Favorite Tracks of 2016: Jarod Powell

We asked the opinionated author to text us a list of his favorite tracks of the year. Kanye, Britney, and Brian Eno made the cut, as well as a few surprises.

“No More Parties In L.A.” by Kanye West:   “The last line Kanye raps on this song is hilarious, but he’s so earnest. He’s clearly very hurt by his cousin stealing his laptop. It’s one of the more genuine moments on TLOP [The Life of Pablo].”

“Trill Friends [Rough Mix]” by Erykah Badu: “Kanye’s beat and Erykah’s voice together is like butter.”

“Dollar Days” by David Bowie: “I’m dying to / I’m dying too,” is the key lyric in this song. Gives me a chill.”

“Brace For Impact (Live a Little)” by Sturgill Simpson: “Sturgill is a visionary. The groove on this track has a low and lazy swagger, but the composition sounds anything but lazy.”

“Real Love” by Big Thief: “A song about an abusive relationship that borders on whimsical. Unsettling. Not one, but SEVERAL memorable guitar solos.”

“Left-Handed Kisses” by Andrew Bird, featuring Fiona Apple: “A feisty song about heartbreak. It’s very tightly woven, intricate, and fun to sing along to.”

“Glowed Up” by Kaytranada, featuring Anderson. Paak: “Anderson. Paak had some great features this year. The beat is so chill, and actually, so is the flow. It’s just so smooth. It’s the type of song that makes you see the sounds.”

“Intern” by Angel Olsen: “I’ve been a fan of Angel for a while. We’re both from St. Louis. This track is haunting, sad, and very quotable.”

“When It Rain” by Danny Brown: “Menacing, punishing. The song is great, and the accompanying video is my favorite this year.”

“Girls @” by Joey Purp, featuring Chance The Rapper: “I love these two guys’ dynamic. They have really good chemistry.”

“Rubber Band Stacks” by Brooke Candy: “I’ve listened to this in my car so many times. It keeps me alert. Great for cardio, too.”

“Think Pink” by Molly Nilsson: It seems like most artists are trying to recall the ‘80’s/ early ‘90’s these days, but this song stands out as a true original. At once futuristic and nostalgia-inducing.”

“Higher” by Rihanna: “I love it when pop songs are raw like this. ANTI is sexy af. It’s my favorite album of 2016. So it was hard to choose. When Rihanna’s voice cracks, your heart breaks a little bit.”

“Make Me…” by Britney Spears, featuring G-Eazy: “It’s one of the better-produced pop songs this year. I listen to stuff like this while I write. The music sort of melts into the rest of the room.”

“Anxiety” by Preoccupations: “Classic-sounding. Heavy with mood. Dude is almost angry at his anxiety. You can hear it in his voice.”

“Fickle Sun (iii) I’m Set Free” by Brian Eno: “Transcendent.”

“Fill In The Blank” by Car Seat Headrest: “Really perceptive lyrics, with a great hook.”

“Cold Little Heart” (Live Session) by Michael Kiwanuka: “Emotionally intimate.  Could easily fit into the end credits of a Tarantino film. My favorite song of the year.”

“1990x” by Maxwell: “Most singers can only fantasize about having this kind of vocal range, and most songwriters wish they could write a song this tight. Pure pleasure.”

“Untitled 2” by Kendrick Lamar: “I love God / But I’m afraid of Godspeed.” My favorite lyric of any song this year.

“A Breath Away” by Clams Casino, featuring Kelela: “I love Kelela so much. The chorus here is guaranteed to take you higher.”

“Cranes In The Sky” by Solange: “People always ask me what I listen to when I’m writing. I could point them in this album’s [A Seat At The Table] direction. Brilliant but not imposing. Just sort of nestles with you.”

 Jarod’s new horror anthology, It Burned Me Alive, And Then It Set Me Free, comes out on December 1^st. His new novel TweakerBaby is available for Preorder the same day. Follow him on Facebook.