Boy Least Likely To - "Be Gentle With Me" This is the first track from their debut album, "The Best Party Ever," and the line put forth with the most feeling is "If I wasn't so happy, I wouldn't be so scared to die." Before choosing those words as a life mantra, remember D.C.'s rampant humidity hasn't left just yet. Revel in the main line of melody, which is plunked out on the xylophone.
R. Kelly - "Trapped in the Closet parts 1-5" Oh, the soap opera has finally breached its greasy head from the womb of housewives and old ladies to the hippest melodrama phenomenon this side of "All My Children." And this is only the beginning! But these first five episodes, chock full of complex debauchery and disloyalty, prove to be the perfect escape from those back-to-school blues.
Ciara - "Oh" She's 18, she's dating Bow Wow (formerly Lil') and she's freakin' hott. From down in the ATL, Ciara rides it slow and steady straight into hip-hop gold. The track is milky smooth, with a great greasy guest spot from Hotlanta's own Ludacris (who, incidently, sounds like a 14-year-old boy), and those tinny drum machines have never sounded better.
Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" Hearing this single on the radio makes anyone feel cool. It also encourages butt shaking along with the bass line in a really crisp, defined fashion. Then, try to sing along with Britt Daniel and even though your falsetto's off, it hardly matters. Pop your collar as you pop your hips.
Shout Out Louds - "100 Degrees" This band of hip-looking Swedes has a keyboard player/Margot Tenenbaum-lookalike named Bebban who tickles the electric ivories for them, and this track's keyboard riff is everything you'll ever need to pull off a black-eyeliner, off-the-shoulder-chemise-ridden dance party.
Gorillaz - "Feel Good Inc." Sure it's on that NOW music compilation, but everyone's favorite animated band is back. Sometime Blur frontman Damon Albarn kicks out the funky jams, perfect for any fall break road trip. Which is good, because it was on the radio every five minutes.
Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" Although this song has the word "crying" in it a couple times, which is decidedly un-fall feel-good, the Scene staffers feel it really captures the classic road trip ideal. Like we had to tell you that Stevens is good at capturing moods.
Luke Temple - "Someone, Somewhere" More about this Seattle-via-New York City songwriter later, but this song is just too fun to keep quiet about for now. At once reminiscent of all the best parts of the circus, carnivals and boating, this is the first song from Mr. Temple's first proper album, out now on Millpond records. Stay tuned.
Beck - "Girl" Hearing Beck sing this ode is enough to make any lonely radio listener wonder if she too is "sun-eyed." What does it take to achieve eyes of such solar proportions? I know.
Natasha Bedingfield - "These Words" The video of this surprise gem features the cutest little stereo with legs this Scene staffer has ever seen. Bedingfield's soulful vocals carry this catchy track to a respected place in a well-made fall mix.
