10. "Happy Accident" - Tomberlin
A spiraling sonic root that ensnares your heart with gorgeous repetition and refuses to loosen its thorny grip.
9. "Free" - Florence + The Machine
Three cheers for grandly majestic anxiety pop for the overthinking lot!
8. "Esperanto" - Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
Social criticism is always best when it's delivered with a mountain of sharp-tongued humor and a killer beat.
7. "I Don't Think About You" - Tim Kasher
This song is a bold-faced liar, one that throws the heart freshly ripped from your chest on the floor and proceeds to stomp it into oblivion.
6. "Sara Jo" - Alex Cameron
Befuddled confusion in the age of internet anti-vax dummies with sweet sax grooves.
5. "Mistakes" - Sharon Van Etten
Sharon Van Etten may be the sad singer-songwriter queen, but "Mistakes" is enough to make one wish all of We've Been Going About This All Wrong was a moody, sultry dance-pop album.
4. "Anti-glory" - Horsegirl
The absolute coolest rockers on the planet who cannot legally drink.
3. "Hangover Game" - MJ Lenderman
More ramshackle indie rock songs about Michael Jordan getting plastered, please.
2. "Wet Dream" - Wet Leg
A blissfully cheeky blast of oversexed pop rock that crackles with an acidic glee, like Pop Rocks swallowed-whole.
1. "Wild for You" - MAITA
Sometimes love fades, and MAITA captures the knot-in-your-stomach messiness of that emotionally tormenting state — caught between accepting it's over and desperately yearning for a return to the wild passion of love's initial blossom — with a delicate hand and deft songwriting grace.
