Top 10 CDs of 2020

What a terribly strange year 2020 has been. In some respects, it seemed like any other year, but that is coming from a guy that already worked from home full time. But, in other ways it was constant change, a constant struggle to do the right thing while staring in the face of a nation that made it clear that they put their self-interest over the greater good. And here we are praying for vaccine distribution because that is the only thing that can save us from ourselves. It is odd how something so void of activity could simultaneously be exhausting.

 

Whoa, this is a music blog, not sure how I ended up down that rabbit hole, but if you are reading this, you know who I am. You know I follow science. You know I wear my mask because it would benefit my fellow humans. You know I work in healthcare, and I will be eager to take the vaccine because if the Dr’s and Nurses I work with it are good with it, so am I. I am not so pompous or naïve as to assume I know more than them. They trust my Tech. I trust their Medicine.

 

Okay, I think I am done with that, now. So, let’s talk about music. Oddly, I didn’t buy as many CDs as I normally do. I am not sure if it was selection or if I was being more selective or if I was just pre-occupied with all the other shit. Still, the ones I did buy hit hard and made me make some tough choices.

 

For the new readers, let me get you up to speed with my rules. Yeah, I’ve got rules and shit. Number one rule: I had to actually purchase the CD. If I didn’t love it enough to own it, then it is not list worthy. Seems pretty logical to me. The other rules, with no particular weight, include: how often I listened to the album; how good the artist can pull it off live (yes; I know that doesn’t seem to fit an album review, but, again, it’s my list, and I do what I want up in this piece); quality of recording; strength of lyrics; no EPs; no live albums – it has to be new music, if an artist did a live CD of all new songs, I would consider it; and, for artists that have multiple albums under their belts, how this album compares to their other work. I am not saying these rules are fair, but I am saying this is what I use to determine my Top 10. At the end of the day, what was my soundtrack to 2020.

 

 

#10 – Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters

I am pretty sure Fiona has appeared on one of my lists before. It would surprise me if she hasn’t. I’ve been a fan since Tidal, and my support and admiration has been unwavering. I kind of feel like we grew up together. Fetch The Bolt Cutters is art. It is dense and complex and requires multiple listens to pick-up on and embrace all the nuance. Almost every list I have read has it in the Top 10, if not the Top 5. I think the one thing that held it out of the Top 5 for my list is I just didn’t spend a lot of time with it. Maybe I was too tired to really dig in. It’s not the kind of album that you can let be background. It is heavy. It demands and deserves attention. “For Her” transitions out of a bridge with the line, “You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in.” Yeah, it is the that kind of heavy album. Like I said, it deserves attention, and should be on every Top of 2020 list.

 

 

 

#9 – Sylvan Esso – Free Love

Sylvan Esso has long been my go-to for work jams. For whatever reason, I am able to groove to their music while simultaneously getting shit done. They are like spinach, if I were Popeye. Oh wait, is that reference too old for you? Google it, ya young whipper-snapper. Free Love is exactly what we needed this year. If you follow any of their social, they did the best live stream performances this year, and made incredibly artsy videos. When spinning this CD, you can let it sit in the background while you get in some chair dancing, but be prepared for depth and introspection. They may sound like a fun party band, but trust if you dig into the lyrics, they always have something powerful to say. Oh, they also release WITH this year, which was a dynamic live recording, which deserves a purchase as well. HERE is a link to their YouTube, do yourself a favor and spend some time checking out the multi-media they are putting out. Great stuff.

