2020: Top 25 Albums That Got Me Through

 

Look, I don't have to tell you what kind of year 2020 was. We were all there and if you happen to be reading this, you were lucky enough to have survived through it. Losing my father in the summer after a tough few months of not being able to spend time with him made it even more difficult. My usual coping mechanism is seeing live music but since that obviously got shut down, listening to new music helped me out. Here are 25 of the best full-length albums that came out in the year that we wish we could but will never forget.

Alien Nosejob - Suddenly Everything is Twice As Loud
You can't stop Jake Robertson, you can't even hope to contain him. Not that you should want to. This is the first of two albums he released in 2020 as Alien Nosejob and is the chiller, catchier and more garage/synth-punk of the two. How he finds time to write and record his DIY solo project in addition to the heaps of other bands he's in (Ausmuteants, Hierophants, School Damage, Smarts, SWAB, etc.) I'll never know, but I'm here for it. I got nowhere else to go!


All Hits - Men and Their Work
Here's a new DIY punk band from Portland that isn't afraid to call out many of the things that are fucked with this country -- violence, capitalism, the media, and toxic masculinity. These 8 blasts of raw yet infectious angular post-punk are - you guessed it - all hits. Ok maybe not in the Top 40 Casey Kasem sense but if All Hits keep their feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars, anything's possible.

Alone in My Room - s/t
You can imagine my surprise when I found out that Alone in My Room is actually a trio from Fresno. I felt duped! But that's about all I know because they've completely scrubbed the internet of their presence for whatever reason. Perhaps to build some mystery? That would be in line with these brooding, minimal dark/cold wave cuts and echoey, detached vocals. That's my best guess anyway as I type this alone in my kitchen.


Cable Ties - Far Enough
On their crucial sophomore album (and first on Merge) Melbourne's Cable Ties have a message to all of the abusive and privileged cunts out there: you've gone far enough. The anger and frustration are apparent in Jenny McKechnie's lyrics and gritty delivery but there are underlying messages of hope, action and inspiration. And the band's tendency to stretch out their fist-pumping punk songs gives you more time to let those messages sink in.

Chronophage - Th'Pig'Kiss'd Album
A shabby, psychedelic guitar pop album by a shabby, psychedelic band from Portland that's cool with the punks too! Not surprised since punks are wearing tie-dyes and listening to the Dead nowadays. Chronophage's latest album sees them maturing their sound and adding more variation with cleaner production, while keeping their DIY cred intact. Not too shabby!


Concrete Lawn - Aggregate
As the album art suggests, Sydney punks Concrete Lawn wants you to talk to the hand because they just can't be bothered with your bullshit anymore. With 9 fast, hard, heavy and blistering hardcore punk tracks clocking in at 19 minutes you've got plenty of time to go do something constructive, like listen to it again. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to tell the loud city kids out front to get off my concrete lawn.


The Cool Greenhouse - s/t
One man Casio band goes big! Tom Greenhouse has been pumping out lo-fi cheeky post-punk ditties for a couple of years now but for his full-length debut, he's got a full band in tow. The songs are still repetitive, satirical and full of cynicism, only now they sound beefier. Frankly I wasn't sure if Greenhouse could take his project this far but the sonofabitch did it. Enjoy your new favorite least favorite band. Well, of course, The Cool Greenhouse!


The Cowboys - Room of Clons
Most Cowboys albums take a minute to grow on me and this one is no exception. On Room of Clons they've taken their signature midwestern rock n roll sound farther out than ever before by tapping into their dark, psychedelic, and whimsical sides. To be honest it's still growing on me but which each repeated listen I grow more and more fond of Room of Clons. Classic Cowboys.


Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics
This Vancouver collective serves as a creative outlet for bunch of artists and musicians, many of whom met at an addiction recovery program. The results are a dystopian, shape-shifting post-punk journey with messages of prevention, redemption and rebellion. We don't choose to compete in the Pain Olympics, it chooses us. The events of 2020 are proof of that. But we can all come out on top if we put our minds, hearts and souls into it.


Daydream - Mystic Operative
Don't let the name, band logo or cover art fool you... this is not a jamband. Quite the contrary! While they may share the same  ethos and beliefs (anti-authority/capitalism/commodification) as hippies, Daydream's sophomore album is pure unadulterated hardcore noise punk with melody. (Not) Sorry to disappoint my many jamband-loving friends.


Dead Ghosts - Automatic Changer
Just when I thought I was done with garage psych, Vancouver's Dead Ghosts pull me back in. On their 4th album (and best since their debut) they don't stray from their tried and true formula of heavy reverbed vocals over country-tinged garage punk, but they do diversify their portfolio a bit. Their love of reefer hasn't changed though, that's fer sure!

DEHD - Flower of Devotion
Not tryna jinx it, but this band can do no wrong. Two amazing albums in two years and they keep getting better. Jason and Emily have moved past their breakup but still wear their emotions on their sleeves (even when Emily's showing off her arm tatts). Their catchy choruses and signature twang are all still here but the production is cleaner and the sound is fuller. You could say their trash pop is a little less trashy here. That Eric got to write and sing a song is the delicious cherry on top.

Eggy - Bravo!
Eggy is a relatively new entrant into the unstoppable Melbourne underground music scene but they're already cooking up a storm. Their debut album of off-kilter, oddball psych pop gems is loaded with scrambled melodies and a sunny-side-up mood. If you enjoy other Australian bands like Terry, Parsnip and The Shifters, I'm egging you on to give this a spin. Too many puns? Sorry, it was just too (over)easy.


