Many great songs unfortunately didn't make the cut on my year-end list. Here are 10 songs that I enjoyed this year that I think are definitely worth listening to.
2020 has been a crappy year, folks. Despite all the isolation and tragedies, we have had a ton of great new music this year! Even though concerts have been a dismal, there have been many creative ways of live interactions with fans through live streaming and fun virtual performances throughout the year. We even had Bandcamp Fridays, where listeners purchased over $40 million (!) worth of music on the platform that is directly supporting the labels and artists that need it most. All in all, with all the chaos through 2020, we had some positive outcomes in music.
Now on to my annual year-end lists! Unfortunately, there are several songs that I loved this year that didn't make the final cut of the top 50 list. Here are my thoughts on these songs that I still think are definitely worth your attention. Enjoy and thanks for reading!
Baauer
"REACHUPDONTSTOP"
Baauer, aka the "Harlem Shake" dude, surprisingly created a record this year about the Earth's destruction and demise due to human-impact. It actually wasn't half bad! Not necessarily fully serious, there are still some silly and fun moments from Planet's Mad like the single "REACHUPDONTSTOP." A wholistic banger with some excellent harmonic vocal sampling, it really drives the listener from Earth's atmosphere all the way into the magma and through the core at 1,000 miles an hour.
Bahamas
"Own Alone"
Afie Jurvanen still comes off as funny, self deprecating and heartfelt on "Own Alone." Notably a Sad Hunk, Afie points out the loneliness of being with yourself and only yourself. Many a song that focuses on loneliness amid the pandemic, Afie encourages to live life to the fullest without the nitty gritty crap, in his words to "play the game and not keep the score." Although he "don't understand that selfie," Afie's still keeping it cool and hip to my ears.
Best Coast
"For the First Time"
Really coming through with Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place" vibes, Bobb Bruno and Bethany Cosentino's sunny and sad at the beach instrumentation becomes more vulnerable this time around. Fully grown into one's identity, Cosentino is comfortably grown up and on her own, for the best. She feels like her self again.
Caribou
"Never Come Back"
Dan Snaith came back this year with a strong set of house tunes on his latest Caribou album Suddenly. "Never Come Back" is a feverish highlight with a pulsating beat, steady groove, and some appropriately placed cowbell. Snaith sounds more personal as well lyrically, focusing on permanent absences in relationships.
Car Seat Headrest
"There Must Be More Than Blood"
Will Toledo's ever expanding project continues to impress (along with some head scratching moments) on Making a Door Less Open by focusing on more electronic arrangements and unpredictable grooves. "There Must Be More Than Blood" is the album's best and most impressive track, a seven and a half minute moody track that resonates early anthemic 2000's alternative pop and rock. Surely a crowd pleaser, it's chorus is beckoning and asking to be sung out in crowds (if and when we will finally be able to go to concerts eventually).
Cass McCombs
"The Wine of Lebanon"
The moody and often mysterious Cass McCombs returned with a handful of singles this year and "The Wine of Lebanon" features much more traditional songwriting on questioning faith and reality (of course, it's Cass y'all). Its instrumentation of moody piano and smooth rock gently rocks you into a curious, ambient slumber which surely scratches that itch I have when listening to McCombs' music.
Foster the People
"Lamb's Wool"
Not hopping on trends or venturing into newer sounds this time around, "Lamb's Wool" is one of the group's best singles in years because it features the California pop band's focal core on great balladry, songwriting, and simplicity. It's much more traditional than other previous tracks over the years and Mark Foster sounds genuinely full of love and hope, despite any change or transformations occurring.
Khruangbin
"Time (You and I)"
The jammy takes on popularizing soul, dub, and psychedelic music can easily be noted by Houston's Khruangbin. Mordechai really put the band into the stratosphere in popularity of these particular blends in genres, especially on the lead single "Time (You and I)." Notably an instrumental band, they prominently use lead vocals in songs, from bass player Lora Lee. It provides an even catchier and palatable aesthetic to their music, creating an inescapable earworm that it the groovy "Time (You and I)."
Lianne La Havas
"Weird Fishes"
A beautiful Radiohead cover, Lianne La Havas shares her take on one of my personal favorite tracks from the UK band. It's a gorgeous rendition with her harmonic vocals, lively instrumentation, and rich percussion and grooves. She takes it to the next level with the progression that the song goes in the latter half of the song, where her vocal range and instrumental performances are off the charts.
Ondatrópica & Juancho Vargas
"Noche de Amor"
The exciting latin jazz group Ondatrópica made a one-off single this year that was quite a pleasant experience for me! "Noche de Amor" centralizes on traditional latin jazz, with sharp piano along with bright percussion and joined by Colombian big band leader Juancho Vargas, what's not to like? I ate this track up like a buffet every time I hear it, so why wouldn't you do the same?
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