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My 2020 Music Countdowns [top 100 songs! #10-1]
I was going to draft this all up in another blog post but I've been totally burned out of writing that for a good four or five years now so it's rather moot :laugh: Instead I'll just stick to my tradition of sharing it on here - and now that the Song of 2020 game is over and done with, I can just share what I enjoyed listening to in 2020.
I ended up giving 92 albums and EPs a listen at some point over the year, and whilst some were one-listen-wonders, a good deal of the top 20 spent a lot of time on rotation. I think it was a pretty strong year, all things considered... probably the best for albums since 2016. Anyway, for now I'll post 10 albums at a time with a little writeup about them, so here goes. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._for_Armor.png #50 - "Petals for Armor" by Hayley Williams I'd never really been that much of a Paramore fan, so I wasn't really expecting anything much from Williams' first solo album - but I guess that also means I didn't go into it with anything to lose. It might've been a little too long, but it was a pleasant surprise and a fine way to separate herself from the music of her past. Bloody poor album artwork, though. https://audioxide.com/api/images/alb...l-original.jpg #49 - "The Universal Want" by Doves One of two artists in this list to have been AWOL from the music scene since 2009, Doves are reliable in their ability to produce music in the same vein as Coldplay and Elbow but in a slightly more interesting capacity. They've always been Britain's favourite Radiohead after Radiohead. I just... don't really think this was strong enough to be a triumphant comeback. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...rm_Digital.jpg #48 - "Notes on a Conditional Form" by The 1975 I think this album might be responsible for killing off interest in TiBB's Album Club and I can fully understand why; it's a frustrating listen, overstuffed with a ton of forgettable interludes and filler tracks. There were just... plenty of great singles and buzz tracks in the build-up to it that means I couldn't totally write it off, though, and they've still got the potential to craft a gorgeous pop song. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...za_-_Crave.png #47 - "Crave" by Kiesza Having gone through quite a lot of emotional upheaval since her chart domination in 2014 (the loss of a close friend, a car crash that resulted in a severe brain injury), I expected her (late) comeback to be quite morose and stripped back. Instead, she dropped nine joyous songs that really deserved better from the listening public :( https://img.discogs.com/NPSNcomjFl48...-8367.jpeg.jpg #46 - "Dark Hearts" by Annie Eleven years had passed in the build up to this since her last album, so she was something of an elusive Scandinavian queen whose return was welcome whatever the results. Her 2000s experimental-pop received tonnes of praise (her song 'Chewing Gum' was named the best song of 2004 by Pitchfork) and whilst this was a lot safer, and the landscape of creative pop has widened massively, it was still a nice comeback. https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon...._QL70_ML2_.jpg #45 - "Seeking Thrills" by Georgia I must admit, after the excellence of 'About Work the Dancefloor', I was expecting a little more from her debut. The end result was a bunch of "nice" or "good" songs surrounding its obvious stand-out... but she's still someone with a great production touch and I'm interested to hear more from her. https://img.discogs.com/vvsMNbjWRszN...1-5122.png.jpg #44 - "La vita nuova (EP)" by Christine and the Queens Only six tracks long, but all of them were pretty bloody good. I don't really count EPs as that important, but I'd usually omit them from lists like these altogether so I guess I really enjoyed this more than most. Caroline Polachek pops up on the title track, and that's nice. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...3/Cape_God.jpg #43 - "Cape God" by Allie X I guess I'd sort-of pigeonholed Allie X as someone a lot poppier and more electro-clashy than what was served on her second studio album. Canadians have a knack for surprising music, though, and I feel like with more listens there'll be more to unpack and enjoy. https://img.discogs.com/anL2Jf2Xfrob...-7642.jpeg.jpg #42 - "Rough and Rowdy Ways" by Bob Dylan One of the most well-received albums of the year, but I guess I have a little trouble reconciling modern Dylan with the timeless classics of the mid-60s and as such this was something of a "pleasant" listen rather than anything mindblowing. Some of his finer balladry in recent decades though. https://img.discogs.com/0sMKtCy1tv-U...-8808.jpeg.jpg #41 - "Supervision" by La Roux Reviews for this were a little harsh. I suppose the six year wait since the far superior 'Trouble in Paradise' definitely didn't help, but I think there was enough going on here to justify the wait. It's always hard for early releases to stand out, though, and I guess the excitement had waned since its early February arrival. |
I need to get round to listening to La Roux and PFA
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Supervision had some of her best work muddied with a couple of lacklustre tracks (in comparison, anyway). Definitely underrated as a whole, though.
