Top 50 Songs of 2009: 10 - 1

Okay, friends! We're finally at the top of my list. (Sorry it was postponed for so long. Holiday festivities with the family have taken up time during the last few days.)

These songs are considered to be the Top 50 Songs of 2009 based on how much I played them on repeat or on sheer quality and credible musicianship.

I hope you enjoyed all the songs so far. I hope even more that you grabbed a few tracks you really loved and are playing them on repeat now. So without further ado, here are my top 10 songs of 2009!

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Top 50 Songs of 2009: 20 - 11

Okay, second to last list for my Top 50 Songs of 2009! Hope you had time to listen to numbers 50 - 41, 40 - 31, and 30 - 21. There was good stuff in those installments but the great stuff is what's up coming up in this post!

Think about it - we're up to the top 20 now! Also, keep in mind that these are my favorite songs of 2009 based on my opinions on musicality. Not everyone will agree with these ranking or choices, but I'm hoping that everyone will love at least a few songs if not all of these.

Songs 20 - 11 all ready for you to stream and download... after the jump!

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Paul Oakenfold Music Video: Faster Kill Pussycat ft. Brittany Murphy

With the sad news of Brittany Murphy's sudden death, I had to post this video. Although I despise Access Hollywood, I turned the TV on while they were showing footage of Murphy singing Queen's "Somebody To Love" for the film, Happy Feet - and that was all it took. I was overcome with sadness because not only was she a lovable actress but she had a such a great voice! It's a shame she never got to release that solo album of hers.

Although I'm glad Paul Oakenfold was just a phase for me back in 2002, (I can't really listen to him sober anymore) I still love this track which features the late actress. Murphy had been singing behind the scenes for years but this was the first track to identify her vocals with. Not to mention, she looked fabulous in this video!

Check it out below!

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Top 50 Songs of 2009: 30 - 21

All right. We're in the middle of the list with the third installment to my countdown of 2009's Top 50 songs. I hope you had time to check out numbers 50 - 41 and 40 - 31. These are all songs I've rocked on my iPod this year. It's great if you were bumping to some of these tracks too, but nothing would make me happier than you discovering some great new artists in this list.

So, here's my favorite songs of 2009 - numbers 30 - 21. They're all after the jump ready for you to stream and download again. Enjoy!

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Lex Land: River (Joni Mitchell cover)

If you haven't heard of Lex Land by now, my heart goes out to you. At the age of 21 she put out an incredible album titled Orange Days on Lemon Street filled with tracks of wisdom and soul. With vocals that are as soothingly classic as Judy Garland and Ella Fitzgerald's but refreshing in approach as Meaghan Smith or Adele, Lex Land has toured with great artists (such as Gavin Castleton) who also know how to musically throw down. You can read an interview I did with her on BeatCrave here.

To get you into the mood for the holidays - as if you weren't already - I'd like to share her cover of Joni Mitchell's lovely "River." A sad song when stripped down to the message but beautifully composed when focused on the musicality, Lex Land does a wonderful job bringing out the sorrow and insight in her cover.

Check it out and grab the mp3 along with her song, "Could've Had Me" below!

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Top 50 Songs of 2009: 40 - 31

Well, I hope you had time to listen to all the songs from my Top 50 Songs of 2009 so far with numbers, 50 - 41! Now it's time to move on and get closer to the number one song.

Next up are my favorite songs ranked from 40 - 31. Songs include Peaches, Robotanists, Mirah, A Place To Bury Strangers, and more. Take a look below, listen and download away!

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The Drums Music Video: I Felt Stupid

The Drums may not suit everyone's taste, but there is no doubt that they're simply a lot of fun. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY members from bands, Elkland and Goat Explosion, teamed up together with two other guys to bring us this post-punk pop music. Live shows include back up singers in uniform who dance in synchronization and whistle as well. 

They've recently released a video for their song, "I Felt Stupid." It's a nice simple black and white concept based on track and field sports with shots of the band performing. However, fun times on the field turn into dangerous situations.

Watch the video below then download their track, "Let's Go Surfing," below!

