Top 20 Songs of 2023

Well folks, Continuous Thunder is a decade old. That's right - 10 years ago, pushed by friends, family, and a particular distaste of "poptimist" music critique, I started the Continuous Thunder music blog. Named after one of my all-time favourite tunes by Japandroids, I had big dreams for the blog - concert reviews, album reviews, lists, interviews and more. After all, blogs were all the rage back then! Said the Gramophone (with their glorious free mp3s), Earmilk, and Hype Machine were some of my favourites back in those days and I aspired to emulate even a fraction of their success. But most of all, I just wanted to share a pure passion for indie, rock and alt music that I was hearing and was excited about. 

Bully at Biltmore, Aug 2023

Back in 2013, I was a 19 year old in 2nd year at UBC and spent at least a couple nights a week seeing bands at some of Vancouver's legendary venues such as the Commodore Ballroom or the Rickshaw Theatre. But my absolute favourite venue was the Biltmore Cabaret. It's a 350 cap intimate downstairs bar venue in Mount Pleasant with a great setup, local craft beer (at least back then), and provides the perfect sized venue for emerging indie artists. In 2013 alone, I saw Japandroids on the last stop of their vaunted "Celebration Rock" tour, Two Hours Traffic (final tour) with Zeus and Rah Rah, and Cloud Nothings on an early tour, all at the Biltmore. Having so many bands come perform a single Vancouver stop on an otherwise American-only tour was a revelation for an Edmonton kid who was used to missing out on all the good tours. I was in indie rock heaven. 

Recently, I was flipping through the used bin at my local record store, and a dusty purple coloured LP caught my eye. Pulling it out of its scratched plastic bag, I realized I had Surfer Blood's 2013 record Pythons in my hands. Flipping it over, I saw the $10 sticker on the back and knew it was coming home with me. Back home, I placed the record needle on that first groove and the opening riff to "Demon Dance" crackled into the air. Immediately, I was taken right back to my dorm room, playing air guitar in my house coat and screaming along to this absolute belter of a summer rock tune. I stand by it - that was 2013's best tune. ( http://continuousthunder.blogspot.com/2013/12/top-25-songs-of-2013.html )

Dope Lemon at Midway, Nov 2023

10 years on and Continuous Thunder (the blog) maybe didn't turn out as expected. In 2014, I managed to commit to my goal, and wrote 18 blogs in that year. But in 2015, just 4. In 2016, just a lone single blog - my top songs of that year. Since then, the top songs post has been a single year staple of this blog (ok, I missed 2021, but it was a global pandemic, cut me some slack). Life got busy - I met the love of my life, graduated university, travelled, moved cross-country, started a career, got married. At the same time, the blog internet also started to die as attentions turned to Youtube and podcasting for music criticism. However, I still love to read all the year end lists from Pitchfork, Paste, NME, and others - and I hope you'll continue to keep reading this blog once a year. I promise to keep writing. 

In 2013, I offered to burn CDs of the top 15 songs for those who wanted a copy. Hilarious! Given I no longer possess the technology to do that anymore, I can only offer a Spotify playlist - linked HERE and below. I've also amassed the top 10 songs from every year's list from the past decade into a 100 song super playlist, linked HERE. I even added 7 of my favourites from the missing 2019, as a special easter egg. 

20. "Sleepless" - Bombay Bicycle Club feat Jay Som - My Big Day

A return to to form: Jay Som adds her beautiful shoegaze-y vocals to this indie jam from industry stalwarts Bombay Bicycle Club.

   

19. "Fingers of Steel" - Shame - Food for Worms

Post-punk rockers Shame returned in 2023 as grown men. Formed as a high school band in East London in 2018, Shame's early work largely relied on pure noise, vulgar lyricism, and shouted talk-vocals. Effectively they were a juvenile version of post-punk contemporaries IDLES and Fontaines DC. With 2023's Food for Worms, the band grew into better melodies, more creative instrumentation, and lyricism worth listening to. "Fingers of Steel" is the perfect reflection of this with its jangly piano choirs, dissonant guitar riffage, and epic down-tempo chorus.

 

18. "New Face of Death" - Home Front - Games of Power

I always try to include a local band in my top 20 and Edmonton's finest new band is Home Front. With members from Shout Out Out Out Out and a debut album produced by Fucked Up's Jonah Falco, they were destined to be great. Fans of The Cure or Joy Division will love their blend of post-punk and new wave. 

17. "Real Love" - Cat Clyde - Down Rounder

Much of my early 2023 music listening was devoted to finding the best music for my May 2023 wedding. As a huge music fan, I obsessed over the playlists to send to our band/DJ for each segment of the night (ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, dance). However, it wasn't until many months after our wedding that I re-discovered Cat Clyde's absolutely adorable "Real Love." It's simply a beautiful love ballad, full of gushy sentiments and just enough instrumentation to draw a tear to the eye on every listen.

   

16. "I Believe" - Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

Written as a tribute to Polachek's late friend, the avant-garde popstar SOPHIE, "I Believe" is a breakbeat synth pop song with crushingly sad lyricism.

   

15. "Full Time Job" - Squirrel Flower - Tomorrow's Fire

A grunge-y head banger reflecting on the futility of existence in a capitalist society. Incredible guitar tones really make this song pop.

14. "Undergrowth" -Squid - O Monolith

As noted, 2021 is the one missing year of my top songs list. Rest-assured, Squid would have featured high up on that list, with the incredible post-punk odyssey "Narrator." Chock full of plucky dissonant guitar, and uniquely "yelp-y" vocal stylings, "Narrator" set Squid apart in the UK post-punk revival of the of early 2020s. Squid's 2023 entrant to the list, "Undergrowth" is similarly incredible, yet completely different. Backed by a sludgy bass line straight out of a Viagra Boys record, "Undergrowth" immediately draws you into its pocket. At over 6 minutes, the song phases in and out, but we never lose that bass line nor the matching head bobs. 

