Best Songs of 2024

OK, so after all these years commenting on music, I will concede that the list below does not REALLY represent the Best Songs of 2024 -- but rather the songs that most spoke to me. I'd rather not head into the new year standing accused of being aggressively arrogant about musical taste and such. After all, subjectivity is nothing if not subjective. 

So here are the songs I most enjoyed in 2024. As always, I hope some of them connect with you as well.

Song of the Year

"Favourite" - Fontaines D.C.

This may sound really pretentious -- or at least gratuitously Gen X -- but Irish post-punk had a moment in 2024. And it was headlined by these Dublin lads (the D.C. stands for Dublin City, after all). Their album Romance was also my favorite (favourite?) of the year. The record is dystopian and haunting at times, but it culminates in this triumph, with its irresistible guitar riff. I've got my tickets for their show this Spring. And this won't be the only Fontaines entry on this list. Highly, highly recommend.

The Rest

"Right Back To It" - Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman

This is one of several songs that could have ranked as my song of the year. Alabama-born Katie Crutchfield teams up with Wednesday guitarist MJ Lenderman (who had a heck of a year for himself) on this achingly beautiful slow burn about what it means to be in a relationship. Emotionally, sonically and spiritually, this song connects on every level.

"Docket" - Blondshell featuring Bully

Another cracking collaboration between two alt music rising stars: LA's Sabrina Teitelbaum records as Blondshell, while Nashville's Bully is the brainchild of Alicia Bognanno. Together, they're voices complement each other so well on this banger of a track. And that riff just before the bridge? 80s glory.

"Common Blue" - Warpaint

Hard to believe the LA four piece Warpaint have been around for 20 (!) years. This lush slice of heaven is equal parts dream pop and Sadé. And for me, it was hard to resist from the moment I first heard it.

"A Fragile Thing" - The Cure

Comeback story of the year for sure. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Cure released their 14th album Songs of a Lost World this year -- a full 48 years into their storied and glorious career. I grew up with this band, but lost touch with them some three decades ago. This track perfectly exemplifies the band at its older, wiser best: alienated, a tad overwrought, but magnificent and undoubtedly beautiful nonetheless.

"X Ray Eyes" - LCD Soundsystem

If the Cure were the sublime, this track begins my annual foray into the ridiculous. I'm a glutton for absurdity, and also bands that pay homage to The Fall. And James Murphy comes correct on both counts on this track, with its goofy synth bleeps and stupid lyrics. But the whole package? I can't get enough.

"Lonsdale Slipons" - The Bug Club

Let the absurdity continue. The Welsh trio pays tribute to perhaps the most unloved (and frankly ugly) trainer in the British Isles: The Lonsdale Slip-on. (I actually fell down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what Lonsdale Slipons are -- I discovered they're a rather chavvy style of footwear that I can't believe anyone would wear.) But musically, I'd paraphrase Yoda and say The Fall is strong with this one. That's a win in my book.

"Annihilation" - Wilco

Just a wonderful track by the longtime Chicago band and alt country luminaries. It's reminiscent of some of their absolute best work, like 2001's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. And what's more? Frontman Jeff Tweedy is the father of Waxahatchee drummer Spencer Tweedy. Time flies. And we're all getting old!

"She's Leaving You" - MJ Lenderman

Remember when I said MJ Lenderman had a good year? Here he is again, doing what he does best: Honest, well-crafted, country-tinged alt-rock, this time about a breakup. His layered guitar work on this heartbreaker is something to behold.

"In the Modern World" - Fontaines D.C.

We've had two now from MJ Lenderman, so it's time for another from Fontaines D.C. Far more brooding than "Favourite" but no less lovely, this is the song I most frequently reached for in the past two months of the year. I particular love the chorus on this track.

"Supersad" - Suki Waterhouse

A banger about mental health? Let's have it! London's Suki Waterhouse started out as a model and an actor (and is engaged to The Twilight Saga's Robert Pattinson). But with this track, she makes no secret of her musical chops. Powered by a motorik drumbeat, she tells us what she really thinks: "I feel so much better when I don't care!" Amen.

"Espresso" - Wallows

OK. I like the Sabrina Carpenter version of this song. I really do. (I especially like the fact that it launched a linguistic cottage industry -- what does "That's that me Espresso" mean anyway?) But when I heard this low-key, acoustic take by LA's Wallows, I realized how good a song it truly is. Because if you can strip a song back to its bare essence and have it hold up, you've got a good one. And I especially appreciate the lyrical nod to New Order at the end of the song. Listen for it.

"Second Skin" - Nada Surf

This hooky gem fell largely under the radar. And it's hard to believe this is the same band that did 90s angst anthem "Popular" 28 years ago. Their sound has evolved beautifully, capturing a wiser, mature sense of what it means to live in the moment.

"Funeral for Justice" - Mdou Moctar

Like Tinariwen, file this under Tuareg rock, that unique guitar sound hailing from the deserts of Northern Africa. The fury of those guitars drives home an urgent call for human rights, and a screed against the corrupt leaders on the continent and the powers that enable them. This is powerful rock and roll music with a very powerful message. 

