Underrated and Overlooked,Albums of the 00's

Two years ago I posted a blog, ranting about Vh-1's show about the 00's. It was another installment of their I love the Decade series. I thought, "it's too soon, it is fall 2007." Now, it is time, the exigence it's here. Vh-1 rollout the 00's. With all the discussion on blogs about the top selling albums of the decade, (Billboard just reported that NYSNC - No Strings Attached is the top selling album of the decade-10million) I thought I would devote a blog to some of the albums that didn't get the radio attention or acclaim they deserved.

En Vogue- Masterpiece Theatre- released May 2000

If you're scratching your head, you're probably not alone. En Vogue? En Vogue reached the height of there popularity in the early to mid 90s. They started as a 4-member girl group, Dawn Robinson left the group in 1996 before they dropped their 3rd album, EV3. In 2000, the remaining members released, Masterpiece Theatre. The first single 'Riddle' gained some airplay, but by industry standards the album was a failure. The album was some of the groups best work, showcasing a rich depth lyrically. And vocally,Cindy, Maxine, and Terry hit their stride on this disk. Their harmonies were powerful . Each voice, distinctive (you know who is singing) which for a girl group is quite refreshing. Were there no Destiny's Child, En Vogue may have done better in 2000. Go grab this album, or download these singles- 'Riddle', 'Love U Crazy,' 'Que Sera, Sera', and 'Those Dogs'.

Lamya- Learning From Falling- 2002

You may really scratch you head on this artist. Lamya found minimal success with two singles, 'Empires' and 'Black Mona Lisa', both were remixed and faired will on the Billboard dance charts. Sleek production and poetic lyrics color this album. Lamya was one of those introspective artist that don't come along often enough in pop music. Her voice was refined, yet unique. In the vain of Sade and Dido, Lamya was definitely a chanteuse worth consideration, unfortunately she passed away in January 2009, yet her music still lives. Download- 'Empires' , 'Never Enough', 'Judas Kiss', and 'Full Frontal Fridays.'

Little Jackie- The Stoop- 2008- This is just a really fantastic pop album. Imman Coppolla and Adam Pallin make up this duo. Live instruments, funny, catchy, and relevant lyrics make this album a gem.

Cyndi Lauper- Bring Ya the Brink- 2008- 80s infused pop flair, with that classic Cyndi sound sketched into each song.

Roisin Murphy- Overpowered- 2008- Eclectic and stylistically quirky, electric dance music at it's best

Jody Watley- Midnight Lounge- 2001- Seductive and mellow, a perfect blend of disco and electronic

Robin Thicke- A Beautiful World- 2003- charismatic Blue eyed soul , rich and bold, retro meets hip-hop.

Kelis hits hard with a new single & new album

10 years ago,an overtly eccentric, saucy, retro-stylish r&b/pop singer exploded on to the pop scene, her name was [is] Kelis. Her first single, 'Caught Out There' gained some traction on TRL [Total request Live], a show on MTV that actual focused on videos, go figure. In a time when Britney, Christina, and Jessica, dominated the airwaves, Kelis emerged as the sort of anti-pop girl. She was in-your face, raw, and well, interesting. Her curly afro-esque orange hair, her tall model-esque stature, combined with an articulate and not so urban dialect made for a divergent artist, one people weren't sure how to categorize. She wasn't quite pop because her music had a distinctive hip-hop flair [she was one of the Neptune's first production] and she wasn't completely r&b either. Unique, and street wise, she found an audience in Europe, where he first album did considerably well. Her second album, 'Wanderland', didn't fair well in the U.S. The first single, 'Young, Fresh and New' received minimal airplay at best. However, once again, the Brits ate it up. Finally, in 2003, Kelis scored big with 'Milkshake', the first single off the 'Tasty' album was a worldwide hit. In part due to the infectious Neptunes beat and her sultry sexed-up vocals, Kelis gained some much deserved attention. Unfortunately, 'Milkshake' was the album's only hit. Three years later, she released 'Kelis was Here' a mundane title for another underrated album. She parted ways with the Neptunes on this disc. Still, even with help from hitmaker, Will.I.am, there were some high and low moments on the disk. It lacked any real top 40 radio ready songs. Now, Kelis is about to drop her 5th studio album, due in 2010. I'm a fan and I can't wait. The first single entitled, 'Acapella' is a David Guetta produced electro/disco treat. Anything with Guetta behind it and I'm sold.