TV On The Radio; Photo by Ludis Mergens
- TV on the Radio - "DLZ" The Brooklyn-based experimental rock outfit’s newest LP boasts a diverse, eccentric group of songs, including "DLZ," a sinister sounding piece that starts off borderline eerie and eventually escalates into a haunting taunt accompanied by TV’s usual mash up of every bizarre sound under the sun.
- Kings of Leon - "Cold Desert" Kings of Leon front man Caleb Followill’s powerful voice was made for this kind of epically beautiful track, which he claims was inspired by the painkillers he took after a fight with his brother Nathan, the band’s drummer.
- Ne-Yo- "Lie to Me" Ne-Yo convincingly plays the role of a wronged lover in this powerful ballad, and shows off his pipes in the process. If he keeps releasing more songs like this one, he’ll soon be crowning himself rightful king of current R&B.
- Cold War Kids - "Relief" Nathan Willett’s anguished falsetto voice perfectly accompanies the fuzzy, reverb-heavy guitars on this number bleakly addressing disaster victims by SoCal’s most noirish quartet.
- Metallica - "Unforgiven 3" The kings of thrash have finally returned, and it’s nice to see they haven’t softened up in their old age. This track is more listenable than your average Metallica song due to its melodic, non-spastic riff, but the outstanding guitar solo, hard vocals, and downtrodden lyrics are all still there.
- Shugo Tokumaru - "Parachute" The fact that most of this song is sung in Japanese is irrelevant because it’s so fun and ethereal; the lyrics’ meaning is merely an afterthought. Tokumaru’s efforts at producing are precocious (he created the entire album himself at home), but the music is never taken too seriously. Refreshing.
- Jack White feat. Alicia Keys - "Another Way to Die" Jack White and 007. Two exclusive personas, yet both are a super presence on the new “Quantum of Solace” theme song for the upcoming Bond film. Maybe it’s that Jack White lets the strings, horns, and piano take center stage on the adventurous track over his steal-the-show guitar tricks, but whatever it is, it works, and it’s so Bond.
- Brian Wilson - "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl" Wilson takes a trip down Beach Boy memory lane in this sunny yet wistful ode to California loving. Wilson has struggled with problems in the past, but this song proves his strongest recollections are his fondest ones.
- The Subways - "I Won't Let You Down" Tight drums, an anthemic chorus, and a climactic, screaming ending all contribute to this song’s success as a hit with a tendency to get stuck in your head.
- Terrence Howard - "War" The actor shows off his performance skills in this theatric, horn-heavy, dance hall number with a roaring chorus, but the message behind it is no joke.
Britney Spears - "Womanizer" It’s Britney bitch, and she’s back. This sexy dance number recalls the best of her more successful days, and is sure to soon be blasting the speakers at a club near you.
(Dis)honorable Mention:
Kanye West - "Love Lockdown" Dear Kanye, never sing again. And aren’t you a little slow to jump on the T.Pain voice alteration bandwagon? We know every song you rap on/produce/create turns to gold, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely stop
trying.
Songs chosen by Zack and Maggie Conner
