Favorite Songs of 2021 - Songs 12-22

Ignore this portion of the list at your peril!

12. From the Back of a Cab by Rostam.

"And in the back of a cab we sit closer

And I rest my head down on your shoulder

From the back of the cab to the airport

I am happy you and I got this hour."

Our man Rostam didn't just do covers this year, he came out with new music as well. This is my favorite from his 2021 album Changephobia -- a pretty song about a cab ride to the airport with your love. Check out, at the least, "4Runner" as well.

13. Back in Ohio by Lucero.

"Looking down the barrels

Of twenty loaded guns

All the letters written

All the fighting's been done

A man without a country

Ain't getting out alive."

My brother introduced me to both Lucero and this song earlier this year, and I feel I'm the better for both. It was clear from the video that the song is about the Cuban Revolution, but the exact reference (of which I was not aware) is here.

14. Reese by Big Red Machine. 

"A little bit older now

Out in the wilderness

With some valedictorian

You had wagered up your torch

And then you lost your paraffin."

Big Red Machine is mostly Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver) and Aaron Dressner (of The National fame), with various well-known guest artists. Yep, the name is a reference to the Cincinnati Reds of the '70's (Dressner, like the rest of the members of The National, is originally from Cincy). Sounds like Justin is not pleased with the actions of a former friend in this song.

15. Making A Fire (Mark Ronson version) by The Foo Fighters.

"This is our last time

I've made up my mind

I've waited a lifetime to live

It's time to ignite

I'm making a fire."

The Foos are still cool! Dave Grohl is definitely still cool!! They blessed us with a new album in 2021, and some re-mixes, and this is my favorite of the bunch (you can check out the original version of Making A Fire here). I also recommend giving a listen to Love Dies Young and Waiting on a War, at the least, from the excellent Medicine at Midnight LP.

16. Chinatown by Bleachers (feat. Bruce Springsteen).

"Yeah, I wanna find tomorrow

With a girl like you

My Chinatown baby

Sittin' on your front stoop

Cryin' out the crazy."

A break from protocol here as there are two Bleachers' songs on the list (and, truth be told, there could easily be four). My reasoning for the double inclusion is simple enough: only one of those songs features The Boss as well. So, one Bleachers song, one Bleachers and Bruce Springsteen song. Hope everyone's cool with that ...

17. I WANT TO DIE BUT I CAN'T ('CUZ I GOTTA KEEP LIVING) by PRONOUN.

"Wake up in another day

Have some coffee with my stupor

Add up all the time I waste

Telling myself I'm a loser."

Apparently PRONOUN (a.k.a. Alyse Velturo) has decided to forego all lowercase letters and instead use ALL CAPS. You do what you do, lady. I think she's mocking herself here, but maybe it's someone else ...

18. Write a List of Things to Look Forward To by Courtney Barnett.

"Sit beside me, watch the world burn

We'll never learn, we don't deserve nice things

And we'll scream self-righteously

We did our best, but what does that really mean?"

A song about a fractured friendship? Or a bigger picture than that (global climate change?)?

19. Stellate (The Districts Remix) by Samia.

"I wanna get you sedated

Like when it all began

I wanna play you records I like

I wanna hold your hand."

When this song was rereleased with the addition of The Districts, I was hooked. Love Samia's voice, which is enhanced (I believe) by the addition of TDs. And who doesn't love an overt reference to The Beatles?

20. Alibi (Alternate Version) by Geographer.

"Some days can be harder

But we find the way to keep

Our eyes on the forest

And forget about the trees."

It's been a while since Geographer made my list. I'm glad I found this song worthy of inclusion.

21. Far Out by Ben Howard.

"One said 'the violence has begun, we're together all as one

If we don't act now it'll be tomorrow.'

Well, I've seen this show before

So I left and closed the door

When out walking into the nearest forest clearing

There was nothing to see 

Just a boy beyond the trees

Picking psilocybin."

