{"id":7742,"date":"2019-12-13T14:50:52","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T18:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dsnotebook.me\/?p=7742"},"modified":"2025-09-15T23:24:54","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T03:24:54","slug":"favorite-songs-of-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/2019\/12\/13\/favorite-songs-of-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Favorite Songs of 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This was not a classic year for music. There were only a couple albums that I listened to more than a few times, only one of which that I went back regularly over the course of several months. There were long stretches in the year when there were no new songs that I was crazy about. But there were still enough solid songs for me to make my annual list.<\/p>\n<p>You may notice some trends. A strong presence of female vocalists. So many Australian acts. A bunch of songs that I would describe as \u201cwarm.\u201d And definitely a lot of songs that rock and are built more for stadiums than clubs. As always, I offer both a Spotify playlist and individual YouTube videos.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Favorite Songs of 2019\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/4e2mxtAse2BN0bdM3zGuLP?si=0P9m2UVkS3i5h6xRk3gdlg&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Bonus Tracks:<br \/>\nHere are three songs that are all from 2018 but were among my most-listened-to songs of the year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll Be Gone\u201d &#8211; Buffalo Tom<br \/>\nThere were two songs on my <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dsnotebook.me\/favorite-songs-of-the-decade-the-2010s\/\">Favorite Songs of the Decade<\/a> list that were about passing into your 30s and leaving the carefree days of your 20s behind. I believe this is the first song about drifting into middle age that I\u2019ve ever liked. Which is kind of a bummer, because it\u2019s 100% about where my generation is at the moment. \u201cBut now my time behind is greater than my time ahead\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Buffalo Tom - All Be Gone\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g3KlzYDrjR8?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>\u201cIn This Time\u201d &#8211; HAERTS. A terrific, Fleetwood Mac-eque song. Both in tone and in content, this sounds like something Stevie Nicks would have sung on <em>Rumours<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Haerts - In This Time - 6\/5\/2018 - Paste Studios - New York, NY\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dbu0EK9_wI8?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>\u201cLight On\u201d &#8211; Maggie Rogers<br \/>\nThis was probably the last song I cut from my <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dsnotebook.me\/favorite-songs-of-2018\/\">Favorites of 2018<\/a> list. I dropped it because it was relatively new and though I was thoroughly in love with it, I wondered if that love would last. Turns out it did, and I cranked the volume way up every time I heard I heard the song in 2019.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Maggie Rogers - Light On (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MSFjYe54uv4?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>Now my favorite songs of the year.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>20 &#8211; \u201cDarkness\u201d &#8211; Pinegrove<br \/>\nIn a year when I kept Ryan Adams off of my Favorite Songs of the Decade list because of accusations of sexual misconduct against him, I struggled with whether to include this track. Pinegrove\u2019s <em>Skylight<\/em> album was recorded and set to be released in 2017 before lead singer Evan Stephens Hall was accused of \u201csexual coercion\u201d by a former partner. The album was shelved, the band was dropped by their label and went on hiatus, and Hall disappeared from the public eye.<\/p>\n<p>In late 2018 the band released <em>Skylight<\/em> on a new label and the music world grappled with how to deal with it and them. As details emerged from Hall\u2019s relationship, it was clear that his situation was not the same as Adams\u2019. Hall was publicly contrite, admitted misjudging his former partner\u2019s wishes, went to counseling, and became an advocate for men treating women with respect. That seemed to do the trick as the album got good reviews and was not shunned by those in charge of airplay.<\/p>\n<p>This song slips into the sweet-spot that shows the very best of Pinegrove, a sound that isn\u2019t quite Americana or folk nor straight indie rock. It is warm and draws you into its embrace.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Pinegrove - Darkness (Original Lyrics, Studio, HQ CD-Q)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hSykbE9yd1o?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; \u201cSkin Game\u201d &#8211; DIIV.<br \/>\nWritten based on Zachary Cole Smith\u2019s experience in rehab, this paints a bleak picture of both getting into and out of addiction. The music is pure, dreamy, 1990s shoegaze goodness.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"DIIV \/\/ Skin Game (Official Audio)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YU-tg374yoA?