Here’s the final chapter of these pointless year end lists. Sorry for bothering you so much. Don’t worry. I think I’m going to take the rest of January rather easy and focus on NFL playoffs and NHL games instead. I was meant to do a complete break, but you lovely bastards have already put out a bunch of amazing songs while I’ve been making these lists. So I guess I’ll do a few short posts. Anyway, here are my top 10 songs of the year.

10. Wesley Randolph Eader – Waitin’s What We Do

Wesley Randolph Eader’s great album Highway Winds had five pretty much equally great candidates for this list. I’ll go with Waitin’s What We Do this time around, because it’s a remarkable song. There’s no words to describe how amazing the verses of that song are.

9. Andy Shauf – Martha Sways

The Party as an album is more important than any individual outtake from it, but the final song Martha Sways is the one that I’ve loved the most.

8. Teenage Fanclub – The Darkest Part of the Night

The finest song on the new Teenage Fanclub album Here. I love all the songwriters in the band, but I’m still definitely Norman Blake -guy the most and this one is a future classic. Teenage Fanclub is the band who can turn fairly simple lines into something unearthly magical.

7. Richmond Fontaine – A Night in the City

Richmond Fontaine’s farewell album was another one that had several tremendous candidates for this list. Whitey and Me has something that really appeals to me, but let’s still go with A Night in the City. Storytelling of the highest order.

6. Kelly Smith – Lost in the Wind

Glossary folks Joey Kneiser and Kelly Smith released a new 7″ single. Joey Kneiser wrote the songs, both sing one side. Actually I haven’t even heard Joey’s side yet, because it doesn’t seem to be available digitally and even though I love these people, I haven’t been able to justify to myself that it’s ok to spend $30 for two songs (10$ for the 7″ and $20 for overseas postage). Thankfully there’s a music video for the Kelly’s side Lost in the Wind and it’s a stunning and moving song that took my breath away.

5. Parker Millsap – Heaven Sent

Parker Millsap’s Heaven Sent is an incredibly powerful song about a gay son and his religious father who doesn’t approve the kind of love his son has found even though all love is heaven sent. A really important and moving song.

I just want to make you proud
Of the kind of love I’ve found
But you say it’s not allowed
Say that its a sin
It’s how I’ve always been
Did you love me when he was just my friend?

4. Courtney Marie Andrews – Honest Life

It might be a little bit odd choice, but out of all the magnificent songs on the Courtney Marie Andrews album, I’ve been always most addicted to the amazing title track Honest Life. I’d like to live my life like that song, but don’t always succeed. I’m finding it especially hard to get over those doubts, but maybe I’ll learn one day. I can’t share Honest Life yet, because it’s not out in Europe. I’ll add a spotify embed or something when it’s out. Meanwhile here’s Irene. Another magnificent song from the album.

3. Aaron Lee Tasjan – Little Movies

I had an instant love affair with Little Movies and our relationship is still going strong. This was the first outtake from Aaron Lee Tasjan’s 2016 album Silver Tears. I’m a pop kid at heart, but these days listen to more americana kind of stuff. So maybe this is like the best of both worlds combination to me.

2. Chris Staples – Relatively Permanent

Someone gently humming fairly simple words for two minutes and I think it’s almost the song of the year. Well I do. I love this song by Chris Staples. I also love that he put this out as the first outtake from the album. Relatively Permanent is an emotion, it’s a moment, it’s everything.

1. Hiss Golden Messenger – Highland Grace

The song of the year is Highland Grace by Hiss Golden Messenger. Might be a bit of an odd choice to go with the album closer instead of the singles, but I just love this song wholeheartedly. A wonderfully arranged soulful song that beautifully wraps together their amazing new album Heart Like a Levee. A perfect song on all accounts and then there’s that ending that is out of this world.

