Feature Image Credit: Death Drop Gorgeous
2020 was another great year for music and once again, narrowing down all of the great stuff I have listened to, to just 31 was a really difficult task. Why 31 you ask? I wrote an extra blurb by accident and didn’t feel like deleting it. So have some fun with this, discover new music, and feel free to make suggestions for things I may have missed this year.
There aren’t in any particular order and change weekly
The Best 31 Albums of 2020
1. Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?
In the 2020 world of mainstream pop, the descriptors “retro” and “disco” have been thrown around more recklessly than COVID at a Trump rally and outside of a few synth lines on the albums/songs I am referring to, I am failing to see how these terms apply to what is just mundane, modern, auto-tuned, American pop. Anywho, What’s Your Pleasure is the modern “retro”/“disco” pop masterpiece that is one of the only pop albums released this year that is deserving of those words. Jessie Ware’s discography isn’t my favorite, and in fact her last album is unlistenable, but to see an artist grow and evolve and then drop a bomb like this is admirable. She is back on my radar and I really hope she keeps this sort of spirit alive in her future releases. This is truly a flawless album that I cannot get enough of.
2. Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin kynsi
I fucking LOVE this band, like a lot. Oranssi Pazuzu has masterfully carved out their very own phantasmagorical space dimension in the world of metal that no one even comes close to contending with. This is my favorite release of theirs; I was tranced out and drooling on myself by the end of the last track. Mestarin kynsi compliments their previous full-length Varahtelija beautifully. Grab yourself both these records, a 10 strip of acid, and hit the WOODS!
3. The Kronk Men – 3
My buddy and killer artist Brian David Downs recommended this band to me and holy meat crucifix, I am glad he did! Surfy, stoner rock, post-metal meets old school Don Caballero, I know that’s a lot to mentally piece together, but you need to hear this. Heavy, driving and batshit crazy- one of the best things you’ll hear this year.
4. Liturgy – Origin Of The Alimonies
Liturgy is one of my favorite active bands and I am constantly in awe of what Hunter creates. OOFA takes off right where the previous full length, HAQQ, leaves off. Musically, it is a culmination of all their early works rolled into one monstrous album. It is dramatic, it is orchestral, it is soothing it is devastating; it is such a brilliant and beautiful piece of work that I have listened to it three times now and am still in awe. Give this one a listen ASAP.
5. Exhalants – Atonement
This is some of my favorite kind of music- heavy, noisy, and driving noise-rock with all kinds of fun riffs and shifts. Reminds me of Gravity and Headhunter records era post-hardcore/noise-rock. Atonement is a lumbering romp of everything described above and then some. There were a few other really great releases that came out this year that are in the same vein but Exhalants rule the roost.
6. Lower Splendor – Nocturnal Animals
Speaking of styles of music that I have been dying for to make a comeback, Lower Splendor from Israel come along and rock my world! They remind me a lot of that driving 90’s post punk/hardcore that was Troubleman Unlimited, Gravity, Kill Rock Stars Records. Like Lower Splendor, these bands always kept things interesting by experimenting with untraditional time signatures and tempo changes that were popular with those genres. I was able to connect with this band via my ultra-nerdy Instagram profile Weird_Old_Bones that I created to promote new music/labels and also create a #’d database of like-sounding, bands new and old, for people to discover music. Very friendly and thankful and even sent me some stickers, so keep an eye out for them if they make it to the states and go out and support!
7. Fawn Limbs – Sleeper Vessels
Probably the most violent and vicious album of the year, Sleeper Vesselsis a non-top barrage of grindy, mathy, blackened hardcore. As calculated and sharp as all the breakneck riffs and tempo changes are, the band keeps things nice and noisy which is probably why I like them so much. I have listened to this album over 4x now and I discover something different every time.
8. Pumpkin Witch – Final Strike Of The Pumpkin Witch
A few months ago, Sean Clancy of Child Bite was posting a bunch of albums he was listening to on his Facebook, with interesting bands names like Grandma’s Cottage, Mushroom Village, Pumpkin Witch with an occasional mention of a genre called “Comfy Synth” (very similar to Dungeon Synth), intrigued by this I checked out these bands and fell in love, Pumpkin Witch especially. Definitely more on the Dungeon Synth end of things, the best way to describe them is dark, atmospheric, 80’ VHS Halloween special background music; they are one of those bands where the album artwork and aesthetic heavily match the music. I highly recommend this album, we had it in heavy rotation at the house and it’s pretty damn brilliant. We are working on a 90’s style cable access show that is going to contain some Pumpkin Witch music and hopefully a live performance. Our next full-length film kicked off faster than we thought so things are going slowly in the show- STAY TUNED!
