My Favorite Songs of the Year 60-40

60. St. Vincent-The Bed: Fucking great opening line: “We’re sleeping underneath the bed / to scare the monsters out / with our dear daddy’s Smith & Wesson / we’ve got to teach them all a lesson.” Cuddly and haunting all at once, like a child telling a ghost story with a smile on their face.

59. M. Ward-Rave On: Must admit, did not know this was a cover until my parents told me (most notably performed by Buddy Holly, written by Sonny West). Unsurprising, as Ward has stated in interviews that he listens to much more old music than old, and this song fits him perfectly. “When you say ‘I love you’ I say ‘rave on!!!’”

58. Cass McCombs (ft. Karen Black)-Dreams Comes True Girl: McCombs shows his talent here, turning a lame sentiment into a catchy, cerebral song. The key is the opening line/chorus “you’re not my dream girl / you’re not my reality girl / you’re my dreams come true girl.” This is all sung over 60s guitar blips, fitting the ethereal mood perfectly. Then later, he comes up with another perfect couplet: “and all the troubles in my past / that’s just what they are girl,” which is a perfect reply that I should have thought of a long time ago.

57. Telekinesis-Rust: I fell in love with the first line, never looked back after that: “I’ve got a heart but it’s afraid to love / sometimes I think the damn thing’s full of rust.”

56. Animal Collective-Brothersport: To me, this is the most emotionally affecting song on an album full of empathy. Animal Collective manages to obscure a lot of the emotions that drive this album through the layered sounds present, but it’s hard to ignore an older brother pleading for younger one to open up after the death of their father. I wrote in January 09’ that I thought this is the sound that Vampire Weekend was trying for on their debut album, but could never reach. Maybe a little harsh on Vampire Weekend, but Animal Collective still deserves the lavish praise.

55. Camera Obscura-French Navy: Probably not as good as the best of Let’s Get out of this Country, but cool and I love the drum/guitar bursts at the beginning of the song.

54. Micachu-Calculator: Oh, Micachu, marry me. More of her weird guitar and random sounds, more sugary-sweet pop.

53. St. Vincent-Save Me From What I Want: Annie Clark paints perhaps her most vivid picture on Actor in this track: “The keys are in my pocket / and they / rattle you awake / 7th floor apartment / and a / fiery escape / but I’m a / wife in watercolor / I can wash away.” Save me From What I want, I think, is a story about trying to resist infidelity, and I think the most intriguing thing is Clark is able to tell this story without laying guilt anywhere or asking for pity.

52. St. Vincent-Laughing with a Mouth of Blood: Clark casually tells us she’s “laughing for a mouth of blood from a little spill I took,” before the chorus jumps in-- “all of my old friends aren’t so friendly / all of my old haunts are now haunting me”—with another wicked line, and they’re fucking hidden all over this album. Spend some time with it.

51. The Avett Brothers-January Wedding: Maybe the closest thing on I and Love and You to “old Avetts,” would fit right in on Mignonette. What does that mean? The words of a wistful romantic, a delicately plucked banjo, and the most earnest voice one could conjure.

50. Miniature Tigers-Cannibal Queen: Obviously I’m a sucker for good opening lines: “This is not a test or and SOS / I’m no longer on a quest to get girls undressed.” Also the sweetest song that features the word “cannibal” in the chorus (though Micachu’s “Eat Your Heart” expresses a similar idea in a different way).

49. M. Ward-Never Had Nobody Like You: Another timeless mid-tempo tune from M. Ward. Cool drums in the beginning that sound like the came off of “Jock Jams”, eminently catchy and fun.

48. Passion Pit-Moth’s Wings: Overarching, soaring, hints of something bubbling underneath (“you’re / just like your father / you’re / resting on your laurels / and stepping on my toes”), etc. Ridiculously catchy.

47. Harlem Shakes-Strictly Game: The sequel to Nothing but Change Part II has the singer in the middle of this change: “This will be a better year / make a little money / take a lotta shit / feel real bad / and get over it / oh / this will be a better year.” If The National is sad rock for people in their mid to late 20s, Harlem Shakes will comfort you on days where you actually feel upbeat and energetic. The Shakes somehow consolidate years of frustration into a 3 minute pop song: “I’m sick of slow rock / I’m sick of quick quips / I’m sick of holding onto nothing / when I just wanna / hold your hips.”

46. Harlem Shakes-Nothing But Change Part II: First song on their first (and presumably last) full length. “I know I’m just a singer / but I feel it in my fingers / but there are changes coming soon / nothing but change.” A great thing to hear in a year that, well, has been full of it. And yes, change isn’t necessarily good but luckily the albums follows with Strictly Game.

45. Andrew Bird-Fitz & the Dizzyspells: Most upbeat song on the Noble Beast, nice driving beat with more traditional guitar lines. Later evolves into more whistling and handclaps. A song where Andrew Bird really sounds like he’s having fun.

44. Andrew Bird-Not a Robot, But a Ghost: Frenetic and nervous, with Bird as a code breaker (or a different kind of fight-ender)— “I run the numbers through the floor / here’s how it goes / I crack the codes / I crack the codes that end the war.” Wouldn’t work without a sparse guitar line in the back and Bird’s trademark harmonization.

43. Rain Machine-Smiling Black Faces: There was a great interview on All Songs Considered with Kyp Malone where he talks about the delicate balance of telling the story of Sean Bell but not exploiting him. I’d say he does a pretty good job. Hard to not feel something with Malone’s feelings laid bare: “I know a slave’s name / and I know a cold shame / and I know I cried in disbelief”… “And when the gavel fell / over that bloody hell / everyone walked away / no one even got canned / This nation’s compromised / just shrugged and turned its eyes.” Malone’s poetry pulls you in, and makes you responsible in a way that you probably didn’t feel before.

42-40. Magnolia Electric Company-Josephine, Hope Dies Last, An Arrow in the Gale: Ok, all three of these go together, and it’s messing up my numbering but I’ll live. I’ve been following Jason Molina (at first Songs: Ohia and later Magnolia Electric Co.) since I was in high school, which is now disturbingly long ago. He crafts slow country rock which despite it’s pace has kept my attention. This trio of songs regards the album’s namesake, Josephine, who drifts in and out of the songs: “Some folks see the horizon / and never need to now how it all ends / leave the shadows behind / don’t go chasing after em’ / you locked the door and put them old records on / I hear you crying along / oh what a fool I’ve been / no more will / the final words / be the tears in your eyes / oh how I’ve tried / Josephine.” The trio of songs deals with Josephine, a want-away out of one of the many small towns Molina inhabits in his songs, and her man, seemingly older, trying to convince her to stay. An Arrow in the Gale, the album’s closer, is the final word on Josephine: “lightning on our tail we gotta run run run / lightning on our tail we better go, Jo / there’s an arrow in the gale and in the heartbeat / oh which one of us is free / Josephine…”