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).
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