My Life Is Too Short To Make It Bad

Tender Forever “Well I Can Take It” – The song starts out with a bit of relationship angst — she’s with someone who backs away from expressing themself for fear of freaking her out, but she needs that person to know that she can handle it. It’s a fairly normal sentiment, but Tender Forever pull it off without making it seem dull or hackneyed. Even better, she moves on from that talking point rather quickly, and the song shifts into more concrete details of their day together, reminding us that these emotional flashpoints almost always happen in the context of otherwise normal days. (Click here to pre-order it from K Records.)

Sons & Daughters “Gilt Complex” – “Gilt Complex” sounds as though it’s been around for decades, but Sons & Daughters stand too firm in the present tense for it feel particularly retro. They play the song with such urgency and determination that it just sort of plows towards you like a freight train, and you’re like a damsel tied to the tracks. (Click here to buy it from Bleep — provided that you live in Europe.)

Elsewhere: The Ten Video Games That Should Be Movies (and the Directors Who Should Make Them) — I co-wrote this list with Lane Brown, and I’m pretty happy with how it came out.