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FTBC has to win
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...w_Abnormal.png #40 - "The New Abnormal" by The Strokes After 'Comedown Machine' in - I think? - 2014, I assumed the Strokes were dead and buried after their mixed reception to Angles/First Impressions on Earth, and the trashing that album received. So I was more than pleasantly surprised by The New Abnormal - a wholly new take on the Strokes' sound and a huge shift away from their tendency to try and recreate 'Is This It?', with some samples of The Psychedelic Furs and Generation X. https://img.discogs.com/UchWAU0aWe2S...-5940.jpeg.jpg #39 - "Before Love Came to Kill Us" by Jessie Reyez Something of an overlooked release; Reyez's debut in 2020 was pretty explosive and full of the production and mania that you might find in a 2000s M.I.A. record. Between the boastful 'DOPE' and the genuinely decent Eminem and 6lack features, there's a lot to make sure that she should be on my radar for a few years to come :spin2: https://img.discogs.com/2iZKg0MZOYw1...-3794.jpeg.jpg #38 - "Leave It Beautiful" by Astrid S Since placing highly on a Norwegian version of Pop Idol back in 2013, she's been releasing the odd single that's really excited pop fans (especially Scandipop fans, of which I am a proud member)... but no albums. 2020 saw her debut and - at ten tracks long - it's a little bit of a passing breeze rather than anything magnificent, but all ten tracks are very good indeed. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nwAAA...XSj/s-l300.jpg #37 - "Hotspot" by Pet Shop Boys Considering the duo release an album probably as often as they change their bedsheets, it can be difficult to get excited about a new one... but something about this one struck a chord. Perhaps it was the urgent disco of 'Dreamland' featuring Years & Years (did it come before or after the recording for 'It's a Sin', I wonder?), perhaps it's the touch of industrial rock of 'Will-o-the-Wisp'... perhaps they're just always good. https://img.discogs.com/pQaS8VBK8d3K...-4893.jpeg.jpg #36 - "Fake it Flowers" by beabadobee Aside from being exceptionally beautiful, and dominating Tik Tok for a month or so at the start of the first lockdown with that Powfu collaboration, it's difficult to pinpoint what about her made this record (and the singles building up to it) so engaging. She has a very direct, no-nonsense garage pop vibe that can usually be pretty boring, but there's a knack for writing a hook or melody that keeps me coming back. The Line of Best Fit described her as "a beacon of nostalgia for '90s kids", and that's pretty accurate. https://img.discogs.com/Ke28sod7P9Es...-8282.jpeg.jpg #35 - "Zeros" by Declan McKenna Probably just makes this list on the basis that 'Daniel, You're Still a Child' was basically a big nod to David Bowie's 'Fame'. Most of the album felt a little too nostalgic and directly-inspired (in the same sense that Adam Lambert can be very annoying since he's a tribute act at best), but the songwriting here was good and lovely. https://imagescdn.juno.co.uk/300/CS759088-01A-MED.jpg #34 - "Suddenly" by Caribou I'd sort of kept Caribou at arms length since I first found him (I think in 2009, with 'Swim') since he's certainly enjoyable but didn't quite grab me. Truth be told, I probably forgot about him until I heard Radio 1 playing 'Never Come Back' on the way to work one day and it just got my foot tapping. Lot of electro and house moments on 'Suddenly' that were a nice distraction from the world being on the cusp of COVID. https://usercontent.one/wp/www.newsg...ningly-bad.jpg #33 - "R.Y.C." by Mura Masa Pitchfork have a worrying fixation with trashing absolutely anyone who happens to come from the UK, and then someone from the Guardian went all Dezzy and gave it a 1 star whilst savaging the artist without much reference to the album itself, so the reviews for this were somewhat underwhelming... but **** 'em! Maybe there's a reason the Guardian can't keep afloat, and I'll be streaming 'Deal Wiv It' when they inevitably fold in three years time! A lot of different sounds and collaborations here - Clairo, slowthai, Wolf Alice, Georgia - all of which are worth checking out. https://e.snmc.io/i/300/w/1d2953aed3...75787b/8342957 #32 - "folklore" by Taylor Swift Thankfully, the list of publications paid to lie and tell us this was the album of the year was mercifully short. But putting aside my frustrations with modern music press and its fixation with such a bland artist, 'folklore' was a solid album indeed and a growth in songwriting and lyricism from Swift. I just... preferred the other one, and it's still to come in this list :ninja2: and after 'Reputation' the only way was up, really, wasn't it? https://img.discogs.com/mll-AoRcchuj...-6672.jpeg.jpg #31 - "Good News" by Megan Thee Stallion Please tell me why I keep thinking she spells her name Meghan? It just seems an unfortunate setup for a Prince Harry punchline and it's something I need to snap out of. 2020 might have ended up with a side-project of Megan's ending up overshadowing her solo material, and debut album, but if you can look past the post-WAP landscape, 'Good News' was full of enough dynamite that made her fascinating as a solo artist. Maybe we'll all tire quickly of her signature "ahhh" in time, but for a debut album there's enough hits to make sure she endures. |
“Real hot girl ****” at the start of songs is way more annoying than “ahh”
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Seeking Thrills is easily in my top 5 for 2020 and Never Let You Go is probably in my top 50 songs.
Happy to see placements for Caribou, Mura Masa and Christine and the Queen's. :love: |
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...tic_Hearts.png #30 - "Plastic Hearts" by Miley Cyrus It's hard to think of a popstar who had more dramatic fluctuations in quality of output during the 2010s than Cyrus; so it was a huge relief when 'Midnight Sky' came along and stole the show in a year that was already stacked with The Weeknd, Dua and Gaga. The album that followed wasn't perhaps choc-full of treats as good as its lead single, but it wasn't exactly full of filler, either. Maybe that elusive covers album might've gone down better, though. Time will tell! https://i.scdn.co/image/ab67616d0000...25ce3aa56bd991 #29 - "Eternal Atake" by Lil Uzi Vert At over an hour, 'Eternal Atake' can slightly outstay its welcome - especially when there are such duds as You Better Move or Chrome Heart Tags, but there are few people doing interesting things with trap and towards the end of 2019, 'Futsal Shuffle 2020' really ushered in an album that's rich with experimentation. https://imagescdn.juno.co.uk/300/CS762037-01A-MED.jpg #28 - "Color Theory" by Soccer Mommy Whilst by no means a sound that's going to shake the world to its core, or usher in a new genre - indeed it's quite taped to classic indie rock - there was something still refreshing about 'Color Theory'. I spent a good chunk of the year ingesting music like Beabadobee, and this is very much a maturer, American hue of the same fabric. https://img.discogs.com/uxS6WaVx4hYm...-9650.jpeg.jpg #27 - "KiCk i" by Arca The Venezuelan transwoman has been subtly changing the shape of music production over the past decade with a rich catalogue of collaborations including Bjork, Kanye West, FKA twigs, and Frank Ocean - but her fourth studio album was probably my favourite yet. I've had trouble getting into her in the past, because her music is so avant-garde and overwhelming, but maybe the work from SOPHIE, Rosalia and Shygirl helped my weaker, accessible sensibilities. https://img.discogs.com/coApzb3yw-56...-8679.jpeg.jpg #26 - "Energy" by Disclosure It really doesn't feel like eight years have passed since they emerged and shook up the UK charts with their debut record. The hiatus that wasn't really a hiatus meant that this came around a lot sooner than one might have thought, and thank god - because their knack for roping in superstars for unexpected features and surprise hits hasn't faded. Kelis, slowthai, Khalid and Common are on hand, among others, this time around - and the end result is a record that isn't short of its title word. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ue_-_Disco.png #25 - "Disco" by Kylie Minogue Kylie Minogue is not exactly someone that I would say is an albums artist. All of her iconic eras have passed with excellent singles that're usually followed up with a ton of filler; even 'Aphrodite', 'Body Language' and 'Light Years' had plenty of hits and then not much else. So I didn't really go into this expecting anything with longevity. Maybe it was the multiple lockdowns, but I'm struggling to name a dud track here; in lieu of one, is a vibrant, joyous album and a marvellous upgrade on that country nonsense she was attempting a few years ago. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ic_Pt._III.png #24 - "Women In Music Pt. III" by HAIM Anything produced by Ariel Rechtshaid ends up being right up my alley; the man has a Midas touch with me. But that's not to discredit HAIM themselves, because the sisters really needed a step up in form from 2017's disappointing Something To Tell You. Hits like 'Summer Girl', 'Now I'm In It' and 'The Steps' really atoned for that, and you would think - given a year of normality - this would've been the soundtrack to the summer of 2020. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Slow_Rush.png #23 - "The Slow Rush" by Tame Impala Given that frontman Kevin Parker had been spending the five years since Tame Impala's last (Currents in 2015) writing for Mark Ronson, producing for Kid Cudi and The Weeknd, and creating Lady Gaga's worst ever lead single from an album, you can understand my apprehension with their comeback. In some respects, it failed to reach expectations - the production is a lot more crisp and retro in some respects, but also less interesting and experimental than they were on, say, Lonerism or Innerspeaker. All that aside, it was still an enjoyable listen and good enough to excuse the long wait and build-up. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...godly_Hour.png #22 - "Ungodly Hour" by Chloe x Halle We haven't exactly been starved for excellent R&B in the past few years, but even in spite of a wealth of competition, the Bailey sisters managed to elbow their way into the scene with one of the year's better albums and a series of slick awards show performances. They're sure to have bright futures; Halle is destined to be Ariel in an upcoming Little Mermaid remake, whilst Chloe's popped up in Black-ish and horror movies... but it's their music that I'll be keeping on the radar. https://i2.wp.com/www.musicomh.com/w...00%2C300&ssl=1 #21 - "Silver Tongue" by Torres Four albums in now, and all of them have been wonderful. It's hard to undersell Torres, but it's hard for an independent musician to really steal focus when surrounded by the likes of Fiona Apple, St Vincent, Phoebe Bridgers and Laura Marling. At risk of sounding like a patronising aunt, I do worry she isn't getting the attention and love she deserves, because 'Silver Tongue' - whilst brief - packs a punch and is full of that rare thing: rock that's still exciting. |
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Evermore getting top 20 :clap1:
My favourite album of 2020, the lyrics are written so well imo |
Plastic Hearts is sooo good
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Good News deserved higher ! Happy to see it made the list though, amazing album.
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...eeling_Now.png #20 - "how i'm feeling now" by Charli XCX When she released this, so soon after 2019's Charli and somewhat hurried together whilst under lockdown, she almost made the entire pandemic seem harmless and as though it hadn't impacted music at all. Her best album in a long time - and perhaps her very best - HIFN is captivating, full of raucous energy and doesn't really stay into unwelcome territories like some of her previous records tried (be that cheesy pop with 'Sucker' or misguided attempts at big-star collaborations that don't really linger long in the memory, like Lizzo, Troye Sivan or Rita Ora). Her albums can tend to get messy and lack clarity; no such worries here. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...m_Cover%29.png #19 - "Chromatica" by Lady Gaga Charli might have kicked off lockdown with a party but Gaga kept it going with her keen eye for a music video, costuming and theatricality. After venturing down different avenues from her signature style to varying successes - thank you for ASIB, curse you for Joanne x - it was a fantastic return to her electro-pop roots in 2020 that kept the gays nourished. Whether it was the meme potential of the Chromatica II/911 interlude, turning the facemask into a couture accessory at the VMAs, or literally feeding them Oreos, she came back home and boy we missed her :sad: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...fter_Hours.png #18 - "After Hours" by The Weeknd Another artist who spent most of the 2010s experiencing diminishing returns came back this year with one of the biggest surprise pop records: The Weeknd has long disappointed since his R&B mixtapes at the turn of 2011, with grating pop singles scattered in among the great ones and turning most of his albums into forgettable dreck. No such issue here: 'After Hours' is a glorious 80s revival and whether he and Dua did it subconsciously or not, they really took the whole Stranger Things nostalgia high and smashed it out of the park. https://static.stereogum.com/uploads...94-300x300.jpg #17 - "Shore" by Fleet Foxes I'm sure I enjoyed 2017's 'Crack-Up' at the time, but perhaps it was the doom of 2020 that made this arrival on the horizon seem like a long lost friend; the folk band have been turning out stunning music since 2008 and 'Shore' isn't really any different. It feels at once sunkissed and snow-sheltering; a warm blanket or a cooling fan depending on your mood. https://img.discogs.com/hcgy4T64DUZs...-3863.jpeg.jpg #16 - "Saint Cloud" by Waxahatchee She's always been a name that's been on my periphery, but it took me until 2020 to try an album and I was hooked. A little more on the country side of things than a folk record, 'Saint Cloud' is high in the top tens of various music publications for a reason. It's poignant, it's pretty, it's inspirational and it's incredibly feelgood. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...m_Cover%29.png #15 - "Future Nostalgia" by Dua Lipa I've already alluded to Dua's embrace of classic sounds above, so there's not much else to say really. She's dominated much of 2020 just as she has for the past four years; and whilst the constant flow of singles and collaborations has sometimes resulted in underwhelming material (looking at you, Calvin Harris), the idea to centre an album around this disco was inspired. Especially in a year that was yet to usher in others' discos (Kylie, Sophie Ellis-Bextor). Just: whatever you do... ignore the remix album. That was a mess. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...-_Evermore.png #14 - "evermore" by Taylor Swift Treated very much as an afterthought by music critics as they continue to heap praise upon 'folklore', my preferred of Swift's two LPs in 2020 was definitely the latter. The lyrics are more striking and personal - whether it's the tribute to her grandmother on 'Marjorie', a former friend on 'Dorothea' or conspiring to commit revenge-homicide on 'No Body, No Crime' - and there's something more cosy and familial about this record than her other release. A very fine Winter comfort indeed. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...m_Cover%29.png #13 - "Gaslighter" by The Chicks Some bands are capable of changing their band names to avoid racist connotations without simultaneously suing artists of colour, and that's a nice breath of fresh air, isn't it? I wasn't familiar with the Chicks' music they put out during the tribulations of the Bush administration, so this wasn't so much a stellar comeback as a stellar introduction for me. Handled masterfully (as usual) by Jack Antonoff (recent albums with Lorde, Lana Del Rey, and the lady just above), this album unpacks one of the member's divorce with a heartfelt fragility. One particular highlight is 'Young Man', addressed to the divorcee's adolescent children, and there's something tender about the lines "You're of me, not mine. Walk your own crooked line, I promise you'll be fine. Take the best parts of him as your own life begins. Leave the bad news behind you". https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...digital%29.png #12 - "Sawayama" by Rina Sawayama I only really listened to this for the first time just before (or after) Christmas, so I'm still catching up with her hype (although maybe the release of the disappointingly generic 'LUCID' months after this album killed the buzz somewhat? Discuss below). It was a slow burner for me, but really kicked into full swing around the middle of the runtime. Some great singles and music videos, that might've benefitted more from a year where we weren't confined to our bedrooms. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Sumney%29.png #11 - "Græ" by Moses Sumney Aside from literally looking like a model, Moses Sumney had something else to stun with in 2020: Græ is an incredible project full of rich, lofty ideas and performance art. He's described often as the male version of FKA twigs, perhaps just because of the performative nature of his videos, but there's a quiet, soulful element to his music that sets him apart from her. |
...so wonderful to see you rate Waxahatchee/Saint Cloud so high, Shaun ...she’s someone that I’ve been watching for quite a while and she’s pretty incredible...:love:...also Moses Sumney/Græ...I think it was LemonJames who introduced me to Moses back in the day and I would say, he’s one of my top listened to, artists...:love:...
