And finally, here is Part 5.
(And if you missed any of the previous posts, check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4 when you get a chance.)
41. J's Day Theme #3 (Support) | Madlib | Hip-Hop/Instrumental. It's rare for a hip-hop instrumental to make my top 50, but if anyone could make it happen--it would be Madlib. On Madlib's Beat Konducta instrumental albums, he has quite a few dedications to production legend J Dilla (R.I.P.) and J's Day Theme #3 (Support) is a short groove that just lays down sooo smooth...
Listen to J's Day Theme #3 (Support) on Last.FM
42. Something About You Girl | Tahiti 80 | Pop/Downtempo. This Parisian band has been around for awhile, but I just got exposed to their music this year. (iTunes Genius truly understands me and recommended many of their songs over the last year.) I could have picked any number of songs from their discography, but this song shows them at their most soulful.
Listen to Something About You Girl on Last.FM
43. Party and Bullshit (In the USA Remix) | Notorious BIG and Miley Cyrus | Hip-Hop/Mashup. I had never heard Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA hit single until I came across this sick mashup someone did with Biggie's classic Party and Bullshit. I guarantee you will love this!
44. I See You | Mika | Pop/Alternative. I was so happy to see Mika put out his 2nd album and avoid the dreaded sophomore jinx. One of my favorite songs from The Boy Who Knew Too Much was I See You, which reminds me of one of those operatic rock ballads from the 80's.
45. Perfect Angel feat. Yahzarah | Zo! | R&B/Neo-Soul. Perfect Angel, written by Steve Wonder, remains one of my favorite songs by the incomparable Minnie Riperton. I don't recommend that anyone --and I mean anyone-- cover a Minnie Riperton song. But producer Zo! does an amazing job slightly modernizing Perfect Angel and Yahzarah vocals are exceptional. I think Minnie would be proud! (FYI: Zo! and Yahzarah are both from DC--support your local artists!)
46. Tongue In A Shark's Mouth | Cage | Hip-Hop/Downtempo. Cage hasn't seen my top 50 since his collaboration with Tame One on the 2004 classic concept album Waterworld (performing as the Leak Bros). But he has been putting out some good, yet dark, music for the backpacker-skater crowd. Last year, Cage released I Never Knew You and I was particularly drawn to a depressing song about betrayal called Tongue in a Shark's Mouth. Sounds like this dude is speaking from experience. Ouch!
47. Our Own Place | 4Hero | R&B/Soul. I really need to sit down one day and track down as much 4Hero music as I can find-- not easy to do, but I'm up for the challenge. I found Our Own Place on some mixtape I downloaded on the web and I fell in love with it on the first listen.
48. I Remember | deadmau5 & Kaskade | Electronic/Dance. Most dance/house/techno causes me to projectile vomit in a DJ's face. But for some inexplicable reason, I Remember by deadmau5 and Kaskade makes me jump around and do that fist-pumping thing that the kids do in the night clubs! Someone help me!
49. How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? | Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings | R&B/Retro. I caught this song playing during the closing credits of one of the episodes of HBO's Hung and I was hooked! (Side note: Ticklah made a reggae-dub remix of this song that's a must-have as well.)
50. Down In LA | People Under the Stairs | Hip-Hop/Indie. People Under the Stairs (PUTS) puts out great, retro party albums year and after year. In 2009's Carried Away, PUTS gave me Down in LA, which I pumped in the rental car every time I was cruising around in Hollyweird on a hot summer day.
Ok, I may be done with the Top 50, but it ain't over. I still have best vintage songs and best albums of 2009. Stay tuned!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
My Music Picks for 2009 - Top 50 Songs: Part 4
Almost done! Here is Part 4...
(And if you missed any of the previous posts, check out Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3 when you get a chance.)
31. Sanctuary | PPP | R&B/Neo-soul. I've always associated the Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP) with "hardcore" R&B (i.e., fused with hip-hop and gangster-ish singing), but this sultry ballad really took me by surprise.
