So now that the kidney stone of a year that was 2020 is over, I’d like to talk about songs that I loved and help me get through it. These may not be new songs, but ones I discovered or re-discovered this year which put me in a good mood, or helped me process my feelings. Many of these came from TV shows which really killed it in the music department. Hope you enjoy it.
1) “Golden Brown” by The Stranglers. This song came out in 1981 but sounds like it should be from the 60s. There’s a harpsichord for goodness sake! This came back to me through the excellent second season of The Umbrella Academy, which is still a highlight of my viewing schedule. The Stranglers weren’t really punk, and not post-punk either. They were just themselves and that was good enough for me.
2) “Rocket Fuel” by DJ Shadow and De La Soul. Also from the Umbrella Academy, anything with De La Soul is going to be awesome. Even though not correct for the time period it was used, it fit the scene perfectly. Just awesome and will put you in a good mood.
3) “Lazaretto” by Jack White. I saw this when he was on SNL and it blew me away. Daru Jones on drums was amazing and the entire song is fantastic. I think he chose it because a lazaretto is where you put someone in quarantine. Check it out.
4) “JU$T” by RTJ (ft. Pharrell and Zack de la Rocha). Run the Jewels always kill it and this song is brought to the next level by Pharrell’s verse and the addition of RATMs de la Rocha. Fantastic song and a standout on a stellar album.
5) “Right round the clock” by Sorry. A band that sound like an updated nu wave sound from the 80s. Great music with a hint of Tears for Fears.
6) The entire Public Enemy album. Trust me, listen to it. Chuck D and Flava Flav been in the game for almost 40 years and they’re still killing it.
7) “How Long Do I Have To Wait for You Honey?” By Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Neo-soul done right. This is a few years old but it is a great throwback to 1960s Motown and Stax. Sadly Sharon Jones died not too long ago, but her music will stand the test of time.
8) “I can’t stand the rain” by Ann Peebles. Another from a tv show, the criminally under appreciated tv version of High Fidelity brought out some great music as well, which makes sense. This was a great song and fit the scene perfectly. The show also brought a Beastie Boys song I hadn’t heard before to my attention as well, I Don’t Know, which should get more airplay too.
9) “Joe Strummr” by Four Fists, POS and Atronautalis. This is the theme to a podcast called “It Could Happen Here” which I’ve never listened to but that’s what I’ve been told. I discovered this song because I was looking for other music from POS because he was on a song by Scroobius Pip. This song really struck a chord for me and when I was feeling sad I’d listen to it and it felt like someone else out there understood my weird mood.
10) “When the Levee Breaks (Live from Red Rocks)” by A Perfect Circle. This is not a cover of Led Zeppelin, but of the original version. It’s a mournful song that brings a sorrow out that is missing from the bluesy version most everyone else knows. When Maynard James Keenan sings “Late last night/I sat on the levee and moaned” you feel that. It’s an awesome version and one to add to your playlist.
11) “The Struggle” by Scroobius Pip. This song is about fame and the changes you go through. It’s positioned as if fake is a serial killer. Great wordplay and a killer guitar working through it.
12) “Which Side are you on?” By B. Dolan. A protest song using Pete Seeger as a template, B. Dolan spits bars showing the issues facing communities today. It is unashamedly a song with a liberal viewpoint, so if you have issues with that go ahead and skip it. But I love the music and the message.
13) Everything Dan le Sac put out in 2020. They man was a machine and if you like electronic music, his stuff is for you. Also, check out the video games he soundtracked as well as I liked not only the music but the gameplay for Subsurface Circular.
14) “Jesus is Coming Soon” by Blind Willie Johnson. Written after the last great plague, the Spanish flu of 1918, it has eerie echoes for today. Got this from the mashup Jack White did for his first song on SNL, and the song proves history doesn’t just repeat itself, it amplifies it.
15) “Superthug” by Noreaga with the Neptunes. This came from the last season of History of Hip-Hop on Netflix and this song was SO ahead of its time. Just amazing how it assaults you from the beginning and doesn’t let up. That and “Grindin” from Clipse were The Neptunes at their best. Great work.
16) “As Long As I’ve Got You” by the Charmels. This song should’ve been a huge hit, but now is basically known for the piano and hook played at the beginning due to Rza using it for CREAM off the Wu-Tang’s first album. Great song written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. Fantastic music and really chills you out. Discovered this after reading an article on sampling
17) “Dance of the Clairvoyants” by Pearl Jam. I was surprised how much I liked this song. The guitar and bass play on this are fantastic, and they lyrics really hit for me this year. “When every tomorrow/is the same as before.” Really sometimes I just needed that, and I think it might be the best PJ song from the last few years.
18) “Mr. Bojangles” by Jerry Jeff Walker. I’ve only ever heard covers of this song, so when Mr. Walker passed away this year, I looked up his original version since he wrote it. The simplicity of it is beautiful and I am sad I never got to see him play.
19) “The Wanderer” by U2 ft. Johnny Cash. I was watching a YouTube video discussing albums from the 90s and someone mentioned they thought that Zooropa was underrated. I agree and although Lemon is still my favorite song off the album, this song is amazing. Bono letting Johnny Cash do his thing and not interrupting the flow gives it an otherworldly sound. Just a great song that’s been lost but should be re-found.
Finally
20) “Let em Come” by Scroobius Pip, POS and Sage Francis. Possibly one of my favorite songs now. Coming from Pip’s solo album, Distraction Pieces, this song has everything: imagery of Millwall football club of which Pip is a fan; a banger of a chorus; a fantastic video with the men replaced by women on a night out; and great lyrics. You might find it difficult to understand Pip, but try as he has brilliant flow and a way with words. Then check out his work with Dan le Sac.
Let me know what you think when you listen to them. Honorable mention to “Too Cold” by Vanilla Ice which I didn’t know he’d recorded a nu-metal version of “Ice Ice Baby” but feel like the world needs to know.