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 three of four.
Hopefully you find something you like!
#10
Run The Jewels – RTJ4
Label: Jewel Runners
Release: 6/3/2020
After multiple listens to RTJ3, over time I finally accepted that maybe that album just won’t ever click with me. It was a lot of fun but my time as a RTJ can do wrong opinion haver was coming to an end. There was just a lot of “OK, obviously they’re amazing rappers but this song is just fine” moments with the mega star rap duo’s third record. Enter RTJ4. Those El-P beats are back with a vengeance. Killer Mike and El-P somehow seemed to level up when they already had achieved final boss level. The guest spots are chef’s kiss. RTJ4 jumped up to #1 in my favorite RTJ record list. If you haven’t listened to this one yet or just aren’t into rap do yourself a favor and check it out.
You can still get a vinyl copy HERE.
#9
SaneSun Martyrs – Refusal Of Man
Label: Self Released
Release: 10/2/2020
Someday I hope to get a chance to explore Joshua Tree. Until that day comes I will just have to make do with Joshua Tree based SaneSun Martyrs. This record blew me away from first listen. Buckle up, strap some good headphones on and press play on Refusal Of Man for a full speed shred fest of epic proportions. Panting. Sweating. Loving it. That isn’t to take away from their abilities to send the listener to outer space like in “Circuit 5” or title track “Refusal Of Man”. They can get trippy with the best of them. Not sure if this will resonate with anybody or not but it reminds me of a Seattle band from over a decade ago called Wild Orchid Children. They were fungi friendly freak rock and notorious for their rowdy live shows and I am guessing SaneSun Martyrs would be right in that same vein. Give your brain a boost and bop this album ASAP.
Snag a digital copy HERE.
Refusal Of Man by SaneSun Martyrs
#8
Black Wing – No Moon
Label: The Flenser
Release: 12/11/2020
Dan Barrett’s Black Wing has a knack for cutting right to the core. The atmosphere on No Moon is dreary yet uplifting. A listening experience that feels like you are baring your most personal and intimate self with someone that is reciprocating. An electric sea with a steady flow of waves of droning meditation. Whenever I get a hankering for an immersive sound bath to get introspective with my go-to has been Black Wing’s No Moon over the last year. Black Wing was featured back in September 2020 if you want to check that out HERE.
Available on Aqua Blue Vinyl (300 copies), Orange Crush Vinyl (400 copies), and standard Black Vinyl. You can go get that HERE.
#7
Mamaleek – Come & See
Label: The Flenser
Release: 3/27/2020
I absolutely love how unhinged this band can get. Mysterious and abrasive. This San Francisco band channels the Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa collaborative album Bongo Fury. But as if Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa had been chained to a radiator in a dark basement for a few years while only given crumbs to sustain themselves. The music is angry and nasty but can also get pretty jammy and groovin. A real treat if you can survive it.
Vinyl is all sold out but you can still get a digital copy HERE.
#6
Melted Bodies – Enjoy Yourself
Label: Self Released
Release: 9/18/2020
The fact that this band shares a member with indie rock darlings of years past Local Natives blows me away. Don’t get me wrong, Local Natives is good shit. But Melted Bodies is that GOOD shit. The shit that will twist your brain and unlock doors you didn’t know existed in the first place. Trying to refrain from the obvious comparisons but you tell me who they remind you of when you listen to them. If I had a magic wand and I could book a two band headlining tour I would pair this group with Mutoid Man. That would be an unstoppable engine that didn’t mind being off the rails. It would just keep on chugging. If you are looking for some non-cookie cutter metal do yourself a favor and get on Melted Bodies. Have some fun y’all…err I mean enjoy yourself.
Their vinyl is sold out but you can pick up a digital copy HERE. And the vinyl copy didn’t have the sick bonus cover of “The Rat” on it anyways.
Enjoy Yourself by Melted Bodies
Check out 2020 picks 15-11 HERE
I hope someone out there finds one of these albums appealing. Invest in music. Support musicians.
