John Moe is the head writer and host of Wits, and also appears on air every Tuesday morning with The Throbbing Hive, an update of what's happening in technology and social media. He's also started a brand new sports podcast, Home Dunk.
Here are John's picks, listed alphabetically.
Albums of the Year
FKA Twigs – LP1
Prince and I disagree on some things (whether Lake Minnetonka's waters are purifying, whether Third Eye Girl is the next big thing) but he and I both love the challengingly named FKA twigs' rookie effort.
Old 97's – Most Messed Up
Rhett and the fellas sound great. They pack a punch and they pack it in a smile.
Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witnesses
Angel Olsen is some kind of crazy sorceress. This is a great album. And very funny.
Open Mike Eagle – Dark Comedy
Mike's doing things that nobody else does. Find a better rap album that references the Ice King and Jon Lovitz. You can't.
Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal
Rock n' roll! Rock n' roll! I enjoy rock n' roll! This is some fun, smart, primal stuff.
Spoon – They Want My Soul
I'm more of a Spoon loyalist than a Divine Fits fan when it comes to Britt's attentions. Spoon music improves almost any day.
Sun Kil Moon – Benji
I'm really disappointed that Mark Kozelek had to be such an awful person this year because his behavior overshadowed a masterful album. I've listened to "I Watched The Film The Song Remains The Same" a bunch and "Ben's My Friend" even more.
Taylor Swift – 1989
Hating on Taylor is like hating the Soviet Army. Regardless of your feelings, she's still going to be massive, stronger than anything, impressive, and deadly. Really, a perfect pop album.
Various Artists – Dead Man's Town: A Tribute to Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A.
A compilation album full of just-below-the-radar artists covering what are great songs that originally appeared on a terribly produced Bruce album. Sorry. It's true. Check out Low's "I'm on Fire" and Joe Pug's "Downbound Train".
War on Drugs – Lost In The Dream
This album has something new to give me every time I hear it. It's a magic album, I think, made by wizards.
Songs of the year
Courtney Barnett – "Avant Gardener"
It's a song about respiratory troubles and it's pretty silly but darned if I don't let it play all the way through whenever I run across it. "I think she's clever cause she stops people dying."
Benjamin Booker – "Violent Shiver"
One of the songs this year that made me stop what I was doing and shout at the radio, "What is THIS?!" In a good way. A great way.
The Both – "Milwaukee"
The combination of Aimee and Ted's voices is delightful for the contrast but it's beautiful for how pretty the voices sound together. This is a great song that talks about Fonzie. More songs should talk about Fonzie.
Leonard Cohen – "Almost Like the Blues"
This song sounds like a ghost who wants to make out with you.
Doomtree – ".38 Airweight"
One of the top "hey turn up the radio" tracks of the year.
The Hold Steady – "Spinners"
Bars, pathos, hope, despair, guitars. Great track from one of the best bands in the world.
Father John Misty – "Bored in the U.S.A."
The laugh track. Dude puts a laugh track in his goddamn song. And it's perfect. The song is hilarious but also exquisitely beautiful.
Bob Mould – "I Don't Know You Anymore"
The most head-bopping track on Bob's new album. Bob played a mutant bear on Wits this year.
Perfume Genius – "Queen"
Grand orchestration, majestic sweep of music, a confident song from a rapidly rising star.
Neil Young – "Crazy"
I include this to hopefully point more ears to Shakey's weird album, A Letter Home, recorded in an old-time recording booth at Jack White's place. Neil Young recording a Willie Nelson song popularized by Patsy Cline in Jack White's studio and sounding like 1933? Yes please.