A dark but maybe hopeful (at least for those who indulge in magic mushrooms) song about our current societal divisions. 

22. Human Condition by Sjowgren.

"Whether they knew 

Call it crazy it's true

Went on and on and on it goes

It's the human condition

But nobody mentioned

The eyes the eyes the eyes the eyes."

Sjowgren has at least let us put faces to their voices now -- so a little less mystery than previous incarnations on my list. And every bit worthy of its inclusion.

My favorite 11 songs of 2021 are just around the corner!

Favorite Cover Songs of 2021 - Songs 1-11

Here's the second half (or first half, depending on how you want to look at it) of my favorite 22 cover songs of 2021.

1. European Son by Matt Berninger (original by The Velvet Underground). 

"You made your wallpapers green

You want to make love to the scene

Your European son is gone

You'd better say so long

Your clowns bid you goodbye."

My favorite cover of the year - at least according to my ears and brain (my heart was with number two, which will become understandable when you read about and listen to it). This is an excellent example of what a cover can be - both reimagining the original and being true to it at the same time. The lyrics are admittedly not complex (the story behind it is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Son), but the sound, especially Matt's voice, the harmonica, and the horns, got into my head and wouldn't leave. Yes, that's an endorsement for Mr. Berninger's vocals over Lou Reed's (in this instance).

2. Champaign Corolla by Steve Earle and The Dukes (original by Justin Townes Earle). 

"I know every man think that he need

Some high tone woman

Something built for speed

But you can't trust a rich girl

No farther than you can throw her

Need a middle class queen

Riding by in a champagne Corolla."

Steve Earle and his band recorded an entire album of Justin Townes' songs shortly after the latter's death. Hence my heart going with this one as my favorite cover of the year. While the whole album is excellent, I chose this one over the others, turning JT's sly solo effort into a rollicking country stomp. I cannot bring myself to choose between the two performances.

3.  Sad But True by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (original by Metallica). 

"I'm your truth, telling lies

I'm your reason, alibis

I'm inside, open your eyes

I'm you

Sad but true."

You read that correctly. Metallica. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a metal fan, so this is one of those that took me a while before I realized it was a cover. One of the comments on the cover's YouTube page is "there is an alternate reality where this is the original." Just so. And much preferred to the original as well, at least by this listener.

4. Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (original by Stevie Wonder).

"Oo wee baby, you set my soul on fire

That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

Ooo baby

Here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

One of my all-time favorite songs. While Ms. Jones certainly did it justice, you simply can't top Stevie's "Heyyyy hey, oh yeah baby" at the top. And to her credit, she didn't really try to.

5. Train in Vain by Rostam (original by The Clash).

"Now I got a job

But it don't pay

I need new clothes

Need somewhere to stay

But without all of these things

I can do

But without your love

I won't make it through."

Another song everyone should know. While I've already expressed my admiration for Rostam's voice, it's hard not to hear this one sung by Mick Jones in your head (even when it's Rostam instead).

6. I'm Waiting for My Man by Matt Berninger (original by The Velvet Underground).

"Baby don't you holler 

Darlin' don't you bawl and shout

I'm feeling good 

You know I'm gonna work it on out

I'm feeling good 

I'm feeling oh so fine

Until tomorrow 

But that's just some other time

I'm waiting for my man."

Hard to top one of my favorite artists covering one of my favorite artists (except, of course, for the five songs above, which include one of my favorite artists covering one of my favorite artists ...). While I think most would admit that Matt's voice is better than Lou Reed's, the latter's is perfect for a song about a junkie waiting for his dealer. Two very different, and very excellent, versions of the same song. Final score: Matt 1, Lou 1.

7. Summer's End by Phoebe Bridgers (original by John Prine).

"The moon and stars hang out in bars just talking

I still love that picture of us walking

Just like that ol' house we thought was haunted

Summer's end came faster than we wanted."

