Side One Track One

2012 was a good year for film.  I ended up seeing 126 releases, and I have to admit that the majority of them were far from terrible.  This, of course, made crafting a Top 10 fairly difficult, but I gave it my best shot.  Just a heads up, below the main section of this article you’ll find some mini-lists.  Read on!

10) The Avengers

I feel like some people are afraid to put this movie on their year-end list.  It’s like the 1.5 billion dollars it made worldwide is now suddenly shameful.  I, however, still think of The Avengers as an amazing achievement.  The movie is an outright great time, and I have a feeling that it will be influencing comic book adaptations for years to come.  Way to be, Joss Whedon.

09) Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Much has been made of this little effort that plays big, and the hype is certainly warranted.  Quvenzhane Wallis, who is now the youngest person to ever be nominated for an Academy Award, is so good that you walk away from the movie wishing you could spend more time with her.

08) Life Of Pi

If I didn’t already think that Ang Lee was a talented director, his work on Life Of Pi would have quickly remedied that particular train of thought.  He really did craft a beautiful, inspiring film out a book that seemed nearly impossible to adapt.  I can’t wait to own it.

07) Silver Linings Playbook

David O. Russell should win an award just for landing Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook.  The manic chemistry between their characters made for one of the more fascinating things I saw in a theater in 2012.

06) Lincoln

I was not at all interested in seeing Lincoln.  I thought the trailers were boring, and despite my fondness for Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis, I just couldn’t get excited about the film.  And then, I saw it, and what I found was that it’s actually a superbly crafted effort.  To be honest, I’m still buzzing about it.

05) Argo

The best decision Ben Affleck ever made was to start directing films.  The guy is so very good at it, and with Argo, which is certainly his best effort to date, I think it’s time to consider him to be one of the best directors working.  This movie had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

04) Seven Psychopaths

I love In Bruges so much that I went into Martin McDonagh’s follow-up with expectations so high that I was sure I’d be disappointed.  But I wasn’t.  Seven Psychopaths is so very clever and hilarious, and I’m anxious to have it in my library for viewing whenever i please.  Side note, if Colin Farrell would exclusively work with McDonagh, the world would be a better place.

03) Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino is the most entertaining bastard on the face of this planet, and Django Unchained is proof of that.  The damn thing is just insanely fun.  When I wasn’t laughing, I was cheering, and when I was doing either of those things, it meant the credits were on and I wanted the movie to immediately start over.

02) Cabin In The Woods

Some would say that The Avengers is the nerd film of the year, but I think it’s actually Cabin In The Woods.  There are so many clever references to catch, and then there’s the fact that it’s filled with a slew of moments so gloriously geeky that you can’t help but loudly celebrate throughout the entire movie.

01) Zero Dark Thirty

I was blown away by Kathryn Bigelow’s follow up to The Hurt Locker.  The movie is just a mammoth effort that’s so very heavy and intense, but yet there isn’t a single moment where you want to bow out.  Like the driven CIA operative that Jessica Chastain plays, you feel determined (and maybe even obligated) to see how the hunt for Osama bin Laden ends.  And speaking of the end.  The way Zero Dark Thirty comes to a close will stick with me until the day I’m gone.  Just an all around brilliant film.

—

5 Honorable Mentions
Skyfall
Bernie
Looper
Holy Motors
The Grey

5 Solid Films That Were Almost Spectacular
The Dark Knight Rises
Prometheus
Cloud Atlas
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hunger Games

5 Smaller Films You Need To Seek Out
Sleepwalk With Me
The Sessions
Goon
Fat Kid Rules The World
Safety Not Guaranteed

5 Worst Films Of 2012
Not Fade Away
Snow White And The Huntsman
The Comedy
Wrong
Battleship

Unfairly Shit On Movie Of 2012
John Carter

Biggest Surprise Of 2012
21 Jump Street

And then it was the end.  You guys now have my Top 50 Songs of 2012 and my Top 25 Albums of 2012.  Hooray for sharing!  Anyhow, I’m off to take a break.  The rest of the SOTO staff will be posting their 2012 favorites next week, so if you’re not listed out, come on back by.

For good measure in regards to my album list, I easily could have spewed out 50 releases, but I realized that half of those would have been albums that I only listen to when I’m in a particular mood.  In other words, they’re not immediately accessible, and that to me knocks them down a notch.  So, if you’re looking for 25 releases that you can immediately dive into and love, this is the place to be.  Enjoy.

