I think my last post stole all my “It’s the end of the year and this is how I feel” thunder. This year sucked. It sucked even more than last year because I think I thought it was going to suck so much less. And yet here I am, on the last night of the year, isolated and watching The Twilight Zone and CNN alone at home. Again. In isolation or quarantine or whatever you want to call it, with nothing to look forward to but more of the same to start the new year. The strain is too much. 2021 was not what it was supposed to be.
At the risk of delving too deep on what is supposed to be a fun and celebratory post, I’ll skip ahead to the usual preamble about my Best Albums of The Year list:
Alright kids, look at this as if it’s a naked chick with her legs spread out before you. Everything is yours for the taking. You can seek these records out and buy them, you can download them from Bandcamp or Apple Music, you can do whatever the fuck you do to consume music. Just make sure you respect the artists enough to pay for their work. Hell, I feel weird just posting single MP3s from less than 1/4 of these albums, but if I didn’t do that you’d have no idea how awesome these records are. And they are all awesome.
And don’t even thinking about pointing out any typos. I don’t want to hear it. But please let me know if any of the links are broken.
It goes like this. Ranking #. Artist – Title (Record Label). I’ve written blurbs for many of the entries but not all of them. Due to the constraints of my new web server I haven’t attached as many MP3s as I used to. I know, that’s a lot of the fun of this list. I’ve included Bandcamp links where applicable so you can pay these incredible artists for their hard work. Except for the honorable mention band. They’d probably think it’s “punk rock” to take their music for free.
The Top 100 Albums Of 2021
Honorable Mention: Turnstile – Glow On (Roadrunner) – I don’t mean “honorable mention” in the “Oh you juuuust missed out on making the list!” sense. I mean it in the, “Oh, no. Shit like this doesn’t get to happen without me commenting on it!” sense. This is the high water mark for “heavy” music in 2021? This?! How every single seemingly credible (and more non-credible) music publication has included this album on their year-end best-of list is beyond me. This is an embarrassment to heavy music. And not in a “Liturgy are hipster black metal!” way. This is objectively bad music. It’s pop punk for mallrats. It is Creed- or Puddle of Mudd-level cringe. Music bloggers and journalists of the world, I beg of you, stop embarrassing yourselves. You can escape the hive mind and listen to actual “heavy music.” I’ve made plenty of suggestions below. Try one.
100. Steven Wilson – The Future Bites (Caroline International)
99. Thalia Zedek Band – Perfect Vision (Thrill Jockey)
98. Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade (Merge)
97. Melvins – Working With God (Ipecac)
96. Tribulation – Where The Gloom Becomes Sound (Metal Blade)
95. Migos – Culture III (Quality Control Music) – From #1 in 2017 to #71 in 2018 and now #95 in 2021…I think I might be over these guys!
94. Jerusalem In My Heart – Qalaq (Constellation) – If this wasn’t on Constellation it probably would have never found its way to my ears. It is a stunning, intense listen that demands your attention. [Listen to “Sa’at”][Buy on Bandcamp]
93. Eleventh Dream Day – Since Grazed (Comedy Minus One)
92. Mark McGuire – Our Family (Self-Released)
91. Michael Hurley – The Time Of The Foxgloves (No Quarter)
90. King Buffalo – The Burden Of Restlessness (Self-Released)
89. Floatie – Voyage Out (Exploding In Sound)
88. Amyl And The Sniffers – Comfort Me (ATO) – Shout out to John from Australia who turned me onto this group. I’ll ignore the fact that the other band you kept trying to force on me at the same time was Punishment of Luxury, who were far less interesting. [Buy On Bandcamp]
87. Arovane – Wirkung (Puremagnetik)
86. Amenra – De Doorn (Relapse) – Belgians, they provide the world with so much more than just amazing beer! You won’t see these guys on Seth Meyers any time soon, but if you saw their soul crushing, visually arresting performance at Psycho Las Vegas a couple years ago you’d understand the awe they inspire. [Listen To “Het Gloren“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
