Not much to say about this one, it’s just as the intro post describes: songs that get me pumped up, motivated, inspired, etc. I’ve already posted plenty of vim and vigor on other playlists, but this category finally opens things up for me to include a few of my favorite songs of all time.

1. David Bowie, “Suffragette City”
There are few more kick-ass rock songs than this, a timeless classic that ties together everything from boogie woogie and the blues-riff roots of rock-n-roll through the analog synth glee of glam rock. KISS tried, over and over, for friggin’ decades, to come up with something to sum up Detroit Rock City better than this song by an British omnisexual former folkie named Davy Jones - and failed. Deal with it.

2. St. Germain, “Rose Rouge”
Cool modern sample-based hypnotic jazz mantra. I used to hear this every Wednesday morning on Emerson College’s WERS radio station while I was getting the store ready for “New Arrival Day”, and it helped the day get going with a spring in my step.

3. The Modern Lovers, “Roadrunner”
I’ve mentioned this song a bunch of times before - it’s just one of my favorite songs and has an energy that can instantly improve my state of mind.

4. Peter Gabriel, “A Different Drum”
This is from one of my favorite albums, Peter Gabriel’s music for “The Last Temptation Of Christ”.

5. Sniff ‘n’ The Tears, “Driver’s Seat”
Okay here we go. This is, with no apologies or qualifications, my favorite song of all time. It came out in 1979, I taped it off the radio, listened to it incessantly, was under the misconception that it was by The Cars, found it on 45 quite by accident at a library sale a few years later, and then finally got it on CD when it showed up on the soundtrack for “Boogie Nights”. I don’t know why it’s my favorite song, it’s just a combination of entering my life when I was at the impressionable age of 7, and featuring bits of things representative of lots of music I would later love; dancy beat, catchy synchopated chords, analog synths, vocal harmony, nonsensical but vivid word imagery… I guess it was just love at first listen, and I haven’t fallen out of love even thirty years later. Sure it’s got a high cheese factor as well - this was the disco-rock era that gave us stuff like “I Want To Kiss You All Over” and “Dream Weaver”. I don’t care. My love affair with cheese goes back even farther than 1979.

6. Sly & The Family Stone, “Stand!”
The first two thirds of this song are fine, the kind of “you can make it if you try” feel-good emotion that Sly was pumping out into the world at the time. But then the end break kicks in and wow! I’ll still play this over and over in my headphones when I need a pick-me-up and it just jams! I just want to jump up and down when this comes on, no matter how embarrassing it might be to do so on a crowded T platform. The essence of Up And Atom, distilled into a far-too-short-before-it-fades riff. Thank you, Mr. Stone and Family.

Download: David Bowie, “Suffragette City” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: St. Germain, “Rose Rouge” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: The Modern Lovers, “Roadrunner” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Peter Gabriel, “A Different Drum” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sniff ‘n’ The Tears, “Driver’s Seat” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Sly & The Family Stone, “Stand!” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Back in the day - the high school and early college days, to be specific - I was an alpine ski racer. It was not the most easygoing existence, with a lot of early morning wake-up calls, and a great need for getting amped up to conquer race courses that would, at times, intimidate.

(That’s a picture of me, back in 1989, racing the downhill at Sun Valley, Idaho: 70+ mph of fun on two planks!)

One thing that my coach used to help us get ready to go out and win was mental training, which involved deep relaxation, then visualization of the race courses, all done while listening to music. While the relaxation part involved placid, classical music, the racing simulation was backed with hard-charging music.

And many of us dragged our old Sony Walkman units up on the hill with us, the poor little AA batteries straining to play the overused cassette tapes in sub-freezing weather. I tended to favor rocking songs from The Beatles - as well as the Floyd song that leads this list, which my coach used (on my recommendation) for the race simulations.

Since then, I still listen to motivating songs - either from the beat, or from the lyrics - to get me motivated to conquer things. And it doesn’t matter if it’s skiing, or cycling, or doing political work, or simply getting out of bed in the morning - I’m still a sucker for motivating tunes.