Listen to Sanctuary on MySpace
32. So Good Today | Ben Westbeech | Dance/Jazz. I stumbled upon So Good Today on one of the many great house/dance mixes/podcasts I downloaded last year and it took me awhile to find it because I thought it was by Jason Mraz! Oops-- Sorry Ben!
33. Mirrors | Dam Funk | Funk/Instrumental. From the mad scientists at Stones Throw comes Dam Funk-- a funk demi-god who has traveled from the 80's through space and time to pour his hot chocolate funk gospel over the bland soul of our society. After I heard Mirrors, I immediately joined Dam Funk's Funky Church. A-funkin'-men.
34. Bad Day | Asher Roth & Jazze Pha | Hip-Hop/Pop. Like most people, I can't help but compare Asher Roth to Eminem. And it's not because of his skin color. Ash reminds me of Em when Em was poorer and seemingly happier. Em was a cat who could make you laugh with a story and make you cower in fear in a rap battle. On Bad Day, Ash cleverly rhymes about a terrible travel day-- something we can all relate to oh so well...
35. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out | Mayer Hawthorne | R&B/Retro. I wrote about Mayer Hawthore, another Stones Throw product, earlier this year, so I won't repeat myself. Just sit back and enjoy the smoothness...
36. Stick Together | Phil The Agony | Hip-Hop/Hardcore. Released on Earth Day, Phil the Agony's Think Green eco-friendly album was printed on 100% recycled materials and he even partnered up with the National Global Releaf Program to have a tree planted for every copy of Think Green that was purchased! Heee-larious. Now back to the album: Think Green is a nice collection of ass-shakin' tracks and Phil's signature hardcore-but-funny rhymes, with Stick Together being a neck-breaking standout that I would play 2 and 3 times in a row.
Listen to Stick Together on Rhapsody
37. I'd Have It Just The Way We Were | White Denim | Rock/Experimental. White Denim (of Austin, TX) was one of favorite rock bands in 2007 and they returned in 2009 with their new album Fits. Fortunately, they came back better than ever. I'd Have It Just The Way We Were is just one of many unpredictable and adventurous songs on one of my favorite albums of the year.
38. Days Like This | Spinna & Ticklah Club Mix Shaun Escoffery | Dance/House. Brilliance is taking a decent song from Shaun Escoffery and handing it over to hip-hop/house DJ/producer Spinna and reggae/dub specialist Ticklah. The result is one of the few modern house classics that moves me like the NY and Chicago deep house songs of old.
39. Trolley Stop | Jay Electronica | Hip-Hop/Retro. I had been waiting desperately for a Jay Electronica album to drop in 2009 and I was fortunate to discover his "mixtape" What the F*ck is a Jay Electronica?. Wow. More on this album in a later post. On Trolley Stop, Jay briefly takes you back in time and shows you how the Dirty South can work the crowd like The Sugarhill Gang, Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five.
40. Honeymoon | Phoenix | Pop/Downtempo. Honeymoon (by French pop group Phoenix) is just one of those songs that helps me relax after a long day and forgot all of my problems for 5 minutes. Lay back on the couch and treat yourself...
Part 5 of 5 coming in a few days, followed by 2009 superlatives!
(And if you missed any of the previous posts, check out Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3 when you get a chance.)
31. Sanctuary | PPP | R&B/Neo-soul. I've always associated the Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP) with "hardcore" R&B (i.e., fused with hip-hop and gangster-ish singing), but this sultry ballad really took me by surprise.
Listen to Sanctuary on MySpace
32. So Good Today | Ben Westbeech | Dance/Jazz. I stumbled upon So Good Today on one of the many great house/dance mixes/podcasts I downloaded last year and it took me awhile to find it because I thought it was by Jason Mraz! Oops-- Sorry Ben!
33. Mirrors | Dam Funk | Funk/Instrumental. From the mad scientists at Stones Throw comes Dam Funk-- a funk demi-god who has traveled from the 80's through space and time to pour his hot chocolate funk gospel over the bland soul of our society. After I heard Mirrors, I immediately joined Dam Funk's Funky Church. A-funkin'-men.
