Angel’s Top 10: November

In my years of running Angel’s Top 10, never have I experienced a month with as many prospects for my list than November of 2016. I had to whittle it down to only 10, and with the stiff competition, some great songs/albums were bound to be left out. The notable ones that didn’t make the cut are Tinashe’s latest project Nightride, the Hamilton mixtape, and 24k Magic, the album. While I shed a mournful tear leaving the aforementioned behind, here are my ultimate picks for the best songs and albums that made their mark in the month of November.

#10 – Me and Your Mama by Childish Gambino

While I wouldn’t color myself all that familiar with the work of 33 year old rapper Childish Gambino, I have vowed to become so after I experienced the three part epic journey that is “Me and Your Mama”, the psychedelic lead single off Donald Glover’s upcoming album. The track begins in a dreamlike state, wasting no time luring the listener in with its hypnotically-tinged melody, and after approximately two minutes of bliss is instantaneously transitioned into a heavy funk-rock mixture, with a thick guitar interlude and Gambino’s passionate, bluesy voice to boot. His intensely raw vocals aren’t overpowered, but complemented by the backing track, which is no easy feat considering how dynamic the instrumentation is in this song, from the heavy bassline to the emulated jazz. “Girl you really got a hold on me! / So this isn’t just puppy love,” Gambino explains to his lover. He presents somewhat of an oxymoron later, telling his lover to “do what [she] wants”, but also begging her to let him into her heart. He yearns for her affection, but only that of which is sincere.

#9 – Fake Love by Drake

Ah yes. Another Drake song abundant with lines destined to be plastered on every form of social media possible. Just what the world needed. On a serious note though, ‘Fake Love’ is a carefully calculated track about the perils and pitfalls of fame and the phony entourage and friends that come along with it. Surely every teenager can relate to this sentiment to some degree, which is what’s rocketing this track so high on the charts. Classic Drake.

#8 – Black Barbies by Nicki Minaj

As a staunch Nicki Minaj fan, I try my best to remain as unbiased as possible when she releases a new song and to judge it on it’s quality rather than my undying love for her as an artist.

Therefore, I’m often hesitant to place any of her songs on my lists for fear of partisanship. “Black Barbies”, however, is just so lyrically amazing, that I would be a madman not to give credit where it is due.The freestyle is a remix of Rae Sremmurd’s massive global phenomenon, “Black Beatles”, and is superior to the original in my opinion. Minaj’s quirky disposition enlivens the track and gives it a bouncy essence.What other rapper would incorporate an erratic “No Flex Zone” interlude in their freestyle? “Island girl Donald Trump want me go home / Still pull up with my wrist lookin like a snow cone”, the Queens rapper says, commenting on the our new presidential elect. “Now I’m prayin’ all my foreigns don’t get deported”, she says, a double entendre on her luxurious cars and the “foreigns” Trump wants deported. Who knew Mrs.Minaj was one for political commentary.

#7 – Starboy by the Weeknd

The Weeknd is…. An intriguing artist to say the least. The genesis of his career beginning with a couple dark, sleazy DIY mixtapes (refer to House of Balloons) before rocketing to mainstream stardom with Beauty Behind the Madness, a grungy, double platinum, critically acclaimed masterpiece. His latest commercial effort is a direct result to the public’s actions, an accusation even.

This recently developed persona, Starboy, is a testimony to his newfound fame. The album begins with the smash hit titular track and quickly ventures into electro upbeat territory, much to my dismay, but quickly betters towards the halfway point, starting with True Colors. Abel pleads with his starlet to uncover her authentic self and to stop living under her facade. This R&B coated track is followed by the Lana Del Rey assisted “Stargirl Interlude”, an ethereal “vision” illustrated by Del Rey of a perverse sexual encounter between her and the starboy himself. Other songs in the “sweet spot” of the album (as I like to call it) are “Sidewalks” featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar, and the sleazy trap influenced “Six Feet Under”. A career defining album? Unlikely. An exciting reinvention after a brief hiatus? Spot-on.

#6 – Bad Things by MGK feat. Camila Cabello

Why Camila Cabello hates her girl Fifth Harmony, the world may never know. Her loathing towards her fellow band members, however, calls for some damn good music, so we’ll temporarily allow it. “Bad Things”  with MGK and Camila Cabello is a sanguid ballad about a love affair gone awry. The toxic relationship causes the lovers to do unnamed “bad things” to each other, and yet, they both seem to enjoy it. “If you only knew the bad things I like / Don’t think that I can explain it / What can I say, it’s complicated,” Cabello sings on the chorus over a dreamy hook. Rapper MGK’s verses were surprisingly poignant for a newcomer, and together the duo created a romantic, well-produced single, and is currently sitting pretty at #11 on Billboard. With steady streaming and favorable airplay, it’s sure to break the top 10 soon.

