Just ordered two more 2020 albums, I had never heard before: Cris Clarks soundtrack to "Daniel Isn't Real";
I actually updated it a few weeks ago with some slight changes and I also listed my three favourite songs from each album. 1. Haim - Women In Music Pt III (Summer Girl,The Steps and Gasoline) 2. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher (I Know The End,Kyoto and Chinese Satellite) 3. The 1975 - Notes On A Conditional Form (I Think There's Something You Should Know, Frail State Of Mind and What Should I Say) 4. Taylor Swift - Evermore (Marjorie, Long Story Short and Champagne Problems) 5. Adrianne Lenker - Songs And Instrumentals (Zombie Girl, Dragon Eyes and Not A Lot Just Forever) 6. Run The Jewels - RTJ4 (Walking In The Snow,Just and Out Of Sight) 7. Deftones - Ohms (The Spell Of Mathematics, This Link Is Dead and Genesis) 8. Taylor Swift - Folklore (August, Cardigan and Invisible String) 9. Bartees Strange - Live Forever (Boomer,Mustang and Flagey God) 10. Khruangbin - Mordecai (Time,Dearest Alfred and So He Won't Forget) To be fair Letter To You did get close to getting in my top ten,just a couple of tracks let it down (I'm looking at you The Power Of Prayer and House Of A Thousand Guitars).
Record Collector’s 2020 lists... Best New Albums 1. Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways 2. Salt - Untitled (Black Is) 3. Bill Callahan - Gold Record 4. Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter 5. Run The Jewels - Rtj4 6. Shirley Collins - Heart's Ease 7. Thurston Moore - By The Fire 8. Phoebe Bridgers - Punnisher 9. Thundercat - Is What It Is 10. Jeff Parker - Suite For Max Brown 11. Bill Fay - Countless Branches 12. Cornershop - England Is A Garden 13. X - Alphabetland 14. Songhoy Blues - Optimisme 15. Caribou - Suddenly 16. Matt Berninger - Serpentine Prison 17. Maria Mckee - La Vista Nuova 18. Ghostpoet - I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep 19. Pigs (X 7) - Viscerals 20. Shabaka & The Ancestors - We Are Sent By History 21. Baxter Dury - The Night Chancers 22. Brigid Mae Power - Head Above Water 23. Public Enemy - What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down 24. James Dean Bradfield - Even In Exile 25. A Certain Ratio - ACR Loco “From The Vaults”: 1. Prince - Sign 'O' The Times [Super Deluxe Edition] 2. Various - The Harry Smith B-Sides 3. Neil Young - Homegrown 4. The Go-Betweens - G Stands For Go-Betweens Vol.2 5. Roberta Flack - First Take [50th Anniversary Edition] 6. Big Star - #1 Record 7. Shirley Scott - One For Me 8. Various - 76 In The Shade 9. Sharhabil Ahmed - The King Of Sudanese Jazz 10. Trees - Trees [50th Anniversary Edition] 11. Robbie Basho - Songs Of The Avatars - The Lost Master Tapes 12. Bobbie Gentry - The Delta Sweete 13. Richard And Linda Thompson - Hard Luck Stories (1972-1982) 14. John Lee Hooker - Documenting The Sensation Recordings 1948-1952 15. Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes 16. The Everley Brothers - Down In The Bottom - The Country Rock Sessions 17. Motorhead - Ace Of Spades [Box Set] 18. Shape Of The Rain - Riley Riley Wood & Waggett 19. Various - Martin Freeman & Eddie Piller Present Jazz On The Corner 2 20. Jonathan Richman - I, Jonathan 21. Various - Cadence Revolution: Disques Debs International Vol.2 22. John Prine - Cooked Piece Of Time: The Atlantic & Asylum Albums (1971-1980) 23. Karen Dalton - The Archive Box 24. Various - Stone Crush: Memphis Modern Soul 1977-1987 25. Various - Africa Airways Six: Mile High African Funk 1974-1981
Not to bang a drum, but deliberately leaving Taylor Swift and Fiona Apple off seems pretty perverse - not that it's a bad thing to highlight other stuff but Phoebe Bridgers is no more of a far out choice at this point.
