Noah, host of the venerable Coffeebreak for Heroes and Villains hip-hop show here at WFMU, shares his belated top picks of 2010:
1. The Sampler Platter - The Custodian Of Records
One of the top producers of recent years and keeping a sound that I like; DUSTY! He is also one of the people that I started the Coffee 2 Go podcast with and has been a staple in the weekly show since it's first airing. Check out this album if you like your hip hop sounding classic, oh yea, it's FREE too! [mp3]
Download it here.
2. Fly Casualties - MC Esoteric
Another solo outing by one half of 7L & Esoteric released on his Fly Casual Records imprint. This is a collection of tracks that never made it to his other albums. Definitely not a "leftovers" type of record. All songs here have solid production and tough lyrics. Lets not forget that all of his albums have amazing art to boot! Don't be a fool, go out and buy this - NOW! [mp3]
3. Blac Sabbath - Blacastan
Brick Records did the world of rap a solid service by releasing an album by one of the toughest MC's I've heard in a long time. Blacastan hails from CT with a voice that sounds like he drinks a mixture of fire water, nails, broken glass and eats cities for breakfast! Don't sleep on good music! [mp3]
PS: Check out his mixtape cd "The Master Of Reality" as well...
4. Destroy All Movies
Editors Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly, along with a few other contributors, watched over 20,000 movies which 1,100 of them made it into this book. Those who know me know I have a real love for punk rock music and film. Destroy All Movies adoringly brings both worlds together in this well designed unholy writ! It really brings me back to the days I used to hang out at a video store in South Orange called "We Got Movies", who's shelves were loaded with sleazy VHS tapes of movies you just couldn't wait to see! Shout out to the whole staff of employees there, especially Mark Schatzberg!
5. Classic - Rah Digga
Rah Digga released her first album in 2000 and her second in 2010, her two lone album are still more lyrically dense than most MC’s 15+ releases. Classic is justifiably titled!
Shameless plug here as I wrote the liner notes on this. However, it’s one of my top albums from the early 1990’s. This re-issue is also the perfect example of how it should be done. Paste on / heavy card stock jackets, extended art, bonus audio etc.
7. The Big Payback - Dan Charnas
If you like reading about hip hop history with exciting anecdotes, than this book is right up your alley. Dan tells the story that has not been told before in the rap game; the history behind the business of it. Everyone is covered in here! Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, The Source, Andre Harrell, Chris Lighty, The Dust Brothers, and even WFMU’s own Monica Lynch!
8. Nineteen Ninety Now - Celph Titled & Buckwild
The Demigodz frontman and D.I.T.C. producer teamed up to release a rap record that shines from the 1990s. With Buckwild tracks that were actually made in the ‘90’s, Celph’s witty wordplay, Mista Sinista’s classic scratching this album was born from the boom bap! Also features R.A. The Rugged Man, A.G., Sadat X, Treach, O.C. and others. A solid record for the hope of hip hop’s survival!
Video
9. How To Wreck A Nice Beach - Dave Tompkins
Chronicling the history of the vocoder was not an easy task, but somehow Mr. Tompkins managed to do something that would have made any average human lose their sanity. He traces that funny voice manipulator that everyone knows from Zapp records back to the late 1920s and how it was created by Bell Labs, also to distort conversations during World War II. Who knew? The hip hop community that later embraced the sound didn’t know, and the people who created it sure had no idea it was used for music. No one before has ever made the connection and done it with such dash!
10. Madlib Medicine Show #5 The History Of The Loop Digga, 1990 - 2000
Another collection in this on-going series. This release takes you down Madlib’s early days of beat making, and is such a MASSIVE neck snapper! Amazing cartoon booklet drawn by Benjamin Marra is also included in The Revenge Of Rapper X.
11. The Vinyl Conflict - Slayer
This is it! If you’re a fan of the group you will want to pick this up as it's remastered from the original analog flat master tapes, and pressed on 180-gram audiophile vinyl. It’s the complete American Recordings LP collection and they have never sounded better! I was lucky enough to be asked to help out on this project and hearing the test pressing blew my mind to say the least. This collection must also weigh about 10lbs, one can use it to work out with!