13. "LIKED YOU BETTER" - Jeff Rosenstock - HELLMODE

As a big fan of contemporary pop punk from bands like PUP or The Menzingers, I should have logically been into punk rock legend Jeff Rosenstock long ago, However, I never was able to get into his more cerebral and wordy version of punk. What I love about PUP are the group sung choruses with collective fists raised to the ceiling. Rosenstock never really matched that energy in the same way. Given Rosenstock's 2023 album Hellmode is about his 5 millionth release (just check his wikipedia), and at this point in an artist's career, most are just phoning it in - I was going to just give the album a pass and not bother listening to it. Boy am I glad I did. Rosenstock cuts the crap on Hellmode and delivers pop punk banger after banger, no better than "LIKED YOU BETTER."

 

12. "Morning Zoo" - Ratboys - The Window

A gorgeous alt-country Americana tune from Chicago outfit Ratboys. One of the best new bands in the USA.

   

11. "My Sister in Jesus Christ" - Slaughter Beach, Dog - Crying Laughing Waving Smiling

Slaughter Beach, Dog, the solo project of Jake Ewald (frontman of punk outfit Modern Baseball), released one of the more personal and introspective indie-folk records of 2023. Reflecting on themes of childhood and growing up, the entire album is deeply nostalgic and heartfelt. Tracks like "Summer Windows" and "Engine" go about this reflection from a melancholic angle, with downtempo soft drumming and heavy use of a slide guitar. Contrasting with these heavier tunes, my fav from the album is "My Sister in Jesus Christ," an uptempo, funny tune about growing up in a religious home and acting out against that. Some of the best lyrics of the year in this one!

   

10. "Someday I'll Go Surfing" - Diners - Domino

Power pop perfection from Diners. I could have chosen any number of catchy guitar-driven power pop anthems from their 2023 record Domino for this list. "Someday I'll Go Surfing" wins out with its Beach Boys-esque easy breezy summer sentiment.

 

9. "I Can Handle It" - Radiator Hospital - Can't Make Any Promises

Frank and brutal lyricism is at the heart of Radiator Hospital's best tunes. My favourite Radiator Hospital is their 2013 hit "Our Song" which is a love song encouraging a partner to leave them for someone else. Pure sadness in a punky rock package. "I Can Handle It" is similarly honest, but from the perspective of a couple on the brink of collapse, trying to make it work through a rough patch, instead of just giving in like in "Our Song". It's a great return to form from a long time indie act that had somewhat faded from the limelight.

   

8. "5" -Small Crush - Penelope

Sounding like Frankie Cosmos meets The Beths, Small Crush rocks out on this quirky tune reminiscing on the simplicity of life as a toddler. One of the catchier choruses this year!

   

7. "The Clutch" - Palehound - Eye on the Bat

In an album packed full of breakup songs, "The Clutch" stands out with its thumping beat and screamed vocals from Palehound lead singer El Kempner. In the arc of the breakup, the song represents the fight that boils over into a screaming match. For those of us just watching the fight (through our ears), we are treated to great power chord riffage, a driving bass line, and open cymbal clashing. Roll down the windows, untie your hair, and scream into the wind.

   

6. "Don't Fade Away" - Beach Fossils - Bunny

Beach Fossils 2023 album Bunny seemed to fly under the radar of much of the music world, for whatever reason. Yet, it may just be their best work to date. The washed out slacker energy remains from their past work, but additional strong guitar work straight out of a Real Estate hit really makes these songs stick with you. "Don't Fade Away," a dreamy indie pop anthem with amazing guitar riffs, is the best song on the album. Its nostalgic vibe with lyrics longing for distanced friends and memories feels like sitting on a beach staring at the sunset reflecting on what could have been.

5. "kisses" - Slowdive - everything is alive

Exactly 30 years on from their genre-defining shoegaze classic Souvlaki, Slowdive is back with perhaps their most compelling work yet. Along with bands like My Bloody Vampire and Cocteau Twins, Slowdive pushed shoegaze to popularity in the 90s with its wall of distorted noise, washed out vocals, and soaring melodies. We get all that on 2023's "Kisses," but with a modern twist. Largely, Slowdive has matured, but  also have clearly taken on new influences in the three decades since Souvlaki. Gone are the screechy distorted effects from the 90s, and in are the more washed out, reverb heavy keys and guitars, made popular by 2010s bands like Beach Fossils (ha!) and the appropriately-named Washed Out. Rarely do we get to see a band last for so long that it takes on new influences from younger bands, and those influences are crystal clear on this song. Known for extremely muted vocals on past work, the vocals throughout everything is alive are at the front of the mix and are crystal clear.  At just under four minutes, "Kisses" is a shoegaze pop song with a couple of verses, a few choruses and a bridge centred around a classic Slowdive guitar riff. It was enough to push Slowdive into the top ten of the albums chart in the UK, unheard of for a shoegaze band - and I'm all for it.

 

4. "I Thought You'd Change" - Hotline TNT - Cartwheel

Speaking of shoegaze, I'd like to think that Hotline TNT's Will Anderson would list Slowdive as one of his influences. Except instead of mellowing out like Slowdive, Anderson turns it up to 11 on Cartwheel and never really quiets down. Instead of a giant array of distortion pedals common to many shoegaze bands, Hotline TNT regularly have 4 guitarists on stage to organically create the cacophonous wall of guitar buzz heard throughout the album. This guitar heavy sound really triumphs on the album's best tune "I Thought You'd Change." Layers of riffage, buzz tones, and washed out lyrics combine in delightful melodies that take you away from the first note. Shoegaze really had a revival in 2023 (as evidenced by this list), and Hotline TNT was behind some of the most compelling music in the genre this year.

 

3. "Doubt"- Slow Pulp - Yard

The dream of the 90s is alive with this grungy alt rock tune from Chicago band Slow Pulp. Longer term Continuous Thunder readers will remember their #4 placement on the 2020 Top Songs list with their tune "Idaho," a mellow alt rock tune that I called a "shimmering warm embrace of sound." In many ways, that 2020 record sounds like it was made for bedroom listening, full of slower, warm-toned songs perfect for drifting off to. After a few post-COVID tours with blog favs Alvvays, Slow Pulp came back swinging in 2023 with a loud country-tinged alt-rock record that sounds like it was written for the stage. This is no better exemplified by "Doubt" which is centred around a crunchy power chord guitar riff that starts the song off with a bang, with the drums kicking in shortly after with matching intensity. Vaguely a love song, it seems to be written about the awkward stage in a relationship when neither person wants to commit to putting a label on it. The catchy "do-do-do-do-doubt" in the chorus perfectly capture the hesitancy of that moment before feelings are fully confessed.

