Tom and Andy's Music Lists Extravaganza

[~Tom~]

10. Moon Song

 

 

The last track and by far the best from All I Intended to Be, Emmylou and Phoebe both have a song titled Moon Song! Though I prefer this one. It was written by Patty Griffin and you can hear her folk influence all over it. The lyrics are sad and heartwrenching, "Drank all I could swallow now the moon's gonna follow me home" lyric particularly hit in the gut. The string orchestration is the perfect accompaniment to these lyrics. 

 

9. My Dear Companion

 

 

The first of three songs from the magnificent Trio album in this set, My Dear Companion talks about a lover who has left. This one follows a pattern: Emmylou's soothing voice on one verse, then their beautiful harmonies on the preceding one. It's hard to pick a favorite part but it would probably be the bridge:

 

Oh when the dark is on the mountain
And all the world has gone to sleep
I will go down to the cold dark waters
And there I'll lay me down and weep

 

The "oh have you seen my dear companion" bit at the end also deserves a mention. A magnificent heartbreaking song.

 

8. The Pain of Loving You

 

 

The Pain of Loving You is another exquisite track from the Trio album where Emmylou takes lead vocals. Emmylou does some of her finest singing and their harmonies are heavenly throughout, particularly from 1:35 to 1:55:

 

To love and hate at the same time
The line between the two is fine
The two have bound me heart and soul
So strong that I can't let you go

 

To sum up, this is one of the shortest tracks of the list, but till stacks up as one of Emmylou's best.

 

7. Orphan Girl

 

 

The tenth track on Wrecking Ball, Orphan Girl is a cover of Gillian Welch's gospel track. It's so simple lyrically, yet so powerful and heartbreaking. It's sung from the point of view of a woman who, well, has no family, and is asking God to one day unite her in Heaven with her relatives. She doesn’t sound particularly grief-stricken about having no family, and even admits to having had great friends and relationships. But she still longs for that day when she will be with her immediate family. I only heard this one last year but it immediately shot up to near the top of my list.

 

6. Wildwood Flower

 

 

I rediscovered my love for Emmylou early last year, and found many new songs of hers in the process. One of them was this one from her Songbird album, which has many tracks that were previous unrecorded or didn't make the cut for previous albums. Rare tracks & forgotten gems, as the album cover says. The "I will dance, I will sing and my life shall be gay" line is just magical and I could listen to it all day. The string arrangement is understared and almost whimsical thanks to Ricky Scraggs, and she and fellow Americana singer Iris DiMent bscially ound like angels. A masterpiece. 

 

5. Boulder to Birmingham

 

 

Boulder to Birmingham is one of Emmylou's signature songs so I'm hoping Andy recognizes this one! She wrote this one herself about the death of Gram Parsons, who was both her lover and mentor.

 

I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham

I would hold my life in his saving grace

I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham

If I thought I could see, I could see your face.

 

I could listen to her wail out that chorus all day.It was the only song she wrote on her second album, Pieces of the Sky, which bsically jump-started her career in 1975. Although the album was pretty much country you can hear the folk/Americana influence in the song already. Just gorgeous.

 

4. If This is Goodbye

 

 

If This is Goodbye is by far my favorite duet of Emmylou's catalog. It comes from All the Roadrunning, a duet album with her and lesser known singer Mark Knopfler. There were a couple close calls that almost made the list on it, but this is the clear standout track. It's so beautiful and melancholy, I love Mark's deep voice, almost as if a young Johnny Cash were singing it with her. The guitar riff at the end is excellent too.

 

3. To Know Him is to Love Him

 

 

From the first time I heard the magnificent Trio album, this was my favorite song on it. I came to realize later that it has been covered by many other artists, but Emmylou with lead vocals + Dolly and Linda have easily the best version. It's difficult to articulate why I love this one so much; it's one of the softer songs on the album but their harmonies are angelic as always. I won't say it helped me discover my sexuality or anything, but I was loved the "just to see him smile makes my life worthwhile" line. It was one of the first country songs I heard that sang about male love from a female perspective, so there's that too.

 

2. Michelangelo

 

 

Michelangelo is a truly gorgeous heartbreaking song where Emmylou sings of her fromer lover Gram Parsons. Michelangelo has a double meaning here. From the Hebrew, Micah-el (gift of God) and a reference to the great Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet; the super-artist. It is most likely a very clever reference to Gram Parsons, was a tortured soul who never healed from the suicide of his father and cirrhosis-stricken mother, both before he graduated high school. I imagine that was what led him to the self-destructive drug and alcohol abuse which later killed him. In this song, Emmylou is dreaming about him and wonders if she could have saved him.

