In a year dripping with tragedy, quarantine, and financial ruin, there was no reason to anticipate musicians even rising to the specific occasion, let alone going above and beyond a typical year. But by the fourth quarter, many musicians were rushing out special live sets recorded before the pandemic hit, while others (Drive By Truckers, Taylor Swift, Mountain Goats, and of course Guided by Voices) opted for more than one release in a year. For once, the economics favored a return to recorded music. In the past decade, musicians had realized the bulk of their profits from live performances, but with that option closed, a push for more recordings, and more physical instantiations of recordings, simply made sense (OK, there were a few streaming-only albums like Childish Gambino, but you get the picture). Even as vaccines arrive and the pandemic eases, we can’t necessarily expect a return to normalcy. It still seems as though musicians might experience a year of creative burnout soon. But for now, bask in the greatness, and do your best to support your local independent musician or record store, because after a year like this one, everyone is struggling.
With the exception of the live performances
noted, the “Specials” category, as well as singles/EPs, seemed to be sparse.
The good old 40- to 80-minute album format is alive and well.
Covid cost us some fine musicians, notably
singer-songwriter John Prine and Fountains of Wayne founder Adam Schlesinger .
We also lost troubadour Justin Townes Earle, Rush drummer Neil Peart, reggae
crooner Johnny Nash, roots rock and roller Little Richard, Gang of 4 founder
Andy Gill, experimental jazz bassist
Gary Peacock, guitar god Eddie Van Halen (as well as Van Halen bassist Mark
Stone), Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals, folkie Trini Lopez, country
mogul Kenny Rogers, early pop-feminist Helen Reddy, Slash magazine founder Bob
Biggs, Chad Stuart of Chad & Jeremy, jazz pianists McCoy Tyner and Keith
Tippett, country rebel Billy Joe Shaver, Kraftwerk founder Florian Schneider, America’s
redneck Charlie Daniels, ambient instrumentalist Harold Budd, Leslie West of
Mountain, Paul Chapman of UFO, Wynton and Bradford’s dad Ellis Marsalis,
filmmaker and Patti Smith Group member Ivan Kral, Fleetwood Mac founder Peter
Green, “69 Love Songs” co-author and co-creator L.D. Beightol, country crooner
Charley Pride, bluegrass guitarist Tony Rice, Buddy Cage of NRPS, Brit-rocker
Spencer Davis and country crooner Mac Davis, occasional King Crimson member
Gordon Haskell, soul man Bill Withers, country singer Hal Ketchum, Love as
Laughter founder Sam Jayne, saxophonist Lee Konig, power-popper Alan Merrill, Bonnie
Pointer of The Pointer Sisters, Steve Priest of The Sweet, country singer K.T.
Oslin, songwriter Emmitt Rhodes, Jorge Santana of Malo, and Americana originals
Jerry Jeff Walker and Eric Weissberg. (And MF Doom died on Halloween, though it wasn't revealed until Dec. 31.) I’m too hoarse to say “Bring out your
dead,” so RIP to you all.
Regular Studio Albums, 2020
1. Fiona
Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters– I
know, you’re sick of hearing the references, but in the height of the lockdown,
Apple came through with her first work in years, and it was mind-bogglingly
great in every possible way.
2. Bob
Dylan, Rough and Rowdy Ways – Speaking
of unexpected moves in lockdown, Dylan offered up the sprawling “Murder Most
Foul” single, of a style he used to do in 1965, and followed it up with a
double disc that brought Blonde On Blonde
to mind. What’s not to like?
3. Phoebe
Bridgers, Punisher—The album Phoebe
always was destined to make, with fine arrangements and help from her boygenius
and Better Oblivion pals.
4. Taylor
Swift, folklore – Go ahead and call
this opportunistic, this is the path Swift should have taken in the first
place, and if the early streamed songs don’t convince you, the track “The
Lakes” should.
5. Taylor
Swift, evermore (Tie with #4)– Yeah,
she did it twice, with the same musicians, and no, the second one was not
outtakes, far from it. That “Champagne
Problems” track is such a perfect weepy ballad….
6. Protomartyr,
Ultimate Success Today – In which Joe
Casey and his Detroit sullen punks get together with free-jazz musicians, and
madness ensues.
7. Bruce
Springsteen, Letter to You – At last
the rumored E Street return shows up, hovering somewhere between Born In the USA and Lucky Town. I find it puzzling more don’t have this in their Top
Ten, as it really is one of The Boss’s best.
8. Xanthe
Alexis, The Offering – After a year
of tweaking, the perfect haunting album arrives from everyone’s favorite earth
mother, with midwifery and tomfoolery from the Bourgal brothers.
9. Frances
Quinlan, Likewise – The lead singer
and guitarist of Hop Along pulls off a stunning solo album with unique
folk-rock stylings.
10.
Jeremy Facknitz, From
Those Sweet Ashes – The next instantiation of Nick Lowe and other power-pop
barons already exists, and this is his defining work to date.
11.
Guided by Voices, Styles
We Paid For – Some Guided by Voices albums take a while to sink in – this
one, the last of three released in 2020, grabs the neurons and emotions and
won’t let go.
12.
Car Seat Headrest, Making
a Door Less Open – Anyone who thought this album was a disappointment
obviously didn’t hear the five different mixes Will Toledo created for
different physical media. A jaw-dropping work.
13.
Juice WRLD, Legends
Never Die – I approach posthumous albums with a little trepidation, but
this double-length stunner (and the promise of another album to come) suggests
Juice after his untimely 2019 demise could out-Tupac Tupac.
14.
Skylar Gudasz, Cinema
– The woman behind Chris Stamey and so many other Carolina indies quietly
releases her second solo album, and it’s a stunner.
15.
Run the Jewels, RTJ4
– Political hip-hop as only RtJ could offer it, bearing more weight than
Rich, Drake, DaBaby, or most contenders.
16.
Paul McCartney, McCartney
III – The third all-solo album from Macca in his career, and, as with
Dylan, dazzling work from a geezer - as remarkable in its own way as the last
full-band studio album, Egypt Station.
17.
Shabaka and the Ancestors, We Are Sent Here by History – British saxophonist Shabaka
Hutchings, a mainstay of The Comet is Coming and Sons of Kemet, shows in this
solo work that the UK is in the forefront of free jazz.
18.
Lady Gaga, Chromatica
– Sure, she’s obviously angling for a post-pandemic dancehall scene, but
her dance arrangements are more exciting than the 2020 disco-revival offerings
of Jessie Ware, Kylie Minogue, or Roisin Murphy.