 

 

#8 – Caitlyn Smith – Supernova

I am gonna be honest, there wasn’t a CD I was anticipating more than Supernova. Starfire caught me by surprise, as I had not heard of Caitlyn Smith, but I instantly loved her voice and songwriting. So, when I heard rumor that she was dropping new music, I was eager like a fat kid on Thanksgiving. Let me tell you, just like sweet potato casserole and stuffing, Supernova does not disappoint. As you’d expect from a disk being produced in Nashville, the production is as clean. Say what you will about country, but those Studios Engineers know their way around a console. I am not sure where I would put this album. I am seeing people call it Adult Alternative on-line, but I feel like it is younger and fresher than that genre. It’s not country. Hell, what is country anymore? Anything with a pedal steel I guess, such a weird genre. Here is the deal, if you dig really great singers that are belting some extremely relatable, yet personal, shit, and are a fan of excellently produced recordings, you are gonna like this CD.

 

 

#7 – Phoebe Bridger – Punisher

I found Phoebe through boygenius which is her side project with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, both of whom I am a huge fan. Surprisingly, to me at least, it was Phoebe that stood out in that ensemble, so I started getting all of her stuff. Stranger In The Alps is excellent, and her collaborations are always impressive, my favorite being the one with Noah & Abby Gunderson. Needless to say, when I saw that she was releasing new material, my excitement was palpable. When I step back and look at her body of work, Punisher is just a more mature recording, not just the songwriting, but the recording itself. With her wistful voice and intensely honest lyrics, Phoebe is able to juxtapose vulnerability and fearlessness. Just read the lyrics to “Moon Song” and you’ll understand what I am talking about.

 

You asked to walk me home
But I had to carry you
And you pushed me in
And now my feet can't touch the bottom of you

 

You couldn't have, you couldn't have
Stuck your tongue down the throat of somebody
Who loves you more
So I will wait for the next time you want me
Like a dog with a bird at your door

 

We hate Tears in Heaven
But it's sad that his baby died
And we fought about John Lennon
Until I cried
And then went to bed upset

 

Now I'm dreaming
And you're singing at my birthday
I've never seen you smiling so big
It's nautical themed
And there's something I'm supposed to say
But can't for the life of me remember what it is

 

And if I could give you the moon
I would give you the moon

 

You are sick, and you're married
And you might be dying
But you're holding me like water in your hands
When you saw the dead little bird, you started crying
But you know the killer doesn't understand

 

She creates with abandon and will not be constrained by any box you, or I, want to put her in.

 

#6 – Ashley Ray – Pauline

I think this might be the surprise of the list, not because I haven’t been a fan for a long time, but because it caught me off guard, and despite being an accomplished songwriter and putting in her dues for years, Ashley is still a bit under the radar, for most. I saw her dropping singles, but I missed the album release. August is the busiest time for the youth football season, so I was in full-on coach mode and just missed it. I didn’t pick it up until the week of December 14^th after she dropped her Tiny Desk (Home) Concert which was so good I went out looking for more music. Typically, albums that I buy in December really struggle to get the kind of rotations that would garner a spot on my list, but right out of the gate, Ashley lets you know she is not playing around. “Pauline” is this dirgey ditty about her mom and grandma. It is introspective, vulnerable, and authentic, and the album never lets up. It’s one of those discs that defies the rules. I don’t care that I didn’t get to listen to it 100s of times over the course of the year, because this is like her Southeastern. Those that know, know. The production is exceptional. It has the tones and textures that I love the most about Alt-Country/Americana. So much lovely lush tremolo. If you appreciate really incredible storytelling, this is the disc for you.

 

#5 – All Them Witches – Nothing as the Ideal

When I think about the soundtrack to my 2020, this disc had to be included. Y’all already know that All Them Witches is my son’s favorite band. Every year I set his highlight video to their music – here is his 5^th grade film – and we listen to them before every practice and game, so you know the new disc was in HEAVY rotation.  What is incredible to me is how prolific they are. All Them Witches lives in a world that is sonically undefined, from album to album they seem to be able to reinvent themselves while remaining true to themselves. My son and I had a pretty intense discussion about Nothing as the Ideal. I mean as intense as you can get with an 11 year old. He says it is his second favorite ATW recording, but it falls more to the middle of the pack, for me. They veered a bit from the psychedelic grooves that I love so much on ATW, Sleeping Through the War, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker, and the others. Instead, a few cuts, seemed to be drawing from a more old-school thrash and metal influence, almost reminiscent of Motorhead. I am not saying that is a bad thing, but I really love when they stretch things out, when they let the song breathe. I mean they only had three songs that were longer than five minutes for fuck sakes. That’s abnormal for them. No surprise, but the two that eclipsed nine minutes, “See You Next Fall” and “Rats in Ruin,” are my favorite of the disc.

