RollnSmokeRecords Presents: Best New Songs Released in Past 60 Days

1) “Satellite Heart” – Anya Marina [10-8-09]. With a sumptuous voice like a lullaby, this breathy songstress from Ann Arbor, Michigan, (Go Blue!) draws you in on this track off the New Moon Soundtrack.

2) “Valium” – MuteMath [10-13-09]. A spacey, organic jam by New Orleans-based quartet that appears on the latest 90201 Soundtrack.

3) “Mrs. Cold” – Kings of Convenience [10-20-09]. A Euro-version of Simon & Garfunkel, these (Bergen) Norwegians lay out a mellow beach-groove a la blended harmony duets and spinning acoustic strings.

4) “Give it Up to Me” – Shakira and Lil Wayne [11-10-09]. Typical R&B dance grooves from Latina teaming up with hip-hop master and monster producer Timbaland with a splash of Lil Wayne.

5) “Morning After Dark” – Timbaland featuring Soshy and Nellie Furtado [10-26-09]. Any time you combine Nelly Furtado with Timbaland you’re going to get smokin’ R&B dance rhythms, but throw in newcomer Soshy on this track, and you’ve got a full-on dance party.

6) “A Glorious Dawn” – ColorPulse -- Carl Sagan featuring Stephen Hawking. Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking clips from COSMOS are translated by Auto-tune into a trippy ambient, philosophical, universalist track.

7) “Livin’ It Up” – Shwayze featuring Snoop Dogg [11-3-09]. From his sophomore album this Malibu hip-hopper teams up with rapper vet Snoop Dogg to lay out the price he’s had to pay for fame.

8) “Revolver” – Madonna featuring Lil Wayne [9-18-09]. Hidden in her latest two CD set, nestled in among smash hits spanning her 25 year career, is this dance duet featuring your Queen of Pop and the King of pop hip-hop.

9) “Who Says” – John Mayer [10-13-09]. New, laid-back and upbeat stoner tune from pop sensation from forthcoming album.

10) “The Moon is Made of Gold” – Rickie Lee Jones [11-3-09]. The same old Rickie, singing an old-school sounding track with just her voice and acoustic guitar.

11) “Horchata” – Vampire Weekend [to be released]. Lots of xylophones and percussion on this peppy track that extols the virtue of drinking “horchata.”

12) “Baby” – Devendra Banhart [10-23-09]. Spare and easy alt-track by indie-rocker who grew up in Caracas and L.A.

13) “Slow Poison” – The Bravery [leaked 9-8-09]. Post-punk revivalist band out of New York City (and Vassar College) churns out 80’s, Cure-like sounding track.

14) “Hell” – Tegan & Sara [10-2-09]. Canadian indie-rock duo and twin sisters release pumping lead track with bouncy bassline and anthemic chorus.

15) “Let’s Go Surfing” – The Drums [leaked 9-21-09]. Upbeat, retro track off debut indie LP by Brooklyn quartet who sound a little like a new millennium Haircut 100.

16) “Feel it in My Bones” – Tiesto featuring Tegan and Sara [10-6-09]. HOLLAND. A euro-pop chic track from notable Dutch electronica DJ’s latest album, loaded with guest appearances and produced by Timbaland.

17) “Come Back Clean” – The Crystal Method featuring Emily Haines [10-20-09]. L.A. Electronica dup teams up with female vocalist to make this sprawling dance club track that warns “don’t play with drugs in your bloodstream” a la floating female vocals.

… The Following Tracks are Among the Best Tracks Released in the Past 60 Days -- currently unavailable on Playlist.com – but worth checking out!

1) “Low Rising” – The Swell Season [10-27-09]. A Van Morrison-inspired, bluesy-rock track by former-lover duet (Dublin/Czech) that smacks of 60’s folk harmonies.

2) “Sun is Shining” – Bebel Gilberto [9-29-09]. A sexy cover of Bob Marley’s classic – ½ Portuguese and ½ English -- by Brazilian beauty descended from fine musical bloodline.

