Midlife Vices (Comedy Central, 2009) by Greg Giraldo

Giraldo is a comic who was taken away too soon.  And Midlife Vices is proof of that aforementioned statement.  He humorously tackles social issues while making very logical points all along the way.  Topics include gay marriage, immigration, childhood obesity, and stem cell research.  My favorite joke on the album is when he talks about marriage/relationships.  He says, "You can't discriminate someone for being who they are.  I don't choose to be attracted to women.  I just happen to be attracted to women and it sucks because every 10 years or so, I have to give half my shit away and start from scratch."  R.I.P. Mr. Giraldo- one of the greatest stand-up comics to ever step up to a mic.

The Seventh Seal (Ra Records, 2009) by Rakim

Lyrically, Rakim is one of the greatest ever hands down.  My issue with this album is that it is very hook driven and because of Rakim's prowess with the pen I find that very interesting.  I think style-wise, production from people like Nottz and Needlz are a little more suited for Rakim than a Dre beat (so far when Dre produces for Nas, the records are okay but nothing mind-blowing-I'm guesstimating the results with Dre and Rakim would be similar).  The Seventh Seal isn't bad, but I has hoping for something a little stronger considering it had been ten years since his last album.

The Top Part (Comedy Central, 2009) by John Mulaney

He is a funny guy and this is a great album.  He has a knack for storytelling, and his humor is very observational based on his specific experiences and interests.  From being critical of peoples' fascination with the film Scarface to his passion for the show Law and Order.  It's all funny and fresh because it's unique.  My favorite line on the whole album is, "I miss Jerry Orbach more than certain dead relatives of mine."  Mulaney's a good comic and writer; I'll definitely start following his work.

King Baby (Comedy Central, 2009) by Jim Gaffigan

This is a great album.  It has everything that has made Gaffigan one of the most noteworthy comics in the last decade.  It has his "voice," his humorous everyman observations, as well as more classic humor about food.  "Bacon", "Bowling", and "Camping" are all excellent bits.  And the album, as whole, has no filler.  It does run a bit long, but that's okay.  It entertaining all the way through.  Another thing I like about this album, as well as all of Gaffigan's other releases, is that it doesn't have skits that divide the stand-up.

My Weakness is Strong (Warner Bros., 2009) by Patton Oswalt

Following up 2007's Werewolves and Lollipops is no easy task, but Oswalt did it with My Weakness is Strong.  Although not as strong as its predecessor, the album does deliver Oswalt's very intelligent and clever commentary on his life and modern American society.  Oswalt's interest in religion is clear on "Sky Cake" and "Grocery Robots" is very, very funny.  The thing that doesn't make the album stand up quite as strong as Werewolves and Lollipops though is that the material doesn't transition quite as smoothly.  However, that is only a minor fault which is far outweighed by his comedic brilliance.  Oswalt is one of my favorite comics and this is one of the reasons why.

The Blueprint 3 (Roc Nation, 2009) by Jay-Z

Sonically, this album is very intriguing.  The beats are diverse and that gives Jay-Z the space to do whatever he wants.  Where the first Blueprint album addressed past sounds and the second one attempted to tap into sounds of the future, the third installment in the trilogy splits the difference.  There are hard beats ("D.O.A. [Death of Auto-Tune]"), experimental ("On to the Next One") and crossover records ("Empire State of Mind").  And in this case, they all work and the same can't be said for The Blueprint 2.  Lyrically, Jay-Z is incredible as always.  However, the album feels a little guest heavy.  But make no mistake, this is still Jay-Z's album and all the guests bring their A-game, especially Kanye West on "Run This Town".  And for as commercially successful as the album was, it was also very artistic.  And judging by the album cover, perhaps that may be a bit of what he was going for.  Mission accomplished.

Relapse (Aftermath, 2009) by Eminem

I like this album more than the general consensus did.  I do feel that it was way too one dimensional as far as the drug content though.  However, I liked hearing the Slim Shady persona again.  Production-wise, the drums bang on my "My Mom" and the sample of "Reaching Out" is very effective on "Beautiful."  The extreme violence (i.e. "3 A.M.", "Stay Wide Awake") sounds a bit forced, but the dark humor does find its footing by the end of the LP ("Underground").  And I do think "We Made You" is one of the weakest songs in Eminem's entire catalogue, but, to counter that, "Deja Vu" is one of the best.

Seriously, Who Farted? (Comedy Central, 2009) by Nick Swardson

Swardson is a very funny comic.  I had seen him various movies, and he stole the scene in every film that he was in.  Therefore, I thought I would give this album a chance and it does not disappoint.  Swardson's humor is very surface material (drinking, weed, sex-related humor), but his delivery is outstanding.  I also love how he references E. Honda from "Street Fighter" when he talks about the woman he received a happy-ending from when getting a massage.  Swardson clearly made the most of the opportunities that Adam Sandler and "Reno 9-1-1" provided for him and now it is great to see him emerge as a star in his own right.