Songs:
40. Retox- Ready To Spit (S/T EP, Ugly Animals)
39. Pianos Become the Teeth- Such Confidence (The Lack Long After)
38. Social Distortion- Bakersfield (Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes)
37. Dead End Path- Cathedral Bones (Blind Faith)
36. Earth Crisis- Neutralize the Threat (Neutralize the Threat)
35. The Reptilian- Eddie's Lane (Four Way Split)
34. Hot Water Music- Up to Nothing (The Fire, The Steel, The Tread b/w Up to Nothing)
33. Stray From the Path- iMember (Rising Sun)
32. Harms Way- Scrambled (Isolation)
31. City and Colour- Fragile Bird (Little Hell)
30. Pianos Become the Teeth- I'll Get By (The Lack Long After)
29. Touche Amore- Pathfinder (Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me)
28. Cake- Long Time (Showroom of Compassion)
27. Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely estate)- The Horror of Riovanes (Four Way Split)
26. Lemuria- Wise People (Pebble)
25. Trash Talk- Awake (Awake EP)
24. The Warriors- The War Unseen (See How You Are)
23. Self Defense Family- I Heard Crime Gets You Off (I Heard Crime Gets You Off b/w To Your Scattered Bodies Go)
22. Black Lungs- Stay Outta Parkdale (Valley of The Dolls 7")
21. Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely estate)- Water (Home After Three Months Away)
20. P.S. Eliot- Untitled (Sadie)
19. Trap Them- Every Walk A Quarantine (Darker Handcraft)
18. Defeater- I Don't Mind (Empty Days/Sleepless Nights)
17. Title Fight- 27 (Shed)
16. Daytrader- Texts and Tomes (Mixed Signals)
15. KoJi- Peacemaker (Never Come Undone)
14. Polar Bear Club- Screams In Caves (Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride)
13. Touche Amore- ~ (Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me)
12. Defeater- Empty Glass (Empty Days/Sleepless Nights)
11. Joyce Manor- Leather Jacket (Joyce Manor)
10. Polar Bear Club- Killin' It (Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride, Mixed Signals)
This song is so awesome it made it on two of my top 10 albums of the year. "Killin' It" is the crown jewel of Clash, Battle, Guilt, Pride, and arguably the best song Polar Bear Club has ever written.
9. Protest the Hero- C'est La Vie (Scurrilous)
A standout track on an otherwise disappointing album, this song manages to perfectly mix the fierce shredding of Scurrilous with the hook-laden songwriting PtH is known for. Unfortunately, this is the first track on the album, and it's pretty much all downhill from here.
8. La Dispute- The Most Beautiful Bitter Fruit (Wildlife)
Picture one of the more upbeat tracks off Altair all grown up; complete with more mature lyrics, tighter songwriting, and a more confident swagger. If this song doesn't want to make you swing your hips, you may need to check your pulse.
7. Self Defense Family- I'm Going Through Some Shit (I'm Going Through Some Shit b/w All Fruit is Ripe)
If this is "doing whatever the hell we want" sounds like, I encourage more bands to attempt that. This song/band is living proof that constantly pushing your sound in new directions almost always yields positive results.
6. Trap Them- The Facts (Darker Handcraft)
This song has a punk as fuck attitude, a heavy as fuck underbelly, and a catchy as fuck chorus. It pretty much punches you in the gut, spits in your face and fucks your girlfriend harder than you ever could. I AM THAT GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!!!!!
5. Make Do and Mend- Coats (Mixed Signals)
This song is essentially one big ball of energy, punctuated by tight-as-hell songwriting and some wicked effective guitar playing. As far as I'm concerned, this band can ride Hot Water Music's coattails as long as they want if they're going to do it this effectively.
4. Tigers Jaw- Distress Signal (Mixed Signals)
This song manages to perfectly balance the darker, more experimental songwriting of Two Worlds with the upbeat, catchy vibe of their earlier stuff. If Tigers Jaw keep this up, they'll be millionaires in no time. Also, since when can Brianna sing? I think I'm in love...
3. Form and File- New Love (This is Form and File)
Intense restraint; raw, ugly beauty; this song is a paradox in it's very existence. "New Love" manages to keep up a cautious energy for five minutes; you keep thinking it's about to fall apart at the seams, but somehow it never does. It's that wild ride that makes this song so damn good. These dudes captured magic on tape.
2. Title Fight- Society (Shed)
The beauty of this song is that it's deceivingly well written. At first, it sounds like a gritty romp through a straightforward punk song, but if you actually listen, "Society" reveals itself to be quite a little gem. The most well-written song on this years most well written album.
1. La Dispute- King Park (Wildlife)
Trying to describe this song with words would be a waste of time. Just fucking listen to it. Maybe the best song I've ever heard.
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So, those are the best songs of the year. Stay tuned for moar rambling, as I've found this to be a really enjoyable means of procrastination!
