Month: December 2014 (Page 2 of 4)

“Lights Out” – Angel Olsen

I’ll write more about my favorite albums of the year next week, but this comes from one of my absolute favorites. And it stands out on a disk full of fine songs. Most of Burn Your Fire For No Witness is focused on pain and loneliness and longing to heal.

While this song certainly matches the tone of its album-mates, the lyrics set it apart. Rather than singing about the pain, Olsen is exhorting someone in deep pain not to give up. It’s a simple, touching moment of telling someone you care about that while things might seem bad, there is always a reason to look forward to better times.

Just when you thought you would turn all your lights out it shines
Some days all you need is one good thought strong in your mind

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks
8 – “Lazaretto” – Jack White
7 – “Honey Do” – Beverly
6 – “Head Underwater” – Jenny Lewis
5 – “Run Forever” Emma Ruth Rundle

“Run Forever” Emma Ruth Rundle

I’m a sucker for a song like this. It is equal parts beautiful and haunting. It is as unsettling as it is comforting. Is it a plea or a warning? There’s a delicious tension to the music and vocals that prevents these differences from ever resolving.

Come on my love take cover with me
We can be gone and there’s no one we need

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks
8 – “Lazaretto” – Jack White
7 – “Honey Do” – Beverly
6 – “Head Underwater” – Jenny Lewis

“Head Underwater” – Jenny Lewis

You can’t write about Jenny Lewis without throwing out the obligatory mention of how her music sounds straight out of the 1970s. Her songs would have fit in nicely with all the stuff we heard from the backseat of our parents cars.[1] Sun-drenched, breath-taking, AM-radio pop that owes a huge debt to Fleetwood Mac.

The beautiful sounds Lewis fills her songs with have always masked deeply honest, often painful, and occasionally dark lyrics. When I first heard this song, I took the phrase “head underwater” to mean some kind of rebirth, whether spiritual or metaphorical. And I still think that is partially the case. But dive into the lyrics a little more and it’s clear she is singing about some awfully dark times. A context in which putting your head underwater takes on a far more sinister meaning.

But damn if it’s not jaw-droppingly gorgeous. And that last line, where she says she’s free at last…man, that’s just a glorious line.

Bonus points: In addition to all the music of my youth stuff, this song, and Lewis’ album The Voyager, was produced by Ryan Adams. Who was a very important part of the music I listened to this year.

I put my head underwater baby,
I held my breath until it passed
Crossed my fingers and concentrated
I closed my eyes and I was free at last

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks
8 – “Lazaretto” – Jack White
7 – “Honey Do” – Beverly

“Honey Do” – Beverly

Sometimes the simplest songs have the biggest impact. Twenty words. Chugging guitars and pounding drums. Gorgeous harmonies. Combined, it turns into sheer beauty.

Tell me your oldest memory
Yes I will keep it
Oh honey do

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks
8 – “Lazaretto” – Jack White

“Lazaretto” – Jack White

White’s Lazaretto was perhaps the most disappointing album of the year. He seemed disinterested and unfocused. Thankfully, he was locked in on a few tracks, notably this absolute beast of a song that stands with the best things he’s ever done.

When I say nothing, I say everything

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks

“Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks

We’re getting closer to the music that defined my year, much of which harkened back to the music of my youth. While this song looks back to the ‘90s rather than ‘80s, I certainly appreciate the intent.

Indiana native Timothy Showalter put together an amazing album, much of it focused on he and his wife’s failures in their marriage. But he kicked it off with this roaring track, which features some heroic guitar work by J. Mascis, that looks back to a time when his life was simpler and happier.

I was lonely but I was having fun

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy

Week #2 of the countdown means we’re on to the Top 10…

“Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy

Songs about falling in love with music will always be made. But are we at the end of the age of songs like this? Songs about living in rural America and having your life changed by amazing music that rolls in on the radio waves from distant cities? “Kids these days, with their Interwebs and their file sharing…”

As a lover of music, a lover of radio, and a lover of Wussy, this song scratches me right where I itch.

Stuck in the corn maze with only a transistor radio
Making paths with the sound waves and echoes and Oh Baba-oh-oh-oh…

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon

“Rent I Pay” – Spoon

I’ll entertain arguments that all Spoon songs kind of sound the same. But the thing is, they’re almost always really freaking good. It’s good to hear them recapture their old swagger after a couple albums with slightly different sounds.

And if that’s your answer no I ain’t your dancer

Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady

“Christmas Medley” – Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra

What happens when a couple of P-I-M-P-S get together over the holidays? Magic, that’s what happens.