#5 – Water Under The Bridge by Adele

Adele’s 25 seems to be the gift that never stops giving. We were first blessed with “Hello”, the record shattering lead single, next with “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”, an acoustic masterpiece that’s currently dominating radio stations, and now with Water Under The Bridge, her latest single. 

Lyrically, the song speaks on a relationship reaching a critical point where you’re questioning if your lover is ready to commit to something serious, and if they’re not, then for them to let you down gently. With light tropical notes and a steady percussion backing, all is pleasant in instrumentation until it reaches the awkwardly placed marimbas in the bridge. However, any critique ends here, and I applaud the track’s ability to make me sit down and contemplate every relationship I’ve ever been in.

#4 – 24k Magic by Bruno Mars

Put your pinkie rings up to the moon! I don’t know what it is about Bruno Mars, but something about every last one of his songs makes me wanna get up off my feet and bust a two step. Whether it’s the nostalgic 80’s production reminiscent in this track (like every other one of his songs) or the infectiously braggadocious spirit, “24k Magic” is insanely unforgettable, like an earworm that I actually enjoy having. With a catchy chorus comparable to his last hit, “Uptown Funk”, and the toe-tappin’ funky breakdown in the bridge, every component in this record is exceptionally calculated to take the listener to a retro blast to the past. Though I can’t quite decipher what exactly “24k magic in the air” is supposed to be a reference to, with a groovy production and lively spirit in a song like this, who cares?

#3 – Here by Alicia Keys

Authenticity epitomized. The bona fide truth. A cohesive masterpiece. These are the only ways to describe Alicia Key’s latest effort, titled Here, where she encapsulates her journey, using the boroughs of New York as her artistic vessel. While anyone alive in the early 2000’s knows Ms.Keys possess the pipes of a goddess, one might be surprised to discover her rapping capabilities, as displayed in the album’s opening chronicle, “The Gospel”. She effortlessly entails the pitfalls and prospects of growing up in the ghetto, with themes of police brutality laced throughout. The remainder of the album touches on various topics such as the dynamic in her blended family, in Blended Family (What You Do For Love), societies often Euro standards of beauty, in “Girl Can’t Be Herself” and “You Glow”, and the world’s twisted views on sexuality and violence, in the standout track “Holy War”.

#2 – Glory Days by Little Mix

Fifth Harmony who? I’m always one for female empowerment and a strong critic against pitting women against each other (especially in the music industry), but with only two prominent girl groups visible in the pop world right now, it’s difficult not to draw comparisons. Unlike their American counterparts, Little Mix has mastered the craft of knowing what they do best and keeping at it, which are their bubblegum pop anthems coupled with a serving of sass and just the right amount of quirkiness. This isn’t to say the girls weren’t adventurous in their endeavors however, as the soundscape was surprisingly bolder than I’d expected, with tracks ranging from mellow breakup anthems (“No More Sad Songs”) to Beep Beep, a funky upbeat ode to… well, read the lyrics here. The British foursome are adept at catering to their female audience, as “Power”, the second promotional single off the album, practically invented the concept of 21st century feminism. Fluent in sultriness, Glory Days frequents in the provocative department, with “Freak”, Private Show, and “Down & Dirty” being the superlatives. The girls of Fifth Harmony could learn a lesson or two from this album, as Little Mix crafted pop gold with their latest effort.

#1 – Million Reasons by Lady Gaga

When I think of Lady Gaga, words that come to mind are flashy, outrageous, and eccentric. These sentiments however, are not reflected in her latest single, “Million Reasons”. With the southern twang she adopted on her newest album, Joanne, Gaga gracefully envelops into the mesmerizing ballad mode she pulls off so well. To pin it as simply a country song is unfitting, because it is so much for than that. It contains elements of soft rock, pop, and a vague hip hop undertone. “You’re giving me a million reasons to let you go/ You’re giving me a million reasons to quit the show,” Gaga begins in the her passionate plea to her lover. On her knees begging , she chants over a progressive drumming beat “I bow down to pray and try to make the worse seem better / Lord show me the way to cut through all this worn out leather”. Her significant other has given consistently given her reason after reason for them to go, yet she’s searching for any vindication she can cling on to stay. Her hunger, urgency, and eagerness are all played beautifully and believable.