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; \u201cSatellite\u201d &#8211; The Get Up Kids<br \/>\nDespite being from Kansas City I never got into The Get Up Kids. I have several friends who are fans and, upon each new TGUK release, would message me and ask what I thought. To which I always responded, \u201cMeh\u2026\u201d The band was always just a little too emo for me.<\/p>\n<p>That changed with this track. They dial back the emo elements, crank up the amps, and choose to just rock out. And I was totally down with that.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Get Up Kids - Satellite [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/n6zluCkD1mE?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; \u201cCall Me Snowflake\u201d &#8211; Middle Kids<br \/>\nMy favorite new band of the decade continued to impress, this year releasing an EP that was packed with fine songs. This was my favorite, as it had an edge to it that was a departure from their past songs, along with that weird, 1990\u2019s-vintage extended outro.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Call Me Snowflake\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WkBqkbIMuNA?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; \u201cIn the Capital\u201d &#8211; Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever<br \/>\nBack-to-back Aussies! When this dropped in February, it seemed like this was a sign it was going to be a very good music year. Alas\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Still, yet another great song from one of the most reliable bands going at the moment.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - In the Capital\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ToteR-IzPqg?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>15 &#8211; \u201ctemporary tantrum\u201d &#8211; pronoun<br \/>\nI think this qualifies as a banger. A hopeful song about being in the worst moment in a relationship but realizing there is a way out.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"pronoun - temporary tantrum\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X76_jRLWOiw?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; \u201cA Bathtub in the Kitchen\u201d &#8211; Craig Finn<br \/>\nI\u2019ve never connected with Finn\u2019s solo work as much as I have with the songs he\u2019s written for The Hold Steady. This one, though, was gorgeous. It is a tale of an old friend who has gone down a hole that you\u2019re not sure you want to help them get out of. Or at least offer the kind of help they are asking for.<\/p>\n<p>It features poignant lyrics, to be sure, but it was the sound of this song that really struck me. Finn was friends with Scott Hutchison, and I hear a lot of Scott in the music on this track. It could have easily been a <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Painting_of_a_Panic_Attack\">Painting of a Panic Attack<\/a><\/em> B-side.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Craig Finn - A Bathtub in the Kitchen (Live at the Murmrr Theatre)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WnnH_szTl2o?start=100&#038;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; \u201cLittle Trouble\u201d &#8211; Better Oblivion Community Center.<br \/>\nPhoebe Bridgers makes the list for the second-straight year as part of a super group. Or in this case, duo. She joined her musical hero Conor Oberst for a collection of absolutely delightful songs as BOCC. Amazingly, this track was not included on their album and only released as after their tour wrapped up. I\u2019m not sure what they were thinking leaving this off the disk, but am so thankful they decided to share it with us.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Better Oblivion Community Center - Little Trouble (Official Audio)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rgbKuepO0vg?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>12 &#8211; \u201cAm I Doing It Right?\u201d &#8211; Alex Lahey<br \/>\nThis checks a few boxes. Big, bold, power-poppy track by a female singer. An Australian artist. A song I can listen to again and again. Check, check, and check.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Alex Lahey - Am I Doing It Right? (Official Audio)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BAfpMBepOpo?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; \u201cCalm Down\u201d &#8211; Pete Yorn<br \/>\nYorn opened the millennium with one of the great rock records of its time, the legendary <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Musicforthemorningafter\">musicforthemorningafter<\/a><\/em>, an album that is loaded with classic tracks. He\u2019s remained active since, but the quality of his output has been in a steady decline. It\u2019s not that his later songs were bad, but rather he was chasing muses that weren\u2019t as ear-wormy as his turn-of-the-millennium music.<\/p>\n<p>Here, though, he recaptures much of the magic of his early days. A bright, radio-friendly track that was a delightful return to form.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Pete Yorn - Calm Down (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FJlMp-N9p0Y?