I do this every year. These songs are what I loved this year, or what reminds me of this year, and are arranged in an order that sounds good. Don't listen to this on shuffle. Don't listen to it on Random, if you are somehow listening on a stereo from the mid 90s that was sophisticated enough to have a feature where you could play songs out of order, but not sophisticated enough to remember what track has already been played.
My yearly soundtrack used to fit on an 80-minute CD, which was burned and mailed to friends. And as much as they would probably love to get that bad boy in the mail this year, that joy would fade as they tried to decide how they would play the music. This year's soundtrack is 23 songs, about an hour and a half.This playlist is on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3A2VhFuce8H3jpEG9ijqPr
Previous soundtracks can be found at https://tornadoslide.blogspot.com/2018/08/soundtracks-on-spotify.html.
Perhaps of interest to anyone, I do not use Spotify. I use Amazon Music, but I share the account with my wife, and if she's using it I dive back into something I've downloaded or something on a hard drive.
This year, because of a virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of my fellow countrymen, I have spent many nights doomscrolling on my phone while watching live music performances on YouTube. That led me to some of these songs. More songs than the Amazon algorithm. Perhaps the video aspect engaged me more, or perhaps YouTube's robots understood my taste more. I don't know!
I do know that I used those services to find what I liked, and I used Bandcamp to purchase what I loved.
And for those who have grown tired of the idea of owning a digital album, allow me this little story.
My office moved from the basement to a floor with windows. While it was nice to have a window again, it was not nice to lose a wifi signal, because I only used wifi for my Amazon streaming. As a laugh, I grabbed my old Creative Zen mp3 player, which had some music on its 4 GB hard drive and even more music on its memory card. I hit shuffle, and man, it was pretty dope. It led to me texting two friends about old Okkervil River songs, which in turn led to us all listening to Okkervil River for several days and loving every minute of it. I remembered that this song exists, and this one. It was fun! Try it.
1. Angel Olsen - Waving, Smiling
1. Angel Olsen - Waving, Smiling
This song played after I listened to Angel Olsen and Hand Habits' cover of Tom Petty's "Walls", which you will certainly remember was the leadoff track to the 2017 Soundtrack. Once I listened to it enough times that I felt it needed to go on this playlist, I moved it to the top slot because it's so sparse it didn't feel right to put it anywhere else.
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
2. Radiohead - Lucky
As the pandemic set in, this song came into my head with alarming frequency. I can't say why. Like most Radiohead songs, I know some of the lyrics but not all. I mean, the only reason I know what they sing in "Creep" is because of karaoke subtitles. I listened to a cover of "Black Star" this year and learned that Thom's singings "beams me home" and not "brings me home".
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
I sampled some Mitski in my day, but it didn't hit until YouTube kept bringing me her videos this year. She makes good videos!
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
4. Destroyer - Crimson Tide
Perfectly dystopian.
5. Tame Impala - It Might Be Time
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
This was my pal Floyd's anthem for packing up and leaving NYC, which was planned before the virus but occurred right when the city was shutting down.
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
Very early in the year I volunteered at my kids' school, then got sick a day later and hung out on my couch. Beach Bunny and Ratboys songs were recommended by my YouTube algorithm and both became a steady part of my listening diet. Beach Bunny was more infectious. Their songs took turns getting stuck in my head for days at a time. I love how this album is produced - I wish all my rock albums sounded as crisp as this one does.
Pandemic vibes?
No
They had a new album this year which I liked - it rocked harder than the earlier stuff I've listened to, which has this jangly vibe.
Pandemic vibes?
No, but I had entertained the idea of going to their live show in spring, so yes, kinda
Work split up into three shifts, and I worked the 3 pm to 11 pm shift. It was kind of nice? I couldn't really sleep in because kids, but I had a leisurely morning in the company of my family, and would head off to work well after lunch, where I could park anywhere I wanted and stroll in and then have a horrible time working at a breakneck pace until things would slow down around 9 or 10. I told my coworker, "Haha I'll play Night Moves really loud every night because we're working at night lol," and I followed up on that playful threat. No one enjoyed it much because work was not fun. Then I'd drive home, and I actually used my high beams in the first time in forever. I'd get home and try to relax into sleep mode while scrolling through deadly news on my phone.