"We Make Hits" - Yard Act

Leeds has given us a string of great artists and a range of amazing sounds: The edgy post-punk of Gang of Four, the dark goth rock of The Sisters of Mercy, the indie anthems of Kaiser Chiefs. Add to that list Yard Act, whose infectious dance groove on "We Make Hits" makes good on its title. Check the Fall reference in the first verse.

"Better Way to Live" - Kneecap featuring Grian Chatten

Hardcore rappers from West Belfast who largely rhyme in Gaelic, and want the British out of Northern Ireland. (Great profile piece in the New Yorker here.) This irresistible track features vocals from Fontaines D.C. frontman Grian Chatten -- and a must-see video.

"Burial Ground" - The Decemberists featuring James Mercer

This macabre end-of-life sing along perfectly channels The Beach Boys. No surprise given the influence of the Shins' Mercer. (I hear "Sloop John B" for some reason.) But despite its rather depressing content, it's an uplifting and happy song: "This world's all wrong, so let's go where we belong, contract malaria, meet at the burial ground." OK then.

Thanks to all the artists who made great music in 2024 -- looking forward to hearing what comes next in 2025!

Best Songs of 2023

The end of yet another year provides a new opportunity to share the songs I liked most from the past 12 months. Each year, I keep a running list of songs I like on my iPhone and at year's end, I cull the list down to the tracks I liked best. So here they are:

"Theia" - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Thanks to my brother, who has often sent me down musical rabbit holes (see The Fall), Australia's King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are like no one else -- in terms of both musicianship and sheer output. Since their founding in 2010, these guys have done it all -- from garage to prog to metal to blues to synth to microtonal tunings. This year's LP - their 25th! - is titled The Silver Cord - and leans into electronic music, as evidenced by this other-worldly track (whose extended version tops 20 minutes in length).

"Medicine" - Momma

Following up on last year's favorite "Speeding 72", the Los Angeles trio released another stellar single, love-as-drug metaphor "Medicine". Perhaps less spellbinding than King Gizzard, but no less addictive.

"Swooning" - JW Francis

Self described loft bedroom slacker jangle pop, JW Francis says he's trying his best. Francis, who was born in Oklahoma, raised in Paris and is licensed as a tour guide in New York City, released this gem -- a catchy little song about - what else? - falling in love.

"Amnesia" - M83

Did someone say France? The French electronic legends returned this year with their ninth studio album Fantasy. What I always love about M83 is the repetitive riffs that carry through their best work -- and the simple six-note phrase in "Amnesia" is - pardon the pun - unforgettable.

"Not Strong Enough" - boygenius

Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus are the unlikeliest of supergroups, yet here they are. On this track, they take turns singing each verse -- each bringing their own style. And if you're not hooked when Bridgers' first verse rolls effortlessly into the chorus, you can't be helped. Then there's the simmering bridge, culminating in a minor chord change and some terrific harmony before clean-up hitter Dacus takes us home. Barack Obama loved it, and my father would have too.

"The Narcissist" - Blur

The questionably named The Ballad of Darren is the first Blur album in eight years -- and arguably the first legit Blur album - on which all four members participated - since 1999's 13. Damon Albarn's vocals have a particular warmth to them, and he says he was inspired in his songwriting by the giant mural of Leonard Cohen in Montreal (which we visited this summer.)

"Sole Obsession" - Nation of Language

Brooklyn's Nation of Language play synthpop like it was meant to be played. And how could they not? They took inspiration from one of the greatest synthpop tracks ever: OMD's "Electricity". And if you like that sort of thing, you will like this band. Full stop.

"The Trench Coat Museum" - Yard Act

The English city of Leeds has a rich musical history - Gang of Four, Kaiser Chiefs, The Sisters of Mercy, Utah Saints, and Soft Cell to name just a few. Add to that list this post-punk quartet, and their danceable track that frontman James Smith describes as being about "how our perception of everything shifts both collectively and individually over time at speeds we simply can’t measure in the moment." Either way, it's an absolute riot.

"Kisses" - Slowdive

There's always room on this list for shoegaze, and few bands do it as well as the legendary Slowdive. Formed in Reading in 1989, they are responsible for one of the genre's greatest albums: 1993's Souvlaki. After decades of dormancy, they released a beautiful album in 2017 (which made this list) and followed it up this year with their fifth album Everything is Alive. I could have chosen several songs for this year's list, but I chose the shimmering "Kisses".

"Quarry" - Wednesday

See if you can identify the obvious touchstone Asheville, NC's Wednesday references in the verses of this song. It's the Kinks classic "Waterloo Sunset", reworked with a Southern roots-rock touch.

"Snowman" - Blonde Redhead

New York's Blonde Redhead started life in the nineties as a noise rock band. Their sound has matured over the years, resulting in something more wistful and elegant.