 

1. Bang the Drum Slowly

 

I owe my discovery of this song to hearing the name in a clue on Jeopardy in 2017. I emailed it to my dad on the 4th of July and he loved it. It's certainly better than all his faves! We don't get to hear Emmylou's soaring vocals on this one as much, but we are treated to her soft soothing voice in the beginning and her lower range throughout the song. 

 

The whole song is pretty divine, but I've spent a ton f time replaying this fifth verse:

 

Gone now is the day and gone the sun
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
But the songs of my life will still be sung
By the light of the moon you hung

 

Not only does it talk about the time you should've spent with your loved ones, it also honors our veterans. A really noble message, even if it's one of the saddest songs ever. This song cements her as the queen of folk/Americana, even if it wasn't a single!

10. Moon Song - 

9. My Dear Companion - 

8. The Pain of Loving You - 

7. Orphan Girl - 

6. Wildwood Flower - 

5. Boulder to Birmingham - 

4. If This is Goodbye - 

3. To Know Him is to Love Him - 

2. Michelangelo - 

1. Bang the Drum Slowly - 

Edited December 28, 2020 by ~Tom~

[#jeah]

10. Moon Song - I would have to listen to this more times to see if I like it better than Phoebe's same-titled song, but obviously as of now I prefer that one. This is really pretty and a great album closer! I agree with everything else you said about this.

9. My Dear Companion - I just really need to give this whole album a spin from start to finish because these three voices together are so great. This was gorgeous and easily one of my favorites so far. Loved the ending as well like you said.

8. The Pain of Loving You - Oooh I might even like this one better! These harmonies are absolutely sublime. Is that Dolly singing in a really high upper register? LOVE that too. Wish this was longer as it's sweet from start to finish

7. Orphan Girl - This song builds up really nicely and has a high-energy finish which I like. It's not one of my top favorites I've heard, but I do really like that she sounds almost optimistic here rather than super depressed which makes for a nice twist given the lyrical content

6. Wildwood Flower - Crazy that this was an unreleased song, because it's so strong and definitely one of my favorites. Nothing extra to add, you put it all perfectly.

5. Boulder to Birmingham - I've heard this one before! I've been listening to her some on my own, and this is one of her top songs on Spotify so I checked it out and I love it. Maybe the one I like most from her, besides maybe Amarillo lol. This is beautiful. I didn't realize Gram Parsons was her lover  

4. If This is Goodbye - Loving the instrumental break at the end. They sound amazing together. Not my favorite but certainly see why it's so high for you

3. To Know Him is to Love Him - Definitely know this one as well! It's sweet and gorgeous and makes me feel warm inside.

2. Michelangelo - I've heard this one too! Again, didn't realize it was about Gram Parsons. This one is absolutely gorgeous and definitely one of the best I've heard from her. Maybe this would be my favorite actually? It's got an incredibly haunting vibe to it, like her voice sounds so heavenly and eerie at the same time. The melody here is perfect. Love love this

1. Bang the Drum Slowly - Okay, definitely haven't heard this one before so let's see! I can definitely see why you like this so much. It's gorgeous and even ethereal sounding as it goes on. I love her lower register harmonizing with her lead vocals throughout, it adds another layer to the whole thing. Did this come out in 2017? If so, that's super recent considering how long she's in the business. This is definitely really sad and heartbreaking but that soaring chorus is so good. I totally get why this is your favorite from her.

[~Tom~]

1 hour ago, #jeah said:

10. Moon Song - I would have to listen to this more times to see if I like it better than Phoebe's same-titled song, but obviously as of now I prefer that one. This is really pretty and a great album closer! I agree with everything else you said about this.

9. My Dear Companion - I just really need to give this whole album a spin from start to finish because these three voices together are so great. This was gorgeous and easily one of my favorites so far. Loved the ending as well like you said.

