Hello wonderful internet,
It's December 31, 2018, and that once again means I come back to this blog and give out my top songs of the year. This annual posting is much inspired much by my pal Jake who does a similar list every year, as well as all the wonderful people who share music with me throughout the year. And now, to the list!
11. The Decemberists - Once in My Life
Admittedly, I fell off the Decemberists bandwagon a bit after their release of the so-so double album What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World and thus largely ignored their 2018 release I'll Be Your Girl. While the latest album isn't a return to form, it does have several anathematic tracks, including this, the first cut. In this simple yet beautiful song, Colin Meloy asks a question posed by both emo kids and dead-eyed adults alike: "For once in my life, could just something go right?" Backed by the beautiful voice of Jenny Conlee, the song doesn't aim for the complex, but nails the universal.
10. Father John Misty - Mr. Tillman
Allegedly, Father John Misty (real name: Josh Tillman) holed himself up in a New York Hotel room for 2 months while he wrote the material for God's Favorite Customer. "Mr. Tillman" is written from the perspective of his frazzled hotel concierge, as we the listeners get some perspective on what exactly Josh Tillman has been doing in said hotel room. From leaving his passport in the mini fridge to sleeping on the balcony to mistaking hotel guests for extras in a movie, it seems Tillman has gone slightly off the deep end. How much of the song is auto-biographical is up for debate, but what makes the track so interesting is three fold: the narrative, the instrumentation and the chord progression. Adding bells and a choral-like drone adds to the mood of the song, which rolls from major to minor to major to minor key - constantly flipping moods, not unlike Mr. Tillman himself.
9. 5 Light Years - Mae
Taken from Mae's newest full-length since 2008's Singularity, "5 Light Years" is a sonic rocker that never stays quite in one lane. Just when you think you're listening to a straightforward jam, the track veers off into near-dubstep territory in the chorus. Driven by some fantastic guitar work from Zach Gehring, the track is both pleasantly familiar yet experimental - and refreshingly cohesive. It's a shame Mae couldn't replicate this formula on the album it came from.
8. The Paper Kites - Give Me Your Fire, Give Me Your Rain
Australia's The Paper Kites released two albums in 2018. The first, an acoustic, meandering album entitled On the Train Ride Home, the second, a proper follow up to their last album titled On the Corner Where You Live. Songwriter Sam Bentley stated in concert that the albums were inspired by people watching in New York City. "Give Me Your Fire, Give Me Your Rain" is a lush, warm, lovely song that evokes the feeling of a tight embrace on a cold night. Every instrument drips with reverberated dreaminess, and Bently's voice melts over the whole track.
7. Charlie Puth - Boy
Nothing makes an 80's baby feel old like this line: "You won't wake up beside me / 'cause I was born in the 90s". In Boy, Puth questions how his lover can treat him like a kid when he's treated them so well. The track is pure pop magic, with sexy synth lines, an irresistible hook, and yes, even an electric piano solo. Last but not least is Puth's buttery voice, which does ironically sound quite young here. In a refreshing move, Puth both co-wrote and plays most of the instruments on the track.
6. Hold On (I Was Wrong) - Video Age
This funky little number from Louisiana's own Video Age sounds like a lost relic from the 80s. A Prince-like guitar permeates the track, while a funky synth line bounces to and fro. Completing the essence of the decade are well placed bass slaps and a 3-note synth bell sound. Some might say we should bury all this new 80s nostalgia, but as long as fresh songs like "Hold On (I Was Wrong)" keep coming out, I say bring it on.
5. Backstreet Boys - Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Here's a band I definitely didn't see going on any "year's best" lists, but here we are. This infectious tune has everything you could want in a pop song - great harmony, powerful drum lines, and a simple tune that gets stuck in your head. There's something about that synth arpeggio in the chorus that wraps the entire song up in a neat little package. It's the boy's first album since 2013, and a welcome return to the airwaves. Backstreet's back, all right.
4. Leaning on You - PREP
By all accounts, PREP should be one of the dorkiest bands in existence. They're mainly composed of skinny, nerdy looking white guys from London. Yet, here we have one of the funkiest, dance-inducing songs in recent memory. "Leaning on You" starts out with an odd-sounding synth run which then quickly comes in-time with a drum fill straight out of Phil Collin's catalouge. (This was even more dramatic when I saw the band in concert as I had never heard the song before). PREP's most excellent talent is perhaps their singer, Tom Havelock, and he's at his absolute best in this song, especially in the dramatic, uplifting chorus. Truly a pick-me up song.
3. The Band Camino - Daphne Blue
I've seen The Band Camino twice - once in a tiny venue called The Cobra Lounge, and then again at Subterranean. Their latest show was moved from Schuba's to Lincoln Hall and already sold out before I could get a ticket. Why bother mentioning this? The Band Camino is exploding in popularity, and anyone could see why. Their songs are catchy, emotionally driven, well-composed pop-rock - there's something here for everyone. "Daphne Blue" stars out with a killer guitar hook, explodes into a pre-verse, and then in comes in the unique voice of Jeffery Jordan, heart laid bare. Almost all of the band's songs are about some of heartbreak, but if they keep pumping out songs like this, bring on the drama.
2. Tiny Moving Parts - Caution
I have to thank Jake for this one, as he's been a Tiny Moving Parts fan for a long, long time. For some reason I decided to give them a listen randomly and I've been hooked on their album Swell ever since. "Caution" is the finest track from that album, a powerful emo/math rock song that shows off the band's talents. The fact that Dylan Mattheisen both plays the guitar and sings in this band is nothing short of mind blowing, as he taps and strums his way through the track while screaming emo sentiments such as "THIS IS LOVE!". I've air guitared to this song more times than I'm willing to admit - "Caution" is one of the most powerful tracks I've heard in some time.
1. Oso Oso - Reindeer Games
I'm not 100 percent sure why I love this song. Perhaps its the earnestness of Jade Lilitri's voice, who is the main singer/songwriter for the project. Perhaps its because the song reminds me of early 2000s bands like Anberlin, Motion City Soundtrack, and Copeland, and by proxy, simpler times. Perhaps because sometimes, I want things to stay exactly how they are, so I sing along with the chorus with all my heart: "If you want, we can just stay here / wrap me in your claws, I can be your reindeer". Whatever it is, I've been listening to this song on repeat since I found it and I'm not sick of it yet.