Another example of one of my favorite artists covering another. Love and respect to Mr. Prine, but Phoebe's vocals rule.

8. Harvest Moon by Lord Huron (original by Neil Young).

"Because I'm still in love with you

I want to see you dance again

Because I'm still in love with you

On this harvest moon."

A lovely, Latin-tinged cover of a classic (and quiet) Neil Young song. Another one that one could say could, in a different dimension could have been the original. And another that I would say the original vocals can't be topped.

9. For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound) by Jaguar Son (original by Buffalo Springfield).

"Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

Step out of line,

The man come and take you away."

Pretty much a perfect song for late 1966 (when the original was released) or August 2020 (when this cover was). As good as this version is, I give the nod to Stephen Stills' original vocals.

10. Waterfalls by Death Cab for Cutie (original by TLC).

"Don't go chasing waterfalls

Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to

I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all

But I think you're moving too fast."

Definitely a different feel to this version, as you would expect from a Death Cab take on a TLC song (and, of course, no rapping). Love Ben Gibbard and his voice, but not as much as T-Boz's on this song.

11. Manic Monday by Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) (original by The Bangles, courtesy of songwriter Prince). 

"Have to catch an early train

Got to be to work by nine

And if I had an aeroplane

I still couldn't make it on time."

Call me tin-eared, shallow, whatever, I've always had a soft spot for '80's girl groups -- the GoGo's, Bananarama, and The Bangles. So Mr. Armstrong redoing a Bangles' song, with Susanna Hoffs on rhythm guitar and backing vocals? I couldn't resist. But I still prefer Ms. Hoffs' vocals on the original.

That's it for this year's covers. Stayed tuned for my favorite original songs of 2021.

Favorite Cover Songs of 2021 - Songs 12-22

The covers list is back after a year's hiatus, expanded to two separate posts. Most of the songs you will instantly recognize from past incarnations, others I didn't even know were covers until I delved a little deeper. All are, I believe, worthy of at least one listen. At the suggestion of a old friend, this time I'll let you know which version (and in particular, which vocals) I prefer - the original or the cover.

12. Drive by Soccer Mommy (original by The Cars).

"Who's gonna pay attention

To your dreams?

Who's gonna plug their ears

When you scream?"

A brilliant update of a classic '80's song. The original is truly a classic, but I prefer the cover both because of the lush production, and due to Sophia Regina Allison's (a.k.a., Soccer Mommy's) lovely voice.

13. Rescue Me by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (original by Fontella Bass). 

"Come on, baby, and rescue me

Come on, baby, and rescue me

'Cause I need you by my side

Can't you see that I'm lonely?"

No, not Aretha. Fontella Bass. And while her original is hard to top, I believe that Ms. Jones managed to do just that. Unlike my new song list the past few years, I feature multiple songs from one artist on this cover list. And, yes, that's a teaser for another from Sharon and the DKs in the next installment.

14. Under Control by Rostam (original by The Strokes).

"I don't want to change your mind,

I don't want to waste your time.

I just want to know you're alright.

I've got to know you're alright."

Instead of a "sounds like The Strokes" song that commonly appears on my other list, how about a Strokes cover instead? Much like "Drive" the production on this version is considerably more layered than the original. And despite my (frequent) profession to want to be like Julian Casablancas when I grow up, I prefer Rostam's vocals to his on this song.

15. That Funny Feeling by Phoebe Bridgers (original by Bo Burnham).

"Stunning 8K resolution meditation app

In honor of the revolution, it's half off at The Gap

Deadpool's self-awareness, loving parents, harmless fun

The backlash to the backlash to the thing that's just begun."

Not a '60's cover, or an '80's, or an aughts, but one of a song released in 2021. Hard to miss the COVID/social media dystopia feel to the lyrics, which seem spot on to me. As you might suspect, I prefer Phoebe's vocals to Bo's.

16. Rock and Roll All Nite by Green Day (original by Kiss). 

"You keep on sayin' you'll be mine for a while

You're lookin' fancy and I like your style.

