PaulySure’s Top 50 Albums of 2021

By PaulySure

50. Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Told You So.

49. Cloud Nothings, The Shadow I Remember.

48. Still Corners, The Last Exit.

47. Kanaan, Earthbound.

46. Monica Heldal, Ravensdale.

45. Terminal Bliss, Brute Err/ata.

44. Overexposure, California ’98.

43. Youth Code & King Yosef, A Skeleton Key in the Doors of Depression.

42. Dare, Against All Odds.

41. Beach House, Once Twice Melody.

40. War Collapse, Bound to Die.

39. Here Lies Man, Ritual Divination.

38. TV Priests, Uppers.

37. Cult of Luna, The Raging River EP.

36. Anika, Change.

35. Ekulu, Unscrew My Head.

34. Amenra, De Doorn.

33. Full of Hell, Garden of Burning Apparitions.

32. Makaya Mckraven, Deciphering the Message.

31. La Femme, Paradigmes.

30. Eyehategod, A History of Nomadic Behavior.

29. Keifer, When There’s Love Around.

28. Spectral Wound, A Diabolic Thirst.

27. Wanderer, Liberation from a Brutalist Existence.

26. Wolves in the Throne Room, Primordial Arcana.

25. Hooded Menace, The Tritonus Bell.

24. Slant, 1집 (Terminal).

23. Creeping Death, The Edge of Existence EP.

22. Fossilization, He Whose Name Was Long Forgotten EP.

21. Chemical Fix, Our Shade Casts Far.

20. Torso, Home Wrecked.

19. Big Brave, Vital.

18. Art Blakey, First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings. 

17. Enforced, Kill Grid.

16. Deap Vally, Marriage.

15. Iceburn, Asclepius.

14. Amyl & the Sniffers, Comfort to Me.

13. Asphyx, Necroceros.

12. Idles, Crawler.

11. Shannon & the Clams, Year of the Spider.

10. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe, Bloodmoon: I.

9. Scowl, How Flowers Grow.

8. Genocide Pact, Genocide Pact.

7. Quicksand, Distant Populations.

6. Gatecreeper, An Unexpected Reality EP.

5. Dinosaur Jr., Sweep it Into Space.

4. Cold Cave, Fate in Seven Lessons.

3. Carcass, Torn Arteries.

2. Honey, Forever Fire.

1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, G_d’s Pee at State’s End!

Honorable mentions: Absolved (Salt Lake City hardcore), Emma Ruth Rundle, The Illiterates, Lingua Ignota, Panopticon, Zombi.

Null’s Musical Obsessions in 2021

By Null

As usual, my list only solidifies how uncool I am.

Also, I would like to send a shout out to my favorite bands, that I listen to often, and each year I move through their respective catalogs: Joy Division, The Dead Kennedys, The Cure, Bad Religion, Dead Moon, Fugazi, Iron Maiden, Les Thugs, Seaweed, the Shostakovich Quartets, Rachmaninov, and The Miles Davis Quartet of the late 1950s. These groups really should be on my Musical Obsessions list every year. These bands are my bedrock. Maybe some year I’ll put them on the list. What follows are the “other” albums I spent a lot of time with.

It is clear that I still have some PTSD from the unending pandemic.

I have also found that my affection for The Beatles continues to resurface, as I get older. I always loved John Lennon’s albums, but I have spent more time appreciating some of Paul McCartney’s solo works. Despite his clearly awful stuff, there are an astonishingly large amount of good songs and even albums in his later years. I spent a lot of time with George Harrison’s 50th Anniversary Edition of All Things Must Pass, as I hate two-thirds of the album and adore a third. I even enjoyed my very first Ringo Starr release this year, as saccharine as some of it may be. I think I link this band and these artists individually, with the loss of my father and the inevitable loss of my mother, as well as a grounding in the 20th century.

Viva la revolution.

Kick back, have a few glasses of wine and read this crap, watch these videos, and listen to this music. You might like some of it.

Let’s do this. These albums appear in no particular order.

Big Red Machine, How Long Do You Think It’s Going to Last? (Jagjaguwar, 2021).

Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. I didn’t know anything about Big Red Machine, even though the band’s core is made up of pretty famous indie musicians, all of whom were unfamiliar. This album contains a revolving door of vocalists and creates its own strange world, which is simultaneously melancholic, nostalgic (lyrically), and uplifting. It’s an odd album in many regards. I will be writing a forthcoming review of this album, so look for it in the coming months.

Regardless, this album includes my three favorite songs of the year. “Latter Days” is a song about reckoning with climate change from a very subjective and personal point of view. It’s a masterpiece. “New Auburn” is a song about leaving the city, the grid, and cell phone towers for a lake, the smells of nature, memories, and time lost. I shed a tear every time I hear it. “Phoenix” is the offspring of The Band’s “The Weight,” I could listen to it for days.

I probably listened to this album more than any other this year. It just tangled me in its web. I still can’t get loose. It dominated my emotions. I remain its prisoner.

I’ll explain later in my forthcoming review.

Billy Bragg, The Million Things That Never Happened (Cooking Vinyl, 2021).

Billy Bragg is a master of his craft, and this album is no exception. He is as poignant and unwavering with his politics as he is with capturing the substiles and heartbreak of friendships, love, and loss. He is our loving comrade. I love this man; he embodies a humility that is absent in our current “social media” world.

Adele, 30 (Columbia, 2021).

Adele is one of the greatest living singers of our time. She is really from an earlier era; she does it old-school style. Adele disappears for several years, only to resurface with a new album. We all get sick of her after about 48 hours because the record company sets forth with a “take no prisoners” promotional campaign before she disappears again. Don’t be distracted. 

She is up there with 1960s Aretha Franklin and classic Etta James, except Adele writes her own brilliant songs. Also, notable is the fact that she doesn’t over-sing and do all the “vocal gymnastics” that are so prevalent for “great singers” these days. She also crosses the precipice between chest and head vocalizing with such ease that it mimics the human sound of crying, which is part of the reason her songs evoke such an emotional response. It is hard-wired in us to respond. It’s breathtaking. I post this live version for you to watch. Note how the beat is implied by the way she punctuates the song with her body movements. Fucking brilliant.

This song fucks me up every time. 

Piano. Bass. Voice.

That’s it.  

We are lucky to have her.

Karmian, Surgere et Cadere (Karmian, 2018).

Karmian play “Swedish death metal from Italy.” I’m not sure what that means, but this album kicks ass. It is super-tight, catchy, and generally puts me in a good mood. It’s super fun. The album is about the epic battle between the Romans and the Celts…or something. It even has some beautiful solo piano in the mix. They’re just a little, underground Italian band. Go to their website and buy their stuff. Here’s the guitar player doing his thing:

Willie Nelson, City of New Orleans (Columbia, 1984).

I got quite a few Willie Nelson records this year. They’re all great. This is the one I started the year with. I couldn’t stop listening to “Please Come to Boston.”

Kvelertak, Splid (Rise, 2020).

Kvelertak are the greatest living rock band. All of their albums are incomprehensibly magical. They had to get a new singer for Splid, their latest album. As I was distracted going down other rabbit holes, SoDak had to send the record to me in the mail. Holy shit. They did it again. Somehow, this band simultaneously plays a million influences at once. I hear Iron Maiden, Journey, Toto, punk rock, prog, killer riffs, beautiful vocal harmonies, etc. I’ve never heard a “metal” band that made me feel like a new born baby in spring until I heard Kvelertak. There is something hopeful and emotional about these Norwegian wizards. You don’t know rock, if you don’t know Kvelertak. Facts. Check this shit out:

Bob Dylan, Springtime in New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 - 1980-1985 (5 CD Version) (Columbia, 2021).

This is pretty much for hardcore fans that suffered through the 1980s with Dylan. There were a few gems buried in that mine. At least his “religious” years were over, which was cause for celebration. This five-disc set has many gems, if you’ve had the stomach to follow Bob this far. However, the best versions of “Angelina” and “Blind Willie McTell” are still to be found on The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3. Like I said, it’s for hardcore fans only. I love it, though.

Memoriam, For the Fallen (2017), The Silent Vigil (2018), Requiem for Mankind (2019), and To the End (2021) (Nuclear Blast/Reaper Entertainment). 

This band is made up of old British punk rockers that make slow “death” metal. It’s all heart. See my review from earlier this year: https://tickleyourtaint.blogspot.com/search?q=memoriam

Ada Lea, one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden (Saddle Creek, 2021).

I loved Ada Lea’s debut album. It was on my Musical Obsessions list from last year. She released her second album this year, and I love it as well. There is something about her quirky, unique albums that I find irresistible. They’re like homemade whispery secrets. Also, I like how in this song, “Damn,” she manages to say “fuck all this bullshit” in a nice, Canadian way.

 Washed Out, Within and Without (SubPop, 2011).

I don’t know how good this album really is, but I listened to it in the background over and over again. It’s like 1980s mellow synth music. Think “Miami Vice Soundtrack,” but for lovers. It starts out kind of uninteresting, but then gets under the skin. I don’t know anything about this record, really. I don’t think I know any of the words either, but it is here on my list. It’s mood music.

Bruce Springsteen, Working on a Dream (Columbia, 2009).

I really love some of Springsteen’s albums, others I don’t. I gravitate toward the very intimate, acoustic, and often political records. I never really loved Working on a Dream much. It’s a strange record, wherein he is basically trying to emulate the music he grew up with, namely, Smoky Robinson and Roy Orbison. It’s overt. Once I digested this, I fell in love with the record and listened to it repeatedly this year. It had been sitting on my shelf for a fair number of years. Also, the saxophone solos are few and far between, and the East Street Band is in top form, most notably the bass player is at his peak. They almost sound like a different band, as Springsteen sings in a different style on many of the tracks. So, the reason I used to not really like the album is precisely the reason I love it now. It’s also pretty romantic. I added the song “Lucky Day” to my list of thousands of songs for my companion, Kelly. I could listen to it over and over again.

Iron Maiden, Senjutsu (BMG, 2021).

Iron Maiden released another mind-bogglingly brilliant album this year. Somehow, they always expand their sound while always sounding like Maiden. They exist in a category all their own. SoDak and I listened to this for the first time on the horrible drive to Denver. I don’t think it will ever sound as good as it did on that day. I’m not posting a video because you either get it or you don’t. Most don’t have the patience. 

Jerry Cantrell, Brighten (Jerry Cantrell, 2021).

