Because forty would have taken all night

One plus to doing the radio show is that my musical listening tastes are as close to current as they've been at any time since the mid-90's. So much so, in fact, that I was not only inspired to do a top ten songs of 2012 list, but I couldn't completely narrow my choices down. So, herewith are my 15 (okay, 16) favorite songs of the past year. Your mileage may vary:

1) "The Way We Move," Langhorne Slim and the Law, The Way We Move
Absolutely the song of the year for me. This was how I restarted my brain every morning when I was crawling out of bed at 5:30 a.m. back in late summer, and it's still my go-to caffeine jolt for the ears. It's happiness made solid.

2) "Come With Me Now," Kongos, Lunatic
The band, four sons of singer-songwriter John Kongos, is currently tearing up the charts in South Africa. By all rights I shouldn't put this as high up in the standings as I did, since I only discovered it recently and haven't had time to live with it for a while. But…but…Jesus on a JetSki, just listen to this!

3) "Want It Back," Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra, Theatre Is Evil
Yeah, yeah, I know, she's a love-it-or-hate-it sort of musician, but I tell ya, even as a fan, I was not expecting to be blown backward out of my chair as emphatically as I was by Theatre Is Evil. Worth every dime of the million-smackers Kickstarter. The video is NSFW, by the way, but it's the best video of the year, full stop.

4) "You Will Become," Glen Hansard, Rhythm and Repose
figmentj and I saw his show at the Beacon theatre in NYC in support of Rhythm and Repose, and it was nothing less that a religious experience. This, the opening track, moved me to tears on first hearing, and second, and about the next dozen or so. Thank you, Glen, for all of it.

5) "Kingdom Come," The Civil Wars, The Hunger Games soundtrack
I was dragged to see The Hunger Games without having touched the books, and became entranced. And then I nabbed the soundtrack after lingering late enough in the credits to hear "Kingdom Come." My quote upon hearing those spine-tingling harmonies: "What the devil is this?" followed closely by, "WANT." (The Civil Wars had the nerve to break up last month due to "irreconcilable differences in ambition," the bastards. Sigh.)

6) "Default," Django Django, Django Django
I seem to have developed a serious Django Django-flavored jangle-pop addiction somewhere along the line. I make no apologies.

7) "Queen of the City," Joshua James, From the Top of Willamette Mountain
I'm kind of shocked by how much of this list drifts outside my usual comfort zone. I haven't given up on the singer-songwriter shtick by any stretch, though. James and his "Queen of the City" do it up right. Gods, I wish I'd written this….

8) "That Girl Don't Sleep," Daydream Vacation, Dare Seize the Fire
I've heard the phrase "pop confection" used to describe various bits of music before, but this is the closest I've come to truly defining what that implies. I could happily chew this song like salt water taffy for days on end.

9) "Rocket Number 9," Zombie Zombie, Rituels D’Un Nouveau Monde
French dance-tech outfit subverts modern electronica sensibilities by wrapping them in theremin-steeped Ed Wood fever dreams, then subverts that with a streetwise horn ensemble. Brilliantly weird, and weirdly brilliant.

10) "Black Magic," The Magic Wands, Aloha Moon
I just totally dig this. Enough said.

11) "Wolf," Tailor, The Dark Horse
I have no clue why this song (by another South African) captivated me the way it has. There's something about Tailor's appearance and demeanor that I find off-putting, but the song itself? It makes me feel like I'm fleeing something primal through unfamiliar woods, and I've forgotten how to breathe.

12) "Queens," THEESatisfaction, Awe Natural3
Another surprise. I'm not usually much one for hip-hop, but I love the way they use soul trappings like a paintbrush against the canvas of the rhythm track. Delicious.

13) "Mr. Blackberry," The Local Strangers, Left for Better
Oh, hell to the yeah.

14) "Henrietta," Yeasayer, Fragrant World
When I first heard "Henrietta," I didn't know what to make of it. I didn't know what genre it was, or where it was going. I certainly didn't know why it was crawling into my head and building a summer home there.

15) "Smoke," Sam Jackson, Sharp & Flat
I just tried to type up a description, and realized that I can't, other than to say that it's jazzy and fluttery and…and there I stop. Just listen.

Honorable mention:
"Call Me Maybe," Jimmy Fallon, Carly Rae Jepsen & the Roots, YouTube video
Shut the hell up. If you're not smiling by the end, check your pulse, as you may in fact be dead.