You drive us wild, we'll drive you crazy."

This cover doesn't really "reinvent" the original. But I think that's the point. As someone who was a high school senior in Michigan in the Fall of 1975, this song was something of an anthem for me (since it was supposedly dedicated to the city of Detroit) and its nostalgia suits me just fine. I prefer Billie Joe Armstrong's vocals to Gene Simmons' (and this version's guitar solos are better too, I believe).

17. In Your Eyes by Ben Abraham (original by Peter Gabriel).

"Love ... I don't like to see so much pain

So much wasted

and this moment keeps slipping away

I get so tired

working so hard for our survival

I look to the time with you

to keep me awake and alive."

A nice, quite update from the original. But it's missing the angst or urgency of Peter's vocals.

18. Bittersweet Symphony by The Knocks (featuring Foster the People) (original by The Verve). 

"Well I've never prayed, but tonight I'm on my knees, yeah

I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah

I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now

But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now."

Everyone knows this one, right? I like the vocals in the original a little more, but prefer the tempo of the cover.

19. Fix You by Ben Harper and the Soweto Gospel Choir (original by Coldplay).

"When you try your best, but you don't succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need.

When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse."

A prettier, but somehow less emotional, rendition of one of my favorite songs by The Band Everyone Loves to Hate. The addition of the choir leads me to declare this one better sung than the original.

20. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Eddie Island (original by Death Cab for Cutie). 

"If Heaven and Hell decide

that they both are satisfied

Illuminate the 'No's'

on the Vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you

when your soul embarks

Then I'll follow you into the dark."

One of my all-time favorite love songs. Apparently, Mr. Island was on American Idol at some point in the past; wouldn't know it by me ... I like his rendition very much, but nonetheless give the nod to Ben Gibbard's plaintive vocals when comparing the two.

21. Fast Car by Jamila Woods (original by Tracy Chapman).

"So I remember we were driving, driving in your car

Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk

City lights lay out before us

And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder

And I-yI had a feeling that I belonged

I-yI had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone."

A pretty update to a great song. Still prefer Tracy Chapman's rendition, however.

22. Take Me Home, Country Roads by Whitney (featuring Waxahatchee) (original by John Denver).

"Almost heaven, West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River

Life is old there, older than the trees

Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze."

A nice rendition - perhaps a bit more country than John's (or Mike Doughty's version, on my earlier list). But it's hard to improve on the original.

Stay tuned for my Top 11.

Favorite Songs of 2020 - Songs 12-22

 "And the countdown rolls on ..."

12.  The Steps by Haim.

"And if you go left

And I go right

Hey, maybe that's just life sometimes."

Not exactly Coldplay territory, but judging from the number of YouTube hits for this video, once again I may be veering dangerously close to mainstream territory by including this song on my list. Check out their song "Don't Wanna" (written with list fav Rostam) while you're at it.

13.  Phase by Pinegrove.

"That night when I lifted my head up

And I was seeing what was trembling there

On the edge of my restless eyelid

On the tip of horizon's lash

On the lip of collapsing letter

In the lap of confusing moon

I'm reduced to an estranged illusion

I'm consumed by all the shit in my room."

The fourth consecutive year on the list for the band from New Jersey (including my favorite song of 2017, and third favorite of all the 2010's, Old Friends). The above lyrics are among my favorites this year, which is not surprising given my admiration for Evan Stephens Hall's songwriting. I also recommend to you Dotted Line and pretty much everything else from Pinegrove's latest album, Marigold.

14.  Alter Ego by Kaleo.

"You feel the rush in your head

This is the time to attend

There's nothin' holdin' you back

Now, go ahead."

A dollop of The Black Keys, a dash of AC/DC and voila! rocking magic from ... Iceland? Yep, like last year's entry from Junius Meyvant, Kaleo hail from the Land of Fire and Ice. Mjog gott!

