2012 Mixes

October 2012

Hands -- The Swellers (2:50)
Your Drums, Your Love -- AlunaGeorge (3:38)
Do It Anyway -- Ben Folds Five (3:55)
Hurricane -- MSMR (3:47)
Thief (Rubblebucket Remix feat. Kalmia) -- Chamberlin (3:53)
Quiver -- Jenna Andrews (3:07)
Patron Saint -- Regina Spektor (3:40)
Glass Mountain Trust (feat. D'Angelo) (B. Bravo & Teeko Re-Funk) -- B. Bravo & Teeko (4:48)
Yet Again -- Grizzly Bear (5:18)
Losing You -- Solange (4:22)
Ends of the Earth -- Lord Huron (4:45)
The Keepers -- Santigold (3:33)
Queen Of The City -- Joshua James (3:19)
How Do You Do? -- Hot Chip (4:45)
Robot -- Sick/Sea (3:56)
Naked -- Sera Cahoone (3:26)
Friends of Friends -- Hospitality (3:08)
Hunting Season -- The Epilogues (3:57)
Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It -- Stars (4:38)
Can't Relive The Party -- Toussaint Morrison (3:46)



September 2012

Unsurfed Waves -- Snowblink (3:38)
Stained Glass House -- Shy Hunters (3:41)
Heartbeat -- Kopecky Family Band (3:12)
Trust -- Generationals (3:45)
Angels -- The xx (2:52)
Slow Beginnings -- Alameda (3:33)
Purple -- California Wives (2:40)
Invincible (feat. RZA & Memoryhouse) -- Colin Munroe (4:37)
Cherokee -- Cat Power (4:46)
That's Still Mama -- Cody ChesnuTT (4:13)
October -- The Helio Sequence (4:38)
Too Young For Love -- Superhumanoids (3:50)
Unrehearsed -- Abandoned Pools (4:05)
Teardrop Windows -- Benjamin Gibbard (2:48)
No Church in the Wild (feat. Frank Ocean) -- Kanye West & Jay-Z (4:33)
Shiny Things -- Fanfarlo (4:33)
Tunnels (Arcade Fire Cover) -- Meklit Hadero & Quinn DeVeaux (4:32)
Come Home -- Chappo (3:28)
Fire -- The Submarines (4:24)
I'm Not Talking -- A.C. Newman (4:39)



August 2012

Sleep Alone -- Two Door Cinema Club (3:42)
Comeback Kid -- Sleigh Bells (3:01)
High For This -- Ellie Goulding (4:20)
Lights Out -- Santigold (3:13)
Only The Brave -- The Last Royals (3:35)
Feel So Close (Radio Edit) -- Calvin Harris (3:28)
Movie Loves a Screen -- April Smith and the Great Picture Show (2:15)
Don't Deny Your Heart -- Hot Chip (4:32)
Constant Conservations (St. Lucia Remix) -- Passion Pit (3:59)
Cry for Judas -- The Mountain Goats (3:13)
Only In My Dreams -- Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (3:12)
Thinkin Bout You -- Frank Ocean (3:21)
Will Do -- TV On The Radio (3:46)
Holocene -- KNESSET (5:37)
When The Movie's Over -- Twin Shadow (3:58)
Where Do You Belong? -- Digits (4:25)
Harps -- The Sea and Cake (4:08)
Lord Knows -- Dum Dum Girls (4:18)
Talk about Lonesome -- Beachwood Sparks (3:09)
I'm Jay's Girl -- Friends x Jay-Z (2:50)



July 2012

I Was A Bomb -- Silent Rider (4:50)
Midnight City (M83 Cover) -- Saint Saviour (3:49)
Sod In The Seed -- WHY? (4:43)
Get Away With It -- Animal Kingdom (3:15)
Move In The Right Direction (CSS Remix) -- Gossip (4:02)
Lights -- Ellie Goulding (4:06)
In A Phantom Mood -- Shintaro Sakamoto (4:05)
I'll Wait -- Bebe Black (4:21)
Secret Lover (Party Supplies Remix) -- That Work (3:48)
Sweet Life -- Frank Ocean (4:23)
Coffee -- Misun (3:44)
Settle Down - Brenmar Remix - Master -- Kimbra (4:28)
Rocket Ship -- Dragonette (3:31)
Tuck the Darkness In -- Bowerbirds (4:50)
You as You Were -- Shearwater (3:43)
Murder in the City -- The Avett Brothers (3:12)
Know Me -- Frankie Rose (2:53)
Summer Skills (Bump in the Night Version) -- ARMS (4:36)
Live Your Life (DJ Ayres & Scott Melker Remix) -- Yuna (3:02)
White Coats -- Foxes (4:07)



May 2012

Too Close -- Alex Clare (4:17)
I Belong In Your Arms -- Chairlift (3:27)
Call Me Maybe -- Carly Rae Jepsen (3:14)
All Day Today -- Hospitality (3:14)
Summerlong -- Xylos (3:51)
Marathon Runner -- Yellow Ostrich (3:56)
Titanium -- David Guetta feat. Sia (4:01)
I Wait For You -- Future Of What (2:18)
Doom -- New Beard (3:37)
Tongue Tied (Gigamesh Remix) -- Grouplove (4:28)
Gangsta -- Tune-Yards (4:01)
Us & Ourselves -- Morning Parade (3:43)
Bloody Mary -- Silversun Pickups (3:50)
Some Nights -- PK (3:22)
Treehouse -- Gold Fields (3:18)
It All Feels the Same -- Tennis (3:23)
life = trap -- K.Flay (3:12)
Jag Kommer -- Veronica Maggio (3:27)
End Of The Line -- Sleigh Bells (3:38)


April 2012



Crystals -- Fixers (3:52)
Explosion -- Coco Morier (3:50)
Never Stop -- The Toxic Avenger (4:27)
Lost Somewhere -- Tanlines (3:30)
Take Care (feat. Rihanna) -- Drake (4:37)
Keep It Low -- The Hundred In The Hands (4:23)
Paper Butterfly -- Shana Halligan (2:35)
Anna Sun (Fool's Gold Remix) -- Walk The Moon (2:59)
Born To -- Jesca Hoop (3:44)
Milwaukee Protocol -- Bright Moments (3:46)
Wild -- Royal Teeth (4:35)
Every Night I Say A Prayer -- Little Boots (3:39)
Warrior -- Mark Foster + A-Trak + Kimbra (4:14)
Velvet Elvis -- Alex Winston (3:20)
Leave The Lights On (The Crystal Method Remix) -- Meiko (4:23)
God Knows Why -- Nneka featuring Black Thought (4:02)
Do You Remember -- Ane Brun (3:12)
No Diggity -- Chet Faker (3:43)
Here Again -- Quantic & Alice Russell (4:07)
Big Mouth -- Santigold (3:11)
My Night With The Prostitute From Marseille -- Beirut (3:09)


March 2012
Primitive Girl -- M. Ward (3:10)
Who Do You Like? -- Joywave (3:36)
Someone Like You (Clark Kent Remix) -- Adele (5:53)
Guide Me (Gigamesh Remix) -- James Curd (5:12)
Age of Consent -- The Last Names (3:44)
Cyan -- Kindness (4:28)
Another Life -- NO (4:05)
Somebody That I Used To Know (Myndset Remix) -- Gotye ft. Kimbra (4:35)
Trip -- Vacationer (2:54)
Wood And Plastic -- Breton (2:40)
Slow Down (DWNTWN Remix) -- BeatauCue (3:42)
Give It Away -- Andrew Bird (4:31)
Natural Disaster -- Dante Vs Zombies (3:26)
We Were Owls -- Lovedrug (3:57)
Shake Hands -- Birthmark (2:54)
Groove Me feat. Theophilus London (Alex Metric Remix) -- Maximum Balloon (5:11)
Beautiful Life -- jj (3:20)
Video Games (Grandtheft Remix) -- Lana Del Rey (5:22)
All Of Me -- Tanlines (3:51)
Flutes -- Hot Chip (7:05)


February 2012
Punching In A Dream -- The Naked & Famous (3:58)
Put It On The Line -- Soft Swells (3:46)
We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monae) -- Fun. (4:10)
Break My Heart -- La Sera (2:09)
The Look -- Metronomy (4:38)
Turn Me On (feat. Nicki Minaj) -- David Guetta & Nicki Minaj (3:20)
Lay Your Cards Out (feat. Mike Noyce of Bon Iver) -- POLIÇA (4:04)
Tongue Tied -- Grouplove (3:38)
Santa Fe -- Beirut (4:15)
Don't Stop (St. Lucia Remix) -- Foster The People (4:14)
Crystal Film (Close Remix) -- Little Dragon (4:00)
We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris) -- Rihanna (3:36)
June Hymn -- The Decemberists (3:58)
Charles Bradley (Les Professionnels Edit) -- Young Gliss (3:26)
Oceans (White Sea Remix) -- Serenades (4:24)
Bad Feeling -- Veronica Falls (3:10)
Love Love Love -- Avalanche City (3:13)
Two Against One (Feat. Jack White) -- Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi (2:21)
In The Middle (I Met You There) (feat. Jonny Pierce) -- Matthew Dear (3:50)
Sweet Sour -- Band Of Skulls (3:26)
Lotus Flower -- Radiohead (5:00)


January 2012
My Home -- Nneka (4:08)
Cocaine (Little Dragon Remix) -- The Internet (3:29)
Devil's Work -- Miike Snow (3:56)
You're The Kind Of Girl -- Lee Fields (4:01)
This Is Not A Song -- Islands (3:56)
Fauxhemia -- Dead Milkmen (2:41)
Heartaches & Pain -- Charles Bradley (2:56)
Beggar In the Morning -- The Barr Brothers (5:55)
The Night -- School of Seven Bells (3:49)
High Hawk Season -- The Mountain Goats (2:56)
Palomino -- Mates of State (4:55)
Steven McQueen -- M83 (3:49)
Holocene -- Bon Iver (5:37)
Little Talks -- Of Monsters And Men (4:27)
East Harlem -- Beirut (3:59)
Calamity Song -- The Decemberists (3:50)
Cruel -- St. Vincent (3:35)
Downtown -- Destroyer (3:52)
Lover To Lover -- Florence + the Machine (4:03)
Rylan -- The National (4:15)

For all of my mixes going back to 2001, check out our companion Choice Cuts blog!