3) “Love” – Air [10-6-09]. Chill, ethereal, melodic chanting (of the word “love”) over gauzy, synth-pop electronica.

4) “Looking for Paradise” – Alejandro Sanz featuring Alicia Keys [9-22-09]. The most commercially successful Spanish singer of all time pairs up with American R&B songstress to cue up an alternating acoustic duet sung in each performer’s native tongue.

5) “Freezing Rain” – Hurricane Bells [11-10-09]. A train-like churning backbeat combines with eerie vocals by indie artist Steve Schiltz who writes, plays and records every note on his MacBook.

6) “Dear Jack” – Jack’s Mannequin [10-3-09]. Lead song from new EP is expressive and somewhat somber as drawn out by vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Andrew McMahon.

7) “Perro Loco” -- Forro in the Dark [10-13-09]. Brazilian party track built on upbeat Afro-Brazilian rhythms with churning guitars and riffing saxes, which mixes-in jazz and rock.

8) “The Apple and the Tooth” – Biblio [11-9-09]. Downtempo folk meets electronica from self-taught producer/multi-instrumentalist – Stephen Wilkinson – out of England’s West Midlands.

9) “Mess of Me” – Switchfoot [11-6-09]. A hard-rockin’ track from beach town (San Diego) Christian-oriented grunge band-gone-international.

10) “Bodies” – Robbie Williams [11-10-09]. Glam-tastic track for the post-Brit pop generation from U.K. pin-up boy.

11) “Spaceship” – Puddle of Mudd [10-26-09]. With the aim of getting clothes off and gettin’ to it – ‘let’s get it over and just get naked” – this four-piece alt-rock track lays down heavy guitar riffs.

12) “Stone Cold Sober” – Paloma Faith [un-released in U.S.] Often compared to Amy Winehouse, this emerging talent from the U.K. marries upbeat R&B arrangements with jazzy, soulful lyrics on her debut album.

13) “Bogota by Bus” – Jesse Cook [9-29-09]. Canadian musician lays out big percussive beats and rumba flamenco guitars that harken this instrumental track’s Spanish roots.

14) “Down in LA” – People Under the Stairs [10-13-09]. Old-skool sounding hip-hop track glorifying the southern Cali-vibe by underground hip-hip outfit out of L.A.

15) “Good Friends, Bad Habits’ – Owen [9-29-09]. Easy, alt-indie acoustic guitar track hailing friends who are “petty thieves and addicts” by Owen (who is Mike Kinsella) out of Chicago.

16) “Sunburn” – Owl City [10-13-09]. Shameless, happy pop with nothing but flaky, cute lyrics and a beat -- appearing on most recent 90201 Soundtrack -- by electronica guru and one-man-project out of Minnesota.

17) “Free Me” – Joss Stone [10-20-09]. The UK queen of retro-soul is at it again on this lead single from her new album.

18) “That Year’ – Brandi Carlile [10-6-09]. Mellow songbird track from young singer-songwriter out of Washington state who shows spectacular range of voice off third album produced by Rick Rubin.

19) “Things Fall Apart” – Built to Spill [10-2-09]. A chill, near-psychedelic jam that meanders into synthed horn and guitar solos from popular indie rock act out of Idaho

20) “Love Suggestions” – Will Downing. Brooklyn classic urban R&B composer offers a late-80’s, Jeffrey-Osborne-like cool touch in this jazzy-groove track.

21) “Get Out” – Mario [10-13-09]. R&B track, heavy on synths and backbeats off latest album by vocalist out of Baltimore.

22) “What?” – Rob Zombie [10-13-09] Pulsing metal rock with more of a pop edge by frontman for metal superstars White Zombie.

23) “Pa Pa Power” -- Dead Man’s Bones – [10-2-09]. Brain-child of Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields, this new band provides Halloween-like alternative track featuring full Silverlake Children’s Music Choir for background power.

24) “Darkside of the Sun” – Tokio Hotel [2009]. Bangin’ alt-rock track from emo-quartet out of Germany.