05) The Sword – Apocryphon

I thought the Sword’s last release, Warp Riders, was pretty fantastic, but Apocryphon is worlds better.  The album isn’t even what I’d consider metal, it’s just high quality rock n’ roll, and we all need that in our lives.

:The Sword – Eyes Of The Stormwitch:

04) Terry Malts – Killing Time

Slumberland put out a lot of nice albums this year, but the one that I felt stood above the rest was Terry Malts’ Killing Time.  It’s awesomely overloaded with fuzzed-out, two minute-ish punk jams that make you want to get up and go.

:Terry Malts – I Do:

03) Purity Ring – Shrines

I had very high expectations for Shrines, and Purity Ring actually managed to meet them.  Even after what seems to be a million listens, this album still sounds fresh and futuristic to me.   Wear headphones, friends.

:Purity Ring – Belispeak:

02) Japandroids – Celebration Rock

If you can listen to Celebration Rock and not immediately want to set out on a drunken, caution-free adventure with whoever happens to be around you at that moment, then you’re dead.  No one inspires like this duo does.

:Japandroids – The Night Of Wine And Roses:

01) Lace Curtains – The Garden Of Joy And The Well Of Loneliness

Well, this is it.  We have arrived at my favorite album of 2012, and it comes via a side project of Michael Coomer (from Austin’s Harlem).  The Garden Of Joy And The Well Of Loneliness is full of fantastic songwriting, and I’ve spent a lot of time just lost in each of its 10 tracks.  If only all pop music was this memorable.

:Lace Curtains – High Fantasy:

PS – I had a few other albums floating around in my head, so I made some mini-lists for fun.

5 Albums That Would Have Made The List Had I Done A Top 30
Dan Deacon – America
Reptar – Body Faucet
Titus Andronicus – Local Business
Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse
Frankie Rose – Interstellar

5 Great Albums That Require Patience
Mono – For My Parents
Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
Beach House – Bloom
Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Isn’t
The Walkmen – Heaven

5 Great Austin Releases That Didn’t Make The Top 25
Dana Falconberry – Leelanau
The Calm Blue Sea – Arrivals And Depatures
Heartless Bastards – Arrow
Shearwater – Animal Joy
Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Untogether

Top 5 EPs
Icona Pop – Iconic
MS MR – Candy Bar Creep Show
Dum Dum Girls – End Of Daze
Rubblebucket – Oversaturated
FIDLAR – Don’t Try

Well, here’s the fourth part of Top 25 Albums of 2012.  We’re so close to the top!  By this time tomorrow you’ll know all the songs and albums that I loved in 2012.  Whew!  I’m ready for a break.

As I’ve said, I easily could have listed 50 releases, but I realized that half of those would have been albums that I only listen to when I’m in a particular mood.  In other words, they’re not immediately accessible, and that to me knocks them down a notch.  So, if you’re looking for 25 releases that you can immediately dive into and love, this is the place to be.  Enjoy.

10) Tame Impala – Lonerism

Of the 25 albums that made my year-end list, it was Lonerism that took me the longest to love.  For the first slew of play-throughs I just couldn’t stop comparing it to the stellar Innerspeaker (2010), but now I’ve come to see (and greatly appreciate) that it’s just a more challenging listen.

:Tame Impala – Apocalypse Dreams:

09) Cat Power – Sun

I really want to high five Cat Power for Sun.  It feels like a well crafted combination of the various sounds she’s had over the last 17 years, and I greatly dig it.  It’ll be interesting to see if she holds onto this approach or just moves on to something entirely different.

:Cat Power – Ruin:

08) POS – We Don’t Even Live Here

We Don’t Even Live Here is a nifty album.  There are more than enough politically-charged messages that can be found throughout its 11 tracks, but the LP is also a big, fun listen.  Thank whoever that POS is smart enough to know that trying to say something important doesn’t need to be an obnoxious endeavor.

:POS – Bumper:

07) Lee Fields And The Expressions – Faithful Man

Every year there’s a soul-oriented effort that I want to champion forever, and this time around it came from Lee Fields And The Expressions.  These guys are a wild bunch, and I loved frequently revisiting Faithful Man in 2012.