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; \u201cThey\u2019ll Never\u201d &#8211; Stef Chura.<br \/>\nWe need more songs like this. It\u2019s just a straight, kick-ass rock tune. You hear Chura\u2019s home state of Michigan in that opening riff, which has a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/fTH71AAxXmM\">Fell In Love With a Girl<\/a>\u201d tinge to it. You hear \u201890s college rock. And you hear New York circa 1980, when punk was breaking down and evolving into New Wave.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Stef Chura - They&#039;ll Never [Official Music Video]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/79sKbL5s-2o?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 One Who Breaks Your Heart\u201d &#8211; SONTALK<br \/>\nOne of the most harrowing songs of the year, Joseph LeMay wrote it after considering the idea that his wife might divorce him because of his mental illness. You can hear every ounce of that pain and fear in this massively emotional track.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"SONTALK - The One Who Breaks Your Heart (Live at Big Light Studios)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Hia1asuZLsM?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; \u201cSilver\u201d &#8211; DMA\u2019s<br \/>\nDMA\u2019s make no secret about their influences. In their perfect world, these 21st century Aussies would have been in mid\u201390s Manchester, battling with Oasis for biggest band in the world. \u201cSilver\u201d is a huge, majestic ballad made for getting the massive crowds at Glastonbury swaying with their lighters and cell phones raised in the air as the sounds wash over them.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"DMA&#039;S - Silver (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JcBrDDjoGfw?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; \u201cTurn To Hate\u201d &#8211; Orville Peck<br \/>\nIn a time when artists like Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, and Sturgill Simpson have challenged the normally rigid boundaries of country music, none of them are anywhere in the ballpark of this, surely the most unexpected great song of the year.<\/p>\n<p>Peck is a 30-something Canadian. His sound is an intoxicating mix of classic country, rockabilly, and classic crooner music. He sounds equal parts Johnny Cash, Elvis, Roy Orbison, and Billy Idol.<\/p>\n<p>And then there is his appearance and lyrics. Peck performs in glammed up western wear and a cowboy hat with long fringe that hides his face. His lyrics are unmistakably about relationships with other men. Not your standard Nashville fare.<\/p>\n<p>I nearly put <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X0vXCY-h9ks\">Maren Morris\u2019 \u201cGirl\u201d<\/a> on this list. It is a badass song of female empowerment that sounds way more pop than country. But Nashville has a long history of embracing powerful women as exceptions to its normal rules. There\u2019s never been anyone in country music like Peck, whether he\u2019s truly a country artist or not.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Orville Peck - Turn To Hate [OFFICIAL VIDEO]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vR-4l5M_MQ8?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; \u201cTwist\u201d &#8211; Wintersleep<br \/>\nI was reluctant to dive into <em>Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit\u2019s The Midnight Organ Fight<\/em>. I was still struggling to reconnect with Scott Hutchison\u2019s music just over a year after his death. Although these covers, done by bands he selected and with his input before his death, were recorded to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Frightened Rabbit\u2019s masterpiece, <em>The Midnight Organ Fight<\/em>, there was no way not to think of Scott\u2019s passing when listening to the songs. Indeed, I only listened to the album a couple times. But three songs stuck out, and this one in particular.<\/p>\n<p>Wintersleep takes the lovely swing present in the back half of the original and builds the entire song around it. The original has a haunting quality thanks to the spare instrumentation it opens with. On Wintersleep\u2019s version, they open big and keep getting bigger, something Scott surely appreciated when he heard it. Doing so, they shake off that starkness and sense of foreboding and create a warm, inviting track that turns into a celebration.<\/p>\n<p>This may be heresy, but I think I like it more than the original.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Wintersleep - The Twist (from Tiny Changes) [Official Audio]\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mQQxsjl1lNA?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; \u201cNot\u201d &#8211; Big Thief<br \/>\nThis is appearing near the top of just about every Best Of list I\u2019ve read over the past couple weeks. That makes sense, as this is the most aggressive, most unforgettable track Big Thief has offered us in their brief but prolific career. It crackles with an energy from start-to-finish that was unlike anything else I listened to this year.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Big Thief -  Not (Official Audio)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UIcVwH47uxQ?