The Sessionista’s Year in Review: The Music

10 Favorite Songs Added to my iPod in 2011:

1. We Did it When We Were Young, Gaslight Anthem. I heard this song on Covert Affairs, ended up downloading the entire American Slang album and have been in love ever since.

2. Who You Are, Jessie J. An acoustic version of this was used on So You Think You Can Dance last summer (which is a strangely good place to get songs from); all I could find was the album version which is equally good. For a long time I couldn’t understand how this lady wasn’t crazy popular in America (she’s British) but her new song Domino is all over pop radio, so…better late than never I guess?

3. Edge of Glory, Lady Gaga. I told Mr. Sesh I thought this would be the most successful Lady Gaga song to date. I’m pretty sure I was wrong, but I love it and it is SO CATCHY (“The edge, the edge, THE EDGE, the edge, THE EDDDDDDDDDDDDGE”).

4. The Diamond Church Street Choir, Gaslight Anthem. I may love this song purely for its ability to keep me running, but it’s pretty fantastic when I’m just in my kitchen cooking, too.

5. Ho Hey, The Lumineers. Uh, let’s just call this the best song you won’t be able to find anywhere. Heard it on Heart of Dixie of all places, and then Mr. Sesh spent 45 minutes trying to find it online, ANYWHERE. Wasn’t on iTunes or Amazon last time I checked but really, really cool song that sounds a bit like something Head and the Heart would do. (and here it is on YouTube. You’re welcome.)

6. Down in the Valley, The Head and the Heart. Speaking of Head and the Heart, I loved Lost in My Mind when it first started popping up sporadically on The End. Then I never heard it again. And then I couldn’t get away from it (I regularly hear it 2x on my morning drive- once on KMTT and once on KNDD). But the album has some gems and this one is my favorite.

7. Lucky Now, Ryan Adams. Mr. Sesh has quite the Ryan Adams collection, and I confess I love some of it and dislike some of it but I picked this song up from KMTT and really, really love it. Super catchy (yes, i know, it’s a good thing I’m not a music critic), and I love singing along with it.

8. New Slang, The Shins. The oldest song on my list, but I never “owned” it until now.

9. Young Blood, The Naked and Famous. Got this as an iTunes/Starbucks free download before it was all over the radio and thought it was the shit. Then spent some time complaining to Mr. Sesh about how the radio only plays “their other song.” Which wasn’t their song (it was Young the Giant. One common word and I was just completely lost).

10. Down by the Water, The Decemberists. Prior to this song, the only song I knew from The Decemberists was The Rake’s Song. I don’t even know how I got it on my iPod but I hate it (can we say weird, weird, disturbing lyrics?). Then I heard this courtesy a free iTunes download and am a big fan. Also, technically I downloaded this on 12/29/10 but i’m going to count it anyway!

Honorable Mention: We are Young by Fun. Icky Thump by The White Stripes. Syrup and Honey by Duffy. Turning Tables by Adele.

5 Favorite Running Songs:

1. Anything off of Lady Gaga’s Born this Way except “Government Hooker.” It’s loud. It’s upbeat. It’s Lady fucking Gaga.

2. The entire Gaslight Anthem album American Slang (but esp. Diamond Street Choir). I used to only listen to American Slang and Born this Way when I first started training. I had to branch out as I got to longer runs, but these were like precious gems I could only really revel in while out on a run.

3. Don’t Stop Believing, Glee cast version. Cliche, but it really works when I’m trying to finish strong.

4. Through the Fire and the Flames, Dragonforce. First, it’s 8 minutes long, which is close to a full mile, and second, it’s super fast-paced to keep me going (ask anyone whose played Guitar Hero 3).

5. Shake it Out, Florence and the Machine. She creeps me out in real life, and the one time I saw her sing live on TV (?) she didn’t seem that good, BUT this song is fun when I’m pounding my way through a long run.

Top 5 Songs Played on my iPod (this is just in general, not in 2011…since my iPod isn’t smart enough to tell me that. And it excludes my shuffle, i.e my running iPod. I mean, I have 3 damn iPods here. So it’s really only the “Top 5 Songs Played on my Silver iPod”):

1. Oh My Sweet Carolina, Ryan Adams

2. I Dreamed a Dream, Glee cast version

3. Paparazzi, Lady Gaga

4. Closer to You, Brandi Carlile

5. Audience, Cold War Kids

XOXO,

The Sessionista