Category: 51 for 50

And so we enter the last 10 albums of this project... In 2011 I left what had been, to that date, my most successful job to date and joined Microsoft. After six interviews, I'm not sure how we didn't all work out that this wasn't going to work out. Culturally, I was never going to … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2011

I love the geekiness of Hot Chip. I also love the music and the tender yet essentially maudlin lyrics. The essence of good disco music, basically. I also recall hearing an interview with one of the members of Hot Chip and hearing how despite being a successful modern pop band they were basically brassic. The … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2010

I know that Lily Allen annoys some people, but that's probably even more reason to like her. Clever, witty lyrics, and not all about pop song guff. The single The Fear, for example, being a caustic analysis of the consumer/celebrity world that no doubt Lily skirted in and out of. We listened to this album … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2009

The albums in this list generally fall into one of two categories; those that contain music that sum up in some way events contemporary to their release (from when I was 16 or so onwards, for the most part), and those that sum up a particular period of my life but I came to late.Seventh … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2008

In 2007 my now wife and I got together. When we first met she had a Mazda MX5 and I have delightful memories of driving around with her in that summer listening to Soundboy Rock, the top down on the car, in love. https://open.spotify.com/album/7tRuSfPQNDZ5IbWFS6dNF9?si=6kY0jB9ESl2doFMEFg3GXg You can see the #51for50 project to date here: https://mmitii.mattballantine.com/category/projects/51-for-50/

Coldcut have been a huge part of my musical lIfe, through their performances (playing the Black Beauty theme during a set at Tribal Gathering, four deck wizardry at the 333 in Hoxton, and an amazing night at the Imperial Gardens in the late 1990s are particular fond memories), their recorded music and also the huge … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2006

After the turmoil of 2004, 2005 quiet frankly got weirder. I started the new job working in management training and as a result found myself commuting great distances to stand up in front of groups of complete strangers to talk about things that I may or may not have had any particular knowledge. Was this … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2005

2004 was a really weird year. After eight years at the BBC, I came to realise that I needed a change. I needed to get out before I was institutionalised (even harder that I had a familial relationship with Aunty Beeb because it was where my parents had both worked and met in the 1960s). … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2004

Ms Jackson was the song that got me into OutKast, but by the time they got to Speakboxxx/The Love Below they hit the big time with the single Hey Ya!, radio friendly pop with the wonderful "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" which immediately makes it seem like decades ago, and deeply, deeply dark lyrics … Continue reading 51 for 50 – 2003

Blazing Arrow by Blackalicious is a stupendous album. No track better illustrates it than Chemical Callisthenics. And then you've got guest slots from Gil Scott-Heron, Chali 2na and Cut Chemist too. https://open.spotify.com/album/0DyXkWHnFMIJSuHfLgNfcc?si=_5myObGfRRaYiipQsQgPow You can see the #51for50 project to date here: https://mmitii.mattballantine.com/category/projects/51-for-50/