Spacek’s Favorite Songs of 2009
The songs that rocked my ears over the course of the past year, in alphabetical order. I rank none of these any higher than any others. That’s mainly because depending on the day, mood, weather, and other assorted circumstances, I might want to hear one more than the other.
Released via the Art of the Underground singles series, as well as on Kerns’ 9-song demo, this is textbook college rock. It’s the sort of song you either open or close a show with, because it’s a ridiculous sing-along.
MP3: Avett Brothers – “I and Love and You”
The opening track to the album of the same name. Sweetly lovely and the sort of pop song that could’ve easily been an FM radio hit in the ’70s. The way it builds to the end slays me.
MP3: Bomb the Music Industry! – “(Shut) Up the Punx!!”
Punk rock songs about punk rock can be amazingly stupid, but the lyrics speak for themselves: “I know it’s hypocritical to point fingers at the people who point fingers. But when we all march to the beat of the same different drummer, the steps start to come off like clockwork.”
MP3: Bouncing Souls – “Gasoline”
The Souls series of singles this year provided some of the most surprising material of the band’s career (a ukulele cover of “Quick Chek Girl”?), but this song, from the first 7″, is one of the best songs they’ve written yet.
MP3: Coalesce – “In My Wake, For My Own”
It’s a stone-cold metal jam, but the “waaaaaaaaaah-aaaaaaaaaaah!” at the beginning, combined with the crazy-ass guitar work, make this the sort of song that people who can’t stand metal still marveled at.