As a huge fan of the newer Alice in Chains albums, this Jerry Cantrell record fits nicely in that pocket. This shouldn’t be surprising, but the solo album does include more wide-ranging 1970s country-rock aspects. There are some really great lyrics too. 

Temple of Void, The World That Was (Shadow Kingdom, 2020).

Temple of Void is another death metal band. Ya know, I don’t really listen to metal much, and I’m not really fond of “cookie monster” singers, but some of these new “death metal” bands are so creative. Temple uses acoustic guitars and keyboards. They slow that shit way down: it creates such a moody listening experience. These guys are a relatively small band from Michigan, and when I bought some of their albums they sent me a handwritten note. Temple of Void is awesome. Listen to this song descend into a slow-burning ember. I’ve always loved slow motion.

Ellie Goulding, Brightest Blue (Polydor, 2020).

When I sat down to write this list, I had completely forgotten about this record. I listened to it over and over earlier at the beginning of 2021. It’s full of stuff I hate, including auto tune, and random rap dudes who are featured in songs rapping about nothing. Still, sometimes I buy records or tapes just because I hear a little something different than what I am used to, namely, angry people with loud guitars. I have since discovered that I have a hankering for female pop singers who sound like birds. I wish I could sing like a bird.

I had no previous knowledge of Ellie other than the fact that she was a British pop singer who had a tune called “Lights” years ago. I still don’t know anything about her other than the fact that she has a work-out book…or something. I will say that this record came with two CDs. The first one is the best; it’s a pop album. The second disc is the one with all the radio singles, and the “featured” rap artists. Yawn. It’s tired and boring commercial formula.

I basically internalized this whole record, turds and all. There were some good things too, like this song. The background vocals are awesome. I like it. Her voice is interesting/weird/beautiful/bird-like?

Rap/Hip-Hop from the 1980s.

I got my hands on a few compilations with Hip-Hop artists from the 1980s/90s. It’s pretty sweet. I always liked Ice-T, Public Enemy, Chuck-D’s solo stuff, and Ice-Cube, but it was cool to hear some old-school Kurtis Blow and EPMD.

Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul, The Reissues of Men without Women (EMI, 1982), Voice of America (EMI, 1984), and Freedom – No Compromise (Manhattan, 1987).

Little Steven’s first two albums were digested alongside Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat, and other classic punk rock bands in my teenage years, and I made little distinction between them thematically. Men without Women is a soulful classic with tasteful horns and cryptic punk rock lyrics. Put it on the turntable anytime and I will be singing every word while thrashing around the room. Voice of America is more directly political, and flirts with glam rock. It kicks ass. Freedom-No Compromise is almost a 1980s “Prince” inspired dance record, but the political lyrics become even more threatening. Little Steven’s voice and guitar playing are fucking great and these albums, especially the first two, are uncompromising masterpieces in my psyche. In many ways, Little Steven is a confusing mystery, but that is just one more thing that makes him so interesting. He’s the radical wing of the East Street Band and the guy on the Sopranos. How could life be any more strange?

New Model Army, Between Wine and Blood (Attack Attack, 2014).

This is an emotionally powerful EP that is coupled with a live album from the Between Dog and Wolf tour. The Between Dog and Wolf album was on my list last year, and to hear these songs live was just incredible. New Model Army always makes me feel like my heart is going to explode. They are revolutionaries in every way.

“Angry Planet” is the song of these times. Painfully so. My heart breaks.

This is the most important song you will hear today.

The Koreatown Oddity, Little Dominique’s Nosebleed (Stone’s Throw, 2020).

This album is a captivating autobiographical hip-hop record. It’s absolutely fascinating, like a crazy dream. 

Ringo Starr, Zoom In EP (Universal, 2021).

I don’t want to talk about it, other than the fact that Ringo Starr should never make a record longer than an EP. Also, I had too much to drink. I know, it's rich people on yachts making music. We’re not all in this together, at least not after the song ends. Sheryl Crow and Lenny Kravits make me break out in hives. This song is like “We are the World,” only worse. I can’t help it. I can feel the minutes ticking away as I get older. I love too deeply. Astonishingly, every song on this five-song EP goes down pretty easy for me. It only took five decades for Ringo to make a good album. And, ya know, I might be overly sentimental, but I’ll love you like a brother. Leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about it.

Music Documentaries:

Hired Gun (2016).

This is a great documentary about session and touring musicians. I feel bad for these cats, especially the Billy Joel guys who were thrown to the curb.

Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind (2019).

I knew next to nothing about Gordon prior to watching this film, even though his songs were a part of the backdrop growing up close to Canada on a farm in Michigan.

Paul McCartney: Good Evening New York City (Live 2009 / DVD / 2 CD).

I get a little choked up sometimes. I spend too much time alone.

T-Shirts.

After many years of discussing which punk rock t-shirts we wish we had that were never made, or were simply unavailable, SoDak made me my very own Crucifucks, Wisconsin t-shirt. I’ll be waiting for my Doc Corbin Dart t-shirt next year. Kudos brother, for making dreams come true.

Spooner D’s Favorite Music in 2021

By Spooner D

Some new; some Old. These are my musical highlights of 2021.

The Drive-By Truckers. Fuck, I missed seeing them play again, due to a massive rainstorm!

Records:

The Steel Woods, All of Your Stones.

Pegboy, Strong Reaction.

Spitboy, Body of Work 1990-1995.

Germs, (MIA) The Complete Anthology.

Kurt Vile, Walking on A Pretty Day.

Blitzen Trapper, Furr.

Steve Earle, JT.

The Dickies, Live When They Were Five, 1982.

Songs:

Pokey LaFarge, “End of My Rope.”

Kurt Vile and John Prine, “How Lucky”

Leftover Crack, “Nazi White Trash.”

Hank Williams Jr., “The Blues Man.”

Rise Against, “Swing Life Away.”

Spoon, “Inside Out.”

Zach Bryan, “Heading South” and “November Air.”

The Lowest Pair, “The Sky Is Green” and “Too Late Babe.”

Built to Spill, “The Plan.”

John Prine, “Summers End.”

Lucinda Williams, “Are You Alright?”

Lori McKenna, “Good Fight.”

Gang of Four, “Naturals Not In It.”

Young the Giant, “Superposition.”

Alkaline Trio, “Radio.”

Matt Skiba, “Good Fucking Bye.”

Alex Lahey, “Every Day’s the Weekend.”

Maren Morris, “I Could Use a Love Song.”

Lucy Dacus, “I Don’t Want to Be Funny Anymore.”

Caroline Rose, “Feel the Way I Want.”

Morgan Wade, “Wilder Days.”

Anders Osborne, “Mind of a Junkie.”

The Knife, “Heartbeats.”

Santigold, “Say Aha.”

Molly Tuttle, “Olympia, WA.”

Anita Papsmear’s 2021 Favorites

By Anita Papsmear

Hello there, my lovely Smears! I hope this finds you well and at least marginally happy. Another crazy year has passed, and our artist friends have been hard at work bringing us all joy with their creations. Women’s uteri are still being held hostage by the right-wing fucks of this country. While that holds me in a suspended dismay, I find the retreat into music and art a necessary way to keep my smeary mind in check. So, I once again humbly submit my year-end list of favorites. My hope is that they offer a musical escape for you in which to retreat from the horrors of the last several years. While my preference for music is still to hear the entire album, I gravitate more and more to singles—just like the kids do these days. This year, I’ve been on a malignant synth wave/dark wave tangent. Not that I am apologizing for it. I am a 1980s child at heart and these dark, melodic, moody gems are just my style. Of course, I never stray too far away from a guitar. Here’s this year’s list of musical ear candies to get your juices flowing. All items on my list get the coveted 5 smears out of 5 rating! Let’s dance!

Rating System:

5 Smears = the best, most perfect offering a band/artist can do—it’s downright malignant 

4 Smears = almost perfect, pretty sure it’s malignant 

3 Smears = middle of the road—not bad, not awesome—it’s a biopsy moment 

2 Smears = you best change your diet and exercise right quick 

1 Smear = benign—no good

Top 20 Singles of 2021 (in no particular order unless indicated):

1. Favorite Song of 2021: 

She Drew the Gun, “Behave Myself,” from Behave Yourself.

This song is the anthem for the new millennia and should be on the top of everyone’s playlist. The entire CD is on my list of favorite full albums—see below. Here’s the video to this amazing song—listen to the words closely. Live them. Be them.  

2. Trentemoller, “In the Gloaming,” from Memoria.  

The full release is due February 11, 2022. This song was a very close runner-up for song of the year. It is a perfect gothic tune—atmospheric, melodic, and a little haunting…purrrrr…me likey!

3. Loose Articles, “Kick Like a Girl.” 

Can hardly wait to hear more from these ladies. It is another fine song to add to that Feminist Playlist you are always talking about compiling. Life goals = having a pint with these champs and have them teach me how to kick a ball. Punk rock at its best! The video is great. 

4. Potochkine, “Jumeaux.” 

Late to the party here, as this song was released in 2018, but wow this song is a cool mover. France has been putting out some amazing bands/music these past few years. (Yes Null, I know Les Thugs have been around for a while and they are great!) If you want to move that beautiful ass of yours, you can start here. 

5. Arab Strap, “Compersion Pt 1.”  

For some reason, this song gives me the feeling of safely walking down a dark alley. It’s haunting in a very good way. Plus, he rhymes the word “villanelle” in the lyrics, which I find very cool. Here’s the video with lyrics in both English and Espanol. 

6. Goat, “Fill My Mouth,” from the Headsoup EP. 

Goat is one of the most incredible bands out there, and their tribal sound will envelop and convert you. The music transports your consciousness to a sweat lodge where you will primal scream your way through the pain and come out transformed on the other side. Give it a try! Also, the album title is a riff on the Rolling Stones’ Goats Head Soup, which I find clever. Anyone got any Porky Pig acid? Check out this video:

7. Art School Girlfriend, “Low Light,” from Is It Light Where You Are Gorgeous! 

See my full CD review below.

8. Wet Leg, “Chaise Longue.” 

How fun are these two ladies? Uber cool music and super fun lyrics on this tune. Looking forward to the full-length CD due out 2022.

9. Folly Group, “But No Rifle.” 

This song is simple and yet it needs nothing else to be fucking cool. Here’s the video for your perusal: 

10. Wolf Alice, “Delicious Things.” 

I hummed this tune for three weeks after the first time I heard it. Beautiful! 

11. Cannons, “Fire for You.”  

Luscious vocals and some beautiful melodies. Also sang this song for months! A real earworm. 