Pour Another One: Choice Cuts Vol. 10

1. "What You Know" -- Two Door Cinema Club
You can't deny the catchy power pop of Northern Ireland indie rockers Two Door Cinema Club. "What You Know," which the group performed on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" last January, is the perfect pick-me=up to lead off this year's Choice Cuts compilation. (Two Door Cinema Club's track "This is the Life" also showed up on our November mix.)


2. "Helena Beat" -- Foster the People
While everyone was going nuts over "Pumped Up Kicks" -- which, let's face it, is awfully annoying -- I was drawn to the less cloying "Helena Beat." (Radio is now catching up and starting to play it as well.) Five years from now, you're going to quickly change the station if "Pumped Up Kicks" comes on, but you'll gladly stick around for a listen to "Helena Beat."


3. "Going And Going. And Going." -- Icebird (RJD2 & Aaron Livingston)
This was a tough one, as I had to choose between two excellent Icebird tracks (the other being "Charmed Life"). I went with the slightly more uptempo "Going And Going. And Going." I guess I'm a sucker for DJ/singer collaborations and Icebird -- a combo of RJD2 (Ramble John "RJ" Krohn) and Philadelphia crooner Aaron Livingston -- is this year's winner.


4. "Block After Block" -- Matt & Kim
Brooklyn-based Matt & Kim (Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino) hit it big in 2009 with "Daylight." "Block After Block," off their late 2010 album "Sidewalks," carries on their upbeat sound.


5. "Armistice (RAC Remix)" -- Phoenix
"Armistice" is actually an old track, off Phoenix's 2009 album "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix," so I considered not including it. But RAC's 2011 remix of the song gives it a fresh, dancy spin, and I just couldn't resist.


6. "Sweet Louise" -- Belle Brigade
L.A.-based siblings Barbara Gruska and Ethan Gruska come from music royalty: Their grandfather is Oscar-winning composer John Williams. (Their father is a film and TV composer as well.) The Belle Brigade's harmonies were one of the highlights of KCRW's recent Are Friends Eclectic? concert at the Orpheum.


7. "Paradise" -- Coldplay
Blogger Kid and Blogger Toddler can't get enough of "Paradise." They sing the song's chorus constantly. They re-enact the Coldplay video (watch above). They demand it in the car. Thankfully it's a good song.


8. "Eyes" -- Peter Bjorn and John
Damn you, "2 Broke Girls." I would have included Peter, Bjorn and John's "Second Chance" on this list, as potentially my favorite track on the group's recent album "Gimme Some." But then "2 Broke Girls" selected "Second Chance" its theme song... and hearing it so often, and connected to a sitcom, took away quite a bit of the song's allure in my mind. Thankfully Peter Bjorn and John's new CD contains several tracks worthy of our mix -- "Breaker, Breaker" and "May Seem Macabre" were two more contenders, before I settled on "Eyes."


9. "New Leaf" -- Alameda
What seems to be an unassuming tune by Portland trio Alameda winds up exuding power thanks to its use of drums. (Is that a tympani?)


10. "King Of The Beach" -- Wavves
Pitchfork named Wavves' "King of the Beach" album, which includes this title track, as number 50 on its list "The Top 50 Albums of 2010." I didn't discover it until 2011, but was immediately enchanted by the song's surf/low-fi/noise aesthetic.


11. "A Long Time (Chromeo Remix)" -- Mayer Hawthorne
Mayer Hawthorne (Andrew Mayer Cohen) boasts a soulful 60s sound; merge it with Chromeo's 80s vibe for the ultimate throwback mashup. I couldn't find a copy of the Chromeo version on YouTube, so here's the original mix.


12. "Sleeping at Night" -- Caught A Ghost
Catchy, soulful tune from Los Angeles band Caught A Ghost, fronted by songwriter/producer Jesse Nolan. It's so catchy, as a matter of fact, that every time "Sleeping at Night" comes on in the car I catch Blogger Kid and Blogger Toddler singing along to the chorus. (For that reason alone, I couldn't resist putting it on the Choice Cuts roundup.)


13. "Barton Hollow" -- The Civil Wars
It's been a big year for the Civil Wars, the Grammy-winning Nashville duo of singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White. The group rode the wave of this year's heavy folk trend (Mumford and Sons, obviously, leading the way as well) and were helped when iTunes promoted "Barton Hollow" as its "free single of the week" last February. Above, here they are on the UK's "Later with Jools Holland."


14. "Moment 4 Life" -- Nicki Minaj Feat. Drake
Going mainstream here. Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" wound up on a lot of top ten singles lists for 2011. But I kind of preferred "Moment 4 Life" and its simple drum beat. "Moment 4 Life" was one of my go-to songs when I wanted to pump in some energy on the long drive home.


15. "Ritual Union" -- Little Dragon
The smooth, silky music of Little Dragon sounds like the soundtrack to a late evening in some smoky, space age club. We've included Little Dragon in past end-of-year mixes, and this year I was enchanted by "Ritual Union." This is a video of them performing at KCRW.


16. "Catapult" -- Operator Please

I'm realizing that several of this year's Choice Cut picks were the catchy songs that I heard Blogger Kid and Blogger Toddler singing to in the back row of my car. Maybe that's what endeared me to the tracks even more. That's the case of "Catapult," a quick-paced, rockin' tune.


17. "Maps" -- The Front Bottoms
"Maps" wins for being the quirkiest song on this year's list. It sounds like an upbeat tune, but it's really a tragic treatise on failed dreams and missed opportunities.


18. "Midnight City" -- M83

C'mon, is there anything better than the opening synth chords of M83's "Midnight City"? I could hear it over and over again. And if that's not enough 80s deliciousness for you, "Midnight City" includes a saxophone! A SAXOPHONE. 1986 is back!


19. "Ffunny Ffriends" -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Whatta great hook. Portland-based Unknown Mortal Orchestra's analog sound makes "Ffunny Ffriends" deceptively simple. But like the song title's strange spelling, "Ffunny Ffriends" surprises.


20. "Warm Heart of Africa (Featuring Ezra Koenig)" -- The Very Best
Another semi-cheat -- this track actually came out in 2009, but I only discovered it in 2011, while listening to newer music from The Very Best. But it's a good way to first meet the band, a mix of Afropop and Western sounds. Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend duets with Malawi-born Esau Mwamwaya of the band provide the vocals here.


21. "No One's Gonna Love You" -- Cee Lo Green
It was quite a year for Cee-Lo, between "F**k You" and his turn as a coach on NBC's "The Voice." My favorite output from Cee-Lo, however, was his soulful take on Band of Horses' "No One's Gonna Love You."


22. "Helplessness Blues" -- Fleet Foxes
The title track from Fleet Foxes' second album, "Helplessness Blues" builds on the back of a drum cadence before ending on a quiet note. I thought it was the perfect way to end this year's Choice Cuts mix.

2011 Mixes

November 2011

Ffunny Ffriends -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra (4:17)
Life On The Nickel (Mansions On The Moon Remix) -- Foster The People (3:20)
Shake it Out -- Florence + the Machine (4:38)
Dance Card -- Pepper Rabbit (3:44)
Why Even Try (RAC Remix) -- Theophilus London (5:14)
Gotta Go -- Oberhofer (3:18)
Eyes Wide (Fool's Gold Remix) -- Local Natives (3:16)
By Your Hand -- Los Campesinos! (4:07)
We Are -- Freestyle Fellowship (2:43)
Before I Knew -- Basia Bulat (1:13)
Sway -- Mates of State (3:35)
Bittersweet Melodies -- Feist (3:57)
This is the Life -- Two Door Cinema Club (3:31)
Balance -- Future Islands (4:07)
Wild Window -- Fool's Gold (2:57)
Bunhill Fields -- Amor de Días (2:13)
The Rip Tide -- Beirut (4:26)
Make My -- The Roots (4:32)
No Ending -- Stacy Lane (2:23)
Coffee -- Yuna (2:52)

October 2011

Pull Me Back to Earth -- Friendly Fires (3:30)
Paradise -- Coldplay (4:39)
Rocketeer -- Far East Movement & Ryan Tedder (3:31)
Sleeping at Night -- Caught A Ghost (3:30)
Indian Summer (Des Moines) -- Canon Blue (4:31)
Street Joy -- White Denim (3:36)
Midnight City -- M83 (4:03)
Charmed Life -- Icebird (RJD2 & Aaron Livingston) (3:41)
Money -- The Drums (3:54)
My Boo -- Friends (3:32)
Don't Move -- Phantogram (4:18)
Free My Mind -- Katie Herzig (4:46)
Little House of Savages (Walkmen Cover) -- Asobi Seksu (3:13)
Walked Alone -- YACHT (4:50)
Romance -- Wild Flag (3:52)
Play (Los Rakas Remix) -- Goapele (4:24)
Steady Steady -- North Highlands (3:35)
Matador -- Maria Taylor (4:20)
Somebody that I Used to Know -- Gotye (4:04)
Desire -- Mates Of State (2:47)
Carry -- Tori Amos (4:08)

September 2011

Block After Block -- Matt & Kim (2:56)
Bedroom Eyes -- Dum Dum Girls (3:58)
Ritual Union -- Little Dragon (3:30)
I Would Do Anything For You -- Foster the People (3:31)
I Stand Alone -- Theophilus London (3:23)
Another Luvr (feat. Wale) -- Teedra Moses (4:06)
Up Up Up -- Givers (4:34)
What You Know -- Two Door Cinema Club (3:11)
Beautiful Trash (feat. Megan Washington) -- Lanu (3:31)
Why Can't We -- Aṣa (3:44)
Wolves (Crystal Fighters Remix) -- The Good Natured (5:17)
In A City Without Seasons -- The One AM Radio (3:03)
All Alone -- Toro Y Moi (3:55)
Weekend -- Class Actress (4:02)
Angela -- The Go Round (4:16)
Street Clothes -- Fool's Gold (5:01)
The Heron And The Fox (Work Drugs Sex-Fi Remix) -- Little Scream (3:44)
The Romance of the Telescope (feat. Andrew Cedermark) -- Lushlife (4:52)
How Can U Luv Me -- Unknown Mortal Orchestra (3:28)
Dreams -- Blood Diamonds (3:45)