19.
Waxahatchee, St.
Cloud – Katie released this understated masterpiece at the very beginning
of lockdown, and it slipped by many people. Now that she’s in an artistic and
emotional bond with Kevin Morby, we can expect some pretty interesting
experiments to emerge.
20.
Halsey, Mania – Speaking
of edge of pandemic, this January release spotlighting the breadth of Halsey’s
brilliance seems like it came out years and years ago. But what a monster.
21.
Elvis Costello, Hey
Clockface – Don’t believe those that say Elvis’s reunion with The Impostors
was his renaissance. This new three-city sessions album is his best in decades.
22.
Blue Oyster Cult, The
Symbol Remains – What?! BOC hits 50, and 20 years from their last studio album,
with the Krugman and Pearlman Svengalis dead, and the album is actually a lively,
funny tour de force? Thank sci-fi writer John Shirley, Richard Meltzer, and the
kids of Bloom and Roeser for providing lyrics, while the band provides the ace
arrangements. More cowbell, you say? More tyranny and mutation!
23.
The Weeknd, After
Hours – Let me be clear in saying the snubbing by the Grammy Awards was
ridiculous. Even if the bloodied-bandage stage makeup is annoying, this album
is a knockout.
24.
Shopping, All Or
Nothing – Be glad Shopping is consistently holding up DeBordian visions of
Spectacle pre- and post-Trump, pre- and post-pandemic, because Parquet Courts
and Bodega seemed to keep fairly silent this year.
25.
Lydia Loveless, Daughter
– Lydia’s back! Her first since divorce from Ben Lamb, full of wistful and
tearful observations, and that’s really all you need to know.
26.
Soccer Mommy, Color
Theory – A fine follow-up for Sophie Allison, demonstrating bigger breadth
in her songwriting.
27.
Wire, Mind Hive –
One of the better of the recent Wire releases, these songs will forever be
associated with the tour at the beginning of lockdown, when everyone was afraid
to go hear these songs.
28.
Magnetic Fields, Quickies
– It isn’t so much that the idea of super-short silly pop tunes is that
original, it’s that Stephin Merritt lets Claudia Gonson run much of this show,
which makes it a keeper.
29.
Torres, Silver
Tongue – A very personal, quieter album, with the kind of unique production
Torres is always famous for – but the songs gain more of an edge in the live
album she released from Berlin, just as Europe was closing down in March.
30.
Throwing Muses, Sun
Racket – Hooray for the return of Throwing Muses, in which Kristin Hersh
reclaims the band’s glory days of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
31.
Moses Sumney, Grae
– Sumney has a way of turning out sprawling, majestic psychedelic-soul
masterpieces, though the punch on impact may not be as serious as someone The
Weeknd.
32.
Sylvan Esso, Free
Love – An informal, loving studio session from Amelia Meath and Nick
Sanborn, proving they can be pandemic-level serious and dance at the same time.
33.
Okay Kaya, Watch
the Liquid Pour – Just when you think there are dozens of great women in
experimental music these days, along come a few more like Kaya and Katie Gately
to explode the field further.
34.
Childish Gambino, 3.15.20
– Seemingly designed to address the pandemic that was just breaking, this
astonishing last release under the CG name by Donald Glover still has not
gotten a physical CD or LP release. And Tyler the Creator was right, people
have been largely ignoring an astonishing release.
35.
Guided by Voices, Mirrored
Aztec – As often happens with GbV, this seemed in September that it was
bound to be the best of the band’s work during pandemic, until Styles came out in December and blew us
all away.
36.
The Airborne Toxic Event, Hollywood Park – Mikel Jollett’s autobiography of the same name,
about growing up in the Synanon cult, has become a best-seller. The album
addresses the same topic with a Springsteen sense of gravity.
37.
Laura Marling, Song
for Our Daughter – The album launch and global tour was set for late
March/early April, which sort of let the air out on this one. A fine Marling
statement, though still not at the Once I
Was An Eagle level of production.
38.
Drive By Truckers, The
Unraveling – Chances are, Patton Hood never figured the year would be profound
enough to warrant two studio releases, but this earlier one carries all kinds
of political power, particularly in “Thoughts and Prayers.” But the second 2020
release, The New OK, is equally
important.
39.
The Mountain Goats, Song
for Pierre Chauvin – As heavily produced as the official Knives album is, this acoustic album
from lockdown carries a bigger wallop.
40.
Bonny Light Horseman, s/t – An intriguing new folk trio featuring Anais Mitchell, and the
first we’ve heard from her since becoming a Broadway star.
41.
Psychedelic Furs, Made
of Rain – Wow, Richard Butler and band return with an album that is far
more than a nostalgia trip.
42.
The Beths, Jumping
Rope Gazers – Some think of the New Zealand power pop band’s sophomore
album as a letdown, I think they dazzle with equal fervor to the debut.
43.
Deep Sea Diver, Impossible
Weight – When will people start paying attention to the marvelous Jessica
Dobson, guitarist for Beck and The Shins? Maybe the addition of Sharon Van
Etten to these sessions will focus more outside attention.
44.
Idles, Ultra Mono
– Joe Talbot wanted this considered the best punk album ever. The critics’ middling reviews no doubt
convinced him he’s understood by no one, but my real quibble is almost a
political one: when you define the ultimate revolutionary step in libertarian
terms, with a slight Ayn Rand edge, getting people to “come together” is almost
a contradiction in terms. Nevertheless, an important work.
45.
Smoke Fairies, Darkness
Brings the Wonders Home – So good to have Smoke Fairies back! This is one
of those very-early 2020 albums that arrived before we all began living in
fear.
46.
US Girls, Heavy
Eyes – It’s hard to remember when Meg Remy was considered an experimental
artist, because she’s turned her US Girls project into a melodic-pop force of nature.
47.
Fleet Foxes, Shore
– This might be ranked a little low since it will be streaming-only until
February. This is largely Robin Pecknold with backup support, but the crafting
of the album makes it better than Crack-Up.
48.
Roddy Rich, Please
Excuse Me for Being Antisocial – Hearing many tracks in isolation on pop
radio might lead you to believe Rich is hip-hop’s savior. The only limitation
is that on the full-length, he tries too hard to follow older styles of Drake
and O.G. gangsta rappers. That will change over time.
49.
Bully, Sugaregg –
Many will tell you Alicia Bognanno has crafted the defining album of her
Bully career. I’m not convinced of that, but this album is nonetheless great.
50.