85. Danny Elfman – Big Mess (Anti-)
84. Ben Chasny – The Intimate Landscape (Drag City)
83. Bitchin’ Bajas – Switched On Ra (Drag City) – Synth interpretations of “Space Is The Place” and “Lanquidity”? Sign me up. Bajas Fresh was good, and Switched On Ra is even better. [Buy On Bandcamp]
82. Damon Albarn – The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows (Transgressive)
81. Nas – King’s Disease II (Mass Appeal)
80. Spirit Adrift – Forge Your Future EP (Century Media) – I liked Enlightened In Eternity, it was fine, but I think I was a little burned out on Spirit Adrift around the time of its release. I think I listened to it once and then filed it away and didn’t return to it. Forge Your Future came along and it sounded…fresh. The riffs are fantastic, the lyrics click a little more, if this is a precursor of what’s to come on the next full-length, I’m all in. [Listen to “Forge Your Future“]
79. Hiss Golden Messenger – Quietly Blowing It (Merge)
78. Madlib – Sound Ancestors (Madlib Invazion)
77. Kayo Dot – Moss Grew On The Swords And Plowshares Alike (Prophecy Productions)
76. Gas – Der Lange Marsch (Kompakt)
75. Endless Boogie – Admonitions (No Quarter)
74. Chris Corsano / Bill Orcutt – Made Out Of Sound (Palilalia) – Chris Corsano is probably the greatest living drummer. At the very least he’s one of the most inventive I’ve ever seen. Watching him perform either solo or with other musicians at the now-defunct club Tonic in NYC was always a treat. His collaborations with Bill Orcutt (ex-Harry Pussy) have been going strong for almost a decade now, and Mad Out Of Sound is my favorite yet. [Buy On Bandcamp]
73. Six Organs Of Admittance – The Veiled Sea (Three Lobed Recordings)
72. Hilary Woods – Feral Hymns EP (Sacred Bones)
71. Gruff Rhys – Seeking New Gods (Rough Trade) – If it wasn’t for Spotify recommending new releases I might not have noticed the former guitarist/songwriter from Super Furry Animals put out a new record this year. It’s perfect blend of pop psych with some kraut-y elements and even a (gasp) gorgeous piano ballad. [Listen to “Mausoleum Of My Former Self“][Buy On Bandcamp]
70. Gatecreeper – An Unexpected Reality EP (Closed Casket Activities) – I was kind of over this group until Ian sent me a note saying that “Emptiness” sounded like a Trapped Within Burning Machinery song, and then…well, they hooked me again. [Buy On Bandcamp]
69. Deathchant – Waste (RidingEasy) – I’ll bet you if I texted Quinn right now and was like, “Hey dude. You made my list again.” He’d say something like, “What are we #98 this time?” And then I’d lie and say something like, “No I bumped you up the list because I felt bad I didn’t see you guys at Psycho this year” and make him think that it was a pity ranking or something, because it’s more fun than admitting that I like his band. Here ya go, Quinn. Next year, #4…20! [Buy On Bandcamp]
68. Perturbator – Lustful Sacraments (Blood Music)
67. Fly Pan Am – Frontera (Constellation)
66. Jedi Mind Tricks – The Funeral And The Raven (Iron Tusk Music)
65. Lana Del Rey – Chemtrails Over The Country Club (Polydor)
64. Zombi – Liquid Crystal EP (Relapse) – Maybe it’s been a minute since I listened to Zombi, but these most recent sonic adventures sound a little more laconic and heavy than I remember. I think the last one I remember really sitting down and enjoying was Shape Shift and that was 5+ years ago. While the excerpts-from-horror-movie-scores-that-never-existed vibe remains mostly the same, this EP is definitely sludgy. And I like it! [Buy On Bandcamp]
63. Heavy Temple – Lupi Amoris (Magnetic Eye) – Another heavy band that worships at the altar of Black Sabbath, only with a slightly more stoner/psych vibe (think Elder, or older Swan Fungus staples Ufomammut). It’s a stone groove. Now if only the band members didn’t feel the need to give themselves corny stage names… [Buy On Bandcamp]
62. Wode – Burn In Many Mirrors (20 Buck Spin)
61. Richard Dawson / Circle – Henki (Domino) – If you just showed me the cover of this record I’d assume it was some lost psych/folk artifact from the 70s. And at first blush it sounds like one. Maybe a collection of cast-aside Comus utterances or Fresh Maggots or — given the album’s subject matter — Trees. But the more you listen, the more you can hear Circle’s influence. When a collaboration works — I mean really works — the end result sounds like neither of its creators, but also like the best parts of each creator. Henki really captures both entities perfectly. [Listen to “Cooksonia“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
