2023 Song of the Year List, 10-1

*This list is curated by co-editor Greg Jones

10) Blackwood Station – “Let Me Down Gently”
-To no one’s surprise, it’s an acoustic singer songwriter that leads off my top 10 this year. I hadn’t heard Blackwood Station before this one, but it’s easy to become a fan of this sound. The acoustic guitar does a nice job of rolling along and keeping the melody rolling. There are shades of James Taylor and other mid-20th century singer songwriters in this sound. The sincerity in the bluesy connotations of the song make it easy for listeners to connect. Let me tell you, the crying expressiveness of the steel guitar sets this one off from good to great. This is just the kind of Americana tune that keeps me coming back for more.

9) Jake Etheridge – “Strawberry Chapstick”
-I have covered Jake Etheridge in the past, so it’s not totally surprising to see his name here. He’s one of those songwriters that you just can’t easily forget (not that you would ever want to). From the first line of this song, the expressiveness in the vocal absolutely blows away the listener. The lines have this rawness to them that reminds me of what I loved about early Noah Gundersen. When I told a friend of mine about this song, I told her Etheridge was a “grungy rock-influenced singer songwriter.” I think that about covers it. I can’t explain why this song always reminds me of people I grew up with, but it does on every listen. I love the way the song uses the visceral sensations to pull the listener into a moment. This is exceptional songwriting.

8) Don Brownrigg and Terra Spencer – “Say”
-Avid readers of my coverage know that I am a sucker for good harmonies and great chord selections. That’s definitely the case with this remarkable tune from Don Brownrigg and Terra Spencer. There’s a maturity and developed sensibility to this song that made it stick out to me all year long. The classic country and Americana waltz timing on the song speaks to my soul with a sort of timelessness. The horn part is an unexpected turn in the middle of the track, creating this easy going and gentle soulfulness to the performance. This one is an absolute treat.

7) Tyler Childers – “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (Kristofferson cover)
-Tyler Childers is Americana royalty in 2023. That’s a fact. So when he chose to cover one of the most important artists in American music history, the inimitable Kris Kristofferson, I was definitely interested. There’s a live version of this song on YouTube from FarmAid a few years back that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. But this studio version is no less satisfying. Childers captures the emotion of the performance like no one else can, truly. He delivers each line with a sense of desperation that is, frankly, hard to put into words. I’m not sure we’ve heard an expressive vocalist like this in decades. He will go down in history in the pantheon of great country music talents, albeit in a category of Americana more than mainstream, which is befitting in my book.

6) The Arcadian Wild – “Big Sky, MT”
-I had a chance to interview this talented trio several years ago, but it was an absolute joy to hear how well they continue to progress with their progressive bluegrass careers. This song is stunning. Honestly, I wish I could have had a camera on my face when I discovered this song. This was such a fast “yes” for acceptance, but it also had this clear sense of creative originality. Some might point to Chris Thile influences in the writing, but this is a wholly original piece of writing that has become a definitive style for The Arcadian Wild. It has these almost-ancient satisfying performance elements, all the while at times putting me in mind of harmonies that would make Brian Wilson smile. It’s an exceptional sound that every audiophile on the planet should have a chance to hear.

5) The Collection – “Love At the End of the World”
-This year The Collection emerged for me both with this individual song as well as their full album. It really has everything I enjoy in a good full song. The melody is complex and satisfying, the horns bring warmth and charm. The whole composition has this gravitas to it that carries the depth of the human message in the lyrics. The message is to get us thinking about how we have let modern life ruin our human experiences. “I welcome love at the end of the world.” I could wax eloquent about how much I relate to these lyrics, but I’ve never heard and articulation of our present historical moment. Honestly, as the world descends into further chaos we find ourselves reacting and overreacting to all the wrong things. Much like a full-company choral song at the end of a theater performance, The Collection bring us the song we can all sing together as the world seems to literally die around us.

4) Midnight Pilot – “Broke again”
-I had never heard of the band Midnight Pilot before this song, but oh my word am I a huge fan now. I love everything about the composition style on this song. In fact, if I could write music I would want to be able to write exactly this type of song. It’s harmony driven, beautifully lyrical complex, and has some of the most unique chord expressions I’ve heard all year. I love how it both sounds wholly original, while still reminding me of bands like Eagles that lived in this folky pop space for decades. The expressive, “I hope you feel the same way,” is… mmhmm. This song has a remarkable way of being pleasing to the ears sonically while also speaking to a contemporary peacefulness in my life. This is a gift.

3) Andrea von Kampen – “Juniper”
-The first time I heard this song was an acoustic version on AVK’s YouTube channel. I loved it. I mean — INSTANTLY loved it. I have listened to that version several dozen times this year. But my heavens this studio version is absolutely phenomenal as well. The delicate balance between the vocal and the orchestration is unlike anything in music right now. I always want to use the word “charming,” when I write about AVK’s music. I mean that as the sincerest of compliments. The natural imagery on this track is reminiscent of von Kampen’s discography from the earliest days. The little turn on “your mind can betray you on all sorts of things” is almost an anthemic theme of my 2023, so not only is this a beautiful piece of music, I have found it to be soulfully connecting. Thank you for this one, songbird.

2) Jacob Collier – “Little Blue” ft. Brandi Carlile
-I will probably always remember 2023 as the year I fell in love with the music of Jacob Collier. I couldn’t get enough of him. I listened to his covers, live performances, and originals for more nights of this year than not. So imagine the way my heart lept when I heard this new song, “Little Blue,” a gorgeous tapestry of harmonic and melodic exploration. For Collier’s standards, it’s a bit tame, but that means it’s perfect for me. The message of “finding a way home,” despite life’s struggles and trials is deeply inspiring for me. Carlile adds in a beautiful, endearing complimentary vocal to the mix. I cannot imagine being in the room with these two during this creative moment. I feel honored to be on the planet at a time when a talent like Jacob Collier is here. Seriously, he’s on another level and this song is just a pure delight.

1) Jeffrey Martin – “There Is A Treasure”
-I’ve been writing about Jeffrey Martin for several years now, so there’s not a whole lot I can say about him as a songwriter that I haven’t said already. With prophetic voice and a literary eye toward lyricism, Martin graces us with another masterpiece on “There Is A Treasure.” The religious overtones of the world continuing after his death is poignant and refreshingly beautiful. There haven’t been a lot of songs that worm into my soul quite like this one. Maybe it’s because Martin and I are of similar age, but there’s a solace to this type of reflection on end of life. This is a deeply human gift of a song and I hope it makes you feel have as blessed as it makes me feel.