"Bug Like an Angel" - Mitski

I've been slowly warming up to Mitski, whose music has graced the best of lists of others for years. There is a graceful simplicity to this song -- almost non-existent instrumentation and what amounts to an a cappella chorus. But I'm a sucker for the four chord progression she works here, and I find the quiet beauty of this track irresistible.

"Build a Bridge" - Deeper

Chicago's Deeper takes inspiration on this track from Television - with angular, dueling guitar parts - in what results in post-punk excellence. But there's more going on here: I almost hear something flamenco in some of the guitar riffs. Listen for yourself.

"Stone Killer" - 26fix

Provo, Utah's Erika Goodwin records under the name 26fix, and she says this infectious dance track was the culmination of two very different songs that blended together.

"Un Deux Trois" - MUNYA

Montreal's MUNYA pays direct homage to disco and electronic godfather Giorgio Moroder, name-checking him in the chorus, as well as iconic French electronic duo Daft Punk.

"Jamcod" - Jesus and Mary Chain

We'll end this list with its most recent entry, and celebrate yet another triumphant return for a musical legend this year. Scottish post-punks and 80s icons Jesus and Mary Chain are proudly back, announcing their eighth studio album du out next year, releasing this single late last month, and sounding as good as ever.

Best of 2022

Best of 2022

Another year is in the books, and with it, a return to normalcy and a whole batch of fresh new music. Let's get right to it:

"Angelica" - Wet Leg

I'll start here, only because Wet Leg's fantastic debut album first made waves last year. We wrote about debut single "Chaise Longue" in 2021's list. "Angelica" is the Isle of Wight band's fifth (of six) released singles and proves they are more than a novelty act or one-trick pony, although their slacker wit persists in lyrics like "I don't know what I'm even doing here/I was told that their would be free beer".

"Jackie Down the Line" - Fontaines D.C.

Dublin post-punks Fontaines D.C. lay on the gloom in this track, the lead-off single from their third album Skinty Fia. Listen closely to the chorus and if you're at all like me, you may end up singing "Guns of Brixton" by the Clash over it. Especially around the 1:28 mark when the rhythm guitars kick in.

"The Smoke" - The Smile

Some good things came from the COVID lockdown: Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood and Thom Yorke started working together without their bandmates, enlisting drummer Tom Skinner for a one-off project. Skinner's drums get us moving, followed by a mesmerizing Greenwood riff that powers the track. It's not until the minute mark that Yorke's distinctive vocals emerge, the first sign that we're listening to a Radiohead side project. 

"Fleez" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I could have gone a few different directions here, because the Yeah Yeah Yeah's fifth studio album Cool it Down was so strong. The anthemic "Spitting off the Edge of the World" featuring Perfume Genius could have been a contender. Instead I opted for "Fleez", inspired by the NYC early 80s dance trio ESG, one of the most oft-sampled bands in hip hop history. (After all, I love tracing musical history across genres and generations.) "Fleez" naturally incorporates ESG's edgy funk with Karen O's snarl and isn't shy about paying tribute to its forebears with lines like "Fleez and me eating nuts in the leaves/That's where we dance to ESG"

"Bad Habit" - Steve Lacy

Another song that wears its influences on its sleeve, and in this case there are so many: 70s R&B, 60s harmonies, indie rock and hip hop, to name just a few. "Bad Habit" was easily the song of summer, with its wistful singalong refrain ("I wish I knew/I wish I knew you wanted me") and guitars and keyboards that sound like a humid, 90 degree day. It was as irresistible as it was genre-defying, becoming the first song ever to top the R&B chart, the Hip-Hop chart, the Rock and Alternative chart and the Hot 100.

"Down" - Hot Chip

London's Hot Chip have been around since 1995, releasing seven studio albums before this year's Freakout/Release. Leadoff single "Down" is a funky piece of synth pop, with flourishes that span 70s guitar rock and R&B and a swirling chorus straight out of the 80s.

"Shotgun" - Soccer Mommy

Soccer Mommy keeps getting better and better. I first took notice of Sophie Allison's music with 2018's "Your Dog". Fast forward four years to this banger: A menacing guitar riff that contrasts with Allison's delicate vocals as the verses build to a triumphant chorus about the feeling of falling - and staying - in love.

"Alpha Zulu" - Phoenix

More than two decades into their musical career, French popsters Phoenix have mastered the art of catchy dance tunes. This one is no different, yet it took me a while to warm to it. (To be honest, it took a while for me to get over the "Woo ha singing hallelujah" of the chorus.) Now I love it for what it is: A glimmering slice of electro-pop best played loud with the windows down.

"Anti-glory" - Horsegirl

Chicago's Horsegirl takes us back to the 90s, with a sound that's equal parts grunge and shoegaze. And just when you're getting comfortable, they stun you with a jarring, angular chorus: "Dance, dance, dance with me" that leaves the listeners with more questions than answers.

