BRL 2013 Year in Review (Part 2)

30. Tonedeff – Glutton (75.5)

29. John Legend – Love in the Future (75.5)

28. Louis Logic – Look on the Blight Side (76)

After seven years without a solo album, Louis Logic finally released a new record in 2013. Logic handled all the production himself, which at times resulted in some mediocre and same-sounding beats. But overall it was another great release from one of the most technically gifted rappers in the game. The album's opening track, "A Day Late & a Dollar Short" was one of my favorite songs of the year.

27. Cold War Kids – Dear Miss Lonelyhearts (76)

I discovered a lot of great music listening to University of Findlay's radio station last year. One band that I re-discovered was the Cold War Kids. "Miracle Mile" was getting a lot of plays and it was a great song, which prompted me to further investigate their latest LP. It was a slow burn of an album, where I only liked a few songs at first, but by the end of the year, it become one of my favorites.

26. Big Sean – Hall of Fame (76.5)

G.O.O.D. Music's most polarizing figure showed his great potential in 2012 with an excellent mixtape and stole the show on Cruel Summer. And that potential became more realized this year with his sophomore effort, Hall of Fame. This album showed the Detroit can do more emotionally driven subject matter, in addition to his swagger raps.

25. Mayer Hawthorne – Where Does this Door Go? (77)

24. Dessa – Parts of Speech (78)

This album came out right before I moved to Chicago. I didn't play the fourth track of this album until a few months after getting this album. The third track is the excellent lead single "Warsaw," where Dessa proves her battle rap chops. But the first two cuts - "Man I Knew" and "Give Up Your Ghost" - are as fierce of a one-two punch to start an album as any I can remember. When I finally got to the entire album, I realized Parts of Speech was damn good.

23. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience (part 1) (78.5)

22. Tuxedo (Mayer Hawthorne & Jake-One) – Tuxedo (78.5)

Mayer Hawthorne had a pretty solid year between his third LP, Where Does This Door Go? and his "secret" project with Seattle beatmaker Jake-One. His latest full-length is probably his best album, but his 3-track Tuxedo managed to have the three best songs he made all year. "Do It" is one of those undeniable songs, that you love the second you hear it.

21. Ugly Heroes (Apollo Brown, Red Pill & Verbal Kent) – Ugly Heroes (78.5)

Rhymes: Brother Ali - "The Bitemarked Heart" (Free DL)

By now you should know the deal; with every album Brother Ali has released, he drops off a little appetizer a few months before. This go-round, the good Brother shows off his charm with a 7-track EP for Valentine's Day.

This EP is a nice little warm up for his up-coming album, Mourning in America, Dreaming in Color, which will be entirely produced by Seattle beatsmith, Jake-One. Jake-One and Ant handle the production on The Bitemarked Heart EP.

Click Here to Download.

Brother Ali - The Bite Marked Heart by rhymesayers

Rhymes: 2011 - Year of the Rhymesayer

2009 was a huge year for the Minnesota-based indie rap label with many releases finishing in my personal top records of that year. Last year the label had a handful of interesting releases, but 2011 is definitely gearing up to be the year of the Rhymesayer.


The first RSE release will be the Columbus emcee, Blueprint. "So Alive" is the third video/single released from the up-coming album, Adventures in Counter Culture. "So Alive" along with his other singles "Keep Bouncing" and "Radio-Inactive" are increasingly building hype around his album which will examine American Popular Culture.


The second RSE release of 2011 is also probably the most anticipated one - Atmosphere's first longplay in almost exactly 3 years, The Family Sign. The album is expected to continue the live instrumentation from guitarist Nate Collis and Key-man Erick Anderson, which were very prominent on last year's double EP release as well as the group's 2008 LP. On this track Slug tells a story about taking a loved one for granted. Another great concept for the music video features a dog being neglected by its family until it runs away, then the video concludes with a "Missing Dog" poster.


Grieves had a pretty big 2010: signing with RSE, Re-released his excellent 2008 album 88 Keys & Counting, and releasing a great EP on the RSE. 2011 is to be an even bigger year for the Seattle-based rapper, as he plans on releasing his first LP on Rhymesayers, Together/Apart. His rockstar looks and complex lyricism filled with vivid imagery reminiscent of a young Slug, will once again be complimented by Budo's guitar licks, piano loops and horns. Together/Apart is expected to see a June release.

Other Rhymesayers who are expecting to see a 2011 release include: Evidence's long awaited RSE debut Cats & Dogs
Freeway is also expected to see another release following his collaboration LP with Jake-One
The Seattle beatsmith, Jake-One is expected to release his follow up to his 2008 double-disc, White Van Music .