Favorite Songs of 2023 - Songs 12-22

Better late than never? We are definitely not going to make the Jan. 1 deadline, but what's a week or so between friends? Here's the red-headed stepchild of The List:

12. Then It All Goes Away by Dayglow.

"You tell me everything and tell me it's fine, but
There's 'something tells me that

There's something going on here.'

I know the way you got that look in your eyes

And then it disappears."

No "sounds like The Strokes" song on this year's List, but this one definitely puts me in mind of a frequent List member. Any idea who (here's a hint: they're French)?

13. Road to Joy (Bright-Side Mix) by Peter Gabriel.

"Get the blood to flow in every nook and cranny

Get the blood to flow from my head to my toes

Get the blood to flow, flowing all around me

Get the blood to flow with the life in my soul.

Back in the world

Walking down the road to joy."

One of my all-time favorite artists, but he's never appeared on The List before, probably because this is his first new album in ... 21 years? Anyway, welcome back Peter.

14. It's Fine by Bethany Cosentino.

"And it's fine

'Til it's not fine.

This conversation's going on too long.

I'm sick of it, I started it

With a little bit of wind blowing through my mind ...

It's fine."

The lead singer of Best Coast (whose Different Light made The List in 2020) is back. Sounds like she's finished with whatever relationship she's addressing in this song ...

15. Sixers by The Hold Steady.

"He's home late from some dinner and some drinks

Another Friday with the suits in the steakhouse.

Asset management's as thrilling as you'd think

But they pay him pretty well

Now he's renting out the penthouse."

Another song of urban malaise from Craig Finn and the band. It's so hard to choose just one stanza of lyrics from a Hold Steady song, because they're all great, and they're all connected.

16. Don't Look Back by The Revivalists.

"I don't look back

No, I ain't got time.

I can't relax, it's down to the wire

Six feet deep in the fire now."

Another rocker. Much prefer this song to "Kid," the song from from their album "Pour It Out Into the Night" which got all sorts of airplay this summer.

17. Chosen to Deserve by Wednesday.

"We always started by tellin' all our best stories first

So now that it's been awhile, I'll get around

To tellin' you all my worst.

Just so you know what you signed up for

What you're dealin' with.

Just so you know

What you've been chosen to deserve."

So what are Wednesday (from Asheville, NC)? Country? Alternative? Indie? Shoegaze? My brother Jeff declares "Americana Cowpunk." Seems about right.

18. Really Really Light by The New Pornographers.

"I am blurry on this here particular scene

That I'm trying to paint, if you'd sit still for me.

Paid off all the vultures up in the air.

I'm not seeing them so we must be more or less square now."

Neko Case, A.C. Newman and crew are back with this upbeat sounding song about ... the white noise in all of our lives? 

19. Living in the Sunshine by Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers.

"Living in the sunshine

Living in the bright light

Wasting time, feeling fine

Yeah, feeling fine, fine.

Living in the sunshine, hey hey

I heard it said, heard it said

Got to grow up sometime ...

But not now."

A bit of a cheat here as apparently this song was recorded as a part of the Spirit Trail sessions, one of my favorite records ever. But since Living in the Sunshine was release for the first time this year, we get to enjoy it along with great songs like Pete & Manny, Great Divide, and Sneaking Up on Boo Radley. Spirit Trail had the 25th anniversary of its release this year (as if I didn't already feel old just seeing Bruce H. now as compared to last century).

20. Too Good at Raising Hell by The Struts.

"Sex so good, make the neighbors smoke a cigarette.

But I'm still bored to death.

Think I'm getting too good, too good at raising hell

But I'm wearing it well."

Remember my comment that there were some fairly mindless rockers on this year's List? The video definitely borrows from old stars like Alice Cooper and Kiss. And the first line quoted here? Classic.

21. Too Drunk to Drive by hey, nothing.

"You hate the sight of mullets so you close your eyes
But the spinning's just beginning and it's on the rise.

And you're nauseous

Think you better call it a night."

Apparently hey, nothing are "Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips - two highschoolers from just outside Atlanta." So, basically they and I have nothing in common. Except for this song, which I really like.

22. nothing to do by Oso Oso.

"Nothing to do but hang around

I always knew I'd let you down

Nothing to do but hang around

Slip through the cracks, let myself drown."

Doesn't sound like Oso Oso (aka Jade Lilitri, a former List denizen) was in a very good place when he wrote this one. I also recommend checking out "nothing says love like hydration" including the amusing lyrics: "Nothing says love like a Gatorade, Nothing says love like hydration."