Laura Veirs, My
Echo – Divorce albums are tough things in any event, and a divorce album in
pandemic is a boatload of pain. But Veirs manages to rise above in a manner
that could provide lessons for everyone from Suzanne Vega to Ariana Grande.
51.
Dream Wife, So
When You Gonna…. – Don’t let this trio fool you. They had a mind to redefine
punk in the first album, but there’s a lot more power-pop here than they might
let on.
52.
Mandy Moore, Silver
Landings – Now that she’s cocooning with Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and
about to have a baby, it’s easy to forget Moore gave us some tough minor-key
pop tunes reminiscent of Buck-Nicks Fleetwood Mac during the height of
lockdown, addressing her breakup with Ryan Adams. Note that as good as the new
Dawes album is, Mandy’s solo ranks higher.
53.
The Strokes, The
New Abnormal – Julian Casablancas and the gang wanted to avoid another
“phone it in” album, and the appearance on SNL shows that these songs will
translate well in live performance, if and when. Is this an echo of Strokes
circa 2000? Maybe not, but it’s damned good.
54.
Jehnny Beth, To
Live is To Love – The Savages’ lead singer wanted to give the world some
spoken and sung art, maybe a bit pretentious in spots, but impressive overall.
55.
Destroyer, Have
We Met? – Some fans think this is Dan Bejar’s crowning glory in the
Destroyer band. It is certainly one of the more sophisticated releases, though
it’s hard for me to rank-order his work.
56.
The Harmed Brothers, Across the Waves – Something is incredibly compelling about this
Americana album, more so than the new Jason Isbell, in fact.
57.
Sarah Harmer, Are
You Gone? – Both of the Canadian songbirds who have vanished for a decade
have unexpectedly returned! Kathleen Edwards rocks a little harder, but
Harmer’s song crafting edges her out ever so slightly.
58.
Diane Cluck, Common
Wealth – The queen of the early millennium freak-folk movement is back from
her rural Virginia hiding place, offering earth-mother wisdom in challenging
times.
59.
Kesha, High Road
– Kesha’s latest was in 2020? Seems like a decade ago. At any rate, she’s
turning into sort of a pop-country hybrid, which is cool.
60.
Katie Gately, Loom
– An impressive experimental album on loss and change, perfect for pandemic
times.
61.
Guided by Voices, Surrender
Your Poppy Field – Another in a long line of stunners from Robert Pollard
and the Dayton gang. He makes it look so easy, we get spoiled.
62.
SAULT, (Black
Is/Rise) – A British Black-consciousness work that recalls the gospel side
of Algiers. Should be two separate rankings reflecting two releases, I suppose.
63.
Kathleen Edwards, Total
Freedom – As with Sarah Harmer, how wonderful to have the missing Canadian
songbirds back. Several tunes on this album will remind you of why a tough
guitar lick in a minor key, and admissions of resignation and defiance, can
have us crying in our beer.
64.
The Mountain Goats, Getting
Into Knives – Some fine horn-backed sessions from pre-crackdown, with very
polished Darnielle observations, but maybe too polished in places.
65.
Haim, Women in
Music III – A fine third outing, and with more diversity than the sophomore
album, though maybe some punches are pulled here and there.
66.
Suzzy Roche and Lucinda Wainwright Roche, I Can Still Hear You – Sad but hopeful
music for grim times, the equal if not the better to anything The Roches ever
put out.
67.
Algiers, There is
No Year – Perhaps the most explicit political statement from Algiers,
though since this was released in January, the world has changed several times
over.
68.
Lucinda Williams – Good
Souls Better Angels – The same rules apply as with Algiers above – this is
Williams’ most angry political work, though how this fits in a post-Trump,
post-pandemic world remains to be seen.
69.
Bright Eyes, Down
in the Weeds Where the World Once Was – Conor Oberst and his band brought
all their best tricks to the Bright Eyes reunion, though after Oberst’s work
with Phoebe Bridgers and Better Oblivion, a Bright Eyes reunion means less than
it once might have meant.
70.
Hinds, The
Prettiest Curse – Spain’s riot grrl contenders with the Velvet Underground
buzzy sound opt for greater production and a stronger set of tunes.
71.
Megan Thee Stallion, Good News – OK, Megan may have opted for a little bit of payback
after being shot in the feet, but the bulk of this album is about the power of
Black women and about using one’s sexual power.
72.
Margo Price, That’s
How Rumors Get Started – There was careful song-crafting, production by
Sturgill Simpson, and multiple special vinyl editions, but somehow I wasn’t
feeling this one as much as her two previous albums.
73.
Adrienne Lenker, Songs/Instrumentals
– Big Thief’s lead guitarist and lyricist gives us two discs of her own
impressive work.
74.
Darlingside, Fish
Pond Fish – No one does CSNY-style harmonies like Boston’s Darlingside (not
Fleet Foxes any more), but this studio release didn’t carry quite the lyrical
punch of Extralife.
75.
Blitzen Trapper, Holy
Smokes Future Jokes – Why the hell did this album get so little publicity?
Eric Earley offers some of his best vocal harmonies here, for songs about the
bardo and life transitions.
76.
Chicks (Dixie Chicks), Gaslighter – Here’s to the trio that makes their politics even more
explicit than back in Iraq War days when they got in such trouble. And the
Barbie doll cover art is fiercely tongue in cheek. In your face, America.
77.
Dawes, Good Luck
with Whatever – Taylor Goldsmith pulled out the stops to make this a
notable Dawes outing, though wife Mandy Moore still beat him with a better
album.
78.
The Jayhawks, XOXO
– After more than 30 years in mid-continent Americana, The Jayhawks still
turn out incredible and relevant works.
79.
Esme Patterson, There
Will Come Soft Rains – The former Paper Bird singer is back for her fourth
solo outing, though the songs here sound better performed live – which we may
not get again for a while.
80.
Jason Isbell, Reunions
– The Margo Price rule applies here. Isbell put a lot of effort into the
production side, but the songs didn’t carry the weight of his last few albums.
81.
X, Alphabetcity –
Hey, I’m just happy Billy Zoom and Exene Cervenka have come back from their
weird spiritual wildernesses, and that the foursome can still crank out a good
punk tune. Equal to early ‘80s X? Nah, but I didn’t have my expectations set
that high. Cool stuff nonetheless.
82.
Pearl Jam, Gigatron
– I genuinely feel sorry for Eddie Vedder, going to great lengths to insure
Pearl Jam remains relevant, coming out with a set of great tunes, only to have
them launched in the grimmest part of pandemic. Let’s not forget this was here.
83.
