1. Sambassadeur, “New Moon.” Ah, Swedes and their twee. The opening track from Sambassadeur’s self-titled debut is everything you could desire if Belle & Sebastian is your alpha and omega.
2. Bebel Gilberto, “Tanto Tempo.”
3. Kanye West, “Addiction.”
4. Dr. Dre, “Let Me Ride.” I spent at least a couple of years in the early ’90s without buying The Chronic (the disc, fool), and only hearing the “Mothership Connection”-fueled “Let Me Ride” in its uncensored form. That Dre is nasty, baby.
5. Lavender Diamond, “Here Comes One.”
6. The Seeds, “Mr. Farmer.”
7. Phoenix, “If I Ever Feel Better.”
8. Voxtrot, “Soft and Warm.”
9. Khan, “Favor After Favor.”
10. The Brunettes, “Her Hairgami Set.” Here is a strong argument for being on an indie: The Brunettes were able to do a quirky, Spike Jonze-style marionette-themed video for “Her Hairgami Set” without some A&R guy rejecting it in favor of a video showcasing the arresting cuteness of Heather Mansfield. Here is a strong argument against being on an indie: The Brunettes were able to do a quirky, Spike Jonze-style marionette-themed video …