No, I am not going to write a dissertation about the 37 month year that was 2020, but I will start with this…yes, so much of the year was different, and obviously things were bad, but, ever the “bright side” guy, I am thankful for all the GOOD that came out of this year. Kids starting new things (high school, new jobs) attacking pandemic college and hell….one of them got married! I never take for granted that I am lucky to have those around me that make my life perfect for me, and because circles had to shrink the past 10 months to stay safe, I cherish MY circle more than ever.
And then, there was the year in music. More time inside and less time traveling = more time with the turntable and a pile of records. The year was FILLED with excellence. Comebacks, debuts, long awaited and we-had-the-time albums month after month made for a tremendous listening experience the entire span of the year.
In putting together the list, I had a hard time at two cut points. Getting from 20 to 15 was rough, and 15 to the final 12 even harder. While there may not be a true “once in a lifetime” record amongst them, there are plenty of “might be the best the artist ever releases”.
Here are the last 3 that didn’t make the 12, in no particular order
Andy Bell - The View From Down Here
The solo debut from the Ride guitarist was finished in quarantine, and allowed Andy to flex his writing and singing muscles a bit. A tremendous debut, making it easy to await the follow up, whether solo or with Ride. I just liked another guitarist-from-a-seminal-band’s debut record a little bit more.
The Mountain Goats - Getting Into Knives
The winner for best album title of the year, the Goats are back with their third stellar record in the past few years. Gritty and fun, a great spin later in the night when you can just disconnect for awhile
Elvis Costello - Hello Clockface
This was the toughest omission, as I don’t think Elvis has ever put out a “bad” record, and in fact, he has topped my list twice. But, the album suffers a bit of uneven, probably due to the fact it was recorded in three distinct sessions in three different locales. Still great, just not great enough.
And now, the top 12. As always, Doug rules apply: no best of, compilations or live records are considered.
I am pretty sure, I already have my first “who” out of you….
and to be fair, I said the same when they were recommended to me. I took a chance, went to their Bandcamp page and purchased sound unheard. (the cousin of sight unseen) The recommender compared them to English bands of the 2000s, and damned if they were right and had that feel. It’s an album that might not CRASH over you, rather, will gently seep into your pores and take hold.
If you like this song, you will like the album Bloody Money
And now the solo debut I liked a little more than Andy Bell. EOB is Ed O’Brien, the “other’ guitarist from Radiohead, making his solo debut. Like his bandmates, if feels like Ed has a trove of endless ideas that MIGHT make a great Radiohead song, and in turn, just make for a wonderful tune on their own. While Johnny Greenwood might get more of the ink of the two guitarists, Ed definitely holds his own here, bouncing around multiple themes and genres with aplomb. A truly stirring premiere.
If you like this song, you will like the album Shrangri-La
If you like this song, you will like the album Living Up To Let You Down
I VERY rarely take a look at lists until I start writing up mine, as I never want to be overly-influenced, and start “hearing” what I didn’t hear in a record. I think because EVERYONE is ready to call 2020 over, lists popped up in mid-November (which I don’t really get…) and I peeped a couple just to see what others were thinking. And much to my surprise (or, maybe it really shouldn’t be), Gigaton was on one list. 1. Singular. Either I am wrong, or most reviewers are….I’d bet on the former, but would argue the latter. Released all the way back in March, Pearl Jam ROARED back from Lightening Bolt, with their best record since Yield. The first single, Dance of the Clairvoyants has a different feel than past singles, evoking a wonderful Talking Heads era glam. People may have thought, “maybe I won’t like THIS Pearl Jam”…..but the single is an outlier (although a FABULOUS one) as the rest of the record sounds like a PJ album, slow and fast mixed together in a perfectly flowing narrative. Eddie and company at a very high high.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Who Ever Said, Quick Escape
