30) Ratboys – “Printer’s Devil”
One year ago, Chicago band Ratboys were set to take the indie scene by storm, armed with their deceivingly low-key and alarmingly charming new record “Printer’s Devil.” Unfortunately, with a February 2020 release date, the world wasn’t exactly focused on new music. Judging by the ridiculous amount of times I’ve listened to this record over the past year, though, it rightfully deserves its place on any best-of list – or at least on the next playlist you put together for a friend you haven’t seen in a while. “Printer’s Devil” showcases an array of musical styles, with co-founder Julia Steiner’s one-of-a-kind wincey croon a major highlight. Start with “I Go Out at Night” or “Alien With a Sleep Mask On,” and don’t look back. – Katie Cauthen
29) Porridge Radio – “Every Bad”
“I’m stuck I’m stuck I’m stuck I’m stuck I’m stuck,” repeats Porridge Radio’s Dana Margolin on “Lilac,” the highlight of Porridge Radio’s 2020 album “Every Bad.” While lyrical repetition pops up frequently on the album, it hardly ever feels repetitious, as Margolin takes the listener on an intense ride of British “slacker indie” rock. “Every Bad” was one of a handful of poignant albums to come out amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, sounding as if its songs were released to provide commentary on the trying times we were all experiencing. From an almost mumbled whisper to a desperate roar, “Lilac”‘s repeated closing line poignantly sums up a lot of what we were feeling during the pandemic, as well as what was to come in the rest of 2020. “I don’t want to get bitter, I want us to get better, I want us to be kinder to ourselves and each other.” Well said. – Kyle Przybyszewski
28) Creeper – “Sex, Death & the Infinite Void”
British glam-punkers Creeper swung for the fences on their second album and connected. Slowing the tempo from their nonstop 2017 debut and enlisting Los Angeles-based producer Xandy Barry to beef up their sound to arena-ready levels, the songwriting team of singer Will Boyd and guitarist Ian Miles delivered an ambitious, hook-driven album full of fist-pumping anthems and brooding love songs. It includes spoken-word interludes that recount a star-crossed romance between a demon and angel on the run from fascistic heavenly forces. (In a nod to Creeper’s Goth lineage, ex-Sisters of Mercy bassist Patricia Morrison voices Boyd’s counterpart.) It is an objectively ridiculous album that gets away with its pretensions thanks to Boyd’s arch delivery and the sheer verve of the band’s playing. – Jesse Fox Mayshark
27) NNAMDÏ – “BRAT”
NNAMDÏ has that certain kind of talent that makes him a breeze to listen to. Based out of Chicago, he has played in punk, screamo, hardcore, indie, jazz and soul acts – and that’s not even including his work as a solo artist. His output in 2020, however, finds him for the first time not only dabbling in everything and being good at it, but also melding his musicianship, voice and songwriting into a truly great, singular record.
“BRAT” features gorgeous songwriting, intricate acoustic instrumentation and middle-finger hip-hop, oftentimes presented seamlessly in the same track. NNAMDÏ has something to say about the music industry, about racism in America, about what he likes to eat and how lazy he feels sometimes. I’d tell anyone: If you like music, listen to NNAMDÏ. – KC
26) Lianne La Havas – “Lianne La Havas”
On her third studio album, Lianne La Havas refines and emboldens her minimalist approach to powerful songwriting and evocative lyrics to create the purposeful and sincere sound she has sought for years. Emotion is unabashedly poured into (and consequently out of) each track, delivered through her incredible vocals, skilled guitar playing and introspective stories. The texture and depth of La Havas’ unique blend of jazz, R&B and folk is new and refreshing, with faint basslines and low driving percussion that delicately complements her bold, yet vulnerable style. La Havas has created a beautiful album, free of any expectations, that connects, soothes and exhilarates. – Matt Miller
25) Rose City Band – “Summerlong”
West Coast shaman Ripley Johnson has spent the last few decades mining different psychedelic seams, from the brain-melting excursions of his acid-rock combo Wooden Shjips to the krautrock pulses of Moon Duo. Rose City Band, named for his current home base of Portland, Oregon, is his most laid-back manifestation to date, with a cosmic country vibe that variously recalls the Grateful Dead, Gram Parsons and Wilco, but with a hazy luminosity that is all its own. The key ingredient is Johnson’s echo-laden guitar, both on conventional six-string and golden-toned pedal steel. Tuneful and unhurried, the album conjures long shimmering afternoons bleeding into late-night jams. – JFM