34. Bad Day | Asher Roth & Jazze Pha | Hip-Hop/Pop. Like most people, I can't help but compare Asher Roth to Eminem. And it's not because of his skin color. Ash reminds me of Em when Em was poorer and seemingly happier. Em was a cat who could make you laugh with a story and make you cower in fear in a rap battle. On Bad Day, Ash cleverly rhymes about a terrible travel day-- something we can all relate to oh so well...
35. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out | Mayer Hawthorne | R&B/Retro. I wrote about Mayer Hawthore, another Stones Throw product, earlier this year, so I won't repeat myself. Just sit back and enjoy the smoothness...
36. Stick Together | Phil The Agony | Hip-Hop/Hardcore. Released on Earth Day, Phil the Agony's Think Green eco-friendly album was printed on 100% recycled materials and he even partnered up with the National Global Releaf Program to have a tree planted for every copy of Think Green that was purchased! Heee-larious. Now back to the album: Think Green is a nice collection of ass-shakin' tracks and Phil's signature hardcore-but-funny rhymes, with Stick Together being a neck-breaking standout that I would play 2 and 3 times in a row.
Listen to Stick Together on Rhapsody
37. I'd Have It Just The Way We Were | White Denim | Rock/Experimental. White Denim (of Austin, TX) was one of favorite rock bands in 2007 and they returned in 2009 with their new album Fits. Fortunately, they came back better than ever. I'd Have It Just The Way We Were is just one of many unpredictable and adventurous songs on one of my favorite albums of the year.
38. Days Like This | Spinna & Ticklah Club Mix Shaun Escoffery | Dance/House. Brilliance is taking a decent song from Shaun Escoffery and handing it over to hip-hop/house DJ/producer Spinna and reggae/dub specialist Ticklah. The result is one of the few modern house classics that moves me like the NY and Chicago deep house songs of old.
39. Trolley Stop | Jay Electronica | Hip-Hop/Retro. I had been waiting desperately for a Jay Electronica album to drop in 2009 and I was fortunate to discover his "mixtape" What the F*ck is a Jay Electronica?. Wow. More on this album in a later post. On Trolley Stop, Jay briefly takes you back in time and shows you how the Dirty South can work the crowd like The Sugarhill Gang, Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five.
40. Honeymoon | Phoenix | Pop/Downtempo. Honeymoon (by French pop group Phoenix) is just one of those songs that helps me relax after a long day and forgot all of my problems for 5 minutes. Lay back on the couch and treat yourself...
Part 5 of 5 coming in a few days, followed by 2009 superlatives!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
My Music Picks for 2009 - Top 50 Songs: Part 2
Welcome to Part 2 of my top 50 songs of 2009. Here are another 10 auditory delights...
(Click here to view Part 1.)
11. Don't You Evah | Spoon | Rock/Pop. Spoon has been around for awhile, but I just got around to checking out their albums in 2009. I was particularly drawn to their 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, which is filled with great rock and pop songs. I could have picked 4-5 songs that could make my top 50, but I probably played Don't You Evah a little bit more than the others. Enjoy.
12. Mayor | Pac Div | Hip-Hop/Retro. Mayor is a great west-coast throwback party song and I can't understand why this wasn't a pop hit. It will make you feel so good that you might run for mayor!
13. Don't Wait Too Long | Madeleine Peyroux | Jazz/Retro. Madeleine channels her best Billy Holiday on Don't Wait Too Long. I thought this was a cover of a jazz standard, but it's actually an original composition. Turn down the lights, grab a glass of wine, lay down on your couch and check it out...
14. Ticket 4 2 | Camp Lo | Hip-Hop/Indie. I've been one of Camp Lo's biggest fans over the years and I'm proud to say that I have every one of their albums. (You might be surprised how many albums they have!) This is the lead single from the first of TWO albums they released in 2009, Stone & Rob: Caught on Tape. It has the smooth melody, signature lyrics and distinct delivery that you would expect from a Camp Lo hit, albeit with a more uptempo beat than usual. They really haven't changed their formula since 1996 and with songs like this, I hope they never do!
