The purpose of A PLATE OF GRISL is to promote music investment and assist with some music discovery. The usual format puts the spotlight on albums that are up for pre-order, released within the last month (or so), released in the last few years or not new at all (but new to me).
Continuing to trickle out my favorites of 2020 list, here is post two of four.
Hopefully you find something you like!
#15
Caribou – Suddenly
Label: Merge Records
Release: 2/28/2020
This was the first record that I received in the mail during quarantine. I remember being so paranoid thanks to all of the uncertainty of what was going on with the virus that I left the package outside on the balcony for a full day before opening it. When the coast was supposedly clear in my mind I unpackaged the record like Charlie unpackaged the chocolate bar with the winning ticket. Dan Snaith deserves that sort of anticipation because he always delivers. On Suddenly the vibe is uplifting. It doesn’t idle as it freely bounces from hip hop to Daphni-esque club banger to reflective groovin’ beats throughout the listen. I am an admitted fanboy of Dan Snaith in any musical form so this opinion is biased but I highly recommend this one and it would be a good entry point if you are not familiar with his work. Plan on cooking a dinner that takes 45 minutes to prepare and pop this album on. Guarantee you will have a good time making your grub.
You can still get a vinyl copy HERE.
#14
Thou – Blessings Of The Highest Order
Label: Robotic Empire
Release: 6/5/2020
If you have ever had the pleasure of witnessing Thou in concert there is a good chance that you witnessed them cover a song. Their covers usually are better than the original songs (in my opinion). And it is no secret that they have done a lot of Nirvana covers. When this compilation of all of the Nirvana covers they have released over the years showed up on Bandcamp I knew it was going to be the first time a covers album made my album of the year list. They do all of the originals justice by keeping the vibe relatively similar but then make them undeniably Thou. I want to live in a world where Thou is as mainstream popular as Nirvana was. Go snag this from their Bandcamp and re-introduce yourself to some songs that will either bring you nostalgia or make you wonder if you should bother listening to the originals ever again. And that “Territorial Pissings” cover? Hot damn!
Snag a digital copy HERE.
#13
Ils – Curse
Label: Self Released
Release: 7/4/2020
Ils (pronounced ilz) is the kind of noise rock that really makes me miss going to shows in clubs with scummy bathrooms. The kind of shows that you really hope you don’t have to sit down on a toilet at. The kind of shows where you have your eyes closed half of the time but you are throwing your body around 100% of the time. Losing yourself in the swirling tornado of guitars bass and drums all while wearing a huge shit eating grin. Well, I guess you can do all of that at home (other than the bathroom part hopefully) by spinning the band’s incredible record Curse. The waves of sound swell throughout the record but the Portland quartet always provide a safety raft to help you groove through the storm. So go snag a copy of this beast of an album and have a headphone party.
Physical copies are sold out but definitely a must-have in digital format. Go get that HERE.
#12
Rebel Wizard – Magickal Mystical Indifference
Label: Prosthetic Records
Release: 7/10/2020
The realm that Rebel Wizard inhabits is a vicious, brutal and violent place. It is somewhere that survival of the fittest is probably very real. So you have to be fast and don’t look back. That is the feeling that I get when I spin Magickal Mystical Indifference. I love how weird this record is. Wailing guitar solos over thrashed out hyperdrive jams galore. The vocals are lo-fi black metal but they do not distract from the overall catchiness to the songs. Put this on in the car, roll the windows down and go for a drive. And don’t forget, you have to be fast!
As I am typing this there are 38 copies left of the gold vinyl pressing (edition of 500). It comes with a Rebel Wizard patch, too. You know you want that. Go get one HERE.
#11
Clock Of Time – Pestilent Planet
Label: Static Shock Records
Release: 8/21/2020
When listening to this Berlin band’s debut it is hard not to think about Joy Division. But it is if Joy Division went full kick you in the teeth post punk. Pestilent Planet is one of those records that continued to reveal itself more with each listen. Every time I came back to it I would fixate on another component which makes it the record that keeps giving. Pick up a copy and I’ll bet it will be on heavy rotation for a while.
Pick up a copy from the label HERE. Or the readers in USA could go to a local distro HERE and avoid international shipping.
Check out 2020 picks 20-16 HERE
I hope someone out there finds one of these albums appealing. Invest in music. Support musicians.