1. “One Of These Days” - Pink Floyd
   As I said, this is one of the songs that my ski coach, Olle, used for our mental training sessions. Granted, the version I gave to him had the swirling winds and false starts edited out, so that it started on the ever-repeating bass line. But this is a great song: pulsing bass, a quote of the Doctor Who theme, Nick Mason’s sole turn at lead vocals on a Pink Floyd song, and then guitar and drum chaos added to the mix. It’s a wonderful song for getting a move on!
2. “In Step” - Girl Talk
   One of my favorite albums of 2008 is Feed The Animals by Girl Talk, the stage name of Greg Gillis, a disk-jockey-cum-remixer who sampled hundreds of songs, beats and sounds to create what both Sam and I call one of the best workout mixes ever put to tape (or, in this case, hard disk). Gillis lists his instrument as “laptop,” and the magic he works with one is great. This song made the “Hangover” disc that went out with the “hard copy” version of my Last Call 2008 compilation, and while it was very tough to pick a single song out of the constant flow of the Girl Talk album, this song represents just some of the joyous mess that is Feed The Animals.
3. “Immigrant Song” - Led Zeppelin
   This song seems a bit more my style, no? Now that I’ve come to appreciate Led Zeppelin (I wasn’t much of a fan until after high school), this song has become a motivating fave. This is also one of the few Zep songs that seldom strayed from its album arrangement and duration. Zep often jammed on stage, stretching songs like “Dazed And Confused” into half-hour meditations on a theme (or four). Not so with “Immigrant Song,” whose immediacy is perfect for this mix.
4. “Chelsea Dagger” - The Fratellis
   To me, this song is a “fire ‘em up” drunken bar swagger, and I think The Fratellis would appreciate the description. I love this song because it’s bombastic, yet simple, and touches a primal nerve in the adrenaline producing areas of my psyche.
5. “Rip It Up” - Little Richard
   Speaking of primal, Little Richard is the original, and this song still kills more than fifty years after its recording.
6. “Boss Of Me” - They Might Be Giants
   Most will know this song as the theme to “Malcolm In The Middle,” the long-running sitcom on Fox. But the whole song fits the same paradigm as the short, TV version: independence means getting up and moving!
7. “Never Going Back Again” - Fleetwood Mac
   I’m slowing down the mix here at the end for songs that are lyrically motivating. And this Lindsey Buckingham-penned song from Fleetwood Mac’s epic Rumours album is one that I always turn to when I think of falling back into old habits: “Been down one time / Been down two times / Never going back again.”
8. “The World Ain’t Slowing Down” - Ellis Paul
   A tip of the hat to sprite for pointing out the motivating factor of this wonderful Ellis Paul song, one that asks the listener to take life by the horns and live it up, because “the world ain’t slowing down for no one.”

Download: “One Of These Days” - Pink Floyd (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “In Step” - Girl Talk (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Immigrant Song” - Led Zeppelin (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Chelsea Dagger” - The Fratellis (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Rip It Up” - Little Richard (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Boss Of Me” - They Might Be Giants (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Never Going Back Again” - Fleetwood Mac (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “The World Ain’t Slowing Down” - Ellis Paul (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

a.k.a. Songs that I would work out to if I was still going to gym…ok, I will…I swear…I’ll get back by the end of the month!

This month’s list came pretty quickly to me. These are songs that always give me that energy boost or pump-up whenever they pop up in the shuffle on my iPod. Think of them as aural Red Bull. Drink it in! It’ll give you wings…but not the Paul McCartney kind as there aren’t any Macca songs this month…

HBO FEATURE PRESENTATION THEME by Ferdinand Jay Smith
This one carries some nostalgia as I watched HBO in the early 80s quite a bit growing up. Seeing the camera zoom through the town and into the sky to reveal that ultra-cool giant HBO logo was mesmerizing as a kid…especially when accompanied by this theme song. It’s a shame that it’s a thing of the past as this brief but powerful track almost always signaled that something big or cool was about to begin. I actually used to do a version of this singing the letters “H..B…Ohhhh…oh-whoaaa…HBO! HBO!” to kick off the comedy/music act I’d do at campus coffeehouse. Uncle Sam and his brother can attest to this…I highly recommend playing this before popping in a movie in your player on DVD nights.

