ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2021
I have compiled my annual list. I thought this was a good year, I found a lot to listen to and there were a lot of things I didn't have time to investigate properly - for example, a lot of new jazz I enjoyed came through the house, I hope to get into this rich new vein in the new year.
I think always think hard about the number one record; sometimes, when I have a few contenders, I pick the most "difficult" one. But some years a record will haunt me, with the songs trying to drill themselves into my mind between sleep and waking so I can't forget them, and this was one of those years. An innocuous disc but one that seemed to be designed just for me.
I've made a Spotify playlist with a song from each.
1 SOBERISH - Liz Phair
2 WILDS - Andy Shauf
3 COURSE IN FABLE - Ryley Walker
4 I KNOW I'M FUNNY HAHA - Faye Webster
5 FIR WAVE - Hannah Peel
6 LAST TIME I SAW GRACE - New Bums
7 PETER STAMPFEL'S 20TH CENTURY IN 100 SONGS - Peter Stampfel
8 UNCOMMON WEATHER - The Reds, Pinks & Purples
9 THE CROWDED MIND - Dazy
10 WINK - Chai
11 THE FUTURE BITES - Steven Wilson
12 ALWAYS SOMETHING - UV-TV
13 LILY WE NEED TO TALK NOW - Lily Konigsberg
14 FLAT WHITE MOON - Field Music
15 WISH YOU WERE HERE TOUR REVISITED - 2nd Grade
16 DREAMERS ARE WAITING - Crowded House
17 DEBONAIR - Horsey
18 VERTIGO DAYS - The Notwist
19 CAPE COD COTTAGE - Brendan Eder Ensemble
20 HERITAGE - Hilma Nikolaisen
21 AN OVERVIEW ON PHENOMENAL NATURE - Cassandra Jenkins
22 QUEENS OF THE SUMMER HOTEL - Aimee Mann
23 SPENCER CULLUM'S COIN COLLECTION - Spencer Cullum
24 POHORYLLE - Margo Cilker
25 SLING - Clairo
26 BLACK METAL 2 - Dean Blunt
27 OTHER YOU - Steve Gunn
28 WINDSWEPT ADAN - Ichiko Aoba
29 OH GOOD IT'S - al Riggs
30 NEW LONG LEG - Dry Cleaning
31 TIME NO CHANGES - Chad Taylor & Chris Schlarb
32 WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - The Avalanches
33 FIBATTY - Glenn Richards
34 TO SEE THE NEXT PART OF THE DREAM - Parannoul
35 DESTINY WAIVING - Ulrich Schnauss & Mark Peters
36 VOYAGE OUT - Floatie
37 FOR FREE - David Crosby
38 PALBERTA5000 - Palberta
39 ENDLESS ARCADE - Teenage Fanclub
40 THREESOME VOL 2 EP - The Lickerish Quartet
Comments (10)
40?! Bringing shame to all of the top 10s and top 20s of the world!
This is pretty good, John, but you're no Dr. Ladysounds
Thanks, I'm always looking for new music outside of the little bubble I'm in and almost all of these are new to me
I really appreciate the full list dropping all at once instead of teasing out 10 albums a day 👍
Great #1 choice.
not yet, but I heard about it & have a copy. I do love "Funstyle" but I get why not everyone does.
I think I disregarded it at the time, the reviews made it sound like she was just pissing about - I may never have actually heard it. But I saw the video for the single from it earlier this year and it sounded pretty good. Maybe it's time to have a listen. I'm sure there is some pissing about but presumably, good tunes too.
stares in "how is this the FIRST I'm hearing of new liz phair!?"
In fairness, it's the first Liz Phair record worthy of a good long listen since 1998. Did you read her book?
Thanks!