August 2011

A Long Time (Chromeo Remix) -- Mayer Hawthorne (4:41)
Going And Going. And Going. -- Icebird (RJD2 & Aaron Livingston) (4:19)
What Starry Eyes Know (Two Door Cinema Club vs. Ellie Goulding) -- Neon Hitch (3:46)
Radar Detector (The Loving Hand Remix) -- Darwin Deez (5:37)
Pumped Up Kicks (Grouplove & Captain Cuts Remix) -- Foster The People (4:03)
Life Is Life (Yuksek Remix) -- Noah and the Whale (4:28)
Maps -- The Front Bottoms (3:35)
Swell Window -- Zee Avi (3:52)
Judy Is Your Viet Nam -- They Might Be Giants (1:26)
I Don't Know How To Act Here -- Teletextile (4:21)
Lies We Live In -- Ximena Sarinana (3:46)
Nothing But Our Love -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (4:06)
Watch Me Dance -- Roots Manuva (4:06)
Northern Mentality (Friendly Ghost Remix) -- Mathieu Santos (Ra Ra Riot) (4:34)
The Jingle Swing -- Bigott (2:55)
Colour -- Keegan DeWitt (4:02)
Half Of Something Else -- The Airborne Toxic Event (4:39)
Dan's Silverleaf -- The Middle East (4:13)
Dub Revolution -- See-I (3:40)

July 2011

Second Chance -- Peter Bjorn & John (4:13)
Underneath the Sycamore -- Death Cab for Cutie (3:25)
The Roller -- Beady Eye (3:35)
You Were Never There -- Diego Garcia (3:40)
Georgia -- Cee-Lo (3:46)
King Of The Beach -- Wavves (2:38)
Just a Friend (feat. Biz Markie, Matt Berninger, and Sharon Jones) -- Booker T. Jones (4:05)
Warm Heart of Africa (Featuring Ezra Koenig) -- The Very Best (3:47)
Juice -- Tony Castles (2:35)
Skip the Charades -- Cold War Kids (4:25)
Call Your Girlfriend (Feed Me Remix) -- Robyn (4:56)
Battery Kinzie -- Fleet Foxes (2:49)
Faster -- Matt Nathanson (3:28)
Calgary -- Bon Iver (4:10)
Half Of Something Else -- The Airborne Toxic Event (4:39)
Wonder Why -- Vetiver (3:22 Tonight's The Kind Of Night (RAC Mix) -- Noah and the Whale (3:39)
One for You, One for Me -- Bright Eyes (6:35)
Ire -- The Don Isaac Ezekiel Combination (3:20)
Wooden Bones -- Follow That Bird (4:18)
Representing Memphis -- Booker T Jones (3:30)

May 2011

Cant Keep Johnny Down -- They Might Be Giants (2:23)
May Seem Macabre -- Peter, Bjorn and John (4:42)
Starry-Eyed -- Ellie Goulding (2:57)
Scissor Runner -- Jenny And Johnny (2:58)
The Shark Fighter! -- Aquabats (2:57)
Love To Get Used -- Matt Pond PA (3:34)
Turning Tables -- Adele (4:10)
Make Some Noise -- Beastie Boys (3:32)
Sadness Is A Blessing (Gold Panda Remix) -- Lykke Li (4:32)
The Healthy One -- Laura Stevenson & The Cans (2:23)
Wait & See -- Holy Ghost! (3:43)
No One's Gonna Love You -- Cee Lo Green (3:29)
Exile Vilify -- The National (4:45)
Can't Stop Thinking about You -- Brett Dennen (4:05)
Dinner -- Blood Orange (4:50)
Sunshine Eyes (Channel Swimmer Mix) -- Polarsets (4:40)
Seashell -- Scala and Kolacny Brothers (3:25)
Golden State -- Delta Spirit (3:13)
Go Outside -- Cults (3:24)
Upside Down -- J. Pinder (3:52)
Need You Now -- Cut Copy (6:10)

March 2011

New Leaf -- Alameda (2:58)
Something's Gotta Give -- The Kickdrums (3:44)
Breaker Breaker -- Peter Bjorn & John (1:39)
Perfectly Crystal -- Asobi Seksu (3:49)
The Cave -- Mumford & Sons (3:36)
Catapult -- Operator Please (3:12)
Seance On A Wet Afternoon -- Girls Names (3:00)
I Don't Wanna -- Anna Waronker (3:08)
Simmerdown -- Nostalgia 77 (3:27)
Save Me -- Nicki Minaj (3:05)
The Last Dance (Chase & Status Remix) -- Clare Maguire (3:26)
Helplessness Blues -- Fleet Foxes (5:03)
Rolling In The Deep -- Adele (3:48)
Oh My Heart -- R.E.M. (3:21)
Eleven (feat. tUnE-yArDs) -- Thao & Mirah (4:01)
The Tide Pulls From The Moon (Acoustic Version) -- William Fitzsimmons (3:21)
Call Up to Heaven -- Kraak and Smaak (4:46)
Armistice (RAC Remix) -- Phoenix (4:56)
Forget That You're Young -- The Raveonettes (3:58)
Winter Song -- The Head and the Heart (2:43)


January 2011

Middle Of The Night -- Eastern Conference Champions (2:56)
Genius Of Love (Money Mark Remix) -- Tom Tom Club (4:43)
Ready To Start -- Arcade Fire (4:19)
Tonight -- Koudlam (3:25)
The World (Is Going Up In Flames) -- Charles Bradley (3:25)
Tree By The River -- Iron & Wine (3:57)
Mine Is Yours (Passion Pit Remix) -- Cold War Kids (4:18)
Sweet Louise -- Belle Brigade (3:08)
Up All Night (SBTRKT Remix) -- Alex Clare (3:22)
Tear the Fences Down -- Eulogies (2:37)
Still The Same Person -- Sister Crayon (3:44)
Cold Rain (prod. Ski Beatz) -- Talib Kweli (2:37)
I Follow Rivers (Dave Sitek Remix) -- Lykke Li (3:58)
Alter Ego -- Tame Impala (4:48)
Shake Me Down -- Cage the Elephant (3:30)
Barton Hollow -- The Civil Wars (3:25)
We Are Stars -- The Pierces (3:48)
Sunlight (feat. Dan Black) -- Bag Raiders (4:03)
I Count The Ways -- Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich + Fussible (3:50)
The Smoke -- Home Video (5:12)
Triple Double -- Girl Talk (6:28)

Rock the Waffle House: Choice Cuts Vol. 9

1. "Fair Game" -- The Like

There's a lot to like about The Like. Yes, they're the daughters of industry vets (including group founders Elizabeth "Z" Berg, the daughter of a former Geffen exec, and Tennessee Thomas, the daughter of Elvis Costello's drummer. But these women can craft some seriously catchy pop -- and "Fair Game" is irresistible.



2. You! Me! Dancing! -- Los Campesinos!

This feel-good Los Campesinos! track is actually three years old. But I just discovered it this year, and got instantly hooked. I dare you to listen to this track without tapping your toes. (The video's pretty cool too; the song doesn't actually begin until more than a minute in, but it's well worth a watch.)



3. Lose It (In The End) -- Mark Ronson feat. Ghostface Killah

Fresh off Mark Ronson's third album, "Record Collection," this jam's short but powerful, a great use of Phantom Planet's Alex Greenwald juxtaposed with Wu Tang's Ghostface Killah.



4. "Sun Hands" -- Local Natives

Silver Lake's own (by way of Orange County) Local Natives was featured on several of Franklin Avenue's playlists this year, as the group's debut CD, "Gorilla Manor," was a fave. "Sun Hands," which features the group's harmonies leading up to a powerful climax, was one of my faves.



5. "The High Road" -- Broken Bells

Broken Bells -- the duo consisting of uber producer Danger Mouse and The Shins vocalist James Mercer -- came on the scene big this year, starting with their lead-off single, "The High Road." Their self-titled CD, released in March, remains a favorite of 2010. Danger Mouse -- real name: Brian Burton -- reps the second producer on our Choice Cuts end-of-year collection, along with Mark Ronson. (His partnership with Cee-Lo, Gnarls Barkley, was also a Choice Cuts favorite.)



6. "Symphonies" -- Dan Black feat. Kid Cudi

Dan Black's "Symphonies" was a minor hit this year in its original version, but I'm partial to this reworked version featuring Kid Cudi. It's been quite a year for both artists: Kid Cudi received three 2010 Grammy nominations and starred in HBO's "How to Make it in America," while Dan Black's debut album "UN" was released this year. Black's video for "Symphonies" (above) also scored multiple MTV Video Music Award nominations.



7. "Not in Love" -- Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith

This is a very late addition to the end-of-year mix -- but I can't get this song, or the vocals by the Cure's Robert Smith, out of my head. It's a cover of a 1980s song by Platinum Blond, updated by Crystal Castles -- with the genius addition of Smith's vocals. Better than anything The Cure has put out since the early 1990s.



8. "Little Secrets" -- Passion Pit

First off, you gotta love the fact that Passion Pit -- formed in 2007 -- took their name (allegedly) from Variety's slanguage dictionary. (Variety used the term in the past to refer to drive-in theaters). I enjoyed Passion Pit's CD for much of 2009, actually, but this song snuck onto my January 2010 mix. It's such a catchy, delicious slice of electro pop (I also love the use of PS22 chorus for the "higher and higher" riff).



9. "Heard It on the Radio" -- The Bird and the Bee

Back in May, we took our first major road trip since the birth of Blogger Baby 2.0. During the drive north to San Francisco, we probably listened to the Bird and the Bee's "Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Hall and Oates" four or five times. It was the perfect, breezy soundtrack for our drive up the 5. "Heard It On the Radio" stood out to me, perhaps because the original Hall & Oates song isn't as overplayed as some of the others that Bird and the Bee (Inara George and Greg Kurstin) covered.



10. "Shyness" -- Thieves Like Us

Gotta love a band that takes its name from a classic New Order track. Thieves Like Us, which boasts members from both the U.S. and Sweden (but is based in Paris), came up with this solid pop song.



11. "Boy" -- Ra Ra Riot

Off Ra Ra Riot's second album, "The Orchard," the track "Boy" was a standout. Fast-paced with some great guitar work, this song will quickly get you moving.



12. "The Drumming Song" -- Florence and the Machine

This was Florence and the Machine's year, and while the hit song was clearly "Dog Days Are Over," I was partial to the power (and the drums, natch) of "The Drumming Song."



