The You Wildin' Top Sixty Songs of 2008: 51-46

All the internet outlets in my life were broken on Friday. Sorry bout the lack of a playlist and the delay with the list. Here is 51-46. 45-43 later today.

51) Cut Copy- Unforgettable Season
The Australian trio's 2008 album, In Ghost Colours, was one of the best received of 2008. Among the cheerful, new-wave-ish fifteen tracks, Unforgettable Season sticks out. The Bowie-like vocals, noisy but pleasant arrangement, and beyond catchy melody make this one of my favourite songs on one of the best albums of the year.

50) Kid Cudi/Crookers- Embrace the Martian
Kid Cudi had a breakout year in 2008. Armed with personal lyrics, effortless swag, and a smooth yet soulful singing voice, Cudi went from a relatively unknown Bape employee to the world-touring, VMA performing protege of Kanye West. This is one of the best songs from his mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi (also released on the Crookers' Mad Kidz EP), and the lower ranked of two Crookers produced Cudi tracks on this list. I like when rappers talk about being aliens. The best thing about this song, however, is the beat. It is phenomenal. I would stab myself with an ice pick in the thigh, and stitch up the wound with rusty wire, by myself and without the help of drugs, for this beat. Seriously, I would.

49) Sebastien Tellier- L'Amour et la Violence
Sebastien Tellier is my idol. His live show exhibits the epitome of rockstar. His music is sexual and hip, without taking itself too seriously. L'Amour et la Violence (love and violence) is the last and most solemn song on Tellier's album, Sexuality, which at moments sounds like Daft Punk (Guy de Homem-Emanuel of Daft Punk actually exec. produced the album) and at others like Sade. The French phenom will be at La Poisson Rouge next Thursday. You should go.

48) Death Cab for Cutie- Grapevine Fires
Hate all you want, I am actually a fan of Death Cab for Cutie. Chances are if you are hating, you have never actually heard Death Cab, and are assuming that they suck because their name conjures images of emo kids from the suburbs. But if you enjoy quasi-depressing singer/songwriter infused rock, check your NYC pretension, and peep their 2008 album Narrow Stairs; a haunting collection of well written and produced songs, dealing mostly with heartbreak and loneliness. I picked Grapevine Fires not just because it is a pretty song, but mainly because it showcases front-man Ben Gibbard's uncanny story-telling ability. The song poetically describes a scene where a man and his wife watch their daughter dance in a cemetery against a backdrop of a forest fire overtaking a vineyard. Good stuff.

47) Baxter Beez and Pirate Robot Midget- Bring Me to the Eight
If this list had nothing to do with popularity, influence over music, and other people's choices, this remix of Bring Me to the Eight would be in my top five songs of the year. I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeee this song. There were about two months this summer where I listened to it over ten times a day, and I am still not sick of this track. I won't say anything else. If you have never done so listen to it now on Hypem.
Baxter Beez - Bring Me To The 8 (Pirate Robot Midget Remix)
46) Elzhi- Fire
From Jay Dilla, to Slum Village, to Bahamadia, Detroit might have the best underground hip hop scene in the world, and the D's best word smith is probably Elzhi. Fire is a four minute lyrical display of the highest quality backed by an average Black Milk beat. (An average Black Milk beat, if you didn't know, is a soulful, heavy and excellent beat for the rest of us.) Elzhi is one of two emcees (Jay Electronica being the other) that should have been on XXL's Freshman Ten list for 2009. But with or without the press, dude is gonna do big things in hip hop- hopefully for years to come.