Necklace

glean - bagel

large - eagle

Usury

amulet - talcum

This Is Why We Fight - The Decemberists

verona - tavern

grail - agile

cinder - dancer

grade - adage

resign - ignore

Saffron

Thief

China - Tori Amos

A is next.

Flesh by David Szalay

petal - alert

purist - stripe

cadre - caper

Deescalate

Enervate

This is like offering a choice between a polished turd and a shit sandwich.

Mad World - Tears for Fears

mired - dream

Onanism

spouts - stupor

Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel

possum - stumps

Insist

merge - grime

rousts - tossup