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; \u201cHead Alone\u201d &#8211; Julia Jacklin<br \/>\nI have an odd relationship with Jacklin\u2019s music. Her songs that I like, I <em>really<\/em> like. But some of her songs I find too sleepy and precious. Fortunately she makes more songs that I like than don\u2019t. And this one is fantastic.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Julia Jacklin - Head Alone (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0Z3IJT3Ke0Y?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; \u201cHypersonic Missiles\u201d &#8211; Sam Fender<br \/>\nFender seems to be a big freaking deal back in the UK. It\u2019s a shame he hasn\u2019t had the same impact here in the States, because his music draws from several huge American influences.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no mistaking the Springsteen sound on this track. It\u2019s there from the beginning, especially in the guitars, but explodes on that massive sax solo in the song\u2019s center. This is a jam for those who lament the death of rock \u2019n\u2019 roll. It has that muscular sound that would be at home in any era when guitars and amps ruled the radio waves.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Sam Fender - Hypersonic Missiles (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CDsFKOrLWhU?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; \u201cStay With Me\u201d &#8211; Hatchie<br \/>\nIn a year where there weren\u2019t many albums I listened to over-and-over, nor artists who captured my attention more than momentarily, Hatchie was the one exception. Brisbane native Harriett Pilbeam\u2019s debut full-length album was a stunning disk, filled with bright, dreamy songs that borrowed from a number of influences ranging from Robyn to My Bloody Valentine to Cocteau Twins to the Cranberries to ABBA.<\/p>\n<p>This was the biggest, brightest, most undeniable song on the only album that I could not stop listening to this year.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Hatchie \u2014 Stay With Me (Official Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xwdXi0I8vsQ?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; \u201cWeird Ways\u201d &#8211; Strand of Oaks<br \/>\nTimothy Showalter has a large collection of stunning songs in his career. He tops them all here, on what has to be a career-defining track.<\/p>\n<p>After hitting a stretch of artistic uncertainty, he invited members of My Morning Jacket into the studio to help him shake the cobwebs. What began as an effort to rediscover what he loved about music became a formal collaboration, with the MMJ guys serving as his backing band for the <em>Weird Ways<\/em> album.<\/p>\n<p>Here he sings of that moment of despair when he wasn\u2019t sure where his career was going. The groove the MMJ guys lay down is just so, so good. Showalter\u2019s lyrics are as deeply personal and emotional as ever, and he sings them for the back rows. Indianapolis native Carl Broemel\u2019s epic guitar solo pushes the song even higher. A song I can listen to over-and-over again.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Strand of Oaks - Weird Ways (Official Music Video)\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mxn9iL3Bd-M?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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This was not a classic year for music. There were only a couple albums that I listened to more than a few times, only one of which that I went back regularly over the course of several months. There were long stretches in the year when there were no new songs that I was crazy about. But there were still enough solid songs for me to make my annual list. You may notice some trends. A strong presence of female vocalists. So many Australian acts. A bunch of songs that I would describe as \u201cwarm.\u201d And definitely a lot of songs that rock and are built more for stadiums than clubs. As always, I offer both a Spotify playlist and individual YouTube videos. Bonus Tracks: Here are three songs that are all from 2018 but were among my most-listened-to songs of the year. \u201cAll Be Gone\u201d &#8211; Buffalo Tom There were two songs on my Favorite Songs of the Decade list that were about passing into your 30s and leaving the carefree days of your 20s behind. I believe this is the first song about drifting into middle age that I\u2019ve ever liked. Which is kind of a bummer, because it\u2019s 100% about where my generation is at the moment. \u201cBut now my time behind is greater than my time ahead\u2026\u201d \u201cIn This Time\u201d &#8211; HAERTS. A terrific, Fleetwood Mac-eque song. Both in tone and in content, this sounds like something Stevie Nicks would have sung on Rumours. \u201cLight On\u201d &#8211; Maggie Rogers This was probably the last song I cut from my Favorites of 2018 list. I dropped it because it was relatively new and though I was thoroughly in love with it, I wondered if that love would last. Turns out it did, and I cranked the volume way up every time I heard I heard the song in 2019. Now my favorite songs of the year. 20 &#8211; \u201cDarkness\u201d &#8211; Pinegrove In a year when I kept Ryan