:Lee Fields And The Expressions – I Still Got It:

06) Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel

I don’t know how she does it, but Fiona Apple is able to live up to super high expectations every single time she puts out an album.  Maybe such a winning streak and the amount of pressure that comes with it is why she always seems to be on the fritz.  Feel free to take a break now, Fiona.

:Fiona Apple – Werewolf:

Because at least two of you asked for it, here’s the third part of my Top 25 Albums of 2012.  As I’ve said, I easily could have listed 50 releases, but I realized that half of those would have been albums that I only listen to when I’m in a particular mood.  In other words, they’re not immediately accessible, and that to me knocks them down a notch.  So, if you’re looking for 25 releases that you can immediately dive into and love, this is the place to be.  Enjoy.

15) Tennis – Young & Old

I didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did.  There are so many great songs on it, and I think that (for me, anyway) it establishes Tennis as one of the best pop acts currently working.

:Tennis – Petition:

14) The White Wires – WWIII

Even if I had wanted to, there was no escaping the garage rock glory of WWIII.  It’s loaded with so many hooks that the White Wires could cut a bunch out, and they’d still be providing an album that’s catchier than any of us deserve.

:The White Wires – Let’s Start Over Again:

13) Twin Shadow – Confess

To be honest, I figured I’d listen to Confess and just repeatedly skip to Five Seconds while ignoring the rest of the songs on the album.  But that didn’t happen.  In fact, the “skip” button never even came into play.

:Twin Shadow – Golden Light:

12) The Eastern Sea – Plague

Austin’s the Eastern Sea have been slowly assembling all the right pieces for years, and Plague is them (finally) putting everything together.  I can’t wait to see where they go from here.

:The Eastern Sea – A Lie:

11) Jack White – Blunderbuss

While Blunderbuss may sound exactly how you’d expect a Jack White solo album to sound, it’s still a pretty great effort.  If we’re lucky, we’ll get a follow-up sooner rather than later.

:Jack White – Missing Pieces:

And just like that, we’ve arrived at the second part of my Top 25 Albums of 2012.  As I’ve said, I easily could have listed 50 releases, but I realized that half of those would have been albums that I only listen to when I’m in a particular mood.  In other words, they’re not immediately accessible, and that to me knocks them down a notch.  So, if you’re looking for 25 releases that you can immediately dive into and love, this is the place to be.  Enjoy.

20) Why? – Mumps, etc

There are few things better than listening to Yoni Wolf as he unloads a lyrical collage of images right onto your brain.  Oh, you don’t want to pay attention?  That’s OK.  There’s also plenty to sing-a-long with.

:Why? – White English:

19) Thee Oh Sees – Putrifiers II

Whenever I hear anything off this album, I immediately want to be in a sweaty club somewhere watching Thee Oh Sees play.  Putrifiers II is a fantastically fuzzed-out blast.

:Thee Oh Sees – Flood’s New Light:

18) Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet On Sky

I love that Dinosaur Jr. are still cranking out quality albums.  Those guys definitely have the right to just sit on a couch somewhere, and yet they’re out and about rocking harder than most of us ever will.

:Dinosaur Jr. – Pierce The Morning Rain:

17) Yellow Ostrich – Strange Land

Strange Land didn’t hit me like last year’s The Mistress did, but it does feature a nice step forward sound-wise for the band, and there are some really fantastic tracks on it.

:Yellow Ostrich – The Shakedown:

16) The Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan

I’m not sure the Dirty Projectors will ever really be easily accessible, but I do think that Swing Lo Magellan is them actually giving it a shot.  The album is loud, oddly hooky, and just so very interesting to listen to.

:The Dirty Projectors – Offspring Are Blank:

Now that I’ve run down my 50 favorite songs of the year, it’s time to move onto my Top 25 Albums of 2012.  I easily could have listed 50 here, too, but I realized that half of those would have been albums that I only listen to when I’m in a particular mood.  In other words, they’re not immediately accessible, and that to me knocks them down a notch.  So, if you’re looking for 25 releases that you can immediately dive into and love, this is the place to be.  Enjoy.

25) Tim Fite – Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t

Tim Fite is a man with a million neat things floating around in his head, and I love listening to him try to bring some of those ideas into the real world.  You’ll dig Ain’t Ain’t Ain’t if you like your albums to be full of songs that each have their own sound.

