Lucky thirteen. No apologies, no explanations -- these are the ones I kept putting on in 2018.
desert rose
Yellow Shoots
I am a complete sucker for blue-eyed soul and I blame it all on Hall & Oates and the Rascals.
5 Dollars
Christine and the Queens
I'm so busted. My weakness for French pop -- from Serge Gainsbourg to Plastic Bertrand to Poom --gets me caught red-handed again.
Mockingbird
Ruston Kelly
This is so country I feel like I need a gun rack.
I Like It
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
From spin class to the Thai restaurant, everybody was getting their Afro-Cuban thing on with this one. Me, too.
thank u, next
Ariana Grande
Is this a perfect pop song or what?
Come Back to Earth
Mac Miller
Gone too soon. But what a groove he busted while he was here. Come back to earth, indeed.
You Don't Know
Leon Bridges
Bridges made a killer album full of soul sounds but this track -- nodding to disco -- stood out for me.
Boys
Lizzo
As Aretha and Annie pointed out, "sisters are doing it for themselves."
Pick Up
DJ Koze
A deep house gem built on samples of Gladys Knight and Melba Moore. "The past isn't dead; it isn't even past."
Trip
Ella Mai
Straight outta London, this new R&B talent topped her own "Boo'd Up" (and don't tell me you didn't wear that out, too).
Heaven Only Knows
Bob Moses
I can't be the only one who wants to rock some deep house for a long hill climb.
Great Day
Brad Mehldau Trio
Melhdau is Bill Evans' worthiest heir and this is him and his trio at their peak.
And one last one:
Ain't No Way
Aretha Franklin
I would trade all my 60's music heroes -- Dylan, Jagger, Clapton, Lennon, Simon -- all of them, for Aretha Franklin. And this is the recording of her singing a song written by her sister, that I offer as proof.
RIP Queen of Soul.
desert rose
Yellow Shoots
I am a complete sucker for blue-eyed soul and I blame it all on Hall & Oates and the Rascals.
5 Dollars
Christine and the Queens
I'm so busted. My weakness for French pop -- from Serge Gainsbourg to Plastic Bertrand to Poom --gets me caught red-handed again.
Mockingbird
Ruston Kelly
This is so country I feel like I need a gun rack.
I Like It
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
From spin class to the Thai restaurant, everybody was getting their Afro-Cuban thing on with this one. Me, too.
thank u, next
Ariana Grande
Is this a perfect pop song or what?
Come Back to Earth
Mac Miller
Gone too soon. But what a groove he busted while he was here. Come back to earth, indeed.
You Don't Know
Leon Bridges
Bridges made a killer album full of soul sounds but this track -- nodding to disco -- stood out for me.
Boys
Lizzo
As Aretha and Annie pointed out, "sisters are doing it for themselves."
Pick Up
DJ Koze
A deep house gem built on samples of Gladys Knight and Melba Moore. "The past isn't dead; it isn't even past."
Trip
Ella Mai
Straight outta London, this new R&B talent topped her own "Boo'd Up" (and don't tell me you didn't wear that out, too).
Heaven Only Knows
Bob Moses
I can't be the only one who wants to rock some deep house for a long hill climb.
Great Day
Brad Mehldau Trio
Melhdau is Bill Evans' worthiest heir and this is him and his trio at their peak.
And one last one:
Ain't No Way
Aretha Franklin
I would trade all my 60's music heroes -- Dylan, Jagger, Clapton, Lennon, Simon -- all of them, for Aretha Franklin. And this is the recording of her singing a song written by her sister, that I offer as proof.
RIP Queen of Soul.