13. "As We Enter" (Tinie Tempah Remix) -- Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley

One of the more interesting releases this year came from hip-hop vet Nas and reggae star Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. Their collaboration, "Distant Relatives," was an interesting mix of hip-hop, reggae and African beats. I actually put several songs on my playlists throughout 2010, and their track "Strong Will Continue" was another contender for the end-of-year Choice Cuts mix. But the lead-off track to "Distant Relatives," the short jam "As We Enter," contains that irresistible sample from Mulatu Astatke. The mix I include is slightly different from the video version (above).



14. "Young Blood" -- The Naked and Famous

OK, so yeah, there's a definite Passion Pit vibe here. I clearly dig that kind of sound. But no matter. I like this song.



15. "Islands" -- The XX
Smoothest grooves of the year came from The XX, including their hit "Islands." London-based The xx's debut CD was actually released in late 2009, but their CD hit it big here across the pond in 2010. The xx also won this year's prestigious Mercury Prize.



16. "Skinny Genes" -- Eliza Doolittle

British singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle (real name: Eliza Sophie Caird) burst on the scene this year with her self-titled debut. Pop ditty "Skinny Genes" went on to become a big hit in the U.K.



17. "Dear God 2.0" -- The Roots (feat. Jim James and Monsters of Folk)

The Roots are a reminder that, through some hard work, you can have it all. Being the house band for Jimmy Fallon's "Late Night" has given the live hip-hop crew more exposure than ever -- and yet The Roots still had time to release the critically acclaimed CD "How I Got Over." The group even perfomed at Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity. It's good to be the Roots. Here, they collaborate with Monsters of Folk's Jim James for a new spin on that group's "Dear God."



18. "Tighten Up" - Black Keys

I didn't think I could like this Black Keys track any more... and then I saw the video and fell in love with it all over again.



19. "Lumiere (The xx Intro Remix)" -- Blue Scholars

This Seattle-based hip-hop duo, consisting of Geologic (George Quibuyen) and Sabzi (Saba Mohajerjasbi), has made it big in the Pacific Northwest thanks in part to their socially conscious lyrics and cool beats. "Lumiere" works thanks in part to that great sample from the xx as well as the catchy lyrics, such as Blogger Kid's favorite line, "Locked in thought/like a Filipino/watchin' boxing." The clip above was created by Oakland photographer John Coyne, who liked "Lumiere" enough to produce his own video.



20. "Soldier On (Big City Love Affair Remix)" -- The Temper Trap

The Temper Trap's original tracks are great, but they also led themselves to some stellar remixes. Here's one, "Soldier On," which I think really benefits from the addition of a marching drum-style backbeat.



21. "Modern Drift" -- Efterklang

Maybe I had a thing for drums this year? Dutch band Efterklang shares a quiet force with "Modern Drift," the first track off their third studio album, "Magic Chairs."



22. "Bed Intruder Song" -- Antoine Dodson and the Gregory Brothers

Wellll.... you can't really put together a 2010 mix without some sort of catchy Gregory Brothers autotune song. "Bed Intruder Song" was in my head, and I'm sure yours, for what seemed like months.

And that's it! Happy New Year, everybody.

2010 Mixes

November 2010

Heat And Hot Water (Passion Pit Remix) -- ARMS (3:32)
Skinny Genes -- Eliza Doolittle (3:05)
Home -- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (5:06)
Not In Love (feat. Robert Smith) -- Crystal Castles (3:46)
All Matter -- Bilal (5:21)
Me And The Moon (Twin Shadow Remix With No FX) -- The Drums (4:13)
Somebody To Love Me (ft. Boy George & Miike Snow) -- Mark Ronson And The Business Intl (4:58)
Freak Out -- Tapes 'n Tapes (4:05)
10 Slow -- Twin Shadow (3:58)
What's My Name --Rihanna feat. Drake (4:17)
Ain't Nobody (Coyote Remix) -- Clare Maguire (3:50)
Down By The Water -- The Decemberists (3:42)
Stop Me -- Mark Ronson Feat. Daniel Merriweather (3:54)
Get Some -- Lykke Li (3:23)
Just Before The Rain -- Dutch (3:59)
Louder Than Ever -- Cold War Kids (2:44)
MoneyGrabber -- Fitz & The Tantrums (3:10)
Boxer -- Lovers (4:20)
Favorite Colour (PUNCHES Remix) -- Tokyo Police Club (5:07)
Hypnotize U (Nero Remix) -- N.E.R.D. & Daft Punk (5:33)

October 2010

Lumière (The Xx Intro Remix) -- Blue Scholars (2:42)
I'm Afraid I'm Gonna Die Here -- Tim Kasher (4:51)
Bubbles -- Biffy Clyro (4:58)
A Roof Somewhere -- Lonely Drifter Karen (2:28)
Helicopter (Diplo & Lunice mix) -- Deerhunter (4:06)
Secrets -- Silver Swans (2:52)
Kisses -- Kisses (4:11)
Soldier On (Big City Love Affair Remix) -- The Temper Trap (5:03)
Nobody's In Love (Xaphoon Jones Remix) -- 2AM Club (3:45)
Gasoline And Matches (Soundtrack Version) -- Buddy & Julie Miller (3:12)
Sun Demon -- Stereolab (3:16)
Mountaineer -- White Sea (3:54)
Ode To Hip Hop (Intro) -- Nemo Achida (1:37)
My Girl The Horse -- Fences (4:28)
Total Live Forever -- Foals (3:16)
Resurrection (Penguin Prison Remix) -- The Temper Trap (5:39)
Faith (feat. Drake) -- K-Os (3:21)
Fast Lane -- Husky Rescue (4:36)
Tell 'Em -- Sleigh Bells (2:57)
Get Down -- Danny! (2:24)
Tokyo (Superhumanoids Remix) -- Wombats (3:06)

September 2010

Everything You Wanted (RAC Remix) -- Kele (4:29)
When I Come Home -- The Drums (3:42)
Doubt -- The Corin Tucker Band (3:23)
My Body -- Young The Giant (4:06)
Islands -- The XX (2:41)
Lose It (In The End) -- Mark Ronson feat. Ghostface Killah (2:26)
Climbing Walls (Demo) -- Strange Talk (3:45)
Sun of A Gun -- Oh Land (3:26)
Enemy Gene -- Of Montreal (3:38)
In Sleep (Live) -- Lissie (4:00)
Don't Leave My Mind -- Azure Ray (3:43)
I'm Leaving You For Solitude -- Manic Street Preachers (3:22)
The Good Life (prod. Pharrell) -- Chiddy Bang (2:57)
Boy (RAC Mix) -- Ra Ra Riot (3:54)
I L U -- School Of Seven Bells (4:40)
Stranger -- Dr. Dog (3:44)
Animal -- Jenny And Johnny (3:41)
Pretty Please (Love Me) -- Estelle (Featuring Cee-Lo) (3:59)
Come Undone -- Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan (5:43)
Bed Intruder Song -- Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers (3:05)


August 2010

Stick Up Kids (Full Version Demo) -- Bad Rabbits (3:12)
Big Wave -- Jenny & Johnny (3:54)
Lamplight -- Bombay Bicycle Club (3:45)
Tightrope (Organized Noize Remix) -- Janelle Monáe (feat. Big Boi (4:50)
Why Does The Wind? (Morgan Geist Remix) -- Tracey Thorn (5:56)
Young Blood -- The Naked And Famous (3:53)
Bye Bye Bye -- School of Seven Bells (4:15)
Erase Me -- KiD CuDi (feat. Kayne West) (3:11)
Boy -- Ra Ra Riot (3:11)
Genesis 3:23 -- The Mountain Goats (3:13)
Everytime I'm With You -- Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse (feat. Jason Lytle) (3:12)
Make It Better -- The Knocks (3:54)
Georgia -- Yuck (3:40)
Cold War -- The Morning Benders (1:44)
Sun Hands -- Local Natives (4:51)
Wake Up Everybody -- John Legend & The Roots (feat. Common & Melanie Fiona) (4:16)
Jimmy Had A Polaroid -- Math and Physics Club (2:27)
Oh My God -- Cults (3:21)
Trophy Queen -- Guards (feat. Caroline Polachek) (2:11)
Boyfriend -- Best Coast (2:30)

July 2010

I Know We'll Never -- Rose Elinor Dougall (3:04)
Towards The Future (feat. Deacon The Villain) -- Tunji Balogun (4:23)
Can't Back Down -- Bad Rabbits (3:15)
We Don't Want Your Body -- Stars (3:26)
Clap Your Hands (Prince Vince Remix) -- Sia (5:02)
Right On (Feat. Joanna Newsome, STS) -- The Roots (3:36)
Fire With Fire -- Scissor Sisters (4:13)
Shutterbugg -- Big Boi Feat. Cutty (3:35)
Dancing On My Own -- Robyn (4:51)
Tonight, Tonight -- Passion Pit (4:08)
Even Though (Surfing Leons Afternoon Remix) -- Morcheeba (5:38)
Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore) -- B.o.B (3:01)
Tell Me You Love Me -- Leela James (3:30)
Up In The Clouds (Shoes Remix) -- Darwin Deez (3:41)
Don't Turn The Lights On -- Chromeo (4:37)
Point Me At Islands -- Tired Pony (3:12)
Hot-N-Fun (Yeasayer Remix) -- N.E.R.D. (3:46)
Drunk Girls (Holy Ghost! Adult Swim Remix) -- LCD Soundsystem (4:17)
Cold War (Wondamix) -- Janelle Monáe (3:34)
Cosmic Love (Short Club Remix) -- Florence and the Machine (6:50)

June 2010

Fair Game -- The Like (2:28)
Each Year (Absofacto Remix) -- Ra Ra Riot (3:58)
So This Is Goodbye (Pink Ganter Remix) -- William Fitzsimmons (5:04)
Dear God 2.0 (feat. Jim James & Monsters Of Folk) -- The Roots (3:59)
Acapella (Friends Electric Mix) -- Kelis (4:19)
Shyness -- Thieves Like Us (3:39)
Cry Cry (Deichkind Remix) -- Oceana (4:21)
Wait Up (Boots Of Danger) -- Tokyo Police Club (3:18)
Learnalilgivinanlovin -- Gotye (2:47)
Babelonia -- School Of Seven Bells (5:01)
California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) -- Katy Perry (3:56)
Hollywood -- Codeine Velvet Club (4:03)
Strong Will Continue -- Damian Marley & Nas (5:06)
Rill Rill -- Sleigh Bells (3:50)
Tighten Up -- The Black Keys (3:30)
Drumming Song -- Florence & The Machine (3:46)
Kids ('Live Lounge' MGMT Cover) -- B.o.B (3:36)
Excuses -- The Morning Benders (5:17)
What's The Attitude -- Cut Chemist Feat. Hymnal (4:06)
Honest Face -- Liam Finn + Eliza Jane (3:43)
Sleepwalk -- Charles Webster featuring Shana Halligan (5:52)

