Music Mix 2009

I've been working on this sucker for months and months, and finally it is completed!

I used to have this thing done by the beginning of the year but I believe now that taking the time to make it right is important. And I feel I have done that.

We've got 2 discs of 20 songs each, so I will break down each disc for everyone.

Disc 1:

1. T. Raumschmiere - The Front Row Is Not For The Fragile
- Making industrial into pop is tough, but T. Raumschmiere seems to have done just that. Soaring guitars and a bouncy beat make this a personal favorite off their latest album, I Tank U.

2. Kerli - Fragile
- Thematic follow-up associations aside, "Fragile" by Kerli is one of the most impressive songs off of the Estonian's debut album. Slowly morphing from pensive piano ballad to bassy, thick rock, this is a "can't be missed" track.

3. M83 - We Own The Sky
- French duo M83's latest album, Saturdays=Youth, isn't really my typical purchase. The songs aren't immediately accessible and carry along at a rather grueling pace, and most who know me know that isn't my thing. "We Own The Sky" was a surprise to me, as I found it slowly seeping into my mind at odd times. Now this is one of my favorites from 2008.

4. The Faint - Psycho
- Ahh, The Faint. Since my introduction to this band back in 2003, I have always had a place in my music library for them. Their latest album, Fasciinatiion, is a pleasant combo between the montone nature of Wet From Birth and the hip, dancefloor vibe of Danse Macabre. "Psycho" is a fun romp through the singer's mind and heart.

5. The Veronicas - This Love
- Pulling heavily on the electronic nature of the 80's, The Veronicas' sophomore album, Hook Me Up, is such an impressive step forward for the Brisbane, Australia twins. "This Love" sounds like the follow-up to A-ha's classic "Take On Me".

6. Alphabeat - Fascination
- My #1 party track from 2008! I could not, and cannot, get enough of this fantastic track! All I wanna do is shake my ass and sing it out! Great 80's party vibe with male and female vocals.

7. The Ting Tings - Fruit Machine
- It was impossible to escape The Ting Tings in 2008, from "Great DJ" to "Shut Up And Let Me Go" and "That's Not My Name", they dominated the radio and clubs. My personal pick of the pack is the ebullient "Fruit Machine", which apparently means "slot machine".

8. Delta Goodrem - Brave Face
- Australian actress/singer Delta Goodrem's voice is amazing. On "Brave Face", she channels some of the best of early 90's soft rock and belts out one of my favorite emotive songs of 2008.

9. The Bird & The Bee - So You Say
- Inara George & Greg Kurstin make some of the best music. "So You Say" is a full throttle electronic pop song with the organ sounds of the 60s. They just keep getting better!

10. Skye Sweetnam - Baby Doll Gone Wrong
- Ditching the cute, plastic rocker her first album prepped her to be, Canada's Skye Sweetnam's sophomore album features a jagged, raw rock sound. "Baby Doll Gone Wrong" has contradictory pairings running through the lyrics, like "Tinkerbell and S&M". Wonderful.

11. Ashlee Simpson - Hot Stuff
- I had totally written off Ashlee Simpson's second album, Bittersweet World, as disposable pop. "Hot Stuff" is such a cute and clever, and very atypical, party track and I had completely overlooked it. I noticed a hot beat playing from my speakers while I was in the other room, and I haven't been able to shake this song since.

12. Electric Six - Dance Pattern
- Always a proponent for the weird aspect of rock, Electric Six not only tickles my funny bone but also really gets my foot tapping. "Dance Pattern" just narrowly beat out "Dirty Looks" for my choice from this band that just doesn't seem to stop putting out albums. They've put out another since I compiled this list!

13. Walter Meego - Keyhole
- One of my biggest finds of 2008, Walter Meego is an electronic duo that channel everything from cute to creepy. "Keyhole" defines the latter, lone piano strokes distorted slightly and in definite creepy keys joined by vocals and a ferocious dance beat. I almost chose the sunny love song "Forever", but the Daft Punk "Aerodynamic" guitar arpeggios near the end of "Keyhole" won out.

14. Lucy Woodward - Hot & Bothered
- Sexy, slinky, seductive, this sultry jazz tune from the once-pop Lucy Woodward depicts the tale of a woman who loves her late-night visits. She doesn't care whether she feels loved or needed, as long as she feels "Hot & Bothered".

15. Natalie Walker - Hypnotize
- After wowing audiences, critics, and DJs across the globe with her debut album, Natalie Walker wows THIS critic & DJ with her sophomore album. The drowsy and melodic "Hypnotize" is an enlightening downtempo tune that keeps me tuned.

16. Styrofoam - Microscope
- I first listened to Styrofoam as the remixer to The Postal Service's "Nothing Better". Actually "Microscope" isn't much different. Electronic palette, dabs of male and female vocals, an ongoing conversation hashed out through clever and well-written lyrics, smears of guitars and a constant and welcome beat.

17. Mother Mother - O My Heart
- Wow, this group has simply astounded me since I stumbled upon their debut album in '07. "O My Heart" is a tribute to a cold, lifeless heart that our dear protagonist attempts desperately to bring back to normal. Great visuals and vocal harmonies and, well, great everything.

18. Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am
- Some may know this as the Gap "here take my sweater" commercial song from the winter of '07/'08. I know this as one of the cutest "we're in love" songs to come out in the last few years. Simplistic and organic sound, there isn't a lot going on here but everything that does go, goes where it needs to.

19. Jack's Mannequin - Annie Use Your Telescope
- For comfortable piano pop rock, look no further than Jack's Mannequin. After a scary bout with cancer, the singer/pianist brought himself back together to record a second album with this band, and it is quite powerful. The musical cocktail that is "Annie Use Your Telescope" is probably one of the best representations of the band.