After the truly magnificent Western Stars record last year, (and the subsequent soundtrack for the film of the same name) one would forgive Bruce if he walked away from the rock and roll that made him a legend, and settled into a late career country vibe, that quite frankly, would be incredibly well received. His voice in his older years has grown even more gruff in the best of ways, and is penetrating at it’s softest….so maybe the western route is the perfect ending. Lucky for the fans of the man who gave us the E-Street Band, Stars proved to be ANOTHER genre….but not the only one. Letter To You brings back that spirit on the very first track, but when the title song (the first single) hits as track 2, memories of 3 hour concert jams start to percolate. The record is SOLID throughout, but the true highlight is the end run of the last 3 songs, starting with a top 5 tune from 2020, Ghosts. (which, if you squint hard enough looks a LOT like Glory Days) It’s more polished than, say, Born To Run, but the raw energy is overflowing, just like a Bruce record should.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Ghosts, I’ll See You In My Dreams
Full length number four for Philly band Nothing came to the world in almost the same fashion as the first 3….with changes and uncertainty. A lineup that seems to change every year, had a very notable absence for Dismal when Brandon Setta left the band. For me as a listener, I was curious as to what this would mean, as it seemed that the partnership between frontman Nicky Palermo and Setta was the true backbone of the band, two swirling guitars in layers of reverb, driving them to the heights they have achieved. (most notably on 2016’ Tired of Tomorrow) So as I opened the record to give it a spin, I was anxious to hear it all play out…but then I remembered a mantra that I have said for a few years now: “In Will Yip I Trust”. Yip has produced some of the best recordings of 2010s, and seemingly everything he puts his ear to, is instantly made better. So with him at the helm again, I trusted that Nothing was in good hands…..and I was right. Nothing’s sound is an acquired taste to be sure, but what is wonderful about this effort, is that they broaden out the sound without losing the essence of who they are. While 1928 things could have been the death of this band, they prove their perseverance through excellence.
If you like this song, you will like the album Famine Asylum
And here is where is gets a little tricky. See….I WANTED this to be my favorite of the year. It’s been 11 years since their last record, (the criminally underrated Kingdom of Rust and ever since they reformed, it’s seems it has all pointed towards this. The buildup was tremendous, as I joined a Doves Fan group, and their incredible fandom, while stranngeeeeeee at times (“let’s try and interpret what the song titles mean….”) got me really ready. And then, Carousels dropped as the first single, and it INSTANTLY became my favorite song of the year. (ok, it’s 1 to the 1A of another one coming….) The second single (Prisoners) hit, and while not as good as the first, it’s still incredible. So….all of the stars were aligned…..and then…..
I don’t know, it just didn’t hold the entire way through. There are tremendous songs, and it’s OBVIOUSLY great as it’s number 6. But, it should have been higher. And for the life of me, I can’t put my finger on it. (It might be too high expectations coupled with daily polls in the fan group that were a little too much at points.) In the end, it’s AMAZING to have Jimi and the boys back, and for an 11 year wait, it certainly fills in a lot of the blanks left.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Carousels, Broken Eyes
50 years since releasing his first solo reco…..wait….let that sink in a bit. Fifty years. Half a century. OK….
50 years since releasing his first solo record, Paul McCartney comes up with III, in the same way: on his own. “Made in Rockdown” says the hype sticker on the LP, Sir Paul took bits and pieces of song ideas he has had, holed himself up in his studio on his farm, played all the instruments, and came out with a classic. Of the 3 completely Paul solo records, I think this is the strongest from start to finish. While 1 has probably the biggest hit (Maybe I’m Amazed) and 2 showed growth in recording minimally (and had the tremendous Coming Up) 3 is a collection of eclectic, silly, fun songs that show off incredible musicianship, and the simple notion that at 78, the man is still the ultimate songwriter. The lead single Find My Way is a wonderful entry point to the fun, as it’s easy beat and wonderful instrumentation bounce the track along, and the rest of the record follows suit. Is it better than Band On The Run? No, as not many are, but it’s up there in the lexicon of post-Beatles masterpieces from the legend.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Pretty Boys, Find My Way, Winterbird/When Winter Comes