A.J. Scheiber, Town
Boy – The bard of Minneapolis finally gets his first solo work separate
from Wilkinson James. Serious and droll and silly at turns, and wonderful.
84.
Steve Earle, Ghosts
of West Virginia – A powerful, political testament to a mining disaster 20
years ago.
85.
The Killers, Implode
the Mirage – The same rule of neglect applies to Brandon Flowers. Sure, his
attempts to add Bon Iver-style tweakings are a bit silly, but he calls upon
Weyes Blood and k.d. lang to add to works that have the Springsteen-style sound
of The Killers’ Sam’s Town. Credit
where credit is due.
86.
The Claudettes, High
Times in the Dark – Its’ maddening when the ultimate juke-joint band keeps
cranking out great tunes when there are no juke joints in existence.
87.
Kylie Minogue, Disco
– The pandemic rule applies to fancy disco dance floors. Kylie returns to
throw her hat into the disco revival, and even if her voice and presentation is
middling, I find her songs more original than those from Jessie Ware or Roisin
Murphy – though maybe not up to Lady Gaga.
88.
Sufjan Stevens, The
Ascension – He calls this work his most political and most personal in
years, but I could do with a little less of the EDM style and more of the banjo
with chorus sound from the Michigan and Illinois albums.
89.
Brian Eno & Roger Eno, Mixing Colours – A return to the ambient greatness of both
brothers.
90.
Jess Cornelius, Distance
– I love it when a new unassuming singer-songwriter comes around and you
just say “Oh yes.” Oh yes.
91.
Califone, Echo
Mine – If Califone was going to suddenly reappear after a period of
silence, what better way than with a strange soundtrack?
92.
Future Islands, As
Long As You Are – I have to admit to a prejudice – I think that when you
put Sam Herring’s histrionic voice together with Depeche/OMD-style
synthesizers, the end result is a little melodramatic. But I like these songs
in spite of that bias.
93.
Joan of Arc, Tim
Melina Theo Bobby – Allegedly the last official Joan of Arc album, this
Chicago band is so difficult to characterize, it’s no surprise they left us
with an understated sampler rather than anything majestic.
94.
Norah Jones, Pick
Me Up Off the Floor – This album lets Jones explore her smoky nightclub
side, without trying so hard to prove her indie cred, and it definitely works
for me.
95.
Peter Himmelman, Press
On – It’s great to hear Himmelman back with songs that recall some of his
early-1990s best.
96.
Magik Markers, 2020
– Wow, when Elisa Ambrogio isn’t trying so hard to be the queen of noise,
she has an outstanding voice! Magik Markers go melodic.
97.
Drive By Truckers, The
New OK – A fitting postscript to the blistering testament from early in the
year, with a side of sadness and preaching.
98.
Luke Haines and Peter Buck, Beat Poetry for Survivalists – An intriguing album that has its
moments, though the idea of a Haines-Buck collaboration may be cooler than the
reality.
99.
Nels Cline Singers, Share
the Wealth – A massive and sprawling work with some of the singers’ more
out-there compositions.
100.
Sarah Jarosz, World
On the Ground – Her first attempt at storytelling through the eyes of
others, and a wonderful effort, though the arrangements aren’t as wild as the
last couple albums.
101.
Bonnie Whitmore, Last
Will & Testament – Some full-throated Americana with big band going on
right here, and some great songwriting as well.
102.
Sad13, Haunted
Painting – The second solo work from Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis, in which
far more serious subject matter is handled with fun hooks and luscious pop
arrangements.
103.
The 1975, Notes
on a Conditional Form – The 1975 have a way of telling you it’s time for
profundity or majesty, but much gets lost in translation.
104.
Tanya Donelly and the Parkington Sisters, s/t – I relish any excuse to hear the
beautiful voice of the lead singer of Belly and Throwing Muses, and here she
joins the folkie-oriented Parkington Sisters for some Americana covers.
105.
CocoRosie, Put
the Shine On – I’m so glad the Casady sisters remain weird in these
uncertain times. And I mean that sincerely.
106.
Lapsley, Through
Water – Even more ethereal and mysterious than her earlier work.
107.
Ohme, Fantasize
Your Ghost – Well, now, here’s an interesting duo. My first introduction, I
want to hear more.
108.
Nap Eyes, Snapshot
of a Beginner – One of those great pop albums that came just as the world
turned dark in late March, saving us from spending time without smiles.
109.
Wolf Parade, Thin
Mind – This is actually one of Wolf Parade’s best works, but one of those
albums destined to be forgotten due to its mid-lockdown release.
110.
Gordi, Our Two
Skins – A quiet, minimal and wonderful work.
111.
Tobin Sprout, Empty
Horses – An intriguing album, as the former GbV guitarist shifts more
toward a country/Americana sound.
112.
Sparks, A Steady
Drip, Drip, Drip – The mere fact that the Mael brothers are still making
relevant music is a minor miracle. Treasure them while they’re still in the
studio.
113.
Jules Shear, Slower
– Nice contemplative tunes from Shear for a stay-at-home year.
114.
Caroline Rose, Superstar
– Rose has made the full shift from folkie to dance-pop queen, though the
new one didn’t have quite the biting edge of Loner.
115.
San Fermin, Cormorant
I & II – While I’ll always appreciate the composition talents of Ellis
Ludwig-Leone, the power vocals of Charlene Kaye are missing here. San Fermin
goes through lead vocalists at a fairly regular pace, which makes me wonder
about stability….
116.
Roisin Murphy, Roisin
Machine – I like my disco with a side of weird, though Murphy can get lost
in her psychedelia. I still find it preferable to the sophisticated chill sound
of Khruangbin, which is favored by many out there.
117.
Hamilton Leithauser, The Loves of Your Life – The former Walkmen lead singer must always
be on guard to avoid drifting too far into smoky nightclub crooner territory,
but this has some cool new songs, though the better 2020 Leithauser album was
his live set, in the Specials section.
118.
Angelica Garcia, Cha
Cha Palace – Don’t imagine for a moment that the Richmond, VA songwriter’s
talent is limited to novelty works like “Jicama.” Garcia is the real deal.
119.
The Pretenders, Hate
for Sale – Since Chrissie Hynde’s recent solo efforts have been
disappointing, it’s good to see The Pretenders come back with such power.
120.
Miley Cyrus, Plastic
Hearts – No, this isn’t Miley’s “punk” album, too much 21st-century
production here. But with guests ranging from Dua Lipa to Joan Jett to Billy
Idol, it’s certainly her best selection of material since Hannah Montana days.
