The Maxies 2021 Part One: The Good and Important and NOT Dumb Awards
A look back on all my favorite stuff, I hope you like it too.
Welcome to The Maxies!!! They’re finally here! And yes! These are the 2021 Maxies and yes it is 2022 already but hey! What a way to kick off the year. Today we’ve got Part One of The Maxies. The Good and Important NOT Dumb Awards. The eleven categories (too many, don’t feel the need to read all at once…) themselves are the goofy and dumb, the nominees are incredibly good and cool and important actually. So after a little intro from our host, me, we’ll get to today’s awards. Then I’ll be back again next Friday for The Maxies Part Two: The Essays About My Favorite Album and Artist (which will be a shocking surprise to you and definitely not about Dijon and Remi Wolf *winky face emoji*). So now let’s give a warm welcome to our host, me!!!
*I do one of those quick changes, ripping one tux off only to reveal another even nicer tux*
*crowd (you) goes absolutely nuts for this*
*I walk on stage and grab the mic*
It’s me, The Maxie himself! Wow, we’re really here huh? 2022. And yet, it doesn’t feel too different. All this goofing around aside, honestly, I’ve had a tough time writing the Maxies. It’s one of my favorite things to do every year, so I’ve pushed on and found joy through writing these dumb awards, but I’d be lying if I said I felt fully up to the challenge this year. An emotional, busy, stressful, long year, I want to celebrate each of these songs and artists with everything I’ve got and some days just didn’t have it in me. So apologies for being a little late, but we’re here now, let’s have some fun!!
I’m so grateful everything I wrote about here exists. It’s the music that holds me, carries me, propels me. And I hope it can offer something for you, that my honest experiences with this music might convince you to give it a listen. That’s what Max’s Music Mondays are all about - sharing music I love with my whole dang heart and hoping you can find something in it too.
While I had hoped and dreamed for the Maxies to leap off the screen and into a full in-person ridiculous event this year, we’ll just have to be patient and be safe!! In the meantime, I’ve tried my best to share and celebrate all of the music that made this year what it was for me. So let’s get into it, it’s time for some gosh darn awards.
To follow along with all the nominees (no spoilers!) enjoy this playlist please and thank you :)
Welcome to The Maxies
Our first Maxie of the night is the…….
Time is Irrelevant, The Best Song from Late 2020
A Maxie for the song that was too late for the 2020 Maxies but too early for the 2021 Maxies but I guess not too early because here they are. Anyways the nominees are:
Winnebago by Samia. hahaha an opening lyric for the damn books!!! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’ve been mesmerized by this instrumental intro since the first time I heard it. It’s exactly what I crave in a song - something that feels indescribable, that takes time and intention to sort through what it even is, that sounds like something entirely new, but also that just feels nice to hear. So pair that with the aforementioned opening lyric and good golly we’ve got some magic here. This song feels so intimate, a conversation between two lovers at a crossroads, the verses so simple and clean. The choruses blossoming into this cozy swirling moment. The songwriting is some mind blowing stuff, each lyric more awe-inspiring than the last.
Pretty Boy by The Neighborhood. Ok so for this one I was double late. I remember very well seeing this on *REDACTED*’s 2020 Spotify Wrapped. I dad to redact this because it’s almost too on the nose for me to admit. But they loved this song and I thought, hmm, it must be good? And holy shit is it good. I don’t know how I managed to miss The Neighborhood until that moment, but it was the right moment for me. This song is utterly beautiful, a love so full, he’s ready for the apocalypse. I still haven’t stopped listening to this one (earning its place as #5 most listened to song of 2021), I just adore how sweet and tender it is.
Minnesota (MICHELLE Remix) by Samia. Samia swung for the fences at the end of 2020 and it’s a dang dinger. As a partner to her album, The Baby, she assembled a hall of fame level lineup to present The Baby Reimagined. Each track given to trusted hands, returned with remixes and covers. MICHELLE is a powerhouse band and one of my favorites, their version of Minnesota giving each member a chance to shine. The song moves so easily, chugging on with a playful feel. Ugh, I am so happy to be listening to this one again. A beautiful chorus of voices, I can’t get enough.
Breathless by Caroline Polachek. A cover for the ages. Polachek takes The Corrs’ original and breathes new life and a new sound into it. The original chorus feels built for Polachek, a perfect space for her voice to dance into and out of each note. Gracefully and masterfully. It’s her superpower and in moments like these, it’s so entrancing. This song feels a bit darker and more wintery than the original, the pulsing blasts of the chorus like waves of snow and wind smashing across the song. It’s blustery as hell!! But still so warm and beautiful. That bridge rocks, a stunning grand finale into the last chorus.
