I have been woefully negligent of this website, and while it pains me to disappoint my three regular readers, I’ve been busy, injured, the down arrow on my keyboard doesn’t work and there haven’t been many releases I’ve felt positively compelled to write about.
However, I thought it would be worth recording my thoughts on my favorite songs of the year, and since I’ve been so derelict in my blogging duties, I’m going to run down my 40 favorite tracks from 2016.
These aren’t going to be particularly deep insights, but here they are along with the required Spotify playlist in no particular order.
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“Have You Ever?”- Twin Peaks
This is probably my most listened to song of the year. It’s a perfect homage to ’60s rock while also being shout-along barroom perfection.
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“Real Friends”-Kanye West
The non-Chris Rock parts of “Blame Game” are my favorite Kanye song. Introspective Kanye is best Kanye,
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“You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit”-Tacocat
A funny, insightful and ridiculously catchy song about an unexpected breakout and the anti-climax of not getting to exercise any righteous fury.
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“Sex & Drugs”-A Giant Dog
The jauntiest tune on a lively, awesome rock album filled with them. Naturally, the very next track is titled “& Rock & Roll”.
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“Oh Sarah”-Sturgill Simpson
This song embodies everything that was awesome about Simpson’s self-produces, excellent psych-country album from this year. “Oh Sarah” is sweet, it’s deeply personal, Simpson’s voice sounds fantastic and the instrumentation is varied in a way that is simply absent from a lot of modern country.
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“Fool”-Frankie Cosmos
I always forget she’s Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cate’s daughter, but always remember she’s an expert at crafting quirky, wonderful guitar-driven pop.
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“Cherry”-Chromatics
I involuntarily head bob when I hear this song. It hasn’t happened in public yet, thankfully.
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“Back Into It”-Islands
My dad injured is back in a severe car accident this year, haven’t gotten around to showing him this song, which is simple joy of a rock song.
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“Unforgiving Girl(She’s Not)”-Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial was not a lean, taut effort, and this is often cited as one of it’s shaggiest and expendable songs. I love its improvised vibe, call-and-response lyrics and varied styles. It sounds like live rock music.
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“Door”-Nice As Fuck
Drums, bass and Jenny Lewis come together for an excellent piece of post-punk dance music.
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“Piano Player” The Hotelier
Don’t judge an album by its cover, these songs are equally appealing as Goodness‘ NSFW cover art was repellent.
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“Vroom Vroom” Charli XCX
This song has some of the corniest white girl rapping this side of Fergie, but Charli kills the hook as she’s wont to do, and the SOPHIE production gives her both some of the sweetest and most aggro music she’s ever worked with.
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“No Matter Where We Go”-Whitney
I was a big fan of the Smith Westerns up to their third album and was sad when they disbanded. This whispy, summery rock scratched an itch I thought was here to stay.
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“Strive”-A$AP Ferg
I’d take Ferg over Rocky any day.
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“(Girl we Got A” Good Thing”-Weezer
The best song on Weezer’s best album in more than a decade is a beach-ready ode to a promising relationship just starting to bloom. It’s a Blue Album type song with some Maladroit-esque guitar shredding and melody changes reminiscent of Pinkerton. Just a phenomenal track.
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“Can’t Get Enough of Myself (Feat. B.C.)-Santigold
In my perfect world, this song would’ve dominated Top 40 radio in spring.
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“Audrey’s Dance”-Xiu Xiu
I once saw Xiu Xiu open for Swans. For some reason, it was just a buff silver fox type and a machine that made pulsating sounds. This is much better
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“We The People…”-A Tribe Called Quest
RIP Phife Dog. Q-Tip’s flow has always been one of my favorites.
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“Big Body”- ScHoolboy Q
Blank Face had a lot of dark moments, but oddly the Tyler, The Creator-produced song was the party jam with a Dogg Pound feature.
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“Learn in School”-Muncie Girls
This is a damn fine self-empowerment punk anthem about carving your own path.
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“Ice Cream and Sunscreen”-Martha
It’s clear from the opening guitar strums this song is an ascendant bottle rocket destined to explode, but it is still so very satisfying when it does.
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“To Be A Ghost”-Jeff Rosenstock
I love that a kiss off to the internet includes a gut-punching lyric about police brutality. That a song this incredibly cynical has a soaring chorus is a testament to the weird lane in which Rosenstock operates very proficiently.
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“Lump Street”-Frightened Rabbit
Icy synthesizer backs much of this depressing look at a pair of ragged, impoverished lovers. Cancer and violence metaphors abound. Still, things finish with a triumphant sprint celebrating flourishing love despite a total lack of nourishment from the environment.
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“Have a Heart”-Cymbals Eat Guitar
Remember that catchy Goteye song? What if it was about a lifetime of personal shortcomings before finding love and becoming a better person? Listen and find out.
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“Casket Pretty”-Noname
This already sounds classic.
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“Pain”-LVL UP
Tell your friends it’s Neutral Milk Hotel, and they’ll probably believe you.
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“Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Beams”-Camp Cope
A pitch black comedy of a song about a woman disillusioned by sexism becoming a conspiracy nut.
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“Fear O The Light”-Katie Dey
A woozy cacophony, lots of reverb and chipmunk vocals somehow make a very compelling pop song.
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“Here in Spirit”-Jim James
I’ve never been a big My Morning Jacket song, but James’ newest solo album struck a chord. This song’s piano and hip-hop drumbeat particularly got a hold of me.
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“Home”-Common
Wish I could tell 14 year old me that both Common and Weezer would one day put out quality albums in the same year. This is the most engaged Common has sounded in years, and the beats are gorgeous.
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“Come Down”-Anderson.Paak
This puts the jam in “James Brown pastiche”.
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“Dumb Baby”-The Coathangers
This sparse punk number simply rocks. Like the rest of the one-time The Black Lips sister band’s 2016 release was thoroughly enjoyable, and for me this was the stand out track.
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“No Problem(Feat. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz)”-Chance The Rapper
It just sounds like Chano has fun making music. A great chorus and interesting guest spots from Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz make this one of the most memorable songs of the year.
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“Trying to Lose Myself Again”-Bleached
Just a gnarly rocker from the band I like to imagine as what would happen if HAIM spent time in the Thunder Dome instead of California.
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“Ready for the Magic”-Honeyblood
If you like Bleached and the Coathangers, you’ll like Honeyblood.
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“Ivy”Frank Ocean
I didn’t appreciate this hazy, perfect crooning about growing old and growing apart until I listened to the Katie Dey album. Somehow it calibrated things just right and made me open to a shoegaze R&B marriage.
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“Patriot”-Crying
Chiptune and cheesy, ’80s guitar licks are somehow a perfect match. Haven’t seen this hyped anywhere outside of Stereogum, where this album was super revered for some reason.
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“A 1000 Times”-Hamilton Leithauser+Rostam
If the Walkmen had covered the old folk tune “500 Miles” made famous by Perter, Paul & Mary it would sound a ton like that. I mean that in a really good way. Plus, Leithauser’s voice sounds great.
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“Gamma Kinfe”-King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Including cut off of an infinitely looping concept album was pretty difficult. If thise sounds good to you, listen to the whole thing.
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“A Loving Feeling”-Mitski
I now realize how badly I need a Mitski version of 69 Love Songs. Her hilarious and profoundly sad take on love, lust and relationship power dynamics is 92 seconds of absolute bliss.
The Ear Regular 