Yeah, I know it’s April. We’re still comfortably in 2016, so a “best of” for last year is still perfectly appropriate and timely in my mind. Here’s my list. Download link at the bottom.
- Stoic Resemblance – The Helio Sequence – The Helio Sequence – This band was on my 2008 “best of” and I haven’t really kept up with them, but here’s another song of theirs I dig.
- Waitress – Hop Along – Painted Shut – Great vocal, so-so lyrics.
- Moony Eyed Walrus – Cayucas – Dancing at the Blue Lagoon – Cayucas also making a return to the “best of” list after their 2013 debut.
- Dearly Departed (feat. Esmé Patterson) – Shakey Graves – And the War Came – I think this is the only song I discovered listing to old fashioned (satellite) radio. It’s kinda poppy, but darn catchy.
- Follow the Sun – Xavier Rudd – Spirit Bird – OK, so I have a lot of “return performers” on this list. Xavier Rudd was on my 2007 “best of.” This is a simple pretty acoustic song.
- Mexico – The Staves – Mexico – Single – Pretty lady voices singing pretty harmonies.
- Big Wheel – Saun & Starr – Look Closer – A little Daptone soul to change things up a bit.
- Tell It Like It Is – Lindi Ortega – Faded Gloryville – The verse is so good, you don’t mind that the chorus isn’t that original.
- South – Hippo Campus – South – EP – I’m a sucker for non-verbal vocals, and this band does good things with them.
- Icarus The Staves Mexico – Single – more pretty harmonies
- Look Closer (Can’t You See the Signs?) – Saun & Starr – Look Closer – More of the same vibe from these two.
- Too Late – Guantanamo Baywatch – Darling… It’s Too Late – If I weren’t so lazy, I’d see if I recognize this vocalist from another band. Maybe one of the dudes in Middle Brother. But who has the time for fact checking?
- Suicide Saturday – Hippo Campus – Bashful Creatures – EP – Again, it’s the catchy “oh ohs” that make this song for me.
- Sharktooth (Bonus Track) – Bully – Alicia Bognanno Feels Like – Very indie, female vocal. I’m kind of a sucker for that recipe.
- Full Circle – Xavier Rudd – Spirit Bird – Buckle up, this song is a long weird journey, but one I kind of like.