15. Honey Dove | Lee Fields & The Expressions | R&B/Retro. Lee Fields, an underground sultry soul singer from the 70's, released a new album in 2009 with his band The Expressions. Honey Love will make you feel like you are slow-dragging with a hot mama at a house party in '77. Dig it.
16. Million (feat. Krondon) | Strong Arm Steady | Hip-Hop/Hardcore. I don't listen to as much gangsta rap as I used to, but I've been a big fan of Krondon since I heard him melt a mic with his Always/Never freestyle on Sway & Tech's Wake Up Show in the late 90's. On Million, he wraps hardcore rhymes around a chopped-up sample of a woman singing: "a million to one". Truly sick...
17. Parallel Lines | Junior Boys | Electronic/Downtempo. When I think of electronic music, I usually don't think of soul. Parallel Lines shatters this perception into a thousand pieces. (Oh, the video is cool too. I love those old black & white clips...)
18. Be Alright | Skillz | Hip-Hop/Indie. At the beginning of 2009, DJ Stylus put me up on Skillz' The Million Dollar Backpack album in his best of 2008 music round-up. Be Alright became that spring/summer jam that I would blast while driving my car with the windows down!
19. Just Can't Get Enough | Nouvelle Vague | Pop/Retro. I can always listen to Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough, so it was easy for me to fall in love with this French cover band's Brazilian rendition of the new wave classic.
20. So Damn Down (DJ Mix) | Tanya Morgan | Hip-Hop/Indie. Underground rap group Tanya Morgan strikes gold again with their latest album Brooklynati. So Damn Down is an up-tempo, feel-good party joint that I find myself playing over and over again.
Part 3 is coming up in a few days!
(Click here to view Part 1.)
11. Don't You Evah | Spoon | Rock/Pop. Spoon has been around for awhile, but I just got around to checking out their albums in 2009. I was particularly drawn to their 2007 album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, which is filled with great rock and pop songs. I could have picked 4-5 songs that could make my top 50, but I probably played Don't You Evah a little bit more than the others. Enjoy.
12. Mayor | Pac Div | Hip-Hop/Retro. Mayor is a great west-coast throwback party song and I can't understand why this wasn't a pop hit. It will make you feel so good that you might run for mayor!
13. Don't Wait Too Long | Madeleine Peyroux | Jazz/Retro. Madeleine channels her best Billy Holiday on Don't Wait Too Long. I thought this was a cover of a jazz standard, but it's actually an original composition. Turn down the lights, grab a glass of wine, lay down on your couch and check it out...
14. Ticket 4 2 | Camp Lo | Hip-Hop/Indie. I've been one of Camp Lo's biggest fans over the years and I'm proud to say that I have every one of their albums. (You might be surprised how many albums they have!) This is the lead single from the first of TWO albums they released in 2009, Stone & Rob: Caught on Tape. It has the smooth melody, signature lyrics and distinct delivery that you would expect from a Camp Lo hit, albeit with a more uptempo beat than usual. They really haven't changed their formula since 1996 and with songs like this, I hope they never do!
15. Honey Dove | Lee Fields & The Expressions | R&B/Retro. Lee Fields, an underground sultry soul singer from the 70's, released a new album in 2009 with his band The Expressions. Honey Love will make you feel like you are slow-dragging with a hot mama at a house party in '77. Dig it.
16. Million (feat. Krondon) | Strong Arm Steady | Hip-Hop/Hardcore. I don't listen to as much gangsta rap as I used to, but I've been a big fan of Krondon since I heard him melt a mic with his Always/Never freestyle on Sway & Tech's Wake Up Show in the late 90's. On Million, he wraps hardcore rhymes around a chopped-up sample of a woman singing: "a million to one". Truly sick...
17. Parallel Lines | Junior Boys | Electronic/Downtempo. When I think of electronic music, I usually don't think of soul. Parallel Lines shatters this perception into a thousand pieces. (Oh, the video is cool too. I love those old black & white clips...)
18. Be Alright | Skillz | Hip-Hop/Indie. At the beginning of 2009, DJ Stylus put me up on Skillz' The Million Dollar Backpack album in his best of 2008 music round-up. Be Alright became that spring/summer jam that I would blast while driving my car with the windows down!
Skillz "Be Alright" feat. Kornbread & Aaries from Okayplayer on Vimeo.
19. Just Can't Get Enough | Nouvelle Vague | Pop/Retro. I can always listen to Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough, so it was easy for me to fall in love with this French cover band's Brazilian rendition of the new wave classic.
20. So Damn Down (DJ Mix) | Tanya Morgan | Hip-Hop/Indie. Underground rap group Tanya Morgan strikes gold again with their latest album Brooklynati. So Damn Down is an up-tempo, feel-good party joint that I find myself playing over and over again.
Part 3 is coming up in a few days!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
My Music Picks for 2009 - Top 50 Songs: Part 1
Well, 2009 has come and gone. And with each passing year, my general disdain for popular music has driven me to search far and wide for more rare classic grooves and new independent audio creations from various genres. (That's not to say that I don't have some guilty pleasures, as you will see later.) So with no further ado, I present my favorite music picks from 2009. I hope you hear something you like too!
Note: These songs are not in preference order. Also, these songs are not necessarily new in 2009--many of them were released sometime in the last 5 years. I will have a separate posting for my favorite "old school" music that I discovered in 2009.
1. One More Drink (With T-Pain) | Ludacris & T-Pain | Hip-Hop/Pop. The numbers don't lie: this is the hip-hop song that I played the most in all of 2009. For all of my self-righteous, independent-music bravado, I seriously fell for the catchy beat and funny lyrics!
2. Don't You Go Away | Liquid People | Dance/House. I've really lost touch with 2000's house music, so I rely solely on m DJ friends for recommendations. My man Jahsonic was performing at Fly Lounge one night and just as I was leaving, he put Don't You Go Away on and I nearly lost my mind! This has become one of my favorite house songs of all time and I think all house heads must have this classic in their collection. (I strongly encourage you to listen to the entire song-- it has a few tasty treats!)
3. Ashby (Frequent Flyers Remix) | Fineprint | Hip-Hop/Indie. This is not a hip-hop dance track, but a clever poem over a great head-nodding tune with a contagious piano sample. The best part of Ashby is probably the chorus: "If you catch me lookin' at you/That means that you were lookin' at me too/Think about it.../I don't mean to be mean to you/But if you were lookin' at me, could you be diggin' me too?". Hmmm....
4. Stella | Nino Moschella | R&B/Neo-Soul. Like Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely, Nino's Stella is a powerful and soulful song about the love, awe and wonder he has for his child. The beat is off-putting at first, but slowly grows on you while the Wonder-esque melody wraps around you like a warm blanket.
5. Thank You | Jay-Z | Hip-Hop/Pop. I know that Empire State of Mind was 2009's hip-hop anthem, but Thank You was clearly my favorite song from The Blueprint 3 album. The track is reminiscent of something from Reasonable Doubt, but Jay's conversational delivery really puts this song over the top and shows why he is still the best in the biz.
6. Home | Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros | Folk. I love it when I stumble on to great music. I never look for folk stuff, but sometimes it just finds me. Home's purposefully-simplistic lyrics and addictive chorus make for an amazing love song that you can't stop playing!
7. DFTF (feat. Affion Crockett) | Illa J | Hip-Hop/Indie. Illa J is far from a great rapper, but he does have the choice picks from his brother J Dilla's treasure trove of untapped tracks. Lyrically, DFTF is a typical hip-hop lust song--but the 90's-retro production literally forced me to pull my car over. (R.I.P. J Dilla-- you are still missed all over the world...)
8. Clocks | Coldplay & Buena Vista Social Club | Latin/Mashup. After hearing DJ Oz rock this mashup a few years ago, I finally found it online. It's hard to imagine, but Buena Vista Social Club made a great rock/pop song even better!
9. Piano Lessons (feat. Joell Ortiz) | Colin Munroe | Hip-Hop/Soul. On top of the sick beat and infectious piano riff, I really love the lyrics to the autobiographic Piano Lessons: "So don't bet on me, I'm a longshot/I might bet a million-to-one/So don't bet on me, I'm a longshot/But in a million, I might be the one..." After hearing this song, I'm definitely betting on Colin Munroe!