Top Blues albums of 2020 Blues Escape (feat. Johanna Lillvik) Blues Escape May 8, 2020 Up Jumped the Devil Discovering the music of Robert Johnson Dave Alvin – From An Old Guitar: Rare And Unreleased Recordings Label: Yep Roc Records Released: 18 Nov 2020 Genre: Rock, Blues Style: Alternative Rock, Blues Rock Sonny Landreth – Blacktop Run Label: Provogue – PRD 75822 Format: CD, Album Country: Europe Released: 21 Feb 2020 Genre: Blues Ronnie Earl And The Broadcasters – Rise Up Label: Stony Plain Records – SPCD1418 Format: CD, Album Country: Canada Released: 2020 Genre: Blues Style: Chicago Blues
My Best Country Albums of 2020 Chris Stapleton – Starting Over Label: Mercury Nashville Format: Bandcamp ALAC, Download, Album Country: US Released: 13 Nov 2020 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Country Darrell Scott – Sings The Blues Of Hank Williams Label: Full Light Records – FLR-18 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 2020 Genre: Blues, Folk, World, & Country Hayes Carll – Alone Together Sessions Label: Dualtone Format: Duotone ALAC, Download, Album Country: US Released: 04 Sep 2020 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes And Other Punchy Songs Label: Thirty Tigers Format: Qobuz ALAC, Download, Album Country: US Released: 28 Aug 2020 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Country Wood & Wire – No Matter Where It Goes From Here Label: Blue Corn Music – BCM 2003 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 2020 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Bluegrass
Top Blues Albums of 2020...should have included Tony Holiday – Soul Service Label: Vizztone – VT-THPS-02 Format: CD, Album, Gatefold Cardboard Sleeve Country: US Released: 2020 Genre: Blues Style: Soul
This album seems to be getting overlooked... Mike Campbell, formerly of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, new band is called The Dirty Knobs new album is really great.
Just bumping this thread in hopes of rallying some last minute stragglers, before 2020 becomes a quickly forgotten memory, if that IS possible?...
I can't imagine putting 2020 to bed soon given the staggering array of music and the relatively limited time in day-to-day life for discovery. Extraordinary year. As for my list, #1 is personally incontrovertible, while numbers 2 through 4 are easily interchangeable, but occupy rare air unshared with 4-10, which are also largely fluid in their own tier. (artist/title) 1. Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets: Live at the Roundhouse. Arguably cheating on my part because (a) this live release was not recorded in 2020 (May 2019) and (b) comprises music written from 1967 through Pink Floyd's 1972 album Obscured By Clouds, with most tracks attributable to the Syd Barrett era (12/21 (there are 22 tracks, but one is a reprise)). But in making my case I would say that performance of Barrett's early work with Floyd 1.0 is at times puerile, dated in sound to near-irrelevance, and simply too often inaccessible. This is frustrating because the underlying material is variously complex, nuanced, and intriguing. Which is why I consider this release to be "new" music: Mason & Company aren't a cover band of Floyd's early stuff, but by their resurrection of the work through novel interpretations and a huge, energetic, exploratory, ambitious sound pays the ultimate tribute by revealing it's enormous potential. This is progressive, psychedelic rock at its dizzying, kaleidoscopic, anarchic, fire-breathing best, which simply cannot be relegated to the subsidiary status of a re-treaded release. Mason isn't an aging 60s/70s' hero cast in bronze, he's arguably making some of the best and most vital music of an otherwise immense career. 2. Myrkur: Folkesange 3. Pacific Range: High Upon the Mountain 4. The Sorcerers: In Search of the Monkey God 5. BK Pepper: Territories 6. Lykantropi: Tales to be Told 7. Gazpacho: Fireworker 8. Lord of the Lost: Swan Songs III 9. The Birthday Massacre: Diamonds 10. Lavinia Blackwell: Muggington Lane End Myrkur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p34EfZACzx8&feature=emb_logo