LEAVE ME ALONE - A COLORS SHOW by Amaarae. My oh my, what a performance. The original is a hit, a ridiculous groove, and Amaarae’s voice floating so gently above it all. It just oozes cool, and Amaarae’s delivery is over the drama. This version, stripped down over just a plucked guitar feels like a peak behind the curtain. It’s so much more vulnerable and the lyrics hit in entirely new ways. I was obsessed with this one as the year turned, it’s haunting spaciousness following me well into the spring. I was so happy to find it on my wrapped this year, another reason to revisit and fall back in love with it.
And The Maxie for Time is Irrelevant goes to………….. Samia!!!!! Winnebago is one of those songs that just hits every single time. Will you just read this beautiful poetry??
Next up we’ve got one of our other favorite moment-in-time categories.
My Favorite Album From Last Summer
Recognizing and honoring some of the bodies of work that carried me through the heat. The nominees are:
Changephobia by Rostam. Oh me oh my, Rostam just soothes the soul. Welcoming you with These Kids We Knew’s open arms, into the one-of-a-kind orchestra and heartfelt cree of From The Back of a Cab, it’s magic from the beginning and it never relents. Beautiful arrangements, with sounds and instruments only Rostam is bringing together. Like the saxophone, a reliable friend across Unfold You, Kinney, Bio18 and more, Rostam gets the best sounds out of each bandmate. I will never forget seeing Rostam play Lincoln Hall a few years ago - the look on his face. A sense of joy in sharing these thoughts and melodies. So earnestly grateful to be doing what he’s doing. It fills my heart just thinking about it now. And you hear it in his songs - tender, thoughtful, generous, unique. Rostam makes music no one else can and I’m so glad he does. This album keeps opening up to me further and further with every listen, not mention the recent remixes that give it a whole new life.
My favorite song: Kinney
My favorite lyric: “The postcard's еdges start to smudge / But it don't change the words we wrote down with love” - Bio18
Faye Webster - I Know I’m Funny Haha. One of those albums that I clear my calendar for. From the perfect singles, I was ready for this one. And it still exceeded expectations. I love this album so much. It’s just full of love and hope even in the pain that both those feelings can bring. I also love it for its intimacy - rarely is Webster trying to make big lofty definitive statements on life of love. Instead she dials into the finer details, into just her life. It makes each lyric feel sincere and touching in a way few people can pull off. Each track brings emotion so plainly and I’ve been so grateful for each, to savor and explore. It all bends and bounces, the sound moving freely and finding its own niche. The guitars and organs give it that western feel, especially Kind Of and A Dream With a Baseball Player. Webster’s voice so gentle, like it’s on the verge of breaking any moment. It’s just a special one. Feels fully like “A Project”, the continuity and messages flowing nicely together. But it’s unafraid to take a risk. That extended outro on Kind Of, the heaviness of Cheers, a real-deal orchestra to lift up A Stranger, casting mei ehara for a gorgeous Japanese verse on Overslept, the only feature of the album. It’s just brilliant stuff and feels like just the beginning for Webster.
My favorite song: Cheers
My favorite lyric: I couldn’t choose lol so I made a whole new category for this below…
Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee. Now this one… Paired with my first read (and certainly not last) of Crying in H-Mart, this album really made a mark on me. It helped that I read/listened while so far from home. Craving something to stay grounded and present, and both the album and book offered so much love. A tight ten tracks, each squeezed for everything it’s got. Caught me in my tracks and I was really happy to be caught. JB has such a phenomenal voice, cutting through these gorgeous and lush productions. She’s got such wisdom and poetry to share. Be Sweet was the first single, owning my brain for that first week or two. It’s so groovy and fun, a chorus to remember, sparkling in the moonlight just hoping for better. The other tracks on the first half of the album all earned my obsession in turns. Paprika’s marching drums with beautiful horns and strings, Kokomo, IN’s laid back love and cowboy strings, Slide Tackle’s dancey pace and breathtaking horn surprise. And if you can make it on to the second side, you’re handsomely rewarded. JB writes some really moving songs, my goodness.
