Pipjr3927’s Top 50 albums of the year.
50. IDLES - Ultra Mono
While it may not be as strong lyrically, a more direct approach of an already direct attitude is adopted, Ultra Mono still packs a punch that most bands wish was in their repertoire. Penultimate track 'A Hymn' leaves the door wide open for a more explorative sound in IDLES future projects. A welcome exploration if there ever was one.
49. Exhalants - Atonement
Brute force is Exhalant's chosen way of entry. That door WILL break down. Atonement is home to the thickest bass tones of the year. The foundations of the post-hardcore scene have been well and truly shook. The penultimate track, Blackened, is up there with the best singular tracks of the year. Closing track 'Lake Song' serves as a damn fine final credits. Jangly, pummeling and pure.
48. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
Home to maybe the most beautiful sound palette of the year, SMHOFI casts an all encompassing net around the world of music. From hazey to heavenly all is on display from Perfume Genius. I find that it has an awkward pacing and thats the main reason it isn’t found higher up on this list. A bit stop/start. Musically superb in all regards however. Pop perfection sounds about right.
47. Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists
A band with an approach to music that’s sure to refresh many a listener. I've managed to dive a little bit into their back catalogue and they seem to have always been this way. Free of the shackles many put themselves in, Deerhoof muster up a album that is as great as it is interesting.
46. Declan McKenna - Zeros
Take a trip back to the reign of 70's glam rock as Declan McKenna curates that spaceman-like character for the new generation. A prodigious talent is on show on Zeros. Bowie and Car Seat Headrest influence is worn on McKenna's sleeves. Pop doesn't get much better.
45. Neptunian Maximalism - Éons
A monolith. Up there with the likes of Swans 'To Be Kind' as a powerhouse of the music industry. Crawling through a parade, blood dripping from its hands. This is an album to give in to. At just over two hours long it gives you no other choice.
It will beat you down. A sacrificial listening experience. Surrender yourself.
44. Undeath - Lesions of a Different Kind
After releasing two EP's of great strength in 2019, Undeath's eyes were undoubtedly set on a 2020 full length. And it didn’t disappoint. Packing riffs, patterns and twists and turns to the brim this project bears it all. If you like your music with a bit more meat and muscle give it a gander. The musicianship is second to none.
43. Tame Impala - The Slow Rush
Kevin Parker, the contemporary pop king, deals his cards into 2020 with Tame Impala's fourth project 'The Slow Rush'. While it didn't receive warm reviews from the majority of the music community I found it a rather pleasant listening experience. In a similar way to Currents I can see this being lauded in years to come. Especially for its impeccably produced drums, a Parker specialty at this stage.
42. Skáphe- Skáphe³
An absolute unit of an album. Like an express train hurtling down a one-way track to hell puffing smoke and embers, snatching the lives of lost souls in the process. Mystískaos have had one hell of a year and 2021 will shape up in a similar fashion no doubt. Philly is the city that keeps on giving.
41. Silverbacks - Fad
The debut album from Dublin based band Silverbacks serves as a breathe of fresh air to the rock world. Very Pavement in feel. Abstract. Left-leaning. Abundant in twists and turns. Refreshing. Interesting. Excellent. Plenty to unpack with this one.
"Politicians in denim, everybody wants one".
40. Sprain - As Lost Through Collision
A slow-burner that burrows its way into your psyche. It takes its time to unfurl but when it finally comes undone there's no turning back. Slint meets Unwound on As Lost Through Collision. Spacious and Sprawling. The Flenser do not miss.
39. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo
The Alchemist delivers up a solid foundation for Gibbs to come through and while it's not necessarily pushing new ground or moving forward in any form it is superb at what it does. A lack of risks is what keeps this from appearing higher at the end of the day. Same ol, same ol but undeniable.
38. Porridge Radio - Every Bad
Well crafted pop tunes that manage to avoid all the tropes that come with the 'pop' tag. A strong sense of song structure and sprinkles of sonic exploration makes Every Bad one of the more enjoyable releases of the year. These tracks pack a dense punch. Eager to see what comes next!
37. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys - Innocent Country 2
Some of the smoothest hip-hop served this year. An absolute joy to indulge in. Chris Keys lays the floor for which Quelle Chris awkwardly glides on. Quelle is a bit of an anomaly in the rap game. His voice can be seen as nasally and somewhat off-putting but his raw feel for the song pulls him through each and every time. In the same circle as an Earl Sweatshirt and Homeboy Sandman, both of whom appear as features!
36. Deftones - Ohms
25+ years and still banging out quality music. Only a select few can keep up the pace or at least return to the pace after such an extended period in the 'industry'. Ohms is as strong a contender for Alternative album of the year as any. Some of the tones on here are bound to curl toes and strip paint off of your walls.
35. Adrianne Lenker - Songs and Instrumentals
Dust filled abandonment. Memories that have lingered for too long. Things are in reach but your will no longer serves you. Adrianne Lenker weaves acoustic webs which entangle the listeners psyche in a desolate frame. No other album this year captures the lockdown feel better.
