"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."