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...lots of these I haven’t heard the album yet but I’m enjoying the countdown...
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:clap1:
Evermore is defo the better album of hers Tis the damn season, tolerate it, long story short, majorie, evermore and right where you left me are all amazing |
...something tells me, DouglasS...you might be a Taylor fan...:laugh:..just a little wild guess...strangely I was just listening to Lover....the track, not the album...
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The production on chromatica ruined it for me. Easily the worst production on a GaGa album yet and ruined what would’ve otherwise been an amazing album. Hearing the leaked version of babylon makes me wonder what this could’ve been if bloodpop didn’t get their grimy hands on it (they also worked on lucid by Rina, noticing a pattern?)
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Oooh, a few albums to listen to that I haven't before. I'm glad Rina scored high, her album was one of my favourites this year.
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I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Chicks album, deffo a stand out for me this year
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No surprises as I'm a huge Strokes fan but happy to see the New Abnormal in there. It's their best album for years ( Although I did enjoy 2016 EP Future present past), completely different to their early music and definitely my album of the year! Also good to see HAIM's WIMPIII in there, love it :blush:
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Thanks for the comments all, I was expecting this to get buried without a trace :love: I haven't even thought about the order I want to put the songs in yet so I'll quickly finish off these albums and get to work trying to make sense of that :skull:
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ntaines_DC.jpg #10 - "A Hero's Death" by Fontaines D.C. I'm hard-pushed to name a song that better kicks off an album than "I Don't Belong" does here; the Irish post-punk band came along with a second release in as many years and there's something so Joy Division and misanthropic and menacing about this record that really gave me chills at times. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...thropocene.png #9 - "Miss Anthropocene" by Grimes Look, no one who calls themselves a Grimes fan is really enjoying the bizarre soap opera of her personal life over these past couple of years. As a matter of fact, I'm starting to feel like my 2012 music tastes have been cast a spell upon, to turn into spectral ghouls in 2020/21 turning up at the Capitol, sacrificing cats and chickens, and marrying the richest man in the world and birthing his unpronounceable children. All I'm saying is: the madness is a little easier to take when her foot isn't easing off the gas in terms of the quality of her music output. There are elements of house, her signature ethereal voice whispers into your ear as you fall under her spell, and the club mixes combine to make this one of the most alienating and fascinating records she's released. https://img.discogs.com/3T72Jd1GXIdv...-7149.jpeg.jpg #8 - "We Will Always Love You" by The Avalanches Sneakily dropped off at the very end of 2020, I'm still unpacking this 26-track monster by the Australian mashup kings... but at least we didn't have to wait another 15 years since Wildflower. WWALY presents itself as a pretty bleak and morbid record, dealing with concepts like death, grieving and leaving an impact on the world, but to expect bleakness from the Avalanches seems naive. Indeed, by track 10 we're in the throes of a disco, worshipping the sun. There is a notable increase in collaborations here: legends past (Tricky, Neneh Cherry, Johnny Marr) and present (Jamie xx, Blood Orange, Denzel Curry) are thriving, and putting together an album with the scope that only the Avalanches can really imagine. https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon...._QL70_ML2_.jpg #7 - "What's Your Pleasure?" by Jessie Ware I'm at the point now where I have nothing but praise to lavish upon these albums, because Jessie Ware really did save music for a brief period this summer with one of many great 2020 disco records. This was inarguably one of the greatest: a modern pop classic that stands up well next to the likes of Robyn's Honey. Not one filler track dampens the urgency to dance, and Ware's voice serves as a soothing tonic throughout. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02...g?v=1590070423 #6 - "Song For Our Daughter" by Laura Marling I have to admit that there have been times, since 2008, where I've reacted to the news of another Laura Marling album with this energy. 2015's Short Movie and 2017's Semper Femina, in particular, underwhelmed me somewhat, so I was tricked not only by this album's title (no such daughter, yet) but also its content. SFOD is comfortably her greatest yet, or at least tied with Once I Was an Eagle, and whilst there have been hundreds of comparisons to Joni Mitchell over the past decade and a bit, there's never really been a voice - until now - to warrant the flattery and make it seem accurate. https://i1.wp.com/www.goldenplec.com...00%2C300&ssl=1 #5 - "Róisín Machine" by Róisín Murphy Murphy's solo material has always been good; I remember finding a track that was particularly memorable on some American dance TV competition (that song was Ramalama (Bang Bang)) way back in the middle of the 2000s and found it utterly bizarre and disconnected from the hits she'd released under the name of Moloko. I was only a teenager susceptible to pop and commercial rock at the time, so held it at an arm's length, but over time her music has grown on me considerably - and her cool drawls on some of this Machine are like those of someone whose authority cannot be questioned. She's the queen of dance music, and it never really seems in doubt at any point during this record. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...els_-_RTJ4.png #4 - "RTJ4" by Run the Jewels They've only had the time of, oh, just the Trump presidency to mull things over and put out their fourth record, so when it dropped it felt less atomic than they have done in the past, perhaps only because we'd become so desensitised to the bull**** going on in America since 2016. I've always adored the duo; their rhymes and potency are matched only by Kendrick Lamar in recent years, and their ability to combine old-school sounds with modern production techniques just makes their material all the more explosive. https://img.discogs.com/pcI5stjdB1gy...-3320.jpeg.jpg #3 - "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" by Fiona Apple If this placing shocks you: please accept my apologies, because trying to set apart this top 3 when I gave them all the exact same score has been a nightmare. All three will surely go down as some of my all-time favourites: but let's first talk about Apple. Aside from being the latest in a long line of Scott username changes, FTBC stole every award in 2020 and it's hard to argue with that; few musicians channel the same emotional energy and poetry that she able to wield, and pairing that with sublime instrumentals means this, and she, is a match made in heaven. I've placed it below the other two purely because I've listened to - and wanted to listen to - the other pair more; there's not really any reason to call FTBC anything less than perfect. