2011 Review: Top 50 Songs (30-21)

We're 20 songs into the top 50 of the year and with some very slight adjustments after a listen to the entire list last night, here are the next 10 songs (30-21). Make sure you check back at numbers 50-41 and 40-31 if you missed them and keep checking back for the top 20!

2011 Review: Top 10 Hip Hop Releases (Albums, Mixtapes & EPs)

2011 has been a hell of a year in music and to kick off A Brief Intermission's review of 2011, I've put together a list of the top 10 hip hop releases of the year. A lot of up and comers had a big year with multiple acclaimed releases, while others fell short of the overblown expectations. Likewise, some of the biggest names in hip hop released albums amidst a maelstrom of hype to mixed results.

Despite some of the big time disappointments, there was a lot of great music released and many of the new boys have people excited about the future of hip hop. Without further ado, here is the list (top 10 after the jump):

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

Action Bronson & Statik Selektah - Well Done
Atmosphere - The Family Sign
The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles
Stalley - Lincoln Way Nights: (Intelligent Trunk Music)
Talib Kweli - Gutter Rainbows

Two Great New Mixtapes released

Big K.R.I.T. and The Weeknd both released excellent mixtapes earlier this year and they're back at it with Last King 2 (God's Machine) and Thursday, respectively. Download links are after the jump.

2011 First Half Top Ten Albums (Joey D)

Here's my take on the best of first half 2011's albums. Sorry I didn't post links to the songs, but you can youtube em! Top 10 after the jump.

Honorable Mentions:

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
The Antlers – Burst Apart
Moving Mountains - Waves
Atmosphere – The Family Sign
Middle Brother – Middle Brother

Unreleased tracks from The Weeknd

Earlier, I posted the new mixtape from Toronto-based R&B act, The Weeknd. Today, 6 previously unreleased tracks hit the internet including a demo entitled "Birthday Suit" for their biggest fan, Drake. You can stream the tracks below and I'm sure downloads will surface on the internet in the next few days

Unreleased The Weeknd by k.niteh

2011 Review (So Far): The Weeknd

The Weeknd is part of a recent wave of independent and lo-fi R&B artists like How To Dress Well and Frank Ocean. Everything about The Weeknd is dirty, disturbing but ultimately brilliant. From the provocative album cover, to the missing vowel in the name to the lyrical content, House of Balloons is wrong in all the right ways.

Abel Tesfaye, the mysterious mastermind behind this project, sings hazy, morning-after stories of sex, drugs and the pain and loneliness that comes with that lifestyle. Check out the song "What you Need" below.



You can also download the mixtape by clicking the link below:

The Weeknd - House of Balloons [Mixtape]