The Contenders, Vol. 14: Upchuck, Just Mustard, Brandon Woody, more

This week’s update to our running list of the year’s best songs includes some scorchers from Atlanta’s Upchuck, the shoegaze group Just Mustard, jazz trumpeter Brandon Woody and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. Upchuck: “Plastic” (single)
2. The Westerlies (with Sam Amidon): “Paradise,” from ‘Paradise’
3. Just Mustard: “POLLYANNA” (single)
4. Brandon Woody: “Beyond the Reach of Our Eyes,” from ‘For The Love Of It All’

‘All Songs Considered’ 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2017

Weekly reset: Frogs and crickets chattering in a rice field in Okazaki, Japan

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Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.