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Genius%29.png #2 - "Set My Heart On Fire Immediately" by Perfume Genius I sort of curl up into a ball and feel like sobbing with every Perfume Genius release, and they've all been good - but this was something else. His voice is always shaking with emotion and fragility, but an amping up of the orchestration on this record made it feel like he was finally playing out on IMAX. Classic rock and roll balladry kicks the record off with 'Whole Life', but we're taken on a journey that takes on psychedelic elements ("Jason"), baroque stylings ("On the Floor") and cold, metallic industrialism ("Your Body Changes Everything"), and the end result is a record that explores sexuality, body dysmorphia and the human spirit with a master touch. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/02...g?v=1591462185 #1 - "Punisher" by Phoebe Bridgers So then: my favourite album was in my avatar the whole time. Don't let the anticlimax take hold, though, because Punisher deserves to be heard. The list of people who've contributed to this record in some way is astronomical, with help from members of Warpaint and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, producers of Fiona Apple and long-time collaborators like Conor Oberst... and in a way the list makes sense because the end result is something so rich and well put-together; every drumbeat precise and strategically placed. There's poppier, catchy elements like on 'Kyoto', but I think the thing that swayed this as being my record for 2020 came on its closing track "I Know the End"; there's surely no better descriptor of 2020 than hearing "the end is here" blast through your headphones, only for it to feel reassuring rather than frightening. |
Fetch the Bolt Cutters is a top ten album ever for me, I know that sounds crazy because of how long it has (or hasn't) been out but it's so good and memorable in everything from lyrics to music.
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...I was hoping that your profile pic was a clue, Shaun...although the top 3 especially are all amazing albums, Punisher would have been a personal top for me as well.../...her lyrics, just stunning from beginning to end.....:lovedup:...
....thank you, thank you...such a highlight thread..:love:..and also thank you for the Album Club last year because without that, I wouldn’t have been familiar with so many of the top albums...:love:.. |
I'm gonna try and rush together the songs countdown now, but in the meantime, here's every other album I listened to that didn't quite make the list (in order from best, to worst)
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Right. Slight disaster narrowly averted - forgot to put 'Midnight Sky' in my list when it came out. Everything else has been taken from a Spotify playlist I've been building over the year (checking out every New Music Friday), so I hopefully haven't missed something major... but there's always the chance something didn't really grab me on release but has since grown a lot. Oh well. C'est la vie.
I don't really have any concrete system for ranking these - ie. if I've put something at #94, is it necessarily worse than the song at #93? No - but it's just an easier format to present it in than to just drop 100 songs on you and expect you to listen to them all :spin2: ANYWAY. Preamble over, here's the first ten... #100 - "Oh! Euphoria!" by Twin Atlantic I'm gonna keep these write-ups brief because there's a bloody hundred of them. The album the Scots released this year wasn't brilliant, but I still really liked its opener. #99 - "Weird!" by Yungblud I'm probably double the age of his target demographic, but that doesn't mean this wasn't one of the more interesting things been pimped by Radio 1 this year! #98 - "No Sweat" by Jessie Reyez A little short-sighted leaving this off the album, because it was better than anything on it. Super dancey, catchy and fun. #97 - "No Shame" by 5 Seconds to Summer is this the portion of my countdown where I get all of the things out I'm a little embarrassed to like? yes! yes it is! #96 - "Better Off Without You" by Becky Hill & Shift K3Y She might not really shake up her signature sound, but why would you when it's as catchy as this? #95 - "Know Your Worth" by Khalid & Disclosure There've been a couple of projects worked on by this pair together over the years, but this has probably been my favourite. Very feelgood, and not just literally and lyrically. #94 - "Chasing Rainbows" by Big Freedia & Kesha After guesting on Kesha's last album, 'High Road', the favour was paid back on a much better song. #93 - "I Can See The Change" by Celeste Got to feel sympathy for Celeste; 2020 was written down to be 'her year' and then... everything happened. Luckily, she's releasing her debut album tomorrow. This'll be a better year. Right? :worry: (her voice is gorgeous on this song) #92 - "I Don't Know Why" by NOTD & Astrid S The Norwegian popstar really kicked into gear in 2020, and there's more of her to come on this list. This song though... pure joy. #91 - "Shh... Don't Say It" by FLETCHER Truth be told... I don't know anything about FLETCHER. This was very much a random discovery, letting one of those New Music Friday playlists play a little longer than usual. Fantastic song, though, and she happens to be beautiful. |
I found Fletcher in the middle of the year, her “You Ruined New York City EP” was cute and Forever was a bop, haven’t heard Shhh so I’ll check it out later :dazzler:
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She seems like someone who's on the rise (or at least was prior to touring being a thing of the past :worry: was due to open for Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan)
#90 - "Never Come Back" by Caribou I have a pretty bad headache as I'm writing this, so the video (and, tbh, the song itself) is not really what I want in my life right now... but for a good chunk of the year it's been a bop! So it'd be cruel to omit it now! #89 - "Break Up Song" by Little Mix Girlbands borrowing heavily from the 1980s is always going to be something on my radar, especially when it's a rare great single from one of the most middling pop acts around right now. #88 - "Elevator Girl" by Shura & Ivy Sole Dropping this as an extra little treat after her album in 2019, 'Elevator Girl' was a surprising new sound for Shura - channeling a little bit of Erykah Badu or Thundercat. #87 - "Vulnerable" by Selena Gomez It's extremely rare for me to give Miss Gomez the time of day, but kudos to whoever produced this for her. Understated, and yet catchy as hell. #86 - "Broken Glass" by Kygo & Kim Petras If you, like me, thought that Kygo was a fad from 2015 that should be left in the past - perhaps consider this alternative, because it's something that made summer a little more fun. #85 - "Homecoming" by Lil Uzi Vert I very much hold the whole trap genre with little more than contempt, but the beat on this was something... I actually wanted to listen to :omgno: #84 - "B.S." by Jhené Aiko & H.E.R. I've really enjoyed Aiko's laidback, honey-like voice for a few years now... unfortunately 'Chilombo' was a boring listen for me, but it did contain this gem. #83 - "Hold Out" by Sam Fender Another singer dropping a *turns out he released another in November. Oops. Misinformation everywhere! #82 - "Algorhythm" by Childish Gambino Uuugh... when he gets it right, he gets it right. Glover's album in 2020 was a huge misfire; a whirlwind of muddled production and confused themes that just didn't inspire me at all. This was one of the more interesting cuts from it; an industrial nightmare that's menacing in all the right ways. #81 - "Experience" by Victoria Monét, Khalid & SG Lewis Someone who's almost destined to be huge when she finally drops an album rather than some EPs; this is a gorgeous, summery disco anthem that should've enjoyed as much success as your Say Sos and your Hallucinates. |
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Going back to albums (soz) I would STRONGLY recommend The Angel You Don't Know by Amaarae. :love: it's had a lot of critical acclaim but not the amount of hype it deserves.