My favorite song: Savage Good Boy
My favorite lyric: “Hell is finding someone to love / and I can’t have you / Hell is finding someone to love / and I can’t see you again” - In Hell
Dora Jar - Digital Meadow. Dora Jar has gotten plenty of love from me this year, her music both whimsical and deeply insightful. Not mutually exclusive, just so hard to pull off in any meaningful musical way. But this album is a testament to all that and more. The first track, Opening, is a perfect example. The playfulness to name the opening track, Opening, and then singing “Delicate / But I wanna give it to you, can you handle it? / Big heart, little flame / Keep the candle lit”. So beautiful. Multiply and Polly are the landmark songs, night and day to each other, both so stunning and inventive in their own ways. Wizard breaks free of any expectations, a dark quiet flow, finding Jar working from a whispered rap to a haunting wink of a chorus. Garden is magic, intimate and personal, colored with perfect production to bring it to life unlike anything else like it. Quiver returns to the ethereal feel, where doors are portals to another time and it all feels so right. A great chorus too. Before Voice in the Darkness brings it home - a head knocking rock chorus that feels pulled from another era but lands fresh all the same.
My favorite song: Multiply (I still can’t get enough of this one)
My favorite lyric: “I'ma rip my face off and I'ma dance for you” - Polly
And The Maxie for My Favorite Album From Last Summer goes to………….. Faye Webster!!!!! Congrats, Faye!! Thank you so much for this album, I really mean it! This shit rules, like a dear friend of an album.
Ok now that we’re warmed up. It’s time for one of the way-too-me awards. One I hold dear to my heart and think about endlessly all year long. It’s time for:
The Best Musical Moment of 2021 (aka my favorite moment that made me say “oh shit!!”)
Find them linked below for your convenience and consideration.
Quiet on Set 0:00 - 0:07 - Remi Wolf. Goosebumps!!! This is superstar shit right here. A weird intro, the shh, dropping into an unforgettable hit. Every time a new Remi song comes out I lose it and this one had me hootin’ and hollerin’.
Life is not the Same 0:54 - 1:08 - James Blake. Ooooof!!! James Blake is really dialed in right now. The most James Blake-y he’s ever been and it’s beautiful. This moment just devastated me. Sitting at the very desk where I write right now, headphones blasting, the whole song swirling around you before he cuts it all and sings straight to your face. It’s breathtaking I love it.
Rodeo Clown 2:47 - 3:04 - Dijon. The claps!!!! I made the brave decision to listen to this the night it came out - in the dark, alone, as loud as I could. It was memorable. The whole song is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The kind that’s so good I can’t listen to it too much because I can’t handle it. This moment in particular, the result of 2+ mins of yearning, and 20 seconds of tears, we find ourselves surrounded by more voices. A loose choir, a warm room. You can hear at least a second voice, a friend to hold you steady. But when those claps hit… GOOD GOD. It’s so jarring and powerful, just so real. Who knew claps could be so emotional.
PISTOLWHIP 0:42 - 1:10 - spill tab. It’s a gosh dang turbo rocket engine or something… this thing is FLYING!!! A really good song full stop. But this moment will leave you speechless. For full effect, listen from the beginning. The song steadily building, gaining steam. It’s mysterious and cloudy, sounds and voices floating and changing shape. But when this thing hits, boy howdy does it hit. That shredding synth/guitar/whatever it is exploding out and owning the moment, demanding my attention.
And The Maxie for The Best Musical Moment of 2021 (aka my favorite moment that made me say “oh shit!!”) goes to………….. Dijon!!! A perfect moment in a perfect song, a first listen I’ll never forget.
Best Live Show I Went To In A Year Where I Didn’t Get To Too Many But These Were Still Unforgettable
Yeah it felt weird to go to shows, but each of these were able to create moments of magic that made it all feel right. The nominees:
Remi Wolf at The Roxy, September 29th. We know I love Remi, it’s old news, and I’ve preached about how special her live show is too, but this one was different. I’ve been lucky to see Remi more than a few times. Pre-pandemic it was opening for Still Woozy or for Cautious Clay. Both shows featuring me and all my friends getting their early and singing and dancing like the obsessed fans we were, to an opening act that not everyone knew. You can feel it in the room, when something is new to the people around you. Puzzled by our passion, then earning fans song by song. But this sold out show at the Roxy was NUTS. The room was packed and every single person there knew every single word to every single song. Including the two songs that dropped that day. Felt special to feel just how much Remi has exploded over the last couple years. And she covered Dijon’s Many Times and Dijon was there ahahaha it ruled and I was genuinely shaking trying to get a video (I was successful, dm me for the vid).
