I always look forward to this time of year. The main event of course is the holiday season when I get to spend time with family. But, December is also when we start seeing the year end lists come out. I like to use them as an opportunity to see if there’s anything I missed and to check it out before the next year starts. To me, that is the singular most important part of these lists because at the end of the day, they’re all subjective. We all tend to like different things, so it’s fun to use these lists to experience something you might not know about otherwise. It’s with that in mind that I present my Top 21 Albums of 2021.
These are the albums that kept me going all year. If you’ve followed along with my writing on the site, then you already know my list is going to skew mostly ska, but I promise I do listen to other kinds of music – and some of them even made it to the big dance. I don’t want to be pretentious and pretend my list is the end all be all of year end album lists, but the albums on this list are the ones I enjoyed the most. I hope you enjoy reading about my favorite albums of the year. Hopefully, you might even find a new favorite when it’s all said and done. Thanks for reading. Hopefully you find a new favorite band or album when it’s all said and done.
Before I get things rolling, a short note on the criteria I use when creating my Top 21 Albums of 2021 List:
- The albums have to be released in calendar year 2021.
- The albums are full-lengths with a majority of original material.
- Cover albums, EPs, live albums, and singles are not eligible. (Sorry SKA DREAM!)
That about covers it. Without further ado, these are my Top 21 Albums of 2021.
21. Megawave – Rainbow Heartache
Rainbow Heartache from Long Island’s Megawave is a prime example of why you shouldn’t build your best of the year lists before December. This album offers up a kaleidoscope of influences that blend together beautifully. Pair that with some deeply personal lyrics, and you’ve got an album that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re a fan of emo, indie, shoegaze, or just music with extremely warm guitar tones, look no further.
20. Kmoy – The Precure Album
Telling the story of Val, The Precure Album is an ambitious ska punk concept album that touches on addiction and identity. On the album, Val is used as a representation of Kmoy’s own life experiences. Much like life, the songs featured on the album have many layers, making them a dynamic and meaningful listen. Couple that with Malloy’s soulful voice, and you’re in for an absolute treat of an album.
19. Harley Poe – Uke Puke
I first got hooked on Harley Poe when they did a tour with The Homeless Gospel Choir. Since then, I’ve been addicted to their sinister brand of folk, punk, and Americana. I always get a Violent Femmes vibe when listening to them, and the tracks on Uke Puke are no exception. It’s a testament to Joe Whiteford’s talent as a songwriter that he can make songs with such dark undertones sound so damn catchy and upbeat.
18. Abraskadabra – Make Yourself At Home
I’m always very interested in how folks from other countries express their thoughts about the political and social issues that affect them. On Make Yourself At Home, Brazil’s Abraskadabra doesn’t pull any punches. Blending melodic skate punk, pop punk anthems, and ska music together, this album is a blistering commentary of an oppressive government, feelings of isolation during a pandemic, and the fight for equality. Sound familiar?
17. The Muslims – Fuck These Fuckin Fascists
The Muslims may be my favorite “new to me” band of the year. As soon as the single for their Epitaph debut was released over the summer, I was hooked. What amazed me most about the reaction to the song is that folks were more upset by the song than they were about actual fascism. The Muslims are abrasive and brutally honest – something we desperately need in punk rock today. Listening to this album is uncomfortable at times, but very necessary and cathartic.
16. The JB Conspiracy – Beginnings
I’ve found myself getting more exposed to the modern British ska scene these past two years. The JB Conspiracy is this year’s pleasant discovery. They’re what happens when you mix RX Bandits with Panic! At the Disco, and add in a dash of synth and prog rock. What I like most about this album is that it doesn’t fit nicely in one box. There’s a lot going on here, and it will take multiple listens to really get a sense of just how good this album is.