CAN YOU FEEL IT by The Jacksons
I was shocked to find out this song didn’t even crack the Top 50 on the Billboard charts as it’s one of THE best Jacksons songs. During the last year of the game show I did for Harvard TV, I’d have the sound booth people play this as a warm-up song to get the audience pumped up. The unforgettable bass line matched with the over-the-top orchestral backing make for one of the most deliciously overblown examples of dance pomp and circumstance in music history. Oh, and how could one forget the ridiculous video that had the Jacksons as titan-like gods sprinkling their glittery disco dust over the people of a nondescript town? Highly recommended for making a grand entrance before any presentation…

GOTTA GET UP by Harry Nilsson
I first heard this song when I found my mom’s 45 of “Without You.” I was quite familiar with Nilsson’s definitive cover of “Without You,” but not with the B-side…this song from the “Nilsson Schmilsson” album. From the first several piano chords, I was hooked. It showed me that Nilsson was more than just a great singer…he was quite a songwriter as well. The insistent piano chords coupled with Nilsson’s punchy vocals of “Gotta get up, gotta get out, gotta get home before the morning comes…” give the song a relentless drive. Add to that some nifty brass accents arranged by Richard Perry and Paul Buckmaster and you’ve got quite a rollicking tune. Highly recommended for waking up to and doing the daily rituals of showering and brushing one’s teeth…

MR. BLUE SKY by Electric Light Orchestra
One of my favorite ELO songs…another great song to get the day started. This stepchild of the McCartney section of “Day in the Life” has been used in countless ads and movies. It’s also one of the definitive ELO songs…a mix of vocoder goodness, layered choruses, operatics, and chugging strings. Annoying and unnecessary to some, but to me, pure brilliance. A wonderful vehicle to tell the world, “So what if I’ve gone through crap…it’s a fresh day and it’s a fresh start!” Ok, maybe not…but if I was the jogging type, I’d highly recommend this for starting off a daily run…

DON’T STOP ME NOW by Queen
One of my favorites to do at karaoke…This song is tight and shows off the Queen sound about as well as “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It kicks off with a slow ballady intro featuring just Freddie Mercury and a little dash of piano and bass that breaks out into a party rocker that ranks as one Queen’s best. Sure the lyrics don’t really mean a hell of a lot (”200 degrees, that’s why they call me Mr. Farenheit?!?”), but I highly recommend this song for running around the room and jumping on the bed while singing the hell out it. C’mon try it…this song is PERFECT for it.

LOVE TODAY by Mika
The most recent track in my playlist this month. It’s from one of Uncle Sam’s favorite artists! Mika’s vocals are a little out-of-control on this track as his voice reaches ball-pinching heights that would make even Jake Shears turn and cough. The lyrics are a little dippy (”Everybody’s gonna love today…love today…love, love me…love, love me…”), but doesn’t everybody need some love today, love today? It’s quite the showstopper at his concerts as the drum solo at the end gets extended a bit as Mika partakes in the thumping and beating (often sans his shirt…whoo!). Highly recommended for starting a Pied Piper-esque parade down your street with the local kids to bring love and happiness to your neighborhood…balloons optional, but they wouldn’t hurt.

YOUR DISCO NEEDS YOU by Kylie Minogue
A campy collaboration with Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers that never really made it way over here in the States. It’s a shame that it didn’t, because it essentially answers the question…What if Olivia Newton-John teamed up with a steroid-pumped version of The Village People? The usual disco supsects are here…Swirling strings, thumping dance beats, driving bass, and some synth drum flourishes. Oh, and Kylie shows off her French skills too. Extremely recommended if you’re about to start up a gay battalion…if not, it’s just as effective if you’re just getting ready to go out with your friends to do some clubbing.

Download: “HBO Feature Presentation Theme” by Ferdinand Jay Smith (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Can You Feel It” by The Jacksons (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Gotta Get Up” by Harry Nilsson (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Love Today” by Mika (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Your Disco Needs You” by Kylie Minogue (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Just a quick thank you to everyone who stopped by Selective Service in 2008 — December was a record-breaking month in terms of visitors, and we hope to keep the momentum going in 2009 by continually giving you reasons to come back & dig into new tunes. But enough of the looking back now — it’s time to look forward to big things in ‘09.

After a well-deserved break this week, we’ll be back early next with our first themed lists for the year. Be the first to know when the new lists are posted by subscribing to our RSS feed or following us on Twitter. See you soon…

Download: Eels, “Old Shit/New Shit” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Happy holidays everyone! As has become an annual tradition here in Uncland, we hereby once again join the great unwashed blogosphere by posting our lists of favorite songs of the year. Sam started this far back in the mists of time, and the rest of us thought it was such a good idea that we Disneyed it immediately. In order to at least appear slightly different from all the endless “best of” lists that will pervade your life (is that a word? checking… okay) this month, we try to take the system of tubes less chosen and present you with some songs we loved this year that you may not have heard. And as always we’re mindful of the very important difference between a subjective (and hopefully respected) “favorite”, and an objective (but endlessly debatable) “best”. We hope you keep that in mind and quite simply enjoy these ready-to-burn-to-CD-length playlists as a gift to you from the Service staff.

• U.N.K.L.E. Matt’s “I Can’t Believe ‘08 (The Whole Thing)”
• Uncle Sam’s “The Best Songs You Didn’t Hear 2008″
• The Man(del) from UNCLE’s “20 in ‘08″
• Onkel Rudi’s “Last Call 2008″

Keep checking back — more lists will be added before the sun sets on ‘08!

So why did it take until 2009 for me to post this?

Because, in my mind, you can’t call a “best of 2008″ before the end of 2008!

That, and I was anticipating a rush of new, 2008-vintage music that would fill my stockings on Christmas, so I couldn’t really call 2008 a done-deal until I had a chance to process the new stuff. I’m not on the receiving end of the review copies of things, and my musical horizons are defined by very odd influences, so I take a while longer to get my act in gear for this annual rite.

That said, I only tweaked this list a tiny bit from it’s mid-December initial draft, so here you go: Onkel Rudi’s faves of the year that was 2K8:

1. “Keep Your Eyes Ahead” - The Helio Sequence (from Keep Your Eyes Ahead)
   Earlier in 2008, I read that George Martin’s entire strategy with albums by The Beatles was to kick things off with a strong rocker. And it certainly was a winning strategy, so I present this rocking track from The Helio Sequence. I’m really impressed with the sound of this band: strong rock chops and great songwriting.
2. “Sing The Changes” - The Fireman (from Electric Arguments)
   Sure, Paul McCartney and Youth have collaborated before, but their previous work was ambient and most reminiscent of the latter’s solo work. But this album is classic McCartney, and by recording under a pseudonym, he seems energized and vital again. Each song on this album went from initial concept to finished recording in its own, one-daya session at Abbey Road Studios (John would’ve approved), and this one finds Macca channeling the best aspects of his early-1970s songs, with a more modern, edgy production. And the whole album is full of surprising turns - a welcome exposure of Macca’s experimental side.
3. “Time To Pretend” - MGMT (from Oracular Spectacular)
   My favorite song of 2008. I know that Matt beat me to the punch here, and I wouldn’t normally repeat a track from one of the other uncles, but man, this song is all that. Two alums of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, MGMT really knows how to write really powerful synth rock that’s fresh and lyrically innovative.
4. “The Bomb and the Gun” - Ten Minute Turns (from Leaving Robot City)
   I really love the songs that “Brooklyn’s best unsigned band” puts out: great instrumantal mixes, fun vocals, playful lyrics and a unique sound that finds repeated plays on the iPod. Get the whole album from these guys - they’re great, and only getting better.
5. “Birthday” - The Bird & The Bee (from One Too Many Hearts)
   I love Inara George’s voice, and this was their lone released track in 2008. And what a wonderful song it is. I especially like the melodic chorus, where George harmonizes with herself to perfect effect.
6. “Elm City” - The Broken West (from Now or Heaven)
   What’s not to like about a song that name checks New Haven, home of the best apizza in the world?
7. “Accelerate” - R.E.M. (from Accelerate)
   A welcome return to form from the Athens, GA, trio. The material on Accelerate shows the benefit of touring the songs before hitting the studio: they sound like a band again, which is a big plus in my book
8. “Gallery Piece” - Of Montreal (from Skeletal Lamping)
   Speaking of Athens, GA, Of Montreal’s latest isn’t quite as strong as 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, but it has its moments. And this is one of the better ones: funky dance beats and wacky falsetto backing vocals bring about instant toe tapping and draw you in.
9. “Better Than This” - Keane (from Perfect Symmetry)
   I think that Keane has recovered from their sophomore slump with a fine album. Sure, it’s not the strongest of the year, but it’s full of fine songs. And “Better Than This” is a sound that is a bit crazy, a bit poppy, and quite effective.
10. “La Vitesse Superieure” - Carine Erseng (from La Vitesse Superieure)
    A find during my holiday in Paris, France, this album first drew me in with the cover art, featuring the artist riding a bike. But the fun, French dancehall songs are really fun and remind me of riding through the contryside on my two-wheeled velocipede.
11. “Viva La Vida” - Coldplay (from Viva La Vida)
    My second-favorite song of the year (cringe all you want, Sam), from an album that found Coldplay finally establishing its own sound. For years, the comparisons to U2 have been more-or-less applicable, save for occasional stabs at unique brilliance. On Viva La Vida, Chris Martin and the boys finally make an album-length statement of unique sound. I could’ve easily chosen another song from this album, but the title track is really a perfect summation of the Coldplay sound: lush and of an era that many feel has passed. 2008 was largely a year of more spartan recordings (reflecting the tired resignation of 2007, when most were recorded), but Coldplay bucked the trend to great effect.
12. “You, Me & The Bourgeoise” - The Submarines (from Honeysuckle Weeks)
    Yup - it’s the iPhone song. But it is a catchy song, right? And it is so intrinsically 2008, it would be a shame not to include it - with lyrics, even!
13. “Headphones” - I’m from Barcelona (from Who Killed Harry Houdini?)
    I really like this funky ensemble from Sweden: 30 musicians who collectively make fun songs that aren’t as sprawling and chaotic as one would expect. And “Headphones” is simply a catchy pop tune that works on many levels: lyrically, musically and mix-wise. The Swedes are making some great music these days, and I’m From Barcelona is one of the better acts from this movement.
14. “White Winter Hymnal” - Fleet Foxes (from Fleet Foxes)
    No, Matt, not everybody has heard this song. Trust me: the music market outside of Boston isn’t quite as in-tune with SXSW, and is still discovering this wonderful “beard band” of Americana neo-folk-alt musicians. And while I’m also a big Blitzen Trapper fan, I figure this song is an ideal folk-alt construction: simple, but with soaring harmonies and spartan production that still manages to milk the most out of the sound.
15. “Blackbird” - Julie Fowlis (from Mojo Presents The White Album Recovered)
    Enjoy this: “Blackbird” in Gaelic. It’s beautiful, haunting, and gives this song a fresh quality - amazing for a song that McCartney wrote 40 years ago. I found this on one of the wonderful mix CDs that come with MOJO magazine, the UK’s best music mag - worth the import sale price for the disc alone.
16. “Here Comes The Sun” - Yo-Yo Ma & James Taylor (from Songs Of Joy & Peace)
    Yup, another Beatle cover. I choose this because this is JT’s best recording of 2008 - far better than anything that appeared on the tired Covers album. The marriage of Taylor’s guitar and Ma’s cello is ideal backing for the very evocative vocal performance. This is one of my favorite covers of a Harrison song, bar none: simple and beautiful.
17. “Just The Way You Are” (Live) - Billy Joel (from The Stranger - Legacy Edition)
    Now I set the time machine back, because the reissues and rare releases of 2008 were really great. And the live concert disc included with the Legacy Series reissue of Billy Joel’s The Stranger is really wonderful stuff. This is possibly my favorite performance from that show: the song was new to the audience, and Joel really delivered on the performance.
18. “Why Don’t You Write Me” - Simon & Garfunkel (from Live 1969)
    Another rarity from 2008, Simon & Garfukel released an album of live performances from their 1969 tour. While it’s not fully representative of a show from that time - they left out quite a few songs from the standard set, and cobbled together the disc from multiple performances - it’s still an amazing disc. Their 1969 tour was the only one of their original tenure where they brought along the backing musicians used in the studio. This song was still fresh out of the studio when they performed this track, and it’s fun to hear the energy in the vocals of Paul and Artie. I should note that this disc was very tough to find, as it was originally a Starbucks exclusive and never made a smooth transition to sales in regular music stores. So if you can find a copy, I’d snap it up.
19. “Pork And Beans” - Weezer (from The Red Album)
    Yeah, this song is mostly about the video, but it’s also a catchy song.
20. “Strange Overtones” - David Byrne and Brian Eno (from Everything That Happens Will Happen Today)
    They hadn’t worked together in 27 years, but the re-teaming of Eno and Byrne produced a wonderfully quirky, eclectic album. This is my favorite track of the bunch.
21. “Cath…” - Death Cab For Cutie (from Narrow Stairs)
    DCFC’s strong new album tells great stories in each song. Can I say anything more? Perhaps, but we’re almost at the end.
22. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” - Ingrid Michaelson (from Be OK)
    A quiet performance to close out this set (another George Martin trick, just to bring this full circle), the haunting vocals of Michaelson lend a fragility to this old Elvis Presley ballad that leaves the listener both hopeful for the song’s protagonist, yet a bit wary that she’s going to fall apart very soon.