 

#4 – Katie Pruitt – Expectations

Ya know, I never would have thought that in the middle of a global pandemic the album that I would need was a brutally honest coming of age while coming out of the closet recording, but here we are. Expectations is riddled with track after track of incredible storytelling and authenticity. The instrumentation is timeless. Katie’s guitar playing is tastefully understated, and her voice lilts and sores, commanding an impressive dynamic range that is rare in such a young singer, but really, it comes back to the songwriting. It is just so open and intimate. I genuinely feel like I know this total stranger. I feel like she is a member of my tribe. As a singer/songwriter myself, I suspect that was always my ultimate goal, to open up and let the listener really know me, to find connection. In a year that placed connection at a premium, Expectations helped to fill the void. We talk a lot about love is love, and that is easy for some to understand, but for others they still struggle with that concept. For those that are struggling, I beg you to read these lyrics…

 

I was broken and bent out of shape
Everything was a dark shade of gray
There never was a sunnier day
Than when you decided to get on that plane
Touch down in the Tennessee rain
And I had no clue, it was gonna be you

Then one night we got high on your bed
I had the munchies and your eyes were red
In the grocery store shopping for bread
You looked me dead in my eyes and you said
"Let's have a sword fight with these French baguettes"
And that's when I knew, it was gonna be you...

You came wandering into my life without warning
We stayed up talking, before I knew, it was morning

At a house party just down the street
My band was playing and you came to see
Oh, we both had way too much to drink
We made out all night on some strange balcony
I swear I never wanted to leave
And neither did you
Oh, neither did you...

It was perfect, as if God himself wrote it
I'd be fine dying, if my life were only this moment...
Oh oh oh oh... oh oh
Oh oh oh oh... oh... oh oh... oh

In my bedroom when I was a child
I imagined that same exact smile
In my dreams, oh, you drove me half wild
I thought for sure it was all in my mind
You could never exist in real life
Yet somehow you do
Oh, somehow you do

There must have been angels
Singing sweetly above me
Oh, do you love... me?
There's nobody who
Makes me feel... like you do...
I know that it's always been... you...

 

I am hoping that knowing that is a girl singing about loving a girl will help you understand.

 

#3 – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Reunions

Y’all had to know this was coming right? When has a Jason Isbell album not made my list. When I was compiling the list, Reunions was there, but I initially had it much lower, then, as I do before I write my review, I gave it a listen, and instantly I realized I knew every word to track; I knew all of Jimbo Hart’s bass lines; knew all the slide parts, all the times Amanda Shires’s harmonies kick in. Because it was released in the front half of the year and didn’t get a lot of play during the football season (as a person that works from home, the football season is when I listen to the most music because it is when I am in my car the most, going to and from practice, picking players up, dropping them off, roadtripping to games, etc.) I had forgotten how much of an impact it had already made on me. I had forgotten how strong it was. I am to the point where I would fight someone that didn’t think Jason is one of the best songwriters America ever produced, and it is fuckin’ justified. Album after album the dude is able to paint an authentic American landscape that is accessible, dreamy, and thought provoking. I mean read “Only Children” and tell me that is not the most well written story you’ve read this year?

