Favorite Songs of 2024 - Songs 23-33

Since I seem incapable these days of accomplishing regular social media posts - which is in all likelihood a good thing - I've decided to provide you with a window into what I've been listening to this past year solely via three blog posts. Without further ado, here are the first 11 songs that have been my favorites in 2024.

23.    Train Full of Gasoline by Ducks Ltd.

"Here's me thinking that this might have been an all-time low

But you're right to point out that I've always been a dumbass."

Yes, I admit that absent this particular song I would have likely found another to include in this year's list, just so I could have a song from "Ducks Ltd." Fortunately I really like this one, and particularly love the opening stanza above. I was surprised to learn that singer Tom McGreevy and guitarist Evan Lewis are Canadian, not Australian as the accent I detected is more the latter.

24.     800 by Restorations.

"And it's all gone in the middle of the night

When we're all just going by feel.

I wish I knew what it was ...

But it just keeps flying away.

And I wish I knew what it was ...

But I get so carried away."

https://open.spotify.com/track/7db8i61MbKnFnEoGMKTJOK#_=_

So, it appears that there is no video that accompanies this song. Best laid plans and all that. Hopefully, though, you can follow the link and listen on Spotify. All is not lost! A good ol' fashioned rock song, from a band that (apparently) has been around for a while now. More along those lines to follow (at number 28 in particular).

25.     kms by Los Campesinos!

"Some golden oldies radio

Plays your first kiss (Later than your friends did)

Binbag blackout, your landlord pinned for curtains.

Two brine-soaked kids."

No, I have no idea what the title means or for that matter the lyrics, other than that they're pretty much depressing. Nonetheless, I like the song and the band (introduced to me by my son), although I admit to being similarly confused by a Welsh pop/rock/indie band with a Spanish name (although to be fair, if truly Spanish then they'd have an upside down exclamation point at the start of their name too).

26.    Roses by Finnian James.

"I'm picking up these roses

I've got blood all over my hands for you.

They've lost all meaning but I'm ...

Never going to find another you."

Based on the number of YouTube views (124) of this song as I write this, I'm going to guess this is the most obscure song on this year's list. That and Finnian James doesn't have a Wikipedia page ... Maybe we're in early on the start of a meteoric rise for Mr. James?

27.    Jesus Is Dead by Bleachers.

"Tell them to grease the wheels

Pull the arrow back, start the appeal

I'm not the man who sold the world."

No I am not entirely comfortable with this song's title, although I believe it a reference to decaying/dead NYC music scenes and bands, and not the historical Savior. "Texas man" and his horn, however, overcame all my trepidation.

28.    Chicago by Japandroids.

"It's a little late for breakfast, but for you two I'll see what I can do

Coffee's coming right up, and two shots of the good stuff too."

The Japandroids' swan song fourth album sounds very much like them when they first burst on the scene more than a decade ago as far as the music goes (I saw them at Bonnaroo in 2013 and can honestly say I've never heard that much quality sound come out of two musicians in my life). But the lyrics sound kind of middle aged and tired. Which I suppose explains why it's their swan song. "Sorry baby, but we call it like we see it in Chicago."

29.     After Hours by Christian Lee Hutson. 

"There's a Diet Coke fountain, 

no good Italian

There's free shuffleboard in the main hall.

Big budget productions

of the lives of your loved ones;

The good stuff is behind a paywall."

The artist behind my second favorite song in 2022 is back, with either a dystopian vision of what heaven might be, or a dystopian vision of our world cast in heavenly terms. 

30.    Highway Queen by Mt. Joy.

"Oh we both left home on that airplane running

We never looked back but you can tell it's coming

My highway queen must be hiding something."

Mt. Joy are an L.A. band, by way of Philadelphia. They sound more like they're from Appalachia or the South (which is a good thing in my estimation).

31.    Sprinter Brain by Wild Pink.

"Help me understand

What the hell has happened

There's just so many things

I can't explain."

We hear you Wild Pink. Loud and clear.

32.    Homesick by Noah Kahan (with Sam Fender).

"Some guy won Olympic gold

Eight years ago, a distance runner.

"And that makes a lot of sense,

This place is such great motivation

For anyone trying to move

The f!ck away from hibernation."

Not the "Homesick" you might think of. "Sick of home" more like. Kind of a cheat, since Noah's "Stick Season" was last year's favorite song and "Homesick" was mentioned in the List. But this is a new version with another favorite artist of mine, Sam Fender, so I gave myself license to include it here.

33.    i like lizzy (but she doesn't like me) by PRONOUN.

"Oh what a shocking turn of events

Stemming from me having no common sense

Lizzy bring your crocodile tears,

let's start this safari

And if I'm not for you, there's no need to say you're sorry."

