Peter Bjorn and John, “Objects of My Affection” (2006)
“Young Folks” gets all the attention, and rightly so, but this is the track that got me into them and blew me the fuck away the very first time I listened to it.
The Scratch, “Seanchaí” (2020)
A song that came to me via Say Nothing (which I recommend, though not as highly at the book). The line on The Scratch is Celtic music combined with metal, which I can kind of hear, but mostly it just sounds super badass. Quote me on that.
Magnetic Fields, “You And Me and the Moon” (1995)
Just perfect. It’s songs like this that made us so obsessed when 69 Love Songs was released.
Linda Martell, “Color Him Father” (1969)
Shame on me for not knowing this song earlier. Linda Martell was one of the few successful black women in country music, but if there was any justice (there is not), we would all know that already.
Biche & En Attendant Ana, “Americanism” (2025)
I really love En Attendant Ana, but love them even more when they sing in French.