I acknowledge the following concerning this list – (a) it is subject to change as I discover other music released this year, (b) it’s only November, and (c) Iman Lababedi listens to more music during one day than I do in six months.
11. “Stay Useless,” Cloud Nothings. I’m usually not attracted to apathetic punk rock anthems. Or maybe I am. Or it might not matter. Whatever, dude.
10. “Charmer,” Aimee Mann. Aimee’s melding together juicy guitar chords and catchy synth riffs on this one like a distaff Ric Ocasek. (Yeesh, that’s a scary thought).
9. “Born to Sing,” Van Morrison. Another one of those moments, or four minutes and thirty nine seconds, where Van executes his beautiful vision with seemingly effortless expertise.
8. “Run Til Its Dark,” Public Enemy. This apostrophe missing pipe bomb gets most of its power by reminding us of “Bring the Noise.” A reminder that is always welcome.
7. “Sixteen Saltines,” Jack White. White starches up the riff/timing from “Little Bit O’ Soul” and dishes out a tasty serving of his ample rock ‘n’ roll attitude.
6. “Livin’ On the Inside,” Iris DeMent. If you are making an agoraphobia mix tape, lead off with “I’m in Love With My Walls” by Lester Bangs and then slot this track second. Afterwards, immediately seek professional assistance.
5. “The Descent,” Bob Mould. Mould’s kicking out the jams like it’s still an umlaut filled 1985 on this track. Also, check out “Round the City Square” from his Silver Age album.
4. “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free),” Lupe Fiasco. You can complain that this song wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Pete Rock and C. L. Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)” and that the lyrics are a series of taglines. However, it’s got a fantastic hook and stating that, “Stable is when the Ba'ath had Baghdad/But corporate jets really had to have that gas bad/War and they hope they all fall from the ratatat/Cause that's just more dinosaur for the Cadillac,” says more about American foreign policy that most of us want to acknowledge.
2. “In C,” Loudon Wainwright. Loudon wraps up the last 20 years of his career with this by turns moving, humorous, and unblinking look at his two generation cycle of broken families, while still ending with more hope than sorrow.
1. “New Year’s Eve at the Gates of Hell,” Ray Wylie Hubbard. Hubbard is making the best music career after four decades of recording. The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.