![]() Like a local version of “Silver Springs”: this wonderful, sad, visceral, hypnotic song was initially recorded back in 2016 for Loamlands’ seminal album “Sweet High Rise,” only to be left off the final product – but finally saw the light of day this year, when Kym Register and crew released some of the outtakes from Sweet High Rise for a charity EP to support Down Home NC. ![]() “Yes, it has been some time/since I was fine…” Is this the biggest hit the Triangle has produced this year? I’m not sure, but I heard “Sanctuary” playing at a restaurant in Michigan when I was up there last month, so it’s a pretty good bet. I’ve said I don’t think he’s ever written a bad song, and he kept that streak going with 2021’s “Quietly Blowing It,” capped by this instant classic (just one of several fine singles off the album) that’s quickly become one of HGM’s most popular songs. With more than ten albums now under his belt, MC Taylor has been the area’s most consistently solid songwriter for the last decade. Charles’ appearance on 97.9 The Hill earlier this year, debuting this song. ![]() With dreamlike vocals, a soft melody, a steady, confident beat, and a powerful, timely message, “Stressin” might be the calmest, chillest song you’ll hear all year about the struggles of getting by. Charles, coming out of nowhere with a debut single that just about tops them all. Some of the artists on this list have been making great music for literally decades – and then there’s Tre. Not sure what it is about this song that blows me away like it does, but I’ll take it. But it’s all James Plunkett needs to capture that hallucinogenic, half-awake feeling of nights on the road – not to mention the draggy days of anticipation before them. Slipped in at the end of his latest album, this quiet, DIY title track features Plunkett, AJ Verkouw, two guitars, a harmonica, and not much else. “Two devils on my shoulders, breathing, breathing…” Brad and I passed and found another burger place two doors down – and that was the best burger I’ve ever had, so Au Cheval must be something really special. (With a title reference to a restaurant in Chicago I happen to know: apparently they’ve got the best burger in the nation, if you’re willing to wait eight hours for a table. Different folks will have different favorites, but mine is this quick, upbeat bop about taking chances and living life to the fullest. The Pinkerton Raid haven’t yet released their new album “The Highway Moves The World,” but judging from the five (!) singles they’ve already put out, it’s going to be huge when it drops next year. Good luck getting through this one without banging your head. ![]() This four-piece of UNC alums already had one album under their belts, but they hit the gas in 2021 with their sophomore effort “Excess Party.” “Chain Engine,” the highlight, has everything a great metal song should: relentless rhythm, stratospheric solos, quirky signatures, lots of sex, and even more kink. Listen to Blue Cactus’ appearance on 97.9 The Hill earlier this year. A classic throwback to the days before country went pop, “Come Clean” anchors an incredible album of songs about heartbreak – or rather that teetering-on-the-edge moment just before heartbreak, when there’s still a chance to pull back from the brink. Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez have been together for about a decade now, but they’re still getting better and better. “I’ve been becoming everybody I never wanted to be…” We’ve already made it halfway through the list: go back and revisit numbers 20-11. (Even with those limitations, it’s tough to pick just 20 songs! The Mountain Goats put out a terrific album earlier this year, for instance, but none of their songs made this list.) Reminder of the ground rules: we’re only looking at artists from Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties – and since we’re also playing these songs on 97.9 The Hill, only radio-friendly songs are allowed. This week, we’re celebrating our amazing local music scene - still as vibrant as ever, even amidst a pandemic - by counting down the top 20 local songs from the first six months of 2021.
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