"Kush"
The Chinese Democracy of the big-budget rap world, Detox finally has an official release. I remember when Detox was the most anticipated rap album of 2003. Anyway, this sounds nice in the places and situations you would expect it to.
99. The War on Drugs
If it were 1995, I would have listened this on my Walkman while I delivered flyers in the fall. Which is funny, because a kid can't relate to the "Let it feel like before" capstone vocals.
98. Jamiroquai
While most Jamiroquai songs sound like they've been remixed already, this little piece takes a solid original and turns it into a gem. The hyper-emphasized Tiesto-esq synth and the stepladder stacking of Jay Kay's vocals give it the uplifting power that the original lacks.
97. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
I'll admit that I need sing-a-long lyrics to really get along with a punk (or punkish) song.... Does this count as "punk?" Anyway, this has words and a rhythm I can keep up with.
96. Röyksopp
I was expecting something different after Junior, but this sounds like a failed attempt to wake up on a dark winter morning. At the end of the song you hit snooze and fall back asleep.
95. Them Crooked Vultures
I initially marked this as "average". Seeing them live at Coachella changed my mind.
94. Major Lazer feat. M.I.A. & Busy Signal
With just one big ol' drum holding it together, it's probably a better soundtrack for getting the troops in line than it is for going to battle. It's good to play before you get into the real stompin'-smashin' stuff.
93. Beach House
When it really kicks in at around minute 2 it kind of buries you.
92. Areoplane
Among my favourite remixers come with something that would fit in on a mid-decade Boards of Canada album.
91. Charlotte Gainsbourg
Creepy and Bjorky.
90. Black Mountain
The guitar works hard and the vocals get reverbed occasionally. There's a stellar video, AND we listened to it on the stretch of interstate between Seattle and Spokane.
89. Underworld
An appropriate name for a scattered track. It's a great reflection song if you think about your day in fast-forward.
88. Onra
Sounds like funky shit Dr. Dre would have listened to in the 70's. If you just need to drown out everything for an hour and get some work done, put this on repeat; you'll never know when it starts again.
87. Morning Benders
"I made an excuse/You found another way to tell the truth/I put no one else above us/We'll still be best friends when all turns to dust"
86. Marnie Stern
You can't call a guitar track "blistering" until you've heard this.
85. Magick Mountain
A good test of a house track's epicness is to listen to it while playing as the wind in the Playstation Network game "Flower." This one passed.
84. Luke Doucet
This is just a straight-up, no nonsense cover of a Lightfoot classic. I'll use any excuse to get Sundown on a modern list.
83. Big K.R.I.T
With all the nonsense that's come out of the south over the past decade, the legit tracks sound all the better. Turner, you can butcher deer to this one.
82. The Deep Dark Woods
I didn't know who Townes Van Zandt was until I heard a Q interview with Steve Earle in March. This is off of a tribute album called More Townes Van Zandt By the Great Unknown.
81. The Besnard Lakes
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