12. Pixey, “California.” 

The song starts like a mild ocean wave and turns into a super catchy current that you don’t want to escape from. I think this artist is going places. 

13. Roosevelt, “Echoes.”  

A dancey, sugary confection! 

14. Placebo, “Beautiful James.”  

Very strong release from Placebo this year. 

15. Skold, “Unspoken,” from Dies Irae.  

Lovely and gothy with great lyrics.

16. St. Vincent, “Palm Desert,” from Nowhere Inn.  

St. Vincent requires no explanation…it’s St. Vincent and we have all been blessed to have her in our lifetime. One of two releases this year, both CDs have a few full-length songs, and the rest are short instrumentals. Both could have been combined and put out as one full-length release though. 

17. Union of Knives, “There’s A River,” from Endless from the Start. 

It’s epic and sweeping—lots of flavors from all over. The full release has some really cool stuff going on. Definitely worth checking out.  

18. Sugar Candy Mountain, “Impression,” from Impression.  

Divine, shimmery, shiny, and layered. Summons Motown superwoman groups like the Supremes and yet there’s no doubt that the song is modern and hip. I envision driving in a vintage convertible, neck scarf flying and my peeps decked in Cat Eye sunglasses. A girl has to have a dream and this song is the soundtrack.

19. Lump, “Animal,” from Animal.  

Great songwriting and unique melodies. This song takes you on a curvy path of hooks and dark vocals. This band is one to watch! Looking forward to hearing more from them. 

20. The Horrors, “Twisted Skin” from Against the Blade Ep. 

The Horrors are one of my all-time favorite bands. That said, I was taken aback by their 2021 material. Their new work is an about-face from the warm and lovely V, released in 2019. Against the Blade and Lout, two Eps released in 2021, are an all-out melodic assault to the senses. Hard driving and noisy, it’s a bit much to swallow. But then, I gave in to the Horror Boys and they showed me the big picture…there’s real beauty in the dark. Take a big breath and press play.

Complete Works/Top 20 Full-length CDs (in no particular order unless indicated):

1. Favorite full-length CD of 2021: 

Actors, Acts of Worship.  

This CD is so fucking good that I cannot name one specific song as my favorite. It is my favorite CD of 2021. Every song on this CD is impeccable. Here’s the best tracks to get you started: “Like Suicide,” the dark, shivery dance sensibility of “Cold Eyes,” “Obsession,” “Death from Above,” and “Strangers” to the binding finality that is “Once More with Feeling.” Every track is dark and delicious. 

2. Clinic, Fantasy Island.  

This is the perfect soundtrack for island life. It’s warm and breezy, and, by the end, you will find yourself hitting repeat. Fantasy Island is my runner up for best CD of 2021. What a breath of fresh air. It is spacey, balmy, meditative, and low vibe, with some Hawaiian influences. Also has a very cool and dreamy cover of Tina Turner’s “I Can’t Stand the Rain.” Perfect CD from beginning to end. You will be so happy to have this in your collection! 

3. Idles, Crawler.  

Awesome CD from a band that has so much to say. On a side note, I found an Idles coloring book online. I don’t know if things get any cooler than that for a band. Songs of note: “Meds,” “Mtt 420 Rr,” “When the Lights Come On,” and “The Wheel.”

4. She Drew the Gun, Behave Yourself.  

Singer/Songwriter Louisa Roach is a bottle rocket of talent. She and her band, from Wirral, England, have crafted songs that are both poignant and melodious. Louisa’s voice is indomitable, and she conveys her powerful themes with ease. The future of rock is here, and it is She Drew the Gun.

5. Communicant, Sun Goes Out. 

The songwriting quality is excellent. Musically, this CD is like a cup of warm tea on a rainy afternoon. It soothes, it moves, it dreams. Through and through, it is a musical milestone that should catapult this band onto playlists everywhere. Check out: “She Moves the Sky,” “Come Down,” “Plastic People,” and “Waiting to Be Born.” So good! 

6. Tori Amos, Ocean to Ocean. 

Gorgeous and beautiful music from the Goddess. Fantastic album from Tori with all the depth and feeling that we’ve come to rely on. Ms. Amos takes the stark realities of life and spins them into the light. She has never let us down. Songs of note: “Ocean to Ocean,” “29 Years,” “How Glass Is Made,” and “Speaking with Trees,” which should come with an earworm warning! 

7. Gary Numan, Intruder. 

Not only does the Gary Numan continue to put out the best music of his illustrious career, but he has been incredibly prolific as well. Excellent songs include: “Betrayed,” “The Chosen,” “Saints and Liars,” “When You Fall,” and so many more. Aside from the release of Intruder this year, Gary also worked with the legendary Paul McCartney and the amazingly talented Mark Ronson on a song called “I Know Time.” Here’s a cool video blip on the making of that tune. 

8. Black Heart Death Cult, Sonic Mantras.  

Mind-blowingly cool. It’s got sitars, it’s got walls of guitar, it’s got darkness, it’s got light. From the meditative “Sonic Doom” to the epic “Death from Above” to the drone of “Cold Fields,” Sonic Mantras is a solid release all the way through. It is so worth picking up. Turn it up to 11 for best results. 

9. John Grant, Boy from Michigan. 

He can write songs, he can write stories, and he weaves them together in a compelling way. John traverses musical landscapes with ease. Check out: “Country Fair,” “Just So You Know,” and “The Rusty Bull.” 

10. Still Corners, Last Exit. 

Touring in 2022, catch them! This talented duo has been putting out consistently great music for over a decade. Romantic, introspective, and lush, any album you pick up will be solid. On Last Exit, their handcrafted songs are subtle and ethereal. While the title track is more forthcoming, the rest of the album guides you gently through to journey’s end. 

11. Wax Tailor, The Shadows of Their Suns. 

If you are a regular Anita reader, you will recognize Wax Tailor’s name from previous best of lists. There are some jazz influences here, some danceable beats, and the sampling that Wax is known for. The songwriting is compelling, and this CD covers the important and always relevant topics of homelessness and corruption. Guests include: Del The Funky Homosapian, Mark Lanegan, some spoken word from Gil Scott Heron, and more. Cool tracks include: “Fear of a Blind Planet,” “Just A Candle,” “Misery,” and “Like This.” 

12. Art School Girlfriend, Is It Light Where You Are?  

Breathy, at times lush, and sometimes sparse. IILWYA has beautifully written lyrics cast over haunting melodies. A perfect CD to listen to over a breakfast bowl on a Sunday morning. Favorite tracks include “Low Light,” “Bored of Myself,” “Colour Me,” and “Helm.”

13. Ministry, Moral Hygiene. 

Holy hell if Uncle Al and his Ministry haven’t gone and done it again. Another masterpiece. Yes, the music is loud, hard, and intense. However, if you’ve stopped there, you really missed the whole point. Not to mention the musical life raft that Al has given us. In these times of want and woe, he encompasses our anger and channels it to a blunt and fired response. Moral Hygiene has a cover of The Stooges “Search & Destroy” that is phenomenal. Gems include: “Alert Level,” the John Lewis inspired “Good Trouble,” and “Broken System.” The lyrics for the song, “Believe Me” are stunningly accurate. In the gruffness of the delivery, it would be easy to think that Al’s songwriting is a simple accomplishment. However, writing a song that takes an entire nation’s outrage, then aiming it at those responsible with pinpoint accuracy, is an extremely difficult task. I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Uncle Al and Ministry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I know it seems an unlikely feat and I highly doubt they would even show up to the ceremony. Not that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is the ultimate in any musician’s life. But it would be gratifying to see a hardcore band recognized for their decades of influence by giving voice to those who don’t have a platform. True excellence doesn’t always come in a pretty package (although, I think Al is beautiful). Sometimes it comes from the gut and the mind. It is a gift to be able to channel anger at its intended and deserving target. Here’s partial lyrics to “Believe Me”: 

Believe me, believe me, believe me. I wasted my time with you. Not worth a thought worth giving. Can’t trust a word you say is true. I spent my life believing. These words are not deceiving, but now I have a different view. They put their trust in you and you just left them hollow. They don’t know what they’re supposed to do. I have disgust for you and those who blindly follow. And now my tank is еmpty too. You’re like a death cult of bad rеligion. That’s what I hate about you. A fucking death cult who never listens. That’s why the death is on you. Believe me. You lost your empathy. You must not like the living. You lost your soul and want us too. You spent a lifetime cheating. And that’s just so revealing. There’s nothing left inside of you. There’s not a lot to say. Somehow, we’ve lost our way. This is insanity and not normality. Believe me. I put my trust in you. We should have seen this coming. And now we all feel stupid too. But now I’m done with you. Not even worth forgiving. Because of what we always knew. That’s why the death is on you.

Here’s the video for “Disinformation”:

14. Liminanas, De Pelicula. 

I love this band. Their latest effort is a nice mix of French-inspired songs that span low-vibe, trippy tunes to upbeat, swayable songs, instrumentals, and more. Throw it in your musical mix, and I guarantee someone will compliment you on your selection! 

15. Jake Bugg, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning.  

This guy! Jake is no stranger to the Papsmear best of lists, and here he is again. No mistake, this young man has more talent than most people three times his age and if you don’t know his name yet, you haven’t been paying attention. His 2021 effort sees a couple 2020 singles re-packaged and released on the full length. No matter. Jake writes catchy and clever tunes that never tire. “All I Need,” “Rabbit Hole,” and “About Last Night” are my favorites. He gets a little pop on this release, but if that helps him get more recognition then I will allow it.  #teamjake

16. Blood Cultures, Luno.  

I admire a band who can travel to different musical lands all in one CD, and Blood Cultures has traversed this with ease. From off-beat melodies to danceable tunes to gothy fun to heart crushing ditties, there’s something for everyone on Luno. Favorites include: “Set It on Fire,” “Graveyard Vibes,” and “Cabin Fever Lifestyle.” Get your musical swabs ready to dip in the good goo. 

17. Volk, Cashville.  

Holy fuck! I just saw this band live, and they are brilliant. This is a “don’t miss the live show” kind of band. I am always amazed at how much sound a duo can make. On drums and lead vocals is Eleot Reich, whose voice will leave you awe-inspired and her musicianship is flawless. Then, if that’s not enough, you’ve got Christopher Lowe, an immense talent, singing and playing his guitar as if it generated lightening itself. These folks of Volk have got all the skills, and I would like to nominate them as King & Queen of the Prom.

