1. Hello Neighbor! – Madina Lake – Chicago's favorite sons are a rock nyc fave but not one of mine. The opening song off their latest track is a relation to grunge, at least in that it is all playing with pace and tone. The song is hard but not too hard, sorta teen rock.
2. Stop – Shinobi Nina – A stick up comes to life. Best line: "Stewardess, gimme a beer and a shot"
3. Roman In Moscow – Nicki Minaj – Agrressive as all hell: "Ain't on my period, but I got a notepad". I'd like to see Jay-Z write that.
4. Waiting For The Magic – Eric Contractor
5. Vivrant Thing – Q-Tip – This is what made "A Tribe Called Quest" so great, the hook is a shiny guitar lick and he hits it all the time.
6. Surfer Gorl – Bran Wilson – It is not the harmonies, at least not just the harmonies. The melody is classoc.
7. Ray Of Light – Madonna – This song, actually the entire album, was so big, such a career high and a way into adulthood, she has been trying to follow it up for a decade. And then she mistook Tin=mbaland for William Orbit.
8.Underneath Your Clothes (Live) – Shakira – A crossover giant for Shakira, this live version is exceedingly well sung.
9. Honolulu Blues – Craig Finn – If the complaint is that the riff isn't loud enough, just turn it up.
10. Just Like A Woman – Charlotte Gainsbourg – Off her new album and saves it from Woody Allen's withering disdain.