Yes, it’s that time of year…
As with most “best of lists”, the exclusions often become more interesting than the inclusions. Creating a comprehensive, definitive list of the best of anything is a fool’s errand. So I won’t try to sell anyone on this being even remotely exhaustive. This is simply a selection of songs I enjoyed this year.
That’s my preemptive defense to the ”you missed X, therefore your list sucks” type of comment. Not that I expect to receive any comments, but I like to be prepared.
With that out of the way, I am going to stretch this list out over several posts so I can give each song it’s proper focus. So without any further blathering, here are my favorite songs from this rapidly ending year.
I Break Horses – “Hearts” (Link goes to Spotify)
In baseball, the term wheelhouse is used to define a batter’s “sweet spot” for producing results. In music, I use it to describe bands like I Break Horses. This Swedish duo’s lush, layered sound evokes one of my favorite sub-genres: classic period Shoegaze. The focus is blurred, the music drones, the vocals drift in from a distance and rise to melancholic heights. I was smitten at the intro.