   

2. "Not Strong Enough" - boygenius - the record

After a five year wait since the release their short self-titled EP, supergroup Boygenius (Phoebe Bridgers, Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus) announced they would be releasing a 2023 full length LP, which quickly became of the most anticipated indie releases of the year. Certainly aware of their own hype train, the album would be cheekily called simply: the record. And, by some miracle, the album did not disappoint. Perhaps feeling the pressure to perform, or perhaps simply existing as humans in the 2020s, the album frequently deals with topics of inferiority, doubts and general anxiety. "Not Strong Enough" best reflects these feelings in a concise folk-rock thumper complete with beautiful three part harmonies and a powerful chorus worthy of Indigo Girls or Kelly Clarkson comparisons. Singing, "I don't know why I am the way I am," the imposter syndrome is clear from the start of the song. By the bridge, they double down, with Dacus's lower harmony singing a repeated "Always an Angel / Never a God," suggesting that unlike men, who can be viewed as rock gods, a three-part women's band can only strive to be lesser angels. Boygenius has always played with this sexist trope - even in their name BOYgenius which pokes fun at the overpraising of male children. They often perform in oversized business suits to push this trope into the live world and their fans regularly refer to the band as "the boys." In a year where Taylor Swift was named person of the year and ran a multi-billion dollar tour and global phenomenon, I think it's high time to idolize women as rockstars. All 3 of the "boys" are certainly gods to me.

   

1. "Days Move Slow" - Bully - Lucky for You  

While I often enjoy listening to challenging or overly artistic music, I'll always have a soft spot for a perfectly written and performed alt-rock song with great replay-ability. "Days Move Slow" was that song for me in 2023. Take a distorted grunge riff straight out of 90s, slap on a punchy "Smells Like Teen Spirit"-inspired drum beat, and you're well on your way to a certified hit. However, what really sets the song apart, like most of the Bully catalogue, is Alicia Bognanno's distinctive vocals. She is always singing right at the maximum pitch and volume for her voice, with the strain on her vocal chords giving her voice a unique raspy quality, not unlike a distortion pedal on a guitar. In "Days Move Slow," she mourns the passing of her loyal dog, singing "And I'm stuck somewhere in between//Your death and my lucid dream." Yet, her experience of grief and mourning can be taken into any form of loss we might experience. At the end of the day, days may move slow, but at least they keep moving on. And, for Bognanno, those new days are best spent throwing your fists in the air, letting your hair down, and screaming about it.

   

Top 25 Songs of 2022

New year, new list- my Top 25 Songs of 2022. I'll keep the commentary brief until the top 10! You'll find the Spotify playlist embedded at the end of the blog, along with some bonus tracks not listed here. 

25. "30 Degrees" - Dumb - Pray 4 Tomorrow

A smooth-shooting can-con slacker-rock love-tune from Vancouver band Dumb. 

24. "Spitting off the Edge of the World" - Yeah Yeahs Yeahs - Cool It Down

Nearly 20 years on from their smash hit "Maps," indie rock icons Yeah Yeah Yeahs triumphantly return with an anthemic tune chock full of soaring synths and pounding drums. 

23. "The Game" - Sports Team - Gulp!

A late-90s-esque guitar driven rock tune reminiscent of The Hives or Kaiser Chiefs.

22. "Wild" - Spoon - Lucifer on the Sofa

The standout track from Spoon's latest fantastic record. 

21. "Pictures of You" - Drugdealer feat Kate Bollinger - Hiding in Plain Sight

A lovely jangly pop tune in the style of Montreal's TOPS. 

20. "The Place Where He Inserted the Blade" - Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There

The magnum opus from Black Country, New Road's 2022 album - a triumphant, yet haunting song that covers love, loss and everything in between. The group harmonies at the end of the song will stay with you.

19. "Delilah (pull me out of this)" - Fred again... - Actual Life 3

The song that pulled me (and likely thousands of others like me) back into dance/house music in 2022. Fred again... took the music industry by storm this year, capped with his epic Boiler Room performance in which this song features prominently.  

18. "Tides" -Bonobo feat Jamila Woods - Fragments

A hidden gem from Bonobo's 2022 album Fragments featuring the always incredible Jamila Woods on vocals.

17. "Expert in a Dying Field" - The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field

Melody, melody, melody. The Beths never disappoint when it comes to catchy, guitar led indie rock. A band in total control of their talents.

16. "Waiting" - PUP - The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND

Long time Continuous Thunder readers will remember the 2016 Top Song's list, which had PUP's "Familiar Patterns" at #2 for the year. While 2022 brought PUP's first misstep in terms of album releases, The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND still contained some great tracks. "Waiting" is very reminiscent of "Familiar Patterns," with both tracks centred around super heavy bass lines and contrastingly triumphant choruses. It's a formula I won't soon tire of.

15. "Shotgun" - Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever 

One of Soccer Mommy's best choruses since her break through hit "Your Dog." A great bass riff and excellent vocal delivery on this track.

14. "Respirate" - Pinegrove - 11:11

A yearning ballad about making it through the hard times that the pandemic brought on us. The reminder to "take it day by day//and do your best to respirate" felt appropriate at many times throughout 2022 for me. 

13. "I Don't Live Here Anymore" - The War on Drugs feat Lucius - I Don't Live Here Anymore

The large-scale return to live music in 2022 meant I was finally able to check off some bucket list artists I hadn't seen live before. Snail Mail and Parquet Courts in early 2022, Lucy Dacus in the fall, and The War on Drugs at Edmonton Folk Fest. The later did not disappoint, bringing their new arena-rock-ish tunes to the hill and melting our faces!

