Favorite Songs of 2021 - Songs 23-33

Much of my (new) musical listening this year was focused on albums from some of my favorite artists. In years past, there are three in particular that would have yielded at least two songs for this list. But I'm going to stick by my recent practice of just listing one song from each artist this year -- well, with one half-exception. Which will be explained when appropriate. 

23. I Hear the Ax Swinging by the Ghosts of Vroom (a.k.a. Mike Doughty).

"Don't you wait, it won't be for sure 
I'm a Cadillac, you aimless DeSoto

Deep, deep on the pillow sleep

You're in a blue state, don't scratch the rough."

Apparently, Mike had the grand idea of getting Soul Coughing back together after all these years. Equally apparently, the other former members of SC were unimpressed with the idea. So Mike enlisted his long-time collaborator Scrap Livingston and recorded the material as Ghost of Vroom. Whatever Mike wants to call himself, I'm a fan.

24. Track Mud by Wild Pink.

"Track mud

Soil everything you touch

Just come home now

The rain will wash away the stains

You mean well with your hand covered in their dirt

Just come home now

The rain will wash away the stains."

A lovely little song about forgiveness or a homecoming, or maybe both. Have seen Wild Pink on some real "best of" lists for 2021. Pure coincidence, I assure you.

25. Alaska by Little Hurt.

"And some Chinese restaurant in San Fransisco

My fortune told me I'm on the wrong road

Well, life's a game, yeah, I need the cheat codes

And I hate the snow ...

But I think I'll dye my hair and I'll move to Alaska

Grab all of my money, guitar, and a jacket

Drivin' outta town, maybe wave if I pass ya

Sorry but

I had to move to Alaska."

A great summer song ... even though it's about moving to Alaska. First heard on my significant other's SiriusXM (for her the one millionth time, for me the first, at the time). The official video's very amusing ... but unfortunately I can't link it here. Go here instead.

26. Right There Beside You by Bronze Radio Return.

"I'll be here a long time

I'll be in it for as long as you like

And no matter what you and I do

Whatever comes next, I'll be right there beside you."

I'm guessing that BRR is an acquired taste. Here's my credit card.

27. I Will Overcome by Welshly Arms.

"I know a change will be comin'

The sun will shine again

So I'm gonna hit the ground runnin'

I know, yeah I know

The best days are ahead."

All of us could use some optimism (particularly now) couldn't we?

28. Walk on Water by Kaleo.

"I feel stronger, I feel stronger than I used to

Oh, my feet, don't know my feet don't touch the ground

I don't worry, I don't worry any longer

'Cause when your heart dies, your soul cries out for more."

Not the first time on the list for the boys from Iceland (who sound like they could be from Mississippi). My guess is this is a religious song, sung from the perspective of Christ. But I could be completely wrong ...

29. Missing Piece by Vance Joy.

"I've been waiting for the tides to change

For the waves to send you my way

I see you darling but you pixilate

It gets hard to take these days."

Been a while since Vance made the list. How better to do it in 2021 than with a COVID-19 song?

30. Better Man by Caleb Hawley.

"I've got to

Forgive myself for

What the others can't

Take this matter

In my own hands

So I can

Mold myself

Into a better man

'Cause a better man is what I am."

New blue-eyed soul from Caleb. A welcome, self-affirming (or empowering?) addition to his catalogue.

31. Child of Love by We the Kingdom (feat. Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE).

"I'm gonna climb a mountain

I'm gonna shout about it

I am a child of love."

I am not, as a rule, a fan of contemporary Christian music. I am, however, a fan of this song. Deal with it, by heathen brothers and sisters. 

P.S. These guys and gals can rock (and sing).

32. I Need Some of That by Weezer.

"Even if we blow up

We're never gonna grow up

'Cause this is where it's at."

So, one of two new additions to the blog version of this list, due to various foibles in the Facebook version. A fun "looking back on times past" song that, as an old guy, I certainly appreciate.

33. Help Me to Feel Again by Judah & The Lion.

"This is not the end

Maybe with our feelings

Let's try to feeling them

So my heart don't you know

Healing starts when the unraveling unfolds."

Yep, another COVID song. "Healing starts when the unraveling unfolds." 

The middle list will appear post haste.

Favorite Songs of 2015 - Songs 12-22

My list continues with some familiar faces from last year and lists farther in the past. And some great new bands as well.

