The Needle Drops: Favorite Songs 2012

Continuing the year-end housekeeping, here's the songs that kept me going throughout 2012.  Some were the singles/focus tracks...whatever the hell they're called these days, and some are deep cuts that jumped out and grabbed me, and refused to let go.  There's no small amount of crossover with the previous Favorite Album List, but this is the place to explore the nooks and crannies of stand-alone tracks and EP's released during the year.  For obsessive compulsives, here's the top 10:

10) "Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" TAME IMPALA from Lonerism (Modular)

9) "Give Out" SHARON VAN ETTEN from Tramp (Jagjaguwar)

8) "Seaside, Lowtide" CATE LE BON from Cyrk II (Control Group)

7) "Gun Has No Trigger" DIRTY PROJECTORS from Swing Lo Magellan (Domino)

6) "Erika America" JENS LEKMAN from I Know What Love Isn't (Secretly Canadian)

5) "Star Of The Age" SHEARWATER from Animal Joy (Sub Pop)

4) "Troublemaker" BEACH HOUSE from Bloom (Sub Pop/Bella Union)

3) "Now I'm Learning To Love The War" FATHER JOHN MISTY from Fear Fun (Sub Pop)

2) "Sleepover" HOSPITALITY from Hospitality (Merge)

1) "Somewhere There's A Someone" JASON LYTLE from Dept. Of Disappearance (Anti-)

Here for your convenience on this handy dandy playlist:

On a personal note, this post marks four years of this blog. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to visit, comment, heckle, and otherwise keep the faith.  There's always another show on the horizon...

(Stay tuned for the final housecleaning episode: The Year In Photos)