1. You Make Loving Fun – Christine McVie -Buckingham may be the brains, but McVie was the soul. Her work on those great Mac albums was breathtaking, better than Stevie. This is unspeakably wonderful and moving, McVie soars in front of the harmonies on the chorusses and then there is this incredible Buckingham solo: pure melody and precision.
2. Racehorse – Wild Flag – Inspired recasting of Patti Smith's equine masterpiece.
3. Self Taught Learner – Lissie Trullie – She really has a great name, doesn't she? It is between a James Bond and a Disney movie name. This song was a highlight of her live show.
4. We Are Not Helpless – Stephen Stills – Yeah, this is sure the guy who wrote "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes". The last song on his first album is powerful and beautiful big time rock, with strings and a back up singers pushing him on. Then it takes off with some boggie woogie at the end, then it goes Gospels.
5. Abducted (Live At Spin House) – Cults – Oh, now I get it. They are better in person than on record.
6. The Brown Bomber – Moreland and Arbuckle – If this sucked it would still rock due to one of the greatest harps I've heard this year. And this Southern cruncher doesn't suck.
7. All This Way For Nothing – Tommy Stinson – Very rock, very melodic, a lotta energy. Very replacementsy -more than the other songs on the album.
8. I Do – Colbie Cailet – Song of the year, plus? I'm going to see her on the 26th.
9. Better Days – Graham Nash – OK, I dfess up: I'm reading David Browne's "Fire And Rain".
10. I Gotta Know – Elvis Presley – grittier, dirtier, tougher than Cliff's but I prefer Cliffs.