18. Black Heart Death Cult, Sonic Mantras.  

So cool—meditative, dark, droning, psychedelic. It calls back to the 1990s, Manchester, and Shoegazer movements simultaneously. I can hardly wait to see them live! BHDC’s sophomore effort is a must have for your collection. Did I mention the sitar?

19. Morcheeba, Blackest Blue.  

Morcheeba has long been one of my favorite bands, especially the first two CDs, Who Can You Trust and Big Calm. Their 2021 release finds its roots there. Skye’s voice is as beautiful as ever, and the melodies are filled with a lusciousness that captures that nostalgic trip-hop mood. I prefer to listen to this CD laying in the middle of the floor, in my pajamas with a box of dry cereal and a big, big bowl of green. Check out “The Moon,” “The Edge of the World,” “Falling Skies,” and “Cut My Heart Out.” 

20. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Dance Songs for Hard Times.  

Every release from this band is worth a picking up, and the live show is a do-not-miss. So many great tunes on their latest release including, “Rattle Can,” “Ways and Means,” “Crime to Be Poor,” and more.

Favorite Eps:

Bevin Luna, Buchanan. 

Bevin is a Tennessee native, and Buchanan is a glimpse back into her past musical roots. There is a super cool cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Piggie” on here. Also, there is a cover of Johnette Napolitano’s “Make Me Cry,” in which Bevin channels Johnette’s ability to relay lyrics with a gentleness that rings clear and pure. Six songs of beauty on this EP, all worthy of your time. 

Toni Halliday, Roll the Dice. 

Former Curve frontwoman, Toni’s solo to-date-efforts have been nothing short of her finest songwriting. Chatelaine’s “Broken Bones” comes to mind. Over the years, she has been sought after by numerous bands for collaboration. On her latest Ep, Toni penned some great lyrics that flow with immediately catchy dance beats. Must haves include: “How Did We Get Here,” “Achilles Heel,” and “Roll the Dice.” 

Blood Red Shoes, 0.  

Love this band and was stoked to see they released an Ep in 2021. Tunes of note: “Misery Loves Company” and “On the Hook.” 

Creux Lies, Goodbye Divine. 

More goodness from this band. They are bringing the goth back with gems like, “I Wish I Was You,” “Misunderstanding,” and “Renegade.” 

Favorite Covers:

White Rose Motor Oil, “Bloodletting” (Concrete Blonde). 

Freshly released this year, comes a cool Ep from White Rose Motor Oil. I had the pleasure of seeing this two-piece from Denver live. The power of Eryn’s vocals and the quality of her voice match perfectly with Keith’s musical chops on percussion. Their cover of “Ghost Riders in the Sky” is great, but on “Bloodletting,” Eryn lets loose with that powerhouse voice and the arm hairs stand on end. Not just anyone can cover a Johnette Napolitano song, but White Rose Motor Oil did. Not only did they succeed, but they went one better by making the song their own. Fantastic! 

Bevin Luna, “Piggie” (Nine Inch Nails).

Fee full Ep review above.

Southern Culture on the Skids, “Dear Mr. Fantasy” (Traffic). 

So good! Mary Huff’s voice is sublime, and her performance is perfection. 

David Hasselhoff, “I Was Made for Loving You” (Kiss). 

Mr. Hasselhoff has been killing it on his covers albums and his latest, Party Your Hasselhoff, won’t disappoint—it’s filled with greatness.

Favorite Video:

Levitation Room, “My Polydactyl Cat.” 

Blast from the Smear Past:

Grant Hart, “You’re the Reflection of the Moon on the Water” (2009).

SoDak’s 2021 Music Obsessions

By SoDak

Not sure where 2021 went. I was mostly in the basement slogging away at various work projects. I got away for a couple backpacking and hiking trips. Saw a handful of friends who were passing through town. Music helps sustain me. Below, I provide a list, in no particular order, of the music that I very much enjoyed this year. 

Records:

Brian Fallon, Local Honey (2020).

This record was on my list last year. I continue to be enthralled with its beauty, Brian Fallon’s singing, and the songs. I think it is a perfect record. It moves me every time I listen to it. 

Valarie June, The Moon and the Stars (2021).

I continue to be captivated by Valarie June’s records. Her voice is simply stunning; her vocal inflections warm my heart. This record has a broader appeal to a mainstream audience, yet it is still excellent. With each listen, I am more and more fascinated with it. 

Labi Siffre, Crying Laughing Loving Lying (1972).

Not sure why I did not have this record before. I knew most of songs. In includes “It Must Be Love,” which Madness covered. The record has a warm 1970s production. Great folk, soft rock music.

Mdou Moctar, Afrique Victime (2021).

Mdou Moctar’s previous record was excellent. His new record is extraordinary. While he shares much with other Tuareg musicians, his songs often have a guitar sound that is more driving, cutting through and complementing the hypnotic sounds. 

Son Volt, Electro Melodier (2021).

I am a Son Volt lifer. With each release, I am filled with immense excitement and satisfaction. The first song on Electro Melodier, “Reverie,” has a classic Son Volt sound. It brings comfort, and I quickly settle into the record. I also really liked “Living in the USA.” Despite my love for Son Volt, I would consider changing the order of the songs or even removing two or three songs, which are not as strong and disrupt the overall coherence. 

Iron Maiden, Senjutsu (2021).

Null and I rocked out listening to the new Iron Maiden, as we were driving to Denver. We had huge smiles on our faces and marveled at the nuances within the song. Sharing this experience was one of my favorite musical experiences this year. While various folks have complained about the mid-tempo and long songs on this record, I love these aspects. I really like the vast space that Iron Maiden creates within such songs and the sweeping emotional response that they create. In fact, the back-to-back long songs that close out the record are beautiful. I also feel fortunate that I get to enjoy another record by Iron Maiden. I hope that there are more. 

Joshua Ray Walker, See You Next Time (2021).

Joshua’s previous two records made my list of favorite music last year. See You Next Time is his third record. His song “Cowboy” is beautiful. While he plays great classic country and honky-tonk songs, his ballads really stand out, as they are often very tender, pulling at heart strings. 

Moody Blues, In Search of the Lost Chord (1968).

I pulled out my Moody Blues records this year and got hooked again. Then, I purchased all of the records by them that I was missing. In Search of the Lost Chord remains my favorite Moody Blues’ record. It includes hits songs such as “Ride My See-Saw” and “Voices in the Sky.” I think their mix of psychedelic and progressive music really crystalized on this record. Also, the album cover is awesome. 

James McMurtry, The Horses and the Hounds (2021).

In 1989, I bought James McMurtry’s first record, Too Long in the Wasteland. When I listened to it, I got chills, as his voice and the lyrics were haunting. His songs demand attention. He presents everyday stories with critical twists that hit the heart. He captures a world filled with struggle, difficulties, heartbreak, disappointment, and beauty. Through the years, McMurtry just gets better and better. Over the last couple decades, he has been making outstanding records. “Canola Fields” on the new record is a great start. “Jackie” is by far my favorite song. The guitar and melody are moving. I well up when I listen to this song.  

Lucero, When You Found Me (2021).

I have been missing Lucero. It has been a long time since I really enjoyed a new record by them. Fortunately, When You Found Me is an excellent record. With the opening track, “Have You Lost Your Way?,” there is a great tension within the song. The sound is expansive and beautiful, while the guitar has a heavy foreboding feeling. Danger is present, holding my attention. Ben’s vocals are in the sweet spot carrying me along. This dynamic holds throughout the record. I get goosebumps and feel as if the songs are washing over me, as I float along. I really like “Outrun the Moon” and “Coffin Nails.” 

Unto Others, Strength (2021).

Portland’s Idle Hands changed their name to Unto Others—not necessarily a good name. Their new record is addicting. Once I settle into it, I just wanted to listen to it over and over. They have refined a nice gothic-metal sound. There are touches of Killing Joke and Sisters of Mercy here. Great record. 

Kenny Roby, The Reservoir (2021).

Kenny Roby of 6 String Drag has put out a quite a few solo records through the years. The Reservoir is his best one so far. Very good mellow, Americana music. 

Opeth, Damnation (2003).

This year I returned to some earlier Opeth records. Damnation really satisfied me. This the first Opeth record with clean vocals and guitars throughout all of the songs. It is a beautiful progressive rock record. 

Emma Ruth Rundle, Engine of Hell (2021).

Wow, Emma Ruth Rundle delivered another incredible record, but this time it is very, very mellow. This sorrowful record is perfect for those lonely, dark nights.

 

Temple of Void, Lords of Death (2020).

I really like how Temple of Void has developed as a band. Their roots remain firmly planted in death and doom metal, yet they incorporate some classic metal aspects into their songs. Heavy fucking riffs run throughout the record, but there is more texture and catchy aspects integrated within the songs. 

Vokonis, Odyssey (2021).

Vokonis is a Swedish progressive metal band. I picked up three of their records this year. Their most recent record, Odyssey, is my favorite so far. Their sound falls somewhere between Pallbearer and Elder. 

Jerry Cantrell, Brighten (2021).

Brighten is incredibly smooth, comfortable, and warm. Jerry’s 1970s influences are present in these songs, but he manages to make everything seem fresh. Love “Prism of Doubt.” 

Bewitcher, Cursed Be Thy Kingdom (2021).

This year, the satanic, speed metal band Bewitcher released their third record. While they have slowed down a bit, they sound tighter than ever before. I also like the breaks in songs like “Valley of Ravens” with the slow, moody guitar solo. 

Alastor, Onwards and Downwards (2021).

Really loving the most recent Alastor record. They have mastered their psychedelic doom sound. There are some great melodies. When there are keyboards, they complement and add nice textures to the songs. I have been really enjoying the song “Death Cult.” 

Cannibal Corpse, Violence Unimagined (2021).

I welcome each new Cannibal Corpse record. I love the additional thrash moments on the record. George sounds great. 

Dinosaur Jr., Sweep It into Space (2021).

So glad that Dinosaur Jr. regrouped in 2005. They keep putting out great records. 

Pete Townshend, Empty Glass (1980).

This is fucking great—easily my favorite solo Townshend record. The bass player and drummer from Big Country play on some of the songs. “Let My Love Open the Door” continues to be so moving after all these years and despite hearing the song thousands of times. “Jools and Jim” is outstanding. Listen to it and rock the fuck out. For me, Empty Glass feels like the most cohesive Townshend record. 

Turnstile, Glow On (2021).

Great modern punk rock record. I was surprised by some of the drum programming, which is not usually something that I care for, but it is mixed in well within the songs. The vocals are excellent. 

Vashti Bunyan, Just Another Diamond Day (1970).