121.
Field Music, Making
a New World – If there was an award for “most prescient,” this might take
the top slot. This concept album on the end of WW1 came out in early 2020, and
its relevance, what with a coronavirus that mimicked the 1918 flu, was almost
eerie. Still, the cryptic references made it difficult to tell what Field Music
was trying to say here.
122.
Dua Lipa, Future
Nostalgia – Sure, the arrangements might be predictable, but it’s fun
nonetheless, and in 2020, fun is good.
123.
Phantogram, Ceremony
– A cool release almost forgotten in a plague year.
124.
The Aces, Under
My Influence – Four Southern California women turn from guitar-heavy
rock-pop to sparkly pop on their second album, and that’s perfectly all right
with me.
125.
Tame Impala, The
Slow Rush – Yeah, you heard right, I was never a huge fan of this
Australian psych project, and nothing I hear makes me place it much higher. At
least it outranks Perfume Genius by a good deal.
126.
Khruangbin, Mordechai
– There’s nothing really wrong with this chill Atlanta side of the disco
revival, it’s just that this somehow feels too top-shelf and class-conscious.
127.
Allman-Betts Band, Bless
Your Heart – The survivors and kin of the originals get credit for trying
to recreate the sound, though they always have to be careful to be more than a
tribute band.
128.
Jessie Ware, What’s
Your Pleasure – There is nothing wrong with this disco-revival album from
the leading British dance diva, it’s just that it sounds for more polished and
less innovative than Gaga, Minogue, or Murphy.
129.
Matt Berninger, Serpentine
Prison – Not bad for a solo album from The National’s lead singer, though I
liked his duo work with EL VY much better – and his duets with Taylor Swift
carry more wallop.
130.
Glass Animals, Dreamland
– An ambitious and interesting piece of pop-psych-soul, though it doesn’t
stick with the listener.
131.
Flying Lotus, Flamagra
(Instrumentals) – More an accompaniment to last year’s album than a proper
new release, but still beautiful.
132.
Hala, Red Herring
– Detroit’s yacht-rock revivalist comes back with an album of happy when
happy is needed most.
133.
Brian Eno, Film
Music, 1976-2020
134.
Brian Eno, Rams –
Two solid chunks of ambient film scoring, necessary for the Eno fan, though
it doesn’t add that much to overall ambient studies.
135.
Best Coast, Always
Tomorrow – An impressive collection of songs, though this turns more into a
Bethany Cosentino solo effort with each album.
136.
Microphones, Microphones
2020 – As much as I love Phil Elverum’s Mt. Eerie work, I should have given
this more of a chance, but putting all the wonderful lyricism in one 40-minute
piece was a challenge.
137.
Mark Lanegan, Straight
Songs of Sorrow – By all rights, I should have liked this more than most
Lanegan releases, but maybe the year had too much sorrow already.
138.
Dan Penn, Living
on Mercy – A warm new set of originals from the author of “I’m Your Puppet”
and “Dark End of the Street.”
139.
Craig Finn, All
These Perfect Crosses – This was a two-record set billed as a curated
culling from three studio sessions, but it could have been a single album.
140.
Angel Olsen, Whole
New Mess – Since this was an acoustic reimagining of last year’s release,
perhaps it should have been in the Specials section. Enchanting in its own way.
141.
Happy Dead Man, Vines
Between Eyes – Another spinoff of Sun City Girls members, and a decent
album in its own right.
142.
Bob Mould, Blue
Hearts – The yang side of Sunshine
Rock and a great album, but maybe I’m suffering a bit of Mould burnout.
143.
Kevin Krauter, Full
Head – A joyful re-spinning of a Rundgren mystique, circa 1973.
144.
Cidny Bullens, Walkin’
Through – A fine testament to trans politics by the rocker with a long
history as Cindy Bullens.
145.
Heidi Newfield, The
Barfly Sessions, Vol. 1 – The lead singer of Trick Pony is back with some
dazzling new Americana blues-county anthems.
146.
Grimes, Miss
Anthropocene – I’ll admit to my prejudices and say this album should have
been a lot higher, but I gave her demerit points for having a baby with Elon
Musk and giving the kid such a weird name.
147.
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, X: Goddess Void – It really is good to
have Trail of Dead back, and a fine album this is, though not breaking a whole
lot of new ground.
148.
Thurston Moore, By
the Fire – A competent and inventive double album of material from the
former Sonic Youth lead guitarist that shows his improvisation still is decent.
149.
Beach Slang, The
Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City – This is all kinds of fun to listen to,
but James Alex wishes he could make it a punk rock 1979 year just by snapping
his fingers, and the revival doesn’t always take.
150.
Deerhoof, Future
Teenage Cave Artists – Their official release didn’t spark me as much as
their online George Floyd memorial work, maybe because in comparison with the
Deerhoof gets political effort, this seemed like Dadaism without a purpose.
151.
Charli XCX, How
I’m Feeling Now – A great dance mix from the British pop queen, but I
wasn’t feeling it somehow.
152.
Sweet Lizzy Project, Technicolor – A new and worthy Cuban export, worth your time to
seek out.
153.
Gasoline Lollipops, All
the Misery Money Can Buy – Denver’s favorite grit-rockers make an album
sounding like Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen.
154.
Jeff Tweedy, Love
is the King – Another year, another pleasant solo album from Wilco’s founder.
OK, I suppose.
155.
Six Organs of Admittance, Companion Rises – Hey, it’s Ben Chasny, it bears the mark of
quality.
156.
Pam Tillis, Looking
for a Feeling – Of all the country singer revival albums out there, this
one is best.
157.
Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, III – Maybe the best of this duo’s EDM collaborations.
158.
Nada Surf, Never
Not Together – Doug Gillard is back with Nada Surf for another fine set of
tunes, and that’s all you need to know.
159.
Willie Nile, New
York at Night – Given the total lockdown the city went into in March, this
love song to the city ended up being a haunted tome.
160.
Stephen Malkmus, Traditional
Techniques – See Tweedy above. I’d rather hear Malkmus doing this than his
EDM work.
161.
Hackedepicciotto, The
Current – Europe’s most intriguing experimental couple continues to
mystify.
162.
Rituals of Mine, Hype
Nostalgia – Terra Lopez gives lessons in grief to help us survive a vicious
2020.
163.
Robert Vincent, In
This Town You’re Owned – Can a Liverpool songwriter compose convincing
Americana? Damn right.
164.
Louis Michot and Friends, Le String Noise – A star-studded odd collaboration of Cajun and
experimental artists. Great fun.