May 2010

Heard It On The Radio -- The Bird & The Bee (3:03)
Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart -- Alicia Keys (3:51)
The Mall & Misery? -- Broken Bells (4:08)
He's Not A Boy -- The Like (2:35)
Compass -- Jamie Lidell (5:38)
Deny All -- Bettie Serveert (3:02)
Amazing -- One Eskimo (4:37)
As We Enter (Tinie Tempah Remix) -- Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley (2:13)
Shadows -- Au Revoir Simone (4:03)
Wake Up - It's Africa Calling (Youssou Remix) -- Youssou N'Dour feat. Neneh Cherry (4:08)
Promises -- The Morning Benders (3:04)
Modern Drift -- Efterklang (4:54)
Invisible Light -- Scissor Sisters (6:14)
Airplanes -- Local Natives (4:00)
Paradise Circus -- Massive Attack (4:58)
Rules Don't Stop -- We Are Scientists (2:17)
Emancipated Minor -- Ani Difranco (4:31)
Infinity Guitars -- Sleigh Bells (2:36)
Laughing With -- Regina Spektor (3:18)
Happy Accident -- Bright Eyes & Neva Dinova (3:12)

April 2010

45 -- Ozomatli (3:03)
Baby Lee -- Teenage Fanclub (4:24)
The High Road -- Broken Bells (3:52)
The Kids Don't Stand A Chance -- Vampire Weekend VS Miike Snow (4:54)
4 3 2 1 -- K-OS (3:54)
Falling From The Sun -- The Album Leaf (4:57)
A Hundred Hearts -- Swimmers (3:05)
At A Glance (Toro Y Moi Remix) -- Body Language (3:24)
Black Lotus -- The Whigs (3:38)
I'm Sorry, Baby, But You Can't Stand In My Light Any More -- Bob Mould (3:12)
Window Seat -- Erykah Badu (4:50)
If I Ever Had a Dream -- Nellie McKay (3:50)
Divisive -- We Have Band (3:46)
Mossie -- Bettie Serveert (3:14)
Good Morning -- Rogue Wave (4:11)
Full Steam -- David Gray featuring Annie Lennox (4:12)
The Boxer -- Editors (4:44)
Powerful Stuff -- Sean Hayes (3:37)
Friends -- Nas & Damian Marley (4:49)
Waves -- Holly Miranda (5:05)
World News -- Local Natives (4:32)

March 2010
Eat that Up, It's Good for You -- Two Door Cinema Club (3:45)
Night By Night -- Chromeo (2:19)
October -- Broken Bells (3:38)
Pirates Declare War -- The Bundles (4:12)
Vapours -- Islands (2:41)
Bloodbuzz Ohio -- The National (4:38)
Four Floors -- Diplo vs. Sunday Girl (4:23)
Turn the Dirt Over -- Sea Wolf (2:59)
Calypso Gold -- Princeton (3:44)
Oh, The Divorces! -- Tracey Thorn (4:15
Flash Delirium -- MGMT (4:16)
Red -- Daniel Merriweather (3:57)
Gladhander -- Stripmall Architecture (4:38)
Ready for the Floor -- Lissy Trullie (4:00)
Always For You -- The Album Leaf (5:08)
Heartbeat (Chase & Status Remix) -- Nneka (3:39)
Games You Can Win -- RJD2 fea. Kenna (5:26)
I'd Do It All Again -- Corinne Bailey Rae (3:07)
I Learned The Hard Way -- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings (3:47)
Feel It All Around -- Washed Out (3:16)


February 2010
Sunlight -- Harlem Shakes (2:53)
Stylo (Chiddy Bang Remix) -- Gorillaz (feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack) (3:36)
You've Changed -- Sia (3:10)
Little Secrets -- Passion Pit (3:59)
Look -- Solillaquists of Sound (4:12)
Odessa -- Caribou (5:16)
The Book of Love -- The Magnetic Fields (2:43)
Soldier Of Love -- Sadé (5:58)
50 Lashes -- Floating Action (4:32)
Oh No -- Andrew Bird (4:21)
The Uncomfortable Truth -- Nneka (3:50)
Fall Hard (Passion Pit Summertime Radio Remix) -- Shout Out Louds (5:00)
Able To -- Eternal Summers (1:59)
Don't Gotta Work It Out -- Fitz and the Tantrums (4:10)
When They Fight They Fight -- The Generationals (3:20)
Feeling The Pull -- The Swell Season (2:21)
Sugalumps -- Flight Of The Conchords (2:12)
Anyway -- Duck Sauce (2:53)
Resurrection -- Lupe Fiasco (feat. Kenna) (2:56)
When I'm Small -- Phantogram (4:09)

January 2010

Two Weeks -- Grizzly Bear (4:03)
Empire State Of Mind -- Jay-Z (Feat. Alicia Keys) (4:37)
The Wooden Chair -- Jenny Wilson (3:15)
You! Me! Dancing! -- Los Campesinos! (5:00)
Walkabout -- Atlas Sound (3:59)
Animal (Mark Ronson Remix) -- Miike Snow (4:58)
Slow Poison (Of Montreal Remix) -- The Bravery (4:01)
Audience -- Cold War Kids (3:02)
Whatcha Say -- Jason Derulo (3:43)
Front Row (Acoustic) -- Metric (3:14)
Cruel Intentions (Heartbreak's Slow Action Remix) -- Simian Mobile Disco (feat. Beth Ditto) (3:28)
Symphonies -- Dan Black (feat. Kid Cudi) (3:40)
Sad Song- Pacific -- Au Revoir Simone (3:26)
I Would Like to Call It Beauty -- Corinne Bailey Rae (4:19)
Mystery Zone -- Spoon (4:59)
Squeeze Me -- Kraak & Smaak (3:18)
Deadbeat Summer -- Neon Indian (4:03)
Seven -- Fever Ray (5:10)
Never Gonna Let You Go -- Esthero (4:00)
Always Free -- The Kooks (3:31)

Taco the Town: Choice Cuts Volume 8

1. PANIC SWITCH -- Silversun Pickups
2. LISZTOMANIA -- Phoenix
3. 28 BUTTS -- Little Jackie
4. CHANGE -- Daniel Merriweather feat. Wale
5. SONG FOR NO ONE -- Miike Snow
6. BEGGIN' -- Madcon
7. HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW -- The Heavy
8. PARANOID -- Kanye West feat. Mr. Hudson
9. TIME LAPSE LIFELINE -- Maria Taylor
10. BARCELONA -- Plastiscenes
11. IT DON'T MOVE ME -- Peter Bjorn and John
12. GIVEN UP -- One Eskimo
13. VISION ONE -- Royksopp
14. LOVELY, LOVE MY FAMILY -- The Roots
15. NEVER FORGET YOU -- The Noisettes
16. HALF ASLEEP -- School of Seven Bells
17. ABC's -- K'naan
18. BLINKING PIGS -- Little Dragon
19. HURT FEELINGS -- Flight of the Conchords
20. EVERYBODY KNOWS (RAC Mix) -- John Legend
21. MJ MEGAMIX -- Michael Jackson

2009 Mixes

November 2009

Pop Art Blue -- Zero 7 (4:23)
Let's Go -- The Feelies (2:40)
Blinking Pigs -- Little Dragon (3:39)
Maybe So, Maybe No -- Mayer Hawthorne (2:57
How You Like Me Now (Single Edit) -- The Heavy (3:37)
100 MPH (In 2nd Gear) -- Gemma Ray (3:04)
Iamundernodisguise (Alternate Version) -- School of Seven Bells (3:42)
The Spectator -- The Bravery (3:50)
No One Said This Would Be Easy -- The Postmarks (3:34)
Sweet Disposition -- The Temper Trap (3:56)
Lovely, Love My Family -- The Roots (2:06)
Ghosts -- Fanfarlo (4:18)
Use Somebody (Andre Anjos Remix) -- Kings Of Leon (3:53)
First Train Home -- Imogen Heap (4:14)
Into The Chaos -- Howling Bells (3:15)
Another Likely Story (Aeroplane Remix) -- Au Revoir Simone (4:28)
Moth's Wings -- Passion Pit (4:16)
I Don't Feel It Anymore (George Raquet Remix) -- William Fitzsimmons (5:35)
Cecilia -- Thomas Dybdahl (3:42)
Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix) -- Mayer Hawthorne (5:10)
You've Got the Love (The xx Remix) -- Florence and The Machine (5:44)

September 2009

Us -- Regina Spektor (4:05)
Never Forget You -- The Noisettes (3:12)
Animal (Peter Bjorn and John Remix) -- Miike Snow (3:58)
Melody -- Kate Earl (3:52)
My Secret Friend (feat. Imogen Heap) -- IAMX (4:06)
Change (feat. Wale) -- Daniel Merriweather (3:21)
Too Much Time -- John Vanderslice (3:30)
Barcelona -- Plastiscines (3:21)
Work All Day -- Portugal. The Man (2:59)
Fables -- The Dodos (4:19)
Paul Slaps Down Colleen -- KNBC (0:38)
Flaming Arrow -- Jupiter One (3:24)
To Kingdom Come (Artwork Remix) -- Passion Pit (5:26)
Boy Boy -- Lissy Trullie (3:26)
And It's Alright (Nils Frahm Remix) -- Peter Broderick (4:34)
Brownstone Alley -- Freddy and Francine (3:34)
Everybody Knows (RAC Mix) -- John Legend (4:53)
Good Morning (Live at Downtown Studios) -- William Fitzsimmons (2:16)
Cheerleader -- Grizzly Bear (4:54)
Day to Day -- Eulogies (3:26)
Natural Reaction -- Gomez (4:13)