One more list to go. I suppose there would be also reissues and Finnish EPs, but I only bought a few and therefore I would have to list everything and probably still wouldn’t get to top 5. So there’s even less point in that so these will have to do. I’m sure you are thankful, because this year end listing has already gotten a bit out of hand. Anyway, here are my favourite songs of the year. Ok, I put a little emphasis towards artists that didn’t make the cut on the albums or EP of the year list. Spreading the love a bit or something, because lots of great stuff haven’t yet appeared on these lists. But this was only in sort of a tie situations and most of these would be on this list no matter what. Maybe I should make a longer Spotify lists later, because I’m sure I could easily come up with 100 songs that I loved during the year. The order is once again pretty insignificant, because I love them all wholeheartedly.

25. Jim Bryson – The Depression Dance

Canadian Jim Bryson can do the honors and kick off this list with his Depression Dance. This actually maybe could be a little bit further up on the list, but I thought it’s a damn good place to start. Mostly because by the time you have finished this list, you might need to scroll back to the beginning and listen to this song over and and over again. I’m a guy who masters the art of being miserable for no apparent reason and this song lifts my spirit up each and every time. I love the people on the video as well. And the cat of course.

24. Margaret Glaspy – You and I

Next we have Margaret Glaspy and You and I from her Emotions and Math album. The album had a few songs that I wasn’t that keen and that’s why it didn’t made the cut on the album list, but there was plenty of songs that I really loved. This one You and I was the highlight for me.

23. The Burning Hell – Men Without Hats

Fuck The Government, I Love You is obviously still the best song of the decade and would take the song of the year award this year as well. However, I was cruel and disqualified it, because it was my song of the year 2015. No need to worry, because The Burning Hell has a great candidate for this 2016 list as well. Men Without Hats is a brilliant tribute to Canadian new wave band Men Without Hats.

22. Bonnie Whitmore – Fighter

Bonnie Whitmore’s album Fuck With Sad Girls was one of those that kept on going on and off the list while I was writing that album list. I’m already feeling guilty, because in the end I left it out. I’m expecting nightmares about this any day now. There’s plenty of great songs on this one. This song Fighter is my biggest favourite.

21. Steven James Adams – Kings Of The Back of the Bus

Steven James Adams is a long time favourite. His album was maybe a bit of a hit and miss one. I absolutely loved 4-5 songs, but the rest of it was only good. The biggest highlight was this songs Kings of the Back of the Bus. I really love this video where suits look for a remedy for their corporate lives.

20. M. Lockwood Porter – Reach The Top

M. Lockwood Porter released an album full of gorgeous songs. This song Reach The Top was a particular highlight.

19. Caleb Caudle – Tuscaloosa

Caleb Caudle put together a strong album Carolina Ghost. I haven’t seen too much love for this particular song on people’s song of the year lists, but for me Tuscaloosa was the biggest highlight of the album.

18. BJ Barham – Unfortunate Kind

BJ Barham released a great solo album. It has a few equally strong candidates for this song list, but somehow the combination of song + video lifted The Unfortunate Kind little bit above the others.

17. Hayes Carll – The Magic Kid

Hayes Carll wrote a song to his son, The Magic Kid. It isn’t any wonder that it’s pure magic.

16. Margo Price – Hands of Time

Margo Price opened her album in perfect fashion. Autobiographical Hands of Time is a stunning song.

15. Austin Lucas – Wrong Side Of the Dream

This duet by Austin Lucas and Lydia Loveless was one of the many highlights of Austin Lucas’ 2016 album Between the Moon and The Midwest. The ending song Midnight would be equally good pick, but this is easier to share so let’s go with this one.

14. Jon Latham – Lifers

First outtake and the title track from the forthcoming Jon Latham album due out in 2017. This single Lifers is further proof that Jon Latham is a magnificent songwriter and I’m so look forward to hearing the full album.

13. Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster – The Dirt, The Bells & I

The Dirt, The Bells & I is the perfect ending to Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster’s gorgeous solo album Constant Stranger. So brilliant.

12. Robbie Fulks – Alabama at Night

This song by Robbie Fulks was actually nominated for grammy and rightfully so. The album has a few equally perfect candidates for this list, but let’s go with this one because it’s rare that I have similar addictions as the bigger folks.

