I titled this “everything is great” but that’s not true. Millions of idiots aren’t getting vaccinated and are prolonging a devastating pandemic. Global warming is fucked. The government is fucked. Things aren’t looking fantastic, but at least we have a lot of great art being made. I’ve always been annoyed by folks who say that there isn’t any good music or whatever being made anymore. That’s a real boring statement made by people who don’t have imaginations or the work ethic to seek out new sounds. Every year has been the best year for art. It just keeps getting better. This has been a great year! 2022 is gonna be better, and 2023 is gonna be even better than that. Here’s my top 16 albums of the year:
#1 – Fucked Up– Year of the Horse
Fucked Up is one of the most daring and ambitious bands there is, and their ongoing Zodiac series gets better with each new entry. Year of the Horse is no exception and is honestly some of the bands best work in their entire career. It sounds great in small segments but if you have the almost two hours to experience thewhole thing, I highly recommend it.
#2 – Owen Pallett – Island
Island is a little more introspective than some of Owen Pallett’s previous work but I can’t get enough of it. Also highly recommended is his score to the recent Spaceship Earth documentary.
#3 – Saman Shahi – Microlocking
I also write for a contemporary classical site called I Care If You Listen – you can read my review of Microlocking there, but suffice it to say that this was one of my favorite “classical” releases of the year. It’s a pretty quick album so if you’re new to the genre it doesn’t ask a lot of you.
#4 – MSPaint – Jetset Basement
If you haven’t had the chance to dig into the extended universe of cool punk music coming out of Hattiesburg, MS, this and Judy and the Jerks are great places to start.
This is a cassette only release!!! Get at it!
#5 – Deerhoof – Actually You Can
All I have to say is thank god for Deerhoof
#6 – Curtis K. Hughes – Tulpa
Curtis K. Hughes was my teacher in grad school and I still devour as much of his music as I can. This was a highly anticipated album for me and it did not disappoint at all. My favorite track is the percussion quartet “antechamber.”
#7 – Aaron Jay Myers – Clever Machines
I’m lucky to play in a band with Aaron Jay Myers. I love all of his music deeply and he’s been working at a breakneck pace lately. I already can’t wait for whatever’s coming next.
#8 – Tristan Kasten-Krause – Potential Landscapes
Tristan Kasten-Krause is in one of my very favorite bands, Ecce-Shnak, but they didn’t put out any new music this year so thank goodness that Tristan put out this gorgeous ambient album. Highly recommend listening on vinyl if you can.
#9 – Parquet Courts – Sympathy For Life
Parquet Courts has proven over and over again that they can blend a progressive vision of indie punk rock or whatever you want to call it with the kind of straight ahead Minutemen-esque songwriting that they do so well. Also the gatefold vinyl release of this is on that real thick cardboard.
#10 – Paper Mice – 1-800 Mondays
Paper Mice is weird and noisy and has such a unique sense of instrumentation and songwriting.I’m happy they’re making music and I want more people to know about them.
#11 – Sparks – Annette Soundtrack
The same year that Edgar Wright put out his amazing and inspiring Sparks documentary, the band redefines what a musical can be. The soundtrack is great but the film (which is listed below as my number one movie of the year) should definitely be seen if you can!
#12 – Jessica Moss – Phosphenes
I’m really holding out hope for a new Silver Mt. Zion album but in the meantime I’m glad Jessica Moss has been making a lot of music. RIFYL Godspeed You Black Emperor or anything on Constellation Records
#13 – gabby fluke-mogul – Threshold
I went to college with gabby ten years ago and even then it was clear that they had an uncompromising and extremely unique artistic voice. It’s been such a pleasure the past couple years to see a lot of people get interested in gabby’s work.
#14 – Islands – Islomania
Islands is a really big deal for me (as are The Unicorns and Mister Heavenly), but I was fairly sure we’d never get a new record or a new tour, but this year we got both! And both were an absolute delight!
#15 – Sonido De La Frontera – Sonidero Guerrillero
Three One G is my favorite record label and I’ll buy just about anything they put out. This is a record that doesn’t have a lot of similarities with the freaky hardcore the label typically puts out, but that almost makes it fit in even more. The only way I know how to describe this is cumbia hip hop hardcore.
#16 – Erin Rogers – 2000 Miles
Erin Rogers is a fantastic saxophonist and composer. She’s been putting out a lot of music the past couple years and all of it is great.
Oh also!!!
Best films of 2021:
#1 – Annette – Leos Carax
#2 – Pig – Michael Sarnoski
#3 – Titane – Julia Ducournau
#4 – Lamb – Valdimar Jóhannsson
#5 – West Side Story – Steven Spielberg
But I have to mention Licorice Pizza, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Matrix Resurrections, and Benedetta, none of which I’ve seen but I’m assuming would make this list in some way.
While we’re here, a shameless plug of all the records I played on or helped put out this year:
Big Fuzzy, First I’ve Seen, A Mouth Full of Splinters, Tiffy EP, Chalice, You Had To Be There, Witch In The Alley, New Archaic, Chicken Blows, Stencils, This Might Be A Cover Album, Left In The Lurch, The Blood of The Dinosaurs
Oh and listen to my podcast! Song Sandwich
Musician and writer – I play in Cheap City and run Dollhouse Lightning