Gentle, beautiful folk music. It is simply lovely. 

Carcass, Torn Arteries (2021).

Since reforming, Carcass is on a roll, writing amazingly precise, melodic death metal records. They remain at the top of their game. 

Cryptosis, Bionic Swarm (2021).

I am a sucker for sci-fi thrash. Cryptosis delivers the goods, but with shorter and more varied songs than what is typical within the genre. 

Terminalist, The Great Acceleration (2021). 

Terminalist is another sci-fi thrash band, with elements of death metal, from Denmark. They integrate some creative mellow sections as a cool contrast to the overall fast-paced songs. 

Frozen Soul, Crypt of Ice (2021).

This slower, heavy death metal band is wonderful. The way the drums and bass propel the songs is awesome. 

Green Lung, Black Harvest (2021).

Five-Inch Taint mentioned that he loved this record. He has good taste. Green Lung draws upon 1970s metal, while writing very tantalizing melodic doom songs. Great harmonies as well. Perfection. 

Mastodon, Hushed and Grim (2021). 

It has been a long road back to Mastodon for me. When they started to become more melodic, I lost interest. I am glad that I left that disposition behind, as I have really been enjoying their records and very curious about the directions that they pursue. With each listen, I like Hush and Grim more and more. Their exploration and development as a band has been a pleasure to engage once again. 

Melvins, Five Legged Dog (2021).

The Melvins always pique my interest. With their new record, they re-recorded, acoustically, a shitload of their songs. The record is still very heavy in a fascinating way. I like the fresh take on their catalog. 

Triggerman, Learning to Lie (2012).

This hardcore punk band is quite melodic. At times, they sound like Dag Nasty, but their songs are more diverse. This record sounds great driving across the open plains. 

Enforced, Kill Grid (2021).

Very solid thrash record. Their best record so far. 

Hailu Mergia and the Walias Band, Tezeta (2021). 

Another great release from Awesome Tapes from Africa. Instrumental Ethiopian jazz. 

Memoriam, To the End (2021).

Null sent me several of the Memoriam records, as he was so excited about them. I had to give them a serious listen. Memoriam is excellent. Accessible death metal, with good lyrics. One of my favorites is “Failure to Comply.”

Fotocrime, Heart of Crime (2021).

I do not spend much time listening to music with drum machines, especially when it is the foundation of all the music. But for some reason, Ryan Patterson’s Fotocrime project satisfies me. It harkens back to some 1980s bands that I liked. This record is moody and haunting. 

Monolord, Your Time to Shine (2021).

Monolord’s riffs echo in my head. The opening pounding notes on Your Time to Shine drag out, almost testing my patience. Then the shift happens, moving to a slow, building riff. I really like the melodic elements in this doom band. 

Billy Joel, Glass Houses (1980).

Billy Joel makes a regular appearance in my conversations with Null. This year, I returned to Glass Houses, as it been quite a few years since I last spent time with it. I realized that this record is firmly imprinted in mind. Great collection of songs. The band kicks ass. The production is also quite impressive. Well worth repeated listens. 

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raise the Roof (2021).

It is possible that this collaborative record is better than the first one that they did. The blending of their voices on several of the songs is spectacular. 

Trade Wind, Suffer Just to Believe (2014).

Catchy, melodic hardcore/rock music. 

The Slow Death, Punishers (2017).

Straight forward punk rock with gruff vocals. Very satisfying. 

Sweet Jesus, You Destroy Yourself (2015).

Hard-driving punk/hardcore that serves up a solid kick in the ass. 

Stumbling Pins, Common Angst (2016).

Null gave me this record by the German punk rock band Stumbling Pins. Catchy, emotional, and wonderful. 

Hayes Carll, You Get It All (2021).

Another great record from this singer-songwriter in the Americana genre.

Rotting Out, Ronin (2020).

I am late to finding out about Rotting Out. The record rocks, with ten, mostly short, hardcore punk songs. As the record plays, I start bouncing around the room. 

Svalbard, It’s Hard to Have Hope (2018).

I have been going backwards in Svalbard’s catalog, after hearing their record, When I Die Will I Get Better?, from last year. It’s Hard to Have Hope is also excellent. The mix of hardcore, post-rock, and black metal is seductive. Great lyrics. Check them out. 

Ursut, Dararnas Paradis (2012).

Contemporary Swedish hardcore that sounds like it could from many of the classic bands from that country in the 1980s. Short, unrelenting songs. 

Bambara Mystic Soul: The Raw Sound of Burkina Faso, 1974-1979 (2011).

I love most of the Analog Africa records that I have. Five-Inch Taint recommended this one to me. Excellent collection of Burkina Faso artists, with a nice range of traditional to funk songs. 

Witnesses, To Disappear and to be Nothing (2019).

Doomy songs with ethereal flourishes. Heavy and beautiful. 

Midland, The Sonic Ranch (2021).

Midland continues to satisfy me. Much of their music has a smooth country-rock sound, reminiscent of 1970s AM. Really like the opening song, “Fourteen Gears.”

Vintage Caravan, Monuments (2021).

Monuments is my favorite record by the Icelandic band Vintage Caravan. The record has better production than their previous releases. Good 1970s sounding hard rock, with psychedelic touches. 

Eyehategod, A History of Nomadic Behavior (2021).

A History of Nomadic Behavior is my favorite Eyehategod record yet. While I liked them before, I am a convert now. The record is ugly and discordant. Yet it has great hooks. I hope I get a chance to see them play again, as I would love to be assaulted by these songs while at the front of the stage. 

Lydia Loveless, Daughter (2020).

While Lydia Loveless’s recent record is a bit of a change, as it includes some programmed beats and shit like that, it is still very strong. Her voice is always captivating and moving. 

Abuso Sonoro, Herencia (2001).

In the last few months of 2021, I really desired more intense hardcore punk. Abuso Sonoro is a Brazilian band that delivered what I needed. It sounds like the singer is almost shredding her vocal cords. 

Mutilated Tongue, Fuel the Flame (2019).

Mutilated Tongue also satisfied my hardcore desires. Brian Stern of Dead and Gone, Talk Is Poison, Look Back and Laugh, as well as numerous other wonderful punk bands is in Mutilated Tongue. Ferocious. 

Warish, Next to Pay (2021).

My favorite Warish record yet. They sound tighter and have a fuller sound. Good, rough, hard-rock tunes.

Yes, Time and a Word (1970) and Fragile (1971). 

I have been avoiding the dive into Yes’s catalog for a long time. Of course, I was familiar with various hit songs, but I felt that giving them serious attention would demand too much effort. I am glad that I finally left behind that concern. Throughout the pandemic, I picked up all the Yes records that I did not have, including their newest release. I fell in love with the band, and greatly enjoy the various phases. Two of favorite records are Time and a Word and Fragile. Chris Squire is un-fucking-believable as a bass player. He is definitely among the greats. Now, I can hear and recognize how Yes has influenced so many bands that followed. 

Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, Tea Party Revenge Porn (2020).

I had been wanting another record from Jello and team. The new record is wonderful. It should have come out earlier, during the Trump nightmare, given the lyrics. At the same time, the horror show continues, so the songs still resonate. 

Ayalew Mesfin, Let Me Die Loved (2020).

If you like Mulatu Astake, get Ayalew Mesfin’s records as well. Extraordinary Ethiopian psychedelic jazz. Excellent. 

Accidente, Discography 2014-2016 (2019) and Canibal (2020).

Accidente has enriched my life the last couple of years. This Spanish punk rock band is very catchy and has good political lyrics. Blanc’s vocals are delightful. From time to time, I am reminded of Joyce McKinney Experience. 

Cameron Knowler, Cameron Knowler (2021).

Mellow, instrumental songs, mostly based around either an acoustic guitar or banjo. 

Amends, Tales of Love, Loss, and Outlaws (2021).

I was introduced to Amends by the hardcore punk label and distribution hub associated with Revelation Records. This Australian band has some punk elements to them, but they are firmly rooted within Americana music. I love this shit. Outstanding. 

Domkraft, Seeds (2021).

Damn good psychedelic doom. Let go and ride the riff. 

Mean Caesar, Mean Caesar (2018). 

Raw melodic punk rock from London. Has Leatherface elements. 

Cress, Propaganda and Lies (2003).

Cress plays raw punk rock. There is a strong Crass influence, mixed with some crust bands. I needed an infusion of this type of political punk rock.  

Hooded Menace, The Tritonus Bell (2021). 

This Hooded Menace record has a stronger traditional metal influence than previous records. It really caught my attention. Still enjoying the hell out of it. 

Herzel, Le Dernier Rempart (2021).

It has been nice to hear more French metal bands, beyond Gojira and Alcest, who are great. Herzel do not push the boundaries. They are a traditional metal band, singing in French. No real surprises, but very enjoyable. Maiden influences are apparent here and there. 

SNFU, A Blessing But with It a Curse (2021).

This was the surprise release this year. There were five leftover songs from around the time that In the Meantime and in Between Time was recorded. So glad that these songs were released as an Ep. Has fast, mid-tempo, and slower songs. All of them are great. This is a needed pallet cleanse after the last SNFU record. It is a better farewell to Chi Pig. 

Bronx, Bronx (2021).

Bronx are a great live band. They just get up on stage and rock. They are fun and get the crowd bouncing. Their new record captures the live feeling, as it sounds great and makes me want to move. 

Khemmis, Deceiver (2021).

I really like how Khemmis has continued to develop their style of melodic doom. The vocals are quite soaring on this record and the heaviness of the music remains. 

Knocked Loose, A Tear in the Fabric of Life (2021).

Jack Rafferty has been praising Knocked Loose for quite some time, noting that they are a band to take seriously. I finally picked up the new Ep. This album of grief rips. It is very heavy and intense. The discordant elements add texture and an ugliness to songs. I am a convert. 

Genesis, Selling England by the Pound (1973).

For decades two of the taint ticklers, Jimmy “Explosive Diarrhea” B. and Null, have been encouraging me get more into Genesis. The former prefers the early Genesis and the latter prefers the later records. So far, they do not overlap in what they like. This year I enjoyed listening to their whole catalog and seeing how they changed. My favorite record was Selling England by the Pound. 

The Lungs, Psychic Tombs (2020).

With a touch of early 1990s hardcore punk, The Lungs tear it up. With vocals that are often a controlled yell, hitting the words in a wonderful rhythmic way, there is a great tension through this record. 

Gulch, Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress (2020).

