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 & LIfe: The Late Summer Classic

Even though August is totally the Ringo Starr of the summer/spring months, the late summer is my favorite musical season. Now for you non-musical nerds, I will break down the difference between early summer music and late summer music. The beginning of the summer is exciting; everyone is optimistic and relieved that the summer is finally here. Spirits are elated, thoughts are simple and the energy is high – and the music reflects that.

In summer 2013, Daft Punk released one of the most perfect summer songs I’ve ever heard – “Get Lucky.” It is the absolute reflection of what a young person feels in the months of May and June (also in 2012, B.o.B.’s “So Good” was a highly underrated/underutilized early summer track). The disco/funk infused guitar riffs, sultry vocals and the high-paced drums, along with an incredibly catchy chorus and lyricism about a night of fun, sexual pursuits makes for an anthem for anyone going out on a June Friday night. (fun.’s “Some Nights” was great in 2012 too.) The equally funky and Pharrell-infused (seriously, I’m so glad this man is back on the radio) “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke is another great early summer jam from this summer.

But after the initial excitement and unpredictability of that summer euphoria wears off, you have August – and your late summer classics. August is one of the worst months of the year – it’s usually unbearably hot, school is right around the corner (well, it used to be), I didn’t do all those things on my summer to-do list and the Indians have fallen out of the play-off hunt. August is a sobering month; after two months of carelessness and freedom, the late summer serves as the hangover. Late summer music is still aesthetically warm, but it tends to be a little slower (but still in that mid-tempo range) and often more introspective. These are the type of songs you play while you roll out of bed around noon, walk to Starbucks and wear shades to get that goddamn sun out of your eyes.

The best late summer album I’ve ever heard is without question Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” The album’s warm and cinematic production is the perfect backdrop to an August evening, and Raekwon and Ghostface’s lyrical urgency and ambitious storyline is relatable for my late summer existential crises. (Granted they’re mostly talking about drug dealing, and I’m, I don’t know trying to get a job or something with ambition.) A great pop example of a late summer classic is Justin Timberlake’s “Future Love/Sex Sounds.” While this album has songs that I would consider early summer songs (“Sexy Back” and “My Love”), as a whole I’d say it’s a late summer album (especially the breakdown on “Summer Love” and the brilliant “LoveStoned… She Knows”).

The best late summer song I’ve heard this year is undoubtedly Mayer Hawthorne and Kendrick Lamar’s “Crime.” The tone of the guitars and piano make envision drinking outside at like one final cookout before the summer concludes (but maybe that’s just me). Last year Kendrick’s “Swimming Pools” was a prime example of a great late summer song. And Macklemore’s “Same Love” and Lana Del Rey’s “Summer Time Sadness” were also notable late summer songs from 2012, but strangely enough they’re just now seeing some attention on the charts this summer. Even though they’re definitely going to get ignore by pop radio and they came out in May, I’d make a strong argument for Vampire Weekend’s ”Ya Hey” and The National’s “This is the Last Time” for late summer songs of 2013. (Vamp Week also contributed “Diane Young” and The National’s “Sea of Love” and “Don’t Swallow the Cap” for early summer bangers.)

So even though the summer is over in a few weeks and we’re going to have to break out the hoodies and emo music soon, we can still enjoy a few more weeks of the best music-listening weather of the year.