9. Porridge Radio - Lilac
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
Good. I like some of their album. Pretty sure this was a Stereogum recommendation.
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
10. Car Seat Headrest - Weightlifters
Some of you might not like this song and find part or all of it to be bad. But consider my experience: It's Sunday. You've been up for hours, waiting for Leeway Franks to open so you can order the weekend-only Double Burrito Deal. Two breakfast burritos, two sides of tots, and an order of biscuits and gravy for just $25.
It's finally time to go pick up your order. A leisurely drive to obtain your burritos, Weighlifters pumping on the stereo. Yes! You go home and eat a burrito and tots and B&G. You put the second one in the fridge and eat it for dinner. Yes!
Pandemic vibes?
No, breakfast burrito vibes
How many times did I turn on the Vevo channel on my Roku while I worked from home this year? Once! This song came on. It's great!
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
I had never heard of this band. They had a few minor hits earlier in the decade that were not on my radar. YouTube suggested this song, the lead single from this year's album. I think it was in the algorithm because I have listened to a lot of music from Australia and New Zealand, and these guys are from Australia.
Pandemic vibes?
Yes, watch that video idiot
When I followed the San Cisco rabbit hole, I heard them sing this Clairo song. I think I like this more than Clairo's original, but come on, we don't put two songs by the same band on these playlists.
I did go back and give Clairo's album a second chance. It didn't grab me the first time around but now I am hear for it. I misspelled "here" as "hear" but it's kinda funny because we're talking about audio. Tee hee!
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
Obviously I am in love with Phoebe and her albums but I confess I have burned myself out on this song.
15. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Cars in Space
Phoebe Bridger's Punisher is my #2 album of the year.
Pandemic vibes?
No. See the album closer, "I Know the End" instead.
Another great album by these Aussies this year. Cars in Space got the nod but other strong songs on the album, like Falling Thunder and Cameo could have been substituted.
16. Til Tuesday - Coming Up Close
Sometimes I listen to a podcast called This Particular Album is Very, Very Important to Me. Paul F Tompkins was on to talk about the Til Tuesday album this appears on. Look at Aimee Mann in this video!
Pandemic vibes?
No
16. Til Tuesday - Coming Up Close
Sometimes I listen to a podcast called This Particular Album is Very, Very Important to Me. Paul F Tompkins was on to talk about the Til Tuesday album this appears on. Look at Aimee Mann in this video!
Pandemic vibes?
No
17. Waxahatchee - Fire
I heard this song. "Okay," I thought. Time passes. I hear another song from the album, Can't Do Much. Very good! Lilacs is heard. Also good! Let's go back to this first one. Hmm. Oh, okay, this is actually the best thing I've ever heard in my life.
Please do not ask why I put this great song all the way down here at #17 instead of putting it higher. I can't help it. The playlist has a mind of its own. It belongs down here.
Waxahatchee's Saint Cloud is my #1 album of the year.
Pandemic vibes?
No
Welcome back, buds!
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
David Wain and his friends were doing these remote, spliced together songs during the shutdown, and one of the songs was this one. I completely forgot it existed. Did my Violent Femmes greatest hits CD teach me nothing?
Pandemic vibes?
No
We got a little/big inflatable pool and a slip and slide thingy this summer to entertain our children. This song was on when I tried out the slip and slide to moderate success.
Pandemic vibes?
No
This is the singer for Hop Along, who put out a solo album way back at the beginning of 2020.
Pandemic vibes?
No
22. Fontaines DC - A Hero's Death
Hulu's adaptation of Normal People wasn't the only Irish culture in my life this year. I was excited for Fontaine's follow-up album and it's mostly great.
Pandemic vibes?
Yes
Again, yes, this slaps, this is a bop, yet it is the very last song on the list. This stuff just happens.
I got into this duo. I don't go for a lot of electronic music but this is good for me. I find them pretty charming - I watched their interesting documentary video about how they translated their two-person songs into a full-band concert. Good YouTubes from these two.
Pandemic vibes?
No