Five-Inch Taint recommended this punk rock gem. The songs are at times a bit quirky in some of the timing and beats, making the songs quite memorable. There is plenty of great intensity, as the songs pick up speed, I smile and start banging my head faster. 

Gerry Hannah, Coming Home (2014).

Gerry Hannah was a member of the Canadian band, The Subhumans. In 1990, his song “Living with the Lies” appeared on the soundtrack Terminal City Ricochet on Alternative Tentacles. This folky song captured my attention, given its simple sincere lyrics: “Are you numb to the truth from living with the lies?” Gerry spent some time in jail from revolutionary activities associated with Direct Action. Was thrilled to finally find a copy of his album Coming Home, which includes some songs that he wrote while in prison. This record has a low-fi folk rock vibe. The songs are catchy and poignant.   

Karmian, Surgere et Cadre (2018).

Null spent a lot of time listening to death metal on cassette this year. I benefited from his explorations. He found this wonderful Swedish death metal band from Italy, whatever that means. 

Nomeansno, Tour Ep 1 (2010) and Tour Ep 2 (2010).

I still miss Nomeansno. Toward the end, they released two Eps on vinyl, primarily sold at shows. I have been listening to them a lot. These final records are as good as anything they put out. They were one of the great punk rock bands.

Riddy Arman, Riddy Arman (2021).

Jack Rafferty introduced me to Riddy Arman a year ago, when he sent me a Western AF video of her playing “Spirits, Angels, or Lies.” Her introduction to the song was touching. The song is excellent. Was eagerly anticipating her debut record. While a bit uneven, this is a solid record. Looking forward to following her career. 

Lock Up, The Dregs of Hades (2021).

Lock Up includes members of Napalm Death and At the Gates. Excellent brutal grindcore.

Buck Owens.

Omnivore Recordings put out a series of Buck Owens records on CD. Have been waiting for some label to do this for years. Love Buck and the Bakersfield sound. Solid country music, with tasteful touches of rock and surf music here and there. 

Nazareth.

As a kid, the only Nazareth record that I knew was Hair of the Dog. Kloghole greatly expanded my exposure to Nazareth records twenty some years ago. I finally decided to dive deep and picked up every Nazareth record, in part just due to curiosity. They are much more diverse than I was expecting as far as their sound and vocal stylings. Dan McCafferty has an amazing voice, and he can change it from song to song. On certain songs, it is very clear that he strongly influenced Axl Rose. Solid classic rock and roll. 

Concert/Festival:

Managed to make it to Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas in September. Had a great time sharing the outdoor experience with Spooner D. Was awesome to see some live music again. Some of my favorite performances included: Descendents, Circle Jerks, Devo, Menzingers, Leftover Crack, Dillinger Four, Youth Brigade, Youth of Today, Municipal Waste, Queers, Aggrolites, English Beat, Bronx, and Field Day.

Films:

 

Gordan Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind (2019).

This was one of the best music documentaries that I watched this year. It offered a good overview of his life and music. I appreciated Gordan’s critical reflection regarding himself and assessment of his growth. Good to be reminded how excellent his music is. 

Count Me In (2021).

Excellent film regarding drumming and rock drummers, driven in part by a narrative by Stephen Perkins from Jane’s Addiction. Great exploration and discussion. Well worth watching. 

Song Exploder, series on Netflix (2020).

This long-running podcast that investigates and dissects specific songs took another step, producing eight episodes for television. While I only knew a few of the songs, I very much enjoyed the interviews with the musicians, the consideration of the context of writing the songs, and the analyzing of specific elements within the songs. I am hoping that this series continues. 

Finding the Funk (2013).

This film is too short. Strangely, it does not include the music that is being discussed, which is a big problem. But it was still worth watching, as the history of this style of music is quite fascinating. 

It All Begins with a Song (2018) and Tennessee Whiskey: The Dean Dillon Story (2017).

Both films focus on the craft of songwriting, spanning from country to pop music. Enjoyable. 

Festivus Musical (and then Some) Grievances 2021

Below, a few taint ticklers share their musical grievances for this year. 

Anita Papsmear:

1. Right-wing conservative groups using the “My Body, My Choice” slogan as an anti-vaccine stance. You want to control your body but don’t want others to control theirs? How fucking dare you??!!

2. The gutting feeling that we, as U.S. citizens, cannot bring forth the changes this country so desperately needs because of an outdated two-party system, an equally outdated electoral college system, legislative assholes, and fucking greed. Our country was sold to the highest bidders and we, the citizens, lost…bigtime. Think of where we could be as a country, if, over the past 40 years, we would have had the leadership we really needed to install future-based policies. 

3. White, male corporate oppression.

4. The Republican Party (on the whole), which includes the fake demo-ass Manchin.  

5. Billionaires/Millionaires who don’t pay taxes. Especially the fucking Walton Family that owns WalMart. They don’t pay taxes and give nothing to charity. Fuck these people and their companies.  

6. Ignorant white fucks.

7. Douche bags at concerts.

8. Tall people who want to stand in front of shorter folk at concerts. Here’s a suggestion…stand on the side!

9. That any man gets to weigh in on the decisions a woman makes with her own body! Fucking hell—it’s 2021 and we still don’t have control over our own bodies? I’m steaming mad!

10. The fact that Viagra is covered by health insurance but modes of female contraception are not.

11. Too many good streaming options and not enough cash.

Kloghole:

It is no great insight that our lives have been shadowed by COVID, and our musical lives have been transformed. Live shows, which many of us look forward to, were put on hold. Because of the shitshow where I work, I really have no time for shows or much social activity anyway. Other than the obvious wearing of masks and carrying-out, instead of dining-in, of vegan sandwiches and soup at my local tea shop, my life is largely unchanged. I spend my days cleaning up my geriatric dogs’ shit and piss, washing clothes, doing dishes, and answering my emails rudely late.

Immediately prior to COVID, I was very proud of myself for finding a show on my own and getting tickets during the preorder period. I usually hear about a show long after the fact, so I looked forward to a nice night of music. COVID delayed the show by a year, but once July rolled around, I was able to go to the Jamey Johnson show at an outdoor venue. Because it was a reschedule, we did not really even have folks sitting near us.

The show started okay, but as the night progressed, I grew more nervous in my anticipation for the one song I wanted to hear, “Poor Man Blues.” Jamey worked through familiar songs, but it was getting clear that we were nearing the end of the show. At this point, the show took an unexpected and disturbing turn. For some reason, Jamey began to belt out some religious hymn. Nothing on his albums gave me any inkling he would assault me with religious twaddling.

Generally, I see people who believe in some mystical wizard in the sky the same way I view children who believe in Santa Claus. Both are pretty naive and have this pitiable worldview, but it brings them some comfort. I do not disabuse either of their woefully delusional beliefs, but dealing with the vapid sloganeering and empty platitudes really chafes my ass. I tolerate it. In fact, I tolerate it much more than the fucking assholes who bitch about proselytizing “vegans.” It is perfectly fine for infantile fucks to go on about the power of jesus, but mention some research regarding the industrial agricultural meat industry, and they lose their shit.

I thought, okay, one hymn is a way to change pace before the encore. No, he moves into another spiritual. Oh crap, my head sinks into my lap. Come on, just get over with this shit. I try not to leave shows early. I like to stick it out for last of the encores, even if I am dead tired. On the third hymnal, I had enough. Like Popeye, “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more,” and did not care if “Poor Man Blues” was the final encore; it was not worth it.

If I believed in karma, I would have to wonder what the fuck I did in a past life. I think shitty things hurt so much more when they fuck up something you were looking forward to—sorta like dropping your ice cream cone on a hot day. The one show that I actually was able to find and eagerly anticipated ended like eating the last berry in the bowl, but it tastes bitter and rancid. It would have almost been better to not even find out about the show and avoid it altogether.

Null:

1. Digital music.

As always, digitally downloaded music, MP3s, and other shit formats are my main musical grievance. Fuck that shit. I got LPs and cassettes. And CDs…because they sound really good. But still…I’ll take the muffled, shit-bag sound of a cassette over some tinny high-end distortion any day. The bass is important, and a hi-hat shouldn’t sound like breaking glass. It is the difference between streaming a “fireplace scene” on your TV and sitting in front of an actual fireplace. Who listens to music on their “Smartphone”? Everyone, apparently. Fuck the world. 

2. Bruce Springsteen selling his back catalog.

Look, I know that Springsteen isn’t a radical leftist, but I liked pretending that deep down he was still one of us, at some level. Sure, he made a book with Obama and he’s a “moderate,” which, in right-wing America, means nothing…but…I mean, this is the guy who wrote, performed, and recorded the Nebraska, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Devils and Dust, The Ghost of Tom Joad, and Wrecking Ball albums. Can he not live off of his loyalties? Who the fuck would do this? What is wrong with rich people? I’ll tell you what is wrong with rich people: They listen to other rich people. Ya know who didn’t, and wouldn’t, do this? Tom fucking Petty. You’re dead to me, Springsteen. I loved you. Now you sit in the dung heap with Pete Townshend and Bob Dylan. I used to love them too. Unbelievable.

3. L.A.N.E. break-up.

L.A.N.E. (Love And Noise Experiment) arose from the ashes of the great Les Thugs, arguably the greatest French punk rock band. L.A.N.E. gave us 2 albums and an EP. No more records from this great band.

4. Eric Clapton—the scumbag.

Eric Clapton had a bad reaction to the COVID vaccine. Millions of others didn’t. However, the world revolves around Eric Clapton. Also, he sued a widow for selling an $11.00 bootleg of his shitty music that was in her deceased husband’s collection. Add it to the list of reason to hate Clapton. He is a douchebag and there are others who do what he does, only better.

5. Capitalism hates music.

When the world goes up in flames, there will be no more music.

Scott:

I suspect that all music fans have experienced a version of this scenario: you think you know the words to a song and then suddenly, shockingly find out that you were mistaken. (For instance, just this summer, there was a high-profile public debate over whether Mary’s dress “waves” or “sways” in “Thunder Road,” until Springsteen’s manager stepped in to settle the question: “sways.”) (See https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bruce-springsteen-manager-thunder-road-debate-sways-waves-1198762/). My own epiphany involved another famous song, “Anarchy in the UK” by the Sex Pistols. Near the very beginning, Johnny Rotten sings: “I wanna DESTROY...passersby.” I have probably heard these lyrics a zillion times, but, for my entire life, until the year 2021, I thought he was singing: “I wanna DESTROY... possibly.” But you know what? Fuck him! I like mine better. It’s more ambiguous! Case closed.