 

Walking around at night
Fighting my appetite
Every kid in cutoffs could be you
Remember when we used to meet
At the bottom of Mobile Street
And do what the broken people do

Are you still taking notes
The Holy Ghost could get inside you
And do whatever you put your mind to
Will you read me what you wrote
When we were locked outside the building
Over-encouraged, only children

Cold coffee on the fire escape
We bet it all on a demo tape
When we still had something left to steal
Remember when we took too much
To get a little of the human touch
Hand to mouth and reel to reel

And are you still taking notes
Hydrocodone in your backpack
Maybe these words will hold the beast back
And will you read me what you wrote
The one I said you stole from Dylan
Over-encouraged, only children

Heaven's wasted on the dead
That's what your mama said
When the hearse was idling in the parking lot
She said you thought the world of me
And you were glad to see
They finally let me be an astronaut

Are you still taking notes
Will you have anyone to talk to
Castle walls that you can walk through
And do the dead believe in ghosts
Or are you lost in some old building
With over-encouraged only children

 

Honestly, I could just drop the lyrics and let them speak for themselves, but you have to hear the music. The 400 unit is one of the tightest bands making music today. Everyone of them respects their craft; they don’t cut corners; they don’t forsake talent for studios magic; and all of that is evident when you listen to Reunions.

 

#2 – William Wild – Push Ups

No artist got more play in my house than William Wild in 2020. William Wild, which is the moniker of Knoxville based singer/songwriter/producer Garrett Sales, is my go-to to get my head right, to calm me when the kids have terrorized my morning, or I need some calm before bed. Push Ups soothes me. It’s Garrett’s voice. His incredible ability to slide into falsetto with no break is breathtaking. Unlike previous recordings, William Wild and Steady Now, Push Ups is more expansive. The instrumentation has an electronic bend, and his knowledge of production is on full display because every musical direction, every decision that is made is tasteful and intentional. Much like Sylvan Esso and All Them Witches, you can let William Wild be the background to your moment, but if you really listen, if you get beneath the surface, Garrett is opening himself up; he is exposing the rawness of his existence, and it is beautiful.

 

#1 – Nas – King’s Disease

I just went through every Top 10 I have written. I have been at this since 2009, and while several hip-hop artists have appeared on my lists, no one has ever taken the top spot, until this year. If y’all follow any of my social media, you know Nas is my favorite rapper, has been and probably always will be. If Nasir had two more songs, that disc could have made the list, but I put that in the EP category. King’s Disease, however, with 13 terrific tracks, definitely qualifies, and, in my opinion, it is Nas’s best work since Illmatic. So, here is the thing, I just don’t feel qualified to talk about hip-hop. I know what I like. I know I played this CD after every football game, after every football practice. I know my kids know every word on every song. I know it earned it’s spot on my list, but I also know what I don’t know. As a singer/songwriter I feel qualified to speak on the majority of the music I review. I know the history. I understand the instrumentation, the song construction; I can differentiate quality lyrics from shit, but when it comes to hip-hop, I prefer to listen to folks that are more knowledgeable than I am. So, HERE is the Joe Budden podcast discussing the disc.

Top 10 CDs of 2012

It is time for another one of those opinionated blogs about which CDs someone thinks are the best of the year. In this instance that someone is me, just a small-time singer/songwriter who is absolutely obsessed with music.

This is my 4th annual Top 10 list, but for those that have never read one of my reviews, please allow me to give you some background on my scoring criteria. First, I will only rank CDs that I have purchased. I find it to be somewhat ridiculous to beat my chest in praise of a CD that I wouldn't cough up the $9.99 to purchase when it went on Amazon sale. Second, and possibly the weirdest of my judging criteria, bands that perform well live rank higher. But, you are ranking CDs Eric, not live performances? And in your question is my answer, I am ranking them. I'll do it how I want, and, frankly, I do not care what kind of magic you can create in a studio if you cannot pull it off live. Other factors include, but are not limited to: sustained plays - how long did it live in my dash or end up on iPod rotation; intensity of vocals; quality of lyrics; and interesting instrumentation. Lastly, I will only rank full albums, so if you dropped an EP, I may love it, but I will not rank it. That being said, I would like to make note that if the Superhero Killer EP was and LP, it would have been in this list.