15.  A Thousand Words by Jay Som.

"Remember to call me when you're feeling blue

Don't follow the rules, go on and speak your truth

I've got you playing on my team

With the kind of people who sweep you off your feet

Writing a thousand words."

A bit of a rocker by Melina Mae Duterte's (aka Jay Som) standards, an artist who lives the cliche and makes music largely in her bedroom. I love the crescendo outro.

16.  Strangers by Mt. Joy.

"I guess I'll have to fall in love with strangers

Go ride through New York City like I'm famous

And I did not want our love to be erased, but

Lord knows we chased it, love just rearranged us."

So, is her really over her? I think not. Hearing echoes of The Lumineers in this song, who, according to Seth Myers in the video, they were touring (or supposed to be touring) with. You know, before the world ground to a halt.

17.  Circle the Drain by Soccer Mommy.

"It's a feeling that boils in my brain

I would dial back the flame

But I'm not sure I'm able

I'm wobbling out on the wire

And the lights could go out

With the break of a cable."

It was inevitable, wasn't it, that a song by Soccer Mommy (aka Sophia Regina Allison) would appear on the list sooner or later? Although I'm sure this song was written pre-COVID, it certainly describes what a lot of us have been going through at various times this year.

18.  Who's Gonna Love Me Now by Cold War Kids.

"All those times when I imagined

What'd be like to have my freedom

Not be so uptight, live my best life

Oh, what a fool, I was only dreamin'."

A little Kings of Leon, a little White Stripes, a little Black Keys. I like how the Cold Ware Kids roll.

19.  Automatic by Houses and Dawn Golden.

"Another bleached out, black hole

with nothing to lose

Another paywall, shopping mall

coming for you."

This marks the third straight year Houses has had a song on the list. I guess that officially qualifies me as a fan.

20.  Come On Out by The Airborne Toxic Event.

"Black lungs, headlights

Heading off to the city tonight, out the

Front door, turn right

I was alone, alright, alright, alright."

One of those songs that I think says more with its music and "mood" than its lyrics. Those voices! That lead guitar!

21.  Wrestling by Cartalk.

"Dance around what I want to say

Clear performance in my mind

Star at hands like a saving grace

Are they gonna catch me alright?"

Likely the most obscure song on this year's list, if YouTube hits are the measuring stick. Another retro-sounding, catchy tune that seemed in vogue this year.

22.  Beautiful Anyway by Judah & the Lion.

"That's what makes this life so wonderfully awesome

and horribly awful

Yet somehow it's beautiful anyway."

The boys are back with another life-affirming anthem that we all really need. The video's pretty darn fun too.

Stay tuned for the top 11 songs!

Favorite Songs of 2018: Songs 12-22

And the list rolls on, with the often (unfairly) overlooked middle kids (which happens to include the band Middle Kids ... ). And, unsurprisingly, The Decemberists.

Colin Meloy and The Decemberists in concert (photo by me)

12.  Nonbeliever by Lucy Dacus.

"You deal an unspoken debt
No kindness without wanting something back
What do I owe you? What did I forget?
Are we even after all of that?"

Nonbeliever in God? In a (human) relationship? In self-worth? I'm not exactly sure. But I'm not a nonbeliever in Lucy; she has a beautiful voice, can construct a great song, and can play a mean guitar.

13.  The Heart Is a Muscle by Gang of Youths.

"I wanna be loved, I wanna be whole again

So tuck my hair behind my ears and touch my soul again

The window is wide, the post unfulfilled

And I just ask you to be patient if you'll have me still."

Every year my list contains an invisible dividing line between the songs I like and those I really, really like. This year that line starts here. Songs 13-2 are, in my humble opinion, exceedingly good and pretty much interchangeable (number 1 has been number 1 since early in 2018 and has budged since). Gang of Youths was recently in D.C., and I'm very sorry I missed them. The video will give you a good idea as to why.

