Elizabeth McQueen’s Favorite Songs of 2018

Elizabeth McQueen – Producer/Host of This Song podcast, On-Air host Sat. 10a-2

Anderson Paak – “Til It’s Over

I think this song is one of the more perfectly constructed songs I’ve ever experienced. The verse sounds just like the inside of your head when you’re debating getting involved in something you know can’t last. It sets you up perfectly for the chorus, which posits the only solution to such a situation — ride it ’til it’s over.  Though this song is about a romantic relationship, I’ve been using it to remind me of all the beauty we can experience in the world, as long as we allow ourselves to make peace with impermanence and potential heartbreak.

Dessa – “Fire Drills
It’s rare that you hear a song that makes you re-examine your core values, but this song does exactly that for me.  As a mother of two girls, I’ve tended to see my role in this world as one of a protector — it’s my job to protect my daughters from a dangerous world, right?  This song makes me rethink that idea, and expand my notion of motherhood. Perhaps my role is also to give my girls the tools they need to be brave, ambitious and adventurous. After listening to this song, I’m sure it is.

Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel
Dirty Computer, the record this song is on, has been hands down the most important record of 2018 for me.  This world, as you may have noticed, is growing increasingly fractured and chaotic.I for one need help trying to figure out how to survive within it. Dirty Computer shows me way, and has helped me see that love, sex, dancing, joy, vulnerability, humor, resistance and empathy are the best strategies we can use when times get dark.  Nothing this year has done more to heal me than this record.  And I’m so grateful to Janelle Monáe for making it.

Tameca Jones – “Are You Awake
This song is such a jam. It’s definitely the best song about a late night booty call that has ever been written. Jones’ voice is as stunning as ever, and the production by Walker Lukens is right on point.  I will admit to listening to this song on repeat, just to get access to the feeling of making a glorious mistake, over and over.

Zettajoule – “No Thank You
This song is all the things I like. It’s weird and experimental while being accessible and hooky at the same time. I always come up with a full formed story about it when I hear it.  Plus, it was recorded and mixed on a iPhone, even though it sounds like it was made in a million dollar studio.  I truly cannot wait to hear what else Zettajoule has coming out in the future. I have a feeling I’m going to love it.

Support KUTX’s ability to bring you closer to the music.

Donate Today