11. Christian Lee Hutson – I Just Can’t Fucking Do it Anymore

Jumping the gun a bit here again, because I don’t think this song is available yet. Well other than this absolutely gorgeous music video that I’ve watched several times. A damn good new song from Christian Lee Hutson and lifts the expectations sky high for the forthcoming album. Here’s I Just Cant’ Fucking Do It Anymore closing the first chapter of the songs of the year list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMuMtSe6qcw

The rest of the list later today, if I get it done before the NFL playoffs kick off. If not, then it goes until tomorrow.

A few more pointless year end lists to come. First this EP list. I suppose one could argue that a few of these are actually full albums. Sorry if someone feels they are in the wrong category. Anyway, here are my favourite EPs of 2016. The order is pretty insignificant and might as well be alphabetical.

10. Ethan Crump – Hellfire and Amazing Grace

Ethan Crump is only nineteen-years-old (or was at least when this came out, maybe he has turned 20 by now), but he is already extremely good songwriter. Immensely talented young man from Hartwell, GA. And no, he is not just one for the future. Those three songs in the middle of this EP. Title Track Hellfire and Amazing Grace, Mary Ann and Mason County Blues are all so gorgeous that any songwriter would be proud of them.

9. Adam Remnant – When I Was a Boy

Southeast Engine frontman Adam Remnant put together a really convincing solo EP where the struggles of adulthood hit almost too close home. That Southeast Engine sure had a pretty special line-up. Remnant released this EP and Adam Torres put out excellent album this year and very soon in 2017 William Matheny will be dropping his most likely excellent album into our hearts.

8. The Blackeyed Susans – Lover or the Loved

Australian The Blackeyed Susans are back in this ball game. New EP Lover or the Loved this year and full-length album in 2017. Count me in. I’ve really missed you. You can be my medicine once again.

7. Guy Capecelatro III – The Smallest Darkest Things

This is one of those that you could easily argue that it’s a full album or at least a mini-LP. Five originals and two covers. Anyway, I love Guy Capecelatro III and his new release The Smallest Darkest Things is a brilliant and moving tribute to Brown Birds’ Dave Lamb.

6. Chris Bathgate – Old Factory

A long time favourite Chris Bathgate came back with an EP called Old Factory, which was of course magnificent. I’m so hoping for more Chris Bathgate music in the not-too-distant future.

5. Rayland Baxter – Soho

This Rayland Baxter EP would have made even bigger impact this year, if I didn’t already know these songs by heart. However, I do love these stripped-down versions even more than then the ones that appeared on the album back in 2015.

4. Michael Feuerstack – Adult Lullabies

Early in the year Canadian maestro Michael Feuerstack celebrated the 1st anniversary of his previous album The Forgettable Truth by releasing a new Adult Lullabies EP that was mostly recorded in the same sessions. Kind of goes to show how strong that album was when such treasures as these didn’t make the cut then.

3. Matt Paxton – Let Me Rock ‘n Roll Tonight

Canadian songwriter Matt Paxton might not be a household name (not yet anyway), but we love him here at the onechord.net headquarters. This year he put out an magnificent EP Let Me Rock N’ Roll Tonight. This song Can’t Say Your Name was a huge personal favourite.

2. Hezekiah Jones – Har! Har! Har!

One of my big personal favourites, Philadelphia’s Hezekiah Jones released a surprise EP Har! Har! Har! late in the year and Raph Cutrufello and co were once again in great form. It was an extremely close call with this and my top pick and could easily go either way. I could come up with some minor flaw or a song I wasn’t that addicted to from the others if I really had to, but these last two were perfect on all accounts.

1. Birger Olsen – The Lights Just Buzz

Some of the above might have bigger favourite songs, but as a whole this smooth operator by Portland-based Birger Olsen ends up taking the imaginary EP of the year award. I’ve seen this been referred as an album, but with just 6-songs I felt it fitted better under this category. Whether it’s an album, mni-album or an EP is pretty insignificant though. What matters far more is that it’s absolutely wonderful. The whole beautiful thing is set in the blues and country territory with light jazzy vibes and gospel bits adding another layer to the sound. It’s smooth, warm and subtle, but also with lots of depth and detail. Another treasure from Mama Bird Recording Co.