12. "Medicine" - Momma - Household Name

The seems to be a never-ending stream of fantastic "sadgirl" indie bands springing up these days: Slow Pulp, Snail Mail, Pip Blom, NewDad to name a few. 2022 saw Momma burst onto the scene bringing great melodies and guitar playing on a batch of fantastic tunes. 

11. "Roman Holiday" - Fontaines DC - Skinty Fia

We've watched Fontaines DC grow up in the last few years. Their 2019 debut record Dogrel was centred around rambunctious upbeat punk tracks like "Liberty Bell" and "Boys in a Better Land." 2022 Fontaines has brought a maturity in their songwriting we've yet to see from this post-punk band. "Roman Holiday" exemplifies this growth in a single tune. An effortless tight drum pattern pulls you in, allowing the reverbed guitar lead to drift in and out of time around it. Vocalist Grian Chatten changes up from his usual gruff Irish talk-singing, showing some serious pipes here. A triumph of UK post-punk.

10. "Outta Time" - Orville Peck - Bronco

My big musical surprise of 2022 was Orville Peck's amazing live show at Edmonton Folk Fest (closing the stage after The War on Drugs no-less!). I'd never really been a big fan of Peck's records. His songwriting and deep baritone voice always gave me Disney songtrack vibes. However, I gave Bronco another chance after seeing his incredible live show. "Outta Time" is a straight ahead country pop song with a memorable sing-a-long chorus and classic roadtripin' lyrics. 

9. "Bad Love" - Dehd - Blue Skies

The best track from Dehd's stellar 2022 record. With a Springsteen-esque chorus, big tom-heavy drumbeat, and driving bassline, "Bad Love" is one to crank on the car stereo and drive down the open road. 

8. "I Was Neon" - Julia Jacklin - Pre Pleasure

In an album otherwise dominated by plodding, emotional, quiet tunes, "I Was Neon" wakes you up . Written in the spirit of Jacklin's similarly upbeat "Pressure to Party" from her 2019 release, "I Was Neon" tells us a similar tale as well. Jacklin pleads with herself not to "lose herself again" while trying to contend with societal expectations and a rapidly deteriorating modern world.  

7. "The Overload" - Yard Act - The Overload

The title track from Yard Act's debut album truly exemplifies what makes this Leeds, UK band so great: Cheeky, cynical British lyricism. Echoing legendary British acts like Art Brut or The Streets, Yard Act lead singer James Smith talk-sing lyrics are easy to digest and enjoyable to follow. However, unlike Art Brut or The Streets, whose lyrics tended to top out at the level of attracting a mate ("Good Weekend" or "Fit but You Know It"), Yard Act is taking on important topics in contemporary British culture. Expect commentary on gentrification, wealth inequality, Brexit, and more. A must-listen album for 2022.

6. "Memory" - Whitney - Spark

When a band with just two albums totalling 20 songs releases a third album of entirely covers (2020's Candid), you begin to wonder if the writing fountain has prematurely run dry. And if the creative well had run dry, I wouldn't blame them. Primary Whitney songwriters Julian and Max have been producing stellar records since 2009 when they were just 17 with their first band, Smith Westerns. So when I caught wind that a 2022 Whitney record was on the way, chock full of new originals, I was thrilled. And then I was disappointed. 

"Memory" is the stand out track from an otherwise lack-luster album. A jaunty guitar and piano riff hooks you into the tune from the start. Julian's now-legendary falsetto vocals speak to the late-20's millennial panic that a lot of us are feeling right now. The perfect tune to bring you back to the "Golden Days" of the Light on the Lake-era Whitney.

5. "Spud Infinity" - Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe

It is hard to pick a best tune from Big Thief's gigantic 20 song double LP from 2022. Many critics went for "Simulation Swarm," a subdued tune from the back half of the record that is very much in the style of old Big Thief songs. Truthfully, before 2022 I wasn't really a fan of Big Thief. Sure, I'd listen to their hits like "Paul" or "Masterpiece" when they inevitably ended up on any indie folk Spotify playlist, but I was never drawn into their back catalogues. 

What changed in 2022? Hard to say, but apparently my ear was much more open to country-rock tunes than ever before. Country-leaning artists make of 24% of this year's song's list. Three of the top five are country-leaning artists. Probably my favourite show of the year was indie country act Cat Clyde at 3am at North Country Fair. I guess you can just chock this up to my frontal lobe fully being developed - I've moved on from the aggression of punk rock to the softer idealism of modern folk. "Spud Infinity" is a fun barn dance bluegrass tune complete with fiddle and boinging jaw harp. 

4. "Problem With It" - Plains - I Walked With You A Ways"

"If you can't do better than that babe, I got a problem with it" sings Katie Crutchfield midway through one of the best choruses of the year. With a The Chicks-esque female empowerment vibe, "Problem With It" is a foot-stomping country-rock tune about taking the reins back and moving on. Beautiful harmonies between Crutchfield and bandmate Jess Williamson really bring this track home. For fans of Crutchfield's band Waxahatchee, this album is mandatory listenin'.

3. "Unspeakable Things" - Kiwi Jr. - Chopper

Pure unadulterated riffage is at the heart of this indie single from Toronto rockers Kiwi Jr. Their 2022 album was produced by fellow Canuck Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits), whose influence is clear. The band credits Boeckner on "Unspeakable Things" with having the idea to bring in a synth to perform the lead riff, instead of guitar, with the band saying: "that sound brings the song into a sort of new-wave territory that was fun and different for us." What I've always loved about Kiwi Jr is that their music reminds me of the early 2000s Canadian indie scene, back when CBC Radio 3's Grant Lawrence was the leading voice in my musical discoveries. Bands from that era, like Rah Rah, Two Hours Traffic, or Zeus are clearly in the DNA of Kiwi Jr's music. Adding a producer who was most popular in that era only adds to the effect. 

2. "Hangover Game" - MJ Lenderman - Boat Songs

My most listened to song of 2022 is a gritty rock song about the normal-ness of humankind. Lenderman uses the metaphor of Michael Jordan's NBA finals "food poisoning" which many now believe to have been a hangover instead, to show that even those at the pinnacle of society have their vices. "Oh, he looked so sick//It was all over the news//But it wasn't a pizza//And it wasn't the flu//Yeah, I love drinking too." Matching the excellent writing is a killer guitar riff and tight drumming complete with cowbell. While this is not Lenderman's first album, it's definitely the one that will put him on the map. 

