Music: Best Albums of 2021

[Thucydides]

I've got two to listen to from January.....2nd album by Goat Girl (UK indie band) and 2nd album by Radio Supernova (Finnish shoegaze band). Both have good reveiws so far, seem good on first listen.

edit: Might give The Anchoress' new album a listen. Her past ones didn't have good reviews but she has some singles I like and her voice is butter smooth, I think she has a contralto range or something.

did you listen to the goat girl album?

 

[ItsFineImFine]

did you listen to the goat girl album?

Yeah I've heard it 4-6 times now, solid but unexciting so far. There seem to be some good layers to the instruments so it might need more time to grow. Tbh I found the Radio Supernova one more exciting and I've also becomed OBSESSED with Curve since getting into them last month so I haven't paid as much attention to the Goat Girl one and crave listening to Curve whenever I do.

 

[Thucydides]

Yeah I've heard it 4-6 times now, solid but unexciting so far. There seem to be some good layers to the instruments so it might need more time to grow. Tbh I found the Radio Supernova one more exciting and I've also becomed OBSESSED with Curve since getting into them last month so I haven't paid as much attention to the Goat Girl one and crave listening to Curve whenever I do.

I had listened to it after you suggested it, and found it to be a little boring , but agree on the good layers .
I looked up “curve”. Is it the album from 2001?

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I had listened to it after you suggested it, and found it to be a little boring , but agree on the good layers .
I looked up “curve”. Is it the album from 2001?

https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/curve

Got into them by listening to Doppelganger on and off. It's very much a grower because they suffer from 'every song sounds the same' syndrome so I didn't distinguish them early on but have really got into that album and also had trouble getting past the awful muddy sound quality on it despite it being a modern 90s album. Listened to Cuckoo next and the Pubic Fruit compilation which contains their first three EPs. They seem to be one of those bands whose fans love everything they've done including b-sides. Will go through the other albums chronologically but still mainly listening to the first two albums & compilation of EPs.

Doppelganger I really love though, coincidentally was being sold for cheap by someone on eBay so I grabbed a copy of the CD.

 

[Thucydides]

Just received a 9.0 from Pitchhfork this morning so I think there will be a lot of hype around this.

 

[Thucydides]

@plank I think you mightreally like this one.
Listened to it in full this morning. So many great songs.

 

[Mikeaveli]

Pretty good album aside from some of the lyrics

 

[CDJ]

Well idk if it’s best album but Violence Unimagined has quite the album cover

 

[Saturated Fats]

I haven't really been amazed by anything yet. The Buck Meek album was solid, though not to the heights his bandmate Adrienne Lenker hit last year. I didn't really dig the Black Country, New Road album, and The Weather Station album was fine, though underwhelming.

Some strong metal records thusfar (The Ruins of Beverast, The Body) - but nothing else that has really stood out. Some good offerings on the docket by EOM/early-March, though.

 

[Thucydides]

I’ve made a point to listen to more music this year .

Nana Yamato - Before Sunrise was a decent album . 20 year old Japanese girl. Reminded me of early Grimes .

 

[GKJ]

Just received a 9.0 from Pitchhfork this morning so I think there will be a lot of hype around this.

Pitchfork gave out a 9 to an indie-folk album?!?

 

[plank]

Things look to start picking up next month.


Israel Nash - Topaz 3/12/21

 

[plank]

Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin' Grass Vol. 2 4/2/21

 

[plank]

Matt Sweeney & Bonnie "Prince" Billy - Superwolves 6/18/21

 

[plank]

Rose City Band - Earth Trip 5/21/21

 

[Saturated Fats]

It's nearing the end of February, and I still have yet to hear a single thing I'd rate above a 4.0 (/5). I enjoyed The Ruins of Beverast album, along with Black Dresses and Buck Meek - but nothing above a 3.0, maybe 3.5 for me. Pretty disappointing, but I guess a lot of the good stuff is either surprise released, or gets dropped closer to the summer.

Julien Baker and Cloud Nothings this coming weekend - two artists I think highly of. We shall seeeeee

 

[Sleemans]

It's nearing the end of February, and I still have yet to hear a single thing I'd rate above a 4.0 (/5). I enjoyed The Ruins of Beverast album, along with Black Dresses and Buck Meek - but nothing above a 3.0, maybe 3.5 for me. Pretty disappointing, but I guess a lot of the good stuff is either surprise released, or gets dropped closer to the summer.

Julien Baker and Cloud Nothings this coming weekend - two artists I think highly of. We shall seeeeee

I am looking forward to new Julien Baker this week.

 

[Thucydides]

What did you guys think of the new Julien Baker album? I wasn’t as impressed as I was with her first two albums, but thought it still had it’s good moments , and overall was a decent album.

 

[DNE3]

percussionist brijean murphy leads oakland, ca. sonic escape duo in 2021 'feelings' album. followup to 2019 ep 'walkie talkie'.

Brijean Want You To Feel Something — Vinyl Me, Please

 

[GKJ]

What did you guys think of the new Julien Baker album? I wasn’t as impressed as I was with her first two albums, but thought it still had it’s good moments , and overall was a decent album.

It’s fantastic. I love it so far

 

[izlez]

Did not like the new Julien Baker. Can't see myself going back to it

 

[Saturated Fats]

Little Oblivious was fine. There were some strong tracks that I really enjoyed ('Hardline', 'Relative Fiction'), but a lot of sameness. Falls between a 2.5/3.0 out of 5 for me

The new Cloud Nothings album is very Steve Albini. About as drum-forward as an album gets.

I did see that The Horrors and Chad VanGaalen have records coming out this month, which could be good. Also saw that Godspeed You! Black Emperor announced one for April. Still waiting for something that really gets me excited, though.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Mars Volta is teasing something

 

[Saturated Fats]

New Lana Del Rey on Friday will get an immediate spin from me. NFR was one of my favourites of 2019, and she has absolutely become must-listen. Weyes Blood features, and she covers a Joni song. I have high hopes.

Also, the tremendously-underrated Chad VanGaalen and some guy named Ringo Starr are dropping records? Should be a good NMF.

If you're into Mathcore, the album Mirrors by Pupil Slicer is outstanding. Probably my favourite thing I've heard this year. Solid 4-star album, reminiscent of Dillinger at their misanthropic best.

 

[Saturated Fats]

New Lana is boring and self-concerned, none of the levity or sarcasm of NFR. Some fun tunes, but disappointing. 2*

Chad VanGaalen - World's Most Stressed Out Gardener is a nice little hit of pysch-folk whimsy, with some beautiful atmospheric interludes. A pleasant Sunday morning listen, for sure. 3.5*

Heard another excellent metal album over the weekend: Suffering Hour's The Cyclic Reckoning. Atmospheric and meditative in parts, but pure death in others. 4-4.5*