Download: “Keep Your Eyes Ahead” - The Helio Sequence (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Sing The Changes” - The Fireman (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Time To Pretend” - MGMT (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “The Bomb And The Gun” - Ten Minute Turns (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Birthday” - The Bird & The Bee (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Elm City” - The Broken West (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Accelerate” - R.E.M. (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Gallery Piece” - Of Montreal (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Better Than This” - Keane (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “La Vitesse Superieure” - Carine Erseng (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Viva La Vida (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “You, Me & The Bourgeoise (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Headphones” - I’m From Barcelona (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “White Winter Hymnal” - Fleet Foxes (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Blackbird” - Julie Fowlis (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Here Comes The Sun” - Yo-Yo Ma & James Taylor (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Just The Way You Are” - Billy Joel (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Why Don’t You Write Me” - Simon & Garfunkel (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Pork And Beans” - Weezer (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Strange Overtones” - David Byrne and Brian Eno (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Cath…” - Death Cab For Cutie (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Can’t Help Falling In Love” - Ingrid Michaelson (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Happy New Year, folks!

Before we dive headfirst into 2009, I wanted to look back one more time. This week I realized that this was the 10th year I’ve put together an annual best-of compilation CD. It started out as something to give my musically-curious coworkers, and it’s become an annual tradition that I share with good friends, family, coworkers, and, now, teh intarwebs. And yes, I’m well aware that some of you have actually heard some/most of the songs I include, but when I first titled the collections “The Best Songs You Didn’t Hear,” I guarantee that the recipients really had never heard the songs before, and I don’t feel the need to change.

I thought it would be fun to say hello to ‘09 and to cap a decade of compiling by presenting a best of the best collection: my favorite 2 songs from each annual set. I hope you dig the songs as much as I did and still do!