60. Carcass – Torn Arteries (Nuclear Blast)
59. Dvne – Etemen AEnka (Metal Blade)
58. Sunburned Hand Of The Man – Pick A Day To Die (Three Lobed Recordings)
57. Matt Christensen – Constant Green (Miasmah) – Do you like Zelienople? Because I love Zelienople. Matt is the frontman of that band, so during lulls between releases I pay very close attention to his solo output. This year he recorded an album of country tunes, with a production-style similar to that of a Zelienople album. The result is one of the most haunting singer-songwriter releases of 2021. [Listen to “I Had A Vision I Could Move Anywhere“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
56. Tropical Fuck Storm – Deep States (Joyful Noise Recordings)
55. Ruins Of Beverast – The Thule Grimoires (Van)
54. Nick Cave / Warren Ellis – Carnage (Goliath) – It’s Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. How could it possibly suck?
53. Chris Brokaw – Puritan (12XU)
52. Nadja – Luminous Rot (Southern Lord) – There was a time not too long ago when every single Nadja release was highlighted or promoted on this blog. Either via Sunday Mix Tape or “Top 100 Albums” list, I made sure to point out that literally everything Aidan Baker and Leah Buckareff touched turned to gold. But as I stepped away from daily posting, I lost track of their output. Luminous Rot is, I think, the first album released by Southern Lord. And it’s probably my most favorite thing they’ve done since…Sky Burial? Jesus Christ, that was a decade ago. I’m so old. [Buy On Bandcamp]
51. Fuath – II (Season Of Mist Underground Activists)
50. Black Country, New Road – For The First Time (Ninja Tune)
49. Young Thug – Punk (Atlantic)
48. A Winged Victory For The Sullen – Invisible Cities / Le Citta Invisibili (Artificial Pine Arch Manufacturing)
47. Pharaoh Sanders / Floating Points / London Symphony Orchestra – Promises (Luaka Bop) – As everyone was busy tripping over their dicks to race to anoint Turnstyle as the best album of the year, a lot of bloggers and journalists focused less on Promises. In terms of albums on my list that appear on other lists across the Internet, this is the one other publications got mostly right. It’s a stunning accomplishment and begs for multiple listens. And you don’t have to shop at Hot Topic to appreciate it. [Buy On Bandcamp]
46. Matt Sweeney / Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Superwolves (Drag City) – Not many of you were reading this website way back in 2005, but at that time I ranked Superwolf as the 11th best album of the year. Hearing its long-awaited follow-up was like a breath of old air. Nostalgic air. It’s about damned time, fellas. [Buy On Bandcamp]
45. Vouna – Atropos (Profound Lore)
44. Blanck Mass – In Ferneaux (Sacred Bones)
43. The Body – I’ve Seen All I Need To See (Thrill Jockey)
42. Louise Bock / PG Six – All Summer Long Is Gone (Feeding Tube) – I get these emails seemingly daily from Feeding Tube because I redeemed one download code from them on Bandcamp like 5 years ago. And I almost always ignore them, or delete them without looking at the contents. Thank GOD I opened the one alerting me to the release of this one, because anything PG Six related immediately jumps to the top of my rotation when I learn about it. Other than the Converge record this might be my favorite collab of the year. [Listen to “Crystalline Cry“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
41. Monolord – Your Time To Shine (Relapse)
40. Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador)
39. White Ward – Debemur Morti EP (Debemur Morti Productions) – I loved, loved, loved Love Exchange Failure, and as much as I was hoping for a full-length follow-up in 2021 I got an 18-minute EP to tide me over. Their wholly unique blend of doom jazz and black metal remains one of the most exciting and engrossing sounds emanating from anyplace on Earth right now. [Buy On Bandcamp]
38. Wardruna – Kvitrafn (By Norse Music)
37. Julien Baker – Little Oblivions (Matador)
36. Mastodon – Hushed And Grim (Reprise)
35. Loscil – Clara (Kranky)