Download
10. Heartbeats | The Knife | Electronic/Downtempo. Somehow, I didn't get the memo about The Knife until 2009. So I scoured their discography and discovered Heartbeats. Wow. Keep your volume down when you listen to this--Heartbeats can easily blow your speakers out of commission if you are not careful!
Next up: Part 2 with 10 more of my favorite songs from 2009!
Note: These songs are not in preference order. Also, these songs are not necessarily new in 2009--many of them were released sometime in the last 5 years. I will have a separate posting for my favorite "old school" music that I discovered in 2009.
1. One More Drink (With T-Pain) | Ludacris & T-Pain | Hip-Hop/Pop. The numbers don't lie: this is the hip-hop song that I played the most in all of 2009. For all of my self-righteous, independent-music bravado, I seriously fell for the catchy beat and funny lyrics!
2. Don't You Go Away | Liquid People | Dance/House. I've really lost touch with 2000's house music, so I rely solely on m DJ friends for recommendations. My man Jahsonic was performing at Fly Lounge one night and just as I was leaving, he put Don't You Go Away on and I nearly lost my mind! This has become one of my favorite house songs of all time and I think all house heads must have this classic in their collection. (I strongly encourage you to listen to the entire song-- it has a few tasty treats!)
3. Ashby (Frequent Flyers Remix) | Fineprint | Hip-Hop/Indie. This is not a hip-hop dance track, but a clever poem over a great head-nodding tune with a contagious piano sample. The best part of Ashby is probably the chorus: "If you catch me lookin' at you/That means that you were lookin' at me too/Think about it.../I don't mean to be mean to you/But if you were lookin' at me, could you be diggin' me too?". Hmmm....
4. Stella | Nino Moschella | R&B/Neo-Soul. Like Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely, Nino's Stella is a powerful and soulful song about the love, awe and wonder he has for his child. The beat is off-putting at first, but slowly grows on you while the Wonder-esque melody wraps around you like a warm blanket.
5. Thank You | Jay-Z | Hip-Hop/Pop. I know that Empire State of Mind was 2009's hip-hop anthem, but Thank You was clearly my favorite song from The Blueprint 3 album. The track is reminiscent of something from Reasonable Doubt, but Jay's conversational delivery really puts this song over the top and shows why he is still the best in the biz.
6. Home | Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros | Folk. I love it when I stumble on to great music. I never look for folk stuff, but sometimes it just finds me. Home's purposefully-simplistic lyrics and addictive chorus make for an amazing love song that you can't stop playing!
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros's Home Music Video - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Music Videos at MTVMusic.com - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.
7. DFTF (feat. Affion Crockett) | Illa J | Hip-Hop/Indie. Illa J is far from a great rapper, but he does have the choice picks from his brother J Dilla's treasure trove of untapped tracks. Lyrically, DFTF is a typical hip-hop lust song--but the 90's-retro production literally forced me to pull my car over. (R.I.P. J Dilla-- you are still missed all over the world...)
8. Clocks | Coldplay & Buena Vista Social Club | Latin/Mashup. After hearing DJ Oz rock this mashup a few years ago, I finally found it online. It's hard to imagine, but Buena Vista Social Club made a great rock/pop song even better!
9. Piano Lessons (feat. Joell Ortiz) | Colin Munroe | Hip-Hop/Soul. On top of the sick beat and infectious piano riff, I really love the lyrics to the autobiographic Piano Lessons: "So don't bet on me, I'm a longshot/I might bet a million-to-one/So don't bet on me, I'm a longshot/But in a million, I might be the one..." After hearing this song, I'm definitely betting on Colin Munroe!
Download
10. Heartbeats | The Knife | Electronic/Downtempo. Somehow, I didn't get the memo about The Knife until 2009. So I scoured their discography and discovered Heartbeats. Wow. Keep your volume down when you listen to this--Heartbeats can easily blow your speakers out of commission if you are not careful!
Next up: Part 2 with 10 more of my favorite songs from 2009!
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