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

Continuous Thunder's Top 15 Songs of 2016

Here are my songs of the year!

15. "Peach Pit" - PEACH PIT - Sweet Fa

A nice "slice" of dreamy power pop coming out of rainy ol' Vancouver.




14. "Be Apart" - Porches - Pool

Pulled in by the beautifully dissonant piano riff, "Be Apart" entrances you in a head bobbing groove from start to finish. Sad dance music.



13. "Monotony" - Preoccupations - Preoccupations

Back after a name change, Preoccupations wrote an album chock full of jarring and challenging rock tunes, following in the footsteps of their first album Viet Cong. What makes these songs captivating is the push and pull between comfort and discomfort displayed in both the instrumentation and the lyrics of their work. "Monotony" is a perfect example of this.



12. "Cinnamon" - Cullen Omori - New Misery

2016 saw the remnants of the Smith Westerns' glorious legacy reemerge in two new projects: Whitney and Cullen Omori. Omori, former SW lead singer, went off on his own, creating synth pop tunes directly in the lineage of his former band. "Cinnamon" is the best of his new tunes, but misses the catchy guitar riffs of his old band.


11. "It Ain't Safe" - Skepta feat Young Lord - Konchiwa 

2016 was the year that UK grime music hit the North American mainstream. Skepta was the king of this grime-mania, winning the illustrious Mercury Prize for his album Konchiwa. "It Ain't Safe" is my favourite from the album, with its simple grimy bassline, typically boisterous lyrics, and catchy chorus.



10. "Hello Clouds" - Justin Martin feat FEMME - Hello Clouds

For the last decade, Justin Martin has been on the cutting edge of house music, taking the four-on-the-floor groove to new levels. Hello Clouds is no different. Full of rich vocals, unique sounds and great grooves, Hello Clouds is one of the year's best albums regardless of genre. The title track is a perfect window into everything you can expect and more from this musical genius.



9. "Can't Stop Fighting" - SHEER MAG -III

That riff. That howl. C'mon.




8. "Dead Weight" - White Lung - Paradise

A ridiculously intense punk song with a shredding guitar and great lyrics. What more can you ask for?



7. "Can't Complain" - Justin Jay feat Josh Taylor and Benny Bridges - Fantastic Voyage

Following in Justin Martin's footsteps, Justin Jay is reimagining house music by going back to real instruments. A guitar solo in a house song? Real lyrics? Get those hips shaking.



6. "Come Down" - Anderson .Paak - Malibu

I was late to the Anderson .Paak bandwagon. His NPR Tiny Desk concert was a darn good introduction. He starts the session with "Come Down," one of the songs of the summer.



5.  "Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales" - Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

As the climax of an incredible album, "Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales" is an epic. It's a blast of nostalgia that sends shivers up your spine.



4. "Butterfly" - Twin Peaks - Down in Heaven

A fun moshy song with a catchy chorus. Great live song.



3. "Fool" - Frankie Cosmos - Next Thing

A brilliant little jingle with an emotionally charged heart.



2.  "Familiar Patterns" - PUP - The Dream is Over

It's hard to pick a bad song off this record. "Familiar Patterns" stands out with its high energy chorus and heavy breakdown at the end. You'll also hear classic PUP riffage and Stefan's charismatic yelp.



1. "No Matter Where We Go" - Whitney - Light Upon the Lake

Number 1. Whitney also emerged from power pop band Smith Westerns, and recorded one of the albums of the year. Their sound takes elements of power pop and jangle rock to create unique tunes and catchy choruses. "No Matter Where We Go" was the song of the summer; a carefree driving love song complete with clean guitar riffs and Julien Ehrlich's falsetto vocals. I just can't get enough!

 

Top 15 Songs of 2015

Another year, another list. I’ve paired it down to a nice manageable 15 songs to tickle your ears this holiday season!

15. Fast Romantics – “Julia”

Coming off their great 2013 album Afterlife Blues, Fast Romantics hit it big this spring and summer with this memorable indie rock track. Great guitar lines, a catchy chorus and rhythmic tambourines just make you want to throw back your head and sing along.

14. Bad Sounds – “I Feel”

It’s the fat fuzzy bassline that keeps me coming back to this track. Cool falsettos and funk style guitar licks just add to the beauty of that bassline.

13. Telekinesis – “Sylvia”

Electro-pop blast from Telekinesis’s 2015 album Ad Infinitum. I love the very simple piano chords that come after the chorus, a cool analog juxtaposition to all the digital synths and big electronic drums.

 

12. Drake – Back to Back (Meek Mill Diss)

Drake had another big year, and this time I couldn’t just ignore it, especially given his hilarious “Hotline Bling” dance moves. In mid-summer, when terrible rapper Meek Mill accused Drake of using a ghost writer over twitter, Drake fired back in true old school hip hop style with a pair of diss tracks. The first track was alright, and definitely surprised people, but “Back to Back” REALLY shocked the hip hop world; Drake was spitting bars. Using a super simple trap beat, Drake almost drunkenly slaps Meek Mill with diss after diss. It’s gold. Almost as gold as those Hotline Bling moves!

11. Tough Age – “50 Girls 50”

Great surf/punk rock track from a Vancouver favourite of mine. The song really kicks into another gear when the OOOOOOHHHHHS come out of nowhere. Talk about catchy.

10. White Reaper – “Make Me Wanna Die”

I rate this song almost exactly same as the Tough Age song. Excellent driving punk rock with classic White Reaper keyboards that add special melodic flavour.

