Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2015, Part 5

In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2015's playlists for our fourteenth annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix. Here are the final songs:



17. Feeling Ok -- Best Coast

As the Los Angeles Times noted, "Feeling Ok" (yes, the "k" is not capitalized here) seems on the surface to be celebrating life in California, a.k.a. the Best Coast. Yet singer Bethany Cosentino doesn't seem 100% convinced -- and that says a lot about the conflict and contradictions that come from living in our sunny SoCal world.



18. O Mother -- Son Little

2015 will be remembered for a lot of things, including how the #BlackLivesMatter movement helped finally once again shine a spotlight on the plight of young African American men and women. Son Little, who hails from Philadelphia, wrote "O Mother" while touring in Europe while headlines in the States were focused on the fates of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. “Racism and violence are global problems,” he told the New Yorker. “But our particular brand in America is what makes it hard for black men to breathe.”



19. 1998 (feat. Banks) -- Chet Faker

Producer Chet Faker originally released "1998" in 2014; this reworked version includes the equally soulful Banks picking up a verse as well. (Sorry, no relation to Taylor Swift's "1989.")



20. TV -- Colleen Green

I suppose this should be my anthem, right? "TV is my friend/ And it has been with me everyday/ From an early age/ TV is my friend/ And it has been always there for me/ In time of need"



21. Madre Tierra (Oye) -- Chayanne

Puerto Rican Latin pop star Chayanne has sold more than 30 million albums, yet I'm sure you probably haven't heard of him. I was introduced to "Madre Tierra (Oye)" because the Blogger Kid's 4th grade class at his Spanish immersion school sang the song in the spring. I figured it was appropriate to end this year's mix with the song... followed by a bonus track, below!



22. Madre Tierra (Oye) -- Franklin Spanish 4th Graders

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2012, Part 1

In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2012's monthly playlists for our eleventh annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix. I'm revealing them throughout the week. The first four:



1. The Only Place--Best Coast

We kick off this year's playlist with a track that asks what Angelinos frequently say to out-of-towners. "Why would you live anywhere else?" demands Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino. The Los Angeles-based surf-pop band asks a good question. "We've got the ocean, got the babes. Got the sun, we've got the waves. This is the only place for me." Sold.



2. Explosions--Coco Morier

An explosion of groove at the start of Coco Morier's "Explosions" makes this track a keeper. It will get you dancing, guaranteed.



3. Beta Love--Ra Ra Riot

A late entry to this year's playlist, "Beta Love" is a bit bubblegum-y, but with a synth hook and falsetto chorus that's addictive. The kids love the robot references. Win-win.



4. That's Still Mama--Cody ChesnuTT

Forget Mr. T's "Treat Yo Mama Right." Cody Chesnutt has a new anthem for Mother's Day, a slick 1960s-style jam. Others have called him a "modern-day Curtis Mayfield," and that shines on this track. Above, an acoustic version of the song, performed at Seattle's KEXP. Listen to the regular version below.



More tomorrow!