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

1) “Rap Up 2009” – Skillz [1-2010]. Spare, smart and clever hip-hip that you want to hear out to the end by veteran emcee who lays out an annual track that tells the downtown entertainment stories of 2009.

2) “I Am” – Mary J. Blige [11-22-09]. Soulful R&B lead track from forthcoming album with big back-up singing for this new pop track by the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.

3) “Step Up” – Maylene and the Sons of Disaster [6-23-09]. Hold on to your hats! Old fashioned southern rock done right by (Think: Lynard Skynard! ZZ Top!) with a little alt-metal boogie thrown in for good measure.

4) “Beach Comber” – Real Estate [11-17-09]. Breezy, easy rock ballad with plucky strings and a laid-back beach vibe by indie band out of New Jersey.

5) “A Glorious Dawn” – ColorPulse -- Carl Sagan featuring Stephen Hawking [11-9-09]. Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking clips from COSMOS are translated by Auto-tune into a trippy ambient, philosophical, universalist track.

6) “Back to the Crib” – Juelz Santana featuring Chris Brown [12-21-09]. Hip-hop track by New York emcee with help on the hook and harmonies from bad-boy Chris Brown.

7) “Gold Guns Girls” – Metric [12-1-09]. Alternative rock track from band out of Canada with special props to lead singer – brassy, sexy, Emily Haines – and this acoustic EP version, is especially stellar.

8) “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.

9) “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.

10) “This is War” – 30 Seconds to Mars [12-8-09]. Alt-indie emo-rock charged track with the undercurrent of service to war and fighting to the death.

11) “Soldier of Love” – Sade [un-released]. A different sound for the melancholy soul singer, smoking-hot in the 80’s, with angular percussion and discordant back-up vocals.

12) “I’m Not Gonna Cry” – Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings [11-24-09]. Old school soul and groove sprung from the church.

13) “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.

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

1) “I Feel Good” – Mary J. Blige [12-22-09]. It’s easy to get a load of this breezy, upbeat maxi-groove by R&B soulstress.

2) “Shame on Me” – Amanda Blank [8-4-09]. An electro-funk dance number off debut album from rocker out of Philidelphia.

3) “Meet Me By the Back Door” – Charlie Mars [6-9-09]. Whispery back-up vocals, guitar and Mars’ groovin’ vocals combine on this alt-rock track.

4) “Here We Come (Ready or Not)” -- Rod Carrillo & Shefali [11-10-09]. Hot on the electronica/dance charts, this pop rock-dance fusion track is long, repetitive and danceable, featuring a beauty queen from Cleveland and produced by South American DJ out of Panama.

5) “We Belong to the Music” – Timbaland featuring Miley Cyrus [12-8-09]. It’s shameless pop – it’s Miley Cyrus! – teaming up with Timbaland – but it’s upbeat music you can dance to!

6) “You're All I Need To Get By” -- Melba Moore & Phil Perry [officially un-released]. With an old-school R&B groove, this duet pulls off their uniquely own version of classic track.

7) “Slumdog Millionaire” – Wyclef Jean [11-10-09] HAITI featuring Cindy Lauper. With a vague backbeat similar to the theme song but with its own hood feel, Lauper hits the melodic refrain and a Lucious LuLu solo while Wyclef raps for the meat of the track.

8) “Lovesick” – Lindstrom & Christabelle (12-11-09]. Down-tempo, funky track by Norwegian pair comprised of disco producer and songstress.

9) “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.

10) “Killer Life” – Sheryl Crow [11-17-09]. Tacked onto the re-issue of TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB about contemporary violence -- not her best song, but it’s good to hear something new from her.

11) “Coastal Break” – Tycho [12-8-09]. Instrumental electronica track that ebbs and flows with upbeat synths by indie group out of San Francisco.

12) “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.

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

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