165.
Cut Copy, Freeze
Melt – This one is more in the strict “Eno meets disco” category than
recent CC works, but is enchanting nonetheless.
166.
I Don’t Know How, But They Found Me, Razzmatazz -- When this duo spun from Panic at the Disco!
played live sets back in the day, they emphasized comedy a la Spinal Tap. The
first studio album is a little too polished, with some of the chuckle squeezed
out.
167.
Liar, flower, Geiger
Counter – A strange and enchanting work from the lead singer of Daisy
Chainsaw.
168.
Pynkie, #37 – Lyndsie
Radice is a very compelling singer and songwriter, with a style similar to
Claudia Gonson.
169.
Real Estate, The
Main Thing – I’ve yet to hear a Real Estate work that ranks more than
“pleasant” in the books, but at least this meets that moderate expectation.
170.
Biddishop, Broken
Love – Hypnotic beats, percussion, and singing from Bishop Kendrick of
Tulsa via Colorado.
171.
Ryan and Pony, Moshi
Moshi – A sparkling and fun release from a duo with roots in Soul Asylum.
172.
Rookie, s/t – An interesting indie-rock-as-classic-rock
effort, worth following for the future.
173.
Will Butler, Generations
– A decent second (?) album from the other Butler brother of Arcade Fire.
174.
Matt Wilson Orchestra, When I Was A Writer – A wistful collection of happy pop tunes that
can be a good antidote for pandemic
175.
Cults, Host – This
album actually has more instrumental backing and more improvisational feel that
any previous Cults album, so let’s give Madeline Follin her due for expanding
the sound.
176.
Cory Marin, Dockside
Saints – The Colorado solo blues artist adds some Cajun backdrop to his
work.
177.
Rachel Brooke, The
Loneliness In Me – Why pay attention to mainstream Nashville when there are
women like Brooke and Whitney Rose around?
178.
Vance Gilbert, Good
Good Man – A folkie who’s been out of sight for a while, Gilbert offered
one of 2020’s first albums, well before the lockdown changed everything.
179.
Mark Olson and Ingunn Ringvold, Magdalen Accepts the Invitation – A former Jayhawks member and his
partner concoct intriguing music for hobbits.
180.
The Mastersons, No
Time for Love Songs – Always a pleasure to have these Steve Earle
collaborators back, this time with a rather tense little declaration.
181.
Tennis, Swimmer –
Notice how I always criticize this Denver duo for their aristocratic
detached demeanor, yet I always come back for more? Yeah, so did I.
182.
The Struts, Strange
Days – Luke Spiller figured two albums’ worth of trying to emulate NY Dolls
or early Aerosmith could only go so far, so why not make an album to chronicle
the pandemic? It hiccups in places, but at least The Struts aren’t standing
still.
183.
Badge Epoque Ensemble, Self-Help – An intriguing funk-jazz-electronic mix, with moments of
pure passion.
184.
Chris Stamey, Brand
New Shade of Blue – After Stamey produced 20th Century Songs in 2019, he returned with a songbook
effort featuring a roster of special guests. Should this be in the Specials
category?
185.
Will Sexton, Don’t
Walk the Darkness – A fine selection of tunes from Charlie Sexton’s
brother.
186.
Perfume Genius, Set
My Heart On Fire Immediately – I keep trying to figure out a reason why
people think Michael Hadreas is such a genius as a composer. Everything I hear
sounds mildly interesting but predictable, and this latest work is no
exception.
187.
James Elkington, Ever
Roving Eye – Another Wilco-related Chicago project, Elkington has that
roots-folk-blues sound that is instantly likeable.
188.
Easy Love, Wander
Feeler – Some good old-fashioned summertime pop love songs.
189.
Bill Callahan, Gold
Record – Many of Callahan’s recent studio works have been exceptional, but
this diffuse and scattered effort carries the hint that maybe, just maybe,
rural bliss is turning him into a bit of a redneck.
190.
Badly Drawn Boy, Banana
Skin Shoes – Damon Gough is as eclectic and enchanting as ever, though the
childlike delivery (without being a children’s album) is off-putting at times.
191.
Chris Maxwell, New
Store No. 2 – A sold songwriter’s Americana album.
192.
Avett Brothers, Third
Gleam – Let’s give the Avett Brothers some credit for treating their fans
to works closer to improvisational than over-planned. Still, the band’s
over-sincerity can trip them up at times.
193.
Ela Minus, Acts
of Rebellion – Some good, beat-heavy EDM from Colombia, with a few definite
keepers.
194.
Junko Beat, Satinfunk
-- One of the more interesting takes on the Great 2020 Disco Revival.
195.
Isobel Campbell, There
is No Other – Campbell adjusts to California life and a world separate from
Mark Lanegan, but the former Belle & Sebastian singer still has some pretty
breathy vocals.
196.
Diana Krall, This
Dream of You – An interesting combination of traditionals and newer
numbers.
197.
Whitney Rose, We
Still Go To Rodeos – Another one of the alt-country unsung wonders who are
much better than the typical Nashville fare.
198.
Ariana Grande, Positions
– Am I just mad at Grande because she carried the “piss on Pete Davidson”
shtick a bit too far? I don’t think so. Many found this album both more
ballad-oriented and more powerful, but I think she opted for the easy route.
199.
Turning Jewels Into Water, Our Reflection – An enchanting work in small doses.
200.
Devin B. Thompson, Tales
of the Soul – A revival of classic Motown and Philadelphia sounds, but with
new songs.
201.
Samoa Wilson and Jim Kweskin, Horizontal – Any appearance of Jim Kweskin is cause for
celebration, and this smoldering collaboration is interesting.
202.
Michael Doucet, Lacher
Prise – This year needed some good old fashioned Zydeco. Here it is.
203.
Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Dirt and the Stars – Even if this is ranked low, I’m glad to
see she’s still at it.
204.
Chris Smither, More
from the Levee – Another decent Smither collection that more people need to
hear.
205.
Loma, Don’t Shy
Away – The second album by a side project of Shearwater, but more ethereal
than Marburg’s main band.
206.
Marshall Chapman, Songs
I Can’t Live Without – An eclectic selection of tunes for her unique husky
voice.
207.
Alex Dixon, The
Real McCoy – Willie Dixon’s son provides some new interpretations of dad’s
blues.
208.
Vanessa Carlton, Love
Is An Art – Some find Carlton inexcusably poppy, but people once said that
about Carly Rae Jepsen and Mandy Moore too. Carlton is definitely worth a
listen.
209.
