Major accomplishments from my 28th year on this planet include finding out I was really in love enough to start planing my future with someone, paying off my student loans, traveling to 8 new countries, revisiting 4 previously explored countries, and falling in love with more than just these 13 songs. These are the winners in another incredible year of cooking in my kitchen, evening writing with a glass of wine, tears of joy and sadness, and sometimes even dancing around my living room. I'm looking forward to the songs of year 29.
February
Dear Chicago, Ryan Adams
February
Dear Chicago, Ryan Adams
I discovered Ryan's Live After Deaf albums and pretty much immersed myself in them and a glass of wine on cold February nights. This song is kind of a love song to Tivat I guess. I was struggling a lot at work and not really feeling in love with my life.
March
Graveclothes- Birdtalker
Graveclothes- Birdtalker
March was a lot of unknowns and a lot of looking forward to my holiday. Many a sleepless night. This was my happy song. "Don't get lost inside your head."
April
Portland Oregon- Loretta Lynn and Jack White
Portland Oregon- Loretta Lynn and Jack White
Lewis said this song reminded him of me. It is a perfect summation of what our time in Tivat was. Drunken gin nights and then running out of time.
May
26, Caamp
26, Caamp
I know I'm 28, but just listening to this song all over Kazakhstan made me so happy about my life.
June
Heirloom- Sufjan Stevens
Heirloom- Sufjan Stevens
I wish I could remember just what I was thinking when I fell in love with this song, but I don't. I just know that I was feeling very much in love with life at the moment.
July- I don't have any songs that I fell in love with in July so....
August deserves two songs.
House of My Soul- Langhorne Slim
I heard this song for the first time on the way north to go camping and I instantly feel in love with the lyrics.
"You got the hands that I wanna hold
You light the rooms to the house of my soul. Goddamn!"
A Little Honey, Nathaniel Rateliff
I was feeling pretty insecure about life at the end of August. This song's lyrics hit deep as I realized that my confusion was mostly due to lack of communication about what I needed. I can't choose lyrics, because it is seriously all of them. I also don't mind watching Nathaniel shake those hips :)
January
Images- Sleepwalkers
The responsibility of becoming an adult started to hit me hard. I paid off my loans, and started looking toward moving to the same country as my man.
"I couldn't believe it
I couldn't see it coming no
Wish I was younger
Don't want to get any older no
So I'm asking you to stay with me now
Stay with me now
Don't go"
February
Wolves- Mandolin Orange
They came out with a new album. Did you really think it'd be anyone else? Sober January done.
"Everything's so great can't get better, makes me wanna cry
That I'll go out howling at the moon tonight"
September
Calvary- Mandolin Orange
My life in September was all about running. I'm pretty sure training for a half marathon saved my sanity. I know there is more to this song than that line, but I just found so much beauty in the melody.
"These days I'm saving my strength for running"
October
Life is confusing- Langhorne Slim
I listened to this song on repeat so much it forced Langhorne Slim into my number 1 listened to artist of 2018 category. Life was confusing.
"Can we be happy for a while?
Can we just sit here, shut up and smile?
Been talking for hours.
Forgot what we're saying
Life is confusing and people are insane"
November
My Oh My- The Punch Brothers
I had a lot of trouble choosing for November. I actually fell in love with 4 songs. It was a tough month as I started job applications and interviews, and just started wanting to be anywhere but here. Everyday really is wonderful, so why would I try to look to the next one instead of enjoying the present.
"I see the green grass below
I feel the warmth of the screen
Is it beautiful (maybe not, maybe not)
But maybe so
But if it keeps us singing
My oh my, what a wonderful day
We're having, we're having
Why, oh why, are we looking for a way
Outside it, outside it"
December
Atlantic City- The Kooks
I specifically fell in love with this version of the song. I've heard it before, but never enjoyed it as much as I did dancing around in the kitchen to this version.
"Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back"
Calvary- Mandolin Orange
My life in September was all about running. I'm pretty sure training for a half marathon saved my sanity. I know there is more to this song than that line, but I just found so much beauty in the melody.
"These days I'm saving my strength for running"
October
Life is confusing- Langhorne Slim
I listened to this song on repeat so much it forced Langhorne Slim into my number 1 listened to artist of 2018 category. Life was confusing.
"Can we be happy for a while?
Can we just sit here, shut up and smile?
Been talking for hours.
Forgot what we're saying
Life is confusing and people are insane"
November
My Oh My- The Punch Brothers
I had a lot of trouble choosing for November. I actually fell in love with 4 songs. It was a tough month as I started job applications and interviews, and just started wanting to be anywhere but here. Everyday really is wonderful, so why would I try to look to the next one instead of enjoying the present.
"I see the green grass below
I feel the warmth of the screen
Is it beautiful (maybe not, maybe not)
But maybe so
But if it keeps us singing
My oh my, what a wonderful day
We're having, we're having
Why, oh why, are we looking for a way
Outside it, outside it"
December
Atlantic City- The Kooks
I specifically fell in love with this version of the song. I've heard it before, but never enjoyed it as much as I did dancing around in the kitchen to this version.
"Everything dies, baby, that's a fact
But maybe everything that dies some day comes back"
January
Images- Sleepwalkers
The responsibility of becoming an adult started to hit me hard. I paid off my loans, and started looking toward moving to the same country as my man.
"I couldn't believe it
I couldn't see it coming no
Wish I was younger
Don't want to get any older no
So I'm asking you to stay with me now
Stay with me now
Don't go"
February
Wolves- Mandolin Orange
They came out with a new album. Did you really think it'd be anyone else? Sober January done.
"Everything's so great can't get better, makes me wanna cry
That I'll go out howling at the moon tonight"