15. Mr. Kingpin – Introducing…Mr. Kingpin
This album might just be my favorite debut ska album of the year. While there’s some 2 Tone flavor here, Introducing … really draws more on that traditional ’50s and ’60s Jamaican ska sound. If you like trad ska, rocksteady, and even reggae, then this is a must listen. There’s a certain grit and soul present in each song. Also, sticking with the overall flavor of traditional ska music, each and every song on this album will make you want to get up and dance.
14. Czarface & MF Doom – Super What?
Listening to Super What? is bittersweet after MF Doom’s passing in 2020. The follow-up to 2018’s Czarface Meets Metal Face, as expected this album comes with excellent production, infectious beats, and playful wordplay. Czarface continues to build out the mythology of their universe with this album, explicitly showcasing their love for pop culture, comic books, and wrestling. While the album is light on Doom’s contributions, there’s plenty to enjoy here, including a track with DMC. MF Doom will always be one of my favorites, so it was good to hear him one last time (until his next post-humous release comes out).
13. Dollar Signs – Hearts of Gold
I put Dollar Signs on the same level as bands like Off With Their Heads, PUP, and The Homeless Gospel Choir. What all of these bands have in common are their ability to take some pretty serious topics and approach them with a sort of sarcastic humor that makes the subject matter more approachable. On Hearts of Gold, Dollar Signs is at the top of their game. Equal parts raucous punk anthems and more subdued melodic punk, Hearts of Gold is the cathartic punk album we all need these days. After listening to it, you’re left with a hopeful feeling.
12. Mikey Erg – S/T
Mikey Erg is the punk rock everyman in the sense that it almost feels like he’s been in every punk rock band. His solo career has been where he’s done most of his experimentation, but on his new self-titled album, you’ll hear a return to more of his punk rock roots in a sense. Clocking in at just under 30 minutes, Erg’s latest is a sonic blast of melodic punk chalked full of singalong choruses and distorted guitars.
11. Lil Nas X – MONTERO
If you were to tell me at the beginning of the year that Lil Nas X would be on my year end list, I would’ve laughed at you. Up tp this point, my only real experience with him was listening to “Old Town Road” entirely too many times with my daughter. That song didn’t do that much for me, so I honestly wasn’t expecting much from MONTERO. I’m so glad I listened to it though, because it quickly became an album that I would revisit several times. There’s a certain pomp and circumstance surrounding this album that makes it even more fun and engaging.
10. The Freecoasters – A Different Kind of Heat
Ska, reggae, rocksteady, soul, blues, and Southern rock all come together here in such a strong way. The songs are infectious and filled with heart and soul. The songs are vibrant and mature, with driving melodies that makes you want to move your feet. The album is also produced by Jesse Wagner of The Aggrolites. It’s a partnership that I want them to continue because A Different Kind of Heat sounds so good. There’s a grit there that gives it even more character.
9. The Tellways – Out to the Cosmos
An expert blend of traditional ska and reggae music with Motown soul. The care, respect, and reverence the band shows towards the origins of ska music are evident from the opening track. When listening to the album, it feels like you’re being transported back to the ’60s in the best way possible. The heart and soul of ska music will never die when bands like The Tellways are making music.
8. Chaser – Dreamers
You know Chaser has to be good to have the only non-ska album that made my top ten. Dreamers transports you back to the early to mid ’90s when Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords ruled the independent music scene with their specific brands of melodic skate punk. Dreamers is an album that will stick with me for a long time. Its message of hope and perseverance is one I think will resonate with everyone these days too. It packs everything I love about melodic skate punk into its 38 minute runtime. Chaser is the heir apparent to No Use For a Name. They’re that good.
7. Andy B & The World – The First One
Probably the most ambitious album on my Top 21 Albums of 2021 list this year. Andy Baker worked with over 170 musicians on this album to create an epic ska/punk/folk masterpiece. Not only is the album great, but it sounds like everyone was in the same room together working on the album. That cohesion is a testament to how talented Baker is at arranging music. Given lockdowns and a global pandemic, this album took four years to complete, but it was well worth the wait.
