Music: Best Albums of 2021

[Roo Returns]

New Hiatus Kaiyote aka the greatest current band in the world has been announced. Mood Variant out June 25th. Here's a link to the groovy single:



Next Friday is the latest from tune yards, Tomahawk (another Mike Patton side project), and a returning Genghis Tron.

Liquid Tension Experiment has a new album out (3/4 of Dream Theater peeps and King Crimson/Peter Gabriel bassist Tony Levin) in April.

Early July is a new one from The Go! Team.

 

[Thucydides]

Lots of new albums out today -

the antlers, xiu xiu, floating points with pharoah sanders, death from above 1979.

Went on a walk and listened to the floating points pharoah sanders album & it’s gorgeous.

 

[Thucydides]

Halfway through the antlers. Very chill. Great production . His voice is smooth.

good evening wind down record.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Chiiild released their first single for their upcoming project. Their first EP Synthetic Soul is some of the best music I heard from last year.

 

[Saturated Fats]

The new Xiu Xiu is absolutely oustanding. It is exactly what I want from experimental music - weird and esoteric soundscapes and motifs, but retains melody, hooks, and enjoyability throughout. They cove The Cure, and are joined by legends like Sharon van Etten, Drab Majesty, Chelsea Wolfe, and Liars. Might be my favourite thing I've heard this year. In fact, I'll say it is.



I also really enjoyed the new Antlers on first listen, and am going to dive into serpentwithfeet while I'm drafting my fantasy baseball team tonight.

 

[Thucydides]

The new Xiu Xiu is absolutely oustanding. It is exactly what I want from experimental music - weird and esoteric soundscapes and motifs, but retains melody, hooks, and enjoyability throughout. They cove The Cure, and are joined by legends like Sharon van Etten, Drab Majesty, Chelsea Wolfe, and Liars. Might be my favourite thing I've heard this year. In fact, I'll say it is.



I also really enjoyed the new Antlers on first listen, and am going to dive into serpentwithfeet while I'm drafting my fantasy baseball team tonight.

I used to love xiu xiu back in the day - I luv the valley oh is still a great song , but moved on from them after awhile, but bottle of rum really caught my attention the first time I heard it . Going to check out the album . Glad they are still around. I booked xiu xiu on the tour of fabulous muscles and they ended up staying the night at one of my band members girlfriends house for the night. He was great. Strange guy, for sure. They put on a great live show, too

I think the antlers album is my favourite album I’ve listened to this year . So chill . Love the guitar work .

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Evanescence - The Bitter Truth is a decent enough generic alternative rock release

 

[Thucydides]

 

[plank]

Introducing... The Pink Stones 4/9/21

 

[Ceremony]

The new Xiu Xiu is absolutely oustanding. It is exactly what I want from experimental music - weird and esoteric soundscapes and motifs, but retains melody, hooks, and enjoyability throughout. They cove The Cure, and are joined by legends like Sharon van Etten, Drab Majesty, Chelsea Wolfe, and Liars. Might be my favourite thing I've heard this year. In fact, I'll say it is.

I've started seeing this appearing in my youtube recommendations. I've no idea what it is or how it got there. I watched one of them and I still don't know. 20k views and about 300 comments saying it's the greatest thing ever.

 

[Thucydides]

Pretty chill year so far.

I tried to listen to Sufjan Stevens new ambient album but it’s not my thing.

this is a good jazz album .




Hopefully the next 3/4 the year picks up with some solid releases.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

New Field Music is really good guitar pop, good on first few listens

 

[Thucydides]

great rock album.

 

[Thucydides]

Yeah this is a great album

 

[plank]

Doc Feldman & The Alt+Cntry+Delete - A Healthy Dose of Anxiety 4/23/21

 

[Thucydides]

euphoric . Need to put these guys on my “need to see live “ bucket list .

 

[Thucydides]

the last two minutes of this is guitar solo heaven

 

[John Price]

Early album of the year contender.

 

[Saturated Fats]

black midi dropped Cavalcade a couple days early. It's up with all-but-one of the songs on Apple Music, and this YT has it in its entirety, starting at about 6:15.

I have almost no doubt that this will be my AOTY. These guys are one of the best things going right now. If you didn't listen to Schlagenheim, start there. It's a bit tough to categorize: something like the most uppity jazz rock, blended in with some Dillinger Escape Plan-esque math rock, alongside prog and psychedelia influences, served by a guy whose voice sounds like he should be narrating an internet workshop on graphics card maintenance. It's like Zappa-meets-This Heat-meets-Dillinger.

This new one is much more controlled and calm than Schlagenheim, though. Moments of genuine levity.

 

[Thucydides]

black midi dropped Cavalcade a couple days early. It's up with all-but-one of the songs on Apple Music, and this YT has it in its entirety, starting at about 6:15.

I have almost no doubt that this will be my AOTY. These guys are one of the best things going right now. If you didn't listen to Schlagenheim, start there. It's a bit tough to categorize: something like the most uppity jazz rock, blended in with some Dillinger Escape Plan-esque math rock, alongside prog and psychedelia influences, served by a guy whose voice sounds like he should be narrating an internet workshop in graphics card maintenance. It's like Zappa-meets-This Heat-meets-Dillinger.

This new one is much more controlled and calm than Schlagenheim, though. Moments of genuine levity.

Really enjoyed the last album I’ll check this out . Great review.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

New Wolf Alice album is currently 3rd highest rated of all time on Metacritic (obviously won't last but very good). New song out today as well, did stream a copy of the album and it's more pop sounding than their past stuff but very strong on 1st listen:

 

[Thucydides]

New Japanese Breakfast album is her best yet. Her guitar playing really shines . Some great string arrangements . this & mdou mortar ‘s africam victime are my favourites of 2021.

 

[plank]

Son Volt - Electro Melodier 7/30/21

 

[plank]

Lord Huron - Long Lost 5/21/21

 

[plank]

James McMurtry - The Horses and The Hounds 8/20/21