2009 was a busy year for Jay Farrar: July saw the release of Son Volt’s latest, American Central Dust, and October brought One Fast Move or I'm Gone, Farrar's collaboration with Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard.

Truth be told, neither is likely to land on many year end lists.

In fairness, however, both discs do have their moments. If you're into highlights, check out "No Turning Back" off the Son Volt disc, or "All in One" from One Fast Move. But highlights aren't what we do here. We're after missteps, and "Sultana" is a misstep.

The tune first crossed our radar back in May. Sometime contributor kw wrote in with this gem:

Of course, we don't mean to make light of maritime tragedy, but, Jesus Jay, sh*t like this does invite parody.

What really doomed this "Sultana," however, is its ponderously plodding piano. By our count, someone's meathooks plunked out the same damn chord 200 times in 3 minutes and 48 seconds. (Whatever the watery equivalent of self-immolation is, we're considering it.)