24) Tunng – “Tunng Presents… Dead Club”
“Tunng Presents…Dead Club,” the seventh album from British “folktronica” band Tunng, is an exploration of death and many of the ways we as humans cope (and refuse to cope) with our impending ends. Tunng’s lyrical approach ranges from lighthearted (“The old toys in the shed have got to go,” on “SDC” and, “Death is the new sex, everybody is talking about it” on “Death Is the New Sex) to contemplative and wondering (“What an odd pact family is,” on “Man” and, “I’m a whisper in a specter in a gasp of air, I’m scared to death” on “Scared to Death”). Spoken-word passages placed tastefully throughout make a straight listen to the album a somber and rewarding journey. D.E.A.D. – KP
23) The Chicks – “Gaslighter”
Fourteen years in the making, The Chicks have returned with a vengeance, and part of the charm is that they don’t seem to care what we think about it. With instantly recognizable harmonies from the moment you press play, 2020’s “Gaslighter” feels like an old friend that you haven’t seen in years but dying to know what they have been up to. This record is far more pop-driven and focused than previous efforts. Plus, Natalie Maines demands attention on new songs like “Sleep at Night” just as much as she did on the Chicks’ classic 1999 anthem “Goodbye Earl.” I, for one, welcome that sort of confidence into my life in 2021. – KC
22) Poolside – “Low Season”
“Another year around the sun. Guess I’ve just been having fun” are the first words of “Around the Sun” on Poolside’s 2020 album, “Low Season.”
HAHA! GOOD ONE, Poolside!
Well, actually, I did have a lot of fun in 2020 now that I think about it. And a lot of it was sitting, well, poolside. I rented a house from Brendon James Wright in the summer of 2019 and it has a pool. It was cool that first year, but in 2020, it kept me sane. We had a rotating group of about 20 people (usually never more than 10 at a time for those who looking to roast) and we always played music while we relaxed (very spread out for those looking to roast). Poolside was in regular rotation for all the gatherings, whether it was the only time a local band was able to hang all year or one of our regular gatherings. While this effort isn’t his very best, it was just what the doctor ordered on many a summer day in 2020.
And you know what he says after “Guess we’re just having fun?” He says, “Making it through it.”
And you know what? We made it. – Rusty Odom
21) Lido Pimienta – “Miss Colombia”
Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter/producer Lido Pimienta’s work mingles Afro-Colombian forms with contemporary electropop to alluring effect. Throughout her third album, her lustrous voice rides sinuous melodies and Latin rhythms, delivering Spanish-language lyrics of struggles both personal and political. Named after Steve Harvey’s gaffe at the 2015 Miss Universe contest – when he erroneously announced that Miss Colombia had won – it is an album of soaring self-assertion. – JFM
20) Katie Pruitt – “Expectations”
It didn’t take long for Nashville-based Katie Pruitt to captivate audiences with her sharp songwriting, charismatic personality and genuine sincerity. “Expectations” is both extremely personal to Pruitt and incredibly relatable to every listener, with stories of living up to societal and family expectations, trying to fit in and discovering what love is. These intelligent tales of growth and discovery are driven by Pruitt’s powerful voice, radiating deep emotion with a chilling honesty and contagious optimism. She is also a skilled guitarist, backed by an amazing group of Nashville musicians and the talented Jess Nolan, creating a sound that is much larger yet more intimate than many of her Americana counterparts. Pruitt’s struggles with expectations made her a stronger person, resulting in one of the best albums of 2020 from an impressive young writer and performer who’s just getting started. – MM
19) Dan Deacon – “Mystic Familiar”
Dan Deacon puts on wondrous live shows, and he is another artist I can’t wait to see again when everything gets back to normal. His latest release, “Mystic Familiar,” will only add to his live catalogue. It’s a lovely mix or danceable rhythms and accessible abstracts and in typical Deacon fashion, promotes an infectious good time for all within earshot. – RO
18) Moses Boyd – “Dark Matter”
Drummer/producer Moses Boyd is part of the sprawling London jazz scene that is arguably the most vibrant music hub on the planet right now. Dark Matter, his third album, was released in February, but its themes of Black identity and displacement served as a prescient soundtrack for the year ahead. Boyd is a genre chameleon whose compositions and cut-and-paste production draw on traditional jazz, trip-hop, drum ‘n’ bass and neo-soul. With help from contemporary luminaries like Nubya Garcia, Theon Cross and Joe Armon-Jones, he punctuates his deep melodicism with bursts of abstraction. – JFM
