That Genuine Fakes post and song took me on a nostalgic journey to my childhood and also reminded me that I still haven’t posted this monster of a song by the always stunning Strand of Oaks. Back in the 80s and 90s I was definitely one of those Radio Kids that listened to the radio with one finger on the record button in order to catch the songs that would shape my world. Radio Kids is a magnificent outtake from the forthcoming Strand of Oaks album Hard Love that is due out February 17 on Dead Oceans.
I didn’t expect to mention Guns N’ Roses on this blog, but this is for a good reason. And no, I don’t have anything against them. I have my own Guns N’ Roses past. I first had Lies and Appetite For Destruction on cassette and then I bought the Use Your Illusion CDs when they came out. Plus I’ve been called Spaghetti Incident (and had it on CD as well) on football grounds. They were still nowhere near as important to me as they were for Joey Fake, the lead singer of the great Swedish power pop group The Genuine Fakes. Their new single and first outtake from the forthcoming second album is a tribute to the band and it’s called Guns N’ Roses Saved My Life. Sounds mighty good as was expected and I’m looking forward to hearing the full album (co-produced by Mr. Jon Auer) sometime in 2017.
Year end lists are done and it’s time to finally move on to 2017. I’ll kickstart the year with a song from one of my most anticipated 2017 albums Enter the Kingdom by Frontier Ruckus. This fifth Ruckus LP was produced by Ken Coomer and comes out February 17, 2017 on Sitcom Universe (USA) and Loose Music (UK/EU). Over the years, Michigan-based Frontier Ruckus has taken a couple of album of the year awards on those year end lists, so it’s definitely safe to say that I’m extremely excited about this release. I will get back to this album more than a few times over the year, but let’s begin with 27 Dollars, the first outtake from the forthcoming album Enter the Kingdom.
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.