:Tim Fite – Joyriding:

24) Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls

I really thought this much-hyped album was going to have a couple of great singles, and then a lot of filler.  Nope.  It’s an effortlessly inspired modern soul/southern rock effort that’s a great listen from start to finish.  Alabama Shakes are the real deal.

:Alabama Shakes – I Found You:

23) Pujol – United States Of Being

I don’t know how many times this year that I sang along with this effort from Pujol.  It’s a raucous album that’s also surprisingly smart, so while you’ve got the volume cranked, be sure to pay some attention to the lyrics.

:Pujol – Providence:

22) Santigold – Master Of My Make Believe

What a fun album this turned out to be.  I’ll admit that the eternity it took Santigold to put together a sophomore effort had me doubting that it would be a good release, but she pulled it off.  Kudos to her.

:Santigold – Disparate Youth:

21) Chairlift – Something

Just when you think a band is about to only be remembered for an iPod commercial, they come out with an album that features a sizeable jump in quality.  Something has made Chairlift into an act that I will now always pay attention to.

:Chairlift – Sidewalk Safari:

It’s Friday, which means we have arrived at the end of my Top 50 Songs Of 2012 list!  I hope you’ve had a good time perusing the previous 40.  In case you somehow missed this little bit of info, I chose the songs from the 400+ tracks that I shared around here throughout the last 11 months.  Enjoy.

10)  :Icona Pop – I Love It:  Much of my 2012 was spent looking to this electropop number for a burst of fun.  I just kind of adore how obnoxious it is.  From the Nights Like This EP.

09)  :Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built:  I think it’s safe to say that with this song, Japandroids are now officially the band everyone looks to when they’re in need of an anthem.  From Celebration Rock.

08)  :David Byrne And St. Vincent – Who:  This track is focused pop madness, and to be honest, that’s exactly what I was hoping the David Byrne/St. Vincent collaboration would unleash onto the world.  From Love This Giant.

07)  :Ellie Goulding – High For This (The Weeknd Cover):  Every year there’s a cover that I can’t get enough of, and in 2012 it was Ellie’s sensual take on this Weeknd track.  I highly recommend headphones.  And booze.

06)  :TV Girl – I Wonder Who She’s Kissing Now:  There’s going to come a year where I don’t get an incredibly catchy and charming retro pop track from TV Girl, and then I’ll immediately become cranky and constantly reference the “good old days.”  From The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle.

05)  :Tame Impala – Elephant:  Of the 50 songs on this list, this is my favorite to try and ruin my speakers with.  It’s actually flaunting some attitude, which is something I didn’t think Tame Impala had in them.  From Lonerism.

04)  :MS MR – Hurricane:  2012 featured a ton of good music that was 90s-enthused, so you know it means something when I say that I found this MS MR song to be the best of the bunch.  From the Candy Bar Creep Show EP.

03)  :Dum Dum Girls – Lord Knows:  This band is so very good, and it’s all because Dee Dee continues to be one of the best songwriters around.  Just listen to the lyrics in this incredible song for proof.  From the End Of Daze EP.

02)  :Twin Shadow – Five Seconds:  I wanted to not use the word “infectious” anywhere in this list, but that’s just exactly what this 80s throwback is.  Good luck trying to ever escape its grasp.  From Confess.

01)  :Purity Ring – Fineshrine:  When I sat down to map out this year’s 50 songs, I already knew what would be in this spot.  That’s actually never happened before, and I give all the credit to Purity Ring, who created a song that’s as fantastic as can be on all fronts.  I will love this track forever.  From Shrines.

PS – You can check out the entire list on one page here, or the majority of the songs here on Spotify.

At least if the world ends in a few weeks, you’ll have some good music to go out to.  That’s sort of comforting, yeah?  Anyhow, below you’ll find the fourth part of my Top 50 Songs Of 2012.  In case you’re curious, I chose the songs from the 400+ tracks that I shared around here throughout the last 11 months.  Enjoy.

20)  :MIA – Bad Girls:  This single was supposed to be from a new album, but that has yet to materialize.  Oh well.  For now it simply serves as a nice reminder of how great MIA is when she’s having fun and not taking herself too seriously.

19)  :Action Bronson – A Simple Man:  I had a long list of Action Bronson songs to choose from for this spot, but I went with this one-off single because it’s what originally made me want to champion the guy.  It’s just stellar stuff.

