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 four of four.
Hopefully you find something you like!
#5
Lawn – Johnny
Label: Community Records
Release: 9/4/2020
New Orleans based Lawn delivered a delightful record at the end of summer last year that should have dominated all of the independent college radio stations’ airwaves. If I had to breakdown the potion that helped bring us Johnny it would include one part Built To Spill + one part No Age + two parts Parquet Courts. Marinate that concoction in a nice layer of social responsibility, kindness and joy for a while and presto chango! Or it is just the genius of Mac Folger, Rui DeMagalhaes and Hunter Keene. This record is fun, serious, silly and will no doubt get your hips moving and head bobbing. For those of us out there that love guitar driven infectious grooves, Johnny has to be good for our health.
You can still get a vinyl copy HERE.
#4
Turtle Skull – Monoliths
Label: Art As Catharis
Release: 8/28/2020
This band should be huge. Turtle Skull are from Australia and according to what I have read online they are extremely connected with the planet Earth and make use of that connection in making their music. It is interesting that a band that continually sends the listener to outer space can be so well grounded! They conjure up some of my favorite psychedelia that I have heard in a long time. I think that it is enhanced thanks to a majority of the listening experience being accompanied by massive droning soundscapes. They remind me of if King Buffalo and Wooden Shjips joined forces for a collaborative album. Fans of all things that rock and all things that are trippy should hop on the bandwagon and check out Turtle Skull. Monoliths is a beautiful record and will knock your socks off.
Need to find some US distro so I can snag this one on vinyl. If you are up for international shipping there are records available on their bandcamp HERE.
#3
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Label: Modular
Release: 2/14/2020
For some reason my friend group has always had something to complain about with Tame Impala. Obviously the band is uber successful so my friends are a speck in terms of how their opinions would impact them. But I have to deal with them so I can complain. With the early records they were pegged as knock offs of classic rock greats like the Beatles. As Tame Impala evolved, they would be knocked for going more electro. With this most recent release they were compared to taking a nap. You know what? I guess I just agree to disagree with my friends. I have loved the evolution of Tame Impala. I don’t think that the records have gotten better as the band/entity has gotten older. I think each one is a classic and The Slow Rush is no different. Their 2020 release is bursting at the seems with lush groovin’ vibes from front to back. If I were to go on a road trip through wide open spaces in the summertime, I would include this record on my shortlist of things to bring along. Magical sounds for uncertain times.
There are various vinyl options available over HERE.
#2
Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin Kynsi
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release: 9/17/2020
No stranger to best of lists on this site in the past, Oranssi Pazuzu treated us to another magnificent record last year. The Finnish psychedelic black metal band continue honing their craft in making songs that sound like they are going to unlock some portal to another dimension. That is no different with their 2020 release, Mestarin Kynsi. Each track is like a house that one of the three little pigs built in the famous nursery rhyme. Well…I guess there are six little pigs in this case since there are six tracks on the album. Each house constructed differently but Oranssi Pazuzu plays the part of the big bad wolf in the unavoidable destruction that ensues. The band tenderizes the listeners brain with long building intros and within minutes they huff and puff and blow the sonic walls down. Weather the storm, it is definitely worth the ride.
You can purchase a vinyl copy (swamp green with mustard splatter) HERE.
#1
Psychic Graveyard – A Bluebird Vacation
Label: Deathbomb Arc
Release: 4/17/2020
When I first heard about Psychic Graveyard there was a lot of excitement because of the associated bands that the members come from. I’ll be honest, I am uninitiated to those bands. So Psychic Graveyard did not have anybody to compare to from my experience. From the very first listen I could tell this was going to be my favorite of the year. When a band can instantly thrust the listener into a freak vortex, sign me up. The duration of A Bluebird Vacation has the listener feeling like the world is passing by in the style of the music video for “Smack My Bitch Up” by Prodigy. For how off the rails Psychic Graveyard goes the lyrics are always deliberate and burrow deep in your skull. In the best way they remind me of the dizzying magic that Black Dice wield and the art dance rock skills that Liars possess. Every time I listen to this one I notice or focus on something new and my appreciation grows.
At the time of writing this there are still some cassette and vinyl versions of this record available HERE.
Check out 2020 picks 10-6 HERE
I hope someone out there finds one of these albums appealing. Invest in music. Support musicians.
