Z, Eminem, Tech N9ne, Hollywood Undead, Linkin Park, ad even Beck. But I didn't pick any of those for my album of the year. Beyonce dropped a surprise album on a Thursday night and sold a million copies in less than a week. But I didn't pick that either. The suburbs went wild for Ear Sweatshirt and the hood went wild for Freddie Gibbs, but I didn't pick those either.
For my album of the year I picked an album that flew under the radar for a lot of people. Most magazines and websites didn't even review the album. In fact it only sold 4,768 copies in it's first week.But I still chose it as the best album of 2013.
The album I chose is The War Within by Wrekonize.You may or may not know Wrekonize. If you do know him then it's mostly likely from his band ¡MAYDAY! They're a rock, rap, funk, soul, honestly they've covered just about any genre you can think of. If you liked Lil Wayne's Rebirth, they played the instruments on most of the tracks. I'm waiting for them to drop a metal track and everything will be complete. But Wrekonize is competent solo artist in his own right. Back in 2003 when most of us were just kids MTV was holding the "Final MC Battle" where the winner would take home $25,000 and sign a record deal with Roc-a-Fella Records. Wrekonize slayed the competition and took home the money but Roc-a-Fella never came through on that record deal. This caused Wrek to sign with Southbeat Records. The label went out of business before the album could drop so he released it as a mixtape. It didn't get much hype but it did get him invited to be a front man for ¡MAYDAY! They gained a fan base in the most unique way ever. They advertised on porn websites. That's probably how Tech N9ne found them and signed the group to Strange Music. They group released two albums under the label Take Me To Your Leader and Believers which was only one month apart from The War Within.
So what makes this album so great? It's able to define Wrekonize as a solo artist without alienating fans of ¡MAYDAY! On this album Wrek raps and sings over tracks with live instruments such as "Anxiety Attacks," which is one of the staples of the band. Yet he also shows his skill with the ability to rap over standard computer created hip hop tracks with songs like "Neon Skies." While he's still the same Wrekonize from ¡MAYDAY! he shows a more personal side to himself that he isn't able to show in the band. It clearly shows his unique style that he's brought to the band.
The underlying theme of the album is a fight within one's self. Wrek covers internal struggles with mental illness, religion and remaining true to yourself while attempting to adjust to fame. All of these things cause a war with a person and Wrek demonstrates that through the contrasting sounds of the album. While some tracks will be slow and mellow others will be hard hitting and in your face. All of these are able to smoothly play through by being broken up by therapy sessions with a psychiatrist.
It's a good album with something for everyone. But that's not why I think it's album of the year. Like I said, it has to go above and beyond expectations. It did that. Nobody expected anything good for his solo album. He's an awesome front man but nobody expected a great solo effort. I was wrong. In fact I was so wrong that I apologized to him after I picked it up from Target.
I'm glad he accepted my apology. While he did exceed my expectations he still managed to go above and beyond. How you ask? Earlier I said Believers was the ¡MAYDAY! album that dropped only a month apart. That's how he managed to go above expectations. Believers was a great follow up to Take Me To Your Leader. But that's not all. While most artist would neglect their band in hopes of making a great solo project, Wrek didn't do that. He's featured on every track from Believers. He somehow managed to be a key part of two great albums in a short period of time. But that's not all, he also managed to land several features on Tech N9ne's Something Else and Therapy Sessions. Wrekonize was a busy man in 2013.
That's just my opinion on what I think is the best album of 2013. But to be fair other people didn't agree with my pick.
That's what they think. Leave a comment and let me know what you think is the best album of the year. You can check me out on twitter if you want: @OriginalKingD
2013 had albums from big names like Jay Z, Eminem, Tech N9ne, Hollywood Undead, Linkin Park, ad even Beck. But I didn't pick any of those for my album of the year. Beyonce dropped a surprise album on a Thursday night and sold a million copies in less than a week. But I didn't pick that either. The suburbs went wild for Ear Sweatshirt and the hood went wild for Freddie Gibbs, but I didn't pick those either.
For my album of the year I picked an album that flew under the radar for a lot of people. Most magazines and websites didn't even review the album. In fact it only sold 4,768 copies in it's first week.But I still chose it as the best album of 2013.