Joey Molland, Be
True to Yourself – A fun pop album from former Badfinger guitarist.
210.
Tami Nielson, Chickaboom
– The ghost of Wanda Jackson is back, saucier than ever.
211.
Carla Olson, Have
Harmony, Will Travel 2 – A wonderful collection of collaborations from the
Textones guitarist.
212.
Eels, Earth to
Dora – I’d like to give Mark Everett some limited credit for trying to
leave his slump, and the execution here is beautiful, but this is still an
Eeels “ain’t it awful” album.
213.
Bobby Rush, Rawer
Than Raw – Two studio blues albums from Rush, two years in a row! We are
blessed.
214.
KLLO, Maybe We
Could – An interesting and moody soul/chill-pop album.
215.
Ellie Goulding, Brightest
Blue – Definitely a growth in songwriting capacity, and the bonus version
with Juice WRLD is interesting, but it’s still a long and drawn-out experience.
216.
My Morning Jacket, Waterfall
II – I suppose this is an OK follow-up to the first release, but it seems
like Jim James has been treading water lately, while many of his compatriots
are going for 100-meter sprints.
217.
John Fusco, John
the Revelator – Who says producers can’t make fine blues-rock albums?
218.
Bibio, On the
Wing – I understand the source of Bibio’s popularity in some realms of
ambient and EDM, but he remains an ethereal puzzle to me, for the most part.
219.
Olafur Arnalds, Some
Kind of Peace – This got a lot of attraction as chill-mood electronica for
a plague year, but it mostly served as a sleeping aid for me.
220.
Flaming Lips, American
Head – I will keep this on my list because Flaming Lips can always provide
a few moments of levity, but honestly Wayne, do we still need to hear about
Martians on drugs?
Special
Albums (Live, Compilations, Splits, CD-Rs, MP3, etc.) (Lots of last-minute live
sets at the end of the year, and some special spoken-word and collaborative
pieces, but the Specials category is dwindling a bit. I allowed all box sets
in, though Neil Young and Gang of Four boxes were light on unreleased material.
Remember, no greatest hits or re-released older albums qualify.)
1. Matmos,
The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in
Group Form – Wow, is this audacious in concept. Like an experimental-music
version of 69 Love Songs. Matmos
invites 99 musicians willing to work in a 99-beats-per-minute format to
participate in a sort of phone-it-in jam session for quarantine times, three
hours long!
2. Mary
Halvorson and Code Girl, Artlessly
Falling -- If the debut double-disc
Code Girl album wasn’t ambitious enough, this album uses spoken-word poetry in
the form of sestinas and pantoums to augment the jazz. Just wow. And some guest
readings by Robert Wyatt, too!
3. Joni
Mitchell, Archives Vol. 1 1963-66 – The
most essential of all the box sets this year, because this contains five discs
of a very young Joni that most of us have never heard.
4. Heather
Leigh, Glory Days – No dissonant
pedal steel here, just a lovely voice and found sounds at home as she
quarantined in Glasgow. The best of lockdown compositions.
5. Torres,
Live in Berlin, March 11, 2020 – A
haunting performance of selections from Silver
Tongue and earlier works, as Torres performs in Germany on the eve of a
global shutdown.
6. The
Mountain Goats, Jordan Lake Sessions
Parts 1 and 2 – A recording of two livestream performances from The
Mountain Goats in October, covering Getting
Into Knives and an extensive back catalog.
7. Deerhoof,
To Be Surrounded Benefit – Deerhoof’s
online benefit for George Floyd was better than the band’s studio release this
year.
8. Patti
Smith and Soundwalk Collective, Peradam –
Maybe the best of the “poetic vision” trilogy of albums, with a very
haunting Smith chanting, “I would not speak of the mountain.”
9. Billie
Eilish, Live at Third Man Records – Quite
honestly the best release to come out of the three Record Store Day drops this
year, an intimate and warm performance by the megastar.
10.
Game Theory, Across
the Barrier of Sound – This is sort of a postscript album of unreleased
material from 1988-89, when Scott Miller was touring with Michael Quercio, and
was getting ready to re-form as The Loud Family. Some of us look forward to
anything coming from Scott Miller, and this little gem has liner notes by Doug
Gillard of Guided by Voices.
11.
Richard and Linda Thompson, Hard Luck Stories – This box is full of unique outtakes from the
late 1970s, but CD production problems made this collection very scarce and
quite pricey.
12.
John McCutcheon, Cabin
Fever – A charming download-only album of songs composed in quarantine,
complete with wry references to social distancing. Some day, this will be seen
as a classic period piece of 2020.
13.
Okkervil River, A
Dream in the Dark – A four-LP compendium of two decades of Okkervil River
performances, a good introduction to the music of Will Sheff, or a great
addition for fans.
14.
Nick Cave, Idiot
Prayer: Alone at Alexandria Palace – Intended as a companion to a
full-length film, this is Cave with a piano, similar to John Cale’s Fragments of a Rainy Season.
15.
Margo Price, Perfectly
Imperfect at the Ryman – This live album is from her 2018 three-day
residency at The Ryman, so it focuses more on her first two albums than her
newest work.
16.
Lana Del Rey, Violet
Bent Backwards Over the Grass – Don’t let anyone tell you this is
sophomoric beat poetry. It’s compassionate, direct readings with a Plath or
Wakoski feel, with interesting minimal background music.
17.
The War On Drugs, Live
Drugs – Even if I’m a little lukewarm on Adam Granduciel, this is the first
non-bootleg compilation of live tracks from the 2015-18 period, and worth a
listen.
18.
Various Artists, Going
to Georgia – A benefit album for Georgia elections, featuring such Merge
artists as Eric Bachmann, Will Butler, Torres, and Superchunk covering songs by
Georgia artists.
19.
Maggie Rogers, Notes
from the Archive – Remastered songs from 2016 to 2019, prior to her first
proper album – and many are quite good.
20.
Sturgill Simpson, Cutting
Grass #1 – The first of the Butcher Shoppe Sessions, harking from Simpson’s
pre-country bluegrass days. Great fun.
21.
Hamilton Leithauser, Live at Café Carlyle – A January 2020 performance with selections
from his new album and older works.
22.
Algiers, Cleveland
20/20 – A 50-minute benefit for Black Lives Matter, featuring a recitation
of those killed by police 2012-20, recorded Sept. 2020.
23.
Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, Live at the Bend – A physical LP to accompany another downloadable
set, Live at Brooklyn Bowl, to help
out musicians in a year without performances.
24.
