But I can't. I can't find a ranking order I'm good with. Instead, I'll just post the 10, in alphabetical order by artist (two bands are repeated). You rank them yourselves, patrons. Remember: if the youtube has an option for higher qualities, load those. The sound will be better.
the antlers - i don't want love
Peter Silberman speaks to me, I think. Not that I don't want love, but that I understand why he's feeling that way in this particular song. For a man who so beautifully crafted an intensely emotional album in Hospice, opening up seems like no big thing. It almost seems like old hat. But Silberman finds ways to wear it all on his sleeve without seeming trite, without seeming forced. This dude is genuinely frustrated, but damned if he doesn't channel that into some fantastic music.
bon iver - michicant
Justin Vernon will always be remembered for the story behind For Emma, Forever Ago, his debut as Bon Iver. Isolation in a cabin, heartfelt songs of distress after a tough breakup. We've all been there. What this guy does better than any of us ever could is give this feeling life. Perhaps it's that falsetto, that upper-register voice that just aches. Whatever it is, Vernon knows how to make it as impactful as possible.
cults - bumper
Ever heard of The Hush Sound? They're a cute, bubbly pop band that didn't make many waves, but crafted some pretty archetypal pop songs. Good hooks, bouncy rhythms, the works. Now, imagine that band grew up and traded in the bubbles for dancing shoes. You get the same sort of vocal play, but with better songwriting and toe-tappability. Less schmaltz, more punk-waltz.
fleet foxes - lorelai
Boy am I a sucker for a good harmony. Boy am I a sucker for Robin Pecknold's voice. Boy am I a sucker for the bittersweet mood that permeates every second of this song. Boy am I a sucker for that perfect drum timing, that floating flute, that full sound. It's incredibly difficult for me to dislike any part of this song.
fleet foxes - the shrine/an argument
Sunlight over me, no matter what I do. Seriously, give this album a try already.
purity ring - ungirthed
It'll stick with you, this infection. You'll want to dance, but when the chorus comes around, you'll lose the beat. You'll want to be like the woman in the (official) video, searching for some crazed rhythm. All the while, ears ringing; teeth clicking.
This song's real video is not work safe, nor is it intended for anyone under the age of 18. The above video and song itself are both clean.
radiohead - separator
No one seems sure what to make of Radiohead's eight-song LP, The King of Limbs. Was there going to be a second part? No, sadly. Is it a preface to another album? Who knows? It's Radiohead, through and through, that much I know. It's different, it's thematic, it's environmental. And this, the album's final track, is a great closer. Thom Yorke layered on Thom Yorke, a beautifully pressing drum section, a gorgeous guitar variation about 2:30 in, followed by Thom laying on an effortless, elegant "if you think this is over / then you're wrong" in a style only he can make attractive. It's equal parts haunting and pastoral.
smith westerns - weekend
If you aren't hooked after the first 15 seconds, get new headphones. These boys found a solid hook, a catchy guitar part and a soaring, reverbed chorus that all matched up wonderfully. The result is a song you can't help but toe-tap to. It's fun, 99 percent pure.
the weeknd - the party & the after party
Oh, Abel Tesfaye. Why'd you have to go and get me hooked on an R&B mixtape? If this song is indeed two parts, the former - the "party" - is the stronger one of the two in this song, but the after party serves as a nice foil. Really, this song is probably best enjoyed in the context of its House of Balloons mixtape. It's positively dripping with sexual, sensual overtones, and Tesfaye's voice is perfect. It really is. With more mixtapes set to drop this year, I count myself among the excited, and this song is one reason why.
the weeknd - the knowing
Chills. Right from the start until the very end, this closer for the House of Balloons mixtape is sublime. Fitting, then, that it serves as the closer for this list. From the start, this song is one long crescendo, and its release in its latter stages is raw emotional, unfiltered. Best experienced with good headphones, and loud.
