Best of 2020: Albums

This is my list of favorite albums for 2020.

I was impressed with the debut LP from Mi'ens. They created a nice mix of space rock and dream pop with enough discord to give the songs the proper edge. MJ Guider and White Poppy both had albums full of great shoegaze tunes. Bill Nace released his first solo album, which is a fine slab of experimental guitar work. C. Lavender created a haunting collection of spooky drones on the Myth of Equilibrium. I enjoyed the low tech synth pop of Nail Club and the longform synth pieces by X.Y.R.

I got a bit nostalgic for printed music reviews and criticism over the year. Being safe at home with not much to do had me almost slightly missing high school. I was thinking of the days when you would hang out in your room listening to music while reading about cool bands in far away lands that you weren't even sure actually existed.

The lack of shows was a serious disappointment and I fear for the recovery of the live music industry. From growing up in tiny little Fredonia I never ever expected to see any bands I liked play, let alone getting to meet and become friends with some of my favorites. Honestly, anybody I have seen live was always regarded as a pleasant surprise.

I noticed many new releases clocked in at about 30 minutes. I have no idea if this was a real trend or a mere coincidence, but I support it. There's too much to check out these days so brevity in the execution of a well crafted idea is a good thing.

There were some worthy reissues in 2020. Yellow Swans, Dadamah, AIDS Wolf, and Caterina Barbieri had older releases repressed or recreated on different formats. I missed the last couple Yellow Swans LPs so it was cool to finally add 'em to the collection.

As always any album had to be released in the calendar year and I had to listen to it a lot. And if you are one of those types who needs a definitive album of the year, then that honor goes to Allegiance & Conviction by Windy & Carl on Kranky. The long standing duo of Windy Weber and Carl Hultgren delivered another stellar record of their calming and majestic sonic atmospheres.

The list goes band/album/label for those with questions of that nature.

01. Apologist - Anhedonia - No Rent
02. Marcia Bassett & Samara Lubelski - Morning Flare Symmetries - Feeding Tube
03. C. Lavender - Myth of Equilibrium - Editions Mego
04. Container - Scramblers - Alter
05. The Dead C - Unknowns - Ba Da Bing! Records
06. Liz Meredith - Repro - Spleen Coffin
07. Mi'ens - Future Child - Kill Rock Stars
08. MJ Guider - Sour Cherry Bell - Kranky
09. Bill Nace - Both - Drag City
10. Nail Club - Collected Methods - Hot Releases
11. Noveller - Arrow - Ba Da Bing! Records
12. Pod Blotz - Transdimensional System - Dais
13. Pulse Emitter - Swirlings - Hausu Mountain
14. Quicksails - Blue Rise - Hausu Mountain
15. STCLVR - Lovers - Noxious Upsurge/self released
16. TALSounds - Acquiesce - NNA
17. Terms - Asbestos Mouth - Skin Graft
18. White Poppy - Paradise Gardens - Not Not Fun
19. Windy & Carl - Allegiance & Conviction - Kranky
20. X.Y.R. - Pilgrimage - Not Not Fun

Best of 2020: Cassettes

Even with the world falling apart at the seams, there were still a bunch of quality tapes made in 2020. I kept up with supporting my favorite artists and labels as much as I could. The sounds I like the most have not changed much, with my long standing preferences for experimental music, noise, synth drones, and a bit of indie rock remaining intact.

I capped any label at two tapes and tried to get as much variety on the list as possible.

Hausu Mountain, Not Not Fun, 100% Silk, and Unifactor all kept plugging along with new tapes. I think No Rent continues to be the gold standard for diversity and creativity. It was tough picking out only a pair of cassettes from them.

Ultra Violet Light celebrated their five year anniversary with a collection of artists using Buchla synthesizers. The compilation features Marcia Bassett, Suzanne Ciani, Dan Deacon, and more. This tape is a good reflection of what UVL has been doing over the years. It was nice to get a new Drainolith release to end the year. Electric Hearse showcases some great deconstructed post-blues guitar playing by Alex Moskos. I really dug Ordet's Welcome To Earth. It reminded me of early U.S. Girls to an extent, except it was more jarring and abrasive. In other words, a perfect summary of 2020.

As always any tape had to be released in the calendar year and I had to listen to it a lot. And if you are one of those types who needs a definitive cassette of the year, then that honor goes to Secret Destroyed Instantly by Aaron Dilloway and C. Lavender on Hanson Records. The duo teamed up to create a mesmerizing blend of tape and synth drones.

The list goes band/album/label for those with questions of that nature.

01. Aether Jag - Curved Peacetime - No Rent
02. ArkmFoam - bloodrootspitball - Refulgent Sepulchre
03. Apologist - Dirt Road - Full Spectrum Records
04. {arsonist} - Reality Structure - Unifactor
05. Cloning - Walking In Silt - Flag Day Recordings
06. Control Point - Dreamer's Disease - Hot Releases
07. Aaron Dilloway & C. Lavender - Secret Destroyed Instantly - Hanson Records
08. Drainolith - Electric Hearse - Freedom From
09. Davey Harms - World War - Hausu Mountain
10. House Panther Diadem Ensemble - Five Questions - Unifactor
11. Long Distance Poison - Technical Mentality - Hausu Mountain
12. V. Kristoff - Sydra - Not Not Fun
13. Machine Listener - Metonym - Moon Villian
14. Ordet - Welcome To Earth - No Rent
15. José Orozco Mora - Formas Aparentes - Constellation Tatsu
16. Ribbon Stage - My Favorite Shrine - Berzerk Tapes/K
17. Spiteful Womb - Mirrorgazing - Gutter Bloat
18. Sunk Heaven - Y Serpentine - Decoherence Records
19. various artists - Buchla Now - Ultra Violet Light
20. Wipe - s/t - Adversary