34. Part Chimp – Drool (Wrong Speed) – It wasn’t until this album dropped that I realized just how much I missed the absolute mammoth riffs of Part Chimp. There was that limited-edition release a few years ago, but really it’s been probably 4 years since the last proper record. Crank the fucking volume and let the wall of sound wash over you. [Buy On Bandcamp]
33. Domkraft – Seeds (Magnetic Eye)
32. So Hideous – None But A Pure Heart Can Sing (Silent Pendulum) – Ian wasn’t that impressed with that one but I kind of love moments like the Morricone-y and jazzy bits on “The Emerald Pearl.” It sounds like Envy wrote the score to the most fucked up Spaghetti Western you’ve ever seen. [Buy On Bandcamp]
31. Mono – Pilgrimage Of The Soul (Temporary Residence Ltd)
30. The Inventors – Pictures Of Mountains (Self-Released) – Bongripper did an AMA on their Instagram account earlier this year. Someone asked a question about their favorite albums of the year or favorite local acts (I can’t remember exactly what) and whoever was answering casually referenced this record. At first listen I thought, “Sounds like R.E.M.” I think I’ll pass. But then after a week or two I realized I’d listened to it four or five times and enjoyed it more with each successive listen. I know nothing about this band, know no other albums of theirs, but this was one of my most-listened-to albums of the last few months of the year. Check it out. [Listen To “First Time I Fell“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
29. The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Last Of The Great Thunderstorm Warnings (Full Time Hobby) – Sadly, I didn’t know Jace and Olga put out a new record this year until Nate from Spirit Adrift mentioned it as being one of his favorite albums of 2021. Ever since working with Jace and hearing Volume I for the first time I have been about as strong a supporter as I could possibly be, and I honestly think this is the best record they’ve made since Volume I. It is fan-fucking-tastic. Like a drone-y Pet Sounds is probably the best way to describe it. [Buy On Bandcamp]
28. Wolves In The Throne Room – Primordial Arcana (Relapse)
27. King Woman – Celestial Blues (Relapse)
26. Deafheaven – Infinite Granite (Sargent House) – I was on a plane to Portland this summer when Ian asked if I’d listened to the new Deafheaven album. I said, “Nah. I heard it was too wussy and they abandoned their sound.” His response was, “Fuck that. It’s awesome. The songwriting is great.” So I used my shitty plane wi-fi to listen on Spotify and, yeah. He’s right. It’s the best thing they’ve made since Sunbather. [Buy On Bandcamp]
25. Converge – Bloodmoon: I (Epitaph) – It’s a little all over the place, a little disjointed at times, but man when it all comes together this is nearly as good as the Thou/Emma Ruth Rundle record from last year. The title track is wonderful, and there are a handful more great to brilliant tracks here. As all good collabs should, the result here is wonderful because you can clearly hear the influence of all those involved, and none of them individually could have achieved something this grandiose. [Buy On Bandcamp]
24. Slowthai – TYRON (Method) – The cover of the record might look like something Talk Talk would have put out in the late 80s or early 90s, but the content couldn’t be more different. The question here isn’t whether or not you love this record, it’s which half do you love MORE? The loud or the introspective? I’m a first-half guy, myself. The answer doesn’t really matter, though. TYRON is as distinct as it is invigorating. [Listen to “CANCELLED“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
23. Midwife – Luminol (The Flenser) – If you look the gauzy, dissociative vocals of Grouper and juxtaposed them to slightly harsher instrumentation, you’d have Luminol. Is that…is that an Offspring “Gone Away” reference in “2020?” I don’t even care if it’s tongue-in-cheek or not, it’s kind of hilarious and brilliant. [Buy On Bandcamp]
22. Public Service Broadcasting – Bright Magic (PIAS) – I’m slightly less interested in a concept album that focuses on a selective history of Berlin than I am the space race and British coal industry…but the end result here is undeniable. Public Service Broadcasting is still capable of producing some of the coolest albums you’ll ever hear. I still need to see these guys live at some point. All the clips I’ve ever watched make it look like part magic show, part high-wire act and part concert. [Buy On Bandcamp]