"New Beginning" - Automatic

After a quiet start, LA post-punk trio Automatic bust out a driving drumbeat, crazy screeching sound breaks, handclaps, and a slew of other captivating sounds on one of the more unlikely songs to hit satellite radio this year.

"Speeding 72" - Momma

My song of autumn, where weekend after weekend I'd load the bike on the roof of the Subaru, head west, and ride gravel. Leave it to a band from LA to write a song praising the therapeutic benefits of an aimless, endless drive. Throw in the best guitar riff in years and a not-so-subtle reference to Pavement's "Gold Soundz" and I'm hooked.

"New Body Rhumba" - LCD Soundsytem

Someone's been listening to The Fall again! LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy has long been a fan of the Manchester post-punks, and it's quite evident on this track, which loosely resembles "Cruisers Creek", "LA" or other Brix Smith-era Fall with its relentless groove, repetitive lead guitar and keyboard riffs, shout-along backing vocals and overall spirit.

"Betty (Get Money)" - Yung Gravy

The ultimate Rick-roll. I don't seriously mean to nominate this track for musical greatness, but you have to tip your cap to the marketing genius of Rochester, Minnesota's own Matthew Hauri. Besides the obvious homage to Rick Astley, the song is just pure silliness, and the only one I can think of which rhymes Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao with the NBA's Jerry Stackhouse. Oh and it's damn catchy.

"Billie Toppy" - Men I Trust

Montreal's Men I Trust tick all the boxes on their non-album single "Billie Toppy". Motorik drumbeat? Check. Peter Hook-style bass riff as a lead? Yep. Shimmery guitars on the chorus? It's all here. 

"New Gold" - Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala and Booty Brown

I'm not gonna lie: I'm a sucker for Gorillaz, but they're never gifted a spot on my best of list. They keep pushing things forward, with creative collaboration and unlikely pairings. This track earns its place for figuring out how to meld the psychedelia of Australia's Tame Impala with the Pharcyde's Bottle Brown into an intoxicating stew. And fans take note: It's Bootie Brown's first collaboration with Gorillaz since 2005's "Dirty Harry".

"I Was Neon" - Julia Jacklin

I spent a fair bit of time at Guitar Center this year, messing around on guitars as my son was taking bass lessons. And it seems every time I was there, this lovely alt country gem was playing, sucking me in with its mysterious chorus "Am I gonna lose myself again?" I had to Shazam my way to track it down, and I think Australian singer-songwriter Jacklin deserves better than that. So here she is.

Best of 2021

The air is chilly, the sun is low, the tree is trimmed and the work has been put aside for a few days. And that means one thing: It's time to reflect on the best songs of the past year. 2021 was full of great new music: I was wowed by newcomers and comforted by much-loved bands that saw themselves successfully taking artistic risks. Let's get right to it:

Song of the Year

"Heartlow" - Jane Weaver

Cheshire's Jane Weaver dropped an immensely beautiful album earlier in the year, and it became my go-to as we fought through a surprisingly difficult year. "Heartlow", a pastiche of psychedelia and electronics, became the soundtrack to my Spring -- its hopefulness tied to a time when we began to emerge from the last long, dark winter with the help of science and the promise of the vaccines. I have returned to this song -- and this album -- time after time as the year's difficulties ebbed and flowed. And upon every return I have been reassured by its loveliness and lifted by the thought of what tomorrow may bring.

"Scratchcard Lanyard" - Dry Cleaning

Fans of the Fall always wince when music critics compare other bands to the Fall. So I was suspicious when reviewers commented on Florence Shaw's spoken word delivery as something akin to Mark E. Smith's. Sure enough, I don't buy the comparison: Smith actually sings MORE than Shaw. Musically, there's an angular edge at play in the South London outfit's sound -- with jagged guitars reminiscent of Wire. And then there is the issue of Shaw's lyrics: They're largely derived from snippets of overheard conversations and comments she read on the internet -- a perfect reflection of the nonsensical banality of 21st century life.

"Chaise Longue" - Wet Leg

Just when Dry Cleaning seemed poised to carve its own musical niche, along comes this Isle of Wight duo. Riding on the coattails of Florence Shaw's sing-song lyrical style, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers introduced this laugh-out-loud banger like some sort of next generation all-girl Bloodhound Gang. Put aside the makes-you-blush lyrics of this track (and its followup single), and what you get is an irresistible piece of post-punk pop that will make you never forget the proper pronunciation of a forgettable piece of furniture. But at least you'll be smiling.

"Walking at a Downtown Pace" - Parquet Courts

I've long been a fan of these Texas-to-New York transplants because of their unique garage sound in songs like "Stoned and Starving", "Borrowed Time", "Berlin Got Blurry", "Almost Had to Start a Fight" and "Wide Awake". This year, they found yet another gear -- incorporating Manchester influenced dance music and experimental sounds for their seventh studio record Sympathy for Life. Written in 2019, the prescient lyrics worry about returning to crowded spaces and generally encapsulate the stop-start of life in 2021: 

I'm making plans for the day all of this is through

Seeing my path there, hearing the song I'll sing

And food that I'll taste and all the drinks that I'll consume

Return the smile of an unmasked friend

"Solar Power" - Lorde

Madchester raised its wonderful head in other ways this year. Take this sun-splashed single by New Zealand's Lorde, who cited Primal Scream's "Loaded" as an inspiration for this made-for-summer anthem and ode to sunnier times.