34. The Koreatown Oddity - Little Dominiques Nosebleed
Dominique Purdy (KTO) puts the West Coast at the forefront of 2020 with his past escapades and tales of youth on Little Dominiques Nosebleed. Pulling from lineage of The Pharcyde and Del the Funky Homosapien expect some funky shit with a humorous swing in its step. Hip-Hip doesn’t get much more fun without sacrificing stability.
33. Girl Band - Vicar Street Live
An abrasive kick in the mental gut is in store for anyone willing to open up to this Girl Band live show. Snarling soundscapes crawl to life spitting up pieces of pavement in the process. A live show worthy of such a pristine recording and performance. Live album of the year and it's not up for debate. The foundations of Vicar Street were well and truly shook.
32. The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You
The Avalanches trade in upbeat energy for more of a moonlit affair on 'We Will always Love You'. With more of an emphasis on darker mood, for lack of a better term, The Avalanches show that both sides of their coin are just as fulfilling as each other. Superb stuff. Pulling features from all over the industry has never sounded as cohesive. This will be kept off of most end of year lists because of premature clout chasing. A real shame.
31. Jessie Ware - Whats Your Pleasure?
Disco in 2020. Two things that I would have never thought to be associated but here we are. And in all fairness it's proven worthy with What's Your Pleasure being front-runner for the most danceable project of the year. Smooth floor-fillers on the search for a club to tear down amidst a pandemic. Get your groove on x
30. Clams Casino - Instrumental Relics
A collection of instrumentals from a producer that helped shape a specific sound and feel within the world of hip-hop and in turn world wide. If 'I'm God' isn’t up there with the finest beats of all-time then nothing is. It captures a natural energy. Magic manifested through vibrations. The landscape of the 2010's rap game wouldn't be the same without Casino and his backdrops.
29. Alexandra Savior - The Archer
One of the more straight forward albums to appear on this list. Lovely to listen to and relatively little effort necessary on the listeners end is required. Well crafted pop trinkets. A reminder that music doesn’t have to be complex and boundary breaking to be listenable.
28. Fleet Foxes - Shore
Spring air in sonic form. Fresh on the ears and on the psyche. Instrumentally mature in its ability to pull together a broad range of a directed soundscape. Vibe out and enjoy a production showcase. Utterly stunning in its pristine depth. Serene reflections of the most delicate waters. Let it unfurl.
27. Jeff Rosenstock - NO DREAM
No other album this year uses the power in 'power pop' tag quite as effectively as NO DREAM. Power horse and powerhouse are the best ways to describe Jeff Rosenstock's latest installment of balls to the wall energy. Its mixed in a way to where everything is on show. All is at the forefront.
26. Moor Jewelry - True Opera
Moor Jewelry, the coming together of Moor Mother and Mental Jewelry, manage to conjure up an album as unpredictable and ever-changing as the weather. Obscure by nature, True Opera is sure to keep one on their toes. It resides in its own lane free of restraint. Putting a label upon it remains a difficult task. Refreshing to say the very least.
25. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song
KLO KO's 2020 as she knocks her sophomore project out the park with her ethereal take on the electronic game. As we've come to expect from Owens the album is nothing short of impeccably produced. The kicks KICK, the snares SNAP and the vocals wisp in a way that renders Inner Song cloud nine listening.
24. Serpent Column - Kathodos
The only band to be featured on both my albums and EP end of year lists. It's a reflection of the kind of year that the Serpent Column camp have had. No other band in the metal scene feels like this or sounds like this. The musicianship is otherworldly. The Mystískaos label is onto something.
23. clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned
The companion piece to 2019's 'There Existed An Addiction to Blood' and a personal favorite of the two sees clipping. progress their dark, dense and utterly claustrophobic sound even further. Quite fitting for a skin tight world of lockdowns, curfews and restrictions.
22. Black Curse - Endless Wound
Ash-laden sweat will perspire from your pores after giving this a listen. Endless Wound is nothing short of volcanic heat. Wildfires at full steams ahead creates a mental picture that just about does this record justice. Call in the reverend for this one.
21. Nothing - The Great Dismal
Teetering on the edge of a dream/nightmare reality The Great Dismal walks the fine line between heaven and hell. Hold onto your wigs as they're bound to get blown back with huge soundscapes to lose yourself in.
20. Pink Siifu - Negro
No other album has captured the emotion and raw chaos of the American climate quite like NEGRO has. Pink Siifu tapped into the psyche of anarchists and activists to bring you mental manifestations amidst unrest. The riots and upheaval stateside can only be soundtracked by one release. Utter turmoil.
19. Run The Jewels - RTJ4
Three things are guaranteed in life - death, taxes and another great Run The Jewels record. Four rounds in and no signs of slowing down. The hip-hop veterans pull all punches to deliver yet again. We aren't worthy of El-P and Killer Mike's partnership.
18. Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic OPN
Call him Oneohtricks because he's up to his usual. Lopatin conjures up that signature serving of nostalgia on Magic OPN. Produced and mixed to perfection, every nuance and wave of drenched atmosphere hits the spot.