With all that gibberish behind us, here is my Top 10 for 2012. Please feel free to love or hate me in the comments, and let me know your Top 10.

  

#10 The Lumineers by The Lumineers Number 10 is always a bitch. There were so many great CDs this year: Lucero, Jack White, Lana Del Ray, John Mayer, Kathleen Edwards, Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins, Mumford and Sons...any one of these could have edged their way in with sustained spins, an amazing concert, or the right moon, but alas the Lumineers trumped them all with the strength of their Southern Ground Music and Food Festival performance, another one of my Epic Roadtrips of 2012. We went, primarily, to see Amos Lee and David Grey, but all of us ended up buying The Lumineers CD after seeing them play. "Ho Hey" may be my favorite song of the year; it showcases the power of strong songwriting, sing-along choruses, and acoustic instrumentation, and it helped get The Lumineers on my Top 10 list.

#9 Rot Gut, Domestic by Margot & the Nuclear So and So's I credit Pandora and Union Tree Review with turning me on to this band. Pandora for constantly injecting them into my stations, and UTR for opening for them, allowing me to see them pull it off live. They are an explosion of intensity on stage. They create dirty, buzzy, Indie rock that keeps me young and creative. Rot Gut, Domestic is a perfect roadtrip CD. Enough movement and variance to keep you attentive and enough thought provoking lyrics to keep the mind alive. 

#8 Neck of the Woods by Silversun Pickups There is probably no band that has influenced me more over the last few years than Silversun Pickups. Towards the end of So Much Closer I was drawing a significant amount of inspiration from this band, so when they finally announced the release of a new CD, I was elated. I bought the pre-order package with all the bells and whistles: the book, the picture cards, the box, the whole damn thing, and I would do it again. I was fortunate to see them for the second time at the Peabody Opera House this year. Neck of the Woods showed a pretty significant departure from their previous albums, it was more subtle, more musical and less atmospheric. I was concerned about how they would pull it off live, but they Pro'd it up and put on my best show of the year. Some of that had to do with my friend Brian having the hook-up on some sweet corporate tickets that got us a box on the rail, valet parking, food, drinks...I felt rich for the evening. And we were with Warren and Hsu. The company always makes a show better, but I could have been by myself on the floor behind some tall bastard, and I would have, still, been blown away.

#7 Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones You can assume if Norah puts out a CD it will appear on my Top 10 list for the year. She is that amazing. In 2012, if I was doing a Top 20 list, she would have been on here twice because the second Little Willies CD was pretty fantastic too. But, it is a Top 10, and Little Broken Hearts resonated with me. When I first heard the CD I thought for sure it would end up in the Top 5, but, for some reason, it didn't stay with me as much as the others. Every time I come back to it, I am reminded of how delicious it was to pair Norah with Danger Mouse, really pushing her to develop textures that we are not used to hearing from her. More guitar than keys and more sultry than sad, Little Broken Hearts reminds us of how the suck of heartbreak can be used to create beauty.

 

#6 Rhythm and Repose by Glen Hansard This was a last minute change for me. As I was writing this Rhythm and Repose jumped 3 spots. Glen Hansard can do know wrong to me. His pen is magic, and his voice makes all singers wish we could sing better. I have seen Glen in one incarnation or another 4 times in the last 3 years, and he never fails to put on an amazing show. I got to see him twice this year. Once up in Chicago and once at home in St. Louis. Each time I left thinking that may be the best show I will see all year. Rhythm and Repose is filled with the things that make Glen so special. The lyrics are sincere and personal, yet tug on universal heart strings. His songs refuse to leave you once you hear them, and he voice is as incredible as ever.

