{"id":10888,"date":"2021-12-16T08:21:23","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T13:21:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/?p=10888"},"modified":"2024-08-28T13:49:45","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T17:49:45","slug":"favorite-songs-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/2021\/12\/16\/favorite-songs-of-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Favorite Songs of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve made it to another year-end list of my favorite songs of the past twelve (-ish) months.<\/p>\n<p>Usually I start working on these rankings in early October. This year I didn\u2019t put any real work into it until after we returned from Hawaii on December 1. Some of that was because my working list was about as tight as it has ever been. I don\u2019t know that it ever got over 40\u201342 songs, and I was able to trim many songs before I began giving it serious consideration. When it came to do the real work, I was already under 30 songs, and it was a pretty easy process.<\/p>\n<p>I was still moving songs around and making my final decision on whether to have one or two Torres tracks yesterday (Dec. 15). I\u2019ve looked at them long enough. Here they are: my 21 favorite songs of 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, wow, I just noticed how that works perfectly!<\/p>\n<p>20 &#8211; \u201cWhat This City Needs\u201d &#8211; Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs<br \/>\nA rip-roaring, old-school, rock \u2019n\u2019 roll track to get us started.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Sam Coffey &amp; the Iron Lungs - What This City Needs (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yi5rtmyC0jQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>19 &#8211; \u201cIn the Stone\u201d &#8211; The Goon Sax<br \/>\nOK, I\u2019m going to admit I have no idea what a few of these songs are supposed to be about. This one, for example. But I dig the bored tone the singers deliver their lines with.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Goon Sax - In The Stone (Official Music Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QPHtsMICPdc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>18 &#8211; \u201cEnough is Never Enough\u201d &#8211; The Clockworks<br \/>\nTHESE FINGERS WERE MADE FOR POINTING!!!<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"THE CLOCKWORKS - ENOUGH IS NEVER ENOUGH [OFFICIAL VIDEO]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k7yViRVf6do?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>17 &#8211; \u201cEmpire Builder\u201d &#8211; Typhoon<br \/>\nAnother song I\u2019m not totally sure what it is about, even after reading a few theories. I do know it sounds absolutely amazing. And the closing lines of \u201ceverybody\u2019s angry, everybody\u2019s lonely\u201d seems like a spot-on assessment of this moment in history.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Typhoon - Empire Builder [Official Video]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YDwqFCBuwuo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>16 &#8211; \u201cHardline\u201d &#8211; Julien Baker<br \/>\nBaker surprised people when she announced her new album would feature, for the first time, a full band backing her. Rather than hiding her unique brand of intimacy, the bigger sound made it even better.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Julien Baker - &quot;Hardline&quot; (Official Music Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6pGBIAiJPF4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>15a\/15b &#8211; \u201cDon\u2019t Go Puttin Wishes in My Head\u201d \/ \u201cThirstier\u201d &#8211; Torres<br \/>\nI tried and tried, but I could not pick between either of these excellent songs. MacKenzie Scott has made some amazing music in her brief career. Both of these eclipse everything else she\u2019s done.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"TORRES - Don&#039;t Go Puttin Wishes in My Head (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HfoeNuW9NVI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"TORRES - Thirstier (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OC8IXfi0SF8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>14 &#8211; \u201cDino\u2019s\u201d &#8211; Gordi and Alex Lahey<br \/>\nThere were a lot of songs this year about how Covid affected the music business. Here, Gordi and Lahey sing of missing not just their favorite dive in Nashville, but also sharing a moment with someone you love in a place that is special to you both.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Gordi, Alex Lahey - Dino&#039;s (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fG96QqFwL5M?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>13 &#8211; \u201cLevitating\u201d &#8211; Dua Lipa<br \/>\nThat\u2019s right: the Billboard number one song of the year made my Favorites list! That probably hasn\u2019t happened since sometime in the \u201880s. A nearly perfect &#8211; and timeless &#8211; dance-pop song.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtu.be\/w4dBufC9Igk<\/p>\n<p>12 &#8211; \u201cWhy Don\u2019t You Touch Me\u201d &#8211; Leon Bridges<br \/>\nThis is a straight-up beautiful song about the person you love drifting away from you.