Becca Mancari at the Lodge Room, September 23rd. Wow. You might remember last year’s Maxies, where Mancari’s The Greatest Part was one of my highlights of the year. It ended with a simple and genuine thought, “I can’t wait to see Mancari play this album live *that one emoji, you know the one*”. So when the time finally came, I was a little nervous. Could it possibly live up to the hype I’ve made in my mind??? Well, it’s on the list so I think you know it did… Mancari absolutely rocked from start to finish, the band bringing this album to life in all the right ways. It dialed up the intimacy and love, accentuating the painful moments too. This album has done a number on me, its writing just so powerful. It meant the world to hear these songs from the source, finding myself in full self-hug mode the entire show just taking it all in. It was emotionally intense, to be at a show at all, let alone one like this. By the time I was out the door the tears were bursting, a visceral release.
Dora Jar at Moroccan Lounge, October 22nd - Simply put, no one thinks like Dora Jar. It’s so clear, from the music, to the social media, to the banter between songs. Dora Jar is able to process the world and share with such creative precision. It was a joy to see it all live, with a band that absolutely ruled too. The set flew by, song after song welcomed from a cozy and loving crowd. A friendly room, with plenty of familiar faces in the crowd. But with music like hers, world building like hers, it’s hard not to feel welcomed in too. To take the room from full on rock show to intimate solo songs as her band looks on with admiration. It was just a sweet one, and the voice is golden live.
LCD Soundsystem at Brooklyn Steel, December 1st. This was a special one. Lucky enough to see two shows of their residency, marking my first times at Brooklyn Steel, this show just blew me away. The setting helped, being there with some of my best friends, with so many people I was just happy to be there with. The pressure was off too, having already seen one show of the run. So this one was pure fun. A celebration of an amazing career of music (more to come I hope), and they’re just such expert performers. Over two and half hours of music, seamlessly floating between recent hits and deep cuts from 15 years ago. It was a feat to watch, but they make it look easy. They opened with Beat Connection, which I love, and sent us home with an encore of Dance Yrself Clean, NY I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down, and All My Friends. What’s not to love?
And The Maxie for Best Live Show I Went To In A Year Where I Didn’t Get To Too Many But These Were Still Unforgettable goes to………….. Remi Wolf!!!!! It’s a simple equation, if you sing all my favorite songs and then cover another one of my favorites?? Ur gonna get this award!!!!
My Favorite Remix of the Year
I thought about naming this something dumb too, like the award for best job making a song sound different and better but not that the first song was bad, but it never quite hit so we’re sticking with the industry standard Favorite Remix.
Rufufus by Remi Wolf - Sylvan Esso Remix. I mean, title alone this one earned a nom. It could’ve been 30 seconds of silence and I still would’ve been screaming at all of you about how good this song is. But lucky for us, it’s four minutes of joy. Taking those darker dance moments of SE’s catalog and embracing Rufufus’ sick melody. The vocal layers really give it some character around the edges, and you can feel the whole club shaking, a relentless dance hit. At 1:40 the percussion takes on some reverb and this thing goes Jock Jams mode, this big thumping jam. It dials back to the vocals, now spread into chords (SE a master of a mood change) only to launch back to the stratosphere. An underrated Remi Wolf hit given some well deserved shine.
Numb by Sylvan Esso - teddy<3 version. Would you look at that, SE’s turn to be remixed. A taste of their own medicine huh? Teddy Geiger went wild with this one, transforming Numb (already a gem) into a perfect indie song. The bass hits incredibly hard, you can feel the plucks as the bassist works away. The guitar chugging, the drums finding some strength, more and more by the moment. A song like this has me smashing the volume up button even though I already know it’s at full volume. But there’s beauty in its restraint too. This thing could blow the barn doors off at any moment. But holds off. We stay in this ~almost exploding~ moment for its entirety. Standing at the edge of the cliff. And that’s the thrill that kept me loving this remix. Wondering with each listen if this is the time the song would leap and soar. But that’s not really how songs work… And lucky for me, this one is sick as hell planted right on that edge.
My Ways by Sycco - Buscabulla Remix. My number 3 most played song of the year. This one is so infectious. It’s hard to talk about, but you just feel it. Sycco’s got a stunning voice, both its full sound and that angelic falsetto. No matter the register, Buscabulla makes the most, a ridiculously catchy groove that my body refuses to stop moving to. The bass is gnarly, so fat and sets the mood. The percussion is obviously insane. The whole thing is a treat. Add in Buscabulla’s mini-feature and it feels incredible. Have some fun, dance a little, come on!!
