Best Songs of 2015 – #5
‘I’m Not the Man’ – Ben Folds
Ben Folds’ latest solo release, So There, is more of an EP than a proper album. Half of the record’s running time is dedicated to a three-movement concerto for orchestra and piano, not exactly my cup of tea.
The eight proper pop songs are also performed with a chamber orchestra and while the music is lovely, the lyrical content on a few of them leans toward the frat-boy sensibility Folds is sometimes guilty of indulging.
Swedish electropop star Robyn doesn’t seem to know how to capitalize on her success. In 2005 she released a self-titled album (her fourth) that broke internationally and landed her on the charts as well as countless critics-best lists.
Five years after that she released a pair of EPs (Body Talk 1 and 2) that were equally well-received. But in both instances, she faded away rather than taking advantage of the spotlight.
Today’s random selection comes from a 6-song CD sampler put out by Lost Highway records called T For Texas, T From Tennessee. All six artists (including Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and Robert Earl Keen) are from Texas, so I’m not sure where the second half of the title comes from. This CD was packaged with one of Lyle Lovett’s recent albums — maybe Natural Forces.
Best Songs of 2015 – #6
‘My Shot’ – Hamilton Cast
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway phenomenon Hamilton is the latest obsession in my household. My two daughters, in particular, have played it non-stop for weeks. I can only hope it helps bring up their history grades.
Hamilton is the latest cultural bombshell tossed our way by my niece, a sophomore at Boston’s Emerson College. Her enthusiastic pitch (including a sing-along performance of the opening track in her living room) was plenty incentive to buy the album on the spot.
Best Songs of 2015 – #7
‘Depreston’ – Courtney Barnett
Last April, I focused the blog on Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett for a couple of weeks, posting a song-by-song discovery of her debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit.
My verdict was that Barnett is a gifted storyteller and an exciting artist worth watching. The album is fast and smart, sometimes loud and always thoughtful. In short, one of the highlights of 2015.
Meet Me In Montauk 