It makes a lot of sense that “Damn, Gravity” was produced by Produced by Rodaidh McDonald (King Krule, Sampha, The XX). The song has that melancholic, apathetic tone that is present in a lot of his work. I absolutely adore this video. It’s a selfie on steroids, but the blurring of the background begs the audience to guess where she is. As the camera becomes increasingly mobile, you really feel like you are “floating away.”
39) Empress Of — “Kitty Kat”
38) Speedy Ortiz — “The Graduates”
I’m strangely really proud of Boston bands. Maybe it’s because I miss school. Speedy Ortiz is one of the couple of bands that represent Boston to me. Truthfully it took me a little while to fully appreciate, but I’ve come to realize just how unique their sound is. This is one of the many great songs on this album. Definitely check out “Raising The Skate.”
37) Kurt Vile — “Pretty Pimpin”
Kurt Vile is a weirdo. Or as he likes to describe himself, “a stupid clown.” But there are only a few artists that are willing to write lyrics like him. Who else says things like, “But it was a Monday, no a Tuesday, no Wednesday, Thursday, Friday?” Even though “Pretty Pimpin” deals with heavy topics such as masculinity and self-identity, the song is a great example of his eccentricity and playfulness.
36) Alabama Shakes — “Sound & Color”
“Sound & Color” shows just how much Alabama Shakes has evolved. Compare this sound to their hit “Hold On.” This is no longer a just a blues band with a charismatic singer. This band is sophisticated, subtle, and stylistic (yikes that’s a lot of S’s). But really, Brittany Howard is showing a new side of herself when she sings, “I want to touch a human being.” This is the type of honesty we have been searching for from Alabama Shakes. They totally delivered.
35) Mac Demarco — “A Heart Like Hers”
Mac Demarco’s “Another One” got a lot of flack for not being as twangy and fun as his past albums such as “2” and “Rock and “Roll Night Club.” But since then, it’s felt like Mac has been trying to get the public to take his music more seriously. He believes in himself, and he is willing to make the music he wants to make, even if it is not necessarily the type the public is looking for. “A Heart Like Hers” is sincere and gets to the root of Mac’s heartbreak. Don’t get me wrong, Mac is a rockstar (I recently saw him do a front flip stage dive), but I am happy he is proving just how multifaceted he is.
34) Waxahatchee — “Air”
33) Majical Cloudz — “Downtown”
Strangely, this song reminds me of a movie I saw this year called Victoria. Especially when Devon Welsh belts, “cause we feel like running around!” I am reminded of the scenes in Victoria where she is letting lose in a Berlin club, forgetting her past, ridding herself of worries, and simply having fun. This theme of letting go is applied to a personal love in “Downtown.” The song is cathartic for Welsh. This love has consumed him and made him obsessive. “Is it really this fun when you are on my mind?” He needs to get this out of his system. It’s making him “crazy” and he can’t take it anymore. You can feel all of this in his voice and that is what makes this song so special.
32) Nao — “Inhale Exhale”
31) Chastity Belt — “Time To Go Home”
I think everyone has a little “Time To Go Home” in them. It’s those nights when you went out, had a little bit too much to drink, did some questionable things, and now you are walking home, wishing you were already in bed. “Everything is beautiful / Because we’re delusional / I think I figured it out,” says Chastity Belt. This song encompasses the feeling of having a night out that unfortunately was just another night out. It was fun, but was it special?