9. Fed Ash – Diurnal Traumas
HARSH AF!!! This is the noise/grind metal album of your dreams! Diurnal Traumas is maniacal and eardrum shredding and I cannot get enough of it. I am very excited about this band and I cannot wait to experience this live.
10. Lithics – Tower Of Age
I am obsessed with this band- minimalist, no wavish, post-punk with all the angular and noodley guitar work you can dream of. This album and their previous full-length Mating Surfacesget get a lot of play in my house and it always puts me in the best mood. Check them out!
11. Shygirl – ALIAS
Dancy, experimental, electronic, hip hop/pop with one of the best album covers ever. Really fun album loaded with infectious hooks and beats.I think Shygirl is about to blow up and I am more than here for it.
12. Cig Oasis – The entire 2020 catalog
Cig Oasis is a one-man musical terrorist straight out of Denton, Texas, who like mentioned before, is home to some of the best and most challenging music being made right now. Here on 11/17/2020, he has already released 31 albums and any one of them is guaranteed to be Grade A, drug-fueled, sadistic renderings of pop music. At times it’s the catchiest music you’ve ever heard and other times it causes hair-loss, hives, delirium, and diarrhea. Cig Oasis also wrote a song for a scene in Death Drop Gorgeous so if you’ve seen it, “Gravy Daddy” is one of his babies.
13. Psychic Graveyard – A Bluebird Vacation
As we all know by now, anything involving this lineup is going to be an unhinged, noise-punk masterpiece and to no surprise, A Bluebird Vacation is just that. From the ashes of Doomsday Student, these maniacs have started playing around with different ideas and sounds including field recordings bringing them into a whole new and weird musical dimension all to their own. So let’s get this COVID the fuck out of here so I can finally see them live!
14. Allysen Callery – Ghost Folk
There could not be a more fitting album title; haunting folk that evokes the aesthetics and feel of a New England autumn’s transition into winter. Allysen’s vocals are supernatural and enchanting atop melodic and brooding folk. The best part about it is she’s a local so I hope to see her live soon.
15. Pyrrhon – Time Abscess
Just when you thought they couldn’t outdo their previous full-length What Passes For Survival, Time Abscess is a more free-formed, primitive, noisier, sludgier, grotesque take on the genre and I love it. It is unclassifiable and intimidating and I really hope they keep heading in this direction.
16. Sprain – As Lost Through Collision
More of my favorite kind of music! You know I love that 90’s noisy, post-rock, slowcore kinda stuff and Sprain are all that and more. Imagine all your favorite Unwounds and June of 44’s and Codeine’s and all the other bands that are generally associated with these names combined into one sonic blob. I am happy to see this band on a bunch of lists this year and they deserve it.
17. Couch Slut – Take A Chance On Rock ‘n’ Roll
Couch Slut is a force to be reckoned with at all times and this album is another feral assault on the senses. This is mean as fuck noise rock and that will put itself out on your upholstery, kick holes in your walls, and barf into your neighbor’s bushes and you’ll love every second of it and ask for more once the last track ends.
18. The Hammer Party – Smashed Hits
What happens when you have members of Six Finger Satellite, Glazed Baby, Silver Apples, Landed, Olneyville Sound System, Whitey, Scarce, The Bevis Frond in a band together? Well, obviously some of the best noise-rock you’re ever going to hear! All 7 tracks on here will make you want to dig out your old Touch and Go and AmRep records bands. Really great band and people.
19. Melkbelly – Pith
Why Melkbelly isn’t huge yet is beyond me, but their new full length is another pop/noise rock masterpiece. Imagine if The Breeders and Lightning Bolt made an album together, it’s a unique sound that only Melkbelly creates. Highly recommend this band.
20. Dropdead – Dropdead 2020
The legendary grindfathers Dropdead released a punishing ripper of an album this year. Not trying to brag but having them as a local band is pretty fucking rad. If your looking for an unrelenting ear beating, check this one out.
21. No Joy – Motherhood
Jasmine White-Gluz has gone solo and created one wild eclectic, eccentric, psychedelic, genre collage of an album. It retains all the melodic and noisy shoegaze trademarks of No Joy and takes it a step further by adding electronics and even more effects-heavy guitars and vocals. There is a lot happening in this album in a good way; the non-stop plethora of melodies are infectious, the song structures and flow are untraditional and you can tell that they were methodically placed that way, it truly is a unique album and fun listen, check it out!