1. "Belinda Says" - Alvvays - Blue Rev

Alvvays broke the power pop curse of unpopularity in 2022. The spunky Toronto based, east-coast hearted shoegaze band topped best song and album lists across the internet, including Pitchfork, Exclaim, and more. Last week, they played "Belinda Says" on Jimmy Fallon, making their network TV debut. As a long time Alvvays fan (and as a Canadian!), I am thrilled to see their success. 

I've been into this band since I first heard their 2014 breakout single "Archie, Marry Me." I brought along my then-new girlfriend Sierra to their 2014 Vancouver tour stop at the Biltmore Cabaret, and was blown away by their live performance for such a new band. Of course, I knew of guitarist Alec O'Hanley's brilliance, having seen him playing with his old band Two Hours Traffic the year prior in the same venue. Lead singer Molly Rankin grew up in the shadow of the Rankin Family band and logically knows her way around a stage or two. Sierra and I saw Alvvays a handful more times in Vancouver, once at a UBC outdoor show, and once at the Commodore Ballroom warming up for the fantastic Courtney Barnett. 

Alvvays then dropped off the map for a few years. In 2017, when they started to roll out their new singles, Sierra and I were travelling Europe together. I distinctly remembering logging onto a hostel shared computer in Split, Croatia, having heard of a new single from one of my favourite bands and desperately wanting to hear it. "In Undertow" burst through the tinny computer speakers, and I was immediately transported out of the grimy hostel communal room by the wall of shimmering guitars and ethereal beauty of Rankin's vocals. Alvvays would play a double night in 2018 in Edmonton in support of 2017's Antisocialites, and I attended both nights, desperate for any live music coming to our northern outpost. In the summer of 2018, Sierra and I would also catch Alvvays in the heat of a Montreal parking lot at Osheaga Music Fest. 

Fast forward another 4 years and a global pandemic, and Alvvays is somehow back with their best album yet. "Belinda Says" takes your heart in a grip of nostalgia from the first note. At just 2:45, this is short song, but Rankin needs only a few short lines to bring you into her heartbreaking depiction of a too-soon pregnancy. Rankin easily conjures up these crushing scenes to tell the tale:a teenaged Blue Rev vodka cooler slugged behind the rink; a collect call to a fleeing partner or disappointed parent; the move to the country with Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven on is a Place on Earth" sputtering through the car stereo. It is truly an opus packed into a power pop package - crushing, beautiful, emotional, nostalgic, yet catchy and singable. 

Alvvays makes their way back to Alberta in early March this year, and I am happy to be going to the show with my now-fiancé - funny how music earmarks our life.

Top 20 Songs 2020

Music has a way of time stamping memories into place. Like bookmarks in the book of life, certain songs and albums will always take you back to different times, places and memories. If I think back over the past 15 odd years, I might drift into a faint memory of air guitar-ing to Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" in a sweaty elementary school gymnasium at the annual family dance. Or maybe I might wander towards highschool-angst-Will squinting at Spike Jonze's masterful music video for Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" on his tiny 3 cm iPod Nano screen. 2012's "The House that Heaven Built" (Japandroids) would bring me back to racing back to dorm on a Friday afternoon, excited for a night with my friends nowhere to go (it didn't seem matter back then). 

Every so often, I come back to this oft-neglected blog to be reminded of old favourite tunes, and, in turn, the memories tied to those tunes. In that spirit, I thought I would put together a list of some of my favourites from what will inevitably be a very interesting chapter in my life: the Covid-19 pandemic. 

As it turns out, while 2020 has been quite the downer of a year, it has been an absolute banner year for new music releases. I can't help thinking that artists love to release music at the turn of a decade - 2010 brought us so many legendary indie rock albums such as Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening, Black Keys Brother, and, Justin Bieber's My World 2.0, amongst many others. There must be something about a nice round number (2020) that brings out the big guns..err..guitars. With that said, here are some of my favourite tunes for surviving a global pandemic - enjoy. 

Sorry for the 30 second previews only -damn spotify. Check the full playlist at the bottom and listen along!

20. “Falling Thunder” - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

A simple power pop tune from the band with the confusing name and 45 guitarists (okay, just 4). Catchy chorus on this one!

19. “Rot” - PUP

2020 saw the release of a B-side EP from my favs PUP. “Rot” is the leadoff track from EP and jumps right into it with a crowd sung chorus, heavy upbeat drums and thundering fuzzed out guitars.

 

18. “Televised Mind” - Fontaines D.C.

Deep, dark, and brooding, “Televised Mind” is the standout track from Fontaines D.C.’s (sophomore slump) album A Hero’s Death. I love the interplay of the chaotic drum pattern and the throbbing fuzzy bass line.

17.  “Time for Yourself” - Scenic Route to Alaska

Edmonton favourites are back in 2020 with some excellent new songs on the album Time For Yourself. The title track stands out with its distorted bassline, heavy tom tom drums, and radio static vocals. Can’t wait to hear this one live. 

 

16. “Black Licorice” - Peach Pit 

It’s all about the unique guitar riff in this jangly indie tune from Vancouver band Peach Pit. Lead guitarist Christopher Vanderkooy uses a string bend to pitch shift each note of the riff, leading to a distinctively emotive and memorable lick.

 

15. “Hell” - Waxahatchee

I could have picked nearly any song from Waxahatchee’s 2020 album Saint Cloud for this list. “Hell” just seems especially fitting for 2020. A straight up country rock song with an upbeat drumbeat and a sing-along chorus.

 

14. “Model Village”- IDLES

Sharp angular guitars are front and centre in this poppy single from British punks IDLES.

 

13. “Concrete” - Snarls

There are so many amazing femme-led alt bands out there making 90s-nostalgic music right now. Snarls is another fantastic entrant to this scene already rich with artists such as Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, and Chastity Belt. “Concrete” is one of Snarls’ best with a melodic guitar riff and desperately sung, catchy chorus. Looking forward to more from this band.

