In part one of twice weekly collection of song recommendations from our music writers, tracks by Mates of State, Barkmarket, William Burroughs, and Foxes in Fiction.

Eric Swedlund
Mates of State, "Palomino"

After spending the last couple weeks soaking in Mountaintops, the new album from Mates of State, and seeing the band tear it up at Plush on Monday, I'm ready to declare "Palomino" as my favorite song of the year. And the video, from director Jimi Patterson is amazing as well.

Curtis McCrary
Barkmarket, "Dumbjaw"

This criminally underrated early '90s outfit was fronted by producer extraordinaire Dave Sardy, who has among his mixing and producing credits records from Johnny Cash, Jay-Z, and The Rolling Stones. Hard, harsh, and verbose, Barkmarket was an unstoppable juggernaut when firing on all cylinders, as on this track, perhaps my favorite song they've done. They were also not a band to be trifled with, as a young promoter friend of mine learned in Toledo one night when he didn't have their $500 and they menaced him with a pistol (they eventually let him off the hook). So yeah, Barkmarket — the sound of a band that ain't afraid to pull a gun on you.

Jarret Keene
William Burroughs, "A Thanksgiving Prayer"

My least favorite holiday approaches: National Native American Genocide Day, otherwise called Thanksgiving. A day wasted loathing our families, combating tryptophan comas and thanking God our ancestors didn't take smallpox blankets from white Europeans. But poet William S. Burroughs said all this so much better.

Mel Mason
Foxes In Fiction, "School Night"

We've all dreamed of having some sort of magical, physics-defying superpower at some point in our lives, right? Well, this song is capable of making you float. If that's what you've always wanted, then you're welcome. I realize it's yet another band with a goddamned animal in its name. Just get over it.