Like my man Melse, the pandemic should have awarded me more time to pour over new music and have a top 40 list. For many reasons, that did not happen. Nevertheless, I feel strongly about the 16 that I did get a chance to explore. My taste is a bit eclectic, but you can always count on some soulful funky joints making the top 10. Without further ado:
This album is the reason why I extended the list to 16. I couldn’t in good conscience, leave PJ off a list. Even if they made a departure album where Jeff and Stone shared lead vocals, and Ed just played backing ukulele. With that being said, this album is ranked so low for a reason. When I heard "Dance Of The Clairvoyants" for the first time, I was so chubbed up. They were taking a right turn and were just making this type of record. Big divergence, but I was onboard. The drum track, the David Byrne inspired vocals… The next song I heard was "Quick Escape". Again, different from typical PJ. I was still on board. Then I heard "Superblood Wolfmoon", and I started scratching my head. It made me think of their song "Johnny Guitar", which is a song I despise. From there on, it was just a bunch of forgettable songs that didn’t grab me at all. I know they are aging and not every album can be stellar, but I needed more than two solid songs to advance them any higher on the list.
15) Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1
This is not new material by him per se, but whatever. This is my list. The bluegrass renditions of his previously released songs just put a smile on my face. Many days while scooping cat shit in the basement, I'd pop this on and just forget where I was and what I was doing.
13) The Texas Gentlemen – Floor It!!!
I love the vibe of these guys. This album seems scattered and all over the place. Some odd carnival fillers, jammy instrumentals, and vocals that remind me of a mix of Little Feat + Sheepdogs + Black Keys (See the song "Ain’t Nothin’ New"). You would think that would be enough to be a top 3 album based on that description alone. The highs of this album weren’t enough to even out the filler.
12) The Killers – Imploding The Mirage
I'll keep this review short. The Killers have a recipe that works for them. The lyrics seem more introspective and less about killing a girl named Jenny. I did notice that they borrowed a book from the Adam Granduciel library. That’s Ok. There are worse artists to emulate.
11) Sylvan Esso – Free Love
This is an odd one for me. She is the equivalent of a female Justin Vernon. That means I’ll probably hate everything else that she puts out. But like Bon Iver so I’ll allow my inner sock hat-wearing self to enjoy this for now. Amelia Meath does have a cool voice though. The songs have enough computer bop to make it work for me. She has the Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches effect on my brain. Just does something to me.
10) Izaak Opatz – Hot & Heavy-Handed
This was a recommendation from Apple. I’ll always have a soft spot for 80’s/90’s country. This Christian bullshit nowadays being sung by dudes name Bryson is bad for everyone. This album has all of the old school country topics you’d expect. Except this has just enough rock feel to bridge the gap from days of Alan Jackson.
9) Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Sideways To New Italy
Charging yet melodic. This just rolls along with great riffs and great vocals. You won't get deep lyrics, but if you want to wax your surfboard… This was my entry point to this band after hearing about them from Melse & Ironfish.
8) John Legend – Bigger Love
Who doesn’t like John Legend? The guy has more Grammys than I have digits. It's nice to see him continuing to make soulful music without featuring new age idiot rappers that completely ruin what would have been a perfectly good song. Good on you. Although this isn’t a Kanye production, it is still a solid album. One that I’m listening to as I type and realizing I could have ranked higher… But at some point, you have to lock it down. Gary Clark Jr. is featured on a track and it is boner inducing.
7) Curren$y & Harry Fraud - The Out Runners
Just like my love of country music of old, I try to keep an ear out for hip hop that still has that certain thing. Curren$y is a southern rapper that was actually part of No Limit Records back in the day. I hated No Limit just as much as Cash Money. Then why did Curren$y make the list? It’s because him mixed with producer Harry Fraud is a perfect matchup. Curren$y has that lazy southern flow that is way smarter than his peers. Fraud’s beats are the perfect vehicle for that slower flow. Saxophone and violin over soul samples done in such a seamless way. I’ve always been into following hip hop producers and knowing their trademarked sound. Fraud is up there with Kanye, Primo, and The Alchemist. That’s not hyperbole.
6) Two Another - Two Sides
This group made my list in 2018 with their album Another Tape. This album is even better. This producer and singer combo make some soulful music that you can just pop on and let rip all the way through. Pour some wine, close the blinds, and set the mood for your lady.
5) My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall II
These definitely sound like tracks that didn’t make original Waterfall for the most part. But, MMJ on a “down” note is usually better than many at their peak. You are still going to get top-notch existential writing and superb musicianship. Yeah, so what that some of the songs don’t grab me like ones on the previous album? I’m OK with that. This album does have the song “Feel You”, which might be my favorite song of theirs, period. So, it all balances out in my mind. It took a while for MMJ to sink into my veins, and I’m not jumping off this ship anytime soon.
4) Black Pumas - Black Pumas
Hey, can I have a tad bit rawer and more soulful version of St. Paul and the Broken Bones? Of course, you can. Can you also make the lead singer sound like Michael Kiwanuka? Coming right up. Solid album from beginning to end. Is it super deep, lyric-wise? Not exactly. And that’s the main reason I don’t have it higher on the list. Now I’m just nitpicking.
This album is kind of a cheat. It is a compilation of the singles he dribbled out to the public in 2020. A smart ploy by the way. Most people just care about songs rather than albums. So, why not just keep the dopamine hits coming over the span of a year? This is a new and improved Hawthorne. He has always been solid, but the production quality and crispness of these songs raise the bar for sure. Soulful music is my wheelhouse. And nothing says soulful like a scrawny Jewish kid from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
2) Peach Pit - You And Your Friends
The biggest surprise on my list. This group popped up in our music chat and I kept telling myself that I’d get around to it. So, there might be some recency bias here. So, what. Lead singer Neil Smith’s slightly distorted vocals have that certain feel to it that makes me compare him to White Denim’s James Petralli. Peach Pit’s lyrics and vibe are a bit strange, but it offsets perfectly against melodic vocals and a sound that is reminiscent of LCD Soundsystem on heavy benzodiazepines. Check out the song "Shampoo Bottles". Yeah, just one random song to point out in this whole list. That’s right.
1) Bahamas - Sad Hunk
There are a handful of celebrities that I’ve come across that I would (have) really like(d) to hang out with; Anthony Bourdain, Steve Irwin, Pete Nelson (of Treehouse Masters), and Phil Rosenthal (producer of Everybody Loves Raymond) are at the top of my list for varying reasons. The newest member of that prestigious club is Afie Jurvanen. Charisma. Some people just have it. What he also has, is the ability to make a no-frills record that is perfect for the time period it was released. I feel this is his most self-reflective work to date. It’s done in his typical self-deprecating way, which makes it even better. This album deals with getting older and wiser. A topic that resonates with me at this current point in my life.