Plenty of excellent choices tho |
..(...I’m listening to the album now, James...her voice is sensational...:lovedup:..)...
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Missed yesterday's so here, have twenty and don't tell your mum
#80 - "Don't Think" by The Big Moon I must have missed their 2017 debut, but they dropped off a sophomore effort at the very start of 2020 and this was my favourite cut from it; sort-of disco, sort-of Arcade Firey, sort-of ABBAesque. #79 - "Bury Us" by The Naked and Famous The New Zealanders have been dropping wonderful pop singles for over a decade now, with fading popularity :( this was a joyous start to the year, though. #78 - "My High" by Disclosure, slowthai & Aminé Their sound is usually a lot more chilled and gentle, so this single came along as a bolt of lightning, really. I guess it shook up a lot of people, because it's been nominated for Best Dance Recording at the upcoming GRAMMYs. #77 - "Only Time Makes It Human" by King Princess Something about this music video creeps me out, but the song itself is a super-catchy, sexy, breezy follow-up on her album from the year prior. #76 - "Champagne Problems" by Taylor Swift Something about the lyrics on this track just struck me as engaging. It touches upon mental illness in with a delicate tenderness and is one of her best ballads she's ever written. #75 - "Oh No" by Biig Piig Love the production on this - incredibly understated and yet full of sweeping sound effects and atmosphere. #74 - "Diamonds" by Sam Smith Sam Smith has really come into their own as an artist and a performer since the stiflingly safe debut record full of radio-friendly ballads. They're more known for upsetting just about everyone with interviews and personal revelations now, but the music in 2020 was, at times, sublime. People loved to make fun of George Michael until he died; hopefully we don't go down that avenue again. #73 - "Let Me Love You Like a Woman" by Lana del Rey Coming off the back of one of the 2010s' best albums was always going to be difficult, and for a time the buildup singles to the upcoming Chemtrails Over the Country Club had a lightly underwhelming hue. This was a snap back to goodness, though. #72 - "The Difference" by Flume & Toro y Moi A song has to be really ****ing good to stand out if it's only 2:20 long... and I just found myself coming back to this when I wanted something to dance to. There's an extended mix, thankfully. #71 - "Forgive Me" by Chloe x Halle My favourite track from their album was this: a slick, layered production with gorgeous vocals, choreo, a fine selection of leather and PVC and one of the best videos of the year. #70 - "Head & Heart" by Joel Corry & MNEK Okay, so Corry's singles have stuck to a pretty rigid formula and it's not the most groundbreaking material, but lord that man knows how to craft a hook. I've genuinely enjoyed all of them so far, and it was a toss-up between this and 'Lonely' for this list, but in the end MNEK's vocals and performances on various TV shows have given it the edge. #69 - "The Adults Are Talking" by The Strokes Could honestly be taken straight off of Reptilia or Is This It? So, so good and one of the most convincing returns to form in recent memory. #68 - "Automatic Driverl" by La Roux Quite suprising that this wasn't the lead single, to be honest - there's a lot going on and I keep finding new favourite elements in the instrumentation and the structure of it. #67 - "Relay" by Fiona Apple I'll let Apple explain it herself: "I wrote the line, “Evil is a relay sport, when the one you burn turns to pass the torch” when I was 15. I just always liked it. [If] you get burned by somebody, when the person who burns you doesn’t acknowledge it — which rarely happens to people, acknowledging when they’ve burned you — it turns into you not knowing what to do with it. Then you just put it on somebody else. The assault when I was 12 made me think about innocence and guilt and forgiveness. It made me think about a lot of big things. Because the first thing I did after it happened was pray for him. But you can’t stop at praying for them. You have to hold them responsible. The Kavanaugh hearings in 2018 brought on a lot of **** to deal with. I don’t know what it is, that guy. There are so many of them out there, but that one guy — the fact that he’s on the Supreme Court really is probably the thing, but his ****ing attitude is just like — it was the externalized version of what you know a lot of them are feeling inside. Just this indignant, “How could you be mad at me? Don’t make me suffer. But I’m married, but I have kids, so I can’t be a bad guy. But I was just young, don’t be so mean to me, that girl’s being mean to me.” Oh my God. Thank you, ****ing Brett Kavanaugh, for letting my anger see the light of day: Thank you for being so horrible." #66 - "Hallucinate" by Dua Lipa This was definitely the track that jumped out at me the most from when Future Nostalgia dropped (and I had burned through the love for Physical). Something very turn-of-the-century about it, channelling all those classic dance-pop singles like Stardust, Daft Punk or Madison Avenue. #65 - "The Recipe" by Aluna, KAYTRANADA & Rema She went solo this year and dropped a string of singles, but I'm unsure if an album's materialised or not. This was the best one, teaming up with one of my favourite producers and creating an infectious rhythm #64 - "Take Yourself Home" by Troye Sivan Sivan is already one of the most dependable stars in pop today; guaranteed to come back with something with a groove, an effortless ease, and an unmatched listenability. #63 - "Care" by Beabadobee Something about Gen-Z really seems to have taken the culture of the early 1990s to heart; from the aesthetics of shows like Sex Education to the unapologetic revival of grunge-pop best showcased this year by Beabadobee. A slight tinge of the poppiest sides of The Cure, and a smidgen of New Radicals about it too. #62 - "UN DIA (ONE DAY)" by J Balvin, Bad Bunny, Tainy & Dua Lipa Had 2020 been a regular year, and people were able to flock to bars and rooftop terraces, I would've placed a bet on this being the song of the summer. Extremely carefree, sunny and infectious. #61 - "Anyone But Me" by Joy Crookes I'm really excited to hear more from Crookes, because she's demonstrated, on this track, an ability to channel intense beauty from a fraught mind. |
...Joy Crookes is a someone that I just discovered last year, she’s pretty sensational...:lovedup:...