18)  :Sky Ferreira – Everything Is Embarrassing:  I don’t know how many times I listened to this in 2012.  I just couldn’t seem to get it out of the part of my soul that wants to dance in a dark corner somewhere.  From the Ghost EP.

17)  :The Eastern Sea – Wasn’t For Love:  With this song, The Eastern Sea went from just being an Austin favorite of mine to being something much bigger and better.  Glad I hopped on the bandwagon early.  From Plague.

16)  :Dan Friel – Valedictorian:  For those that don’t know, Dan is the former frontman of Parts & Labor.  This song sees him being as noisy and wild as can be, and I’m not sure I’ll ever tire of it.  From Total Folklore (due in 2013).

15)  :Chvrches – The Mother We Share:  I’ve yet to come across anything else from this band, and that’s OK because I’m far from being done with this Purity Ring meets Cults combo of a single.

14)  :Yeasayer – Longevity:  My love for Yeasayer has always been in regards to their live show, so I was a little surprised to find myself so attached to one of their studio tracks.  I greatly dig the off-balance mix here.  From Fragrant World.

13)  :Fiona Apple – Every Single Night:  You have to appreciate that Fiona keeps coming up with ways to stay interesting.  This pop effort pulls no punches.  From The Idler Wheel.

12)  :POS – Fuck Your Stuff:  This is exactly what I always expect POS to deliver – it’s aggressive, playful, and smart.  From We Don’t Even Live Here.

11)  :San Cisco – Awkward:  I love this indie pop tune, but I do have to admit that I’m not so sure a song about stalking should be this enjoyable.  From the Awkward EP.

On the off-chance that you weren’t paying attention throughout any part of 2012, then know that I have you covered.  Below you’ll find the third part of my Top 50 Songs Of 2012.  In case you’re curious, I chose the songs from the 400+ tracks that I shared around here throughout the last 11 months.  Enjoy.

30)  :Lace Curtains – Bedroom Honesty:  For a song that sounds so wonderfully casual and inviting, it’s brutally upfront about quite a few things.  I love it.  From The Garden Of Joy And The Well Of Loneliness.

29)  :Three Mile Pilot – Long Way Up:  It doesn’t seem plausible for a band to take a decade-long break and then come back as good as ever, but 3MP are currently in the middle of doing just that.  For proof, give this indie rock effort a listen.  From the Maps EP.

28)  :Ceremony – Hysteria:  There isn’t anything about this punch to the soul that doesn’t make me want to set something on fire, and I appreciate that greatly.  From Zoo.

27)  :FIDLAR – Got No Money:  These guys have so many rad songs that make me want to thrash around, and yet it was this catchy little pop number that I couldn’t escape all year.  Variety is good, friends.  From the Don’t Try EP.

26)  :Yellow Ostrich – Marathon Runner:  Vocal loops, a good chorus, and just the right amount of rock – that’s the Yellow Ostrich formula, and in songs like this one, it works very well.  From Strange Land.

25)  :Rubblebucket – Oooh Wa:  This band’s name makes them sound like some sort of wild punk outfit, but as you’ll see in this shimmering track, they’re actually a really good indie pop act.  From the Oversaturated EP.

24)  :Felix – Oh Thee 73:  Listening to this duo snark their way through this intricate number has been one of my favorite parts of 2012.  From Oh Holy Motar.

23)  :How To Dress Well – & It Was U:  90s R&B isn’t something I can claim as my thing, but if it’s coming from How To Dress Well?  Well, then that is entirely me.  I wish I had a good dance move for whenever this comes on.  From Total Loss.

22)  :Reptar – Sebastian:  Reptar are a bizarre ray of sunshine for me.  The vocals live out in left field, but the music is gloriously upbeat.  I’ve been singing this one all year.  From Body Faucet.

21)  :Dan Deacon – Lots:  My favorite thing about Dan Deacon is that even if you can’t figure out what the hell he’s trying to do, he has songs like this one that you get into simply because they’re so kinetic.  If I ran, I’d totally run to this.  From America.

You know who loves a good list?  Every single one of you.  Now get on with checking out the second part of my Top 50 Songs Of 2012.  In case you’re curious, I chose the songs from the 400+ tracks that I shared around here throughout the last 11 months.  Enjoy.