12. “Kyoto” - Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers’s amazing voice AND a driving drum beat?? I’ve never been a huge Phoebe Bridgers fan as I don’t typically listen to mellow music (can you tell?), but “Kyoto” is an instant classic. Take Bridgers’s typical depressive lyrics, pair it with a cheery keyboard riff, and a thumping driving drum pattern and you have a hit (at least with me).

 

11.“4ÆM” - Grimes

“You’re going to get sick, you don’t know when,” whispers Grimes in this drum and bass anthem from her 2020 album, Miss Anthropocene. Released only weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped North American in March, “4ÆM” was an unexpected timely released. The song is feverish in its arrangement, oscillating between a walking pace house beat and a full sprint drum and bass club banger. Grimes’ vocals add to this oscillation, moving from near rap to near operatic in the span of seconds. To me,  “4ÆM” is indicative of 2020; equal parts exciting, disorientating, and distressing.

  

10. “Home” - Caribou

There are few producers in the world so adept at blending vintage samples with modern techniques than Caribou’s Dan Snaith. “Home” centres around a old-timey soul lyric sample paired with a boisterous 80s boom-bap drum beat. Snaith weaves his own lyrics in between the soul sample, creating a story around the meaning of home beyond the 5 seconds he’s sampled. Layer in some modern 808s bass lines, pokey strings, and you have an absolute masterpiece of electronic production.

 

9. “Out of My Head” - Mac Demarco

A throwaway b-side from Mac’s 2019 Album Here Comes the Cowboy. I thought the actual album was total trash, definitely Mac’s worst album to date. However, this track came on 2020's Other Here Comes The Cowboy Demos, a sloppy set of b-side tracks. “Out of My Head” was likely a warm-up studio jam but it gets back to what made Mac internationally loved in the past. Simple groves, lazily sung vocals, and plucky guitar solos. I went back to this song again and again to slow down, chill out, and generally escape from the stress of 2020.

 

8.“Daily Routine” - Disq

“this is my daily routine // spend my hours on computer screen.” Disq lead singer Isaac deBroux-Slone lazily belts on this crunchy punk tune. Echoing bands like Parquet Courts and Bored Décore, Disq captures the existential dread of the working person. Are we living or simply wasting our days away?

7. “Dotted Line” -Pinegrove

Evan Stephen Hall’s earnest yowl is at its best on this nostalgic folk thumper. “Dotted Line” is about that feeling when you move away from something or someone you know and love towards the unknown. While you’re scared and nervous to leave behind your past, somewhere in that pit in the bottom of your stomach is the belief that things will turn out fine wherever you’re headed. It’s a triumphant tune for the time, with the chorus “I don’t know how // but I’m thinking it’ll at work out.'

6. “Dear Stranger” - STRFKR

STRFKR released their 2020 album Future Past Life right at the start of the pandemic in North America. It immediately become my go-to refuge to escape from the panic of the outside world. “Dear Stranger” is the lead off track from the album and features one of my favourite bass lines of 2020. On this track, and on the album as well, STRFKR presents a more mature and cohesive sound compared to their five previous albums. Joshua Hodges’s vocals are far clearer, and the overall production is warmer with lots of traditional instrumentation (acoustic guitars, live drums, piano). This is a departure from the overly synthesized STRFKR of the past. What remains unchanged is Hodges keen ear for memorable melodies - shown here beautifully.

 

5. “Acrid” -The Beths

Long time readers know I am sucker for a sing-a-long chorus, and The Beths deliver on that with “Acrid.” There may be bands out there doing more interesting, experimental, and original things, but no one can top The Beths when it comes to verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus rock anthems. “It’s youuuuuuu, you I wanna run intooooooo.” Heartfelt power pop perfection. 

 

4.“Idaho”- Slow Pulp 

Soaring, expansive shoe gaze straight from the 90s. The kind of tune that absorbs you in a shimmering warm embrace of sound. Lead singer Emily Massey is the captain of this wall of sound, with her incredible vocal range on full display here. Fans of showgaze legends Slowdive should certainly pay attention here.

 

3. “circle the drain” - Soccer Mommy

Sounding like a lost hit on a dusty 90s cassette, Soccer Mommy’s “circle the drain” feels oddly comfortable. ”Warm” sounding production ties together strummed acoustic guitar, marching drums and a noodle-y electric guitar riff. Principally, the song is about the highs and lows of depression; you’ll go round and round trying to beat it, only to eventually be sucked down like the water in your kitchen sink. “I’ve been falling falling apart these days,” sighs Sophie Allison in the pre-chorus, somehow both lamenting her reality and accepting it for what it is in the same line. I think we’ve all been at that place sometime this year. 

 

2. “Every Tradition”- Bully

Likely the best song from my favourite album of the year, “Every Tradition” is grunge rock at its finest. A screaming lead guitar lick immediately grabs your ear above crunchy rhythm guitar and cymbal heavy drums. Singer songwriter Alicia Bognanno’s fiercely delivered lyrics dive into societal expectations around womanhood, adulthood, and motherhood. “It’s like pressure to have a baby when I don’t want one in my body.” It’s the perfect modern adaption of the classic 90s PNW grunge sound. 

 

1. “The Steps” - HAIM 

A fist-pumping, heart-wrenching belter of a tune reflecting back on a relationship gone south. “The Steps” features possibly 2020’s most memorable riff - a driving arpeggio played with a distinctive hollow, twangy tone echoing New Order’s “Age of Consent.”  This rhythmic riff is the backbone of the song, with cacophonous drumming and screaming lead guitar layering overtop in simple perfection. Roll down all the windows and belt this one at the sun!   

Spotify playlist:

Top Ten Songs 2018

One year ago, when I compiled my Top 10 Songs of 2017, I vowed to update this blog on a more regular basis throughout 2018. Alas, as with many a New Year's resolution, I failed to follow this pledge even remotely. So here it is, my once-annual blog post: my Top 10 Tracks of 2018.