Here are a few that grabbed me this past year. Jason Isbell - Reunions I really did a really deep dive on this one for several reasons, the biggest being I wanted to listen to it intently before passing judgment (as warrants the work of an artist I like as much as Isbell). Turns out it’s among Jason’s best, more mature, and thus different than Southeastern & Something More than Free, to which everything Isbell does will always be compared. Favorite track: St. Peter’s Autograph (but there’s only *one* track on the album I’m meh on, I like it *that* much) Coriky - Coriky This was such a wonderful, pleasant surprise for me from Ian MacKaye with his wife Amy Farina and former band mate Joe Lally. Way closer in sound to the Evens than Fugazi but full of the types of songs Ian’s been writing since his days in Minor Threat. I dig it. Favorite track: Clean Kill Chris Stapleton - Starting Over I loved this record from the first second the needle dropped. More great country from an outstanding singer, songwriter, guitar player. His harmonies with his wife Morgane as heavenly. Favorite track: Cold has Stapleton channeling a Laid Back-era Gregg Allman. I also love his take on Fogerty’s Joy of My Life Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling This band just continues to put out strong, relevant records. Hood & Cooley pull no punches on this album, though they’ve never really done that in the first place. They also released The New OK this year, which I’ve not yet dug into. Favorite track: Thoughts and Prayers The Chicks - Gaslighter The world needed more from this amazing band and I am one who’s so damn glad they shook off the rust on their studio chops. I can really feel what Natalie Maines is going through in some of these songs. We’re about the same age so I very much relate to this stage in life. Favorite track: Sleep at Night Taylor Swift - Folklore This is a sentimental pick for me. Taylor Swift is revered in my household, being among my now 18 and 16-year-old daughters’ first favorites. But what tipped this for me was both of them staying up until midnight to order the album. Then my 16 year old described it to my wife as “enchanting.” I’m a sucker for my girls and a sucker for music...what can I say? Favorite track: I honestly don’t have one, I love this record b/c of what it means to my daughters,. Chris Forsyth - First Flight I don’t remember how I first learned of Chris Forsyth but he’s been among my favorite guitar players for a few years now. He’s an incredibly lyrical and melodic soloist and First Flight is all-improvisational. From Chris’s Bandcamp page “So, about 30 minutes after we'd all heard each others voices for the first time, we got up and played for a little over an hour, uninterrupted. The only thing discussed beforehand was that we shouldn't discuss anything beforehand - not a key or a riff to start with, nothing - so as to preserve maximum spontaneity” First Flight, by Chris Forsyth / Dave Harrington / Ryan Jewell / Spencer Zahn Favorite track: This is designed to be listened to en toto. Hiss Golden Messenger - School Daze: A Fundraiser for Durham Public Schools Students One of the cool things that’s happened during the pandemic is some artists have used their archives to raise money for good causes. MC Taylor is one of them. He explained the release when I saw him at a socially distanced show here in Nashville Nov 7. “My wife’s a teacher and when the quarantine happened she said, ‘A lot of kids are going to go hungry.’” And so he released this with all proceeds going to feed children in Durham County NC where he lives. Favorite track: Brother Do You Know the Road Avett Brothers - The Gleam III These guys just keep putting out good music that makes my soul feel good. The Gleam III is no exception. It’s got the same introspection of all great Avett Brothers records, but is a bit of a return to form musically than its predecessor Closer than