14.  Easy Enough by Pinegrove.

"All my limits have held me back

I hold my head and I let it ask

Why

I'm altogether down

And when will it end now?

Back after a year-long, self-imposed hiatus (you can read the long, strange story here) the kids from Jersey are back with a new record. Thank goodness for that.

15.  High Beam by Sjowgren.

"And I don't wanna spend a lifetime

Worried about the sidelines

What other people are say about me

About me

About me."

Their second appearance on this year's list (and the fourth overall, I believe) as the mystery band from San Fran has stepped up what seemed to be a slow drip of their great music.

16.  Dancing's Not a Crime by Panic!At the Disco.

"Dancing, dancing, dancing's not a crime
Unless you do it without me
Unless you do it without me."

Go ahead, laugh, I can take the heat. And do repeatedly from family and friends for my fondness for this band (which roughly places me 45 years pre-my current age and seemingly forced to defend the "!" in its name). I dare you to listen and not bebop just a little while you do.

17.   Mistake by Middle Kids.

"You're standing out in the rain, tonight
Like you got something to say, to God
And you got a debt to pay back
For something you did way back

You wanna make it okay."

These Kids made last year's list as well (as did Cold War Kids, absent this year). I believe the title of the song is exactly what it's about - a mistake that someone made, maybe a long time ago. I'm okay with that (the straightforwardness, not necessarily the mistake).

18.  We All Die Young by The Decemberists.

"And in this dream, Bill Tecumseh Sherman
Glowered at the foot of my bed
He was long and lean, he spoke in perfect German
And I recorded all that he said
Yeah, I recorded all that he said

And he said:
'We all die young
We all die young
We all die young
We all die young."

More lyrical magic from the "hyper-literate" Colin Meloy and his band. While I'm including a "live" recording of the song here, check out the studio version as well. Definitely a touch of Pink Floyd in the children joining in on the chorus.

19.  In a River by Rostam.

"We are swimming with no clothes on
In a river in the dark
And I am holding on to you, boy
In the faint light of the stars."

One of several songs on this year's list either recommended by or heard for the first time with my comely spouse. I love the music in this song, which borders on orchestral.

20.  How Simple by Hop Along.

"Don't worry we will both find out

Just not together."

One of my favorite couplets (if that term can apply to two, non-rhyming verses) of the year. Matched by the year's best album name "Bark Your Head Off, Dog."

21.  Motion Sickness by Phoebe Bridgers.

"I'm on the outside looking through
You're throwing rocks around your room
And while you're bleeding on your back in the glass
I'll be glad that I made it out
And sorry that all went down like it did."

I love the imagery of "emotional motion sickness."

22.  Causing Trouble by Saint Sister.

"But honey I know you
We dance to Elvis in the kitchen
At least we used to
And honey you know me
We danced from Belfast to the Basin
When you sang And it Stoned Me
Well, it stoned me.'

A harp, two beautiful voices, and a Van Morrison reference? Yes, please.

Stay tuned for my Top 11 songs, coming soon!

Favorite Songs of 2017: Songs 1-11

As another year draws to a close, so too does our list. I hope that you've found some new artists to enjoy (or perhaps avoid) in the coming years. I believe that this year's list is particularly strong, especially at the top.

1.  Old Friends by Pinegrove.

"Walking out in the nighttime springtime

Needling my way home

I saw Leah on the bus a few months ago

Saw some old friends at her funeral.

My steps keep splitting my grief

Through these solipsistic moods

I should call my parents when I think of them

Should tell my friends when I love them."

When I discovered this song nearly a year ago, it immediately went to the top of my list and has stayed there ever since. The lyrics are perfect -- sad and hopeful, smart and simple, contemplative and life-affirming. The language advisory at the start of the video? Completely legitimate.

2.  Die Young by Sylvan Esso.

"I had it all planned that way before you met me

Was gonna leave early and so swiftly

Maybe in a fire or a crash off a ravine

People would weep: 'How tragic, so early.'