40)  :Passion Pit – I’ll Be Alright:  I’m still not sure what Passion Pit were aiming for on their sophomore effort, but I dig this track a lot.  I think it shows how adventurous their sound can be.  From Gossamer.

39)  :Why? – Sod In The Seed:  Just when I thought that Yoni Wolf was done with his collage-like rambles, he provided nearly five minutes of lyric-heavy joy via this song.  That guy has a wonderful brain.  From the Sod In The Seed EP.

38)  :Beach House – Myth:  I don’t know how many times I’ve listened to this song just to listen to it.  Not much else in 2012 was as well crafted as this.  From Bloom.

37)  :Dana Falconberry – Lake Charlevoix:  I’ve long supported Austin’s Dana Falconberry, but this song put her on a different level for me.  Folk music is often not overly accessible, but it is when she does it.  From Leelanau.

36)  :Alabama Shakes – Hold On:  The year began with nothing but buzz for this band, and somehow it all actually ended up being warranted.  Way to go, taste-makers.  This song is an outright jam.  From Boys & Girls.

35)  :Dirty Projectors – Gun Has No Trigger:  I love that the Dirty Projectors just do whatever they please.  How many other bands could release such a challenging single and actually have it go well for them?  From Swing Lo Magellan.

34)  :Bobby Womack – Please Forgive Me Heart:  Bobby’s soulful voice thrown over a modern electronic arrangement?  Such a thing seems like it should be all wrong, but then there’s this gem screaming otherwise.  From The Bravest Man In The Universe.

33)  :Jack White – Love Interruption:  It was nice of Jack to finally go solo, and it was even nicer of him to make his first single such a quality piece of modern rock.  From Blunderbuss.

32)  :Social Studies – Terracur:  Social Studies was always one of those acts that I knew about and liked, but didn’t love.  This inspired tune changed that.  Forever.  From Developer.

31)  :The Tallest Man On Earth – 1904:  Kristian Matsson is a fantastic songwriter, and this inviting number is just further proof of that.  It’s only a matter of time before I just hang out with him all the time on a mountain.  From There’s No Leaving Now.

The end of 2012 is drawing close, and that means it’s time to start making “best of” lists.  Below you’ll find the first part of my Top 50 Songs Of 2012.  In case you’re curious, I chose the songs from the 400+ tracks that I shared around here throughout the last 11 months.  Enjoy.

50)  :White Wires – All Night Long:  Every time I hear this pop punk gem I have to listen to the rest of their album, which is full of songs that are just as catchy.  From WWIII.

49)  :The Corin Tucker Band – Groundhog Day:  You could try to find a better voice than Corin’s, but you’d just fail miserably.  The girl can wail like no other, and I’m happy she’s been staying busy post-Sleater Kinney.  From Kill My Blues.

48)  :Bryan Scary – Ziegfield Station:  This band has long been a wonder when it comes to one-off singles that I can’t get out my head, and they kept that streak rolling in 2012 with this retro-rock track.  From Daffy’s Elixir.

47)  :Dirty Ghosts – Ropes That Way:  There was a span of about two months where I couldn’t escape this song from Dirty Ghosts.  It has such a high level of energy that it just sucks up all your attention.  From Metal Moon.

46)  :Desaparecidos – MariKKKopa:  I love that this band was able to come roaring back.  Who would have thought that Conor Oberst still had some ferocity in him?  From the MariKKKopa/Backsell 7″.

45)  :Yuck – Chew:  I may not have gotten a new album from the awesome Yuck in 2012, but I did get this fantastic one-off single.  Toss on headphones to catch all of the rather nice guitar work.

44)  :Deep Time – Clouds:  This Austin-based act (formerly known as Yellow Fever) really caught my attention with this quirky pop tune.  Not sure they’ve ever done anything catchier.  From Deep Time.

43)  :Black Bananas – Rad Times:  There’s far too much going on in this track, but I dig it anyway since it’s one of those efforts that’s just endlessly entertaining.  From Rad Times Express IV.

42)  :Maps And Atlases – Fever:  This song always manages to slap a smile on my face.  I love how upbeat and fresh it sounds.  From Beware And Be Grateful.

41)  :Miike Snow – Paddling Out:  I’ve never been much of a Miike Snow fan, but I’ve been overly attached to this track since sharing it back in January.  Watch out, as it’ll instantly make you want to dance.  From Happy To You.