12. Someone New by Hozier.

"There's an art to life's distractions,
To somehow escape the burning weight, the art of scraping through.
Some like to imagine,
The dark caress of someone else, I guess any thrill will do.

The last of the artists on this year's list that also appeared on last year's. The perfect juxtaposition to "Take Me to Church" where he was literally worshipping a woman. And this year, "any thrill will do." My favorite line in the song, and maybe of any single line in any song this year, however, is "love with any stranger, the stranger the better."

13. Light Me Up by Bronze Radio Return.

"And when you feel right
I'm electrified
'Cause you light me up
Oh, you light me up.
So tell me how ya feeling tonight
Tell me how ya feeling tonight."

Another one of those songs that doesn't wow you with intellectual lyrics but is just so catchy you want to hear it over and over. And the video matches the song - I can almost hear Kevin Bacon yell "Let's Dance!" near the end.

14. Talking Backwards by Real Estate.

"And I might as well be talking backwards.
Am I making any sense to you?
And the only thing that really matters.
Is the one thing I can't seem to do."

After the <ahem> less than monogamous themes of the previous two songs, a more poignant love song. Or love lost song.

15. Waitress by Hop Along.

"I call you enemy.
'Cause I'm afraid of
What you could call me.
The world's gotten so small and embarrassing."

A song about relationships and social media and awkward chance meetings. Made all the more evocative by Frances Quinlan's tired, sad, frenetic, evocative voice. The last artist this year that you'll hear more from in the next installment of the list.

16. Living the Dream by Sturgill Simpson.

"That old man upstairs always wears a crooked smile.
Staring down at the chaos he created.
Said son if you ain't having fun, just wait a little while
Momma's gonna wash it all away
She thinks mercy's overrated."

Seriously, is that not a ridiculously perfect stanza? The only way it could possibly be improved is by the way Simpson delivers it.

17. Lifted Up (1985) by Passion Pit.

"Oh well, how many years has it been now?
How many days went to waste?
Now the rain and the thunder are clashing.
The Sun's go a smile 'cross the face."

Yes, listening to this song after the last, much like watching the video, could lead you "to potentially experience seizures." I didn't make that up - watch the video - and note the warning.

18. Crying Wolf by Caleb Hawley.

"Well I got no time to talk about it.
I said that I'm sorry
And I'm movin' on.
Just pretend that those words we said never happened.
Let's go back to laughin'
And getting along."

This year's blue-eyed soul entry. Love the Motown sound.

19. 4th and Roebling by The Districts.

"Sunshine, I believe we're headed the right way

But then again, I can't quite tell for sure.

'Cause we're running to the west to let our hands touch down

Where you left me in the dark so long before."

This year's "sounds like The Strokes" song.

20. Mr. Rodriquez by Rayland Baxter.

"Yesterday morning, I was walking around

Me and Mr. Rodriguez on the wrong side of town.

The streets were all empty and the houses all burned down

He reached in his pocket and he pulled out a crown.

And he said:

'You're so much like me, boy

Step outta your dream.

Watch 'em all gather 'round boy,

It's your turn to be king."

Saw him at a great Mountain Stage with Craig Finn, among other fine artists. Rayland rocked the house that night.

Rayland Baxter at Mountain Stage. Lighting is great for concert-going,
not so much for cell phones that you're not supposed to use the flash with.
(photo by me)

21. Black Sun by Death Cab for Cutie.

"There is a role of a lifetime;

And there's a song yet to be sung.

And there's a dumpster in the driveway

Of all the plans that came undone."

Kind of like rubbernecking a car wreck with the obvious references to Ben Gibbard's failed relationship, sad and cathartic. But then now-departed guitarist Chris Walla cranks up a fantastic, angry solo and takes it to a different dimension entirely.

Honestly, I had never seen the video when I first wrote the car wreck line. 

22. Gone by Jr. Jr.

"I've made up my mind,

over and over.

Keep pressing rewind,

but I'm getting older.

Tried every door,

don't know who I'm looking for.

And I've made up my mind,

over and over."

I had always hope to hear a song by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. that I liked enough to include on the list. I heard this one and thought "this is it!" Then they went and changed the name of the band to just Jr. Jr. Ah well, it's still good enough to make the list.