Horse Lords - The Common Task
Let's be clear, Horse Lords are very much a band that needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. As such, they just so happen to be one of my favorite bands to see live! But on The Common Task they do a pretty dang good job of putting their jazzy, droney, polyrhythmic jams onto tape so you can zone out at home or in the car or anywhere else until we get to see them jam again.


Lewsberg - In This House
If your band draws comparisons to The Velvet Underground, you're probably doing something right! On their 2nd album, Rotterdam's Lewsberg have mastered that same style of speak-singing and moody art rock in just a few short years. Lou would probably be proud.


Mini Skirt - Casino
Curious name for a group of rough-and-tumble blokes from a tropical Australian coastal town, but Mini Skirt are more than just your typical rowdy Aussie pub punk band. Their debut album is loaded with urgent and socially-conscious punk with vocalist Jacob Boylan pouring his heart into it to the point of yelling himself hoarse. The world is shit and they're pretty sick of it all. Same, Mini Skirt. Same.

Nag - Dead Deer
Punk band Nag hails from ATL but you'd be forgiven if you thought they were Australian, what with their angular riffs, robotic vocals and cold, dark delivery. Bands like Constant Mongrel and early Total Control come to mind. Most of these songs clock in at under 2 min and hit like head-on collisions. Those poor deer didn't stand a chance.


Ostraaly - Misery Guests
An American band naming themselves "'Murica"? Terrible. An Australian band naming themselves "Ostraaly"? Yessss. The poppy folk songs ("Australiana," apparently) here on Ostraaly's first (and final) album are, as a Bandcamp commenter summed up so eloquently, "honest, emotional and lovely."


Misha Panfilov - Rain (OST)
Here's the token 11th hour entry to the list! Estonian composer Misha Panfilov has put together a perfectly chill soundtrack of psychedelic and jazzy funk for the foreign film Rain. Plenty of laidback grooves and beautiful, lush soundscapes that you'll want to listen to over and over again, like I do! I haven't seen the movie but if the soundtrack is any indication, it's probably cool AF.


Patois Counselors - The Optimal Seat
Nervous. Anxious. Tense. Words to describe some people in my life but also this album! Charlotte's Patois Counselors are back with their 2nd full-length album of dark and funky post-punk that even borders on danceable at times. I would love to see how these songs translate live, you know, whenever such things happen again. But for now I must border on dancing alone. 


Penza Penza - Beware of Penza Penza
Spunky, funky, and a lil bit punky! The debut album from this mysterious Estonian band is a noisy, mostly all-instrumental concoction of fuzzy, psychedelic riffs and stomping grooves. Produced by Misha Panfilov (the dude from a couple of entries above) so you know the funky apple doesn't fall too far from the funky tree.


Sachet - Nets
Sydney band Sachet's sophomore album was written in 2017/2018, supposed to drop in 2019 but delayed until 2020. Sure, good things come to those who wait but we could've had the same good things, only sooner! Such is life in the recording industry, I suppose. Anyways, the good things I'm referring to are these sweet and pleasant fuzzy guitar pop songs. Well worth the wait!

Sweeping Promises - Hunger for a Way Out
Say hello to the hottest new punk band that's sweeping the alternative nation! Boston's Sweeping Promises seemingly came out of nowhere to deliver a buzz bin-worthy debut of minimal and catchy post-punk with some new wave thrown in for added bounce. Recorded in an abandoned concrete science lab-turned art/gallery space with just one mic, the sound is decidedly lo-fi and rough around the edges, adding to its DIY charm.


Tiña - Positive Mental Health Music
Couldn't we all use some positive mental health music right now? Well, this South London band's brand of psychedelic cowboy rock is just what the therapist ordered. Despite the deep, introspective, and sometimes dark lyrics (written during frontman Joshua Loftin's mental breakdown and recovery), the music is warm and inviting. And oh so catchy. Easily my album of the year.


Traffik Island - Sweat Kollecta's Peanut Butter Traffik Jam
Yeah I don't know what's going on with that album title either but *whispers* I think Zak Olsen (ORB, Hierophants, Frowning Clouds) is on drugs! Case in point, these psychedelic jams/snippets with weird vocal samples, head-bobbin grooves and danceable beats (in the style of DJ Shadow and early Avalanches). Fun stuff *whispers* especially on drugs!


Semi-required listening

2200 - World's Fare


Alien Nosejob - Once Again the Present Becomes the Past


The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtXg8ugb7sLEOTqKIeNSuj2r0VI0o6FNx

Bananagun - The True Story of Bananagun


The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers


Billy Nomates - s/t


Cindy - Free Advice


Clock of Time - Pestilent Planet


Cold Meat - Hot and Flustered


COLONY·DROP - One Year War


Combo - Destroyayaya


The Cowboy - WiFi on the Prairie


Datenight - Is This Also It


Dogma - s/t


Es - Less of Everything


Ganser - Just Look At That Sky


Gen Pop - PPM66


Hekàtē - Μέρες Οργής | Days of Wrath


Mamalarky - s/t


Melkbelly - PITH


Morwan - Zola-Zemlya


Plastic - New Hands


Radical Kitten - Silence is Violence


Staring Problem - Eclipse


Straw Man Army - Age of Exile


The Strokes - The New Abnormal
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlLGTTlLJXAX-UwWbyH8m6SGSWRntdCf0

Sundl - s/t


Swim Team - A Decade of Hits