"King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1" - Death Cab for Cutie

Politically, 2021 was marred by a coup attempt in which supporters of a lame-duck president tried to overturn the will of the American people to wrongfully keep him in power. It was as dark a moment for American democracy as could be imagined. And yet it's easy to forget the year started off with a pair of stunning victories by Democrats in Georgia, where a groundswell of support was set to music by a collection of cover songs: Death Cab for Cutie covered five iconic Georgia artists -- including TLC., REM, Cat Power and Vic Chestnutt. But the standout track on the five-song Georgia E.P. was their version of this track, from Neutral Milk Hotel's 1998 classic In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.

"Thats What I Want" - Lil Nas X

There's no shortage of pop music in my life -- largely thanks to the teenager I often chauffeur. Much of what I hear on pop radio doesn't resonate for me, but this brutally honest anthem of longing did. It's just over two minutes of power pop, a great hook, an infectious chorus, a universal message and no bridge to speak of. And I'm grateful we live in a world where Lil Nas X can be rewarded for continuing to break down barriers.

"Head On" - José González

The classical guitar work of the Argentinian-Swedish González in this sliver of a song harkens back to Jorma Kaukonen. It's the perfect soundtrack for a moment of quiet introspection.

"The Things I Miss" - Constant Smiles

From Sacred Bones Records, the simplicity of this achingly beautiful song about loss knocked me out when I first heard it this fall. It comes with a beautiful film to match.

"I Don't Live Here Anymore" featuring Lucius - War on Drugs

Adam Granduciel and his Philadelphia-based band pull out all the stops -- synths, backup singers, glossy production -- for a slightly more elaborate take on a familiar theme. And like the best War on Drugs songs from previous years, this track uses swirling repetition and an underlying tension to carry the listener on a nearly six minute journey of loneliness, despair and ultimate redemption.

"Be Sweet" - Japanese Breakfast

There was a time in the not too distant past that a song like "Be Sweet" would have been a staple of pop radio. No matter, for Michelle Zauner, the Seoul-born, Oregon-bred and Bryn Mawr-educated singer-songwriter at the center of Japanese Breakfast is a triple threat: She's also a published author and director. And she hopes her work will help bring more Asian-American representation to the music world. (And check out how they built an X Files themed video around the line in the chorus "I want to believe".)

"Everybody Love a Baboon" - Cub Scout Bowling Pins

Finally, because we all need a laugh right now, I include this track. As if it wasn't obvious, Cub Scout Bowling Pins is a thinly-veiled alias of the uber prolific Guided by Voices. The project is meant to invoke the bubble gum psych pop of AM radio in years gone by. I'm not sure that's evident here, but Robert Pollard's goofy vocals are more than enough to wrap up a year that needed a good chuckle.

I hope 2021 was good to you and those that you love. And I hope you discovered more than enough music to get you through the year.

Best of 2020: A Very Bad Year

Best of 2020

How do you attempt a best of list during a year that ranks as the worst of modern times? I spent less time this year listening to new music than I can remember. I spent less time in record shops than I can remember. Like everyone else, much of my year was spent working from home (thankfully) and binge-watching comfort TV ("The Great British Baking Show", "Walking Through History" and "Repair Shop" were three of my favorites.)

But there were bright spots -- musically -- in this otherwise horrid year. So, with a nod to the frivolity of exercises like this, here are 13 of my favorite songs of a very unlucky 2020:

Gorillaz featuring Peter Hook & Georgia - "Aries"

Perhaps my favorite song of the year. I realize that I'm predictable -- and that a Damon Alban-Peter Hook project was always going to be a winner in my book. But it's not like ALL collaborations between Manchester legends are shoe-ins to make my list (Avalanches' recent effort with Johnny Marr was sub-par for both parties.) But "Aries" earns its place on my list this year and would be a great song even without that iconic bass-line from Hooky. Honorable mention goes to another Gorillaz collab with an 80s icon: "Strange Timez" with the Cure's Robert Smith.

Public Enemy - "Fight the Power (2020 Remix)"

The anthem -- and album -- this year needed. The anger and urgency of Chuck D, Flav and collaborators that include Nat and QuestLove on this reboot cut through loud and clear during a summer of racial injustice, a health crisis that disproportionately hurt Black and brown communities, and a presidency that took its cues from the worst elements of society. PE never sounded so right for the times.

Bob Mould - "Forecast of Rain"

Another voice we needed this year was Bob Mould's. In two-and-a-half minutes of bombast. Mould calls out the hypocrites of the American right, and reserves well-deserved scorn for one in particular: "Would this be blasphemy: When you're a star/You can do what you want." Thank you, Mr. Mould, and keep doing what you're doing.