21. The Silver – Ward Of Roses (Gilead Media) – This record has some of the most intriguing, exceptional guitar playing I’ve heard on a black/doom metal record in some time. Like, it reminds me of my guitar virtuoso roommate my senior year of college in a head-spinning way. The mix of clean and “dirty” vocals is brilliant as well. The first listen was a little challenging because it felt so unexpected and disparate, but each successive listen has left me more and more invigorated. [Buy On Bandcamp]
20. Year Of No Light – Consolamentum (Pelagic) – If you don’t count Vampyr, which is more of a soundtrack/reimagining or whatever, this is the first studio album from YONL since 2013’s Tocsin. Talk about making a long wait worthwhile. Some of my favorite post-rock bands (Mono, This Will Destroy You, EITS) hit so hard because they are so skilled at composing super-dynamic songs that play out like symphonies. YONL apply those dynamics to a harsher, heavier “base” (metal vs. rock) and the results are always stunning. I mentioned at the top of this post that pretty much every “heavy” band on this list deserves the title of “heavy band of the year,” but perhaps none deserve it more than YONL. [Listen To “Objurgation“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
19. Low – Hey What (Sub Pop) – Alan and Mimi are still at it, evolving like mad, producing album after album of remarkable tunes. At this point I think we have to declare them one of the best bands of the 20th/21st century. Like, is there a single bad record in their discography? Even the fucking Jeff Tweedy-produced one was good. From 1994 to 2021, this is some Mt. Rushmore-worthy level of ability that deserves serious attention. Way more serious than I’m capable of… [Buy On Bandcamp]
18. Genghis Tron – Dream Weapon (Relapse) – It kind of reminds me of a more motorik, Zombi-like take on the 65daysofstatic soundtrack for No Man’s Sky. I know that’s a lot of references to include in one sentence, but it’s what first came to mind when Ian suggested I listen to this record. I guess the No Man’s Sky reference is apt, as this record is apparently about the end of human life on earth. Maybe it’s got a bit of Astronoid to it, but grounded more in synths than guitars. Whatever the fuck you want to call this musical alchemy, I love it. [Listen To “Dream Weapon“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
17. Cult Of Luna – The Raging River EP (Red Creek) – New CoL EP?! I was so excited for this record I ordered it direct from the band within 15 minutes of pre-orders being announced. And then my copy showed up in the mail and it was damaged beyond any ability to listen to it. Some email exchanges with Johannes I finally obtained a playable copy. I probably embarrassed myself in the process of that interaction, coming across like some entitled collector scum, but I fucking love this band and was bummed that their record was unplayable! Nevertheless, when I was finally able to hear the music (I resisted streaming until I had a physical copy) I was not let down. And if the first track released from their upcoming album is any indication, I can already tell The Long Road North is going to be on my 2022 best of list. [Buy On Bandcamp]
16. Khemmis – Deceiver (Nuclear Blast) – Ian posted some video of Khemmis at Saint Vitus recently and it reminded me how much I miss seeing these guys live. Listening to Deceiver on repeat is a nice stopgap and all, but I really hope we get to a place in 2022 where we can see shows safely, because I will ALWAYS see Khemmis when they’re nearby. [Buy On Bandcamp]
15. Shame – Drunk Tank Pink (Dead Oceans) – In 2018 I admitted that my friend LJP was probably going to get pissed at me for not ranking Songs Of Praise higher than #46 on my year-end list. And, hindsight being what it is, there aren’t more albums I return to from that year than Shame’s debut album. Hopefully she approves of this ranking a little more. [Listen To “Alphabet“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