10. "My Time/ I, the Luddite" - Bored Decor

"Bourgeois Punk." This is the cheeky label Vancouver's Bored Decor has slapped on their odd-ball Bandcamp page. Yet, it could not be a more accurate descriptor. Bored Decor take thrashy punk riffs and pair them to pompous lyrics akin to the Talking Heads or the Parquet Courts. I love the jangly piano combined with the jagged guitar riffs in this foot stomping tune.



9. "Espionage" - Preoccupations

Layering, layering, layering. This is a sonic masterpiece with intricate drum patterns that intertwine with percussive guitar noises and glossy synths. Vocalist Matt Flegel is clearer and more snarly in comparison to previous Preoccupations' albums. Older Preoccupations' releases tended to put the vocals further back in the mix and were used to provide more of a texture than a leading focus. A great leading track for a solid album full of similar tracks.



8. "In Shame" - Cloud Nothings

Cloud Nothings surprised fans this year with a quick follow up album (Last Building Burning) to 2017's Life Without Sound. Keen readers of this blog will know that Cloud Nothings have topped this list a couple of times before, but Last Building Burning provided fewer stand out tracks, instead focusing on the album as a complete package. "In Shame" more or less stands in for the album as a whole. Expect edge-of-screaming vocals, driving guitars, and frenetic drumming.




7. "Yours and Mine" - Lucy Dacus

A beautiful tune that fills you with longing and brings you back time and time again. Excellent crisp production.

LISTEN HERE






6. "Pain of Infinity" - Dirty Nil

It's all about the guitar riff on this heading-for-a-breakup pop-punk jam. I love the interplay of the bass drum with the opening riff.



5. "Gold Rush" - Death Cab for Cutie

A gorgeous and innovative song about losing your hometown to rapid development and condo-ization. Ben Gibbard laments the loss of geographic markers as triggers for memories both happy and sad. Like his rapidly changing hometown, every time you revisit this song it sounds a bit different. The layered "Gold Rush" percussive harmonies in the background twist and play with your ear, sounding a little bit different on each individual listen. It is a brilliant song and emphasizes the power of instrumentation to bolster the lyrical subject matter.



4. "Accomodate" - Frankie Cosmos

A classic catchy Frankie melody comes out of nowhere on this extremely short little jingle with the
line: "my body is a burden/I'm always yearning/to be less accommodating." The first time I heard that line, I stopped the record player, lifted the needle, and listened to it again and again. Ah, the power of melody.






3. "Talking Straight" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Killer guitars, a driving beat, and the best chorus of the year makes you want to crank up the volume, roll down the windows (even at -20c) and yell this tune to the heavens.

2. "Last Girl" - Soccer Mommy

What at first seemed like the "goofy" tune on this album full of songs of self doubt and failed relationships, quickly turns into possibly the most damning song of them all. "Last Girl" is centred on self doubt; singer songwriter Sophie Allison sings about how her current partner's "Last Girl" is much better suited for him with lines like: "She's the sun in your cold world / and I am just a dying flower." or "Why would you still want to be with me? / She's got everything you'll ever need." Juxtaposed against these sarcastic but sad lyrics are bright guitar riffs and cymbal focused drums. My favourite tune from my favourite album of the year.



Druuuuuuuuuuuum rooooooooolllllll.................

1. "Pristine" - Snail Mail

The lead off track off Snail Mail's stellar debut album, "Pristine," gets right into it with dissonant guitar jabs and tight drumming. The song swells and peaks multiple times; just when you expect it to go one way, it shoots off somewhere else. But at the heart of the song are the lyrics. On the surface, the lyrics describe a teenage confession of absolute and undying love: "Is there any better feeling than coming clean? / And I know myself and I'll never love anyone else." However, as the song progresses, doubt emerges, leaving the listener puzzled with lines like: "Who's top of your world? / And out of everyone / Who's your type of girl?" Song writer Lindsey Jordan perfectly encapsulates the feeling of yearning for a love that is equally reciprocated, leaving to the listener to wonder if there's ever a point of truly "coming clean" with your feelings.

Top 15 Songs of 2017

Yadda yadda Trump yadda yadda music escapism yadda yadda. Here’s my top 15 tracks for 2017:

15.  Jay Som - “Bus Song”

A delicious emo-pop tune from 2017 standout Jay Som.

14. TOPS - “Petals”

As pretty as the title suggests, TOPS hits back with a dreamy number here.
Love the female harmonies in the choruses and the weird vocal effects on the verses.

13. The Courtneys - “Silver Velvet”

The Courtneys returned in 2017 polished and refined
with their album II (echoing buddy Mac Demarco with the album title).
Silver Velvet was the standout track with a catchy chorus, teenage love story lyrics,
and a solid garage rock backing track.

12. Kane Strang - “My Smile is Extinct”

A catchy rock song from New Zealand artist Kane Strang.
“My Smile is Extinct” is about a hysterical overblown teenage reaction to a lost high-school love.
Quirky and unique, I expect big things from Mr Strang.

11. New Swears - “Dance with the Devil”

Ottawa-based punk rock party animals New Swears had a big year.
Signing to Dine Alone records, they embarked on multiple cross-Canada tours
and unleashed an awesome road trip album, And the Magic of Horses.
I caught them at their Edmonton show with about 6 other people in the audience (one being my dad).
They still brought it like the place was packed.
“Dance with the Devil” embodies the New Swears sound best:
slightly twangy, with killer riffage and crowd sung vocals.

10. Portugal. The Man - “Feel it Still”

**Obnoxious Hipster Sentence Incoming**
I’ve been a big fan of Portugal The Man since pulling their album Church Mouth out of the $1 CDs bin
at Zulu Records in Vancouver in 2014. It’s unlikely you’ll find them there again after the smash success
of this tune. 75 million plays on youtube, grammy nominations, AMA awards, what a year of this band
had on the back of this funky jam.

9. Clairo - “Flaming Hot Cheetos”

Clairo’s magic lies in “micro-melodies” (coined by me, 2017).
Her ability to sculpt multiple different melodies over a simple 4 bar loop is captivating,
and keeps me coming back to this track time and time again.
Heartfelt lyrics and a beautiful voice don’t hurt either.