Down the Line by Remi Wolf - Kimbra Remix. Good GOD. A mellow guitar intro some vocal cuts and then Kimbra pulls the rug out. The heaviest, dirtiest bass smashing this thing to pieces with claps that build such a groove. It falls back to hear Remi up close and personal. Synth dropping right back in with this twisted vocal line, that touch of feedback giving it this ever-evolving texture. When we get to the chorus, the vocals are shot up an octave over heaven-sent synths, the whole thing feeling light and airy until the bass sucks us all back down a screech or two on our way. The synth riff into the Boys Will Be Boys section rules, given its due spotlight. A quick break to give Remi & harmonies the floor shoots us back to the floating chorus, the heaviness waiting to catch us again. This one just gets my heart racing, an entirely new take on another Remi Wolf fav.
Stupid Love by Lady Gaga - COUCOU CHLOE Remix. It’s big and dark and dirty and with such a bright fun chorus, the drop will sneak up on you and then punch you in the face. But instead of it hurting, you’re actually really delighted and dancing as you ice down your nose. It feels like the kind of song Lady Gaga would make if she turned into a super villain. It’s nasty!!! Piping in those vocal samples that give the original such a shine, making them evil too. Even teasing us with that break half way through, Gaga fighting her way back towards the light. All to get sucked back into the black hole that is this remix. It’s so hot, ugh, I love it. Such a fun take on an already great song, COUCOU CHLOE making it entirely their own.
Stay High again by Brittany Howard - Fred Again.. & Joy Anonymous Remix. I remember hearing this for the first time too. My friend Ben asking me if I had heard some crazy remix of Stay High. Of course I have, I thought. I listen to everything Childish Gambino puts his hands on. But somehow there was a crazier remix sitting in plain sight seven tracks down the list?? It’s bouncy and unpredictable. So light and fun regardless of its tempo. The chorus is like… Majestic??? Hands in the air, (and I H8 to say this with such sincerity) it’s a vibe. Howard’s vocals get an overhaul, but they still hold their same strength and beauty. This one rocks the whole way through and somehow reaches an entire new level in the final minute. Catches me by surprise every time but it’s so rewarding.
And The Maxie for My Favorite Remix of the Year goes to………….. Brittney Howard, Fred Again.. and Joy Anonymous!!!! Whew. That one is a fucking trip, good luck shaking it. If you are looking for a fun song, this is everything you could possibly want and then some.
Another personal favorite, no intro necessary. It’s not even self-deprecating, these are just next level cool.
My Favorite Song That Made Me Wish I Was Cooler
Unica by Kablito. Fuck. I mean.. what needs to be said? (← this is the sentiment every time I hit play on any of these songs) Overflowing with this quiet confidence, so much power in Kablito’s delivery. Those warm chords a perfect bed for that snare to roll around like crazy. The drums fill in and deliver. Kablito’s effortless performance, floating between languages in the pre-chorus. It’s all so hot and so cool, I truly can’t get enough of this song. The details are all cool too, those vocal layers bringing the woah’s and yeah’s to life, or 1:44’s perfect “oooh!”. Very cool!!
superpretty by boylife. This crazy intro, massive drums banging over the top of a wild and twisted sample of some crowd yelling. That alone is a breathtaking delight. boylife is one of the coolest people on the planet imo, so a cool song from him is like idk a basketball lesson from LeBron or something(?). And this one is a SMASH. It goes so hard, the lyrics swaying from aspirations to insecurities, both given as much earnest shine. The chorus just gets me every time, nothing like a full-throated “Bitch I’m a star and I’m super superpretty!!”. Very cool!!
Andrew - M Field. Arriving out of thin air this one (and M Field) rules. That intro riff has the South African rhythm, guitars and plucked strings creating quite a scene. It settles back into a real ‘cool guy’ groove - shoulders swaying, sunglasses on. Singing along with the guitar solo moment is a delightful touch too. A move that escalates a second time around, the guitar taking a break to let M Field go wild. A poetic bridge, a cinematic moment just beyond, I love this song so much. Very cool!!
Power - TSHA. A star in the making it’s truly game over for everyone else. TSHA has delivered hit after hit this year, and this one was the jaw on the ground, body on the dance floor favorite. Just so cool, the sparkling piano sample and vocal chops, beautiful fill releasing us into some heavy drums. Masterful mood setting, and such a fun ride start to finish. I could listen and dance to this one for hours. TSHA can’t help but make cool and good stuff… Very cool!!
Bunny Is A Rider by Caroline Polachek. Who else could possibly pull off this one. Bass running, whistles floating, birds murmuring, is that a baby laughing? All the while, Polachek staring through our souls off the rear view. The verse feels like a riddle, daring you to crack the code. The chorus a relief, expanding out over angelic chords. Her delivery is so fucking cool the whole way through, it’s aspirational (which I mean earnestly, but guess that’s kind of the whole point of the category). This song is dark and hot and that makes it sounds like hell, but Polachek makes even that seem cool. Very cool!!