July 2009

Beggin (Original Version) -- Madcon (3:39)
Girlfriend -- Phoenix (3:24)
Given Up -- One Eskimo (4:03)
Song for No One -- Miike Snow (4:09)
Hurt Feelings -- Flight of the Conchords (2:26)
Bitter Heart -- Zee Avi (2:38)
Talk to Me -- Peaches (3:07)
Icicles (Remix by The Deadly Syndrome) -- Let's Go Sailing (3:39)
E.S.T. -- White Lies (5:04)
I'm Confused -- Handsome Furs (3:36)
Think Again -- Malynda Hale (3:12)
Animals -- Sara Lov (4:05)
Postcards -- An Horse (2:30)
Mykonos -- Fleet Foxes (4:35)
Black Magic (Magic Love and Dreams Masters) -- Magic Wands (2:34)
Belated Promise Ring -- Iron & Wine (3:46)
Factories -- Winter Gloves (2:40)
Percussion Gun -- White Rabbits (3:08)
Stillness Is The Move -- Dirty Projectors (5:14)
Lush Life -- Nat King Cole (3:16)
MJ Urban Megamix -- Michael Jackson (4:56)

May 2009

There's No Secrets This Year -- Silversun Pickups (5:33)
Vision One -- Röyksopp (5:00)
It Don't Move Me -- Peter Bjorn and John (3:22)
Better Days -- Lisa Shaw (3:50)
Lisztomania -- Phoenix (4:09)
Cupid -- Sam Cooke (2:38)
A Chance -- Maria Taylor (3:19)
Weekend -- The Sea and Cake (2:43)
Connjur -- School Of Seven Bells (4:40)
Burn The Maps -- Castledoor (3:48)
If You Would Come Back Home -- William Fitzsimmons (3:51)
Houses -- Great Northern (4:18)
New York -- Sara Lov (4:25)
Hey World (Don't Give Up Version) -- Michael Franti & Spearhead (4:09)
Birds Fly Away -- Theresa Andersson (3:28)
Magic -- Ladyhawke (3:27)
She Loves Everybody -- Chester French (4:00)
Burn Burn -- Nico Vega (2:30)
5 Years Time -- Noah And The Whale (3:37)
Keep Your Eyes Ahead -- The Helio Sequence (4:24)
Runnin' (Philippians Remix) -- The Pharcyde (5:31)

March 2009

Time Lapse Lifeline -- Maria Taylor (3:59)
Paranoid -- Kanye West (feat. Mr. Hudson) (4:38)
Bang Bang -- K'naan (ft. Adam Levine) (3:07)
Dreams of 18 -- Lal Meri (4:38)
Nothing To Worry About -- Peter Bjorn & John (2:58)
Twice -- Little Dragon (3:06)
Zero -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (4:26)
Long Long Time -- Rebel Souljahz (3:52)
When Your Mind's Made Up -- Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (3:42)
People Got A Lotta Nerve -- Neko Case (2:33)
Everyday -- Vetiver (3:48)
Something Is Squeezing My Skull -- Morrissey (2:38)
Train Song -- Feist and Ben Gibbard (3:03)
Panic Switch -- Silversun Pickups (5:44)
Melody Day -- Caribou (4:11)
Walkin' My Baby Back Home -- Nat King Cole (ft. The Roots) (4:15)
Love Letter To Japan -- The Bird And The Bee (4:08)
Not Now But Soon -- Imogen Heap (3:47)
The Rake's Song -- The Decemberists (3:16)
Hiphopapotamus v Rhymenocerous -- Flight of The Conchords (3:46)

January 2009

28 Butts -- Little Jackie (3:09)
Kim And Jessie -- M83 (5:23)
Down To Earth -- Peter Gabriel (5:59)
Heartless -- Kanye West (3:32)
Daylight -- Matt and Kim (2:51)
Monster Hospital (mstrkrft rmx) -- Metric (5:19)
Say Hey (I Love You) -- Michael Franti & Spearhead (Feat. Cherine Anderson) (3:56)
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You -- Black Kids (3:40)
Sleepyhead -- Passion Pit (3:00)
Being Here -- The Stills (3:29)
Oscar Wilde -- Company of Thieves (4:43)
ABC's -- K'naan (3:07)
The Fear -- Lily Allen (3:26)
The Next Time Around -- Little Joy (2:37)
O...Saya -- A R Rahman & M.I.A. (3:36)
Morning Tide -- The Little Ones (4:05)
Half Asleep -- School of Seven Bells (4:41)
You're Not All That -- The Herbaliser (3:37)
Lassoo -- The Duke Spirit (3:02)
Fitz and the Dizzyspells -- Andrew Bird (3:37)

Glazed Goodies: Choice Cuts Vol. 7

2008 Mixes

November 2008
Green Light -- John Legend feat. Andre 3000 (3:54)
Bow To The Middle -- The Rosebuds (2:26)
Fools -- The Dodos (4:43)
Parisian Goldfish -- Flying Lotus (3:01)
Rocky Took A Lover -- Bell X1 (4:07)
Love Hangover -- Kidz In The Hall feat. Estelle (3:51)
Be A Star -- Oh No! Oh My! (3:03)
The Gospel of Goro Adachi -- The Boxer Rebellion (3:40)
Universal Mind Control -- Common feat. Pharrell (3:25)
Ruthless City - Original Mix -- Morgan Geist (5:56)
Boys With Girlfriends -- Meiko (4:07)
Don't Believe in Love -- Dido (3:54)
So Long -- Hearts Of Palm (3:09)
Big Jumps -- Emiliana Torrini (3:02)
On My Knees -- Aqualung (4:37)
Hero -- NaS (4:01)
Midnight Coward -- Stars (3:42)
Just Dance -- Lady Gaga (4:01)
Nothing Ever Happened -- Deerhunter (5:51)
Deserter -- Matthew Dear (3:56)

September 2008
Black & Gold (Marcussen Album Version) -- Sam Sparro (4:34)
Rows of Homes -- The Western States Model (3:38)
Nine Ships -- The Voom Blooms (3:19)
Moving To New York -- The Wombats (3:35)
Finer Feelings -- Spoon (4:57)
Magic (Remix) -- Robin Thicke feat. Mary J Blige (3:32)
Heart Heart Heart Out -- The Seabellies (3:24)
Will You Tell Me Then (Domer Remix) -- Faunts (4:35)
Play -- Chop Chop (3:04)
Walking -- The Dodos (2:09)
Please Don't -- Bears (2:13)
Dangerous -- Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon (3:55)
Exhausted -- Joseph Arthur (4:46)
Gun -- Emiliana Torrini (5:46)
Paris -- Friendly Fires (4:00)
Resurrection Fern -- Iron and Wine (4:29)
Count To Ten -- Tina Dico (4:41)
Can You Tell -- Ra Ra Riot (3:07)
Skinny Love -- Bon Iver (3:59)
Machine Gun -- Portishead (4:52)

July 2008

Viva la Vida -- Coldplay (4:04)
Confessional -- Raine Maida (3:07)
My Drive Thru -- Santogold, Julian Casablancas & N.E.R.D. (3:04)
JCB Song -- Nizlopi (3:48)
Cold Shoulder -- Adele (3:12)
Be The One -- The Ting Tings (2:57)
Know-How -- Kings Of Convenience Feat. Feist (3:17)
Back For More (Hess Is More Vs. Jenno Mix) -- Kudu (4:28)
Sni Bong -- Dengue Fever (4:29)
Wires -- Athlete (4:05)
Buzzin' -- Shwayze (3:38)
Delayed Devotion -- Duffy (3:06)
Superstar -- Lupe Fiasco Feat. Matthew Santos (4:49)
Never See You -- Rocha (2:49)
Happy Everywhere -- The Pinker Tones (4:17)
Walking On Air -- Kerli (4:27)
Living The Dream -- Sloan (2:53)
Soul Of My Soul -- Terri Hendrix (3:55)
The Art Of Storytelling Pt. 4 -- DJ Drama F. Outkast & Marsha Ambrosius (1:57)
No One is to Blame (Featuring Howard Jones) -- Katrina Carlson (4:16)

May 2008

Mercy -- Duffy (3:57)
Time to Pretend -- MGMT (4:21)
Be Mine -- Robyn (3:25)
Chasing Pavements -- Adele (3:32)
Your Voice -- Santogold (4:00)
Use Your Love -- Katy Perry (3:03)
Homecoming (Dirty) -- Kanye West feat. Chris Martin (3:24)
Teenage Love Affair (Album Version) -- Alicia Keys (3:11)
Kill The Director -- The Wombats (2:35)
Swimming Pool -- The Submarines (3:18)
Let Your Light In, Babe -- Robert Forster (4:44)
On My Shoulders -- The Dø (5:01)
Stranger [Radio Edit] -- Sunny Day Sets Fire (3:42)
Echinacea -- Bell (3:14)
American Boy (Radio Edit w/ Kanye West) -- Estelle (4:05)
The Life Highrise -- The Foxglove Hunt (4:42)
The Light ’08 (It's Love) -- Common (3:56)
Stephen Stephen -- The Apples In Stereo (1:51)
One Day Like This -- Elbow (6:36)
Nothing Compares 2 U -- The Coconutz (5:58)

March 2008

Golden Skans -- Klaxons (2:46)
The Get Go -- New Young Pony Club (4:28)
World, Hold On -- Bob Sinclar Feat. Steve Edwards (3:19)
Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop -- Landon Pigg (3:46)
The Girl You Lost To Cocaine -- Sia (2:40)
The Mating Game -- Bitter:Sweet (5:22)
Little Bit -- Lykke Li (4:28)
Just Fine -- Mary J. Blige (4:15)
Run -- Gnarls Barkley (2:40)
Only You -- Pacha Massive (3:06)
Crime -- Cocco (3:02)
Cherries in the Snow -- Elk City (3:16)
First Sight -- These United States (2:57)
Get Up -- Rhymefest feat. Wale (2:33)
Never Can Say Goodbye -- Rhymefest feat. Talib Kwali (2:34)
It's Good To Be You -- Prairie Cats (2:38)
Me and You -- Slow Club (3:04)
Lights & Music -- Cut Copy (4:37)
Always Where I Need To Be -- The Kooks (2:37)
The L.S.B. -- Make Model (4:20)

January 2008

Pool Party -- The Aquabats (4:16)
Someone Great -- LCD Soundsystem (5:50)
Home -- Ben's Brother (3:02)
Products -- Sway (3:30)
Whats A Girl To Do -- Bat For Lashes (2:43)
Back To Black -- Amy Winehouse (4:00)
Toop Toop -- Cassius (2:44)
Long Road to Ruin -- Foo Fighters (3:46)
Believe -- The Bravery (3:47)
And I Was A Boy From School -- Hot Chip (3:45)
Little Black Sandals -- Sia (4:14)
Count On This -- The Frail (2:48)
Couldn't Be Done -- Tim Finn (2:51)
I Want You -- Common (3:57)
Not Going Anywhere -- Keren Ann (3:39)
Going Home -- Nathan & Stephen (2:27 )
Miss Rebellion Des Hormones -- Stereo Total (3:15)
Don't Let Go -- Pacha Massive (3:33)
Full Moon Cigarette -- Gran Bel Fisher (4:34)
No Somos Máquinas -- Ojos De Brujo (3:36)
Sideways -- Let's Go Sailing (4:19)

Grab A Slice: Choice Cuts Volume 6

There's no excuse. In 2004, I was able to put together an end of year Choice Cuts even though we'd just had a baby. In 2006, we were busy finishing up our house addition, and yet I still had time.