Deep Sea Diver featuring Sharon Van Etten - "Impossible Weight"

Seattle's Deep Sea Diver team up with New Jersey-born Van Etten for a track that oozes cool. Van Etten's vocals manage to be full of swagger yet vulnerable at the same time -- a feat nearly as impossible as the weight she worries she's putting on those around her. But with an acting career to go with her music, Van Etten is used to pulling off the impossible.

Destroyer - "Crimson Tide"

When it comes to the individual members of Canadian collective New Pornographers, I've long been a fan of Carl Newman, and less so of Dan Bejar's work. I love the instrumentation that starts minimal and builds throughout the song, punctuated by that great keyboard line and Bejar's spoken word vocals.

Future Islands - "For Sure"

Baltimore's Future Islands do it again -- a perfect, shimmery, synth pop song reminiscent of the best of the 80s. The playbook is a lot like their 2014 hit "Seasons (Waiting on You)" -- lush instrumentation, moody keyboard pads, and a Samuel T. Herring chorus begging to be sung along to. But if it works...

Washed Out - "Time to Walk Away"

Ernest Greene Jr. has always known how to extract maximum emotion from the minimum amount of ingredients. From the early chill wave recordings he made in the bedroom of his parents' house in Georgia, to the uptempo and almost salsa feel of this track, he manages to hit all the right notes, and all the right chords, to take his listeners along for an ethereal ride.

Olafur Arnalds - "Zero"

With around 350,000 people, Iceland has a population smaller than Aurora, Colorado. But its musical output? On a per capita basis, it is unrivaled. Think Sigur Ros and Of Monsters and Men, to say nothing of Bjork and Sugarcubes. This year's discovery for me was multi-instrumentalist Olafur Arnalds, whose hauntingly beautiful album Some Kind of Peace was the rather appropriate soundtrack to our very chill Thanksgiving.

bdrmm - "Push / Pull"

After new releases by Ride, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine in recent years, shoegaze is having a moment. So it's no surprise new bands would form to keep the genre moving. Hull's bdrmm pays tribute to the shoegaze classics with music to get utterly lost in. And in 2020, that sounds like a good thing.

Guided by Voices - "Mr. Child"

Guided by Voices released - count 'em - three albums this year. We knew Robert Pollard was prolific, but that is kind of ridiculous. The band gave us a lot to choose from, but I was won over by the guitar riff that opens this song -- with the right effects it could have been on a Fall record. 

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - "Cars in Space"

The Melbourne five-piece is back at it with their second album for Sub-Pop. "Cars in Space" could have been an outtake from 2018's debut LP Hope Downs. The formula -- three guitarists trading riffs over a driving drumbeat -- is the same, and it's still a winner.

Perfume Genius - "Describe"

Rich and moody, with surprising nods to both classic rock and folk. It's a bit of a departure for Michael Hadreas, who records as Perfume Genius. And it's not difficult to hear why Hadreas cites Cocteau Twins, Enya and Townes Van Zandt as influences on his 2020 release Set My Heart on Fire Immediately. 

Stephen Malkmus - "Xian Man"

Here's what happens when Pavement meets Tinariwen -- the laconic vocals we love about Malkmus blend so well with that strangely exotic guitar riff that repeats throughout the track.

Best of 2019

The year -- and the decade -- are coming to a close. In the coming days I plan to compile a list of my favorite tracks from the 2010s, including some of the ones I flat-out missed in previous best-of-the-year lists -- nothing like ending the decade recapping your failures! But for now, I want to wrap up the year with a look at what I think are the top tracks of 2019. Here we go:

"Exits" - Foals

The band from Oxford by way of Peckham, London hits us with the perfect song for our time, and my runaway choice for song of the year. "Exits" is a dystopian portrait of a world gone horribly wrong. The distorted synths and jagged beats build to the song's climax, as a frustrated Yannis Philippakis sings "I wish I could figure it out/but the world's upside down." It's the sharpest, most urgent call to action against the imminent twin threats of authoritarianism and climate change -- and a perfect antidote to the dystopia we find ourselves living in.

Now here are ten more songs that deserve accolades this year:

"Viktor Borgia" - Stephen Malkmus

Former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus was sitting on an electronica album for years. It was appropriately called Groove Denied, and in 2019 it finally saw the light of day. The leadoff single "Viktor Borgia" -- and its accompanying video -- feel like a flashback to the earliest days of electro pop, with Malkmus doing his best to sound like early Human League or Gary Numan.

"Harmony Hall" - Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend has made a career out of this sort of twee loveliness. Sure, "Harmony Hall" is a bit too precious, but it's also an incredibly catchy piece of songwriting that dares you not to sing along. Many critics have heard the Grateful Dead in this track, and I can't help but sing the chorus of "Friend of the Devil" over parts of this song.