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Beck's Record Club ft. Feist, Jamie Lidell, Wilco: Skip Spence's Oar

Beck has been one of the busiest musicians in 2009. After releasing Modern Guilt in 2008, Beck launched a website with a TON of different series including the most popular one called The Record Club. This club is basically a meeting where Beck invites a group of all-star musicians to come in to his studio and record an entire album's worth of covers.

The first Record Club installment featured producer Nigel Godrich and actor Giovanni Ribisi covering The Underground Velvet & Nico and the second installment featured MGMT and Devendra Banhart covering Songs of Leonard Cohen. The latest boasts another great round of artists such as Feist, Jamie Lidell and Wilco's guitarist, Nels Cline who all cover Skip Spence's cult-favorite, Oar.

Like always, they post their finished products onto vimeo to share with friends and fans. I've got two of them for you after the jump. Enjoy!

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El Perro del Mar: Change of Heart (Robyn's Rakamonie Remix)

I always thought all three Swedish artists, Lykke Li, Robyn, and El Perro del Mar all sounded alike. Of course, I'm not talking about their styles but they all seem to have a delicate soprano voice that takes you by surprise.

El Perro del Mar, known for gorgeous lo-fi twee pop, put out a wonderful mini-album this year by the title of Love Is Not Pop. "Change of Heart" is the track that has become a favorite of many El Perro del Mar fans, and apparently we little people aren't the only ones who like it.

Swedish pop star, Robyn, has remixed the track under the moniker Rakamonie, and it's pretty decent! For those people who don't know too much about Robyn, all you have to know is that she went from this overbearing bubble gum pop star in the 90s with hits like "Show Me Love" and "Do You Know (What It Takes)," to this individually powerful force over in the UK when she decided to go indie and electronica. Her self-titled album, Robyn, was definitely one of my faves during 2008 and based on what I know about her and the electronica scene, it doesn't surprise me to find out she's done a rad remix like this.

El Perro del Mar and Robyn's voices sound like one on this remix, and of course I'm a fan because of its clean organized beats. Even del Mar fans won't be able to deny their liking for this remix. It doesn't run too far away from the key melodies, but reaches out just enough to sound refreshingly new. Listen to the remix and then the original below!

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Top 50 Songs of 2009: 50 - 41

As I previously mentioned, 2009 has been such a great year in music. If you want proof, just check out my Top 40 albums of 2009. That list could have easily been 50!

So! I've decided to share my 50 favorite songs of 2009 with you. This list also could have been much longer, but I only want you to hear the cream of the crop.

Starting with today's post, I will be sharing numbers, 50 - 41. The entire list will be spread out among five days, so make sure you keep checking back for the next ten until you get to the number one song!

Here we go...

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Local Natives: Sun Hands

It's been a good year for Local Natives, and an even better year for fans of the fantastic Los Angeles-based 5-piece band. With their love for percussion and rich harmonies, Local Natives have gained a very loyal following here in LA and around the world. (You can read my interview with them on BeatCrave here.) NME even took notice and hooked them up with a UK tour and record label, Infectious, released their debut overseas.

Next year will be a greater year for US fans, since Frenckiss Records recently signed them. This means we fans State side will be able to get our hands on their full-length, Gorilla Manor, on February 19. Finally!

The album features well-known tracks such as "Airplanes," "World News," and more. However, if you've ever gone to one of their live shows, you also know that they had their own 5-track EPs with live tracks courtesy of Daytrotter. One of these tracks was the "Sun Hands," a track that has become one of my favorites.

Now, there is a cleaner version available from Gorilla Manor and people have probably been downloading it like crazy since Pitchfork recently put the track up on their site. You can listen to it and download both versions here after the jump. Enjoy!

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The Pity Party: Chris My Ass

I've been meaning to post this song last week when the band excitedly announced as a free download. Leave it up to LA's quirky duo, The Pity Party, to release a Christmas song with a not-so-cheesy holiday message.