6. The Best of the Worst – Better Medicine
If an album releases in January and still makes my best of list at the end of the year, it must be good. That’s the case with Better Medicine from New Jersey’s The Best of the Worst. This six-piece blends ska music, punk, hardcore, metalcore, emo, and even jazz. Written down, that sounds like a lot. For some bands, it might be. Not for The Best of the Worst though. They’re technicians who masterfully merge all of those styles into one enjoyable listening experience. Lyrically, the songs focus on mental health and perseverance. The lyrics are just as dynamic as the music that accompanies them. Ska core is in good hands with bands like The Best of the Worst making music.
5. Catbite – Nice One
There’s always a concern for sophomore slumps when it comes to music. You can immediately dismiss that thought with Nice One. Catbite takes what they did on their debut and kicks it up a notch. While technically a ska record, Nice One also feels like it contains the spiritual embodiment of bands like The Clash, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, and The Romantics. Nice One is a perfect blend of ska music and power pop that I haven’t been able to stop listening to since it came out.
4. Voodoo Glow Skulls – Livin’ the Apocalypse
Even though Efrem Schulz has been the lead singer of Voodoo Glow Skulls since 2017, this album is our first opportunity to hear new music from the band with Schulz at the helm. After listening, it was well worth the wait. This incarnation of the band feel fresh and recharged. You can hear how much fun they’re having again blast through your speakers. I haven’t been this excited about a VGS album since Band Geek Mafia. I hope this new look Voodoo is here to stay because it’s great to have the ska core masters back on top of their game again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch/maxresdefault.jpg" />3. Flying Raccoon Suit – Afterglow
I knew there was something special about Afterglow when I backed it on Kickstarter this year. The album’s core is ska, but just calling it a ska album does it a disservice. On any given song, you’ll be treated to everything from jazz, funk, and Dixie, all the way to metal. None of it sounds out of place. In fact, it’s the most cohesive Flying Raccoon Suit has ever sounded. What I think is a testament to the band’s craft is that despite all of the stylistic changes in each song, nothing feels forced.
2. We Are The Union – Ordinary Life
When We Are the Union released Self Care in 2018, it topped my best of the year list that year. Ordinary Life takes the themes found on that album and expand here on Ordinary Life. What you get is a mix of ska, punk, dreamy power pop, indie, and emo. While the album focuses on multiple topics like mental health and relationships ending, the main through line is the public introduction of lead singer Reade Wolcott coming out as a trans woman. It tells her story and touches on the pain and the dysphoria involved with such a life change, but ultimately, it’s also a celebration of finally being able to live her truth. Ordinary Life is a celebration of life, truth, and music. It’s a winding road that makes you pay attention to every zig and zag, ultimately leading you on the path to self-discovery.
1. Joystick – I Can’t Take it Anymore
I absolutely adore this album. It’s ska punk at its heart, but being from New Orleans, you’ll also hear some New Orleans jazz inspiration and amazing brass instrumentals as well. Out of everything that came out this year, I listened to I Can’t Take it Anymore more than anything else in 2021. Lots of things have changed Joystick since their last album in 2017, and it’s the idea of change that is prominent throughout the songs selected for the album.
For lead singer Duck Tucker, the big change was getting sober. For others in the band, it was marriage, mortgages, expanding families. The folks in Joystick are growing up and it’s evident all throughout this album. The common denominator found on the album’s songs is that these changes led to growth and maturity.
Joystick isn’t afraid to get personal on I Can’t Take it Anymore. The energy and passion fans of Joystick have come to know and love still exists, but the lyrical content just hits differently this time. It’s refreshing to hear serious and thoughtful songs. I love that lately ska bands have been just crushing the stereotypes and misconceptions people have about ska music because of the Third Wave’s popularity in the ’90s.
The courage it takes to put out such personal songs about addiction, recovery, and ultimately redemption, should be commended. There’s a lot to unpack on this release, but it’s oh so worth the effort.
