Aaliyah tracks non-Timbaland edition

"At Your Best (You Are Love)" is so, so beautiful

― some dude, Thursday, 25 August 2011 23:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh shit, I voted for "Rock the Boat" but I might have voted for that if I hadn't skipped it over. I'd round out a top 5 with "Extra Smooth", "Loose Rap", and "Miss You".

― The Reverend, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

man, "rock the boat" is pretty much the best song ever

i think i'm gonna vote "choosey lover" tho

― J0rdan S., Friday, 26 August 2011 00:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Rock The Boat." Every element is perfect.

― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 August 2011 00:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh god so hard...so many of my most beloved aaliyah deep cuts here.

rock the boat
i gotcha back
back & forth
i can be
choosey lover
it's whatever
at your best (you are love)
come back in one piece
what if
death of a playa
those were the days
miss you

^^that's just the shortlist there, will sleep on this

― lex pretend, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

1. it's whatever
2. never no more
3. rock the boat
4. read between the lines
5. death of a playa
6. extra smooth
7. what if
8. at your best (you are love)
9. i can be
10. i gotcha back

sorry but they're all a bit amazing aren't they. top 3 especially are amongst my favourite songs ever

― uberweiss, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

pox:

Rock The Boat
I Don't Wanna
Come Over
It's Whatever
At Your Best (You Are Love) (Steppers Remix/Single Version)
What If
Choosey Lover
U Got Nerve
Come Back In One Piece
Age Ain't Nothin But A Number

― my own private kanyes west (The Brainwasher), Friday, 26 August 2011 00:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

pretty sure Timbaland produced "Death of a Playa" btw

― my own private kanyes west (The Brainwasher), Friday, 26 August 2011 00:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh my bad

― some dude, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

"it's whatever"

― frogsb (k3vin k.), Friday, 26 August 2011 00:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

i know there's nothing really wrong with "Rock The Boat" but it's never really connected w/ me and i think on some level i hate it just for kind of indirectly causing her death

― some dude, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

Come on, son. Luis Morales caused her death, not "Rock the Boat".

― The Reverend, Friday, 26 August 2011 00:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

jeezus christ I forgot how lovely the "At Your Best" cover is.

― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 August 2011 00:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

I Can Be

― Euler, Friday, 26 August 2011 01:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

It took 10 years, but "Rock the Boat" has finally emerged as my very favorite Aaliyah track.

― Gus Van Sant's Gerry Blank (Eric H.), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

hating on a track i thought was undeniable is like a cornerstone of shipleyism

― funky house septics (D-40), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

my real vote is 'rock the boat' but i voted 'girl like you' feat. treach cuz that song rulez

― funky house septics (D-40), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh me, having opinions, what on earth will i do next

― fruogbas (some dude), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

rock the boat!

― a 'catch-all', almost humorous, 'Jeez' quality (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol its abt you having wacky opinions not just having them

― funky house septics (D-40), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

i know there's nothing really wrong with "Rock The Boat"

this is the understatement of the fucking decade right here

― J0rdan S., Friday, 26 August 2011 02:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

and yet it's like the 4th best joint on that album at best!

rip babygirl

― frogsb (k3vin k.), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

no way its my fav easy

― funky house septics (D-40), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah i mean it's one of those albums where i aint even mad if our favorites aren't the same

imo "resolution" "more than a woman" "it's whatever" are just a little better but obv it's a 10/10 all time joint

― frogsb (k3vin k.), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol its abt you having wacky opinions not just having them

― funky house septics (D-40), Thursday, August 25, 2011 10:22 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

this whole board is people constantly going "your opinion is so wacky/contrarian!", i don't really feel like i'm at all exceptional in this regard

― fruogbas (some dude), Friday, 26 August 2011 02:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

sure fruogbas

― zvookster, Friday, 26 August 2011 02:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

Sounds like "Rock The Boat" is going to (deservedly) walk this but I want to throw some love to old sentimental favorite "Back & Forth."