22. Chat Pile – This Dungeon Earth/Please Remove Your Skin
More of that 90’s style. Noise rock revival that I mentioned before but Chat Pile is far more depraved and angry. There is an underlying tone in their music that is truly off-putting and feels like I’m watching a snuff film, and to that, I say mission fucking accomplished. I cannot wait for their full length coming out on The Flenser records.
23. Worsen – Cursed To Witness Life
“This one is for every shit-talking, fence walking, callout culture opportunistic, racist, misogynistic, homophobic, rapist, abusive piece of trash out there. You all have one thing in common. You are all contributors to a weakened world.”- Worsen
I mean, where’s the lie? Brutal and crushing black metal that never lets up. Plenty of bands doing this sound and style but Worsen maintain a level of brutality and smart songwriting that keeps them ahead of the pack.
24. Dirt Woman – The Glass Cliff
When my brain craves doom and/or stoner rock, I will hunt around for something I have never heard before and usually end up disappointed and just return to an album I am familiar with. I am a huge fan of Grimoire Records and will check out anything they release, Dirt Woman being one of them, and yep, this one pretty much checks every single box on the list and then some. This is some of the best stoner/doom metal I have heard in a long; the grooves they lock into hit every neural g-spot in your brain that detects and processes stoner metal. It is absolutely perfect and I have a feeling this band will explode once COVID takes a hike.
25. Shifting – It Was Good
There was such a huge uptick in 90’s, Touch and Go, AmRep records style noise rock this year and it is more than welcomed. It Was Good has exactly what you’re looking for and then some- the plodding rhythm section, the shrill and angular guitars, the songs will slowly drag you through the mud and occasionally through some broken glass
26. Olhava – Ladoga
Stunning, enchanting, and ethereal atmospheric black metal and maybe one of the best to do it? Ladoga is a monstrous and mythical force of nature that better blow the fuck up because this needs to be heard.
27. Riki – Riki
Dais Records is one of the best active labels right now and it is safe to assume any artist on this label is top shelf, and Riki is a prime example. This album came out early in the year and still gets plenty of play. Synthy, new wave, dance-pop that sounds plucked right out of ’80s. I am very excited about what Riki has in store for future releases, really great stuff.
28. Nightshift – s/t
Weirdo, cough syrup infused, experimental indie rock that’s a total blast.It’s rough around the edges and catchy as fuck, you’ll be humming these songs for days after. I hope this band catches on, it’s great stuff.
29. Body Double – Milk Fed
Like Denton, Texas and old Providence, Rhode Island, Oakland, California is another weirdo music hub that has been consistently turning out great things, Body Double being one of them. Containing members of another one of my favorite bands of the last decade, Mansion, Milk Fed is similar to them and their unpredictable brand of no-wavish, noise rock but more steady and straight forward. Aside from being one of my favorites of the year, it is also one of the most interesting and fun.
30. Convulsif – Extinct
A lambasting of avant-garde jazz/post-metal that is heavy as fuck. This is some brutal stuff and there isn’t a whole lot like it.
31. Napalm Death – Throes Of Joy In The Jaw Of Defeatism
Another ferocious banger from the legendary Napalm Death. Hands down one of their best releases yet. The single off the album is actually my least favorite song on the album so make sure you check out the whole album because it rules.
Honorable Mention Albums 2020
As usual, this list is totally arbitrary and based on my own personal opinions, I have listened to over a hundred albums this year and it is so hard to narrow them down even to 30 or 31. These are other albums that I really enjoyed in 2020 that deserve some love, who knows, a week from now they may take the place of someone in my top 31.
Madeline Kenney – Sucker’s Lunch
Radar Men From The Moon – The Bestial Light
June of 44 – Revisionist: Adaptations & Future Histories
Bitch Falcon – Staring At Clocks
Ceremonial Bloodbath – The Tides Of Blood
Special Interest – The Passion Of
Oahk/Abhinivesha – To Hide, To Hold
Karst – Genesis Of Nervous Decay
Jackson VanHorn – After The Rehearsal
Plack Blague – Wear Your Body Out
In Wolves Clothing – It Eats Itself
Diana Crawls – A Glitter Manifesto
Don’t Grow Old – With The Rotation Of The Earth
The Cowboy – WiFi On The Prairie
Leeched – To Dull The Blades Of Your Abuse
Bright Light Bright Light – Fun City
Shaidar Logoth – Chapter III: The Void God
Jackie Kamel – Reel In The Light
Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
Math The Band – Flanger Factory 5
House of Harm – Vicious Pastimes
Spacecamp – Overjoyed In This World
Sleetmute Nightmute – Discography
Coordinated Suicides – Frankie’s Chrysalis/Chameleon Tongue
Simian Cyborg – Participation Prize
Imperial Triumphant – Alphaville