Top 10 Songs of 2021

10. Turnstile - Holiday

You know that feeling you get when you hear a riff that you can feel in your gut? Well, this song has several of those. 

 9. Lucy Dacus - Hot & Heavy

The hardest part is picking which Lucy Dacus song to go with. Almost every song from her recent Home Video album could be viable, but I'm going with one of her most effective foot stompers here. 

8. Mastodon - Teardrinker

There are times when I feel Mastodon's latest relies too heavily on atmosphere and not enough on sound composition, but not this one. Kick back and immerse yourself in this one. 

7. Brandi Carlile - You and Me on the Rock 

Brandi was actually the last song I decided was going to be on my list, before I had quite decided on the order of everything. I almost left her out, but you can't sleep on Brandi! Just far too many certified bangers.

6. Little Simz - Introvert

Here's the attention grabber and chief mood setter from my favorite album of the year. 

5. Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime

I foolishly missed a chance to see this guy at Nashville's Third Man Records after the Bonnaroo cancellation. From all reports, his guitar playing absolutely knocked people's heads off. 

4. Black Country, New Road - Sunglasses

This song might not be on the list if it wasn't for those iconic last couple of minutes but man, the way this song works that slow buildup into a world encompassing coda is something extraordinary. 

3. Jessie Ware - Please

Although her show stopping album What's Your Pleasure was a 2020 release, the deluxe edition didn't appear until the following summer and gave us roughly half an album of new material. Among those was this glittering tune, which also received its own single. This is the one most tailor made to sink your teeth into. 

2. Magdalena Bay - You Lose!

Another artist with a number of tracks that could have been included on this list. I love how this one sounds like futuristic alien pop and I am here for it. 

 

 

1. Spelling - Little Deer

Such a great vocal performance here, but still subdued so the more you pay attention to it the more you get out of it. I admire the swell that grows as you get toward the end, the big choral feel to it. There's definitely an art kid/theater vibe to the whole production. Somebody in one of my Facebook groups referred to this as being Kate Bush-like, and I think that's a great descriptor.