Heisenflie and M has become a must-see for concert-goers in LA, or anywhere actually, in the past two years. Why? It might have to do with the fact that Heis simultaneously does vocals, drums and keyboards like an octopus.

What's also interesting is that both members have been or are associated with the acting world and Heis has red hair so many have compared them to Rilo Kiley. However, in an interview I did with the duo over a year ago, their response to that was simply, "We're not Rilo Kiley on speed. We're Rilo Kiley on PCP." I also did another interview with the pair for LA.CityZine (the former music section before it became BeatCrave), way back then which you can check out here.

Check out this tongue-in-cheek "holiday" snippet by The Pity Party below!

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Passion Pit: Sleepyhead (Piano Acoustic)

There is no doubt that Passion Pit released one of everybody's favorite albums for 2009 with Manners. Their track, "Sleepyhead," is most likely the most popular track since it was on both the Chunk of Change EP and the debut full-length. What's great about this track is the energy and when I first came across it, it was the perfect song to get me pumped up in the morning.

However, what most people haven't heard is their acoustic version of it. This rendition of "Sleepyhead" without all the bells and whistles isn't as vigorous in sound but extremely soothing especially when you need to wind down after a long day.

Check out this awesome piano acoustic take on "Sleepyhead" below!

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Top 40 Albums of 2009

I told you I would bring it, and here it is. Well, half of it. Here is the beginning of my Top 40 Albums of 2009. However, it is only numbers 40 - 21. The other half will be published on BeatCrave tomorrow, so make sure to check in there on Tuesday!

2009 was a great year in music. To much dismay of others, indie rock took a slight electronic turn but it was actually to my delight! I'd like to say that I have a pretty broad taste in music ranging from pop to punk to rock to electro to soul and more. Yet, I know many people will disagree with this Top 40 list. It's just a consequence I'm ready to face as I post this.

Here is the bottom half of my Top 40 Albums of 2009...

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Ellie Goulding: Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix)

There's no use in hiding the fact that I have a lady crush on UK's rising electronica-pop star, Ellie Goulding. Her ability to make that thin voice soar over mesmeric beats have already gotten her into my iTunes' top 25 most listened songs. That's how much I listen to this girl.

I recently brought you the remix of her single, "Under the Sheets," but I just found out that there is also a remix of "Starry Eyed." This song has been around a bit longer than "Under the Sheets," so it leaves me befuddled to realize that I've never heard it because it's remixed by the same DJ, Jakwob.

Jakwob, a British DJ who is only 20 years old, keeps cranking these remixes out and I have to say - He does such a great job at creating clean beats on songs I love that I may find myself diving into the Dubstep genre all over again.

Take a listen to the remix of Goulding's "Starry Eyed" by Jakwob. It's a great partnership between two young and upcoming talents.

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Dam Funk Music Video: Mirrors

A month or so ago, a friend told me that I should get into an LA artist by the name of Dam Funk. I had heard of the name before but never really looked into him and sooner or later I couldn't deal with the curiosity in the back of my head.

This Dam-Funk guy is as funky as my friend says he is, apparently full of "boogie funk" to be exact, and I dig it. Modern electro and soul all giving off a retro Prince vibe is another chill sound I can gladly add to my music library.

However, his latest video for "Mirrors," is a bit silly. Entertaining but silly. The track is superb, but I couldn't agree more with Pitchfork's description: "The L.A. funk maestro brings some young people back to life using a keytar and the force of the funk..." That's exactly what happens yet you keep watching it because you see tons of cameos including Nite Jewel's Ramona Gonzalez. (He and Gonzales are currently working on a project titled Nite Funk.) Watch the video yourself below!

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Saint Motel Music Video: To My Enemies

If you are a BeatCrave reader, you know we love the indie rock outfit that is Saint Motel. Four guys who all met in film school and decided to start a band couldn't come off more charming than this. Their shows are always extreme as they incorporate much more technology than most bands. Lead vocalist, A/J Jackson, sounds like a pop-rock version of Grizzly Bear's Edward Droste and they're just a ton of fun to see live.

