Rilo Kiley - "Dreamworld"

Rilo Kiley - "Dreamworld": "It sounds like Fleetwood Mac in general, but I think it sounds more specifically like "Trouble" by Lindsey Buckingham. It's a good song, but it does sound like a tribute to the Mac."

Superchunk - "Martinis On the Roof"

Superchunk - "Martinis On the Roof": "I know this isn't actually the most appropriate song to pick for today, but it's the closest I can find that has the right sentiment."

The Cardigans - "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer"

The Cardigans - "I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need To Be Nicer": "Another great track from the greatly overlooked last Cardigans' record. It seems like everyone still wants them to be bubbly and upbeat, but since this record is not that, it hasn't gotten the notice that it should. It's really quite a shame because Nina's voice and lyrics are as sharp as ever and the songs are solid. It's not too late to give a listen!"

Cyndi Lauper - "Money Changes Everything"

Cyndi Lauper - "Money Changes Everything": "At first, it sounds like an upbeat, mid-tempo rock song - but it's clearly much sadder and Cyndi, in that odd chirpy-yet-powerful way, imbues the song with the appropriate emotional undercurrent. The album it comes from (She's So Unusual) is a gem overall, but this is still its best cut.
Also of interest is the original version of the song, by The Brains. A much rougher take than the semi-gloss Lauper version, but with a more of a crass punk/new wave vitality."

M - "Pop Muzik"

M - "Pop Muzik": "It may be a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I love this song so much. From the bubbling synth noises to the Euro-girl backup chorus to the totally square way M yells "get down!", this is disposable pop at its best. The video is also pretty classic - my favorite part being when M gives the mannequin-looking girl vinyl record after record, with her throwing each one away like an automaton...while the 'pop pop pop muzik' goes on."

Pavement - "Stop Breathin'"

Pavement - "Stop Breathin'"

Kreidler - "She Woke Up And The World Had Changed"

Kreidler - "She Woke Up And The World Had Changed": "Sometimes, it just feels like it has."

Talking Heads - "Road To Nowhere"

Talking Heads - "Road To Nowhere": "In high school, I was the hugest Talking Heads fan ever, scribbling their song titles on the fronts of all my folders. Recently, I haven't been listening to them as much, probably because I'm always trying to listen to new music for work. Then - yesterday, for no reason at all, while I was doing laundry - this song popped back into my head and I'm so glad it did. It could be this hugely cynical song, but it winds up sounding so joyous that's its almost more of a church revival than their cover of Al Green's "Take Me To The River.""

David Bowie - "Drive In Saturday"

David Bowie - "Drive In Saturday": "Jazzy, retro sci-fi doo-wop wrapped in shiny tinsel. Is this what they'll play in heaven?"

U.N.K.L.E. - "Hold My Hand"

U.N.K.L.E. - "Hold My Hand": "I love this buzzy, piercing, straight-on rock, with the bass leading the way and the drums crisply pounding along. And is it just me or is that piano lick near the end of the song a sample of the piano from Bowie's "Be My Wife"? Right before I'm sure of the sample, the song kicks back into its guitar noise - which I love, but is frustrating to me at the same time - because it keeps me from knowing if I'm right or not."

A Fine Frenzy - "Come On, Come Out (Rhapsody Originals version)"

A Fine Frenzy - "Come On, Come Out (Rhapsody Originals version)": "My favorite version of my favorite A Fine Frenzy song. Here, all the instrumentation in the song (which is fairly prevalent on the album version) take a backseat to Alison's vocals and piano, making the song sparkle as it rolls out in this more seductive and intimate form. In fact, in this arrangement, it reminds me of some of my favorite Rachael Yamagata songs."

Mando Diao - "Song For Aberdeen (Rhapsody Originals Version)"

Mando Diao - "Song For Aberdeen (Rhapsody Originals Version)": "Mando Diao are a first-rate garage rock band - so imagine my surprise when they go acoustic and still sound equally amazing! Here, the guitars may be more subtle, but the harmonies are front and center and the keyboard leads them on a bouncing run down the lane."

Morrissey - "Alsatian Cousin"

Morrissey - "Alsatian Cousin": "Morrissey's first song on his first solo album - and he sounds like he's out for blood...in as much as he can. It's not that he's on new territory - the muscular bass is on par with 'Barbarism Begins At Home' and Morrissey's bold delivery resurfaces all the way through 'Irish Blood, English Heart' - but there's something powerful in his bitterly saucy accusations of adultery. I also love the way he delivers the line: "but on the desk is where I want you!" Poisonous but tasty!"

Syd Barrett - "Gigolo Aunt"

Syd Barrett - "Gigolo Aunt": "A strange, whimsical - but fun - pop tune, aided along by forceful bass and frolicking 60s keyboards."

Feist - "My Moon My Man"

Feist - "My Moon My Man": "I'm torn about this song. On one hand, it's very catchy, although its placement in the over-run Verizon Wireless TV ads may have helped with that somewhat. On the other hand, it gets sidetracked from true pop perfection by breathy asides and burbling noises. (Not to mention that it musically cribs from Spoon's more piano-based tunes!) I still like the song, but it feels like it's stuck on the cusp of being so much better."

Pete Krebs - "Do Your Father Proud"

Pete Krebs - "Do Your Father Proud": "Ex-Hazel frontman Pete Krebs goes solo acoustic, without sounding sparse in the slightest. Sweet-sounding, but biting at the core, this is acoustic without being folky."

Buffseeds - "Sunlight"

Buffseeds - "Sunlight": "Kind of like Placebo's Brian Molko fronting Travis, this song blends emotive, high-octave vocals with symphonic-styled Brit-rock. Pretty and touching."

Verbena - "Hot Blood"

Verbena - "Hot Blood": "Most people know Verbena from their debut Capitol Records album, where Dave Grohl (as producer) made them sound like Nirvana, so that's what people thought they were. Their real gem was the album before that, Souls for Sale, which melded dirty male-female vocals to a Stones/Stooges stomp, keeping the melodies strong while being equally as electric as those bands. Unfortunately, this record was similarly overlooked because it came out on Merge Records at a time people looked to them for indie pop and Neutral Milk Hotel, essentially making them the shard of glass in a pillow. This record is great rock'n'roll and it's begging to be rediscovered; this track is the first song on the album and is as good a starting point as any."

Prince - "Batdance"

Prince - "Batdance": "It's nice seeing Prince getting back to some sexy antics on his new album (Planet Earth), but it still doesn't compare to his days of yore. Still, as a reminder of how you can never really peg what Prince is going to do, I thought I'd bring back his lead track from his Batman soundtrack - which, though often bloated and confused, is still a great example of something it still seems like he'd never do. Too bad that the "Kiss"-like guitar riff that kicks in around the 2:46 mark is hotter than anything on the new record - and singing "I wanna bust that body!" in front of Bruce Wayne's "I'd like to!" shows a greater sense of humor too."