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Leon Bridges - Why Don&#039;t You Touch Me: Part 1 (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TqgMx3eWdYg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>11 &#8211; \u201cHeaven\u201d &#8211; Eliza Shaddad<br \/>\nShaddad has officially entered the group of artists who almost automatically make my year-end list when they release something new.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Eliza Shaddad - Heaven - Live in Session at Battersea Arts Centre\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R0JZQBXB1DM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>10 &#8211; \u201cChaeri\u201d &#8211; Magdalena Bay<br \/>\nRobyn provided vocals for Smile\u2019s \u201cCall My Name\u201d this year. That track did not sound very Robyn-ish, though. This song, which features singer Mica Tenenbaum, sounds like it could be straight off of the next Robyn album.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Magdalena Bay - Chaeri (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ben9qDbrLYU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>9 &#8211; \u201cThe Way I Feel\u201d &#8211; Alien Boy<br \/>\nI remain a sucker for songs that are about trying to recapture feelings from the past.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Way I Feel\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/24V8nK3rWLs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>8 &#8211; \u201cUndone\u201d &#8211; The Shivas<br \/>\nThis song\u2019s neo-psychedelic vibe kept me listening to it over-and-over.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Shivas - Undone (Official Music Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_z8GjrMYigw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>7 &#8211; \u201cThe Shining but Tropical\u201d &#8211; Wild Pink<br \/>\nI doubt any track this year sounded as glorious, warm, and anthemic as this, another excellent entry in Wild Pink\u2019s rapidly growing collection of great songs.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Wild Pink - The Shining But Tropical\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kMUQpapX0zU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>6 &#8211; \u201cLong Way\u201d &#8211; Eddie Vedder<br \/>\nEdVed surprised the hell out of me with this solo track. There is the obvious, heavy Tom Petty influence. The bridge (\u201cWell, it couldn\u2019t be had\u2026\u201d) is soooo perfect.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Eddie Vedder - Long Way (Official Lyric Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sHqd5Q7pYo0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>5 &#8211; \u201cSeventeen Going Under\u201d &#8211; Sam Fender<br \/>\nAn emotional beast of a song set to a beat you can dance to: that is the classic Sam Fender experience. Here he sings of being 17, the rough crowd he ran with, and how his mother\u2019s illness and their lack of money had a huge impact on his life.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Sam Fender - Seventeen Going Under (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WAifgn2Cvo8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>4 &#8211; \u201cBetter\u201d &#8211; Michgander<br \/>\n2021 was supposed to be different. Vaccines had arrived, an inauguration was ahead, and it sure felt like we would get a break from all the bullshit of 2020. It took six days to shatter those hopes.<\/p>\n<p>This song\u2019s soaring high points plus the title of the EP it is from &#8211; <em>Everything Will Be OK Eventually<\/em> &#8211; are reminders that maybe things will not be so fucked up some day.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Michigander - Better\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mq6wfxDP_rs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>3 &#8211; \u201cthe angel of 8th ave.\u201d &#8211; Gang of Youths<br \/>\nThis song gallops along and dares you to resist it. An ode to his new wife and their new home in London, Dave Le\u2019aupepe throws everything that makes Gang of Youths great into this track. It gets better every time I listen to it. In fact, this has moved up three spots since I started seriously considering this list. Maybe if I waited until January to finish, it would be number one.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Gang of Youths - the angel of 8th ave. (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/H9QsAO4BU28?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>2 &#8211; \u201cI Don\u2019t Live Here Anymore\u201d &#8211; The War on Drugs<br \/>\nI, like most TWOD fans, was totally blown away the first time I heard this. It didn\u2019t sound like anything the band had done before, full of brightness, with a proper chorus, and no true guitar solo. It even has backup singers, for crying out loud!<\/p>\n<p>Adam Granduciel has made a shitload of classic songs in the decade-plus TWOD has been putting out music. This might be his magnum opus, a brilliant track that perfectly balances the bittersweetness of getting older and moving on with your life, while still sneaking glances back at the past.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The War On Drugs - I Don&#039;t Live Here Anymore (feat. Lucius) [Official Music Video]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MVh6XTwWhMY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>1 &#8211; \u201cStacking Chairs\u201d &#8211; Middle Kids<br \/>\nMiddle Kids did the hard part first: their debut single, \u201cEdge of Town,\u201d was a stunning, unforgettable song that most bands spend years trying to make. They followed up with an EP and LP, and both filled with good songs. None matched \u201cEdge of Town,\u201d though. That song\u2019s success was starting to feel like a curse.