8. The Pain of Loving You - Oooh I might even like this one better! These harmonies are absolutely sublime. Is that Dolly singing in a really high upper register? LOVE that too. Wish this was longer as it's sweet from start to finish

7. Orphan Girl - This song builds up really nicely and has a high-energy finish which I like. It's not one of my top favorites I've heard, but I do really like that she sounds almost optimistic here rather than super depressed which makes for a nice twist given the lyrical content

6. Wildwood Flower - Crazy that this was an unreleased song, because it's so strong and definitely one of my favorites. Nothing extra to add, you put it all perfectly.

5. Boulder to Birmingham - I've heard this one before! I've been listening to her some on my own, and this is one of her top songs on Spotify so I checked it out and I love it. Maybe the one I like most from her, besides maybe Amarillo lol. This is beautiful. I didn't realize Gram Parsons was her lover  

4. If This is Goodbye - Loving the instrumental break at the end. They sound amazing together. Not my favorite but certainly see why it's so high for you

3. To Know Him is to Love Him - Definitely know this one as well! It's sweet and gorgeous and makes me feel warm inside.

2. Michelangelo - I've heard this one too! Again, didn't realize it was about Gram Parsons. This one is absolutely gorgeous and definitely one of the best I've heard from her. Maybe this would be my favorite actually? It's got an incredibly haunting vibe to it, like her voice sounds so heavenly and eerie at the same time. The melody here is perfect. Love love this

1. Bang the Drum Slowly - Okay, definitely haven't heard this one before so let's see! I can definitely see why you like this so much. It's gorgeous and even ethereal sounding as it goes on. I love her lower register harmonizing with her lead vocals throughout, it adds another layer to the whole thing. Did this come out in 2017? If so, that's super recent considering how long she's in the business. This is definitely really sad and heartbreaking but that soaring chorus is so good. I totally get why this is your favorite from her.

10. Phoebe's hard to beat, haha.

9. Yes you sure do! It is truly a masterpiece and what made me fall in love with all three of them as singers. 

8. It is indeed Dolly! Agree with all your comments here. To have it longer would be amazing.

7. Yep I like the optimistic feel to those lyrics as well!

6. It mde me fall in love with Emmylou all over again in 2019.  

5. Yess at listeing her some on your own.  It even got used in the IG section, so people definitely knew.

4. I thought you might love this more but I'm glad you can see why I love it!

3. Didn't expect this to be your favorite but I'm glad you like it!

2. Yesss at it being your favorite! I only discovered it last year and I've spent more time listening to Bang the Drum Slowly but I wouldn't  e surprised if this overtook it at some point. I'm sure you like it because it references art as well!

1. Nope it came out in 2000! I discovered it in 2017 thanks to Jeopardy. 

 

So, the ultimate question is, did Emmylou replace Kacey? Jk I know the answer to that.  

[#jeah]

ANGEL OLSEN

 

 

 

 

Angel Olsen is one of the greatest voices and songwriters working in music today, period. If the world had more taste she would be one of the biggest and most influential singers in the music world right now. Her musical style is versatile and she succeeds in whatever kind of genre she commits to, whether it's folk, americana, indie, rock, art pop, country, or synth pop. Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina (one of my favorite places in the South), Angel has a career that has spanned over a decade now and I believe she is just getting started. Her gorgeous voice is clearly her most powerful weapon. It can go from a wail to a whisper to a shout in the span of a single lyric. Her songwriting is also generally very good and has inspired me many times. She is also absolutely amazing live. I have seen her twice, once in support of MY WOMAN and the other after All Mirrors came out. The MW concert in particular was mind-blowing but both were incredible experiences.

 

Here I will pay tribute to my favorite songs of hers. Her discography is not huge yet, so I have come up with 38 songs that I feel deserve a shout out. I would have rounded it up to 40 but none of the songs after these 38 really do too much for me.

 

 

---

 

 

38. Acrobat (from Half Way Home, 2012)

 

 

This is from her first album, Half Way Home, that I don't think was ever released with a label. It's a really slow album and definitely shows Angel at her most bare-bones, stylistically, but this song stands out for its simple arrangement and haunting vocals from Angel, particularly towards the end. I also love the line "I'm just a lady with some time."

 

 

37. Fly On Your Wall (from Phases, 2017)

 

 

This is from the 2017 album Phases, which is a My Woman B-sides album mixed in with a collection of older previously unreleased songs. There are a couple of incredible gems here, and Fly On Your Wall is one of the better ones. It has a plodding beat from start to finish with a typically versatile vocal performance from Angel. This song does have a really nice build up and I love the end where she sings "A love never made is still mine, if only real in my mind." 

