Five Songs from 2016

There is a way we do these around these here digital parts. My list of the top ten albums of the year is followed by the sharing of a quintet of songs, probably not featured on one of those albums, that I think are also among the significant highlights of the music   year just past. I’m not claiming these are the five best singles or songs of the year. Instead, it’s simply a batch of tracks that, at one point or another, grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Lucy Dacus, “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore” Dacus saunters through … Continue reading Five Songs from 2016

Five Songs from 2015

And so we come to another tradition in my stream of year-end rituals. The day after sharing my top ten albums of the year, I turn to the individual songs that thrilled me the most. In this instance, I don’t intend or purport to name this quintet as the absolute best of 2015, although they can certain all jockey for that title. Instead, this is simply a way for me to celebrate a few more exceptional musical creations. That means I’m largely eschewing music from any of the ten albums cited yesterday. As with most rules, there is an exception. … Continue reading Five Songs from 2015

Oh give me pretty song, oh let me have that sound tonight

Yesterday I posted a list of my top ten albums of 2014. My other year-end tradition centered on music involves presenting some of my choices for the best songs of the year, a process a little complicated by the absence of the methodology that’s helped me make the selections. Previously, I highlighted some of the tracks I stumped for to no avail in Spectrum Culture’s process to determine their collective year-end tally. Since I’m not longer hanging my writer’s hat on their coatrack, I wasn’t privy to any of that, but I’d still prefer to use this regular post to … Continue reading Oh give me pretty song, oh let me have that sound tonight

Here comes the song I love so much

In each of the past three years, I’ve followed up on the Spectrum list of the year’s top songs by offering my modest addendum. Specifically, I’ve noted the highest-ranking songs on my personal list of the best of the year, cobbled together from the one hundred that were nominated by the various music writers for the site. My clear pick for the best song of the year was the same one we collectively selected, so I certainly have no major complaints. Still, I would have liked to see these songs get a little more love from my peers. Cults, “I … Continue reading Here comes the song I love so much