14. Mare Cognitum – Solar Paroxysm (I, Voidhanger) – Jake Buczarski’s cosmic black metal will always have a spot on this list by default. How high it ranks will depend on just how good it is, and Solar Paroxysm is the best Mare Cognitum record since 2016’s Luminiferous Aether. [Buy On Bandcamp]
13. Vince Staples – Vince Staples (UMG) – Clocking in at less than 20 minutes, this might be the shortest album on this list. But it packs a MIGHTY punch. I’m reminded of that Prima Donna EP he put out a few years ago, capable of inducing laughter and instilling horror in a matter of seconds. The dude is an absolute master of his craft. It was THIS CLOSE to being my favorite rap/hip-hop album of the year…
12. Blackwater Holylight – Silence/Motion (RidingEasy) – When they released that song with Bryan Funck of Thou I thought, “Yeah okay I’ve heard this before…” but the more I listened to it in anticipation of the record release I thought, “Oh it’s actually way different from where Emma Ruth Rundle tread last year.” The dreamy vocals, the more psychedelic spin, it’s unique to Blackwater Holylight. Oh, when the rest of the album dropped it made perfect sense in context. Start to finish it stands on its own as a unique and kickass record. I wonder how Quinn feels that his labelmates are ranked so much higher than him on this list. I’ll have to text him and find out… [Listen to “Delusional“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
11. Godspeed You Black Emperor – G_d’s Pee At State’s End! (Constellation) – I’m not going to review a Godspeed You Black Emperor I think I’ve earned the right to rank one of my favorite bands ever on one of these lists without a dumb explanation. [Buy On Bandcamp]
10. Dream Unending – Tide Turns Eternal (20 Buck Spin) – The best Ian recommendation of this year. Have we used the term “Dream Doom” before? I feel like I almost got there with my many apt descriptors of Astronoid back in the day but this is very different. Atmospheric, 4AD-like, and yet still 100% metal. [Buy On Bandcamp]
09. Grouper – Shade (Kranky) – It’s hard to pick a favorite Grouper record. Cover The Windows And The Walls still holds a place in my heart as my introduction to Liz Harris. Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill is a masterpiece. And after disappearing for a few years post-Grid Of Points Shade brought me back to obsessively combing through her discography and revisiting all my old favorites. This might be as immediate, raw and emotional as a songwriter can hope to capture. [Listen To “Pale Interior“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
08. Mogwai – As The Love Continues (Rock Action) – There are few certainties in life. One is that I’ll never get to hear “My Father My King” in person (that ship sailed a decade ago, I imagine). And yet I keep going to see Mogwai whenever they are nearby. I keep up the tradition some asshole in NYC started twenty years ago by yelling “Don’t do it!” right before the cacophonous refrain of “Like Herod” begins. And I’m always pleasantly surprised when they slip one of their new songs into a set, even if in my heart I’d rather hear “Christmas Steps” or something from 15+ years ago. As a whole, this record probably ranks just behind Rock Action as the band’s most complete record. Don’t gloss over it. Give it a listen in its entirety and marvel at how good they sound from start to finish. [Listen To “Midnight Flit“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
07. Marissa Nadler – The Path Of The Clouds (Sacred Bones) – The little tweaks Marissa has made to her sound throughout her career are what make her such a special songwriter. As someone who unabashedly loved Ballads Of Living And Dying, the transition to Little Hells was slightly disconcerting (until I heard “Ghosts And Lovers” for the first time). Then July came and blew me away, even though it’s a far cry from the sound of Ballads…. On The Path Of The Clouds we get further from the goth folk origins and introduce new textures and a synth noir vibe that is both nothing like “Fifty Five Falls” and fitting for “a Marissa Nadler album” at the same time. All that shit I said about the evolution of Low holds true for Marissa as well. She’s a master of her craft. [Listen To “Bessie, Did You Make It?“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