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What can I say? I'm inconsistent, girls!
#60 - "pov" by Ariana Grande Trying to find the good in any of Grande's recent releases can be an arduous effort; one that was made slightly easier in 2020 with the presence of this slow-building bedroom jam. #59 - "Young Man" by The Chicks I already mentioned this song specifically in my albums countdown for its lyrical theme: delivering advice to her sons during her divorce. Strikingly beautiful. #58 - "yankee and the brave (ep. 4)" by Run the Jewels This is the opening track to a raucous album that's full of ambition to destroy capitalism, police brutality and bipartisan politics... I wasn't aware of this music video before I wrote this up, so this was a fun surprise. #57 - "Savage (Remix)" by Megan Thee Stallion & Beyoncé Perhaps COVID-19 offered one positive: nobody had to witness a legion of embarrassing white girls try and dance to this. #56 - "Paradisin'" by Rina Sawayama On the flip-side, I could have tolerated those same girls doing this dance to this https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vMZeE_Rz2...e18go1_500.gif #55 - "Breaking Me" by Topic & A7S OCCASIONALLY one of the songs that ends up dominating the charts for the better part of half a year is actually really bloody good. #54 - "KLK" by Arca & ROSALÍA Legendary latin women from either side of the Atlantic teaming up to produce a twerkable electrobanger? Yes please! #53 - "Magic" by Kylie Minogue Say Something was nice, but seeing y'all vote in droves for it over this masterpiece was a real kick in the face :oh: #52 - "Ego Death" by Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West, FKA twigs & Skrillex Love the production on this; as unpredictable as the four artists involved. #51 - "My Tears Ricochet" by Taylor Swift Comfortably folklore's best song; a sombre, dignified take on her usual lyrical trope (middle finger at an ex). #50 - "Conveyor" by Moses Sumney Performed live, it's even more astonishing - so much is going on musically that it takes an artist as commanding and intriguing as Sumney to really hold focus and deliver a compelling vocal. #49 - "In Your Eyes" by The Weeknd Every bit as good as his other song that dominated the year (despite being released in 2019); In Your Eyes makes the list if only for that saxophone solo. #48 - "Boss Bitch" by Doja Cat Admittedly, it's a little corny to release something like this to accompany the Birds of Prey soundtrack... but removed from the whole DC franchise and its "i draw skulls on my diary" aesthetic, the song is a banger and packs a lot into such a short time. #47 - "Impact" by SG Lewis, Robyn & Channel Tres So aside from creating excellent productions for other artists - Victoria Monet, Rhye, AlunaGeorge, Clairo, Ray BLK - Lewis also threw out this track this year and managed to convince the queen of electropop herself to provide a vocal. He releases an album this month, and on the merit of this, I'm incredibly excited. #46 - "Peppers and Onions" by Tierra Whack Certainly the year's best song where its hook is a whistle; Tierra Whack has demonstrated an incredible creativity and is one of the most exciting artists today. #45 - "Therapy" by Duke Dumont It's already been a few years since Dumont's last chart hit, but since dominating the UK with songs like Need U (100%), I Got U and Won't Look Back he's gone and fully embraced the house genre. This could easily sit alongside the classics from the 90s... and kudos to Sharlene Hector for an amazing voice. #44 - "No Time To Die" by Billie Eilish I truly don't envy anyone the pressure of trying to craft a Bond theme; the weight of British gammon on your shoulders must be hard to bear. This will have, most likely, divided fans of film - but musically I think it's spot on. Dark, eerie, delicate and gentle, it's got just such an engrossing atmosphere about it. I would go so far as to say I prefer it to Skyfall. #43 - "Only the Strong" by Laura Marling Something I just felt myself sinking into upon its release; extremely comforting, and assured in its delivery. #42 - "Lilacs" by Waxahatchee This song reminds me a little of Alanis Morissette at her peak. There's a clarity about the lyrics and a homely sensability about it. #41 - "death bed (coffee for your head)" by powfu & Beabadobee One of many songs that came to prominence thanks to TikTok, there was something extremely cutesy and comforting about this emerging at a time when the virus was still unknown about and scary. A depressive's anthem! |
The taste jumped OUT @ POV & Paradisin :clap1:
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...Lilacs is one of my favourite Waxahatchee tracks...:lovedup:...
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Ten more, girls!
