Top 5 Miscellaneous Songs 2020

(Five songs, new to me [but not necessarily new], that didn't end up on either of the other top 5 lists)

5. June of 44 - Post-Modern Hereditary Dance Steps

From the album "Revisionist: Adaptations & Future Histories In The Time Of Love And Survival"
Broken Clover Records, 08/2020

June of 44 return after 20 years of dormancy with a remix album. As remix albums go, this one was... alright, but the bright spot was this track-- an update with vocals of a tossed-off instrumental rocker from June of 44's final EP called Modern Hereditary Dance Steps. Here's hoping for more rock in 2021.

4. Jeff Rosenstock - Scram!

From the album "No Dream""
Polyvinyl Records 05/2020

So, I actually haven't heard this whole album. I have a couple of Jeff Rosenstock's albums (solo and with Antarctico Vespucci), and I'm not a huge fan. This song, on a sampler, however, with its 100-foot hooks and Weezer worship really caught my ear. The video is... well, in a few years we can show this video to our kids to remind them how embarrassing living in 2020 was.

3. This White Light - Vows

From the digital EP "Josh Homme / Pink Duck Session"
Self-Released, 12/2020

An LA supergroup of the kind that can only happen in LA-- this is Greg Anderson of Sunn O))) , Goatsnake, and Engine Kid, plus a drummer and bassist with similar heavy cred, featuring indie pop siren Jen Wood on vocals.

This EP was released because the band broke up, leaving precious few (3?) recorded songs. It's a shame.  They recorded this with Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age. Southern Lord Records had a contract waiting in the wings. In the alternate universe where the band didn't break up, this would be HUGE.

More music should sound like this-- well, not exactly like this, but Indiepop should rock way more, and Metal should be this beautiful.

PS. Highly recommended is Jen Wood's most recent solo album, Wilderness (although it would have sounded better with heavy guitars)

2. They Might Be Giants - The Mesopotamians

From the album "The Else"
Idlewild Records, 05/2007

I've been going through the later works of They Might Be Giants. To be honest, They have released about one good album's worth of material in the 21st century (and many many albums' worth of sorta-funny filler). This is one of the highlights. Somehow juxtaposing ancient history, being in a punk band, and 60s pop (a-la Hey Hey We're the Monkees)-- This song works on so many levels. Don't be a Mohenjo-Daron. Give it a listen.

1. Kristin Bell - The Next Right Thing

From the Frozen 2 Soundtrack
Walt Disney Records 11/2019

Indie cred? Begone. Decorum? Forget it.

This song slays me. Every single time.

I've been listening to so-called "Emo" music for 25 years, and this throws it all aside.

My kids, who listen to the Frozen 2 soundtrack on the regular, think this song is sort of a bummer. I think it's a masterpiece. There is so much despair, so much emotion, and just a trickle of hope

Tears. Every time.

Don't watch this video of Kristin Bell recording the song if you (like me) have (surprisingly?) leaky eyes.