 

 

36. Creator, Destroyer (from Strange Cacti, 2011)

 

Strange Cacti is a minimalist folk EP released at the very start of Angel's career and honestly I think it has some of her most gorgeous melodies in any of her songs. The really bare/sparse arrangements mean I don't listen to it all that much, and it sounds under-produced compared to her later work...but man you can't deny some of these songs are really powerful. Creator, Destoyer is definitely a great example of this. This song is actually incredibly poetic and explores the dichotomy between body and spirit. I really want her to re-record this, maybe with a busier arrangement and clearer vocals. Because I think this is absolutely gorgeous.

 

 

35. Pops (from My Woman, 2016)

 

 

I feel like this song is probably really personal and important to Angel, so for that I love it. It's the closer off my favorite album of hers (My Woman), and it's a very simple piano ballad. It's gut-wrenching and it honestly sounds like she's on the brink of tears throughout the whole song. It's definitely the song I go back to the least on this album, only because it feels so emotionally heavy that it's really not an enjoyable listen. But it ties the whole album together beautifully and the words are heartbreaking. The hopeful line of "after it all ends, we'll be just like friends" is actually my favorite. This album came out like three days after a really big break up of mine so this whole album speaks to me, and this song feels the most applicable haha.

 

 

34. California (from Phases, 2017)

 

 

This is a really cute song! It's very low-key and folky. It kind of hearkens back to her Half Way Home album but the melody is stronger than a lot of her earliest songs. The production here is really on point and I love what she does with her voice here from start to finish.

 

 

33. Windows (from Burn Your Fire For No Witness, 2014)

 

 

This is the first song featured off of her breakthrough album, 2014's Burn Your Fire For No Witness. It's not my favorite of Angel's although I think it represents a really good bridge between her folk roots and the more ambitious art pop stuff she's been doing with her last couple of albums. Windows the song is absolutely crushing. Her vocals here are gorgeous, ethereal, and haunting. The very slow arrangement and build-up make this one really hard for me to listen to very often, but I think that just means this is a really powerful song. The line "We throw our shadows down...it's how we get around" is really beautiful. And the whole premise of the song "won't you open a window sometime, what's so wrong with the light" is really great. 

 

 

32. Not Gonna Kill You (from My Woman, 2016)

 

 

Not gonna lie, I struggled with this song for awhile and it's definitely still one of my lesser faves from a 10/10 album. Stylistically this is an outlier in Angel's discography so far. It's very grungy and rocky, almost like 90s grunge rock a la Nirvana. Which has never been my go-to style of music. The melodies, vocals, and instruments are all pretty harsh here, which actually makes this a great palate cleanser on My Woman. Lyrically, this is great as it talks about not fearing the future and realizing that we can always handle whatever life throws at us. Overall, I love what she does here even though it's not fully my style of music. I do love the guitar breakdown in the second half a lot. I'm glad this song exists!

 

 

31. Dance Slow Decades (from Burn Your Fire For No Witness, 2014)

 

 

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous song. Dance Slow Decades has some amazing lyrics, such as the entire first verse where she talks about not really knowing what she thought she knew. That mixed with the really hopeful lines in the chorus make this a really uplifting and cathartic song for me. Really the whole chorus deserves a shout-out:

 

I can see you dancing
If you'd just take the step
You might still have it in you
Give yourself the benefit
And dance slow decades
Toward the sun
Even when you're the only one

 

 

---

 

38. Acrobat -

37. Fly On Your Wall -

36. Creator, Destroyer - 

35. Pops -

34. California -

33. Windows -

32. Not Gonna Kill You -

31. Dance Slow Decades -

Edited February 7, 2021 by #jeah

[~Tom~]

38. Acrobat - Ooh, I don't think this was released with a label. The arrngement is minimalist but her vocals are haunting! I like the line you mentioned as well.

37. Fly On Your Wall - I wasn't really feeling this until the end where the guitar picked up, but she does sound great. 

36. Creator, Destroyer - Haven't heard this EP either but I liked this song from the first second.   She sounds amazing and although I couldn't understand all the lyrics and the arrangement was a little lo-fi, it was still beautiful. 

35. Pops - Aw I think I know what break up this is. It's a definitely a tear jerker but a little on the forgettable side for me. The piano melody near the end was nice.

 

Second half tomorrow!