#40 - "Simulation" by Róisín Murphy Kicking off a record with an 8:30 deep house track is the sort of move that only people like Murphy are able to pull off: she owns every second of it, and launches one of the year's best albums with a stunning groove. #39 - "Dance Dance Dance" by Astrid S A cheesy, irreverent pop belter :love: #38 - "Black Dog" by Arlo Parks She just released her debut album this week or the week before (time is a weird concept right now, sorry) and the initial impression seems to be very safe, samey and a little underwhelming... none of those can be said of this track; a gorgeous take on depression and support. #37 - "Lost in Yesterday" by Tame Impala Definitely something of a slow-burner like most of their singles... the video is odd, too. #36 - "WAP" by Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion Enough has already been written about this song. It defined 2020 in terms of opinion pieces and frothing fury displayed about it... but ignoring all of the controversy and profanity, Megan's verses really sell it. #35 - "Wherever You Go" by The Avalanches, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry & CLYPSO The intro samples a quote from UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, who recorded the message for the 1977 Voyager 1 mission, and I suppose the idea of someone's message traveling billions of miles through space and time is an apt way to describe the Avalanches' approach to music. So many samples and genres are woven into something fresh and invigorating... and the guest spots just sold it as an instant classic for me. #34 - "911" by Lady Gaga Even separated from its birth twin Chromatica II, it's a stomping, attention-grabbing trip down a weird mind. I'd be lying if I said I was primarily drawn by its incredibly artistic video, and layered symbolism - because I am just mindlessly jiggling titties to "my :) big :) gest :) en :) e :) my :) is :) me :)" - but whatever gets you there, right? #33 - "Just a Touch" by Perfume Genius In an interview with the New Yorker, Hadreas said: "I imagined a wartime story, the idea of giving this song to someone who was going away, and that they could sing the melody to remember. A lot of queer relationships were like that—they had to exist in secret, they had to be these brief, frantic, passionate explosions, and then afterward you would only have a memory to sustain it." Something about closeted gays in ages gone by always gets me </3 #32 - "Stardew" by Purity Ring If only the rest of the album matched this :( #31 - "Delete Forever" by Grimes As the song starts you have a brief moment of terror, fearing she's gone down the Oasis Wonderwall route. The top comment on this video says "Grimes just invented Space Country genre of music and I was here to witness it"... and honestly? Tea. |
I am forgetful ok
#30 - "XS" by Rina Sawayama The spanish guitar riffs lend it a very "1998-2002" sound that tunnels its way right into the nostalgia portion of my brain. We stan an anti-consumerism anthem! #29 - "Gaslighter" by The Chicks It's a difficult feat making the lyrical theme of being emotionally manipulated by an ex-husband sound suitable with a catchy pop song, but the Chicks somehow succeeded this year. They broke a 15~ year hiatus with this, and considering how many feminist milestones have passed in that time, their comeback could never have been more timely. #28 - "Malibu" by Kim Petras A pretty star-studded video of queer icons and Jessie J, but the song itself makes its way into my list for being a slice of pop confection taken from a timeline where the world wasn't dead and miserable in the summer just past. Super catchy, and a lot of fun. #27 - "American Cars" by Annie On the flipside of the above's summery glory was this ice-cold, ominous electropop banger. Another electronic-pop legend who's taken the time to return after more than a decade; this track could wriggle its way into the soundtracks of many a Nordic psychological thriller and still be appropriate. #26 - "JU$T" by Run the Jewels, Pharrell & Zack de la Rocha The frontman of Rage Against the Machine features here and it's a perfect match; both bands channel punk energy to make political statements that go hard. Here the history of America and how slavery permeates every element of modern American identity is taken to task. #25 - "I Don't Belong" by Fontaines DC Honestly the instrumental is menacing and dark enough to make a lasting impression, so the Dublin accent thrown on top is just the cherry on the cake. Shades of Pixies and Joy Division here, and the lyric is a very 2020 energy. #24 - "Babylon" by Lady Gaga Almost ten years ago the pop stans were sent into battle after comparisons between 'Born This Way' and Madonna's 'Express Yourself' were drawn. A decade later, and she's given us an unintentional sequel to 'Vogue'. A house banger that came out in the same year I discovered the TV show 'Pose' meant a perfect match. #23 - "Somebody" by Dagny Every time I hear this song I grow to love it more; indeed when compiling this list I did originally think "yeah this was cute I guess it can slot in at around 95". Another Norwegian popstar, Dagny is someone I'll have to keep on my radar. #22 - "Save a Kiss" by Jessie Ware Just... gorgeous. Slow, lingering and enrapturing. #21 - "Be Kind" by Marshmello & Halsey It still upsets me that the charts didn't embrace this song. I get that Halsey can be irritating at times, but this is just... pop majesty. #20 - "Lifetime" by Romy As a diehard fan of the XX, I was apprehensive about the solo material Romy might release. In hindsight, I don't ****ing know why, because Jamie xx is obviously thriving and so, now, is Romy: 'Lifetime' is a dancefloor filler and so euphoric. #19 - "Murphy's Law" by Róisín Murphy I've already explained my worship of Murphy, so it seemed only appropriate that I adhere to her Law. There's something incredibly Grace Jones about this track; dripping with sophistication and cool, and assured vocal delivery. Love her and love this. #18 - "forever" by Charli XCX I'd already cemented my adoration for this song prior to the poignant new twist on it; Charli's working relationship with the late SOPHIE has been evident in so much of her work since 2013, and that signature jarring, overwhelming productive sound is present here. #17 - "If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)" by The 1975 When I said their album was disappointing but full of incredible highs, I wasn't lying; this is the first of two tracks I've put in my list but I could feasibly have chosen 3 more. This is them at their poppiest: a generous slice of 1980s new wave (comparisons were drawn to Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World) and a sax solo to boot. #16 - "Teenage Headache Dreams" by Mura Masa, Ellie Rowsell Still mildly confused as to why Rowsell and Wolf Alice are given separate billing on the features spot when she's... literally a member of the band, but hey ho. This track wowed me at the start of the year and has endured; it's emotive, it vibrates at different intensities and is a fitting testament to the conflicted, confusing nature of teenage years. #15 - "people, i've been sad" by Christine and the Queens I've given a lot of love and time to CatQ over the past 5 years and this was really no disappointment. She utters this same refrain (translated from French) and I couldn't really encapsulate the uncertainty and melancholy of the past year better: Adolescence thwarted by a thousand dead thistles/ Walk barefoot on glass and now everything is stronger". #14 - "Jason" by Perfume Genius Oh the baroqueness of it all... only PG could make a disappointing one-night-stand with a repressed straight guy sound aspirational and beautiful. #13 - "Kyoto" by Phoebe Bridgers I'm finding it difficult to write about these songs now because when I put them on for inspiration I'm just drawn into a catatonic bliss and don't really wish to be interrupted. There's a multi-instrumentalism about it that channels Sufjan Stevens at his prime, and I just... ugh... shut up I love it. #12 - "Yellow is the Colour of Her Eyes" by Soccer Mommy Whenever I compile these lists I always try and narrow down multiple songs by the same artist to try and keep it diverse and interesting (because otherwise the 100 would just be... 10 by Phoebe Bridgers, 6 by the 1975, 6 by Perfume Genius... etc). So whilst there were other highlights from Color Theory that I loved dearly, it was this - this achingly beautiful and personal story of the artist's mother's terminal illness - that caught my ear. Desperately sad, and yet impossible to turn off. #11 - "Damn Daniel" by Bree Runway & Yung Baby Tate I've yet to really hear anything else from Bree that sounds similar to this, and in a way that's mildly disappointing (her other stuff is still excellent!) because this is a perfect pop song. It channels classics like Ghost Town DJs' My Boo and Chaka Khan's I Feel For You: a raucous, delectable bit of 80s hip hop and dance. |
I’m honestly so upset at how poorly Malibu performed, such a bop :bawling:
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