RollnSmokeRecords Presents: Best New Songs Released in the Past 60 Days ...

1) “A Star is Born” – Jay-Z featuring J. Cole [9-11-09]. AT once melancholy and hopeful, a hip-hop track re-traces the history of rap – “clap for ‘em!” with commentary and a supporting melody.

2) “She Ain’t Got Shit on Me” – LeToya Luckett [8/4/09]. A girl-power R&B dance track, ruff on edge, just needing to know about this chick “who’s all that” from 1/3 of Destiny’s Child.

3) “Can’t Hardly Wait” – N’Dambi [9-15-09]. A phat, soulful groove to get the love monkey off her back by contemporary R&B singer from Dallas and her yummy soul-sister background singers.’

4) “Written on Her” – Birdman and Jay Sean [6-23-09}. A pop-pastiche hip-hop dance track laid out by rap duet claiming shawty’s got a naughty “shwag on lean” and who’s to argue?

5) “Johnny Got a Boom Boom” – Imelda May [8-18-09]. Lively, retro boogie-woogie by emerging Irish vocalist.

6) “Feel Like Taking You Home” – Brendan Benson [8-18-09]. The singer/songwriter from Nashville and member of the Raconteurs delivers an alt-rock solo set on Dave Matthews’ record label.

7) “Outta Control” – Baby Bash featuring Pitbull [7-17-09]. A spunky R&B dance duet lead by rapper out of Cali who teamd up with emerging Latino rapper out of Miami.

8) “Hold My Hand (I’ll Be There)” – Sean Paul featuring Keri Hilson [8-18-09]. An easy R&B duet featuring the dancehall king from Jamaica with streaming harmonies and an upbeat refrain.

9) “Million Dollar Bill” – Whitney Houston [8-31-09]. In classic Whitney-diva fashion, the lady lays an easy dance groove down on this lead track from her latest comeback album.

10) “Party in the USA” – Miley Cyrus [8-11-09]. The Queen of teen-pop belts out an irresistible, upbeat pop track stepping out in LA from Nashville.

11) “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.

12) “Hey Soul Sister” – Train [8-11-09]. A friendly, upbeat pop rock track from indie band out of San Francisco (smiley-face).

13) “Uprising” -- Muse (9-11-09]. High drama mixed with a little Queen and Radiohead = this loud alt-rock track by three childhood friends from Devon, England.

14) “The One” – Slaughterhouse [8-11-09]. A mix between rough rap and rock with female vocal melody moving the track along.

15) “Vanilla Twilight” – Owl City [7-28-09]. A sweet & sappy pop track with young, hopeful, idealistic vocals by Minnesota electronica project.

16) “One Day” – Matisyahu [8-29-09]. Typically classic reggae sound from Hasidic Jew out of West Chester, Pennsylvania.

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

1) “Young Forever” – Jay-Z feat. Mr. Hudson [9-11-09]. Jay-Z hits the rap and Brit Hudson holds the melody in this R&B track from Jay-Z’s newest star-studded album.

2) “First Train Home” – Imogen Heap [8-25-09]. The opening track/lead single from her new album is the best shot yet – lyrical, full, gliding like a train, pretty-- for the Lady Brit to achieve radio play.

3) “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Shanade [8-11-09]. From the compilation album RHYTHMS DEL MUNDO, this cover of the Nirvana 90’s grunge-original is smooth and features sultry female vocals (you can actually understand the lyrics!) and cool background horns.

4) “Di Alma” – Sara Travares [8-11-09]. CAPE VERDE. Peaceful, tropical percussions float in the background of this exotic and flowing vocal feast by native Cape Verdian-trasplanted-to -Portugal musician.

5) “Do You Dig U” – Q-Tip [9-15-09] A long, ephemeral and inventive hip-hop track off long-delayed album that combines jazz fusion with contemporary hip-hop.

6) “Turn You Out” – Baby Bash [8 –23-09]. A sexy, foreplay R&B groove by Latino rapper out of Cali, well-known on the Houston Latin rap scene.

7) “Bulletproof” – Raheem DeVaughn featuring Ludacris [9-1-09]. With a soulful, old-school, Motown sound, this R&B star sends out another banger that gets to the bottom of contemporary urban society.

8) “What Do U Like” – Bad Boy Bill [7-28-09]. Contemporary dance track from hard-house DJ out of Chicago that mixes electronica with strong female vocals.

9) “Light the Night” – Satellites & Sirens [8-4-09]. An upbeat, harmonious rock track off latest LP from Christian rock trio out of Nashville.

10) “Crawl Back In” – Dead by Sunrise [8-5-09]. A big, fat, heavily riffed, Linkin-Park-like rock track by emerging band formed as a side-project by Chester Bennington, vocalist for Linkin Park.

11) “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.

12) “Don’t Ever Leave Me Alone” – Smile Empty Soul [8-25-09]. A heavier electric guitar sound from alt-rock trio that formed in high school in Santa Clarita, Cali.

13) “Twice” – Pink & Noseworthy [8-11-09]. A continuous down-dream-groove from indie neo-folk trio out of Los Angeles.

14) “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.

15) “Be the One” – Jack Penate [8-18-09]. With a Cure-like sound and full of Philly-soul, this British R&B rocker lays it on in this lead single from his latest album.

16) “Mean Old Man” – Jerry Lee Lewis [8-25-09]. A plain, honest Johnny-Cash-like single from the septuagenarian with strong country backing and cool guitar.

17) “Bad Blood” – Simian Mobile Disco [9-15-09]. This long-ish electronica instrumental holds the listener’s interest in its dance-oriented ebbs and flows.

18) “Moonlight” – Rebelation [8-4-09]. A slow, romantic pop-reggae love song from laid-back, beach groovers out of Santa Barbara, California.

19) “I Ain’t Hidin’” – Black Crowes [9/1/09]. A great vintage-Rolling-Stones-like-rock number, heavy on guitar riffs, with a disco-tinged backbeat, packed with singular vocals by Chris Robinson.

20) “All of the Pleasures of the World” – The Crayon Fields (yet to be released in US). From forthcoming sophomore album to be released in September by Melbourne indie-pop group, this song moves a mellow flow with plain broad groove-appeal.