17) Fontaines D.C. – “A Hero’s Death”
Self-depreciating humor, twisted turns of phrase and just a general “who gives a s***” level of irreverence is what makes the sophomore album from Fontaines D.C. such a welcome addition to 2020. The Dublin five-piece, hailing from working-class neighborhood The Liberties, are all post-punk wit, with singer Grian Chatten’s monotone delivery the perfect vehicle for songs about corporate tech takeover (“Televised Mind”), with Chatten plainly sharing “Swipe your thoughts from Broadway/Turn ideas to cabaret/Water dreams of yesterday/Far behind/All your laughter pissed away/All your sadness pissed away/Now you don’t care what they say/Nor do I.”
And when it’s time to throw in the towel or live the gray space of semi-failure (“No”): “Please don’t lock yourself away/Just appreciate the gray.” While the band’s debut, 2019’s “Dogrel,” was hyper-focused on painting vivid pictures of their Dublin life, soaked in references to heavy drinking, disillusioned teenage existence, chain smoking and late nights, “A Hero’s Death” expands the band’s songwriting, leaning into the abstract versus the specific. Blaring, reverb-soaked guitars and dry delivery still lead the way, but the concepts are more universal and, as a listener, a welcome expansion. – Carey Hodges
16) Caribou – “Suddenly”
Dan Snaith (Caribou/Manitoba/Daphni) told Esquire that he wanted the next Caribou album to be “weirder and more personal and intimate.” That’s exactly what it is. “Suddenly” merges the styles of past Caribou albums, becoming more cohesive and sporadic simultaneously. There’s a smooth flow from track to track, despite Snaith’s incorporation of dramatic tempo and style shifts, often mid-song. He turns to a more classical piano sound more than ever, as on “Sunny Time,” which also highlights the increased usage of hip-hop samples and beats that permeates the album. “Never Come Back” and “Ravi” are two of Snaith’s career-best, electro-synth dance tracks. “Home” is one of the feel-good songs of the year, the epitome of his unique sampling and mixing abilities. From beginning to end, “Suddenly” may be Caribou’s best album to date, and Snaith is rightfully proud of it. – MM
15) Freddie Gibbs/The Alchemist – “Alfredo”
Freddie “Gangsta” Gibbs and super-producer The Alchemist released one of the best rap records of 2020 in “Alfredo,” an intriguing album chock full of Mafia and Michael Jordan references. (MJ is as hot as he ever was with “The Last Dance” docuseries also coming out last year.) Gibbs brings in several guests for this LP, including a couple of up-and-comers out of Buffalo, New York, in Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher. Along with the newcomers, Gibbs collaborates with Rick Ross on a smooth jam, swapping bars with the rap veteran on “Scottie Beam.” Tyler the Creator joins Gibbs on another easy-listening jam, “Something to Rap About,” which showcases a slower cadence from the pair. The standout track, though, is “Frank Lucas,” which features Benny the Butcher and the coldest beat on the album. Gibbs is a prolific writer, and we can expect more releases from him in the near future. – John Flannagan
14) Moses Sumney – “græ”
An ambitious double album would be ill-advised for most artists as their second full length, but for Moses Sumney and his sophomore album “grae,” it is exactly what was necessary. Released in two halves months apart, “grae” is an avant- guard masterpiece. From R&B to jazz, psychedelia and more, Sumney takes his dazzling falsetto to new heights, conveying emotion in a single note as well as Sigur Ros’ Jonsi. The results are breathtaking and an emotional journey that bears repeating again and again. Whatever is next has quite the bar to beat, but Moses Sumney has fully proven his talent is boundless with this record. – KP
13) Spillage Village – “Spilligion”
Earthgang is a new favorite of mine, and it makes sense when you look at the facts. Two peculiar rappers from Atlanta who dress like they’re from the future and promote thought over flash with their lyrics? I’m in. Of course, I’m referencing OutKast, my favorite duo of all time, but Earthgang have said they are their own men. And I respect that. So sorry about the comparison, but it’s just there. Spillage Village was created by Earthgang, but has morphed into Atlanta’s new conglomerate. (It reminds me of Dungeon Family, sorry again.) So how did it happen? Well, JID, Hollywood JB, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, 6lack and Benji. ended up getting stuck in Atlanta when the ‘rona forced the collective to stay put, and “Spilligion” was born. “Funny how sh*t come together sometimes (ya dig)?” We couldn’t be happier for all involved but especially Benji., who performed first at Knoxville’s Rhythm and Blooms, and then at our own Second Bell Music Festival in 2019. Benji. is featured, just before Dungeon Family member Big Rube, on our favorite track of the album called, “Happi.” – RO