[#jeah]

I think you would love the Strange Cacti EP!

[~Tom~]

10 hours ago, #jeah said:

I think you would love the Strange Cacti EP!

Well I hope you're posting its contents in the rest of this list.  

 

34. California - I like hearing Angel's lower range/quirky side, but the song/arrangement was on the forgettable side.

33. Windows - Since I am a big hipster, I don't like this. J/k, but I don't care for Space Song or Fade Into You for that reason, lol. Anyway, it did have grow on me but her vocals are so hauntingly beautiful here. Really good!

32. Not Gonna Kill You - Didn't expect this style from Angel but I like it! I like the message also and it reminded me of one the Cranberries' heavier songs. 

31. Dance Slow Decades - Giving whole choruses mention like me, nice haha. But it's easily my favorite from this set and was a standout when I first listened to Burn Your Fire For Not Witness a year or so ago. Angel really sounds like a much older woman in a lot of her songs, and the guitar solo after the 3 minute mark also deserves a mention.

Edited February 10, 2021 by ~Tom~

[#jeah]

ANGEL OLSEN

 

 

 

30. Too Easy (from All Mirrors, 2019)

 

 

This is one of her weirdest songs imo and I don't know how it fits in with the rest of All Mirrors but somehow it does. She sounds manic and almost demented here. The melody is really sour and then it builds into that explosive instrumental at the end. I can't quite put my finger on what kind of genre this falls into...I've seen it compared to Stereolab which is the closest thing I can think of, I guess. Super weird direction for her to go but I love it

 

 

29. Summer (from All Mirrors, 2019)

 

 

Another slight deviation in sound compared to the more orchestral overtones that are in this album, though Summer is one of her most cinematic songs to me. It just feels more spaghetti Western imo, which is such a great thing. Love the line "if I could show you the hell I've been through," I read somewhere that Angel wanted to convey this message that everyone goes through their own version of pain and everyone's pain is a valid and uniquely human experience. 

 

 

28. The Waiting (from Half Way Home, 2012)

 

 

Wow this is my favorite song from Half Way Home, I can't believe it's ranked 28th right now because it's definitely felt like a top 10 song for awhile. I just don't listen to this album as much I guess. Either way, this is gorgeous and lowkey the most upbeat song off that album lol if I'm not mistaken. Her voice gives me life and I want her to go back to giving vocal performances like this in her new albums. The Roy Orbison influence that she has claimed is very apparent here imo, it hearkens back to those old school country days. I even get a tiny bit of She & Him (hopefully that's not blasphemous) but their influences are obvious as well lol. And gorgeous lyrics too

 

 

 

27. Tonight (from All Mirrors, 2019)

 

 

This song is really dramatic in its restraint from start to finish. Angel does something with her voice here that I find absolutely mesmerizing. This was especially a joy to watch live because it's all about the voice for the first 3/4ths of the song. Then that beautiful orchestral ending is gliding and gorgeous.

 

Love the simplicity of the lyrics, in fact I'll just quote Angel herself (in an interview with Pitchfork) in that it's "100% a song about leaving someone and finding I’m more myself alone and that I don’t fear being alone the way that the person made me think I would. It is really just about being at peace without having someone else to validate me or take care of me. Because when you really have changed, you don’t need to shout it in the streets. It’s just what you are."

 

I couldn't say it better myself!

 

 

 

26. Woman (from My Woman, 2016)

 

 

This is one of two epic odysseys on My Woman (the other is ranked higher). I think the reason it's lower than it probably should be, is that My Woman is such an emotional record imo that by the time you're near the end, Woman is a pretty daunting song to get through. But it's totally worth the journey from start to finish. It's heartbreaking and obviously someone pining over the other person after a break up. Musically, this song has all the emotional highs and lows that a relationship and subsequent break up have haha. Love when she wails out "Tell me love isn't true" several times in the middle, which leads to the song's epic build up. Her voice is astounding here! Love the guitar breakdown and towards the end when she sings the heartbreaking line: "I'd do anything to see it all the way that you do, but I'd be lying baby, I'd be lying to you." I'll just leave it at that!

 

 

---

 

 

30. Too Easy -

29. Summer -

28. The Waiting -

27. Tonight -

26. Woman -

[#jeah]

22 hours ago, ~Tom~ said:

38. Acrobat - Ooh, I don't think this was released with a label. The arrngement is minimalist but her vocals are haunting! I like the line you mentioned as well.