"Jesus' Son" - Priests

Washington DC's Priests dwell at the epicenter of this country's moral corruption. So it's no surprise that they would take aim at the absurd views of a megalomaniac in this song. I wonder who singer Katie Alice Greer is referring to when she belts out lyrics like "God came to me in a dream and told me that I'm Jesus' son/ I know this world is mean, it's lucky I'm the chosen one." The political implications of the album's red state name-checking title - The Seduction of Kansas - should give you a hint.

"Turn to Hate" - Orville Peck

Orville Peck came out of nowhere this spring -- I mean, nowhere -- and his identity remains shrouded in mystery. We know this much about the alt-country singer/songwriter: He's Canadian and he identifies as queer. Beyond that, he hides his true persona behind a fringed Lone Ranger mask. But Peck speaks volumes with his deep, rich baritone. His singing and songwriting on this track evokes Matt Johnson's best work with The The. Except the twang of Peck's Telecaster gives this tune an unmistakably country vibe.

"Johannesburg" - Africa Express

Damon Albarn may well be the King Midas of modern music: His forays from pop to electronica to world music always seem to pan out, and this latest venture is no different. Much like 2002's under heralded Mali Music, Africa Express is an Albarn-led collective featuring European, American and African artists collaborating and breaking new musical ground, in an attempt to level the playing field between the developed world and everyone else. This track features gauzy lead vocals from Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys married to the otherworldly sing-song of Lesotho singer (and shepherd) Morena Leraba.

"Stars are the Light" - Moon Duo

The Portland psychedelics put their guitars away just long enough to turn up the synths and sequencers on this shimmering beauty, and the result is an intoxicating.

"All Mirrors" - Angel Olsen

Olsen's haunting vocals stand out on this dramatic track, which evokes Kate Bush or PJ Harvey in their finest hours. Over a sea of theatrical synthesizers, the Asheville, NC art-rocker employs a repetitive melody as the song builds, dies down, and eventually reaches its climax. Stunning. Listen to it on full volume and in the dark.

"Until the Fire" - Ladytron

Liverpool's Ladytron blend the best of shoegaze and electronica on this urgent, dystopian stomp. Like "Exits" (at the top of this list), "Until the Fire" is seething with anger and fury. And despite acknowledging that something horrific is going on in the world, Ladytron isn't trying to sugarcoat it.

"Feel the Sun" - Josefin Öhrn & the Liberation

Swedish-born and London-based Öhrn shines on this dreamy swirl of synths and fuzz. And despite the title, it's the haze and shadows in this track that make it so beautiful.

"Green Eyes" - THICK

The all-female pop-punk trio from New York borrows sonically from tongue-in-cheek mid-90s acts like Blink 182. Sure, THICK likes to have fun, but they have an authenticity -- and an inclusivity -- that comes through in their music and live performances. And the music world is starting to take notice: THICK signed with iconic punk label Epitaph this year. This track tones down the energy long enough to showcase great overlapping singing -- and the frustration of what the band says is the "strange frustration of a partner projecting their emotional baggage onto you."

Best of 2018

It's a few days after the new year, and time now to compile my annual list of the best songs of the previous year. There's a lot to get to from 2018, but I'm starting big -- with my nominee for song of the year:

"Charity" - Courtney Barnett

An easy one for me. Straight ahead rock and roll with the guitar riff of the year. I saw her over summer in Prospect Park and her live set rocked even harder than the record. She plays left handed, and the parallels to Kurt Cobain didn't escape me. That said, this song leans more towards power pop than grunge -- at least on the studio version. But don't be fooled: This Aussie can flat out rock.

"Talking Straight" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

We'll stay down under for this one. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever have a name far more cumbersome than their sound, which again is guitar-forward rock and roll. Granted, they have three different lead vocalists depending on the song or the arrangement. Play this for a classic rock fan and I'll bet they'll like it, too. And they're hardly a one-off: There's a few other tracks off their album Hope Downs that could have easily made this list.

"Marble Skies" - Django Django

Kinetic synth-pop set to a Krautrock beat from this London via Edinburgh quartet. The frenzy of the verses and bridge give way to a triumphant chorus punctuated by an infectious keyboard riff. Fun fact: Django Django's drummer David Maclean is the younger brother of Beta Band keyboardist John Maclean. But that's where the comparisons end: Django Django sound like the more mellow Beta Band on hyperdrive.

"Semicircle Song" - The Go! Team

What do you get when you cross a drumline with Bollywood horns, handclaps and a double dutch chant? Pure joy. Sure, that combination sounds awful, but here, it works. This song from Brighton, England's The Go! Team makes me happy -- and I dare you not to share in my happiness! I first heard it aboard British Airways flying home from Paris and it added a huge injection of fun into what was otherwise the sad end to a wonderful trip. Thanks, Go! Team.