06. Emma Ruth Rundle – Engine Of Hell (Sargent House) – When she released the second song from her new record, “Return” I was floored. I heard tinges of Mark Hollis, Paul Buchanan, and Jonathan Meiburg…three of my favorite songwriters. Coming off On Dark Horses and the collab with Thou, that song and “Blooms Of Oblivion” were both unexpected and dizzyingly powerful. It might not be the #1 album this year, but it’s easily the most breathtaking and beautiful record of the year. [Listen To “Return“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
05. Lingua Ignota – Sinner Get Ready (Sargent House) – Perhaps the most disturbing um…modern classical album you’ll ever hear? Without getting too far in the weeds, I’ll just say that when I listened to this album a couple weeks ago preparing to write about it, it hit very differently than it did back in August. Even the title of the album has a new meaning. [Listen To “Repent Now Confess Now“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
04. Panopticon – And Again Into The Light (Bindrune Recordings) – Austin Lunn claims this album is mostly about him processing his feelings, disappointments and failures. “This record is dedicated to all those who refuse to give up and continue to struggle for light and beauty in this world.” I think anyone who has had struggles, especially during the past couple years as I have, this message resonates. I just wish I had as cathartic an outlet as Lunn has with Panopticon. The closest I can get to that is this blog. In which case…maybe I’m screwed? [Listen To “Rope Burn Exit“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
03. Dave – We’re All Alone In This Together (Neighborhood Recordings) – Dave’s first album, Psychodrama was a masterpiece. Following that up with anything even close to as ambitious seemed like a long shot, but he absolutely nailed it. People used to describe Earl Sweatshirt to me as a “wordsmith” but I think the inventive use of language on this record is unparalleled. It would be so easy to seize on the energy and response people had to his performance of “Black” at the Brit Awards and try to make a full album of carbon copies. It’s much, much harder to achieve what is done here: go broader, speak to a universal pain, and do so in a way that sounds in no way contrived and as a result is even more impactful.
02. Kowloon Walled City – Piecework (Neurot Recordings) – The Swan Fungus heavy band of the year award is Kowloon Walled City. I cannot even count how many times I listened to Container Ships and Grievances in the weeks leading up to the release of Piecework. I’ve been jonesing for new Kowloon Walled City since…I don’t know, the first days of 2016? Like, mere hours after I crowned Grievances the best album of 2015? The new record landed a couple months ago without missing a beat. Those strained silences between notes, where maybe a simple guitar lick or vocal are left to hang in the air, they are just as tense as ever. This will tide me over for a bit, but as soon as the calendar flips to 2022 I’ll be wondering when the next album is coming…it’s a vicious cycle. [Listen To “Oxygen Tent“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
01. Arab Strap – As Days Get Dark (Rock Action) – I listened to no band more than Arab Strap this year according to my Spotify year in review, and I listened to no album as much as I did As Days Get Dark. On the surface both of those would be reason enough to hail this as the #1 album of the year. But the fact that this is Arab Strap’s first studio album in SIXTEEN YEARS and it still hits so fucking good is astounding. How do you go 16 years without missing a beat!? With lyrics as clever and hilarious and gross and brilliant as ever? With the same bubbling of unease and dread beneath the grimy surface. This record should suck for countless reasons, and yet it soars with the best of what these guys have ever written. The worst thing about As Days Get Dark is that it makes me angry that we could have had like, 8 more of these records in those 16 lost years. Shame on you! How dare you make me this happy and this angry at the same time. Ah, fuck it. It’s New Years Eve. No time for anger. Let’s celebrate. [Listen To “Compersion Pt. 1“] [Buy On Bandcamp]
One Comment
doctorelectron
January 28, 2022 at 10:07 amThanks again for these excellent lists year after year. Hoping next year goes much better for you.