You may have already seen the "To My Enemies" video if you've bought the EP, ForPlay, but they officially released it online Wednesday and I think it deserves to be seen as well. It's like the game, Clue, mashed up with rock star shenanigans backstage. Whodunnit? Watch it after the jump and enjoy!

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Maps (Acoustic w/Strings)

Other than the A-trak remix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been somewhat off my radar this year even with the release of their latest album, It's Blitz! Not to imply that the album wasn't great - I loved the dance-anthem side of YYYs - however, in my opinion, nothing of theirs afterward has lived up to their album, Fever To Tell.

Simple songs such as "Rich" and "Maps" were what made the trio a novelty and now it seems like Karen O's extravagant fashion has tried to creep into their music, and it doesn't sound as honest. So when I came across this acoustic and strings version of "Maps" (off of an iTunes exclusive), I knew it had to share it. The nakedness of this track with Karen O's perfect pitch vocals makes me long for YYYs from 6 years ago.

Listen below!

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Sade: Soldier of Love

I apologize for the lack of posts, everyone. The end of year is always crazy and this month has been no exception. So! I'm back to play catch up with a few rad mp3s and videos. Also, on Tuesday, I will be posting the Top 20 albums of 2009 on BeatCrave, but make sure to check here tomorrow on Monday because I'll be posting albums 40 - 21 on Wild Tonic.

To get back into things, there is no other song I would be more happy to share with you than Sade's brand new single, "Soldier of Love." The track features Sade's subtle and silky vocals on top of a mid-tempo rhythm. Although Sade's leading lady has always been the epitome of exotic beauty, the new track takes on a slightly different turn with hypnotic, tribal beats and mystical swooshes of wind. It's a sexy and sophisticated listen.

Sultry Sade Adu and her band will be releasing a new album with the same title on February 8, 2010. No one can forgot how great Lovers Rock was and the new album will be another great reason to celebrate a new decade.

Take a listen below!

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Fanfarlo Music Video: Harold T. Wilkins

Within the past few months, Fanfarlo has become one of the many bands I've been obsessing over. So when they came to LA and I didn't plan ahead of time enough to get on the list or buy tickets, I was pretty bummed when their show with Freelance Whales (another band you'll hear me talking about a lot) was completely sold out.

Their album, Reservoir, initially served as a filler for the melodramatic pop orchestrations Arcade Fire has been stingy with since 2007's Neon Bible, but the more I listened to it I realized that there is a quirkiness and detailed essence to Fanfarlo's sound that sets them apart. Melodies are more accessible and although a UK band, Simon Balthazar's Swedish undertones peek out in his vocals reminding me why they've gained the credibility overseas.

In this new video for "Harold T. Wilkins" (also known as "Harold T. Wilkins or How To Wait For A Very Long TIme") the band pays tribute to the Sci-Fi fiction writer by telegraphing motions to each other in the forest. Direction by Alma Har'el (who directed Beirut's famous "Elephant Gun" video) is also fitting since there are hints of Beirut-like pockets heard in their songwriting. Enjoy the video, watch the old video for it if you wish, and please grab an mp3 of "I'm A Pilot" if you don't already have it. I'm begging you.

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Chromeo Music Video: Night By Night

As if Chromeo's Dave 1 needed to show another reason why he's crush-worthy! Electro-funk duo, Chromeo has just released their new video for "Night By Night," a single off of their upcoming follow-up album to Fancy Footwork and although it highlights Dave 1 more than P-Thugg it's a fun watch that echoes a little of Flashdance and their video for... well, "Fancy Footwork."

Girls are seen sneaking off to a warehouse where they pay P-Thugg to get a chance to dance with Dave 1. Things start out innocent but soon enough Chromeo's lead vocalist proves he's got the moves which makes the girls grow catty and possibly a little more dirty with their own steps.

Chromeo's third album is slated for a release in Summer 2010, and I can't wait. Not many agree but they're the Hall and Oates of this generation. (They've also worked with Daryll Hall!) Did I also mention Dave 1 speaks French really well, too? Swoon. Enjoy the video after the jump!

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