"Background music, America's favorite"
17. Charli XCX - How I’m Feeling Now
Hit music with an experimental edge. A necessary undertaking and one worthy of all its praise. A project that pushes the pop scene forward. You love to see it. Where Charli heads next will be of peak interest.
16. Died - Less Life
The debut release from Died pulls an array of 90's noise rock lineage together and ties it together impeccably. Influence from bands like Unwound and The Jesus Lizard to name just a couple are laced within each track and give it that special post-hardcore stamp. Superb stuff. Keep your eyes peeled.
15. The Strokes - The New Abnormal
The New York guitar gods return after a 7 year hiatus to make their best work since the 2001 debut. Back to basics of sorts. Casablancas’ sounds as gorgeous as ever, Valensi and Hammond Jr. are up to their usual wizardry. A must-listen for 2020. A welcome return to form.
14. Ramper - Neustros mejores deseos
Ramper's debut album takes its time. It gently trudges forward. Serenely taking in the surrounding atmosphere in the process. A ghost-like ship sailing the smoothest of waters but that’s not to say that storms aren't in store. They're inevitable.
13. Drown - Subaqueous
Drown channel the sheer scale of the ocean on Subaqueous. Bubbling with aquatic atmosphere, Subaqueous paints a picture of a hellish sea bottom. If you're looking for a project overpowering in scope, look no further. Most cavernous in its depth.
12. Against All Logic - 2017-19
Glitchy, brooding bangers from Nico Jaar. Does much more have to be said in all honesty? There isn't a more prolific name in the electronic world at this moment in time. An all encompassing act of which the more active material does wonders for my personal tastes.
11. Ulcerate - Stare Into Death and Be Still
A metal masterclass. Sensational drumwork and a weaving medley of guitar splendor. Lots to get lost in. To say this is a record of immense quality is an understatement. Words cant really do it justice. I'll stop there.
10. Pottery - Welcome to Bobby’s Motel
Like stepping into a time machine destined for 1980. The best parts of the Talking Heads more upbeat material and Parquet Courts 2018 project 'Wide Awake!' rolled into one. Jittery, jangly goodness. Put the dancing shoes on for this one.
9. R.A.P Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages
Smooth as silk and free of thought. Milo soothes the off-kiltered beats by delivering a layer of abstract thought as the cherry on top. Very jazz-like in its ability to disregard conventions.
Mad props to the Jefferson Park Boys for the out of this world collection of instrumentals. They're the ying to Milo's yang.
8. Cindy Lee - What’s Tonight to Eternity
Slightly twisted pop? Not really sure how to categorize this sort of thing. A blend of everything and yet doesn’t sound anything like the sum of its individual parts. Nightmarish music. Scrapes and scrawls itself into life. One for the time spent in limbo.
7. Dogleg - Melee
Dogleg's debut album sets the bar exceedingly high for future material. Melee is a searing hot, densely layered sweat-fest hurling at breakneck speed straight toward the molten sun. Breaks to catch a breathe are few and far between. An absolute scorcher. Hold on for dear life.
6. The Microphones - Microphones in 2020
Only Phil Elverum can get away with strumming a couple chords for as long as the intro to this record is. What it turns into and builds on justifies every second of it however. Hop aboard the Elvreum train of thought on a one-way ticket to self reflection town via moments of pristine clarity and musicianship unto itself. Crystal clear consciousness manifested in music form.
Watch the companion YouTube video for the full experience.
5. Fontaines D.C. - A Hero’s Death
The sophomore slump ceases to exist in the Fontaines world. Equipped with an array of new production techniques and a more polished sound 'A Hero's Death' sees the future/present of post-punk take a more mature route. This project pushes the band in a more creative direction while still remaining true to the Fontaines ethos. A record dripping with attitude and atmosphere.
4.Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cuters
A sprawling affair. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is home to some of the most well-written, well-produced and performed pieces in recent memory. Obscure in the most beautiful of ways. Little to no setbacks to speak of. Albums like this don’t come around ever day. End of year lists are skeletal without this records presence.
3. King Krule - Man Alive!
Archy and co. lay down their most consistent album to date in Man Alive! Consistent in a track by track quality sense. The ebb and flow makes this release stand out as a much more cohesive unit. The listener moves along start to finish with the journey rather than being placed smack bang and center. It furthers King Krule's reputation as an enigmatic act. Mood music to the max.
2. Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind
Experimental rock with a psychedelic funk twist. Yves Tumor and co. have cooked up 2020's most re-playable album of the year. A seemingly never-ending groove that settles any debate as to whether Tumor is the hottest act around.
Rhythm section of the year goes to.....
1. Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today
Here it is. My album of the year. Protomartyr's fifth project and the most well thought out of the bunch. The ebb and flow, track by track sequencing and stellar performance from the Detroit crew left no doubt as to this records position in the end. The tracks hold a quality unto themselves and in the context of the album they sore even higher. Jam-packed with moments of pure catharsis, Ultimate Success Today is the rightful heir to 2020's throne. It's a no-brainer in my eyes.