This year, well, I guess we've both been busy. Maria with her freelancing, and me with all sorts of things. Plus, let's face it, in some ways a rambunctious 3 year-old requires more attention and energy than a newborn.

So that's my way of noting that, hi, it's the end of May, and I'm only now posting my 2007 Choice Cuts round up. Better late than never, yes? It's a fun mix, a lot of poppy stuff, plenty of electronic beats, several local entrants and... yes, two songs from TV shows, including one from a hip series geared toward preschoolers.

I popped it in the other day, and I didn't feel as bad -- I still like the mix, even if I put it together six months ago. Here it is, my sixth annual Choice Cuts CD, "Grab A Slice":

1. CITY OF ANGELS -- Ozomatli: Gotta start off with a Los Angeles-centric track, of course, and there are few better suited for an ode to the City of Angels than Ozomatli. The group is L.A. : Multi-ethnic, offering up a melting pot of hip-hop, rock and Spanish influences. Ozomatli’s one of the few groups that sound at home on KROQ, Power 106 or Super Estrella.

2. A GOOD START -- Maria Taylor: What can I say, I’m in love with Maria Taylor’s ethereal voice. Both Taylor and her old group, Azure Ray, have made frequent appearances on the year-end list. This one comes from her most recent CD, “14:59.” Thanks to Franklin Avenue reader and former Nettwerk exec JT, I was able to check out Taylor last year at the Echo. Great show.

3. MAN OVERBOARD -- Kristoffer Ragnstam: Catchy pop from Sweden’s Kristoffer Ragnstam, whose music doesn’t sound at all like he hails from Sweden . What can I say, I’m still enjoying the 80s influenced electro pop, as several tracks here can attest to.

4. GOOD LIFE -- Kanye West feat. T-Pain: I know, I know, going ultra mainstream with this pick. But I figured Kanye would whine if I didn’t include him. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good sample, and “Good Life’s” use of Michael Jackson’s “PYT” is so damn infectious, I can’t resist it.

5. FALLING SLOWLY -- The Frames: You know the version of this song from the movie “Once,” the duet featuring Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Hansard also fronts The Frames; I kinda like this version better.

6. GET UP GET OUT -- The Rosebuds: The blog You Ain’t No Picasso writes: “The intro and chorus of Get Up Get Out” answer that age old question: What would it sound like if ABBA wrote music for the Final Fantasy video games? This is a delightfully poppy work that’s destined for glimpses of dancefloor glory.”

7. HOME -- Great Northern: Los Angeles’ own Great Northern had a great 2007. Not only did they become the year’s local indie darlings, but they scored big time national exposure thanks to a Nissan commercial, which used “Home” as musical accompaniment.

8. AGAIN & AGAIN -- The Bird and the Bee: I guess I’m a sucker for duos made up of producers and chanteuses. I loved Frou Frou, and I’m digging Bird and the Bee. Inara George, whose solo work you probably remember from the early part of the decade, has paired with producer/keyboardist Greg Kurstin to make up Bird and the Bee. Dare you not to get sucked in by “Again & Again’s” chorus.

9. PRESSURE SUIT -- Aqualung: The sweeping sound of Aqualung – also known as Matt Hales – makes another appearance on our end-of-year recap.

10. FLY PAPER -- K-OS: OK, remember how I said I was a sucker for a sample? The use of Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved?” guitar riff was good enough for entry on this song. And the maddeningly catchy hook kept me.

11. THE ERASER -- Thom Yorke: Reverb. The way Thom Yorke says “E – rase.” That final “ooh.” Like a rainy afternoon in New York .

12. POOL PARTY (YO GABBA GABBA! Mix) -- The Aquabats: Could a quirky Nick Jr. TV show geared toward pre-schoolers be the best new program of 2007? If you’re the parent of a toddler, the answer is yes. Evan’s introduction to indie rock has come via “Yo Gabba Gabba,” which was created by Aquabats frontman Christian Jacobs (with Scott Schultz). The 'Bats have appeared on the show several times, and performed a kid-friendly version of their track "Pool Party" -- a song that Evan now knows all the words to. I actually kinda like the YGG! version better than the original, believe it or not, as it's more uptempo.

13. BUSINESS TIME -- Flight of the Conchords: Maria and I are finally going to see Bret and Jemaine live next weekend, and we can't wait -- talk about a reason for getting a sitter! I had a hard time choosing which FOTC song to put in the end-of-year wrap... but how can I deny "Business Time?" You know when I'm down to just my socks it's time for business that's why they call them business socks!

14. LAST OF DAYS -- A Fine Frenzy: Singer/pianist Alison Sudol has seen several of her songs score TV airplay; she even guested last year on "CSI: Miami." Her "Almost Lover" was the big hit (well, "big hit" is a relative term), but I kinda like the gravity of "Last of Days" instead.

15. UMBRELLA (Remix) -- Rihanna feat. Chris Brown: Here's another pick inspired in part by the Kid Formerly Known As Blogger Toddler. A year ago, he and I would frequently sing "Umbrella" in the car -- and indeed, hearing a two-year-old croon "-ella, ella, ella, ella" is as cute as it sounds. This was obviously the song of the summer in 2007. Here, I've thrown on the reworked version featuring Chris Brown. Yes, his take on it -- "Cinderella -ella-ella-ella" is pretty damn cheesy. And yet, it's nearly as catchy.

16. ELEPHANT GUN -- Beirut: Zach Condon may be from New Mexico, but his voice and musical choices are as haunting and melancholy as the under-seige city from which he's taken his performing name. "Elephant Gun"

17. IT’S ALL TRUE -- Tracey Thorn: How great was it to see Tracey Thorn finally re-emerge with a new CD? One-half of Everything But the Girl, Thorn had been quiet in recent years, as hubby/partner Ben Watt continued to explore his DJ side.

18. TAP-TAP, CLICK-CLICK -- Division Day: Like many of you, we'd actually had "Beartrap Island" in our hands back in 2006, but the CD was re-released by Eenie Meenie in 2007. Much like Silversun Pickups before them, Division Day began to see it all come into fruition by the end of 2007. This is my favorite track off the CD.

19. VALERIE (REMIX) -- Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse: Here's another case where I think the remix is stronger than the original. Just as crazy, messed up Amy Winehouse is much more interesting.

20. PAPER PLANES -- MIA: I still remember the first time I heard this track. Wait, are those gun shots? And is that a cash register? Even Indie was too wussy to play the gun shots, muffling the sound effect. 2007 felt like the year of MIA, and it felt like a natural way to wrap up this year's "Choice Cuts."

2007 Mixes

November 2007

Girls Who Play Guitars -- Maximo Park (3:12)
The Girls -- Calvin Harris (5:17)
Cinderella -- Aqualung (4:33)
Bouncing Off Clouds -- Tori Amos (4:10)
Tap-Tap, Click-Click -- Division Day (3:53)
1234 -- Feist (3:06)
Paper Planes -- MIA (3:23)
All My Friends -- West Indian Girl (4:37)
Tonight I Have To Leave It -- Shout Out Louds (3:33)
Rock Song -- Smoosh (2:02)
Much Farther To Go -- Rosie Thomas (4:18)
So Good Today -- Ben Westbeech (2:58)
No One's Gonna Love You -- Band of Horses (3:37)
Valerie Remix -- Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse & Baby J (4:23)
Need Your Needs -- Georgie James (3:26)
Good Life (ft. T-Pain) -- Kanye West (3:28)
It Never Was -- The Minor Canon (3:56)
Got to Be a Love -- Greyboy (3:26)
Dashboard -- Modest Mouse (4:06)
Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been) -- Kanye West, Nas, KRS One & Rakim (4:42)

October 2007

Oh My God -- Mark Ronson feat. Lily Allen (3:46)
Get Up Get Out -- The Rosebuds (4:02)
Stronger -- Kanye West (5:12)
Falling Slowly -- The Frames (4:21)
Oh My -- The Office (2:04)
This Year -- The Thrills (2:49)
Money -- Jesca Hoop (5:06)
Shim Sham -- Imperial Teen (2:52)
Hold Me -- Emily King (3:44)
Our Velocity -- Maximo Park (3:18)
Pool Party (Yo Gabba Gabba Mix) -- The Aquabats (2:09)
Elephant Gun -- Beirut (5:50)
Business Time -- Flight of the Conchords (4:05)
Raise The Roof -- Tracey Thorn (4:03)
Souvenirs -- Midnight Movies (3:19)
Love Me Like the World Is Ending -- Ben Lee (3:47)
Last Of Days -- A Fine Frenzy (4:13)
D.A.N.C.E. -- Justice (3:20)
Neighborhood -- Sugar & Gold (4:35)
Reckoner -- Radiohead (4:52)