#5 Boys and Girls by Alabama Shakes As I have perused other Top 10 lists, Boys and Girls was the CD from my list that seemed to appear the most on other lists. Alabama Shakes are definitely a breakout band, and it is well deserved. I went on a pretty amazing roadtrip with my friends Bryan and Steph. Bryan was the pilot so Steph and I were responsible for music. We agreed to both make 3 mixed discs to fuel the drive. Alabama Shakes was one of the few artists that appeared on my mixes and hers. Powered by the old soul vocals of Brittany Howard, Boys and Girls hits in all the right spots. Feet will tap, asses with shake, love will be made, and salvation will be achieved.

#4 Ownerless by Everest Everest is the only band on this Top 10 that I have not had the chance to see live. That should give you some indication of how great Ownerless is. They are just a great rock band. While they can drive a straight 4 with the best of them, they are certainly not afraid to step outside of standard rock licks and bury you beneath a wall of washed out distortion and delay. Their harmonies are spectacular, and the grooves on Ownerless are just sexy. They make me want to brush the hair out of my lover’s face, as my lips have her pinned to the wall and her wanting hands pull me closer. Yeah. It’s like that.  

#3 The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do by Fiona Apple What can I say, I love Fiona Apple, always have. I don’t care about her social blunders or her heroin sheik emaciation. She is brilliant: great voice, talented pianist, and an amazing lyricist. More importantly, she has grown over her career, and this peculiarly named album showcases that growth. Without a doubt my favorite line from 2012 came from this CD, “Just tolerate my little fist tugging on your forest chest.” So completely sensory. How do you not love it?

#2 The Body Wins by Sarah Jaffe I love when I can point directly to the person that introduced me to an artist, and I can credit Malaina Mobley with my love for Sarah Jaffe. She posted one of Sarah’s videos on my Facebook page with this statement, “I think you should marry her.” While I do not doubt that we would make amazing little singer/songwriter babies, I am not sure Amanda or Sarah’s significant other would approve. Never the less, I did fall in love with her music. I think the best compliment I can pay Sarah is to say she is completely original. When I try to explain her to people I am lost for connection points. She doesn’t remind me of anyone, and that is simply amazing. She is a thoughtful songwriter that is able to escape the acoustic guitar and create interesting tapestries of sound to wrap around her words. This CD will make you move as much as you will think.

#1 The Styletones by The Styletones Much like 2011, for me, there was a clear #1 in 2012. The moment I put the Styletones in my car dash I knew nothing could touch it, and nothing did. It lived in my dash, carried me through several roadtrips, and still gets weekly spins. The Styletones is an example of everything I love about music: an extremely tight rhythm section created by Jake Najor and Bill Thomas; the transformative B3 supplied by Ben Moore; a ridiculously funky horn section courtesy of Andy Geib, Gabriel Sundy, and John Reynold; the sweet soulful guitar of Deron Gant that sends me to my practice space in search of my own soul inspired licks; and great…no wait…FUCKIN’ GREAT lyrics and vocals provided by Stevie Harris. If that name sounds familiar, you probably remember reading the Top 10 of 2011 where his other band, Stevie and the High-Staxx, placed 10^th on my Top 10. I have spent several hours trying to determine why there was such a gap between two bands that share members and a singer/songwriter, and all I can come up with is it is me. 2011 was kind of a dark year for me, I was mourning the loss of So Much Closer; spent the majority of the year pining; and ended it in a crazy rollercoaster relationship. I wasn’t ready to be lifted. 2012 has been a year of acceptance for me, embracing my station; realizing how much I truly love my life; and I met a fantastic girl right around the time that Styletones arrived. So when I heard, “There’s a healing on the dance floor, salvation in the groove” and my ass was seat-shaking, I felt that shit. Or when Stevie unleashed, “My wings are dirty from doing the sanctified strut” with an intensity that jumped through my speakers and shook me, I felt that shit. And when the band laid a fat groove allowing Stevie to hop on his pulpit and tell me, “Be a jewel in the heart of a lotus; keep your cool and sharpen your focus; yes you can, be a better man.”  Well, I felt that shit. And, at the end of the day, I want music that makes me feel, and this CD moves me on every track.