9. Kendrick Lamar – “Black Friday”

Kendrick’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly is contemporary, aware, insightful, anthemic, and powerful. It says many of the things that need be said about systemic oppression, racism, and white privilege in the midst of Trump’s heinous campaign, Black Lives Matter protests, and more. However, as a body of music, Kendrick’s album is challenging. Unlike his melodic, trap-beat filled previous album Good Kid, Maad City, TPAB is choppy, varied, and wild. Instead of picking a track from the album, I have picked “Black Friday,” a single released on that day of overconsumption in November. Here Kendrick raps over another jerky, tricky beat from J Cole. Kendrick hits on all the themes from the album with viscous intensity: race, consumerism, poverty, the rap game, genres, Trump, privilege, and even Yeezy himself. It’s a brilliant song and comes off as completely effortless, a sign of a rapper on top of his game right now.

8. Viet Cong – “Continental Shelf”

This band was on my radar forever, but I didn’t really give them a real listen until the whole name controversy came up this fall. The band has since announced they will change the name. “Continental Shelf” is a post-punk song grounded in simple tension and release. The verses are grating, noisey, and irritating, with lead singer Matt Flegel crooning, yelping, and straining. Just as you think you can’t handle any more, the chorus floats in on a whim, complete with harmonious and triumphant guitar riffs and angelic backing vocals. This juxtaposition between verse and chorus is fascinating and keeps me coming back to this track again and again.

7. Death Cab for Cutie – “Little Wanderer”

A subtle guitar riff drives this longing love song from Ben Gibbard and the Death Cab boys. It tells the story of a relationship strained by frequent separation, and is probably-almost-for-sure-absolutely based in Gibbard’s divorce from indie sweetheart Zooey Deschanel in 2012. Gibbard’s longing lyrics are the centre-piece of the song, with a perfectly crafted catchy pop chorus straining everyone’s heart strings just a little bit.

6. Mumford and Sons – “The Wolf”

Will picking Mumford?!?! I know, crazy. But how could I not pick this song! What an amazing driving, energetic track. Awesome riffage, awesome drumming, awesome vocals. It’s that kind of song you crank when it comes on the radio and drum madly on the steering wheel...or maybe that’s just me. The 2015 Mumford-genre switch, from predictable banjo folk to heart pounding top 40 rock caught many by surprise, and has been lamented worldwide. I say heck ya! Bring me more of this and I’ll be a happy camper. Excuse me while I air drum!

5. Tame Impala – “Let It Happen”

Okay okay OKAY. This track. Honestly, an eight-minute track is VERY daunting for me. But as the song titles suggests, you just have to “let it happen.” It’s all about the build in this song. The song begins with intriguing synth layers, a bouncy and clappy drum beat, and a noodle-y little bass line that reverberates throughout the track. Soon this part of the track melts into a full orchestra of strings, which build into the grand climax of the song: the best riff of 2015. The riff is crunchy, listenable, catchy, UGH so good. Great song if you “let it happen,” no skipping to the guitar riff (it's at 6:15 btw) !!

4. Mac Demarco – “No Other Heart”

There’s something about Mac’s music that makes it very relatable. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to pick up the nearest instrument, be it a guitar, keyboard, drumset, or Peruvian pan flute, and write a little love ditty to your sweetheart. Mac does exactly that on this track, layering jangling guitar licks on top of simple piano chords and lovey-dovey lyrics like “come on give this lover boy a try/I’ll put the sparkle right back in your eyes.” It’s cute.

3. Lord Huron – “Fool for Love”

Best song from an album that all sounds the same. Love the carefree lyrics and fun bah-bahs in the background of the lyrics. A groovy drum beat with a clappy snare adds to the carefree vibes of this song. A fun one.

2. FIDLAR – “Stupid Decision”

I’ve liked California band FIDLAR since their 2013 debut album, but with 2015’s album, Too, FIDLAR really grabbed my interest. While the debut album was mostly skate punk tunes about partying, drinking, and raising hell, Too is mature and contemplative, yet retains enough fun punk vibes. “Stupid Decision” is a perfect example of this. It’s an extremely heavy song about Zac Carper’s lifelong struggle with drugs and alcohol. In 2013, while on tour with fellow punk rock band Wavves, Carper’s pregnant girlfriend overdosed and died from heroine use. Carper, a serious drug addict himself, was hit hard by the news, and spiralled even further into addiction and depression. Since then, Carper has recovered and sobered up; “Stupid Decision” tells his story. It isn’t very often when punk is so personal, so Too breathes a serious fresh breath of air into the genre. Some critics have attacked FIDLAR for softening up, but I couldn’t disagree more. While no longer a thrashy punk band, Fidlar more than makes up for that with melody and better songwriting. The lyrics, playing, and album crafting is top notch, and will be an album I look back on well into the future.

Song at 30:18

1. Courtney Barnett – “Depreston”

Courtney Barnett writes songs like a photographer. In “Depreston,” she takes us into a photograph of a “Californian bungalow in a cul-de-sac” in suburban Australia. With her deadpan sarcastic tone, Barnett conveys the overwhelming sense of grey emptiness of suburban life. Her writing, combining with a simple guitar part, immediately instills a nostalgic feeling deep in your gut. At its heart, “Depreston” is a coming of age song; it’s about the sudden, depressing realization that “real” adulthood means giving up a life of socializing in coffee shops for a glum existence in the suburbs. Yet the song is redemptive; if you have “a spare half a million/you could knock it down and start rebuilding.” While Arcade Fire advocates for “Suburban War,” Barnett’s message is much simpler: get rich or die trying.