WVAU Top Music of 2010: #9

Faith Masi, Peter Gill

#9 Album: Big Boi – Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

If you are looking for a commercial hip-hop album with lyrics about “Popping Bottles in
the Club‰” or “Throwing Your Hands Up in The Air‰” Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico
Dusty is not for you. This musical gem by Big Boi (also a member of Outkast) affirms his
production, collaboration, and lyrical capabilities. Released in July of 2010, this album is riddled
with head bobbing percussion especially in the song “Tangerine‰” which features T.I. and Khujo
Goodie. Big Boi a.k.a. Antwan Patton a.k.a. Sir Luscious Left Foot a.k.a. Daddy Fat Sax creates
quotable rhymes and manages to poke fun at drug abuse and other rappers (a pastime of many
popular hip-hop artists). Sir Luscious incorporates R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronica, and Rock into a
cohesive misogynistic masterpiece. Listeners are reminded of Outkast‰’s 2003 album
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below due to catchy guitar riffs coupled with confidant rapping; The
Song “Night Night‰” represents just that. “Daddy Fat Sax” plays with new styles including usage of
the voice box, electronic piano, and synthesizer. In fact, the Song “General Patton‰” opens with a
sample of Georg Solti‰’s 1962 Verdi Opera. This broad range in musical taste demonstrates
Patton‰’s ability to incorporate any genre into a chart topping album. Big Boi also features a
diverse group of artists including Janelle MonÌÁe, Gucci Mane, George Clinton, and Jaime Foxx.
The most popular songs off this album include “Fo Yo Sorrows, Shine Blockas, and
Shutterbugg‰” although my personal favorite is “The Train, Pt. 2 (Sir Lucious Left Foot Saves the
Day)” because of the confrontational theme and use of synthesizer. This album is a dance-worthy
ghetto fabulous tour de force; I believe it is the best overall hip-hip album of 2010. Sir Luscious
Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty has received glowing reviews from Pitchfork, Spin Magazine,
and Rolling Stone Magazine. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album.


(My pick for the best music video of the year)
Written by Faith Masi

#9 Song: The Tallest Man on Earth – “King of Spain‰Û

Kristian Matsson, perhaps better known as The Tallest Man On Earth, may only have two full-length albums under his belt over a span of three years, but his music certainly possesses a truly timeless quality. Perhaps this can be attributed to a voice that sounds a hell of a lot like that of a certain Robert Zimmerman. However, contrary to what the haters may say, there is more at work here. Matsson is clearly a guitar prodigy and a special songwriter, capable of spinning seemingly meaningless lyrical snippets into songs that are more moving and authentic than anything Mumford & Sons could so much as imagine in their wildest wet dreams. No song on The Wild Hunt demonstrates Matsson‰’s talents more effectively than “King of Spain‰Û. The song takes the listener on a fantastical romp through the metaphorical Spanish countryside of Matsson‰’s heart, complete with bullfights and flamenco. Matsson‰’s signature croak soars above the gallop of his guitar, and evocative lines like “‰Û_and while we‰’re floating in siestas, you search for bottles and for knives‰” remind the listener of the dark side of that elusive thing called love. Yet the overall concept and bursting melodies almost border on the whimsical, for which we can all be thankful at a moment when folk music takes itself so goddamn seriously (I‰’m looking at you, Mumford & Sons).


Written by Peter Gill