21 Albums For 2020

YorkeDaddy · 12-10-2020, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

2. Dirty Loops - Phoenix [EP]

Genre: Jazz, Pop, Fusion, Funk
Put On A Playlist With: Stevie Wonder, Snarky Puppy, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire, Pat Metheny, Casiopea

Quite likely the most talented band in 2020, genres aside. Distilling the best ideas from R&B and pop music and combining that with high energy jazz-fusion chops that put them on par with the world's best session and jazz musicians....it just isn't hard to see why a lot of people rave about them. They're a trio of monsters that don't even need a guitarist. And even if you hate the style, listening to Henrik Linder play bass is practically a religious experience.

What a ****ing song, good lord. I enjoy the rest of the band's work but this is on another level. Great find, thanks for posting

Anteater · 12-11-2020, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkeDaddy

What a ****ing song, good lord. I enjoy the rest of the band's work but this is on another level. Great find, thanks for posting

This new EP is lightyears beyond their material from a few years ago, and I thought they were already pretty damn good.

Also, I'll be doing some honorable mentions and spotlights of other albums that were good / interesting that didn't quite hit the top 21 for me. Thanks for tuning in so far everyone.

Anteater · 12-15-2020, 09:14 PM

Honorable Mentions - Tied for #22

Joshua Chuquimia Crampton - THE HEART'S WASH

Genre: Primitive, Avant-garde, Instrumental
Put On A Playlist With: John Fahey, Bob Drake

Virulent, beautiful pain and isolation expressed through the bleeding fingertips of this martial artist turned guitarist from L.A. This is right up Frownland and OH's alley and was almost in my top twenty one. Let's call it 22.

Lucid Planet - II

Genre: Psybient, Desert Rock, Progressive Metal, Space Rock
Put On A Playlist With: Ozric Tentacles, Depeche Mode, Tool, Monster Magnet

Hard to pin down these Aussies completely in a stylistic sense. A few years ago they were just another Tool meets Kyuss clone...but with all their new Ozric-styled space rock shredding and dub touches, I dunno exactly what they are now other than being just "good". They've made leaps and bounds to make a record with this much range that still sounds cohesive. Tied at number 22 with Mr. Crampton for me.

Anteater · 12-18-2020, 10:25 PM

Anteater, what do you think is "objectively" the best album of the year?

If I were going to put an album at number 0., it would probably be this one.

Greg Puciato ‎– Child Soldier: Creator Of God

Ridiculously intense. It takes all of the best noise-rock and industrial elements of The Dillinger Escape Plan and combines them with Puciato's glorious Depeche Mode-styled synthwave approach he pioneered with The Black Queen.

I was a bit on the fence about it for a month or two, but now I think it might be the best album of the year in terms of sheer bravado. It's like what Code Orange tried to do with their new album Underneath this year...except unlike that album, this one doesn't suck balls and actually has legitimately good songwriting. Highly recommended if you haven't had a chance to spend time with it.

https://gregpuciato.bandcamp.com/alb...creator-of-god