"Aïtma" by Toumast

Song: Aïtma
Artist: Toumast
Album: Songs for Desert Refugees
Also try:  the other songs off of this album; Sublime Frequencies' Guitars of Agadez series; Tinariwen's Aman Iman
Commentary: The Imuhagh people (also Tuareg; in Saharan North Africa) play a style of music called assouf, which I believe is also called "desert blues" in English (although that might be more of an umbrella term). I also posted a track by Tinariwen, who are featured on this disc, in 2009. "Aïtma" comes off an excellent compilation showcasing a range of talent in the genre. The album is called Songs for Desert Refugees in reference to the ongoing conflict in the deserts of Northern Mali. I'm woefully ignorant of the details of the complexities of the issues of the region, but the proceeds do go to NGOs who work with those displaced and disrupted by the fighting in the region. Join the supporters here. And I do quite recommend the music.

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"Lonesome Traveler" by Gabriel Slavitt

Song: Lonesome Traveler
Artist: Gabriel Slavitt
Album: Selections from Alfalfa
Also try:  Damien Jurado, anti-folk music
Commentary: A friend from high school (to whom I haven't spoken) posted about this dude on Facebook. Since she was a founding member of the uber-local band, the Wonkey Donkeys (this one not the Dorset indie pop group), her taste was trustworthy. I was pleasantly surprised to be drawn in immediately. Magnificently understated vocal harmonies (with a pleasant amount of difference between the voices), a charming and repetitive-to-an-excellent-extent guitar line, and a warm, lo-fi aesthetic all sucked me in with this, the first song I heard. Now I've heard all 3 albums and am groovin'! "Folksy, homespun" (my words) lyrics about things like an "ole bearcat" aren't quite a draw for me, but I get it.
Now I am currently getting sucked into a musical exploration of the tag "american primitive" on bandcamp. Uh oh!

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"Bag" by White Lung

Song: Bag
Artist: White Lung
Album: Sorry
Also try:  Japandroids, Potty Mouth
Commentary: I don't remember what end-of-the-year (2012) list I got this band from, but awesome. One of my happy finds of 2012. 19 minutes is a great length for an album. The Vancouver punk scene must be bumping (since I know like two punk bands total, including White Lung and Japandroids and they're both from Vancouver).

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"Hero" by Kevin Gates

Song: Hero
Artist: Kevin Gates
Album: The Luca Brasi Story
Commentary: I'd heard good things about this album, but "Hero" is the only song to stay in my head after a few times through. The hook is catchy enough when it's coming from Kevin Gates.

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"Easy to Be Around" by Diane Cluck

Song: Easy to Be Around
Artist: Diane Cluck
Album: Oh Vanille/Ova Nil
Also try:  CocoRosie, Kate Bush
Commentary: This was a "jam" of mine in high school that I found among the anti-folk set. Lo-fi aesthetic and generally stripped down music, its overtures of intimacy, and the harmonies, the harmonies. Can't even tell you how many times I've tried to imitate this voice.

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100th post! Danielson, Destroyer, Neutral Milk Hotel

Song: Cutest Lil' Dragon
Artist: Danielson Famile
Album: Tri-Danielson
Also try:  Half-Handed Cloud
Commentary: I have long claimed "Cutest Lil Dragon" as my favorite song. There are many reasons for this: it's catchy, it's weird, and I have a lot of respect for Danielson as an artist. It had to go first here.

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Song: The Bad Arts
Artist: Destroyer
Album: Streethawk: A Seduction
Commentary: Among my many weaknesses is one for multi-part songs. This 7 minute song is too short; each part leaves me wanting more, even the incessant coda of "You've got the spirit, don't lose the feeling". I think of Gertrude Stein's comments on her use of repetition to revive an image (rose) and grin at Bejar's rah-rah finale. I can never tell if Dan Bejar's lyrics are profound or nonsensical and mundane.

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Song: Oh Comely
Artist: Neutral Milk Hotel
Album: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Commentary: I would say this song has been stuck in my head more than any other music, ever. "Your father made fetuses with flesh-licking ladies", in particular, has haunted more moments than I could count.

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"Place to Be" by the Sound Providers

Song: Place to Be
Artist: the Sound Providers
Album: True Indeed
Commentary: Just heard part of this song on a YouTube video. The video wasn't that cool, IMO, but the song was groovy. I'm kind of a sucker for fusion genres, so "Jazz-Hip Hop" was a draw.

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"Golden Arrow" by Darkside

Song: Golden Arrow
Artist: Darkside
Album: Psychic
Also try:  Nicolas Jaar, Tim Hecker, Forest Swords
Commentary: Fresh Nicolas Jaar, with the assistance of some guy named Dave Harrington. Cool album, though.

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"No Wanga Gut" by Tiger

Song: No Wanga Gut
Artist: Tiger
Album: A Me Name Tiger
Also try:  I have no idea. I have no real familiarity with dancehall or reggae music, besides this tape that was apparently my older brother's.
Commentary: When Tiger's voice, occasionally,squeaks in this song, I die. You can hear it better on the tape, but the things he does with his voice here can easily be missed, but man I hope I can incorporate some techniques like this into my band.

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The music video version: