Top Songs of 2012 – #11
I haven’t gotten around to reviewing or ranking Pink’s latest album, The Truth About Love, but when I do it will rank right up there with the best records I heard this year.
I’m relatively new to Pink — 2008’s Funhouse was the first of her albums I heard, and the only one before picking up The Truth About Love. Both of these records reveal a confident, talented, brazen woman with a powerhouse voice and great songwriting chops.
Top Songs of 2012 – #12
Here I am, completely contradicting my comment two days ago that I don’t approve of rap breaks in pop or rock songs. Bruce Springsteen hands a verse over to Michelle Moore in the middle of today’s SOTD, and it’s downright sublime.
In my defense, ‘Rocky Ground’ is not your typical pop/rock song. It’s something more akin to folk rock gospel… a deeply spiritual track that earns its detour into spoken word territory.
Top Songs of 2012 – #13
Red, Taylor Swift’s chart-topping follow-up to Speak Now, is generally disappointing for reasons I can’t put my finger on.
I think it boils down to Swift’s worldview having a shelf life. She certainly has a gift for melody and she can turn a phrase, but I hear far too much of her in every song she writes, and frankly I’m a little tired of spending that much time with her.
Top Songs of 2012 – #14
At first I didn’t get Maroon 5’s ‘Payphone.’ The hook didn’t stick with me after a listen or two and I wasn’t sure why it was turning into such a big hit.
But at some point it dug in and I realized that it’s a true beast of a song. And then it became ubiquitous and almost fell out of favor before I got around to making this list.
Top Songs of 2012 – #15
Kicking off my countdown of the 15 songs I enjoyed most this year is a cut from Glad All Over, The Wallflowers first album in seven years.
Generally, I was disappointed in this album. It didn’t meet the high standards of the band’s previous work, nor of Jakob Dylan’s two solo albums. It’s a bit generic in a way the band has avoided on most of its work.
