Albums of the year: 2020

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olan
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Albums of the year: 2020

Post by olan »

Possibly a bit early in the year to start this thread, but what the hell. This has been an excellent year for comebacks. Three LPs in my top five from artists who haven't released an LP (under the chosen name) in decades. So my current* top ten reads like this

1. Sonic Boom: All Things Being Equal
2. Cabaret Voltaire: Shadow of Fear
3. The Orb: Abolition of the Royal Familia (particularly the 'In Dub' version)
4. The Wolfgang Press: Unremembered Remembered
5. The Asteroid No 4: Northern Songs
6. Rose City Band: Summerlong
7. Sunda Arc: Tides
8. Carlton Melton: Where This Leads
9. Sault: Untitled(Black Is)
10. Mammal Hands: Captured Spirits

I also hugely enjoyed Miles Davis: Double Image but that is a collection of outtakes from Bitches Brew, all of which were previously available. Live LPs from Mogwai '2018' and The Twilight Sad 'It won't be like this all the time:Live' are excluded but have seen very heavy play play. I've excluded reissues and compilations too or the Deutsche Electronische Musik Vol 4 LP would feature in the list, along with the massive Story of the Grateful Dead box set on Vinyl Me Please

*I'll have forgotten loads of things. There is nothing in the list from Zone Six or Electric Moon which worries me. I may need to make this a top 20 :D .
Last edited by olan on Sun Nov 29, 2020 5:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
One Asian Under A Groove
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by One Asian Under A Groove »

Sault have been an utter revelation for me. Two sensational albums last year, “5” and “7”, then something even better this summer with “Untitled (Black Is)”, which would have easily been my album of year... except they somehow outdid even themselves (for me) three months later with “Untitled (Rise)”. A truly stunning act. Inflo, the producer behind Sault, also produced the amazing 2019 albums by Michael Kiwanuka and Little Simz, and Sault’s singer Cleo Sol also released a really lush album of her own this year.

Here’s my top 10:

1. Sault: “Untitled (Rise)”
2. Sault: “Untitled (Black Is)”
<big gap>
3. Kelly Lee Owens: “Inner Song”
4. Victoria Monét: “JAGUAR”
5. Run The Jewels: “RTJ4”
6. Katy J Pearson: “Return”
7. Samantha Crain: “A Small Death”
8. Roisin Murphy: “Roisin Machine”
9. Moses Boyd: “Dark Matter”
10. Dua Lipa: “Future Nostalgia”
Laz69
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by Laz69 »

Can only think of 9 that i've really enjoyed and went back to repeatedly over this year. Maybe something will surprise me before the end of the year.

1. Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal
2. Helicon - This Will Lead To Chaos
3. Elephant Stone - Hollow
4. Carlton Melton - Where This Leads
5. The Asteroid No 4 - Northern Songs
6. Rose City Band - Summerlong
7. Sei Still - S/T
8. GospelbeacH - Once Upon a Time in London
9. The Warlocks - The Chain
10. ???

First 5 definitely my top 5 of the year. Hard to rate them 1-5 but all up there for me.
stegraham
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by stegraham »

Well, what a year! I'll be glad to see the back of 2020, not only because of Covid and the lockdowns, but I also lost sight in my left eye recently and had to have an operation to fix a detached retina. Hoping to get my sight back over the next few weeks. So, I apologise in advance if there are any strange spellings in this post - easy to miss with only one eye working (and seems to be a bit blurry).

I'm not sure if I have a top 10 this time. I haven't received/heard all albums yet - I've earmarked some for Xmas presents (such as the new Eels, ACDC and Andy Bell albums). I've bought quite a few compliations this year - really enjoyed the Bob Stanley ones on Ace records such as 76 in the shade, Songs for the fountain coffee room, Tears of technology,Occasional Rain etc. Here goes:

Rose City Band - Summerlong
Elephant Stone - Hollow
Asteroid 4 - Northern Songs
Lars & the Magic Mountain - Everything looks good from here (had to buy this after recommendation from this board)
Isobel Campbell - There is no other
The Orielles - Disco Volador
Doves - The Univseral Want
The Luxembourg Signal - The Long Now

Sorry to leave the Sonic album off here but I've tried and it doesn't float my boat. I'll still buy the remix/new version of the album though when it's released. I'll keep listening - it might click one day.

Ste
spzretent
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by spzretent »

1. Spiritualized- Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space 2x LP Vinyl Me Please. I know it's a reissue but this pressing is so good it's like hearing this album for the first time.
2. V/A Southeast Of Saturn: A Michigan Shoegaze / Dream Pop / Space Rock compilation 2 x LP. For obvious reasons if you know me.
3. Pictish Trail- Thumb World LP.
4. Rose City Band- Summerlong LP.
5. Neil Young- Homegrown LP.
6. Foxtrot Sierra & His Uniforms- Ersatz Cowboy D/L only.
7. North Americans- Roped In Lp.
8. The Hanging Stars- A New Kind Of Sky LP
9. Chicos De Nazca- Love Triumph D/L only.
10- Mark Lanegan- Straight Songs Of Sorrow 2 LP.
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nghst
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by nghst »

Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters

My favorite lyric: Keep on kicking me under the table, I won't shut up

Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways, Haven't listened to this much yet

The Sounds: Things we do for Love

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: K.G.