37. Fly On Your Wall - I wasn't really feeling this until the end where the guitar picked up, but she does sound great. 

36. Creator, Destroyer - Haven't heard this EP either but I liked this song from the first second.   She sounds amazing and although I couldn't understand all the lyrics and the arrangement was a little lo-fi, it was still beautiful. 

35. Pops - Aw I think I know what break up this is. It's a definitely a tear jerker but a little on the forgettable side for me. The piano melody near the end was nice.

 

Second half tomorrow!

 

1 hour ago, ~Tom~ said:

Well I hope you're posting its contents in the rest of this list.  

 

34. California - I like hearing Angel's lower range/quirky side, but the song/arrangement was on the forgettable side.

33. Windows - Since I am a big hipster, I don't like this. J/k, but I don't care for Space Song or Fade Into You for that reason, lol. Anyway, it did have grow on me but her vocals are so hauntingly beautiful here. Really good!

32. Not Gonna Kill You - Didn't expect this style from Angel but I like it! I like the message also and it reminded me of one the Cranberries' heavier songs. 

31. Dance Slow Decades - Giving whole choruses mention like me, nice haha. But it's easily my favorite from this set and was a standout when I first listened to Burn Your Fire For Not Witness a year or so ago. Angel really sounds like a much older woman in a lot of her songs, and the guitar solo after the 3 minute mark also deserves a mention.

38. It wasn't, which is crazy to me.

37. Yeah it wasn't an immediate standout to me for awhile

36. I want her to re-record SC with better production, I think I would like some of the songs even more if she did

35. Haha   Yes I know what piano melody you're talking about and I love it! Very classical

34. That's fair, totally get that with this song. Lana's California reigns supreme! (Also I should have totally ranked it higher than 7th but I didn't want a NFR onslaught lol)

33. Hahaha what do you mean? Is this one of her more popular songs or something?

32. Oooh I'll heave to check out more of the Cranberries' discography because now I am intrigued

31. Haha what can I say, we love a good chorus. Agreed on her sounding like an older woman. Yesss glad you love this one!

[~Tom~]

30. Too Easy - I know of Stereolab a bit and I couldn't get into them too much. Same feelings regarding this song, really.   Defnitely different from the others on the album.

29. Summer - Spaghetti Western? Does not compute. I'm thinking more alt-country ala Neko Case, but I do really like this, pretty dark and catchy. Love the lines "Was I becoming what I had to be? Was that the truth I was supposed to see?". 

28. The Waiting - I've only heard a couple songs from She & Him and not for years so not sue I see that influence but the Roy Orbison one ye. Maybe Marianne Faithfull too. It wouldn't be a top fave of mine because it's not incredibly melodic but she hits some gorgeous high notes and it's catchy too.

27. Tonight - This one was an immdiate standout on All Mirrors. It is so beautiful and I love the haunting low tones that Angel showcases here, as well as the piano arrangement/orchestration throughout.  

26. Woman - Wow this song is long! I think I was hoping for a bit more of an epic buildup than there turned out to be, but the "I'd do anything to see it all the way that you do" line is great, and the orchestration after that is awesome. Definitely one that could grow on me if I listened to it more. 

[#jeah]

I'm baaaaack! I was looking at my Lana rankings and thinking how some of them have changed a lot even since I posted them  Like, I would have Love Song and Salvatore much higher for instance, and would probably switch Heroin with Change. That's not even including the new songs from Chemtrails! Oh well.

 

ANGEL OLSEN

 

 

 

25. Sweet Dreams (from Phases, 2017)

 

 

Taken from her Phases compilation (which feels a little disjointed compared to her studio LPs but that's to be expected), Sweet Dreams is a definite highlight and to me represents pretty quintessential Angel Olsen. This actually came out years before Phases was released and is a pretty standard track as far as Angel goes - in a good way. You've got the prominent guitars backgrounding the track along with some fun riffs in between the verses. You have her wailing voice that changes its styling throughout. The lyrics are also a highlight to this song and I like that is short and sweet!