― bentelec, Friday, 26 August 2011 03:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah i was listening to "Back and Forth" today and really thinking i haven't appreciated it enough, so good

― fruogbas (some dude), Friday, 26 August 2011 03:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

"it's whatever." about ten years ago exactly i was dealing with untreated mental illness, drinking cough syrup, and listening to a cdr of aaliyah. every song on it is worn in perfect into my head r&b security blanket. "it's whatever" is the most beautiful song. the drums remind me of when you see how they make movie sound effects and it's guys snapping celery for laser cannons or an elbow being bent and snapped. i like how it goes from sounding minimal and almost too broken up and staggery to make sense to being swarmy and hectic as drum sounds come together and she sings over and under her own voice and there are little plucked harpsichord things in there and string swells. i like the cold piano dribbles that occasionally sorta tunelessly echo a phrase in her singing. i like the point toward the end where she interrupts talks over herself, sings in this sleepy happy triumph itt's whatever.

― dylannn, Friday, 26 August 2011 06:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

voted for "street thing" for some reason

― dylannn, Friday, 26 August 2011 06:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

I Refuse

― prolego, Friday, 26 August 2011 06:21 (1 year ago) Permalink

Lex - really enjoyed your Aaliyah piece in the Guardian today. I'm haven't been a big fan but I checked out those tracks with what you said in mind, and there are some terrific songs in there.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/aug/25/aaliyahs-legacy

― pandemic, Friday, 26 August 2011 06:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wow that is an excellent piece lex!

― my own private kanyes west (The Brainwasher), Friday, 26 August 2011 06:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

thanks!

Sounds like "Rock The Boat" is going to (deservedly) walk this but I want to throw some love to old sentimental favorite "Back & Forth."

"i got a jazz personality, g mentality" <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

"rock the boat" is one of the finest pieces of music ever recorded imo but yeah, i'm gonna throw love to another song here - either "i gotcha back" or "i can be", maybe, real personal/sentimental favourites of mine that don't seem to get much love elsewhere.

― lex pretend, Friday, 26 August 2011 07:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

bravo, lex

― markers aurelius (The Reverend), Friday, 26 August 2011 08:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

^

― some dude, Friday, 26 August 2011 12:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

Yeah that's a great piece.

― Tired of these edcuated basic bitches. (lilsoulbrother), Friday, 26 August 2011 15:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

This is great: http://www.thefader.com/2011/08/25/aaliyah-angel-so-fly-2/

― markers aurelius (The Reverend), Saturday, 27 August 2011 08:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

"It's Whatever" by the most marginal of leads.

Excellent piece lex.

― Tim F, Saturday, 27 August 2011 08:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 23:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

i just remembered this awesome superpitcher track based around an "i can be" sample

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 08:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 23:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Back & Forth" > "At Your Best" ?!?!!!?!

― markers aurelius (The Reverend), Wednesday, 31 August 2011 23:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

...i'd have voted for "back & forth" over "at your best"? i'm glad "back & forth" got love. glad "rock the boat" didn't steamroller the competition, a worthy winner but good to see the love spread.

surprised at how few people seem to feel "age ain't nothing but a number".

― lex pretend, Thursday, 1 September 2011 06:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

"At Your Best" was on my wedding reception playlist, it's just so loving and sweet

― lil dawg (some dude), Thursday, 1 September 2011 10:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

I love 'Age Ain't…' but always feel a bit icky thinking about R Kelly writing it.

― Chewshabadoo, Thursday, 1 September 2011 11:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

^

― swagliacci (The Reverend), Thursday, 1 September 2011 18:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

"At Your Best" is one of the most straight-up gorgeous songs ever made by anybody.

― swagliacci (The Reverend), Thursday, 1 September 2011 18:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

wheres the love for 'loose rap'!?

― prego, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:02 (1 year ago) Permalink

I was the solitary voter

― Number None, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah i would have probably voted for it aswell

― prego, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 18:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

I talk about how great "Loose Rap" is at any given opportunity.

― Ford Cumlord (The Reverend), Wednesday, 28 September 2011 20:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

Totally missed this poll but yeah would've gone for 'Loose Rap' or maybe 'Those Were The Days'.

― Gavin, Leeds, Wednesday, 28 September 2011 20:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

"I Don't Wanna"

shit i had never heard this until just now... amazing song. jazze!

― lil dirk (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 18:37 (7 months ago) Permalink

think i might go for "at your best" these days. it's so perfectly weightless - great nighttime song

― all mods con (k3vin k.), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 19:04 (7 months ago) Permalink

lol at dylannn's two posts

― all mods con (k3vin k.), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 19:04 (7 months ago) Permalink

Twitter is weird. I inadvertently put KeyBeats up on "Girlfriends"

― thraeds of life (The Reverend), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 19:07 (7 months ago) Permalink