SoDak:

The Metallica Blacklist (2021).

This 4-CD collection is a perfect example of how not to organize a tribute compilation. Metallica asked performers and bands to cover songs from their “Black Album” in order to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the record. The band encouraged others to make the songs their own. I thought, perhaps, this could be interesting, such as when Johnny Cash covered Nine Inch Nails. Nope. There is very little that is even remotely interesting and enjoyable on this collection. Almost every song seems uninspired, or simply copies the original version. Listening to the collection is torturous. The songs appear in the order that they were on Metallica’s record. But there are six versions in a row of “Enter Sandman,” seven of “Sad But True,” five of “Holier Than Thou,” seven of “The Unforgiven,” four of “Wherever I Roam,” three of “Don’t Tread on Me,” two of “Through the Never,” twelve of “Nothing Else Matters,” one of “Of Wolf and Man, two of “The God That Failed,” three of “My Friend of Misery, and one of “The Struggle Within.” After so many versions of the same song, I never want to hear any of these songs again. Garbage. 

Low. 

I really loved Low from the mid-1990s until the last couple of years. The transition to programming and noise has been extremely disappointing. Hey What is the second pile of shit in a row that they have released. Unlistenable. My wife described Hey What was a painful experience. She is not wrong. 

Ted Nugent. No need to say more. 

Hinkleyhadavision’s Favorite Music 2021

By Hinkleyhadavision

The SteelDrivers have been hitting just right lately. I love the writing, intensity of the vocals, and arrangements. “Where Rainbows Never Die” is perfect. 

Fred Eaglesmith, “Rough Edges.” I love the story he tells at the start of this version. He is such a masterful songwriter.  

Kloghole’s Favorite Music in 2021

By Kloghole

I do not tend to buy a lot of new music. I scour the used racks, and even when I see new music, I wait for it to appear amidst the other used selections. When I do buy new music, it is usually because I feel like crap and am looking for anything to drag my spirit from the depths of the depression sea. It usually does not float me very far, or for long, before my corpse settles back on the ocean floor in a cloud of disturbed silt.

This was a tough year, as it was for most folks. For me, it had less to do with a once-in-a-century pandemic than being in a workplace where the terrain has again shifted. After some recent restructuring, I am in a program divided between six white faculty members and the faculty of color along with myself, a race traitor. We had to fight strategically to keep a racist sociopath from becoming chair of the department, for the moment. It took quite a bit out of us, and we are still outnumbered. I am at the point where exhaustion does not even seem to apply any more. There is an Overkill song that I have always resonated with, “You Can’t Kill a Dead Man.” There is nothing left to kill.

The accumulated detritus of my life is beginning to weigh me down. I find that I am either locked in a desperate battle to keep up with my workload, or nearly catatonic. There is little joy in Mudville, and I am only propped up by the responsibility I have to others. Music is one means to lift spirits or reverberate the misery of a mournful song and your own tortured spirit. When I am not at work, I sit with my geriatric dogs at my feet listening to music as I work on my laptop, slurp weak coffee, and get up to pee every few minutes. As I read of those who are exhausted or suffering depression from the pandemic, I both sympathize, because I know how it feels, but am also a bit irritated by the complaints. Those who suffer daily discrimination and abuse have been there most of their lives. The stress from this pandemic is accumulated over only a couple years. For those of us who have faced this, or greater, levels of stress for more than a decade, pandemic complaints seem rather quaint. 

My work environment has been both excessive in workload and hostile in its culture. Although the number of my students has declined, I still face an inconceivable climate where I work. On the one hand, the white faculty members have openly discriminated against candidates, faculty, and students as well as vehemently declared their right to do so. On the other, they are not very bright—very manipulative, conniving, and incredibly duplicitous, but not very bright. Working with people so dim that they do not comprehend the simplest of data shreds the sanity of those who have to endure such madness.

Exodus.

“Slipping into Madness” is a song on the new Exodus album, Persona Non Grata. While it appears to be about the opioid crisis, it does really feel as though I am slowly, but helplessly, witnessing my sanity and cognitive ability slip away. I routinely forget common words and stop in the middle of sentences because I cannot conceive the next word or what the hell I am talking about. I have no initiative, but have an overwhelming amount of tasks in front of me. 

I am drawn to metal and thrash because of the energy and anger it exudes. Exodus is one of many thrash bands whose hooks and grooves seep right down into my very bones. The only thing that keeps the defeat and desperation of working with such pathetic human beings is the anger, vitriol, and determination of not letting the bastards get me down. Recently, they tried using graduate students’ jobs as political footballs by withholding information so we could not process their hiring paperwork. I had to send a note to the entire department telling folks what was going on. Suddenly, info started trickling in, and we were able to get the process moving. I had to bloody their fucking noses before they would act. The selfish ignorant sons-a-bitches had the audacity to say that we were holding the graduate students hostage. A student recently told me that they dropped their groceries and rushed out of the grocery store when they spotted one of our professors. They spent the day in a near-catatonic state. Only music like Exodus, Overkill, Testament, and the like can take the edge off of such utter bullshit.

Larkin Poe, Dorothy, and Beth Hart.

My partner has been buying quite a bit of music lately, so I get to enjoy some of her new acquisitions. I bought some CDs before I had to make a quick run back to Wisconsin. On the four-hour drive, I listened to the discs I bought and a few my partner grabbed. To my surprise, the most rocking of the bunch was actually one by Dorothy, Rockisdead. My partner has also been into Larkin Poe and Beth Hart who both have some catchy tunes. Don’t ask me which songs I like because my mind is so utterly fucking destroyed by the stress of working with assholes, I cannot even remember my name half the time.

Blackfoot and U.D.O.

Two of the few new selections I made over the year were two CD/BluRay live concerts by Blackfoot in 2007 and U.D.O.in 2020.

I did not pay much attention to the year on the Blackfoot CD, and they did not make it overt on the jacket info, but this was a show without Rickey Medlocke. I was a bit taken aback, partially because I did not know that they reformed without him. I knew there was quite a bit of tension in the band. In the early days of the internet, I recall doing some sleuthing regarding Blackfoot and found an expose by guitarist Charlie Hargrett that was pretty scathing of Rickey. Years later, I cannot find any trace of that essay, but it was an interesting look through the eyes of a disgruntled band member. Once I was able to get over the confusion of the missing Medlocke, I was able to settle in and listen to the album. The guitar work was spot on, so the edge of songs were there, but the vocals were missing Rickey’s characteristic punch. The show was enjoyable, and I played it a few times between the video and cd.

U.D.O.’s concert was far more recent and is a nice “best of” selection. I recall seeing Accept back in the 1980s open for Dio, I believe. For some reason, there were few folks there for the opening act, so I was able to wander right up front for the show. I was blown away by this little camouflaged dude screaming out the lyrics amidst his much taller German bandmates. While videos do not capture the nuances of the live show, I enjoyed getting to hear some U.D.O. songs I have not been able to keep up with on CD.

1980s Metal Collections.

Over the past few years, I have noticed quite a few collections of 1980s metal albums. In the past, I think I grabbed some of the early Krokus that I had on vinyl. This past year, I found the re-releases of Warlock’s first three albums that I had, but in burned versions or recently acquired cassette tapes. Warlock and Doro have always been favorites of mine, and I was lucky to see her live, but I have to remember not to stand next to a brick wall at a show. Her vocals were clear, but everything else was badly distorted, but I am not sure if the sound would have been better in a different part of the venue. I am a bit more deaf in my right ear, and I am pretty sure it was from the two shows where I was stupid enough to stand in the same spot.

The other collection I grabbed was the entire UFO discography. Because I have not had the time, I have not worked my way through the albums in any systematic nature. It looks like there were some major personnel changes over the years leaving Phil Mogg as the only remaining member in the waning years. Looking over the band members on the albums, I was a bit surprised Michael Schenker was only there for a few of the first records.

Roger Miller.

For some reason, I found nearly all of Roger Miller’s albums on LP. While I picked up some over the years, I picked up quite a few in the discount bins at my local record store. One record I found while scouring antique stores had a label that said, “Factory Sealed, Do Not Open.” I stored it away for a number of years, but when I grabbed my new expanded collection to convert them to digital, I noticed something. In the corner of the jacket was a little notch that somebody puts there when they discount the album out. The notch was under the “factory seal” clearly indicating to me that the seal was not “factory.” Well, at least I could bust it open without worrying about diminishing the value. For comic relief, I did keep the post-it note, however.

Roger Miller is one of those artists who brings you back to the 1970s and childhood. I have his CD box set, but it is nice to collect these albums. My guess is that the box set is not complete, and there are some little gems in these albums that I do not recall from the box set. I need to work my way through those I have recorded to get them to my devices. I can record while doing other things, but the tracking and conversion of the album takes a bit more time and attention.

In Sum:

Looking back through my collection for this year, I did not have an impressive amount of new music or newly acquired. Perhaps it is because I have not traveled somewhere to fill my suitcase with used finds. SoDak has a habit of dramatically increasing the size of my collection. There is some new music in there, like the James McMurtry I reviewed. I grabbed some old stuff like Mason Proffit, which I really dig for some reason. I also was able to finally get my hands on a Georg Lynch album I loaned out decades ago. It was an album of cover songs, but I recall liking it. Because I had to special order it, and it was out of print, it cost me a pretty penny. If I had not been looking for it for so many years, the price tag probably would have made me think twice, but I am finally glad to have it back in my collection.

Overall, music is a refuge. It is the soundtrack of our lives. For those of us who horde music and invest ourselves into the lyrics and artists, music is an elixir restoring some life force to keep us fighting until the next day. Our struggles are diverse, but we share struggle. We also share music.

Sweet Dreams Motherfuckers

Jack Rafferty’s 2021 Music List

 By Jack Rafferty

I’ve been in quite a stagnant creative ditch in 2021. Not much reading, not much writing, not much film, not much music. Regardless, I’ve tried my best to play catch up, and there were indeed some genuinely phenomenal albums this year. What else? Umm, Gojira released a new album this year, and it isn’t in my top albums. That’s fuckin weird. More about that below, I guess. Like last year, I’ve thrown out the whole ranking thing. There are albums I loved more than others, that’s for sure. If there were a ranking, Lingua Ignota’s new one would surely be at the top. No questions, just as it was with Caligula. 

Top Albums

Lingua Ignota, Sinner Get Ready.