It seems like just last year (it was) that it FELT like Bob had laid some of the angst of his storied past to the side. (he had) in 2019, he released Sunshine Rock, his most upbeat and positive record in decades, dressed and layered in love and hope. It was still loud, but it FELT like a new Mould formula might take hold. Fast forward a year, and the darker companion piece in Blue Hearts seemingly yelled “not so fast”. Angered and troubled by the state of the world through his eyes, Mould penned some of his finest songs, with lyrics tinged with despair and unrest. The lead single American Crisis looks at what he thought had finally gone away, shaking his proverbial head in wonderment and anxiety, and it’s incredibly powerful. The record as a whole echo’s his start with legendary punk group Husker Du as the songs are loud and fast (only record closer The Ocean clocks in longer than 3 minutes) and the band as tight as ever. It is the yang to Sunshine Rock’s yin (even the distinct colors on the covers reflect this…..Sunshine: yellow and red, Hearts: blue and black) and some of his very best solo work.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Next Generation, Siberian Butterfly, Everyth!ng To You
In 2017, I first became aware of the incredible talents of Katie Crutchfield (she is Waxahatchee) with a tremendously raw record called Out In The Storm. In the months following, it became apparent that something was going amiss with her, and it seemed as if we might not hear from Waxahatchee for some time. It was revealed that Katie had decided to take time and get help to overcome addiction issues, and took steps to sobriety in the past two years. With a new outlook and a fresh look at life, she sat down to create what will probably be known as her most internal and personal piece of art; the STUNNING record, Saint Cloud. The first thing to notice…..gone are the loud guitars and whirlwind pace. Instead, a country air fills the room, and Katie EMBRACES her growing – up roots, and unleashes her voice in a way she never has on a recording. It is part June Carter, part Willie Nelson, with a dash of….well, her. The lyrics poignant, the arrangements simple but layered, Katie produces an album that could cross over into the country charts quite nicely, while still holding on to the original sound that brought her to the party. It’s quite the turn, an amazingly deep look into the soul of someone finding themselves again. (and yes, it speaks to me on THAT level as well)
If you like these songs, you will like the album Can’t Do Much, Lilacs, Ruby Falls
Let me start by giving you a couple of the incredible lyrics that open this record:
From Garden Song
Someday I’m gonna live in your house up on the hill
And when your skinhead neighbor goes missing
I’ll plant a garden in the yard then
From Kyoto
He said you called on his birthday
You were off by like ten days
But you get points for trying
In print, they may not look like much, but the way the are woven so seamlessly into the melody of the song….there just are not a lot of modern songwriters that can turn a phrase quite like this. And the MORE enjoyable part? Bridgers has the voice to back it up. Punisher is an auditory treat the entire way through, a record that crosses genres easily, has hooks for days, and makes the listener think more than once about what exactly is she trying to say. Last year, she teamed up with Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker on the wonderful Boy Genius EP, this year, Bridgers takes it to another level on her own. One last lyric, this from the my 1A best song of the year.
From I Know The End
Talking on a rusty swingset
After a while you went quiet
And I got mean
I’m always pushing you away from me
But you come back with gravity
If you like these songs, you will like the album (the three already mentioned and…) Savior Complex, Punisher
And that leaves #1…
And I get it, this is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea….
And I know I favor English shoegaze bands over most……
But damn if this is not one of the best debut LPs I have heard in a long time. The musical lineage is not too tough to trace: A little Ride, a little My Bloody Valentine, a dash of (shared hometown heroes) The Music, and a taste of The Stone Roses. The minute the record takes off (with the fabulous instrumental Momo), the proverbial waves of swirl and reverb start filling the room in pure beauty. There are moments of pure noise, and moments of pin-drop whispers…..within 30 seconds of each other. The amazing thing this young band has figured out already is, it doesn’t ALWAYS have to be “turned to 11” and indecipherable lyrics. (see 900 other shoegaze bands from the 2010s)
And they have a song called Happy and two songs later, one called (Un)Happy (just makes me giggle…and they are both stellar tracks)
The hardest part about making this #1 on my list? (besides the obvious that not a lot of people know the record outside of the UK) Anything I write about them, I have probably said about Ride or Catherine Wheel in the past….and that is an AMAZING thing, because 2020 needed a band like CW to go forward with this sound and lead another movement, and bdrmm might just be them. A truly stunning debut.
If you like these songs, you will like the album Gush, MOMO, Push/Pull, Is That What You Wanted To Hear