12) Perfume Genius – “Set My Heart on Fire Immediately”
“Half of my whole life is gone,” Mike Hadreas intones over ghostly organ to open his latest (and best) release. But rather than being a maudlin statement of regret, the song gradually builds before detonating into a reflective celebration of life and love. This contemplative lyrical approach permeates the entirety of “Set My Heart on Fire Immediately,” providing the album with an emotional spine and lending a poignant filter to even the most mundane minutiae in the artist’s vivid recollections. The pacing of the proceedings does not suffer as Hadreas navigates multiple genres, his confidence and skillful attention to detail allowing him to maintain a strident focus on delivering a taut, entertaining collection of tunes regardless of which musical style he is employing. – Matt Rankin
11) Tame Impala – “The Slow Rush”
It’s weird to think that Kevin Parker’s breezy psychedelic soundscapes are fueled by his self-admitted perfectionism. The mastermind behind Tame Impala, Parker dealt out delay after delay on the band’s fourth album, making a last-minute tweak here, remastering there and eventually leaning into his love of hip-hop to adjust the tempo of the entire collection. Boy, did it pay off, though. “The Slow Rush” is a groovy technicolor journey into Parker’s inner world, which, even in the songs that make up the album, is rife with a struggle to get things just right.
Swirling synths and guitars dance around songs like “Borderline,” in which Parker explores his move to Los Angeles from his native Australia, singing “There I go/Quite a show for a loner in L.A./Askin’ how I managed to end up in this place/And I couldn’t get away.” “Breathe Deeper” finds him throwing it back to the ‘70s classic/psych rock influences that oozed from Tame Impala’s 2010 debut and 2012 follow-up record. All in all, it’s impossible not to dance it out to this one. And while Parker’s perfectionism sparked anxiety on his end, it feels miles away while you’re bouncing to a wave of disco synths and shimmering guitar solos. – CH
10) Frankie and the Witch Fingers – “Monsters Eating People Eating Monsters”
Frankie and the Witch Fingers’ seventh album is a nonstop thrill ride that pays homage to ’60s and ’70s garage rock/psychedelia while managing to sound current and fresh. From the in-your-face opening track “Activate” to the closing song, the album flows from track to track and repeatedly lulls the listener in before opening the floodgates yet again with more blistering psychedelia. The entire affair is a continuous banger that starts strong and refuses to let up; it’s a masterpiece from start to finish. – KP
9) Kelly Lee Owens – “Inner Song”
Thirty-two-year-old electronic musician/producer extraordinaire Kelly Lee Owens came into her own in 2020 on what was just her second release. Some might recall her standout performance at Big Ears in 2018 and think that she already was an accomplished producer then, but she was touring off her self-titled debut release on that jaunt. On “Inner Song,” Owens really cranks things up and runs the gamut by producing club bangers such as “Melt!” and “Jeanette” while also showing off her vocal prowess with soothing electro-jams like “L.I.N.E.” and “Wake Up.” She even collaborates with legendary musician and fellow Welshman John Cale on the spoken-word piece “Corner of My Sky.” Owens sounds as if she’s putting it all together in a lab, and we can’t wait to see what she does next. – JF
8) Taylor Swift – “folklore”
Announced less than 24 hours before its release, the surprise of the summer was folklore, the quarantine-written, indie-folk makeover of pop icon Taylor Swift. Swift’s well-known songwriting abilities are perfectly complimented with these serene orchestrations from Aaron Dessner (The National) and Jack Antonoff (Fun). As writer/producer on 11 of the 17 often haunting ballads of love and lost, Dessner creates beautiful soundscapes; piano-driven songs beautifully layered with guitar, electronic percussion and string arrangements. The album begins with Swift confidently stating, “I’m doing good, I’m on some new sh*t,” which is the perfect proclamation for the music to follow. Swift excels both vocally and lyrically, telling deeply reflective and introspective stories with a calming confidence that feels new. With the addition of evermore in December, this 34-song adventure is Swift at her purest, using this time of isolation to create the best collaborative work of her career. – MM