"Les Mirabelles" - MC Solaar

Speaking of Paris, here's the one-song soundtrack to my trip there aboard Air France. This moody and atmospheric affair by the master of French rap put me in the right mood for a week in Paris. MC Solaar's been at this game for three decades. He's a big star in France, and I've always thought the French language lent itself well to rap for some reason. This song works right up until the metal sounding guitar solo at the end.

"Tranz" - Gorillaz

I get that Gorillaz released a few other songs before this one, but this is the standout track on their latest LP The Now Now. It has the proper dose of moody menace that made Damon Albarn's post-Blur project so potent over the years.

"Middle America" - Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

Have you ever heard such a catchy tune about middle age? Malkmus croons that he "won't be one of the watchers, I won't disappear." And on this track -- so far removed from his Pavement days -- he doesn't. He stamps his slacker mark all over us aging Generation Xers. A perfect song for the times.

"Sprorgnsm" - Superorganism

The London based collective Superorganism features Orono Noguchi -- a teenager from Maine -- on vocals. Strange. For me this song combines the best of Beck's slacker groove with the sound sampling The Avalanches.

"Loading Zones" - Kurt Vile

Philly's own Kurt Vile released his eighth studio album late this year and this self-assured track was the first single. It features the virtuosic guitar work Vile is known for, but it's a beautiful piece of song craft with quirky lyrics and a great video of Vile driving a Chrysler LeBaron convertible and a 70s Pontiac Grand Prix through the streets of Philadelphia.

"IDGAF" - Sam Evian

New York singer songwriter Sam Evian released his second LP on Omaha's Saddle Creek Records, and it's obvious why Saddle Creek founder Conor Oberst would endorse Evian's dreamy music.

"Comeback Kid" - Sharon Van Etten

Sharon Van Etten has a lot on her plate these days. She's got an acting career in LA, a toddler at home in Brooklyn, and she's returned to college to pursue a degree in psychology. Despite that -- or perhaps because of it -- she's managed to complete her forthcoming album, the aptly named Remind Me Tomorrow. On this track - the LP's first single - she trades in her singer songwriter vibe for synths and  an uptempo beat to find the energy she no doubt needs to keep the pace in her busy life.

"On the Level" - Mac Demarco

Vancouver's Mac Demarco created the perfect lazy summer song. So easy, so atmospheric. And a keyboard riff that's nearly impossible to get out of your head.

"Darkness" - Pinegrove

Pinegrove is one of two indie bands from Montclair, NJ, who broke big this year (the other was Forth Wanderers). This introspective song was a staple of Sirius XMU, despite the band's self-imposed hiatus at the end of 2017 after lead singer Evan Stephens Hall was accused of sexual coercion by an unnamed woman.

"Mr Tillman" - Father John Misty

We'll keep the folk vibe going here with the latest from Father John Misty, who's real name really is Mr Tillman. Joshua Michael Tillman to be exact. The verses and chorus are repetitive, but the chord changes in each are beautiful and complex. Lovely.

"Lemon Glow" - Beach House

Baltimore's Beach House released their seventh studio LP -- appropriately named 7. The duo has mastered dreamy psychedelic pop -- trip-wave if you will -- and "Lemon Glow" was the #1 song on Sirius XMU for 2018. I can't disagree with the pick.

"Mourning Sound" - Grizzly Bear

A motorik beat grounds the latest from Brooklyn's Grizzly Bear. The verses build slowly, eventually lifting the veil on a gorgeous chorus that makes you feel like you're flying through clouds. Too bad it's from 2017. So why did it get so much airplay this year?

"Northern Lights" - Death Cab for Cutie

Seattle's Death Cab for Cutie have been responsible for a ton of great music over the years, but this newest single ranks among the best of it. The music is so good that I can forgive Ben Gibbard's oft-tortured lyrics: "I remember your silhouette/on Dyes Inlet". (He's the same guy who gave us the awkward analogy of a "goalie minding the net in the third quarter of a tight-game rivalry". Ugh!) That said, there was a lot of beautiful music made in 2018 -- almost as an antidote to the otherwise ugly times we're living in.

"Letting Go" - Wild Nothing

And to that last point, here's more gorgeousness from Blacksburg, Virginia's Jack Tatum, who records under the name Wild Nothing. Tatum released Indigo, his fourth Wild Nothing album, in 2018, and this synthy beauty was the album's first single.

"Messenger" - Pylon Reenactment Society

What can I say? After nearly three decades, there's new music from Pylon, or at least this Vanessa Briscoe Hay-fronted iteration of the iconic Athens, Georgia band. And it has the unmistakeable post-punk bite mixed with the groove that made the band famous the first time around It's not hard to hear Pylon's classics like "Stop It" when 63-year-old Briscoe Hay starts yelping and growling at the end of the song.

"Your Dog" - Soccer Mommy

Nashville's Sophie Allison, who records under the name Soccer Mommy, opens this song with the unforgettable line "I don't want to be your fucking dog/that you drag around", but it's the twisty sounding guitars that pull me into this song.

I hope you found music you loved this past year -- and I hope it continues in 2019!