<\/p>\n<p>That changed this year. The band\u2019s second full-length record, <em>Today We\u2019re the Greatest<\/em>, was a huge leap. It was a mature, emotional-yet-reserved album that took some time to relate to. In fact, I\u2019m a little mad at myself for not spending more time with it upon its release. Thankfully I eventually connected with it, and it is one of my two favorite albums of the year.<\/p>\n<p>Singer and songwriter Hannah Joy opened up about her life in this new batch of songs, including her issues with alcohol (\u201cHow am I supposed to know you, when you are drunk all the time?\u201d), people she had hurt in the past (\u201cYou lifted me up, I let you down. Over and over.\u201d), her experience becoming a mother, and the challenges of committing yourself to a relationship. That final theme appeared on several songs but was most apparent on \u201cStacking Chairs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here she sings of the leap of faith that is marriage, and how you open yourself not just to your partner, but to their past as well. There are millions of songs about being faithful. I would bet this is the first to use the metaphor of cleaning up after a party to demonstrate loyalty within a relationship. It totally works because Joy is such a good, honest, and emotional singer. When she ends the second chorus by repeating \u201cI will be there\u2026\u201d it gets me every single time.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Middle Kids - Stacking Chairs (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/e-xPosJqePo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Middle Kids knew they had a good thing with this song. They\u2019ve performed it for several shows. A few nights this fall I would watch one, and then another, and then another. Here are some of my favorites. From <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/F-suGhxVTVo\">Triple J in Australia<\/a>. From <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/c2N6gNmjRYA\">The Late Night with Stephen Colbert<\/a>. From <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1CUjJ6-yqlw\">CBS Mornings Sunday Sessions.<\/a>. And, finally, it leads off their <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/cYnb73Eq728\">excellent performance for KEXP<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve made it to another year-end list of my favorite songs of the past twelve (-ish) months. Usually I start working on these rankings in early October. This year I didn\u2019t put any real work into it until after we returned from Hawaii on December 1. Some of that was because my working list was about as tight as it has ever been. I don\u2019t know that it ever got over 40\u201342 songs, and I was able to trim many songs before I began giving it serious consideration. When it came to do the real work, I was already under 30 songs, and it was a pretty easy process. I was still moving songs around and making my final decision on whether to have one or two Torres tracks yesterday (Dec. 15). I\u2019ve looked at them long enough. Here they are: my 21 favorite songs of 2021. Oh, wow, I just noticed how that works perfectly! 20 &#8211; \u201cWhat This City Needs\u201d &#8211; Sam Coffey and The Iron Lungs A rip-roaring, old-school, rock \u2019n\u2019 roll track to get us started. 19 &#8211; \u201cIn the Stone\u201d &#8211; The Goon Sax OK, I\u2019m going to admit I have no idea what a few of these songs are supposed to be about. This one, for example. But I dig the bored tone the singers deliver their lines with. 18 &#8211; \u201cEnough is Never Enough\u201d &#8211; The Clockworks THESE FINGERS WERE MADE FOR POINTING!!! 17 &#8211; \u201cEmpire Builder\u201d &#8211; Typhoon Another song I\u2019m not totally sure what it is about, even after reading a few theories. I do know it sounds absolutely amazing. And the closing lines of \u201ceverybody\u2019s angry, everybody\u2019s lonely\u201d seems like a spot-on assessment of this moment in history. 16 &#8211; \u201cHardline\u201d &#8211; Julien Baker Baker surprised people when she announced her new album would feature, for the first time, a full band backing her. Rather than hiding her unique brand of intimacy, the bigger sound made it even better. 15a\/15b &#8211; \u201cDon\u2019t Go Puttin Wishes in My Head\u201d \/ \u201cThirstier\u201d &#8211; Torres I tried and tried, but I could not pick between either of these excellent songs. MacKenzie Scott has made some amazing music in her brief career. Both of these eclipse everything else she\u2019s done. 14 &#8211; \u201cDino\u2019s\u201d &#8211; Gordi and Alex Lahey There were a lot of songs this year about how Covid affected the music business. Here, Gordi and Lahey sing of missing not just their favorite dive in Nashville, but also sharing a moment with someone you love in a place that is special to you both. 13 &#8211; \u201cLevitating\u201d &#8211; Dua Lipa That\u2019s right: the Billboard number one song of the year made my Favorites list! That probably hasn\u2019t happened since sometime in the \u201880s. A nearly perfect &#8211; and timeless &#8211; dance-pop song. https:\/\/youtu.be\/w4dBufC9Igk 12 &#8211; \u201cWhy Don\u2019t You Touch Me\u201d &#8211; Leon Bridges This is a straight-up beautiful song about the person you love drifting away from you. 11 &#8211; \u201cHeaven\u201d &#8211; Eliza Shaddad Shaddad has officially entered the group of artists who almost automatically make my year-end list when they release something new. 10 &#8211; \u201cChaeri\u201d &#8211; Magdalena Bay Robyn provided vocals for Smile\u2019s \u201cCall My Name\u201d this year. That track did not sound very Robyn-ish, though. This song, which features singer Mica Tenenbaum, sounds like it could be straight off of the next Robyn album. 