{"id":2172,"date":"2014-01-05T11:46:06","date_gmt":"2014-01-05T19:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/?p=2172"},"modified":"2015-01-12T09:31:48","modified_gmt":"2015-01-12T17:31:48","slug":"rankstravaganza-2013-my-30-favorite-songs-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/billchapin.net\/allthecitylights\/2014\/01\/rankstravaganza-2013-my-30-favorite-songs-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Rankstravaganza 2013: My 30 Favorite Songs of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"SPOILER<\/a>
SPOILER ALERT: This talented southern singer-songwriter turned out my No. 1 song of 2013. (via<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once again, I’m turning this in a few days past deadline. No matter! It’s still not too late to celebrate 2013, which in my musical estimation was a year of songwriters singing about specific places, of longer-than-long-awaited follow-ups, of gorgeous melodies, of Bowie-esque glam rock and of actual Bowie. There’s lots of Americana, some blistering noise rock, several Bay Area artists and very little rap (sorry!) to be found on this year’s countdown. So, you know, the usual. I hope you enjoy these tracks half as much as I did.<\/p>\n

And away we go!<\/p>\n

30. “After Mardi Gras,” Steve Earle<\/a> & The Dukes (& Duchesses)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earle co-wrote this acoustic shuffle with his Treme<\/em><\/a> costar Lucia Micarelli<\/a>\u2014her melody, his lyrics\u2014and it was featured<\/a> on the HBO series as a tune written by Micarelli’s character, Annie. Earle’s words concern a heartbreak delayed by New Orleans’ splendor, but I gotta say, my affinity for this song probably has more to do with Micarelli’s contribution. The tune is as breezy as the Big Easy.<\/p>\n