August 2007

Home -- Great Northern (3:51)
What We Have Is Now -- To Live And Die In L.A. (4:43)
Born Losers -- Matthew Good (5:21)
To Live And Die In The Airport Lounge -- My Teenage Stride (3:42)
Rainkiss -- 747s (3:17)
Party in My Tummy -- Yo Gabba Gabba! (2:22)
Passing the Hat -- Cold War Kids (3:29)
NYC Boy -- Jill Cunniff (3:30)
I Will Be Grateful for This Day -- Bright Eyes (4:22)
Fly Paper -- K-OS (4:13)
Breathe Deep -- Bellweather (2:37)
Beautiful Woman -- Darkel (2:42)
You're A Wolf -- Sea Wolf (3:38)
Fa Fa Fa (Radio Edit) -- Datarock (3:45)
The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room (live) -- Flight of the Conchords (5:12)
Wound Up -- Office (3:22)
El Comal -- B-Side Players (3:42)
Man Overboard -- Kristoffer Ragnstam (3:25)
Tape It -- Winterkids (3:32)

June 2007

Life After Love -- Low Vs. Diamond (3:41)
Rehab -- Amy Winehouse (3:31)
Time Won't Let Me Go -- The Bravery (4:17)
Summertime-- Jesca Hoop (3:17)
Eternity Is A Long Time-- Creeping Weeds (4:03)
My Moon My Man -- Feist (3:04)
Say It Right -- Nelly Furtado (3:41)
Don't Lose Yourself -- Laura Veirs (3:58)
Can't Forget About You -- NAS F/ Chrisette Michele (3:51)
(Do What You Want) Gyaneshwar -- Frank Black (2:21)
Splinter -- Slowtrainsoul (2:57)
Almost Lover -- A Fine Frenzy (4:25)
The Perfect Crime #2 (Radio Edit) -- The Decemberists (4:08)
Our Haunt -- Palomar (3:12)
Umbrella -- Rihanna featuring Jay-Z (4:30)
La Familia (Remix) -- Mirah (2:52)
A Crack In Time -- Ferraby Lionheart (2:54)
S'posed To Be -- Channel 2 F. Joy Jones (3:47)
Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse -- Of Montreal (3:16)
Heaven -- Bitter:Sweet (3:47)
Just A Dream -- Great Northern (5:43)

April 2007

A Good Start -- Maria Taylor (4:13)
It's All True -- Tracey Thorn (4:13)
If I Ever Feel Better -- Phoenix (3:10)
Parenthesis -- BLOW (3:33)
Pressure Suit -- Aqualung (4:38)
Red Hot -- Jurassic 5 (3:43)
Cold Hands (Warm Heart) -- Brendan Benson (3:22)
Song for Someone -- The Frames (5:36)
Pattern Skies -- The Greenhornes (2:10)
Brighter Discontent -- The Submarines (4:28)
Yelling Away -- Zap Mama (4:17)
The Story -- Brandi Carlile (3:58)
Killalady -- Justine Electra (4:24)
Mama's Belly -- Mosquitos (2:43)
Car Crash -- She's Spanish, I'm American (3:43)
Supply And Demand -- Amos Lee (3:20)
The Bird -- Shawn Colvin (3:10)
Put Your Hands On Me Baby -- Joss Stone (2:56)
Ankle Injuries -- Fujiya & Miyagi (4:52)
Trouble Sleeping -- Corinne Bailey Rae (3:29)
Utopia -- Gigi (4:50)

February 2007

City of Angels -- Ozomatli (3:16)
Again & Again -- The Bird And The Bee (2:42)
The Eraser -- Thom Yorke ( 4:55)
Herculean -- The Good, The Bad And The Queen (3:59)
Say It All -- Sondre Lerche (3:53)
The Spaces Between -- Expatriate (3:14(
Grace Kelly -- Mika (3:01)
In The Crossfire -- Starsailor (3:19)
More Bounce In California -- Soulkid #1 (3:55)
Running Up That Hill -- Placebo (4:52)
Lonely By Your Side (Featuring Jonny Blake) [Radio Cut] -- Azzido da Bass featuring Johnny Blake (3:24)
Ootischenia -- The Be Good Tanyas (3:21)
You Know I'm No Good -- Amy Winehouse (4:17)
Bump -- Spank Rock (5:19)
Take What You Take -- Lily Allen (4:06)
Read My Mind -- The Killers (4:01)
I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor -- Sugababes (2:44)
Answers -- She's Spanish, I'm American (3:40)
Lazy Girls -- Jill Cunniff (2:49)

Shake Things Up: Choice Cuts Volume 5

For the fifth year in a row, I’ve thrown together some of my favorite tracks of the year into one final mix (under the “Choice Cuts” banner). This year’s edition, “Shake Things Up,” salutes our summer-long obsession with milkshakes (which, you may recall, was spawned by a Los Angeles Times feature on hotspots like Scoops and Lucky Devil’s).

Maria, as usual, did an awesome job designing the CD. (Hey, what’s the use of being married to a Grammy nominated designer if I can’t rope her into throwing together something for my own mixes?!)

As for the music, as usual, I tried to run the gamut from mainstream to obscure, while avoiding anything that was too overplayed. That’s why Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” isn’t here – sure, it was probably the song of 2006, but we’ve all heard it a million times. (As a nod to the track, though, I include Ray LaMontagne’s acoustic version.)

Some of the other picks are sure to be controversial as well. (A handful of these tracks weren’t actually released in 2006, but I included them because this was the year I first heard them.) And yes, I can’t believe I included that new version of “Jessie’s Girl” on my mix. Actually, I can: C’mon – that song rocked in 1982, and it still does.

Hip-hop is sorely lacking on this year’s mix, I know, although I include my other nominee for the year’s best track, Lupe Fiasco’s “Kick Push.”

I have a limited number of copies available – if you’re interested in doing a mix swap, e-mail me! Now, here’s my 2006 Choice Cuts CD, “Shake Things Up”:

1. LDN -- Lily Allen: OK, this is my third nominee for top track of 2006. I love everything about this song: The beat, Lily’s accent, the way she rhymes “Tesco” with “al fresco.” Why it’s taking so long for this import CD to finally be released in the States, I don’t know. But that just means one of the best CDs of 2006 will also be considered one of the best CDs of 2007.

2. Hard To Beat -- Hard-Fi: I first stumbled onto Hard-Fi by accident, picking up a free copy of the band’s “Stars of the CCTV” CD at work, where it was just sitting on a freebie table. I especially dug “Hard to Beat” – upbeat, romantic, and a very dance-y tune. What’s not to like? Soon after, the band hit it big. And although you could hear “Hard to Beat” all over the place after that, it didn’t get old.

3. Lazy Eye -- Silversun Pickups: Silver Lake’s gift to the indie rock gods this year. I’ll avoid the Smashing Pumpkins comparison, since everyone else is doing it. I love that singer Brian Aubert’s voice is so androgynous that I at first thought the SSPUs was led by a female singer. And bonus shout out that bassist Nikki Monninger is a co-worker of Maria’s at Rhino.

4. Out of LA -- The Dollyrots: Another L.A. band, The Dollyrots are on the famed Lookout! label; this track boasts a few of my fave things, all in one package: Female rock vocals on a song about Los Angeles. Score!

5. Kick Push -- Lupe Fiasco: Easily my fave hip-hop single of the year. The backing track. The unusual story about a skateboarder falling in love with the sport – and then falling in love with another skateboarder. It’s such a unique song; in a year when hip-hop failed to overly impress, this stood out.

6. Crazy -- Ray LaMontagne: I still remember the first time I heard Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” It made me want to immediately go home and make an entire CD mix, just so I could throw it in there. Over time, the song got a bit overplayed (I knew it was time to retire “Crazy” when Billy Bush bopped to it during the Emmy Awards pre-show). The cool stripped-down, slow Ray LaMontagne version is excellent in its own right, and a way to still recognize what should be remembered as 2006’s game-changing track.

7. Smiley Faces -- Gnarls Barkley: Of course, there’s a lot more than just “Crazy” on Gnarls Barkley’s excellent “St. Elsewhere” CD. Here, Cee-Lo’s crooning and Danger Mouse’s beats make for a powerful and urgent song.

8. Mama's Room -- Under the Influence of Giants: Yup, another L.A.-based band. How can you not love the funky falsetto in “Mama’s Room”?!

9. O Valencia! -- The Decemberists: I’ve loved the Decemberists for quite a long time, and it’s been nice to see them get quite a bit of notice as of late (even radio play!) I guess being signed to a major label – Capitol, in this case – does have its benefits. I still can’t get enough of Colin Meloy’s unusual voice.

10. St. John's Night (LAMACQ Live BBC Session Version) -- Every Move A Picture: Lamacq is a BBC1 DJ, and this track was one of his show’s “singles of the week” last summer. Catchy rock track with an electronica tone.

11. Numb -- Sia: Loved Sia from her days with Zero 7, and loved her “Colour the Small One” CD so much that I continued to listen to it into 2006. “Breathe Me” was a hot track last year, so this time around I selected “Numb” for the mix.

12. Like A Star -- Corinne Bailey Rae: I didn’t really care for her first track, “Put Your Records On.” There’s something more beautiful and even a tad haunting about “Like a Star.” Actually, I liked the track so much that I put it on two mixes this year. The original version in March, and then a stripped-down iTunes version in November.

13. Jessie's Girl (Acoustic) -- Rick Springfield: I took this off a 2006 compilation, “80s Hits Stripped.” 25 years later, the song still kicks ass, even in this new version.

14. Young Folks -- Peter Bjorn and John: Damn you, Sweden, and your ability to churn out such catchy pop songs! This one is both unforgettably groovy (love the drum line) and melancholy (the dramatic vocals by singer Victoria Bergsman, who duets here with Peter).

15. I Want To Be Buried In Your Backyard -- Nightmare Of You: Yeah, it’s a little too Smiths-y (nothing wrong with that, I dug The Smiths), but that line “you’re a shining star/You’ll do great in L.A.” was stuck in my head for weeks at the start of 2006.

16. Melt Your Heart -- Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins: Rilo Kiley has made a regular appearance on my end-of-year mix, so it’s probably no surprise that I included singer Jenny Lewis’ solo work this year. Her voice is just so smooth.

17. Throw it All Away -- Zero 7: Can’t get away from Sia Fuller. She leads this solid Zero 7 track, from their 2006 release “The Garden.”

18. Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me -- The Pipettes: Nice indie rock, female vocal track reminiscent of the girl groups of the 1960s.

19. Jerusalem -- Steve Earle: Not a new track (Earle released it in 2002 as the title song to his controversial album “Jerusalem”), but important nonetheless in these times. Earle remains optimistic that “one fine day/All the children of Abraham/Will lay down their swords forever/ in Jerusalem.” And so we end 2006’s Choice Cuts CD.