Hot N Heavy by Jessie Ware. Back to the dance floor, let’s go!!! The modern disco champion, Jessie Ware just going for it here and it’s working. The first verse is sultry, Ware sliding across the groove, like a whisper in your ear. It’s a coolness that feels so sure of itself. The pre-chorus brings some pace, the tension building over a juicy bass. I just wanna be your dream controller / Show me all the ways to strike the match. Sheesh!!! Ware fills out the sound in the chorus, not hesitating to go big. Ending the chorus with a spectacular oh-ha-ha-ha-ha as I fan myself off too. The song fluctuates between all these moments, each perfect and inspiring. Very cool!!
And The Maxie for My Favorite Song That Made Me Wish I Was Cooler goes to………….. boylife!!!!! This one came down to just a few votes (well only one, I’m the only one voting), but boylife is just living, breathing, cool and this song brings so many elements of that together at once.
The (Inaugural) Faye Webster Award for Best Lyric in a Faye Webster Song
This was an award for my favorite lyrics of the year, but I couldn’t choose only one Faye Webster song so decided I’d make the whole category for her music instead. Sorry everyone else but she knocked my socks off this year *shrug emoji*
Sometimes - a shot to the gut and the heart
The last words he said:
"There's other things out there to see"
And then he left me for someone who looks just like me
A Dream With a Baseball Player - A Ronald Acuña Jr. Unrequited Love Song, a question for the ages
I could just meet him and get it over
Or I'll just keep wearing his name on my shirt
Whatever I need just to help me cope
How did I fall in love with someone
I don't know?
I Know I’m Funny Haha - the beautifully specific
Got you a bass last year on your birthday
The same one the guy from Linkin Park plays
But you look better with it anyways
Cheers - Not just putting this here because I called my shot when it came out, I seriously love this line so much. Cheeky and stunning.
I like your songs even though
They're not about me
Sometimes I'm scared to show my dad
'Cause you're always cussing
Both All The Time - like come on…
There’s a difference between lonely and lonesome
But I’m both all the time
A Stranger - Faye!!! Quit it!! This shit is too good!!!
I don't feel like myself right now
Feel like a stranger
Wonder, who that person might be
And if you'd still love her
And today I get upset over this song that I heard
And I guess I was just upset because why didn't I think of it first
And The Maxie for The Faye Webster Award for Best Lyric in a Faye Webster Song goes to………….. Faye Webster!!!!! hahaha whoops. Just an incredible work of art and I don’t want to choose a favorite. Each of these makes me laugh and cry and usually both. I’ll pick Cheers as my #1 just because that was the one that locked me in for a lifetime of fandom.
Honorable mentions this year went to Remi Wolf’s “A serial farmer / I'm harvesting the drama / This episode of Criminal Minds is too real to ignore”, Leith Ross from this tiktok, Soft Streak’s “Was I just too innocent? / Did you think that I was immature? / I don’t know what you thought of me / and I can’t ask you anymore”, and Noname’s, “Because, because a rainforest cries / everybody dies a little / And I just wanna dance tonight / And I just wanna dance tonight”. Unfortunately none of them are Faye Webster and therefore were disqualified. Sorry!!!
Spotify Audio Aura Hopeless Romantic and Love Award
So Spotify (not sponsored) (but open to it) was generous enough to give us all our custom Audio Aura and then proceeded to drag me with the "Hopeless Romantic and Love" combo. Music has always offered a way for me to feel more and feel deeper and this year the love songs were speaking to me!!! So, who will win the inaugural Spotify Audio Aura Hopeless Romantic and Love Award??? Our nominees:
Dance with You - Mulherin. Shy boy anthem!!! I was sold on the very first line, "now usually I don't dance, but I want to dance with you". Entirely my shit. These two are so fucking good together, but I guess that’s the result of spending their entire lives singing with your brother. Their voices are perfect compliments, you can’t help but swoon. The storytelling is so sweet, hearts on their sleeves. I adore the little kiss of talkbox under the chorus, giving it all a sexy edge. The song getting more intimate by the moment, peaking for me at 2:37, that slow strum down on the guitar pulling us from the bar to the bedroom. The admission of nerves the icing on the cake. A vulnerable banger, we love!!