7) Run the Jewels – “RTJ4”
A surprise release arriving at the beginning of America’s summer of discontent, the fourth offering from the duo of Killer Mike and El-P both soundtracked our national reckoning and provided a cathartic emancipation of our collective tension. Joyfully buoyant musically, the sprightly samples, buzzing synths and pulverizing bass in these 11 tracks temper the inflamed lyrical fury of the two veteran emcees.
Well, sort of; not much could mitigate the energetic, passionate delivery (informed by justifiable anger at economic disparity, racial inequality and police brutality) of these rhymes. “Walking in the Snow” is the album’s literal and emotional centerpiece, and Mike’s verse in particular – punctuated by the chilling lines, “And every day on the evening news they feed you fear for free/And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me/Until my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, ‘I can’t breathe.’ – captured the zeitgeist like nothing else in 2020. – MR
6) Waxahatchee – “Saint Cloud”
“Saint Cloud” is Alabama native Katie Crutchfield’s fifth solo effort under the moniker Waxahatchee. More Americana-driven than some of the earlier, spunkier siblings in her catalog (all of which are worth checking out), “Saint Cloud” is self-realized, wildly catchy and carelessly honest. This record isn’t perfect, but it was perfect for me this year. It is a raw collection of songs penned by someone headed in a new direction, which is something I think we all can embrace right now. You can start with “Lilacs,” “Fire” or “Can’t Do Much,” but this album is excellent from start to finish. – KC
5) Phoebe Bridgers – “Punisher”
Phoebe Bridgers sees the slightest glimmers of beauty in grief. At 25 years old, the California native has spent the majority of her young career crafting rich, character-driven stories, with lyrics lingering in spaces filled with anxiety, guilt and the occasional bright spots in between. “Punisher” is Bridgers’ second full-length collection, coming after her 2017 debut, “Stranger in the Alps,” earned her critical acclaim.
This time around, Bridgers mixes care and wit while allowing us a vivid view into the world she’s constructed. “Kyoto” uses a bouncy psychedelic arrangement to frame her relationship with her estranged father. On “Halloween,” she dips in and out of literal and figurative arrangements of wearing masks for other people, singing “Sick of the questions I keep asking you/They make you live in the past/But I can count on you to tell me the truth/When you’ve been drinking and you’re wearing a mask.” Whether morbid or even slyly optimistic, Bridgers impresses as an artist and charms as a storyteller, leaving the door wide open for her characters’ worlds to evolve even further in the future. – CH
4) HAIM – “Women in Music Pt. III”
The highly anticipated and much delayed third studio album from sister trio, Haim, is their best yet and it’s not even close. On this bold, multidimensional and unconventional album, they push themselves beyond any previous boundaries with confidence. On “I Know Alone” and “Now I’m In It,” the sisters experiment with a more electronic, synth-driven style; glitchy and skittish groves that are pop songs, without any of the glamour. Haim proves ready to expand their sound, bouncing into different genres on tracks such as R&B (“3 AM”), reggae (“Another Try”), americana (“Hallelujah”) and more. Even on the simpler, pop-rock songs fans have come to love, the group is at its best, seemingly both mainstream (it is Grammy-nominated for Album of the Year) and more underground at the same time. That’s just the music. Danielle Haim continues to be a fun, emotional and snarky vocalist, adapting to each musical style with ease. It’s lyrically intelligent, constantly shifting from dark to light, sure to uncertain, serious to satirical. “Women in Music Pt. III” came when we needed it most, giving us something to dance, chill, rock and reflect to, all in 51 minutes. – MM
3) Fiona Apple – “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”
Apple’s fifth album is a gift that keeps on giving – a masterstroke so densely, intricately and immaculately constructed that it continues to reveal its myriad astonishments bit by bit upon each listen. That isn’t to say that it’s not immediately pleasurable; it is, but it very warmly rewards those who are willing to spend some quality time with it. Self-produced and recorded in the artist’s home in Venice Beach, California, over a five-year period, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” is resultingly fresh and loose in spite of its textural complexity.
