The New Pornographers - "Brill Bruisers"

Jenny Lewis - "Just One of the Guys"

Two lush, majestic compositions: the New Pornographers' Wall of Sound by way of MBV, and Lewis' beautifully manicured lament that wouldn't sound out of place in a Wes Anderson film.

Hollow Boys - "Spellbreaker"
Howler - "Don't Wanna"

"Spellbreaker" cruises along on an instantly memorable guitar part, which somehow wasn't even the most memorable local riff of the year. That distinction belongs "Don't Wanna," which is the one song on this list where I knew after first listen that it'd make my year-end list.

Sleater-Kinney - "Bury Our Friends"
Ryan Adams - "Trouble"


Sleater-Kinney returned with their first new music since 2005 (with their full-length to follow in 2015) and Adams returned with his best record since 2005. The recurring lyrical motifs are dread/worry and trouble, respectively, which seemed to fit the zeitgeist for an uncertain year.

Haley Bonar - "Kill the Fun"
The War on Drugs - "Eyes to the Wind"

Two of the high points of two of my favorite albums of the year.

Trampled by Turtles - "Hollow"
Beck - "Waking Light"

I'm including these two because 1.) they're pretty, 2.) they remind me of my kids, which 3.) makes me feel happy.