Frequent List member PRONOUN (or sometimes pronoun, or aka Alyse Vellturo) is (are?) back with another catchy tune about ... ignoring someone who has a crush on you only decide that you like them but too late for them to like you?

Favorite Songs of 2023 - Songs 1-11

At long, long last we've reached the end of 2023's List. Hardly an end of the year list, as it turned out. Nonetheless, I hope you've found some new favorite songs that will carry you well in to 2024.

1. Stick Season by Noah Kahan.

"And I'll dream each night of some version of you

That I might not have, but I did not lose.

Now you're tire tracks and one pair of shoes

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do ...

Have to do."

Several significant departures from the norm for the List with this song atop it. Never before has a song released in the previous year (i.e., 2022) made number one. Neither has a song this popular (14 million YouTube hits for the original video - which is not the one above) been at the top. But this is the song that kept bouncing around in my head from early in 2023, and convention was thrown out the window. Also check out Homesick and Dial Drunk from the excellent Stick Season album.

2. Lights Light Up by Fenne Lily.

"You came to me at the speed of a bad decision

Just the speed, the bad not so much.

We held each other while everything burned up 'round us

And inside of me, too

That's called love."

A lovely little love song from Ms. Lily. The first two stanzas quoted above are likely my favorite lyrics of 2023. As often happens, Lights Light Up traded the top spot with Stick Season for much of the year. The fact that it ended up number two is no reflection of how much I admire this song.

3. Modern Girl by Bleachers.

"Changed my meds, changed the flight

Bodies on, bodies wild

Body cam, only flams

Bleachers band only flams.

Playin' it like a heart attack for you

We playin' it like a heart attack."

Yes, the Jersey boys are back on the List. And they may well have risen to the top again, if this song had been released earlier in 2023. Pretty sure they could care less ...

4. Honey by Samia.

"I wanna go to the beach and die on the beach

I wanna be a mermaid.

I'm not scared of sharks, I'm not scared to be naked

I'm not scared of anything."

Along with boygenius member Lucy Dacus, Samia is the only artist on 2023's List that I've seen live - and that was as an opening act for ... Lucy Dacus. Bonus fact: Samia's last name is Finnerty, which was my paternal grandmother's maiden name. No wonder I like her, and love this song.

5. Dripfield by Goose.

"Howling out the prism

Calling for the rhythm

Time's my only prison

Dripfield where you sitting

Rising like the weather

Blood gets pumping redder

I know that life comes better

I know that life comes better

In love."

Believe it or not, there are two songs that are 5+ minutes long in 2023's top 11. Even more incredibly, there are two songs by bands named after winged water fowl in 2023's top 11. This is the first of both. Goose are apparently a popular jam band, which generally isn't my cup of tea. But this song goes down smoothly, especially first thing in the morning. Check out Hungersite and 726 from Goose's Dripfield album as well.

6. Not Strong Enough by boygenius.

"I don't know why I am

The way I am

There's something in the static,

I think I've been having revelations.

Comin' to, in the front seat, nearly empty.

Skip the exit to our old street and go home ...

Go home alone."

My admiration for Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and particularly Lucy Dacus has been expressed many times on the List. Put them all together and you get ... well, genius.

7. 3D Country by Geese.

"I used to cut 'em up

I used to tear it down

I coulda been the king of this town ...

But I'm going home."

Yup, here's the other big bird on the 2023 List. As well as the other 5+ minute song. What is it about geese and long songs you may ask? I have no idea. But I love Cameron Winter's (the lead singer for Geese) vocals on this song.

8. Expert in a Dying Field by The Beths.

"Can we erase our history

Is it as easy as this?

Plausible deniability

I swear I've never heard of it.

And I can close

The door on us

But the room still exists

(and I know you're in it)."

Spotify tells me this was my most-listened to song in 2023, which makes sense because it was released in 2022 and it may have been the first song I added to the playlist that eventually became The List. While their "A Real Thing" made 2022's List at No. 27, as you can tell I prefer this song from their "Expert in a Dying Field" album.

9. Hope is a Dangerous Little Thing by The Menzingers.

"They hope is a dangerous, dangerous little thing.

To keep finding out the hard way

What tomorrow never brings."

Now this is something you don't hear much of anymore (at least I don't): good ol' fashioned punk rock. That driving drumbeat certainly gives it away.

10. For Your Soul by Josh Ritter.

"Will you be worthy and yet

Unworthy in the same breath

And look yourself in the mirror?

Will you be righteous and strong

By saying when you are wrong

And put aside your own fear?"

"This is a test." But, apparently, this is not only a test.

11. Tropic Morning News by The National.

"I was suffering more than I let on

The tropic morning news was on.

There's nothing stopping me now

From saying all the painful parts out loud."

One of my all-time favorite bands issued not one, but two, albums this year. To be honest, I found them a little uneven, but this is my preferred song from both "First Two Pages of Frankenstein" and "Laugh Track."