As football season starts to creep into the skyrocketing humidity, I had been dry as a bone trying to find the best music to put in August’s Top 5 songs.  And then it hit me like an Olympic blunder on the uneven bars.  From jazz to blues to electronic to folk and pop, this eclectic mix could be my best yet.  On a personal note, I am 5 months pregnant with a baby boy and I can’t wait to play this playlist to my belly.   I may or may not be disappointed if my child decides to become a doctor or something and not a musician.  Aaaaanyway, please listen and VOTE for your favorite song in the embedded poll below.

Click HERE for Spotify Playlist or listen below:

“HEARTBEAT” – JJAMZ  Um, it’s pronounced Juh-JAMZ.  Thanks to a fateful tweet from Katy Perry about “Heartbeat,” this band has impeccable timing.  Mixing dark shadows disguised in a catchy danceable tune, the video was fashioned in the same way: a campy 80′s-esque high school horror movie.  Led by Z Berg (formerly of The Like) and backed by 4 experienced music biz players.   Based out of Los Angeles, JJAMZ recently released their debut album Suicide Pact and are set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday, August 15.  Free download of “Heartbeat” is available on their website.  Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Download | Spotify

“OCTOBER” – THE HELIO SEQUENCE  Between Helio Sequence and Slow Runner, I can’t decidel which band has gotten under my skin more.  They can do no wrong in my book and their upcoming release is proving to be another knockout.  Not quite alternative and not quite electronic, Helio Sequence has a quirky depth and intelligence that resonates deep in your bones.   Portland, Oregon’s superduo The Helio Sequence is getting ready to release their fifth studio album Negotiations on Sub Pop Records on September 11, 2012.   The first single “October” (free download on their website) has its trademark cascade of rhythmic drums and more anthemic guitar sounds, but the song boasts a more free-form approach to their forthcoming album.  By the way, if you ever get a chance to see Helio Sequence live, I highly recommend it.  Drummer/keyboardist Benjamin Weikel (formerly the drummer of Modest Mouse) plays drums like a short-circuiting robot that hits every beat precisely. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Download | Spotify  

“STRANGE LOVE” – KOOP If your clothes aren’t off by the end of this song, something is wrong.  Sexy, sultry, and sounds like a perfect soundtrack to a pin-up girl’s photo shoot or an episode of Mad Men.  Koop is a Swedish Grammy-winning electro-jazz duo that sounds like a tightly played jazz band but in reality, it’s sample based.  According to Wikipedia, they take thousands of small clips of drums, strings, horns, and choirs are taken from old records and puzzled together into new songs.  Website | Facebook | Download | Spotify

“BLUES ON SIDEWAYS” – JONAH SMITH  Thanks to the tip of my fellow music zealot JrzyGyrl, she helped me discover Brookyn’s blues-pop singer, Jonah Smith.  This snappy number mixes some of my favorite elements of bluegrass-styled harmonies, a blues riff, and a tale of life’s journey. “Blues on Sideways” is the first single from his forthcoming album Little Known Cure, available August 18th.  His gravelly voice sounds a lot like Bob Schneider’s with a totally different vibe.  Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Download | Spotify

“SNOW” – BEN AND THE SEA Another gem found from The Wounded Jukebox, this string and guitar based folk-pop song is from this Australian trio.  Lead singer and songwriter, Ben Webb has his own unique climb as he suffered two bouts with Bell’s palsy that left his face partially paralyzed and set out on his own musical journey captivating crowds all over the world.  Along with his collaborators Matt Spier and Jacob Graham, Ben and the Sea have just released their brand new single “Snow” from their forthcoming EP A Life Inside, due December 2012.  The strings color this contemplative number into a beautiful work of art.  Also, check out this visually compelling video for the exquisitely lush “The Sailor.”  Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Download | Spotify