My top songs of 2008

Once again, it's time for my review of the year in music. Admittedly, my list of music favorites each year is terribly lopsided and self-interested, since it's based on my experience of music over the past 12 months, and not necessarily the hottest releases from the hottest bands. Look elsewhere for the Super-Definitive List of the Greatest New Music of 2008 (Paste has a pretty good list – though I think they have a weird ability to consistently miss the #1 album of the year).

5. "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon. Weirdest title of the year; most satisfying straight-up rock delivery. (Listen for the fill at 2:23 and make rock fingers.) I love the fact this song seemed to be written in a key that is slightly higher than the vocalist can comfortably handle; listening to him reach is glorious.

4. "Blue Ridge Mountains" – Fleet Foxes. Like everyone out there with a pair of fully functional ears and an affection for three-part harmony, I loved the entire Fleet Foxes album. Part of what makes this group of musicians so exciting is their youth (the members ages are 22, 22, 27, 31, and 27). When I listen to them, I hear years of beautiful future songs glimmering off in the distance. Fleet Foxes managed to shoplift everything I like about My Morning Jacket (shimmering harmonies, transparent arrangements) and left behind all the stuff I don't like (the occasional hairband screechiness). I hope these guys stay together for a long time.

3. "Ramblin' (Wo)Man" – Cat Power. I always feel like a cornball including a cover on my list of the year's top songs, but I think Cat Power belongs on this list. Cat Power's Jukebox confirmed Chan Marshall's special ability to add her own beautiful character to a song. Her aching vocals coupled with the echo-chamber production made this a huge favorite for me.

2. "Little Person" – written by Jon Brion, as performed by Deanna Storey. Hated the movie (Synecdoche, N.Y.). Adored the soundtrack. Jon Brion does diminished chords better than anyone writing music today. This song is classic Brion soundtrack gorgeousness. A simple vocal, a gentle piano accompaniment, a lyric about longing and loneliness. It doesn't get much better than this.

1. "A Change Is Gonna Come" – Sam Cooke. This is the first time I've included a song from the 1960s in my year's top discoveries. In some ways, it is an odd one to include in the top spot. Of course, I knew this song before 2008. But this year, I heard this song in a totally different way. The morning after Barack Obama won the presidential election, I turned this song up to a good volume, sat down and took a few deep breaths. I've never cared about a presidential election the way I cared about the election this past fall. I am thrilled with Obama's victory and with the way that he has captured the imagination of so many people in this country and around the world. I think 2008 was Obama's year. (2009 and 2010 may be his years, as well.) I can't wait for him to become president of my country.

Honorable Mentions:
"Days Like This" and "Greatest Story" – Kim Taylor
"Goodnight, California" – Kathleen Edwards
"I Will Possess Your Heart" – Death Cab for Cutie. Those drums! That bass! That piano! It goes on and on! I love it!
"Burn You Up, Burn You Down" – Peter Gabriel, Billy Cobham, et al. (from the Big Blue Ball collection)
"For Emma" – Bon Iver
"Lost Coastlines" – Okkervil River. This became my "11-pm-and-still-working-and-got-3-more-hours-of-work-to-do" failproof fire-me-up song.
"Oh No" – KaiserCartel. Discovered on the utterly fantastic Chirp mix, which you should probably know about.

Talk back to me! What were your favorite songs of the year?