 

 

24. (TIE) Forgiven/Forgotten AND Hi-Five (from Burn Your Fire For No Witness, 2014)

 

 

 

Whoops, I originally forgot to add one of these songs when I made the list. Fortunately, they are consecutive songs on the album, both fairly short, and stylistically have enough similarities that I felt okay combining them on this list! Forgiven/Forgotten is a fiery little track that packs a punch from the start but still finds a way to build up into something pretty explosive. I love the line "I don't know anything, but I love you." It's simple and fun  Hi Five is a bit longer and has a bit more going on imo. Lyrically this is really fun from the start "Sitting lonely with somebody lonely too, well there's nothing in the world I'd rather do." This explores themes of loneliness and longing in a really candid way which I love. I love the guitar with a ton of reverb or whatever that effect is. I also love how the song builds after she sings "Now we don't have to take it to extremes..." These two songs are a huge jolt of energy and I'm really glad they are on this album which needs some energy.

 

 

23. Drunk and with Dreams (from Strange Cacti, 2011)

 

 

Another gorgeous little tune from Strange Cacti, this one has a really fun guitar intro in the first third and then Angel deploys her typical eerie voice that she used in this EP. I absolutely love these lyrics:

 

Drunk and with dreams I am lost out at sea
With my only map, I have memories
And how else do you suggest I get back to that place?
With only one memory, I've never seen his face

 

It is structured pretty similarly to other songs on the EP, particularly Creator, Destroyer...so I'm glad she varied her sound more as she made more music. But for what it is, this song is melancholy and gorgeous and definitely one of my favorites from Strange Cacti.

 

 

22. White Fire (from Burn Your Fire For No Witness, 2014)

 

 

Okay, out of all the songs on the list, I would say White Fire is the one that had to grow on me the most (and is still growing on me). It was always a skip on the album for awhile because it's 1. super long and 2. super slow with no build up. I struggled to appreciate it, even though it always sounded gorgeous. Then I just decided to let it play in its entirety any time it came on Spotify, and I started to appreciate it more. Now I love this song and find it so haunting and heartbreaking. I mean the first lyric being "Everything is tragic, it all just falls apart" is such a way to start a song lol. It tells a really sad story about regret over a failed relationship, mixed with nostalgia for younger days. I can definitely relate. The minimalist structure and almost unnecessary length of the song can be a barrier, but if you can get over that this is pure gold.

 

 

21. Impasse (from All Mirrors, 2019)

 

 

This one is actually quite hard for me to rank. Impasse is maybe Angel's most dramatic sounding song ever. Angel has said this is about her work as a writer and musician and how people underestimate how much hard work and failure Angel had to experience to find success. Whatever it's about, it's structured super well. It does take a bit to build up to that epic chorus around 1:40, but there is still this tangible sense of intensity and dread that makes the whole thing hard to ignore. I also think this is one of the best use of the strings throughout the album. But yeah I think this does drag a little too much to be one of my top faves from All Mirrors (I don't think it has to take forever to end like it does) - however this is still ranked #21 so I love it so much.

 

 

---

 

 

25. Sweet Dreams -

24. Forgiven/Forgotten, Hi-Five -

23. Drunk and with Dreams -

22. White Fire -

21. Impasse -

Edited March 24, 2021 by #jeah

[~Tom~]

You should've just done Angel first since her new album was just a stripped down version of All Mirrors.  

 

25. Sweet Dreams - Not my absolute favorite because it's not the most dynamic but I love her dynamics here.  

24. Forgiven/Forgotten, Hi-Five - This is cheating! But I've done it before in the past.  Anyway, I liked the bluesy feel of Forgiven/Forgotten and I loved the line "I don't know anything, but I love you" in Hi-Five also, as well as the "Yes I know". Great loneliness theme even though it's an up-tempo song with buildup. Just wish it went on longer as it ended abruptly. 

23. Drunk and with Dreams - Great guitar work at first and then she goes into her melancholy wailing, definitely my favorite so far! I love the "lift me up just bury me under" line also.

22. White Fire - Robbed! Jk, although I'm a little surprised this was such a grower for you I'm glad you grew to like it, I really love the dark haunting feel throughout even if it drags just a little. This song and the previous one both remind me of a singer I like called Michelle Gurevich, I don't think I've shown her to you yet but I'll have to one of these days. 

21. Impasse - I don't remember this one from All Mirrors (Chance and Tonight say hi) but I do love the epic feel in the beginning parts and how she talks about being lost. I'll admit I don't understand all the lyrics ithout looking them up but the message does make sense. Curious to relisten to this on the stripped version of All Mirrors and see how it would sound. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by ~Tom~