I Couldn't Wait - Kacy Hill. I really loved this album, and this, it’s magic opening. Simple, Sweet, and Smiling is a true delight and one of my favorite songs of the year (shameless plug). But this one is so beautiful. Jim-E Stack & Kacy going nuts on the production. It’s elegant and complex, really holding that morning sunrise feeling. I just read this incredible book, Figuring by Maria Popova. In it she suggests that us humans hold "a stubborn refusal to recognize that cessation is the ultimate nature of things, and that any dynamism, wherever in time it may fall, however briefly, is cause for celebration". Which is way smarter than any MMM will ever be… but still. Hearing Hill sing, "Doesn't need to be forever, baby / To mean something to me" really resonated and drove that point home. Grateful for what we get, appreciating that dynamism in real time, and still can’t resist reaching for a little more. <3
Becky - Julianna Zachariou. Holy moly, this one is a hit!!! I really love Zachariou's voice, so rich, here with a kiss of a filter on top. Presented beautifully. Her storytelling is so personal and real, specifics so clear that you feel them even if you haven't lived them. "We've got so much / working for us" - the humanity and optimism just strikes me as so unique. We're wanting this love to continue, but not in some otherworldly, hollywood way. In a very contained, humble, real, human way. Plus it just rocks.
Antidote - NAO & Adekunle Gold. What a combo. There’s something special about the format of this one. The production itself is golden, just radiating this bright warmth. A beat you can snuggle!! And I don’t know how but listen, you can feel it! AG Baby opens at his smoothest, tender and grateful for his love. The two are a match made in heaven on the chorus. They’ve each got unique voices and fit so well side by side. NAO’s verse is so calm and optimistic. Carving its own path and pace over the beat. A little back and forth in the bridge too?? Electric. It all just feels like the two dancing together in the club but the club is in their living room.
And The Maxie for Spotify Audio Aura Hopeless Romantic and Love goes to………….. Kacy Hill!! This whole album really is special, and this song just sets the tone. Hill’s voice is so special and the love radiates.
The Same Award But Make It Friendship
It’s also been a year of half-return. A year that allowed for connection but in moments and places that didn’t always feel safe or right personally. It created plenty of loneliness for me. And while, in moments of fear I would scare myself into believing this was forever, I knew it was temporary. It was a year and experience which made me love my friends even more than I already did (which was a lot). To appreciate how much those relationships have meant to me, and to put even more emphasis on growing them when the world allows. A few songs really spoke to this feeling too. Our nominees:
hoon - boylife ft. cehryl. This song is tender as hell, a loving tribute. These two are a force as a duo, floating so smoothly across a breathtaking canvas. But what I’m really here for is the outro. This shit makes me cry tears of joy, it’s so special and so generous. It’s deeply inspiring, a compliment for the darn record books, I couldn’t imagine something kinder than that thought. It’s something I think about a lot, and try every day to harness and bring the same energy into my friendships.
Show Up - Samia. This shit rules!!! With songwriting ripped from my own journal, it’s given me words and music to articulate so many feelings. The kind of song that makes me want to quote every single line. But for brevity (see!! I’m a real writer) I’ll let you check them out yourself. I love the production, warm guitars, that gentle piano, Samia’s stunning voice. It all works so well for me, and it feels so damn good to yell this chorus. NOTHING COULD EVER STOP MY ASS FROM SHOWING UP!!!!!
Noah's Highlight Reel - Dijon. I love this song, and as I’ll talk about next week, the language around the whole record showed such a deep bond between everyone involved. In their review of the album, Pitchfork notes, “The singer on “Noah’s Highlight Reel” is just some guy. (note from max, that might be the most savage and also charming sentence I’ve ever read??) “He’s a great friend of mine, but also a real country boy—I couldn’t approximate that,” Dijon told NME.” A leaning-in-to-a-friend moment that can’t be understated. Pulling those close to you even closer so you can all be better. And Dijon’s line in an IG caption sealed it for me, “@noahlegros your song is my favorite thing I’ve ever been a part of and I’m proud and sad the world gets to hear our little secret.” A message I can’t get out of my head.
Each of these songs shows friendship in such different ways, but the winner of the 2021 Maxie the Spotify Audio Aura Hopeless Romantic and Love Award (Friendship Version) is..... SAMIA!!!! Show Up rocks, and I won’t stop showing up either!! You all have my word!!! <3
My Favorite Song That Made Me Say WTF, But In A Really Good Way
A sister award to the best musical moments, these are the songs that took my breath away and selfishly refused to give the back. Songs that are unlike any other and that just really did a number on my ol’ brain. Our nominees:
Many Times - Dijon. What more can I say?? Spoiler: a lot… My most played song of the year, this is a special one. It's that first drum fill, the irresistible bait, Dijon & friends reeling me in immediately. I will be talking about this more next week have no fear hehehehe
0594 Help - Haich Ber Na. Like what even is happening!! All these months later and it still shocks and stuns every time. The kind of song I just don't know how to describe (clearly…). It is so striking, it sounds and feels like a song that is living and breathing. My oh my. Everything about it felt novel to me, and still does.
