Top Ten Best New Music Released in the Past 60 days -- 2/25/09

1) “Jailer” -- Asa [1-27-09]. A smooth and modern fusion of R&B, soul and African jazz from a formidable new siren out of Nigeria.

2) “Feel It” – DJ Felli Fel feat. T-Pain, Sean Paul, Flo Rida and Pitbull [2-10-09]. A monster line-up of hip-hop stars showcase their collaborative talent on this big-time club banger.

3) “Love, Save the Empty” – Erin McCarley [1-6-09]. Rich-voiced singer-songwriter deals out an array of throaty, moody tracks.

4) “I Love College” – Asher Roth [1-13-09]. A white boy rap applauding the indulgences of sex, drug, drinking and rock and roll that goes down in college.

5) “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)” – Pitbull [2-24-09]. Dance-able, hippity-hop backbeat, along with the sing-along “uno, dos, tres quarto”lyrics charges this track from Cuban-American-emcee rapper.

6) “Supplier” – Shawty Lo feat. Lil Wayne and Trey Songz. Loaded to the gills with upbeat cameos, you feel part of the bling-bling R&B party.

7) “Black Velvet” – Ferry Corsten [1-27-09]. One of the founding fathers of Dutch trance launches this clubby melodramatic electro-dance track with comic-strip-character female vocals.

8) “Brandy of the Damned” – Nickel Eye [1-17-09]. Nikolai Fraiture, bassist from The Strokes, works his guitar through a repetitive pub rock refrain “Don’t Let Them Get you Down, They’ll Step on you to Get to Higher Ground.”

9) “ABC’s” – K’naan [1-27-09]. Punchy and aware, this hip-hop track by rising Somalia-born star is filled with old school backbeat -- raps traded with Chubb Rock -- and a big back-up chorus.

10) “Day Dreaming’” – DJ Drama feat. Akon and Snoop Dogg [1-12-09]. Akon and Snoop Dogg (-- one version includes T.I. as well! -- ) carry the tune for this underground hip-hop track that features a “g” who ponders his his fantasy girl, a go-go dancer.

11) “Dreamgirl” – Tay Dizm featuring Akon [1-9-09] Another clean R&B pop single with Akon carrying the fluffy melody and “Nappy Boy” making punctuating cameos.

12) “The Heartbreak Rides” – A.C. Newman [1-20-09]. From the prolific musician of New Pornographers fame, this solo effort fully embraces the indie alternative genre with dueling guitars and shared harmonies.

13) “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” – Morrissey [1-20-09]. More than anything, it’s good to hear from Morrissey again – on this hit single from his forthcoming album -- flinging and repetitive, but upbeat.

14) “You Can Get it All” – Bow Wow featuring Johnta Austin [unreleased]. An easy R&B track, over a groovin’ backbeat with big vibrato background vocals.

15) “Sugar Lee” – Damon Fowler [1-27-09]. The kind of song that fills up the dance floor and brims with electric blues jams.

16) “Pressure” – Company of Thieves [1-6-09]. An alt—indie track featuring sweet, slightly off-tune female vocals by Genevieve Schatz from this bass-free power trio.

17) “I Don’t Know” – Lisa Hannigan [2-3-09]. A spare, pretty and simple song featuring melt-your-heart vocals from former Damien Rice side-kick.

18) “Get On Your Boots” – U2 [1-20-09]. An evolved, dance-worthy, and refreshingly un-high horse, post-punk rocker from the forthcoming album scheduled for release in March.

19) “Walking on a Dream” – Empire of the Sun [un-released]. Aussie duo pumps out an upbeat electro-charged pop dance tune.

20) “Blood Bank” – Bon Iver [1-20-09]. Wisconsin troubadour Justin Vernon’s easy vocals and mellow acoustic guitar mark his sophomore solitary effort.

21) “When She’s Near” – Fiction Family [1-20-09]. A short and sweet vocal-acoustic debut from Switchfoot singer Jon Foreman and Nickelcreek guitarist Sean Watkins.

22) “No You Girls” – Franz Ferdinand [1-24-09]. A catchy dirty pop track from the post-punk Glasgow quartet.

ALSO NOTABLE …

23) Block Party” – Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes feat. Shawty-Lo [1-27-09]. From her final album – EYE LEGACY -- before her tragic death in 2002 and only now released in the U.S., this track is re-worked and retro-fitted with the help of Lil Mama.

24) “Wake Up” (Afro – Fantabulous Mix) – Beef Wellington with Eugene Snowden, Swamburger from OPEN Remix, benefiting IntraHealth OPEN (2009). Swirling with tropical percussion and horns and yummy guitars and alive with soulful vocals and lyrics from the Orlando native.

25) “Unreachable” – John Frusciante [1-20-09]. An almost-eerie, moody psychedelic indie track from Red Hot Chili Pepper rocker.

26) “Heartbroken, in Disrepair” -- Dan Auerbach [2-10-09]. – Big electric bluesey-rocker; a solo effort from Black Keys frontman.

27) “The Future’s Nothing New” – The Alternate Routes [2-10-09]. Heavy on the electric guitar and slightly repetitive, but a solid alt-rock number from this foursome out of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

28) “So Human” – (“Close to Me by “The Cure”) -- Lady Sovereign [2009]. A rip on the cult classic alt-rock tune form the 80’s, done by sassy Brit rapper.