Adams off of my Favorite Songs of the Decade list because of accusations of sexual misconduct against him, I struggled with whether to include this track. Pinegrove\u2019s Skylight album was recorded and set to be released in 2017 before lead singer Evan Stephens Hall was accused of \u201csexual coercion\u201d by a former partner. The album was shelved, the band was dropped by their label and went on hiatus, and Hall disappeared from the public eye. In late 2018 the band released Skylight on a new label and the music world grappled with how to deal with it and them. As details emerged from Hall\u2019s relationship, it was clear that his situation was not the same as Adams\u2019. Hall was publicly contrite, admitted misjudging his former partner\u2019s wishes, went to counseling, and became an advocate for men treating women with respect. That seemed to do the trick as the album got good reviews and was not shunned by those in charge of airplay. This song slips into the sweet-spot that shows the very best of Pinegrove, a sound that isn\u2019t quite Americana or folk nor straight indie rock. It is warm and draws you into its embrace. 19 &#8211; \u201cSkin Game\u201d &#8211; DIIV. Written based on Zachary Cole Smith\u2019s experience in rehab, this paints a bleak picture of both getting into and out of addiction. The music is pure, dreamy, 1990s shoegaze goodness. 18 &#8211; \u201cSatellite\u201d &#8211; The Get Up Kids Despite being from Kansas City I never got into The Get Up Kids. I have several friends who are fans and, upon each new TGUK release, would message me and ask what I thought. To which I always responded, \u201cMeh\u2026\u201d The band was always just a little too emo for me. That changed with this track. They dial back the emo elements, crank up the amps, and choose to just rock out. And I was totally down with that. 17 &#8211; \u201cCall Me Snowflake\u201d &#8211; Middle Kids My favorite new band of the decade continued to impress, this year releasing an EP that was packed with fine songs. This was my favorite, as it had an edge to it that was a departure from their past songs, along with that weird, 1990\u2019s-vintage extended outro. 16 &#8211; \u201cIn the Capital\u201d &#8211; Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Back-to-back Aussies! When this dropped in February, it seemed like this was a sign it was going to be a very good music year. Alas\u2026 Still, yet another great song from one of the most reliable bands going at the moment. 15 &#8211; \u201ctemporary tantrum\u201d &#8211; pronoun I think this qualifies as a banger. A hopeful song about being in the worst moment in a relationship but realizing there is a way out. 14 &#8211; \u201cA Bathtub in the Kitchen\u201d &#8211; Craig Finn I\u2019ve never connected with Finn\u2019s solo work as much as I have with the songs he\u2019s written for The Hold Steady. This one, though, was gorgeous. It is a tale of an old friend who has gone down a hole that you\u2019re not sure you want to help them get out of. Or at least offer the kind of help they are asking for. It features poignant lyrics, to be sure, but it was the sound of this song that really struck me. Finn was friends with Scott Hutchison, and I hear a lot of Scott in the music on this track. It could have easily been a Painting of a Panic Attack B-side. 13 &#8211; \u201cLittle Trouble\u201d &#8211; Better Oblivion Community Center. Phoebe Bridgers makes the list for the second-straight year as part of a super group. Or in this case, duo. She joined her musical hero Conor Oberst for a collection of absolutely delightful songs as BOCC. Amazingly, this track was not included on their album and only released as after their tour wrapped up. I\u2019m not sure what they were thinking leaving this off the disk, but am so thankful they decided to share it with us. 12 &#8211; \u201cAm I Doing It Right?\u201d &#8211; Alex Lahey This checks a few boxes. Big, bold, power-poppy track by a female singer. An Australian artist. A song I can listen to again and again. Check, check, and check. 11 &#8211; \u201cCalm Down\u201d &#8211; Pete Yorn Yorn opened the millennium with one of the great rock records of its time, the legendary musicforthemorningafter, an album that is loaded with classic tracks. He\u2019s remained active since, but the quality of his output has been in a steady decline. It\u2019s not that his later songs were bad, but rather he was chasing muses that weren\u2019t as ear-wormy as his turn-of-the-millennium music. Here, though, he recaptures much of the magic of his early days. A bright, radio-friendly track that was a delightful return to form. 10 &#8211; \u201cThey\u2019ll Never\u201d &#8211; Stef Chura. We need more songs like this. It\u2019s just a straight, kick-ass rock tune. You hear Chura\u2019s home state of Michigan in that opening riff, which has a \u201cFell In Love With a Girl\u201d tinge to it. You hear \u201890s college rock. And you hear New York circa 1980, when punk was breaking down and evolving into New Wave. 9 &#8211; \u201cThe One Who Breaks Your Heart\u201d &#8211; SONTALK One of the most harrowing songs of the year, Joseph LeMay wrote it after considering the idea that his wife might divorce him because of his mental illness. You can hear every ounce of that pain and fear in this massively emotional track. 