Together, whose sound was a bit less joyous (for lack of a better term) Favorite track: I Should've Spent More Time with My Family and Prison to Heaven The Mother Hips - Part-Timer Goes Full & Shootout! (Reissue) So, so glad the Hips freed these records up, first so we can have them digitally and also so Blue Rose Music could reissue their entire catalog on vinyl. I’ve long called the Hips “The best American band you’ve probably never heard of.” Their 30-year career is packed with some of the best songs I’ve ever heard (no ****). They’ve changed a lot from the more psychedelic abandon of their debut (Back to the Grotto) into the progenitors of “California Soul” and these records are important in demonstrating important steps in that development. Favorite tracks: Transit Wind on Shootout is one of my all-time favorite songs. If you’re even remotely intrigued by what I’ve written here, check it out Other favorites: Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, Magazine (Part-Timer); Whiskey on a Southbound, Can’t Sleep at All (Shootout)
Great posts Kate and Skydog! Kate, I get why you love NM's SOS live at the Roundhouse set. I almost did not buy this on triple Lp as I was right miffed to have bought the RSD 12 inch single only to have the whole show come out for just over twice the price Id paid for the single. Once I saw the DVD, all bets were off, 3 Lp set purchased and LOVED. What a fantastic surprise this set turned out to be, much more enjoyable than Roger's beast. What a shyte hot band, and song selection, and Mason is drumming his best in decades w/o a net, no 2nd stix. Skydog, exceptionally well thought out and presented list with all the bells and whistles, many thanks for sharing. We just got done listening to The Avett Brothers The Gleam III, a great record, a bit samey sounding since it is just the trio and all acoustic, but so special, and as a poster posted up thread, a perfect Sunday morning record for when you are just sick of the madness of the outside world and want some mellow good wooden music to go with your eggs, coffee and calm... Excited to read about this new HGM project. Been with MC Taylor since their sublime Poor Moon Lp in 2010?, and even before then with his very excellent early 2000s Court and Spark era. His last few have left me cold, but I want to check out this project, and for a good cause. I got the Dixie Chicks on vinyl for my daughter before they changed their name and the Lp album cover. A Great band my daughters love and the title track "Gaslighter" is a strong indictment of Him who shall not be mentioned. Love the DBTruckers too, like you still unpacking The Unraveling and have not got to The New OK yet. Besides "Thoughts and Prayers", I think "Babies In Cages" is also another strong indictment of a supposedly aware and free society who would let their elected "leaders"--I use the term loosely--do such bad things to fellow humans. Finally, I just got around to the new Jason Isbell, but one spin through and I knew it was good bordering on great, and I am so looking forward to a deep dive into it. He is awesome, and so are his old band. 2 X Great! Cheers!
Avett Bros record was really timely for me. I needed that vibe at that moment. You’ll appreciate that I saw HGM on November 7. It was a cathartic moment. He’s a good dude with a good, kind soul. The fact that I dig his music like I do is a bonus b/c I’m more determined to support good people these days. Serendipity, but I bought my 16 year old two DC records for Christmas: started her with Wide Open Spaces and Home. Such a great band. The last 3 DBT records have just astounded me. As a fellow southerner, I relate closely to what they’re writing about. I know Jason had really high hopes for Reunions. I’m sorry he hasn’t gotten to tour it yet. I caught 2 of his first 4 shows, outdoors and loved the new songs live. Given what you already know of from my list, you might dig the Mother Hips. Shootout and a later Days have an Americana-esque vibe, though before the invention of the term.
