Music Music of 2020

Cheimoon

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I like the new album by Holy F*CK, Deleter. A bit smoother and softer than previously (it's not quite LP or Latin), but it's still got their energy and overall feel.
 

Nickosaur

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New Bright Eyes is great.

Also quite enjoying The Killers new album - haven't been bothered with them since Sam's Town but some decent tracks on this one.
 

Stringer

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The new Fleet Foxes album is great. A lot more immediate than their previous one.
 

Salt Bailly

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New Bright Eyes is great.
Really enjoyed the new album, though I was expecting at least one of the tracks to really blow me away, which sadly never happened.

Good to have them back, mind.

On to the new Killers & Nas now...
 

LoveInTheAsylum

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stuff wot i've enjoyed this year:

Tricot - Makkuro
Couldn't get into the previous album at all, but enjoyed this. Some funky pop bits that aren't for me, but the guitar lines throughout are interesting & catchy. The interplay of their instruments is still exciting.

Throwing Muses - Sun Racket
This was a grower. I like the heavier sound from 50 foot wave. She writes great mantra like melodies that wash over you - to be able to come out with something as intense as Frosting after so many years writing songs is amazing.

No Joy - Motherhood
Didn't think I'd like them after they moved on from their Wait to Pleasure sound, but she's a great writer. Became obsessed with Why Mothers Die.

Cafe Racer - Shadow Talk
Really like this album after ignoring it for a good while as the opening track does nothing for me. Think they are kind of like the band Women where each song has a pleasing sound, before some amazing coda lifts it & brings all the individual song ideas together in an exciting way.

Lomelda - Hannah
Wonder is one of those songs I have to listen to on repeat. Love the warm sounds & pretty melodies through the album & the way her voice on extended notes blends with the guitar sounds.

Waveless - Sugartree
Not sure exactly what it is about their sound that I like just feels the perfect mix of melody & distortion for me. The album seems really well sequenced, feels a pretty short & easy listen with a nice mix of pretty songs & freak outs like the closer.

Godcaster - Long Haired Locusts
This has grown on me from being a fun early listen to really loving parts of it. It’s got that Zappa feel of technical excellence played loosely for fun.

Horse Lords - The Common Task
There are some sounds that are too harsh & annoying for my ears, but every track comes together in a pleasing way. Except I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy the sound of bagpipes.

Land of Talk - Indistinct Conversations
Really happy to like this after not enjoying the previous one. I still miss the exciting more straightforward rock sound of her earlier stuff (A/B futures sounds closest to it) but think her amazing ear for melody comes through regardless.

Kairon; irse - Polysomn
That huge distortion drenched sound can often leave me cold, but I think their rhythm section keeps things interesting. Great mix of locked in grooves & interesting melodic fragments.

Neil Young - Homegrown
Generally think lost albums are bullshit so avoided this for a while. Cool to hear his voice as it was & there are some nice tracks & some great ones (Vacancy & Mexico) but in the context of that whole run from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere to Zuma, I can understand it being shelved.

Odds & sods:
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher. I really liked Kyoto but couldn't get into the rest of the album. I haven't liked anything as much as Scott Street.
Slift - Ummon. Not a big psych fan, so the album's too much of a slog for me, but the start of the title track & their kexp session is incredibly fun.
Dogleg - Melee. Not really my thing & there's only so much I can listen to the vocals, but there's something joyous about Fox & Kawasaki Backflip.
Sprain - As Lost Through Collision. Absolutely loved the track Worship House, but don't think the rest of the album comes close.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Sideways to New Italy. Really like Cars in Space (wish every one of their songs was just like those last 2 mins of it), but there's not enough of that guitar interplay & I don't think their songs are strong enough.

Think my favourite thing I've listened to this year is Starflyer 59. Had somehow never heard of them/him before this year's EP (title track's pretty good) but there's so many albums I'm still working through. A couple of my favourites:
 

Snowjoe

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The Taylor Swift album banged and Exile with Bon Iver is the song of the year thanks for coming to my TED Talk
 

Salt Bailly

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The Taylor Swift album banged and Exile with Bon Iver is the song of the year thanks for coming to my TED Talk
You're goddamned right. Produced by Aaron Dessler of The National. Wonderful stuff. The Last Great American Dynasty is the tits too.
 

Nickosaur

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So Adrienne Lenker of Big Thief has released a solo album made up of 'songs' and 'instrumentals'. It's fecking beautiful and I can see it being my album of the year.

I've also listened to some of Gorillaz's new stuff. There are some absolute bangers but probably need to listen to it the whole way through to get a better feel for it as an 'album'.
 

sullydnl

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The new Gorillaz album is very easily their best since Plastic Beach was released a decade ago.
 

krautrøck

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Long-standing German indie heroes Slut have released new songs a few months ago.
 

amolbhatia50k

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So Adrienne Lenker of Big Thief has released a solo album made up of 'songs' and 'instrumentals'. It's fecking beautiful and I can see it being my album of the year.

I've also listened to some of Gorillaz's new stuff. There are some absolute bangers but probably need to listen to it the whole way through to get a better feel for it as an 'album'.
How on earth do Big Thief /their lead singer release material so fast? Apparently 4 albums since 2016 for the band and now 2 (?) from the singer

Haven't really heard anything from them barring a few songs
 

Maagge

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16th album from these Aussies released today. They're still fun.