8 &#8211; \u201cSilver\u201d &#8211; DMA\u2019s DMA\u2019s make no secret about their influences. In their perfect world, these 21st century Aussies would have been in mid\u201390s Manchester, battling with Oasis for biggest band in the world. \u201cSilver\u201d is a huge, majestic ballad made for getting the massive crowds at Glastonbury swaying with their lighters and cell phones raised in the air as the sounds wash over them. 7 &#8211; \u201cTurn To Hate\u201d &#8211; Orville Peck In a time when artists like Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, and Sturgill Simpson have challenged the normally rigid boundaries of country music, none of them are anywhere in the ballpark of this, surely the most unexpected great song of the year. Peck is a 30-something Canadian. His sound is an intoxicating mix of classic country, rockabilly, and classic crooner music. He sounds equal parts Johnny Cash, Elvis, Roy Orbison, and Billy Idol. And then there is his appearance and lyrics. Peck performs in glammed up western wear and a cowboy hat with long fringe that hides his face. His lyrics are unmistakably about relationships with other men. Not your standard Nashville fare. I nearly put Maren Morris\u2019 \u201cGirl\u201d on this list. It is a badass song of female empowerment that sounds way more pop than country. But Nashville has a long history of embracing powerful women as exceptions to its normal rules. There\u2019s never been anyone in country music like Peck, whether he\u2019s truly a country artist or not. 6 &#8211; \u201cTwist\u201d &#8211; Wintersleep I was reluctant to dive into Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit\u2019s The Midnight Organ Fight. I was still struggling to reconnect with Scott Hutchison\u2019s music just over a year after his death. Although these covers, done by bands he selected and with his input before his death, were recorded to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Frightened Rabbit\u2019s masterpiece, The Midnight Organ Fight, there was no way not to think of Scott\u2019s passing when listening to the songs. Indeed, I only listened to the album a couple times. But three songs stuck out, and this one in particular. Wintersleep takes the lovely swing present in the back half of the original and builds the entire song around it. The original has a haunting quality thanks to the spare instrumentation it opens with. On Wintersleep\u2019s version, they open big and keep getting bigger, something Scott surely appreciated when he heard it. Doing so, they shake off that starkness and sense of foreboding and create a warm, inviting track that turns into a celebration. This may be heresy, but I think I like it more than the original. 5 &#8211; \u201cNot\u201d &#8211; Big Thief This is appearing near the top of just about every Best Of list I\u2019ve read over the past couple weeks. That makes sense, as this is the most aggressive, most unforgettable track Big Thief has offered us in their brief but prolific career. It crackles with an energy from start-to-finish that was unlike anything else I listened to this year. 4 &#8211; \u201cHead Alone\u201d &#8211; Julia Jacklin I have an odd relationship with Jacklin\u2019s music. Her songs that I like, I really like. But some of her songs I find too sleepy and precious. Fortunately she makes more songs that I like than don\u2019t. And this one is fantastic. 3 &#8211; \u201cHypersonic Missiles\u201d &#8211; Sam Fender Fender seems to be a big freaking deal back in the UK. It\u2019s a shame he hasn\u2019t had the same impact here in the States, because his music draws from several huge American influences. There\u2019s no mistaking the Springsteen sound on this track. It\u2019s there from the beginning, especially in the guitars, but explodes on that massive sax solo in the song\u2019s center. This is a jam for those who lament the death of rock \u2019n\u2019 roll. It has that muscular sound that would be at home in any era when guitars and amps ruled the radio waves. 2 &#8211; \u201cStay With Me\u201d &#8211; Hatchie In a year where there weren\u2019t many albums I listened to over-and-over, nor artists who captured my attention more than momentarily, Hatchie was the one exception. Brisbane native Harriett Pilbeam\u2019s debut full-length album was a stunning disk, filled with bright, dreamy songs that borrowed from a number of influences ranging from Robyn to My Bloody Valentine to Cocteau Twins to the Cranberries to ABBA. This was the biggest, brightest, most undeniable song on the only album that I could not stop listening to this year. 1 &#8211; \u201cWeird Ways\u201d &#8211;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[71,81,9],"class_list":["post-7742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-favorite-songs","tag-lists","tag-music"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742","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=7742"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16664,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7742\/revisions\/16664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dsnotebook.me\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}