San Andreas Fault - Kathleen. If you're only going to release one song in a year, better make it a genre-bending, sound-evolving, moral-delivering smash. At least, that's what Kathleen chose to do. One of my favorite writers and favorite voices. Kathleen has this incredible skill for loving ballads and poetic pop hits. Songs that, even with cold/snow imagery, feel so warm. So I will never forget the first time I saw the teaser for this one - https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqnSnwFNa7/
Dark and devious, that same voice soaring nevertheless, it blew my mind and the full version still does the same. A song calling for connection to the physical world around us, and it's so fucking good.
Polly - Dora Jar. Impossible to put into any one box, this was a joy and surprise to fall into. I was obsessed with Jar's Multiply last year, inventive and tender with a massive rock finish. And I was on pins and needles for whatever would come next. I could never have predicted this, but am so glad it was the result. The intro and verse are almost overstimulating. It demands your full attention, from each of your senses. I'm still so taken by the moment. The songwriting is one of a kind. Who else has the courage to drop the charming lyrics "Fraticapatica automatica" on a lead single?? Grateful for this pandora's box of textures and sounds, and what a performance to match.
And the winner is??? Though all of these are special, I can’t not pick Dijon!! Many Times just destroying me with every listen, screaming WTF for a new reason each time. This is a special special song.
Most Valuable Song Added To My Running Playlist This Year
Ok so not all these songs came out this year, but they all got added to the playlist this year so you're gonna have to deal with it ok? Our nominees:
On the Floor (Initial Talk Remix) - Perfume Genius. An 80's pop masterpiece. The Tears for Fears-y production, the synth stabs, that synth brass, it's all so beautiful. Perfume Genius fits the feel perfectly - their gentle delivery still able to shine even as the band takes a bigger share of the sound. You could zone out and it'd just rain over you, a fun 80's bop! Or if you focus and pull yourself closer to the vocals, you'll find yourself in the eye of the storm. A tender, intimate moment, while the world swirls by all around you. It's magic. Cut to me hitting each snare as I run.
Spinning (A.G. Cook Remix) - The 1975 & Charli XCX. Road Runner flying past you and back again. A.G. keeps the verse spare, Charli carrying us between moments of silence. It makes the chorus' lingering synth feel so spacious and massive even with the simplicity of it all. Another verse filled with different vocals (all amazing) and steady production. It's the next verse filled with a PC Music puppy yapping on beat that gets me going wild, dancing and spinning through my run. Such a playful end too, big and bright and fun. Keeps my mood high.
Rider - Mereba. Mereba!!!! Different runs call for different songs. The mellowest of our nominees, Mereba offers solace in this beautiful song. The drums are perfect, that groove unshakable. Mereba's vocals so smooth, moving into that higher register into the chorus I'm just swooning. The song makes me feel like I'm floating, intoxicating from end to end. And in the midst of a long run, it's a blessing when the shuffle gods queue it up.
Running Towards a Place - The Killers. The earliest nominee to join the playlist, The Killers found their way into my runs at the end of January. That insistent snare supplies quite a backbone, the anthemic, cinematic tune launching from there. It's almost hilariously vague? Offering a rock n roll canvas to project your wildest dreams against. The "Can two become one?!?" hitting so hard every time. The version of the Killers I love most, arena-sized hits sung out from the desert.
Circus - Britney Spears. Thank you to Las Culturistas for bringing this song back into my life. I added to the running playlist on Valentine's Day which feels funny and important in some way. This song came out over a decade ago and is still a smash. The production in the verses are hot and wild. Unafraid to break the mold with the sounds they used. Britney is obviously a star, demanding the chorus' spotlight and making the most of it. Gets me going every time.
And The Maxie goes to………….. Perfume Genius!!!!! Oooooh baby that’s a hot one. Just puts a smile on my face and a (reasonable, but not too strenuous) pep in my step. A pleasure to hear and dance/run to every time.
Oof, well how about that!? It’s time to go dance and cry and love all these songs. Again, listen along to all the nominees here. Thank you so much for giving me the time and space and inspiration and opportunity to scream about all my favorite stuff from this last year. But there’s still two big pieces left and I can’t wait to go absolutely silly and spill every bean next week.
A week long intermission, just like all the good award shows do it.
xoxo, see you next week,
Max