12. A Miraculous Kind Of Machine - Junk Science
A long time friend of the show’s, super swell guys, super great music makers and their first release on their own label; Modern Shark! Another group that gets it as far as making quality art, even down to the lovely die-cut cd jacket. Junk Science continue making music that will last! [mp3]
13. VA: Psych Funk Sa-Re Ga! Seminar: Aesthetic Expressions Of Psychedelic Funk Music In India 1970 - 1983
20 tracks laced with fuzzy guitar, hard bass lines and lots of funky groovin’ thanks to the musicians that created this playback music from Indian Cinema
I love Noah's show and musical tatses, but I ain't heard of ONE of these DAMNED acts! I bet they all killa and no filla though!
Posted by: Count Rocula | January 21, 2011 at 05:59 PM
You included Madlib on here...so I officially like this list!
Posted by: Pranay | January 21, 2011 at 06:04 PM
Amazing shit Noah, some real nice stuff in there.
Posted by: Kombii | January 21, 2011 at 06:09 PM
THE BEST IS THAT YOU READ BOOKS! AND GREAT BOOKS TOO. HAPPY THEY MADE IT ON THE LIST. GREAT TASTE AND GREAT SHOW NOAH.
Posted by: NAMULOZZI | January 21, 2011 at 10:40 PM
Noah's show keeps on getting better...even when it seems impossible...best hip hop show
in da woild
Posted by: michael c | January 22, 2011 at 03:42 AM
that Blacastan album is so dope and so slept on! Cop it people! Everything else on this list is also A+++ sonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns
Posted by: Joe D | January 22, 2011 at 05:03 PM
I disagree with Joe on everything but this. I'm in support of both those books, too. Nice on including books. Happy belated 2010.
Posted by: Amanda | January 23, 2011 at 12:33 AM
i need that slayer box. i must rob a bank asap.
Posted by: Vin Diesel | January 23, 2011 at 03:30 AM
First off, I would to start by thanking the academy... Noah Zark, Jason Sigel (Free Music Archive) and all the good folks over at FMU.. In the words of my favorite group the beatnuts with a small revision, "FMU GET PROPS OVER HERE"
Posted by: The Custodian of Records | January 23, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Noah should get a commission for all the ducats I've shelled out from stuff he's recommended! I love DESTROY ALL MOVIES, even though the writers are that feared hybrid of movie geek and rock snob. However, when you're staring at a photo of a multicolored mohawk punk biting into a beer bottle--all is forgiven!
Posted by: mark mcphee | January 24, 2011 at 06:33 AM
Anything on here I've heard, I am in total agreement with. Anything on there I haven't heard or read, I have been dying to check out! This only provides further motivation! Noah is the man!
Posted by: Will | January 24, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Good Listing my man! That Rah Digga Album and Madlib album were on my list too; You can never wrong with COR either.
Posted by: Daniel Joseph | January 24, 2011 at 09:10 PM
A great list from the best DJ on this, or any other radio station.
Posted by: What Machine | January 24, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Another fresh list Noah! I'm mad I missed out on that Custodian album.
Posted by: marink | January 24, 2011 at 09:20 PM
Great stuff!!!
Posted by: dr.shakes | January 24, 2011 at 09:25 PM
Damn Noah, you're a curation sensation!
Posted by: Josh Korwin | January 24, 2011 at 09:26 PM
re: MC Esoteric. ANY cat that samples Tuxedo Moon deserves major props. Not to mention, having never heard of this guy, I now own 5 of his recordings. Great shit, thanks man.
Posted by: hip hops | January 25, 2011 at 10:06 AM
This list is super fresh! The Gentile Giant lurves it!
Posted by: Gentile Giant | January 25, 2011 at 10:06 PM
Nobody covers a more diverse segment of the music scene than you, Noah!! Keep it up. Some of us depend on you! :)
Posted by: Sandy Darling | January 26, 2011 at 01:46 AM
Now that I have all these ideas of what to get myself, I've got a reason for the season. Love the hip factor that goes with this show! do you have a Facebook fan page? Am I just not seeing the link cuz I'm on my stoopid-phone?
Posted by: K to the C | January 26, 2011 at 07:52 AM
Very Good List! The Dave Thompkins book is where it's at..... Your the Man Noah U !
Posted by: Eric Boss | January 27, 2011 at 01:35 PM
Noah is one of the few people in the world that can get me to pick something up based solely on his recommendation. Never disappointed, solid all the way...!
(Although old-school Slayer ain't exactly a tough sell...)
Posted by: Andrew | February 11, 2011 at 05:48 PM