20. Kanye West - Street Lights
- It took a complete stylistic change for Kanye West to end up on one of my mixes. It happened though, as West has altered his style to a more tribal, vocal-ridden and emotive sound. It pays off marvelously, if a little unconventional. Kudos to Kanye!



Disc 2

1. Margaret Berger - Will You Remember Me
- Discovered about two years too late, Scandinavian contest-winner Margaret Berger won me over with her smart poptronica and immediately accessible voice. "Will You Remember Me" is easily the best pop song on this year's mix.

2. Alanis Morissette - Giggle Again For No Reason
- After hearing that Morissette, my favorite angsty rocker from the 90's, was teaming up with Guy Sigsworth, my favorite producer this decade, I became so hyped up for the resulting album! Unfortunately most of it didn't live up to my expectations, but after careful listening, my ears latched onto this vulnerable yet uptempo track that really showcases the artists' individual and combined talents.

3. The Killers - The World We Live In
- This is, perhaps, one of the most understated Killers tracks I've heard. It doesn't stand out immediately as some of the tracks on their new album Day & Age do, nor does it go for the throat like the tracks that launched them, but this track has a subtle beauty to it that is unmistakable.

4. The Feeling - I Thought It Was Over
- Unfortunately, on a whole, the Feeling's second offering is not as good as their first album. There are some shiny bits though, including this high-nostalgia piece. Some great production going on behind all that pop rock, too.

5. Charlotte Sometimes - This Is Only For Now
- Chopped and rippled guitars open this pounding pop rock introspective piece, supporting Charlotte's steady vocals wonderfully. This track sounds like it is produced by Timbaland, although it isn't.


6. Hilary McRae - Every Day (When Will You Be Mine)
- I. Love. This. Song. So adorable. An easy beat joined with bass and horns makes the backdrop for this torch song sung so wonderfully by Hilary McRae. I may have waited until this album cost something like $5 at Starbucks, but man, was it worth it!

7. Adele - Chasing Pavements
- Nothing can describe how this track floored me at first listen. So powerful and vulnerable. It still floors me now.

8. Goldfrapp - A&E
- No better way to announce a departure from a previous style than putting out a track that is nothing like your last album. While Supernature marked the highest point in this European duo's career, it is the chill and laid back "A&E" that more honestly captures their style. They did begin their career doing minimalist and ethereal poptronica, afterall. This track helps my mind wander.

9. Solange - I Decided, Pt 2
- Beyonce's little sister is a talented woman. Paired with the ultra trendy and superb Freemasons, who produced this "part 2" version of her breakout song, Solange hits us with a simultaneously retro and modern r&b track worth listening to.

10. Morgan Page feat. Tyler James - Call My Name
- Morgan Page is one of many new artists taking a different approach to dance music. Their style, labeled "progressive house" seems more laid back than the traditional club music but I find myself dancing to these beats more vigorously. Tyler James' vocals layered on top of this music in a heartwrenching love song is just dance pop bliss.

11. Bimbo Jones - Harlem 1 Stop
- Bimbo Jones and Katherine Ellis together (as the *band* Bimbo Jones) are unstoppable! Katherine has a powerful voice and the boys have a great handle on big beats and disco rhythms, and they combine together for this rump-shaking stomper!

12. Booty Luv - Some Kinda Rush
- Starting out as a dance cover group ("Boogie 2Nite", "Shine", "Don't Mess With My Man") they made their mark on the music scene, but it was "Some Kinda Rush", their first co-written release that really brought me in. A distinctive guitar riff meshed with some heavy beats and pretty fantastic vocalists made an immensely catchy track.

13. The Presets - Yippyo-Ay
- The Presets really took a giant leap in their career with their sophomore album, Apocalyptica. Taking their fierce industrial-tinged dancefloor approach that one step further yielded some amazing results. One of those is this Scissor Sisters turned Daft Punk track that funks it's way down your backbone before sending synthesized arpeggios gliding across your skin. It's possible there's a handjob in the lyrics, I can't be certain.

14. Innerpartysystem - Don't Stop
- It took a highly imaginative and fucked up music video to get me to truly appreciate this dark and cynical rock masterpiece. There are tons of snipes at celebrity life, but this is one of the most harshly entertaining.

15. We Are Scientists - Tonight
- Adding chunky synths to a working rock formula isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when it sounds as good as this. "Tonight" is the best song on an otherwise lackluster offering, but that fact doesn't mean it isn't a good song. It stands far above the rest.

16. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
- Ok, I'm tired of this chick. She is everywhere! But "Paparazzi" isn't blaring on the radio yet so I can still say it's fresh enough to listen to. It's a great song that seems to couple the sounds from "Just Dance" and "Pokerface". Lots of fun!

17. Madonna - Spanish Lessons
- I don't know why, on a disastrous effort by the "queen of pop", I find the one oddball track and fall in love with it, but that's what happened. This and "Incredible" were the best songs off Hard Candy, and this is just a straight party track despite the odd translations of Spanish phrases.

18. Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy
- I was smitten with this track long before it reached American radio, and thankfully it's explosion here hasn't diminished my love for it. "American Boy" is an atypical approach to the modern r&b song that I'd love to see reflected in future songs, with the heavy synth work and sharp beats. The whole thing was well constructed, even Kanye's apologetic rap to Estelle for lyrics about money and women.

19. Katy Perry - Lost
- Katy Perry may be nothing more than a novelty artist after the huge success of "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot & Cold", but if "Lost" is any hint, she's got some serious talent. The song writing is superb and the track is haunting. If only she could find a way to release this!

20. Seal - Immaculate
- I've been hanging onto this track since '07. Intense, swelling emotion sweeps through this track, produced by Stuart Price, as Seal's hypnotic voice rises to those heights we know and love.


I hope this whets your whistle for the mix!