Don’t think these have been posted yet... Spin albums of 2020: 1. Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters 2. Bartees Strange – Live Forever 3. Run The Jewels – RTJ4 4. Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately 5. Caribou – Suddenly 6. Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG 7. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher 8. Tame Impala – The Slow Rush 9. Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud 10. Fleet Foxes – Shore 11. Hayley Williams – Petals For Armor 12. Deftones – Ohms 13. Ka – Descendants Of Cain 14. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia 15. The Soft Pink Truth – Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? 16. Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist – Alfredo 17. Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension 18. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Savage Mode II 19. Thundercat – It Is What It Is 20. Future Islands - As Long As You Are 21. The Flaming Lips – American Head 22. Beabadoobee – Fake It Flowers 23. Poppy – I Disagree 24. Khruangbin – Mordechai 25. The Lemon Twigs - Songs For The General Public 26. Nothing – The Great Dismal 27. Soccer Mommy – Color Theory 28. Margo Price - That’s How Rumors Get Started 29. My Dying Bride – The Ghost Of Orion 30. Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure? Spin tracks of 2020: 1. Bartees Strange – Boomer 2. Run The Jewels – Yankee And The Brave (Ep. 4) 3. Fiona Apple – Heavy Balloon 4. The 1975 – If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know) 5. Cardi B (Feat. Megan Thee Stallion) – WAP 6. The Weeknd – Blinding Lights 7. Waxahatchee – Fire 8. Caribou – New Jade 9. Tame Impala – Borderline 10. Deftones – Ohms 11. Haim – The Steps 12. Taylor Swift – Exile 13. Thundercat – Dragonball Durag 14. Khruangbin – Time (You And I) 15. Perfume Genius – On The Floor 16. Sylvan Esso – Numb 17. Bad Bunny – Safaera 18. Miley Cyrus – Midnight Sky 19. Sufjan Stevens – America 20. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now 21. Phoebe Bridgers – I Know The End 22. Megan Thee Stallion – Captain Hook 23. Kali Uchis (Feat. Jhay Cortez) – La Luz (Fín) 24. My Morning Jacket – Wasted 25. Charlotte Dos Santos – Helio 26. Halsey – You Should Be Sad 27. 24kGoldn (Feat. Iann Dior) – Mood 28. Soccer Mommy – Circle The Drain 29. Tobacco (Feat. Trent Reznor) – Babysitter 30. Christian Scott ATunde Adjuah – Guinevere NME albums of 2020: 1. Run the Jewels - RTJ4 2. Taylor Swift - Folklore 3. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia 4. The Strokes - The New Abnormal 5. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher 6. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song 7. Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA 8. Haim - Women in Music Pt III 9. Beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers 10. J Hus - Big Conspiracy 11. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters 12. Megan Thee Stallion - Good News 13. Deftones - Ohms 14. Lady Gaga - Chromatica 15. Fontaines DC - A Heros Death 16. Tame Impala - The Slow Rush 17. Hayley Williams - Petals For Armor 18. Porridge Radio - Every Bad 19. The Killers - Imploding The Mirage 20. Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake 21. Roisin Murphy - Roisin Machine 22. Working Mens Club - Working Mens Club 23. Burna Boy - Twice As Tall 24. Charli XCX - How Im Feeling Now 25. Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter 26. The Cribs - Night Network 27. Headie One - Edna 28. Blossoms - Foolish Loving Spaces 29. The Weeknd - After Hours 30. Khruangbin - Mordechai 31. Empress Of - Im Your Empress Of 32. Miley Cyrus - Plastic Hearts 33. Declan McKenna - Zeros 34. Wizkid - Made In Lagos 35. Soccer Mommy - Color Theory 36. Ela Minus - Acts of Rebellion 37. Thundercat - It Is What It Is 38. Yungblud - weird! 39. Dominic Fike - What Could Possibly Go Wrong 40. Halsey - Manic 41. Junglepussy - JP4 42. Sault - Untitled (Black Is) 43. The 1975 - Notes On A Conditional Form 44. BTS - Map Of The Soul: 7 45. Princess Nokia - Everything Is Beautiful 46. IDLES - Ultra Mono 47. Moses Boyd - Dark Matter 48. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene 49. Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways 50. Rico Nasty - Nightmare Vacation NME songs of 2020: 1. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion - WAP 2. Dua Lipa - Physical 3. IDLES - Grounds 4. Arlo Parks - Black Dog 5. Romy - Lifetime 6. Run The Jewels - JU$T (feat. Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha) 7. Rina Sawayama - XS 8. Taylor Swift - The Last Great American Dynasty 9. Phoebe Bridgers - I Know The End 10. The Strokes - Bad Decisions 11. Christine and the Queens - People - Ive Been Sad 12. Doja Cat - Boss Bitch 13. Fontaines D.C. - A Heros Death 14. The Killers - My Own Souls Warning 15. Bring Me The Horizon - Parasite Eve 16. Little Simz - Might Bang - Might Not 17. Tame Impala - One More Year 18. Billie Eilish - Therefore I Am 19. Beabadoobee - Worth It 20. Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande - Rain On Me 21. Miley Cyrus - Midnight Sky 22. The 1975 - If Youre Too Shy (Let Me Know) 23. HAIM - Steps 24. Kanye West - Wash Us In The Blood (feat. Travis Scott) 25. Kelly Lee Owens - Corner Of My Sky 26. Sports Team - Heres The Thing 27. Róisín Murphy - Murphys Law 28. Gorillaz - Aries (feat. Georgia and Peter Hook) 29. Fiona Apple - Heavy Balloon 30. Megan Thee Stallion - Savage Remix (feat. Beyoncé) 31. Blossoms - If You Think This Is Real Life 32. Working Mens Club - John Cooper Clarke 33. Hayley Williams - Simmer 34. Dominic Fike - Chicken Tenders 35. Charli XCX - Claws 36. Pop Smoke - Shake The Room 37. Disclosure - Watch Your Step (feat. Kelis) 38. Bad Boy Chiller Crew - 450 - 2020 Mix 39. India Jordan - For You 40. BTS - Dynamite 41. Girl In Red - Rue 42. Don Toliver - No Photos 43. Perfume Genius - On The Floor 44. Davido - FEM 45. Bob Vylan - We Live Here 46. Jessie Ware - Soul Control 47. Jayda G - Both Of Us 48. Pa Salieu - Frontline 49. Rico Nasty - iPhone 50. Foo Fighters - Shame Shame Louder Than War albums of 2020: 1. The Lovely Eggs – I Am ***** (Egg Records) 2. Bob Vylan – We Live Here (Venn Records) 3. Dead Sheeran – A National Disgrace (Basketcase) 4. Bob Dylan – Rough And Rowdy Ways 5. The Psychedelic Furs – Made Of Rain (Cooking Vinyl) 6. Cornershop – England Is A Garden (Ample Play) 7. Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death (Partisan Records) 8. Girls In Synthesis – Now Here’s An Echo From Your Future (Harbinger Sound 9. Sault – Untitled (Black Is) (Forever Living Originals) 10. Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters (Epic Records) 11. Run The Jewels RTJ4 — (Jewel Runners) 12. Nadine Shah – Kitchen Sink (Infectious) 13. Nightingales- Four Against Fate (Tiny Global) 14. A. Swayze & The Ghosts – Paid Salvation (Ivy League) 15. Porridge Radio – Every Bad (Secretly Canadian) 16. Suzie Stapleton – We Are The Plague (Negative Prophet) 17. Jehnny Beth – To Love Is To Live (20LO7) 18. Billy Nomates – Billy Nomates (Invada Records) 19. Róisín Murphy – Róisín Machine (Skint Records) 20. Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs. Viscerals (Rocket Recordings) 21. Einstürzende Neubauten – Alles In Allem 22. Public Practice – Gentle Grip (Wharf Records) 23. Eight Rounds Rapid – Love Your Work (Tapete) 24. The Cool Greenhouse – The Cool Greenhouse (Melodic Records) 25. Bee Bee Sea – Dayripper (Wild Honey Records) 26. IDLES – Ultra Mono Partisan Records (Partisan) 27. Mick & The Mellotronics – ½ Dove ½ Pigeon (Landline Records) 28. TTRRUUCES – TTRRUUCES (Allpoints) 29. Andy Shauf – Neon Skyline (Anti) 30. Anna Von Hausswolff – All Thoughts Fly (Southern Lord) 31. Michael ‘Tell Your Friends’ (Cracked Ankles Records) 32. The Total Rejection – The Time Travellers 3rd Will & Testament (Raving Pop Blast)33. The Cravats – Hoorahland (Overground) 34. Sparks – A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip …. (BMG) 35. HMLTD – West Of Eden (Lucky Number Music) 36. Baxter Dury – The Night Chancers (Rough Trade) 37. Jim Bob – Pop Up Jim-Bob (Cherry Red) 38. Dream Nails – Dream Nails (Alcopop! Records) 39. RVG – Feral (Fire) 40. Ren Harvieu – Revel In The Drama (Bella Union) 41. X – Alphabetland (Fat Possum) 42. Holy **** – Deleter (Last Gang) 43. Deftones – Ohms (Warners Bros) 44. Primitive Ignorant – Sikh Punk (Something In Construction Records) 45. Working Men’s Club – Working Men’s Club (Heavenly Recordings ) 46. The Lurkers- Sex Crazy (Damaged Goods) 47. Bruce Springsteen – Letter To You (Columbia) 48. Mr Bungle: The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo (Ipecac Recordings) 49. Bugeye – Ready Steady Bang (Reckless Yes) 50. MFC Chicken – Fast Food & Broken Hearts (Dirty Water Records/FOLC Records) Clash albums of 2020: 1. Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour 2. J Hus - Big Conspiracy 3. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher 4. Sault - Untitled (Black Is) 5. Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA 6. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia 7. Benny The Butcher - Burden Of Proof 8. Perfume Genius - Set Fire To My Heart Immediately 9. Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure? 10. Headie One - EDNA 11. Pa Salieu - Send Them To Coventry 12. Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death 13. Taylor Swift - folklore 14. Thundercat - It Is What It Is 15. Lady Gaga - Chromatica 16. Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters 17. Yves Tumor - Heaven To A Tortured Mind 18. Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter 19. Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now 20. Teyana Taylor - The Album 21. Amaarae - The Angel You Didn't Know 22. Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma And Divorce 23. beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers 24. Moses Sumney - græ 25. Run The Jewels - RTJ4 26. Jessy Lanza - All The Time 27. Róisín Murphy - Róisín Machine 28. Megan Thee Stallion - Good News 29. Nines - Crabs In A Bucket 30. HAIM - Women In Music Pt. III 31. Actress - Karma And Desire 32. Tame Impala - The Slow Rush 33. Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud 34. Fleet Foxes - Shore 35. Porridge Radio - Every Bad 36. Wizkid - Made In Lagos 37. Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes - What Kinda Music 38. Working Men's Club - Working Men's Club 39. KeiyaA – Forever Your Girl 40. Deftones - Ohms 41. Moses Boyd - Dark Matter 42. The Strokes - The New Abnormal 43. Mac Miller - Circles 44. Cleo Sol - Rose In The Dark 45. e.m.m.a. - Indigo Dream 46. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - The Mosaic Of Transformation 47. Unknown T - Rise Above Hate 48. Ojerime - B4 I Breakdown 49. Ariana Grande - Positions 50. Nubya Garcia – Source
Here’s my top-10 for 2020 (not in any particular order): Tom Misch & Yussef Hayes - What Kinda Music Khruangbin - Mordechai Tame Impala - The Slow Rush Thundercat - It is What it Is Kamaal Williams - Wu Hen Paul Weller - On Sunset Young Gun Silver Fox - Canyons Kamasi Washington - Becoming The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You Paul McCartney - III. Runners up (actually belong in the top 10 as well): Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways EOB - Earth Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - A Letter to You
Astute observers will note that I included 2 Lps (well, 3 really) in my #2 spot of the best Top Ten of 2020: They are companion pieces, recorded in Nashville, by Jonathan Wilson with a sweet sweet and including legendary Fiddler, Mar OĆonnor. IIRC, the two records were recorded at different times. First came Dixie Blur, from last spring, a great offering of 15 odd songs, spread out over two pieces of vinyl, but a single Cd. It is most excellent. Should you want to sample a track or two, I recommend you try: 69 Corvette for a standard JW mellow rocker with great lyrics, longing for home (Carolinas). For the mellower JW try the last track, Korean Tea. Both songs and both records remind me of a cross between Gram Parsons (Cosmic Country Twang) and Pink Floyd (Cosmic City Space Rock). But I write now to sing the praises of the second offering by JW of 2020, the companion record, a single, only 7 tracks, but longer than an Ep, but not quite full length record. Live Blur was issued on RSD Black Friday. Not sure if is still around or got a Cd issue. But the record is highly highly recommended. Just played the whole thing through, both sides for maybe the 7th time since Thanksgiving and this record is really very nice and quite special. I like to start with side two, which starts with a very tasty cover of Graham Nashś And So It Goes. They get a real nice CSN&Y vibe going here. And on this track (only) JW is backed by Dawes! The third song on side two, If I Belong, is another growing favorite. It has some spacey flute reminiscent of early Traffic. The last song on side 2, None But Us, is also a classic JW song in that it seems rather plain and simple but slowly reveals its layers of sonics and meaning with each play. Side oneś opener, The Woods Are Greener, is a great song, instantly loved it, and love it more each spin. Demons is likewise a subtle track, but a keeper. Baby Youŕe A Star, which ends side one, is for me the weakest link, a throw away mid tempo pop rock singles type track. Anyhow, long story short, I think I might actually like and listen to Rare Blurś 7 songs more often than Dixie Blurś 15 odd tracks, which is not to slight Dixie Blur, a great record everyone should check out if not own. Cheers!
