Ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He is very secretive so, for all I know, he may be an alien.
– editor
My favorite stuff for the year. I’m numbering them counting down from 10 to 1 because that’s our format, but I don’t really do countdown stuff well, so don’t put any weight to the numbers. – Ryan
#10 – Proton Packs – Paradox
This record landed with a cool sci-fi feel that left a pretty decent first impression. Thing is, as time went by, I found myself coming back to it again and again and liking it more and more. It’s some really cool stuff that gives off some definite Lillingtons vibes. And in a year where Lillingtons split, it feels good to know that there’s some good stuff waiting in the wings.
#9 – TV Cop – TV Cop Smokes Weed
TV Cop does poppy punk rock with a bit of a ravaged grunge feel. They sing about things like smoking weed (duh) and Dale Earnhardt. And they get a big smile from me on each of the songs on here. When I first listened to this (and I pretty much did so because they’re from my neck of the woods), I don’t know what I was expecting – but it wasn’t to be hit with a record that I’d keep making my way back to like I have.
#8 – Lesser Creatures/Grim Deeds – Split
Since another Deeds release is coming up down the way, I’m focusing this mention on Lesser Creatures. I’ve no idea where Lesser Creatures (Nick Spoon) came from, but he hit me with a wake-up stick on the first half of this split. Catchy numbers like “Peep” and “Losers Everywhere” run up against the unorthodox riff monster “Fake”. Oh, and the Grim Deeds songs are great, too.
#7 – Grim Deeds – Infernal Satanic Pop Punk Blasphemy From Hell
So like I said, Grim Deeds is here, sneaking in with a last second release. Infernal collects 23 fantastic songs from the second half of the year, mixing in a bunch of buzzing pop punk, some chiming jangle pop, a few campfire singalongs, and a handful of (gasp!) countryfied pop songs. No matter what style he’s trying, he keeps landing on his feet. That happens when you do nothing but write good songs.
#6 – Screeching Weasel – Some Freaks Of Atavism
This one caught me off guard. On Freaks, Screeching Weasel hits some of the great pop-heavy punk that landed so well for me throughout the nineties. And “Back of Your Head” is maybe the catchiest Weasel earworm since something off Teen Punks (and maybe even earlier than that). I listened to this way more than I expected.
#5 – The Queers – Save The World
Another throwback to my younger days. Save The World mixes up the rough and juvenile punk rock (“Shit For Brains”), the catchy as all-get-out (and still juvenile) pop punk (“Cheeto in a Speedo Eating a Burrito” and “Hong Fucking Kong”), and the malt shop bubblegum (“My Heart’s In The Right Place” and “If I Had a Girl Like You”) and comes out the other end leaving a bunch of good impressions on my brain.
#4 – The Manges – Punk Rock Addio
The Italian Ramones-worshipping Manges are back with another great record. Much like their American counterparts above (Screeching Weasel and The Queers), The Manges mix up punk heavy numbers with a bunch of catchy singalongs that feel timeless and fun. It’s pop punk done right.
#3- The Putz – Rise and Shine
Another surprise for me this year was how hard I fell for The Putz. I’d heard a bunch of their music before and found it all okay, but nothing ever really hooked me. That is, until Rise and Shine. I couldn’t stop listening to this. It was dumb and juvenile and catchy and fun and it was everything I needed. (By the way, I’ve gone back and given their older stuff another shot, and it’s good, too – just needed to be given a more fair listen)
#2 – Bad Secret – Demo-One
Demo-One blew my mind. I heard some rumblings about the band and read a couple of spots where they described themselves as “mid-tempo Ramonescore”. I thought that sounded pretty simple and uninspiring. Then I listened to the first single and thought “this is pretty good”. Then the record dropped and I listened to the whole album. And then I did it again. And again. It’s simply great punk. The melodies, song structures, and lyrics are all a little off in just the right ways. My Spotify account tells me it’s my most listened to record for 2020 (and it didn’t come available until October).
#1 – Dark Thoughts – Must Be Nice
So, it doesn’t surprise me to have this on my list. I know, it came out digitally in 2019, but the physical copies released in 2020, so I’m counting it. Dark Thoughts are maybe my favorite go-to of the recent Ramones acolytes. The 3-piece has three records to their name, and all three are knock-me-down great. In fact, I don’t think they have a song I would skip on any of the three. And Must Be Nice is a nice slight evolution for the band, skewing slightly more pop in a couple spots and adding in pretty backing vocals and melodic bells on the closing title track. It’ll be fun to see what their Road To Ruin sounds like next.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (again, in no particular order):
Gallows Birds – Quaranteenage Kicks; Houseghost – Houseghost; Giant Eagles – Second Landing; So-Cho Pistons – Knuckleheads; Run The Jewels – RTJ4
ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He’s very secretive, he might be an alien.
