1. The Stills - Still in Love Song
   From NME: “‘Still In Love Song’ is a contender for Single of the Year.” It’s hard to argue that…the song buries itself in your head, and you’re happy to have it there.
2. Tricky - The Love Cats
   Tricky strikes again with another 80’s modern rock cover, this time giving a classic Cure track the trip-hop treatment. The rest of this album isn’t nearly as good as his others (his debut, Maxinquaye, is particularly good), but it’s still decent.
   
3. Jem - 24
   Some people have pegged Jem Griffiths as a “Dido-wannabe” because of the downbeat electronic music that she sings over. It’s a reasonable comparison, but her vocals seem to set her apart. It’s poppy stuff, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
4. The Crystal Method - Born Too Slow
   Okay, so if AC/DC had a DJ in the band, this is what they might put out. Big beats and huge guitar riffs together as one (the latter provided by Wes Borland) and it makes me wanna turn the volume up.
5. Butterfly Boucher - Another White Dash
   Let’s get this out of the way first…yes, that’s actually her real name. This is an absolutely perfect track for modern rock radio, if such a thing existed anymore. Fantastically melodic hooks and a brilliant voice.
6. Ben Arthur - Mary Ann
   “All this dry-humping / must lead to something”…now if that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will. Now if we can just get him, Ben Gibbard and Ben Harper into The Bens…
7. Ryan Adams - So Alive
   It sounds like Ryan found an old U2 song and is doing it at karaoke night at his favorite bar, but somehow this works. Amusing tidbit: Ryan’s girlfriend Parker Posey is credited in the liner notes as “Exe’cute’ive Producer,” appearing “courtesy of her bad self.”
8. The Vines - Ride
   Another iPod commercial track, this one the first single from the new Vines album. I definitely didn’t ever expect to hear from the Vines again, but this song rocks.
9. The Polyphonic Spree - Light & Day/Reach for the Sun
   What can I say about this band that hasn’t already been said? The band is basically former Tripping Daisy frontman Tim DeLaughter and 25 of his best friends in white robes singing choral music over symphonic arrangements, and somehow it all came together…at least for this track.
10. Nada Surf - Hi-Speed Soul
    This album, Let Go, is an absolute pop masterpiece. I will never understand why this band isn’t huge. Okay, besides the fact that there’s no possible current radio format for this to be played on.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 29th, 2004 at 4:45 pm and is filed under Tracks. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.