Don Flemons, Prospect
Hill – Some great roots-music sessions from the Carolina Chocolate Drops
founder.
25.
Belle and Sebastian, What to Look for in Summer – B&S certainly have offered live
sets before, but this particular collection focuses on newer material, and
includes performances from their sea cruises.
26.
Various Artists, Willie
Nile Uncovered – An interesting collection of musicians cover Willie Nile’s
songs, with some real gems in the collection.
27.
Bobby Bare, Bare
Sings Silverstein Plus – An 8-CD collection of Bobby Bare (Sr.) covering
the works of Shel Silverstein. Eclectic, perhaps, but very cool.
28.
Joan Shelley, Live
at the Barmont – A very cool two-LP set focusing on some of her more recent
work.
29.
The Stooges, Live
at Goose Lake – Released in August 2020 on the 50th anniversary
of Iggy’s electric performance at the Goose Lake Festival in Michigan.
Soundboard quality is surprisingly good, and you can tell why parents were
scared.
30.
The Monkees, The
Mike and Micky Show Live – Oh, stop acting so snobby. This is a set from
the 2019 performances from the two surviving Monkees, and it’s great.
31.
Gang of Four, 1977-81
– This is great in combining LP versions of the first four albums with a
cassette of a live performance from the time, but it’s overpriced.
32.
Ruthie Foster, Live
at the Paramount – Ruthie’s always been interested in roots music, but here
she adds some standards like “Mack the Knife”. Cool stuff.
33.
Arctic Monkeys, Live
at Albert Hall – Like Belle & Sebastian, Arctic Monkeys have offered
live sets before, but this one focuses on material from the Tranquility Base era.
34.
Yo La Tengo, We
Have Amnesia Sometimes – Somehow appropriate for a pandemic year,
consisting of five drone pieces.
35.
Sun City Girls, Live
at the Sky Church – A 2004 recording to honor the great departed weirdos.
36.
Sigur Ros, Odin’s
Raven Magic – Sigur Ros hasn’t been heard from in a while, and this is a
2002 recording from an orchestral theatre performance in Iceland, so a little
dated.
37.
Alison Mosshart, Sound
Wheel – Mosshart’s work with The Kills and Dead Weather has her pegged as
one tough woman, and this album of poetry plays a little to that, but is
worthwhile in its own right, consistently funny, and occasionally very
self-disclosing.
38.
NRBQ, infrequencies
– Collector songs from the notorious NRBQ are always a cause for
celebration.
39.
Charli XCX, Live
from Austin – One of the last live performances from the British diva
before shutdown.
40.
Pere Ubu, By
Order of Mayor Pawlicki, Live in Jarocin – This might seem anti-climactic,
given the band’s announced farewell last year, but this is a live album from
Poland in 2017, where the band performs songs from the 1977-80 “Coed Jail”
tour.
41.
Father John Misty, Off-Key
in Hamburg, Live – Again, Misty has a few live sets available, but this one
is a benefit for Covid relief, from an August 2019 live set with orchestra in
Hamburg, Germany.
42.
Bill Kirchen, The
Proper Years – Commander Cody’s legendary guitarist collects all his Proper
recordings in one fun collection.
43.
The Church, Last
Call Live at the Music Box – A great reunion set from a nearly-forgotten
1960s pop legend.
44.
Neil Young, Neil
Young Archives Vol. 2 and Homegrown –
As much as I love Neil, I’m putting this at the bottom because he’s been
releasing a lot of overlapping material in the last couple years. Homegrown, Hitchhiker, Tuscaloosa, and Live at the Roxy are certainly critical
elements from the “ditch period” of 1972-76, but the long-awaited second volume
of the archives, with ten CDs, overlaps much of the material on the individual
albums. And the box set is $150! Think I’ll take advantage of Neil offering
free access to his archives online until the end of 2020.
Singles and EPs
1.
Da Baby and Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar” – Not to be
confused with the Post Malone single of the same name, which isn’t bad in its
own right.
2.
The Comet Is Coming, Imminent, -- Yes, they’re
Record Store Day regulars, but how many mystical jazz ensembles relish in
releasing EPs and special LPs?
3.
Harry Pussy, Superstar
– The long-rumored 1993 Rat Bastard sessions finally get an official 7” 45
rpm release. HP at its primal-scream best.
4.
Adam Weiner, “Christmas Makes Me Cry” – The lead singer
of Low Cut Connie gives us the ultimate 2020 holiday anthem.
5.
Ramond and the Side Three Collective, “Can’t Breathe
(Again)” – One of the best of the BLM and George Floyd-influenced musical
works.
6.
Dirty Projectors, Windows
Open
7.
Dirty Projectors, Flight
Towers
8.
Dirty Projectors, Super
Joao
9.
Dirty Projectors, Earth
Crisis
10.
Dirty Projectors, Ring
Road – Since these 5 EPs were also released as the album 5EPs, a case could have been made for
putting them in the standard studio releases for 2020. But David Longstreth
always wanted them to be considered independently, since a different lead
singer is featured for each EP. In any event, this was a great if confusing
idea, and the songs display Dirty Projectors at its finest.
11.
Fiery Furnaces, “Down at the So and So” – They’re back!
‘Nuf said.
12.
Suuns, Fiction – A
fascinating and ominous EP, featuring originals with single-word titles, and a
closing cover of Frank Zappa’s “Trouble Every Day.”
13.
The Dead C, Unknowns
– Hey, it’s The Dead C, sounding more like Mogwai in this outing.
14.
Jack Harlow, “What’s
Poppin’,” – The full album may be a catalog of all that is bad in white-boy
hip-hop, but that eerie nightmarish piano trill makes for a great single.
15.
Wye Oak, No
Horizon – There is never enough Jenn Wassner in the universe, but we’ll
take what meager handouts we can get.
16.
Forever, Close to
the Flame – The artist June Moon records as Forever, and this EP is a
sample of what we might expect.
17.
Jumpstarted Plowhards, Round One – The latest project of Mike Watt and Todd Congeliere
promised to have four EPs out in rapid succession, though the pandemic slowed
them down. Still, a cool beginning.
18.
Archers of Loaf, “Raleigh Days” and “Talking Over Talk”
– Two teasers to what was to have been a 2020 reunion tour and album, here’s
hoping more will be coming.
19.
Brittany Howard, Live
at Sound Emporium – Since this EP had live selections from her 2019 album,
I expected it to exude more life. Good execution, but not as brash as Howard
can get.
20.
Connor Garvey, Chasing
Horizons – Songs composed on a freighter bound for Iceland. Interesting.