The album I chose is The War Within by Wrekonize.You may or may not know Wrekonize. If you do know him then it's mostly likely from his band ¡MAYDAY! They're a rock, rap, funk, soul, honestly they've covered just about any genre you can think of. If you liked Lil Wayne's Rebirth, they played the instruments on most of the tracks. I'm waiting for them to drop a metal track and everything will be complete. But Wrekonize is competent solo artist in his own right. Back in 2003 when most of us were just kids MTV was holding the "Final MC Battle" where the winner would take home $25,000 and sign a record deal with Roc-a-Fella Records. Wrekonize slayed the competition and took home the money but Roc-a-Fella never came through on that record deal. This caused Wrek to sign with Southbeat Records. The label went out of business before the album could drop so he released it as a mixtape. It didn't get much hype but it did get him invited to be a front man for ¡MAYDAY! They gained a fan base in the most unique way ever. They advertised on porn websites. That's probably how Tech N9ne found them and signed the group to Strange Music. They group released two albums under the label Take Me To Your Leader and Believers which was only one month apart from The War Within. So what makes this album so great? It's able to define Wrekonize as a solo artist without alienating fans of ¡MAYDAY! On this album Wrek raps and sings over tracks with live instruments such as "Anxiety Attacks," which is one of the staples of the band. Yet he also shows his skill with the ability to rap over standard computer created hip hop tracks with songs like "Neon Skies." While he's still the same Wrekonize from ¡MAYDAY! he shows a more personal side to himself that he isn't able to show in the band. It clearly shows his unique style that he's brought to the band.
The underlying theme of the album is a fight within one's self. Wrek covers internal struggles with mental illness, religion and remaining true to yourself while attempting to adjust to fame. All of these things cause a war with a person and Wrek demonstrates that through the contrasting sounds of the album. While some tracks will be slow and mellow others will be hard hitting and in your face. All of these are able to smoothly play through by being broken up by therapy sessions with a psychiatrist.
It's a good album with something for everyone. But that's not why I think it's album of the year. Like I said, it has to go above and beyond expectations. It did that. Nobody expected anything good for his solo album. He's an awesome front man but nobody expected a great solo effort. I was wrong. In fact I was so wrong that I apologized to him after I picked it up from Target.
@OriginalKingD haha apology accepted. Thanks for giving it a chance in your deck
— Wrekonize (@Wrekonize) August 7, 2013
I'm glad he accepted my apology. While he did exceed my expectations he still managed to go above and beyond. How you ask? Earlier I said Believers was the ¡MAYDAY! album that dropped only a month apart. That's how he managed to go above expectations. Believers was a great follow up to Take Me To Your Leader. But that's not all. While most artist would neglect their band in hopes of making a great solo project, Wrek didn't do that. He's featured on every track from Believers. He somehow managed to be a key part of two great albums in a short period of time. But that's not all, he also managed to land several features on Tech N9ne's Something Else and Therapy Sessions. Wrekonize was a busy man in 2013.
That's just my opinion on what I think is the best album of 2013. But to be fair other people didn't agree with my pick.
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“@OriginalKingD: What do you think the best album of 2013 was?” Idk About Best But My Fav Was Indicud.
— Hentai Senpai (@CigaretteScents) December 23, 2013
@OriginalKingD jay z holy grail
— Doms (@Dom_Moon) December 23, 2013
“@OriginalKingD: What do you think the best album of 2013 was?” the GazettE-BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY
— Billy Bob Fujita (@ZeohBlue3) December 23, 2013
@Nerd_Sage @OriginalKingD wmwtso was the best imo for rap
— RazVilliany (@TheSovietRaz) December 23, 2013
"@OriginalKingD: What do you think the best album of 2013 was?" Marshall Mathers LP 2.
— Markus (@DATBOIMJC) December 23, 2013
@DATBOIMJC @OriginalKingD "Glaciers" - Blue Sky Black Death.
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That's what they think. Leave a comment and let me know what you think is the best album of the year. You can check me out on twitter if you want: @OriginalKingD
In my opinion its For the Seeker by the Japanese rock band Jinn. I think Noted from the Underground by Hollywood Undead is good but American Tragedy was better.
ReplyDeleteI actually liked Notes Form The Underground more than American Tragedy. Notes was a lot more rock heavy. It kind of separates them from Deuce who is pretty rap heavy now.
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