Stay tuned for the Top 11.

Favorite Songs of 2020 - Songs 23-33

Well, here we are again. Most of us, anyway. While live music ground to a halt this year, as did most everything else, fortunately many artists utilized that "down" time to be incredibly productive and creative (including doing a lot of cover songs which, yeah, sorry, I didn't do a separate list for this year). Here's the start of my list of my favorite songs of 2020. And oh, by the way, 2020?, don't let the door hit you ...

23.  Care by beabadoobe.

"It's been a while since I've talked about it

Maybe it's time to cooperate

I need some help to forget about it

I don't want your sympathy

Stop saying you give a shit

'Cause you don't really

Care, care, care, yeah."

I'm pretty sure my comely wife first alerted me to the existence of Beatrice Laus, aka beabadoobe. Apropos of several "retro" artists further down this list, beabadoobee has a very late '90's, early aughts feel about them/her. Maybe a Go-Gos branch transported to 1998 and grafted onto a Goo Goo Dolls tree?

24.  Walking on a String by Matt Berninger (feat. Phoebe Bridgers).

"In a way, I can't escape it

You'll always worm you way back in

To my lonesome soul and take it

You've always had me

Walking on a string."

Phoebe's everywhere these days, whether teaming with various outstanding artists (Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, Conor Obrest in Better Oblivion Community Center, high on last year's list, or Mr. Berninger here), or on her own (more on that in a later installment of this list). Obviously I think she, and they, have excellent taste. A lovely song from the movie Between Two Ferns.

25.  Tiny Indoor Fireworks by Biffy Clyro.

"Looking for a new revolution

This one didn't get very far

I never want to spoil an illusion

Abracadabra."

I first because familiar with Biffy through their connection to Frightened Rabbit. This song makes me particularly glad that I did.

26.  The Surprise Knock by The New Pornographers.

"Drive off the map and take the long way round

Didn't know the score but we knew we were down

It won't be long until we grind the gears

But carry on, we're on to something here."

I've long been an admirer, but my memory (and Blogger) tell me that TNP have never made the list. That oversight has now been corrected.

27.  Reaching Out to You by Snow Patrol and the Saturday Songwriters.

"All of those nights before this

They're not like nights ahead

Inside there's space between us

Of things that won't need said."

A new song from an old favorite. I'm sure my kids would tell you they had more than their fair share of Snow Patrol in the aughts. And yet here they still are, hooky as ever.

28.  Orphans by Coldplay.

"Baba would go where the flowers grow

Almond and peach trees in bloom

And he would know just when and what to sow

So golden and opportune."

I feel no need to further try to defend my long-standing admiration of at least some of Coldplay's songs. And it seems as though a billion or so people agree (although none are apparently family members or friends).

29.  Pantomima by Greg Dulli.

"Waiting on a breeze

I'm waiting on a breeze

I'm waiting on the fever

That will bring me back alive."

Dulli is/was the driving force behind The Afghan Whigs. Driving describes this song accurately as well. The video is kind of cool but pretty artsy (Bob Fosse, anyone?). You can skip to 1:54 if you're only here for the music.

30.  By and By by Caamp.

"Driving through West Virginia

And I've seldom been thinner

With that chip on my shoulder

And this past year I got so much older."

I mean, how can I not put this on my list just based on that first stanza alone?

31.  Dressing America by TORRES.

"It's easier for you to insist

That I can't remember

Then to admit

That you can't forget."

My better half insists that she doesn't like this song much because it's a Frightened Rabbit rip-off. Perhaps that's why I like it ... Warning: the video is NSFW.

32.  Little Bit Sweet by The Wood Brothers.

"I look my lover straight in the eye

Stops the clock she looks in mine

Precious moment I'm holdin' on

Then she blinks

And the moment's gone

Then she blinks

The moment's gone."

A pretty little song about the vagaries of love and the passage of time.

33.  4 American Dollars by U.S. Girls.

"(You can do a lot with four American dollars)

No matter how much

You get to have

You will still die

And that's the only fact

You gotta have boots

If you wanna lift those bootstraps."

U.S Girls is (are?) Meg Remy, who now lives in Toronto but was born in Illinois. This song definitely falls into the "escape" category, which we all definitely need more than a little of this past year.

Stay tuned, boys and girls. My favorite 22 songs are yet to come!