1. Supergrass, “Moving”
   from Supergrass
   I don’t think these Brits ever topped their self-titled 1999 album, which was a perfect amalgamation of late-period Beatles and mod Brit-rock jangle.
2. Matthew Sweet, “Trade Places”
   from In Reverse
   Easily the best song from Sweet’s last great record, 1999’s Pet Sounds-y In Reverse.
3. Primal Scream, “Exterminator”
   from XTRMNTR
   XTRMNTR is as abrasive as Screamadelica is warm, but it’s impossible to ignore. That bassline will shake your fillings loose, too.
4. Fatboy Slim, “Demons (feat. Macy Gray)”
   from Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars
   Big Beat finally met Proper Song Structure to excellent results here.
5. Eels, “Fresh Feeling”
   from Souljacker
   E’s quirk meets swooning romance, resulting in this remarkable high point in his expansive canon.
6. Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray”
   from Know Your Enemy
   It’s a shame press-baiting, lackluster singles like “Baby Elian” knocked Know Your Enemy off the radar, because people missed this gem, written by lead singer James Dean Bradfield about his ailing, aging father.
7. Bright Eyes, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love”
   from Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
   Dylan meets The Cure on what is still the definitive Bright Eyes album.
8. Def Leppard, “Torn To Shreds”
   from X
   Latter-day Lep is generally uneven, but when it works, like on this insanely hook-filled midtempo rock ballad, it really works. They haven’t equaled this song since it was released in 2003.
9. Idlewild, “Live In A Hiding Place”
   from The Remote Part
   Scottish rock meets gentle R.E.M.-like melodies to earworm-inducing effect.
10. Basement Jaxx, “Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal)”
    from Kish Kash
    Who knew the future of pop would be so overlooked in 2003? Addicting grime/dance.
11. Björk, “Who Is It”
    from Medúlla
    Unique as ever, Björk’s last great song is a completely vocal composition.
12. Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse, “December 4th”
    from The Grey Album
    Danger Mouse’s blending of Jay-Z’s Black Album and the Beatles’ “White Album” is still the definitive mashup album, 4 years later.
13. Spoon, “I Summon You”
    from Gimme Fiction
    I know they’re Austin’s favorite sons, but here they’re channeling Liverpool brilliantly.
14. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, “Sweet Illusions”
    from Cold Roses
    Adams finally found the perfect complement in The Cardinals, and they make beautiful, Dead-tinged Americana together.
15. Alabama 3, “Hello… I’m Johnny Cash”
    from Outlaw
    A3 dialed back the acid house and turned up the railroad shuffle of the Man In Black for this fantastic tribute.
16. Ten Minute Turns, “Wolf In The Water”
    from Sad Animals
    Their melodic, everything-often-including-the-kitchen-sink approach to rock makes Ten Minute Turns Brooklyn’s best unsigned act.
17. Malcolm Middleton, “Fuck It, I Love You”
    from A Brighter Beat
    Deliciously tuneful and brutally honest songwriting from the former Arab Strap-per. Like Badly Drawn Boy with a hangover.
18. Amy MacDonald, “Let’s Start A Band”
    from This Is The Life
    Inspiring folk-rock with a dash of mariachi horn from the most promising singer/songwriter in Scotland.
19. MGMT, “Kids”
    from Oracular Spectacular
    The most kraut-rocking-est song about environmentalism you’ll probably ever hear.
20. TV On The Radio, “Golden Age”
    from Dear Science
    TVOTR finally found a way to channel their diverse influences (rock, punk, funk, soul, jazz) into something tuneful by simply making into a catchy, fun dance album.

Happy 2009 everyone!

Download: Supergrass, “Moving” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Matthew Sweet, “Trade Places” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Primal Scream, “Exterminator” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Fatboy Slim, “Demons (feat. Macy Gray)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Eels, “Fresh Feeling” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Manic Street Preachers, “Ocean Spray” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Bright Eyes, “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Def Leppard, “Torn To Shreds” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Idlewild, “Live In A Hiding Place” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Basement Jaxx, “Lucky Star (feat. Dizzee Rascal)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Björk, “Who Is It” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Jay-Z + DJ Danger Mouse, “December 4th” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Spoon, “I Summon You” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, “Sweet Illusions” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Alabama 3, “Hello… I’m Johnny Cash” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Ten Minute Turns, “Wolf In The Water” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Malcolm Middleton, “Fuck It, I Love You” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Amy MacDonald, “Let’s Start A Band” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: MGMT, “Kids” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: TV On The Radio, “Golden Age” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)