Now that we've finally made it to 2021, I'll take a stab at my 2020 list, though I'm still listening and enjoying checking out everyone's top picks. In no particular order: Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists - A post apocalyptic concept album seems fitting for our troubled times. "Try my sci-fi. . ." invites Satomi and I'm only too glad to take her up on her offer. Warped and wonderful. Gorillaz - Song Machine, Season One - Though this project was started pre-lockdown, it's definitely informed by last years events. It features a nice mix of guest artists, including Robert Smith, Peter Hook, Beck and St. Vincent. Magik Markers - 2020 - After some two decades of toiling in the trenches, the Magik Markers hit a career high with this spooky, brooding gem, which cycles Krautrock inspired grooves and shimmering dream pop. Dungen - Live - Swedish psych rockers continue to deliver the goods with this collage-style collection of improvisational jams. They stretch out nicely and explore here without ever losing their way. Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics - This brash young Canadian multimedia collective manages to find some fresh new angles on the post-punk sound. Isobel Campbell - There Is No Other - A sweet, soulful fish-out-of-water postcard exploring the Scottish singer's time spent recording in L.A., served up with a tasteful touch of gentle psychedelia in the mix. En Attendant Ana - Juillet - Some infectious, melodic indie rock on the sophomore effort from this French band, one strong song after another. Kelley Stoltz - Ah! (etc.) - More witty, appealing songcraft from this indie stalwart. Deradoorian - Find The Sun - This introspective, meditative release prominently features some very Can-influenced beats--always a good thing! Juana Molina - ANRMAL - This spirited live performance offers a veritable "best of" from the recent output of this sharp Argentinian electronic artist. Best reissues/archival releases: Prince - Sign 'O' The Times - Truly an embarrassment of riches from the Purple One at his creative peak. Neil Young - Homegrown - One of several lost NY albums, this one from his "ditch" years gives us a great taste of things to come with his second Archives set. Jimi Hendrix - Live in Maui - Despite less than stellar recording conditions, this fascinating live document gives a thrilling snapshot of Jimi near the end of his career, featuring plenty of new "First Rays" material alongside some of the old familiar favorites. And Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets release was a wonderful gift this year as well, a lovingly restored time capsule from the late 60s, covering some of my favorite Floyd material.
I think this thread is for personal top tens not magazines and other publications. For a full list of critics lists read this: EOY 2020 - Acclaimed Music Forums
I think there’s space for both. Plus, it’s interesting to compare what we choose and what the magazines choose.
Yes there is room here for both types of lists, personal and publications, its all good, Thanks Spaceboy AND Dave Gimourś cat! Though forum members lists´ and comments, opines, etc, are much more informative and heartily encouraged! Cheers!
Well, I only bought 4 new (non-reissue) albums this year but here's my listing: 1) Kathleen Edwards - Total Freedom 2) Chris Stapleton - Starting Over 3) Lucinda Williams - Good Souls Better Angels 4) Rolling Blackouts C.F - Sideways To New Italy