Abundant percussion – some of it fashioned by banging on the walls and floors of the abode – provides a structural base for the raw lyrical content, which features some of the artist’s best songwriting to date. The rough edges are smoothed, though, by layered, honeyed harmonies that meld with Apple’s husky croon, a combination that conspires to “make lighter of all the heavier,” as she lilts on “Cosmonauts.” Challenging, evocative, idiosyncratic and unrepentantly bold, this record is a document of a performer at the absolute pinnacle of a creative apex. – MR
2) SAULT – “Untitled (Black Is)”
What a couple of years the semi-mysterious London collective known as SAULT has had. Following two lively 2019 albums that largely flew under the radar (“5” and “7”), the group returned in 2020 with two explicitly political blasts of Afrocentrism: “Untitled (Black Is)” and “Untitled (Rise).” Arriving in June just weeks after the death of George Floyd and the wave of protests that followed, “Untiled (Black Is)” felt like a battlefront bulletin.
Tracks like “Stop Dem,” “Don’t Shoot Hands Down” and “Why We Cry Why We Die” transformed slogans into urgent appeals for compassion and shared humanity. The team of producer Inflo, singer Cleo Rose, rapper Kid Sister and assorted friends including singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka moved seamlessly between soulful laments, post-punk singalongs and Afropop rhythms. Informed by grief, anger and determination, the album feels both immediate and timeless. The more dance-oriented “Untitled (Rise),” released in September, continues the narrative of joy in the face of oppression and really deserves to be heard in tandem. – JFM
1) The Avalanches – “We Will Always Love You”
The Avalanches peppered fans with a handful of singles over the course of 2020, with each one seemingly being better than the last. It was a smart way to tease the Australian duo’s first new album since 2016. Had they released the best tracks on the album though? Was it going to be a situation where the trailer gives away the film? Filled with a diverse array of collaborations and sample-heavy production, “We Will Always Love You” answered those questions immediately upon release on Decemeber 11th. That day was one of the best for new music in recent history. Sturgill Simpson, Kid Cudi, James Blake, Roosevelt and Taylor Swift all released projects on 12/11/20, which made it impossible for these albums to make it on year end lists that had already decided their orders. But that’s one reason why we wait until January to concoct our favorites, and we are certainly glad we did. “We Will Always Love You” was featured on almost all of our contributors’ lists and it was at the very top of some. That’s why, based on our voting system, The Avalanches ran away with the title of BLANK’s Album of the Year.
The ride starts slower than it finishes, but owns a cast of features that rivals anything that’s been released in the last decade (or longer). Members of The Smiths, Blood Orange, Leon Bridges, Terrence Trent D’Arby, Janes Addiction, The Clash, Jamie XX, Kurt Vile, MGMT, Tricky, Riveres Cuomo, Pink Siifu, Denzel Curry and more are featured on this 25-track masterpiece. With its occasional change of pace, “We Will Always Love You” flows like a mountain stream and lands peacefully into a lake of soulful reward. With this piece of art added to the band’s catalogue, which already featured two excellent albums, they now sit firmly at the top of my bands to see live (and/or try to book for Second Bell) when the time is right. It’s safe to say that at this point, we will always love you, too, Avalanches. – RO