9 &#8211; \u201cThe Way I Feel\u201d &#8211; Alien Boy I remain a sucker for songs that are about trying to recapture feelings from the past. 8 &#8211; \u201cUndone\u201d &#8211; The Shivas This song\u2019s neo-psychedelic vibe kept me listening to it over-and-over. 7 &#8211; \u201cThe Shining but Tropical\u201d &#8211; Wild Pink I doubt any track this year sounded as glorious, warm, and anthemic as this, another excellent entry in Wild Pink\u2019s rapidly growing collection of great songs. 6 &#8211; \u201cLong Way\u201d &#8211; Eddie Vedder EdVed surprised the hell out of me with this solo track. There is the obvious, heavy Tom Petty influence. The bridge (\u201cWell, it couldn\u2019t be had\u2026\u201d) is soooo perfect. 5 &#8211; \u201cSeventeen Going Under\u201d &#8211; Sam Fender An emotional beast of a song set to a beat you can dance to: that is the classic Sam Fender experience. Here he sings of being 17, the rough crowd he ran with, and how his mother\u2019s illness and their lack of money had a huge impact on his life. 4 &#8211; \u201cBetter\u201d &#8211; Michgander 2021 was supposed to be different. Vaccines had arrived, an inauguration was ahead, and it sure felt like we would get a break from all the bullshit of 2020. It took six days to shatter those hopes. This song\u2019s soaring high points plus the title of the EP it is from &#8211; Everything Will Be OK Eventually &#8211; are reminders that maybe things will not be so fucked up some day. 3 &#8211; \u201cthe angel of 8th ave.\u201d &#8211; Gang of Youths This song gallops along and dares you to resist it. An ode to his new wife and their new home in London, Dave Le\u2019aupepe throws everything that makes Gang of Youths great into this track. It gets better every time I listen to it. In fact, this has moved up three spots since I started seriously considering this list. Maybe if I waited until January to finish, it would be number one. 2 &#8211; \u201cI Don\u2019t Live Here Anymore\u201d &#8211; The War on Drugs I, like most TWOD fans, was totally blown away the first time I heard this. It didn\u2019t sound like anything the band had done before, full of brightness, with a proper chorus, and no true guitar solo. It even has backup singers, for crying out loud! Adam Granduciel has made a shitload of classic songs in the decade-plus TWOD has been putting out music. This might be his magnum opus, a brilliant track that perfectly balances the bittersweetness of getting older and moving on with your life, while still sneaking glances back at the past. 1 &#8211; \u201cStacking Chairs\u201d &#8211; Middle Kids Middle Kids did the hard part first: their debut single, \u201cEdge of Town,\u201d was a stunning, unforgettable song that most bands spend years trying to make. They followed up with an EP and LP, and both filled with good songs. None matched \u201cEdge of Town,\u201d though. That song\u2019s success was starting to feel like a curse. That changed this year. The band\u2019s second full-length record, Today We\u2019re the Greatest, was a huge leap. It was a mature, emotional-yet-reserved album that took some time to relate to. In fact, I\u2019m a little mad at myself for not spending more time with it upon its release. Thankfully I eventually connected with it, and it is one of my two favorite albums of the year. Singer and songwriter Hannah Joy opened up about her life in this new batch of songs, including her issues with alcohol (\u201cHow am I supposed to know you, when you are drunk all the time?\u201d), people she had hurt in the past (\u201cYou lifted me up, I let you down. Over and over.\u201d), her experience becoming a mother, and the challenges of committing yourself to a relationship. That final theme appeared on several songs but was most apparent on \u201cStacking Chairs.\u201d Here she sings of the leap of faith that is marriage, and how you open yourself not just to your partner, but to their past as well. There are millions of songs about being faithful. I would bet this is the first to use the metaphor of cleaning up after a party to demonstrate loyalty within a relationship. It totally works because Joy is such a good, honest, and emotional singer. When she ends the second chorus by repeating \u201cI will be there\u2026\u201d it gets me every single time. Middle Kids knew they had a good thing with this song. They\u2019ve performed it for several shows. A few nights this fall I would watch one, and then another, and then another. Here are some of my favorites. From Triple J in Australia. From The Late Night with Stephen Colbert. From CBS Mornings Sunday Sessions.. And, finally, it leads off their excellent performance for KEXP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[71,9],"class_list":["post-10888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-favorite-songs","tag-music"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10888"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10897,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10888\/revisions\/10897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}