It is pretty much solidified at this point that if Lingua releases an album during a year, that album will be my top album of that year. Sinner Get Ready sees a slight departure from the harsher soundscapes of Caligula, with a greater focus on folk and gospel influences, but that in no way means it is diminished in its intensity. Soft and sinister, sorrowful, heart-rending. Words will not do this album justice. Just go listen to it. (Side note: I also really enjoyed Lignua’s EP released earlier in the year, Agnus Dei, but it in no way compares to the full length release.) 

Moor Mother and Billy Woods, Brass.

Billy Woods and Moor Mother’s individual contributions to rap/hip hop cannot be understated, and they have both contributed to some of my favorite releases of recent years. So when I saw they were doing a collaboration project, I was excited but didn’t want to set my expectations too high until I heard what they put out. Any expectations I could have set would have been too low. Brass is incredible. Singular and standalone. Best lyrics of the year by far. Billy and Moor Mother are each at their best on this project. That is truly saying something. This album, to me, is genre-bending and also genre-defining. It would be criminal to pass this up. 

Nick Shoulders, Home on the Rage.

Nick Shoulders has been one of the artists I have consistently listened to since discovering him at the beginning of 2020. He and a few other artists have really kept me going through a lot in these times, and his music has accompanied many wonderful memories that it will now remind me of—that, and the resilience of fighting back suicidal thoughts in the daily nightmares of late capitalism. Home on the Rage is a noticeably more somber album than his previous releases. Nick has never shied away from politics, but it seems more prominent here. “John Brown’s Nightmare” is perhaps my favorite example of this. A lyricless mouthbow tune, it conveys everything it needs to with the title. A lower, darker, more resonant and eerie rendition of the folk tune “John Brown’s Dream,” which gains such potency and poignancy just from changing “dream” to “nightmare.” Others, such as the title track, have great lines like 

Why seek to conserve in nothing but name?

We know Rome’s been burning, and we play a rigged game

Our heritage is hate, though there’s plenty to save

How can the land of the free be the home of the slave.

Every track is wonderful in its own way. 

Knocked Loose, A Tear in the Fabric of Life.

No album got more listens from me this year than this one. Knocked Loose trades in some of the more raw, hardcore-leaning aspects of their earlier sound for a denser quality that tends toward metal, but still retains the core of what makes the band what it is. This is easily their heaviest release. The rawness is still present, don’t let that initial line deceive. I haven’t stopped playing this since first hearing it. Knocked Loose has been a favorite of mine since Laugh Tracks, but this is something else. It is also short and sweet, whereas I felt that A Different Shade of Blue was a bit long-winded for the genre. The eerie intro of radio tracks and tires screeching away, leading into that first scream, is perfect. Moments such as the breakdown on “Contorted in the Faille” just make you wanna burn and break shit. The more death metal influenced riffing on tracks like “God Knows” are also very welcome from me. Overall, this album is truly unrelenting, and was the only one to really scratch that itch of pure fucking aggression for me this year. I also got to see them live and it was the gnarliest pit I’ve ever been in. 

Emma Ruth Rundle, Engine of Hell.

This is one of the saddest albums I’ve ever heard. I’ve always been a fan of Emma, but Engine of Hell is on another level. The vulnerability of each song is so tangible. I feel like Emma is going to break down at the end of each line. The production on this album is also magnificent. The clarity of her voice, the acoustic strings, the piano, everything is perfectly distinct yet so rich and melding so well. 

Show Me The Body, Survive.

This three track EP was my most-listened to thing this year, next to Knocked Loose. I absolutely love Show Me The Body, and Survive, though bittersweet in how short it is, really honed in on all the best elements of their sound. Few bands capture the right sounds to convey my feelings of discontent with so many things like them. 

Still Loved

Armand Hammer/The Alchemist, Haram.

Another great release from a project involving Billy Woods. Armand Hammer has been consistently amazing since its inception, with Billy and Elucid being two of the most enigmatic, complex, and talented artists in the genre. 

Black Midi, Cavalcade.

This one didn’t resonate with me as much as Midi’s debut. I chock this up mainly to mood and context of listening, because I think Cavalcade is a great album. It sees Midi going in an even more adventurous and experimental direction, which is a wonderful thing. Midi is one of those bands that can do such a thing naturally, without it feeling forced or pretentious. I’m sure I’ll be in the mood for something like this again down the line and will revisit this one then.  

Riddy Arman, Riddy Arman.

I pay pretty close attention to the youtube channel Western As Fuck, as I really appreciate the attention to sound and video quality they have with the artists they work with, and I also love the moments before and after each performance they depict that give humanity and personality to each artist. I discovered Riddy through them, and have been a fan ever since. The first performance of hers that I saw gave me chills. With this self-titled debut, Riddy has really solidified herself right away as someone to keep an eye on. There were some tracks throughout that didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped, but I still love much of this album. Notable tracks are “Spirits, Angels, or Lies,” “Barbed Wire,” and “Old Maid’s Draw.” 

Viagra Boys, Welfare Jazz.

I was hooked on Viagra Boys from the beginning, especially as my introduction to them was both through their sound but also their peculiar character as a band. Their roguish dirtbag persona has been attempted in many ways throughout the years, but they put a certain spin on the perspective that is oddly intoxicating. It is hard to explain. Somewhat reminiscent of the visual and performance art of Aldous Harding in a different way. I enjoyed their Street Worms more than Welfare Jazz, as it had a more raw and gritty presentation, which I think better fits their style, but Welfare Jazz still has many standout moments. It also closes out with a very unexpected cover of John Prine and Iris DeMent’s “In Spite of Ourselves.” Very much recommend watching a performance of them while listening for the first time. 

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Carnage.

Easily some of the best lyrics of the year. Nick Cave rarely fails to deliver for me. “White Elephant,” especially, has some of my favorite lines he has ever written. 

A protester kneels on the neck of a statue

The statue says, “I can’t breathe”

The protester says, “Now you know how it feels”

And he kicks it into the sea…

I’m a Botticelli Venus with a penis

Riding an enormous scalloped fan

I’m a sea foam woman rising from the spray

And I’m coming to do you harm

I’m an ice sculpture melting in the sun

I’m an ice sculpture with an elephant gun

I’m an ice sculpture made of elephant-sized tears

Raining gas and salt upon your heads

The compositions have a more overtly neo-classical essence to them, and Nick’s signature melancholy crooning has regained some of its aggression and venom from earlier days. Carnage is less mournful than Ghosteen and Skeleton Tree, and seems to revisit some of the more bluesy, dangerous spaces reminiscent of Murder Ballads. Loved this. 

Black Country, New Road, For the First Time.

This band has apparently been making waves for a bit now, but this was my first encounter with them. I had no idea what to expect going into For the First Time, and was very pleasantly surprised. Oscillating between indie-rock, electronic, and much more, this is a hard one to nail down in description. The lyrics have a certain self-awareness and self-deprecation that is reminiscent of something like David Foster Wallace, in that those lyrics often tend to remind me of the topics or objects Wallace covered. The most important thing to note about this band and its sound, however, is its energy. Everything has a sort of vibrancy and urgency to it, often building toward satisfying crescendos. Really loved this, and for a while thought it might make my top albums of the year. It got close, just not quite there. 

Backxwash, I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses.

Backxwash came to my attention last year with God Has Nothing to Do with This Leave Him, and immediately struck me as a unique musical identity. Combining elements of hip hop, industrial, black metal, and much more. The soundscape is one of demented torment, somewhat like Daughters or Ho99o9, but in a much different way. This one is another that is difficult to properly describe without doing its complexity a disservice, and is best simply experienced, rather than interpreted. 

Archspire, Bleed the Future.

So far, I think I still prefer Relentless Mutation. That being said, Bleed the Future is pretty damn close. Again just not as much in the place in my life where this music resonates with me as much, so it is difficult to say. This is Archspire continuing to do what they do best, which is make exceptionally fast and wonderful tech death. That’s all I ever wanted from this album, and they delivered. 

Honorable Mentions, or Still Have Something to Say

Gojira, Fortitude.

This one was a major disappointment. Next to Lingua’s new release, this was my most anticipated for the year. This isn’t a bad album, it just isn’t up to Gojira’s caliber. The best tracks on this album, such as the opener, would be the least interesting tracks on their other albums. They are still great tracks, but they fall short given context. I gave this one a lot of attempts, wondering if it was just different and would grow on me over time. It never did, though. Perhaps down the road my mind will change. Doubtful, though. 

Rivers of Nihil, The Work.

Another huge disappointment for this year. Their previous album, Where Owls Know My Name, was easily one of my favorite albums of the year when it came out. I had big expectations for The Work, and it really fell flat for me. Not sure exactly why. I think it is a combination of multiple things that are hard to put my finger on. It seems more bloated, directionless, lacking an identity, etc. Not quite sure specifically what, but I struggled getting through it each listen. Perhaps in time I’ll find something about it that I missed before. 

Low, Hey What.

Never heard anything like this. Very interesting. Unfortunately it becomes somewhat repetitive throughout. I love the opener, “White Horses.” Excellent vocal harmonies. I wish they could keep that level of quality while also diversifying throughout. Noise as a genre can tend to have this effect on me. I will keep my attention on this group, though. 

Sadistik, L’appel Du Vide.

This is another case where I just don’t think I was in the headspace to love a release from Sadistik this year. Though I do think this one has less of a wow-factor than previous releases. I’ve been drifting away from Sadistik the past couple years. I will still give a good amount of his back catalogue a listen from time to time. This isn’t a bad release by any means. Just didn’t strike me as much. 

Albums I May Make a Follow-Up List For

These are some albums that I either didn’t get around to, or felt like I didn’t spend sufficient time with to be able to give a fair opinion on. I may end up making a “post-end of the year list” or something for these. 

Mastodon, Hushed and Grim.

Zeal and Ardor, Gotterdammerung.

Vildhjarta, masstaden under vatten.

Twelve Foot Ninja, Vengeance.

Portal, Avow.

Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee.

Tyler, the Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost.

Turnstile, Glow On.

Dvne, Etemen Enka.

Injury Reserve, By the Time I Get to Phoenix.

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, London Symphony Orchestra, Promises.

Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.

Sierra Ferrell, Long Time Coming.

The Armed, Ultrapop.

Panopticon, …And Again into the Light.

Michael Hurley, The Time of the Foxgloves.

Converge and Chelsea Wolfe, Bloodmoon: I.

Iceage, Seek Shelter.

Be’lakor, Coherence.

Richard Dawson and Circle, Henki.

Hooded Menace, The Tritonus Bell.

Havukruunu, Kuu Erkylan Ylla.

Humanity’s Last Breath, Valde.