I was gonna die young

Now I gotta wait for you, hun."

A lovely, albeit slightly twisted, love song. All credit to my comely spouse for first discovering this song and these artists for me. The original version (from the excellent album "What Now") is fantastic, but the "live" version here is, I believe, even better (and I highly recommend the EP "Echo Mountain Sessions" as well). That voice! That sax!!

3.  Love Is Mystical by Cold War Kids.

"Oh, can't you hear the future is calling

For heaven's sake

It's either hell or high water

Let's get outta this place." 

I'm a graduate of the "you can never go wrong with hand claps and a 'woo hoo hoo' chorus" school of music appreciation. The other half of the dueling Kids on this year's list (joining Middle Kids from the last post).

4.  Shark Smile by Big Thief.

"It came over her at a bad time

Riding through Winona down the dotted line

Held us gunning out

Ninety miles down the road of a dead end dream.

She looked over, with a part smile

Caught up in the twinkle, it could take awhile

And the money pile on the dashboard fluttering."

A beautiful and sad song. Big Thief singer and guitarist Adrianne Lenker described it in a press release as "the story of a car accident in which one dies and one lives. She recalls her lover leading up to the moment of the wreck, wishing she'd been taken into the next realm, too."

5.  Off She Goes by Bad Suns.

"Where, where do you go

When the light leaves your eyes?

And you're just out of reach

Like a tree-bound kite

What's on your mind, as you're staring behind?

And I'm on my own in your arms tonight

Yeah I'm on my own in your arms tonight."

Not the most profound song on this year's list. But maybe the catchiest.

6.  Unforgiving Girl (She's Not A Single Version) by Car Seat Headrest.

"This isn't sex

(I don't think)

It's just extreme empathy."

As you may have guessed from last year's list, I'm a big fan of Car Seat Headrest. The above lyrics may be my favorite couplet (if that term can be applied to three lines) of any song this year. Besides, how can you not like a group whose front man (Will Toledo) looks more like McLovin than Russell Hammond?

7.  a million other things by pronoun.

"but you gotta come home

(come back baby, come back first)

you gotta come home first

(come back baby, even if it hurts)

cuz there's a million other things we could do in the world

there's a million other things we could do in the world."

According to Spotify, the song that I listened to more than any other in 2017. I have to admit, when I went looking for a song to lift my spirits at the end of a long day, or to sing along with on the ride home, it was "a million other things" that, more often than not, I went looking for.

8.  Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man.

"We could fight a war for peace

(Ooh woo, I'm a rebel just for kicks, now)

Give in to that easy living

Goodbye to my hopes and dreams

Start flipping for my enemies

We could wait until the walls come down."

Guessing this is the most played/heard song on this year's list. It was all over playlists/streams/satellite radio this summer. I never got tired of it (although my spouse did).

9.  The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness by The National.

"I thought that this would all work out after a while

Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention

Also no other faith is light enough for this place

We said we'd only die of lonely secrets."

Typical brilliance from one of my favorite bands. I love the guitar work on this song.

10.  Never Been Wrong by Waxahatchee.

"I spent all my time learning how to defeat

You at your own game, it's embarrassing.

I walk around like

This is the last strike

I love being right

Especially with you."

Rock lives, thanks in large part over the past year to female-led bands. This ain't your Daddy's Go-Go's. The woman with the pink Fender can play!

11.  Gwan by Rostam.

"And all of these dreams

Keep coming back to me slowly, slowly.

And sometimes I laugh 

When I think about how well you know me

Yeah, you know me."

I like the lyrics (about maturation and friendship, I think), but the instrumentation in this song is what takes me to a quiet, happy place every time I listen.

If you don't want to wait for my list starting in November 2018, feel free to check out the great new music at All Songs Considered, KEXP, or our local community radio station WTSQ. Or you can follow me on Spotify and see if you can figure out what will be on my list next year.