Wes Haney: Dawn, Christian music from the son of my youth minister growing up
Greeny
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by Greeny »

My albums of the year, in no particular order:

Spiritualized - Ladies & Gents VMP - so good I built an entire new hi-fi around it!
Alison Cotton - Only Darkness Now - absolute magic, it evokes a particular English landscape of damp mystery and mysticism, like Exmoor on an autumn morning
Daniel Avery - Love & Light - his best work yet IMHO and a little taste of happier, freer times
Luke Howard Trio - The Shadow - quiet, subtle beauty
Aleksi Perala - Oscillation I & II - he has a certain style and I guess if you don't like it you're rather stuck. But I love it
Denhollander - Birth of a Lifetime - beautifully recorded and full of small details; music lovers' music
A'Bear - Ear of the Heart - discovered her live in 2019 but this is her debut album, Just something different
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith - The Mosaic of Transformation - just for the utterly sublime Expanding Electricity
Shaw & Grossfeldt - Klavier - a regular companion during the first lockdown. A really interesting concept on Richard Fearless' label
The Aliens - Electronville - haven't quite made my mind up about it yet, so this is more in anticipation...
runcible
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by runcible »

Rose City Band - Summerlong
Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal
Texas Gentlemen - Floor It!
Sei Still - s/t
Aliens - Electronville
Foxtrot Sierra & The Uniforms - Ersatz Cowboy
The Cadillac Three - Country Fuzz
The Cadillac Three - Tabasco & Sweet Tea
Psycho Comedy - Performance Space Number One
Phish - Sigma Oasis

I've definitely shifted away from noisier music as I get older. Nothing too loud on that list. The Cadillac Three win the prize as they managed to release TWO new albums this year. And both are great...
Laz69
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by Laz69 »

Greeny wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:50 pm
Spiritualized - Ladies & Gents VMP - so good I built an entire new hi-fi around it!
8) 8) 8) NICE!!!!
Greeny wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:50 pm Alison Cotton - Only Darkness Now - absolute magic, it evokes a particular English landscape of damp mystery and mysticism, like Exmoor on an autumn morning
I find her work mesmerising. A really mystic, dark folk with some beautiful drones. Sounds incredibly simple in its beauty. Never been to Exmoor, but i totally get what you mean 8)
angelsighs
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by angelsighs »

It's possible I've not listened to 10 new albums this year, let alone 10 I loved! so will watch this thread with interest.

I did enjoy the Andy Bell album, to be honest I was not expecting it to be as good as that.
The Six Organs of Admittance album (Companion Rises) was superb, but likely to be forgotten in many of the lists as it was released way back in February.
Carlton Melton great as always. the Mary Lattimore and Magik Markers albums were also good, but I need to spend a bit more time with them.

acts that are brand new to me rather than the old standbys.. not found one for a little while.
spzretent wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 am 7. North Americans- Roped In Lp.
this however I did check out and really enjoyed. it combines two of my favourite things- American Primitive fingerpicking and pedal steel. to echo the comments above about Exmoor, this album also evokes landscapes for me however this time it's wide open american landscapes.
also has to be album sleeve of the year too surely? :)
spzretent
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by spzretent »

It is good isn't it?
The only reason I picked it up is I was at Third Man and they were playing it.
I played it again last night.
Not very Third Man-ish. They are spreading their wings a bit with things like this and that Michigan Dream Pop / Shoegaze / Space Rock LP which sold out completely taking everyone by surprise.
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angelsighs
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by angelsighs »

So did they generally stick to the garagey/lofi rock previously? I guess it pays to expand their boundaries.
spzretent
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by spzretent »

Yes. A lot of blues reissues too which are nice.
They have started to reissue some punk and post punk records too.
Definitely pushing the boat out a bit which is good.
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niamhm
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by niamhm »

Been quite a good yr for new music I feel, about the only thing this yr has been good for, not sure if I bought more music due to there being no live music or not, certainly spent a lot of time with music, 78, 000 hr according to Spotify :shock: Anyway here`s my top 10 and this time it is a top 10, I think in previous yrs I`ve just listed albums I liked that yr but its a hands down winner this yr.

1) Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways,
2) Hey Colossus - Dances/ Curses
3) BC Camplight - Shortly After take Off,
4) A Certain Ratio - Logos,
5)Carlton Melton - Where This Leads,
6)Pigs x7 - Viscerals
7)Thurston Moore - By The Fire,
8 ) Mark Lanegan - Straight Songs Of Sorrow,
9)Fuzz - III,
10) Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal

Honorable mentions in despatches for the War On Drugs, The Strokes, Flaming Lips, Autotelia and Rose City Band whom all provided me with musical entertainment this yr.
olan
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by olan »

niamhm wrote: Sun Dec 06, 2020 12:02 pm Been quite a good yr for new music I feel, about the only thing this yr has been good for, not sure if I bought more music due to there being no live music or not, certainly spent a lot of time with music, 78, 000 hr according to Spotify :shock: Anyway here`s my top 10 and this time it is a top 10, I think in previous yrs I`ve just listed albums I liked that yr but its a hands down winner this yr.

1) Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways,
2) Hey Colossus - Dances/ Curses
3) BC Camplight - Shortly After take Off,
4) A Certain Ratio - Logos,
5)Carlton Melton - Where This Leads,
6)Pigs x7 - Viscerals
7)Thurston Moore - By The Fire,
8 ) Mark Lanegan - Straight Songs Of Sorrow,
9)Fuzz - III,
10) Sonic Boom - All Things Being Equal

Honorable mentions in despatches for the War On Drugs, The Strokes, Flaming Lips, Autotelia and Rose City Band whom all provided me with musical entertainment this yr.
I really enjoyed the ACR and Mark Lanegan LPs. I don't think I've listened to the Bob Dylan album. I must give that a try. I read today he has sold the rights to his back catalogue for $200 million. I imagine that kind of $$$ is useful when you are 78.
:lol:
Fair play to the man.
BzaInSpace
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by BzaInSpace »

One Asian Under A Groove wrote: Sun Nov 29, 2020 4:44 pm Sault have been an utter revelation for me. Two sensational albums last year, “5” and “7”, then something even better this summer with “Untitled (Black Is)”...”
Utter revelation is right.

Thanks for this. This has literally made my year after a year of bullshit, lies and nonsense. I rate a lot of these lists, and given I didn’t post one last year for ... reasons... I will do sooner.

Anyway, (Black Is) almost immediately makes its way to the top of any list.
O P 8
olan
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by olan »

BzaInSpace wrote: Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:52 pm
One Asian Under A Groove wrote: Sun Nov 29, 2020 4:44 pm Sault have been an utter revelation for me. Two sensational albums last year, “5” and “7”, then something even better this summer with “Untitled (Black Is)”...”
Utter revelation is right.

Thanks for this. This has literally made my year after a year of bullshit, lies and nonsense. I rate a lot of these lists, and given I didn’t post one last year for ... reasons... I will do sooner.

Anyway, (Black Is) almost immediately makes its way to the top of any list.
If you like the Sault LPs Barry, then give Loco by A Certain Ratio a listen. The ACR LP isn’t as lyrically clever as the Sault LPs, but it has a lovely groove. ACR were one of the first bands I ever saw. It is lovely that they are still playing nearly 40-years later, and still releasing tunes with a serious groove.
TheWarmth
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by TheWarmth »

Nice to get some recommendations via this thread. Listening to Alison Cotton now.

Here are my favorites from 2020. I prefer not to put them in a numerical order.

Squirrel Flower: I Was Born Swimming
Morrissey: I Am Not A Dog On A Chain
The Strokes: The New Abnormal
JARV IS…: Beyond The Pale
Bill Callahan: Gold Record
Andy Bell – The View From Halfway Down
Tomberlin – Projections EP
Autechre: Sign
Adrianne Lenker (of Big Thief): songs and instrumentals
Holy Sons (Emil Amos of OM and Grails): Raw & Disfigured
Tunng: Dead Club
Lambchop: Trip

I also did a deep dive into jazz this year and have built up a nice collection of late 50's through early 70's LPs. The large majority of them are Blue Note releases. I really have grown to love that stuff. Jackie McLean and Andrew Hill are my two favorite discoveries.
rapideye
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by rapideye »

Another vote for The Six Organs of Admittance - Companion Rises. It's been getting lots of plays this year and I'm working through picking up other releases. I'm lucky in that I can get out and about easily around here for exercise and these releases have sat well with the outdoors under the current circumstances.
angelsighs
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Re: Albums of the year: 2020

Post by angelsighs »

rapideye wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:02 pm Another vote for The Six Organs of Admittance - Companion Rises. It's been getting lots of plays this year and I'm working through picking up other releases. I'm lucky in that I can get out and about easily around here for exercise and these releases have sat well with the outdoors under the current circumstances.
It's superb isn't it? The last one was just kind of OK, more of his traditional acoustic sound but not really pushing into new areas. Mixing his playing up with these new sounds is inspired. I find it a really atmospheric album.

A few people have mentioned the new Dylan, it's good, really good. A few amazing songs on there and even the bluesy ones are not as generic as they can be. But not sure about album of the year material for me.

The Thurston Moore was indeed great, he seems to be hitting bit of a good run at the moment. Spirit Counsel was great too.

As other have said I've been checking out the end of year lists which is good for things I've missed, especially these days when I make no effort to keep up with what's coming out!
The list most in tune with my own tastes seems to be Aquarium Drunkard, lots of good stuff here including reissues.

https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2020/12/16 ... in-review/

This lead me towards the great discovery of Sunn Trio. In your face free form rock with lots of Middle Eastern flavour. Hard to compare but I guess similar to Rangda or even elements of Goat. Check it!

https://sunntrio.bandcamp.com/album/electric-esoterica
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