8. Faith Healer - “Try ;-)”

The title track from local Edmonton artist Faith Healer (Jessica Jalbert)
marked a major clear change from her excellent last album, Cosmic Troubles.
Clean, confident vocal delivery, and a poky fun bassline drive this track forward,
and completely disregard the washed out tones of the previous album. Nonetheless,
washy guitars remain whimsical and pysch-y with faders and flangers messing with
the tone all over the awesome breakdown midway through the song. A mix of old and new.

7. Sam Tudor - “Holiday”

My smelly and annoyingly talented former roommate returned in 2017 after a long few years
since the release of his first major record, Modern New Year. While the album Quotidian Dream
is packed with new experiment sounds for Sam (electric guitars!? Saxophone?! Yelling!? Driving
drum beats?!), I always return to “Holiday,” a mid-tempo folk tune directly in Sam’s wheelhouse.
That said, “Holiday” is not a boring folk song.
Driven along by a Simon and Garfunkle-esque drum pattern courtesy of Sam’s brother Harry,
and accented by plucked electric guitar and heavily layered vocals, “Holiday,” to me, tells the
story of our household of students. Many of us lived somewhat monotonous lives in rainy grey
Vancouver, saving our money for vacations away to brighter climes. Melancholy, yet triumphant,
“Holiday” is the perfect capstone to an excellent album. He still smells though.

6. Arcade Fire - “Everything Now”

I like ABBA. I like Arcade Fire. I like this.

5. WOOLWORM - “Sun Rock”

WOOLWORM was the big musical discovery for me this year.
They’ve been on my radar for years as they are a local Vancouver band, but I’ve never
given their music a chance because I thought they were a hardcore band. So I was surprised
when I gave their 2017 album Deserve to Die a listen-through and found a noisey, dissonant rock
band with real pop sensibilities. Coincidentally, their record label, Mint Records, calls them a “hardcore
band who have decided to play pop music.” While “Sun Rock” is more of a head-banging rock tune
than some of the more melodic cuts from the album, I keep coming back to this track because of its
soaring chorus and excellent vocal delivery from lead singer Giles Roy. He transitions from high pitched
pop tones to a deep throaty snarls with ease, keeping the listener enthralled. The chorus echoes some
of the more intense shoegaze artists like My Bloody Valentine, before dropping back into thrashy verses
a la Sonic Youth. An awesome genre bending track that catches your ear and brings you in.

4. Japandroids - “Near to the Wild Heart of Life”

After a long period of near-silence from Japandroids following their massive 2013 Celebration Rock tour,
many fans assumed the worst: Japandroids were done. Not so! “Near to the Wild Heart of Life” was the
first single from their triumphant return and serves as an explanation for the long silence for fans of
Vancouver’s favourite duo. It tells of lead singer Brian’s move from Vancouver to Mexico City,
following the love of his life, and leaving behind his bandmate Dave, the city he embodied, and
“all he had.” This high-energy blast of a song echoes the sentiment of 2012’s “The House that Heaven
Built:” go out, follow your dreams, be “bad.”

3. Kendrick Lamar - “Humble”

Kendrick Lamar cemented himself as the greatest rapper of all time with 2017’s DAMN.
“Humble” illustrates everything that puts Kendrick far above any other rapper out there right now.
His ability to swap flows on a dime and rap in a multitude of voices is on full display on this swaggy track.
Mike Will Made It’s simple piano-riff-focused production is a perfect platform for Lamar to launch off
from, straddling the line between technical rap flow and a pop-friendly hook that made
this a huge hit for the Compton rapper. In a world full of people thinking they have the right to speak
over and silence others, Lamar’s request to be “Humble” is refreshing and hit a chord across the globe.

2. Cloud Nothings - “Enter Entirely”

Long-time Continuous Thunder readers will remember that Cloud Nothings took the top spot
on my Tracks of the Year 2014 with their song “I’m Not Part of You.” In my write up, I called
that track a “celebratory break-up track” with lead singer “Dylan Baldi coming to terms with
the past and rejoicing what lies in his future.” 2017’s “Enter Entirely” serves as the epilogue
to that song. In the years since 2014, Cloud Nothings saw both critical and popular success,
playing all the major music festivals around the world, and Baldi’s songwriting reflects this
with the album Life Without Sound bringing a refined, poppy, guitar focused sound.
“Entire Entirely,” with its memorable opening guitar riff, is the epitome of this new sound.
Baldi’s vocals are clean and easily heard, Jayson Gerycz’s always awesome drumming sits
further back in the mix, and multiple undistorted guitar solos add a different pop-rock feel to
this traditionally noise/punk/emo band. Lyrically, Baldi returns to a similar theme to
“I’m Not Part of You.” While he proudly proclaims “my world looks like I had only dreamed,”
part of him is still stuck in the past; “Moving on but I still feel it / You're just a light in me now.”
Resignation? Maybe. But an awesome rock song nonetheless.

1. Alvvays - “Saved by a Waif”

I went back and forth on which Alvvays song to choose for this list. Any number of tracks from
their standout 2017 release Antisocialites could have taken this number one spot. In the end,
I’m going for “Saved by a Waif.” Fast paced, guitar lead, with killer harmonies, this song ticks
all the boxes. Antisocialites saw Alvvays return in the best way possible. “Saved by a Waif”
sees lead singer Molly Rankin grab the bull by the horns; her vocals are powerful, pitch perfect,
and more aggressive than ever. Driving keyboards in the verses and arpeggiating synths in the
pre-chorus add a refined and layered sound that we didn’t hear on their 2013 self-titled debut.
Yet, this new sound is so exactly Alvvays: Alec O'Hanley brings his Two Hours Traffic guitar chops,
Brian Murphy adds his plucky bass line, the drum pattern is exactly as required, and Rankin pulls it all
together with her distinct vocal tone.
As a perfect live set opener, “Saved by the Waif” just screams: “LET’S GET GOING PEOPLE!”
It’s my number one song of 2017.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST LINK (NOT IN ORDER)
LINK