2021 Albums • Page 4

The new Helloween comes out in a week, and Micjael Kiske has come back! This is going to be a collaboration of three singers: Kiske, Hansen and Deris.

Appropriately, it's self-titled.

 

New Japanese Breakfast is great. Keep listening to that one on the reg

 

So I'm failing at all of my musical goals for this year, especially the idea of writing more. Turns out planning a wedding takes a lot of time. That said, I wanted to take a minute and collect myself at the end of Q2. Holy cow, this year in music has been absolutely stacked. There's really no way to get to it all; it's the 182nd day of the year and I've listened to over 200 albums.

I mean, last Friday (June 25) alone might've been the most new music at once that I've ever seen, and I was stoked to hear it all: albums I've been anticipating for months like Lucy Dacus, Hiss Golden Messenger, and Faye Webster; out-of-nowhere surprises like SAULT and Tyler The Creator; old stalwarts that are putting out vital new music like The Mountain Goats andModest Mouse; and exciting artists I'd probably have given wayyyy more listening time to if they'd been released even the week before like beabadoobee, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Pom Pom Squad. Just listing last week took a full paragraph.

My overwhelming sense this year has been of being overwhelmed -- by music, but also life: by wedding shit, by trying to rehab my back, by trying to do well at my new job, by trying to come out of this pandemic in a responsible and reasonable way. Kelly was talking earlier about how humans are so adaptable, and how we've spent 18 months in a totally internalized space. It's amazing to be outside again and feel safe (for now), but things just... tire me out more than they did. I go to hang with friends and though I have the stamina to hang all night, after 4 hours I could just cut the conversation and roll home with my headphones on. It could be an age thing, but I think it's more likely a response to overstimulation, like I'm too fresh from the womb I was in to fully feel comfortable out in the world as it currently exists.

I do have plenty of time to myself, like when I'm out running or staying up late, and some of my favorite musical moments this year have been when I've had spare moments of brain space to take things in. I remember being bleary-eyed at 1am, taking in the majesty of Joseph Shabason's "So Long" and imagining the universe. Laughing hysterically the first time I heard Olivia Rodrigo's "Brutal" because of how pitch perfect it was. Rocking the fuck out to ZHU's "Zhudio54" so much that I didn't want to get out of the car after a long drive. Looping Lucy Dacus' "Please Stay" for about an hour last week and crying. Almost crashing my car to Springsteen's "One Minute You're Here" when I was driving to bury Garrett. Running, running, RUNNING again. My mileage got up into the 50s before my back needed rehab, and it was so great to listen to whole albums on runs again. Origami Angel, Porter Robinson, and Hiss Golden Messenger taking me on entirely different journeys of energy, bliss, and comfort.

Anyway, I know life isn't going to slow down. We're getting married in mid September, the summer is packed, and I want to experience it to the fullest. Just felt like capturing how I feel in this moment as we reach the turn of the year. Hope all's well with you.

My Top Q2 2021 Albums:
1. Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, & Jon Randall - The Marfa Tapes
2. PRONOUN - OMG I MADE IT
3. Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
4. Lucy Dacus - Home Video
5. Masego - Studying Abroad: Extended Stay
6. Rostam - Changephobia
7. Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR
8. Porter Robinson - Nurture
9. beabadoobee - Our Extended Play EP
10. Origami Angel - GAMI GANG
11. Tyler, The Creator - CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST
12. SAULT - Nine
13. Hiss Golden Messenger - Quietly Blowing It
14. The Mountain Goats - Dark in Here
15. girl in red - if i could make it go quiet
16. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Butterfly 3000
17. ZHU - DREAMLAND 2021
18. J. Cole - The Off-Season
19. Joseph Shabason - The Fellowship
20. Shelley FKA DRAM - Shelley FKA DRAM

 

Buck Meek >

 

I have limited internet most of July and I feel way out of the loop with new releases. Anything great come out so far in July?

 

I'm digging the graduating life's new LP, but...It's a Say Anything rip. Like, unashamedly. Their one song, Fine, is almost an exact copy of a song off of ...Was a Real Boy. If SA is your thing, check em out.

 

Wow, that sounds sounds exactly like SA haha.

 

I mean it's literally the song "It's a metaphor, fool" haha. Not bad tho!

 

No particular order, but these have been my favorites of the year so far.

The Undertaking! - Funeral Psalms
Terrence Dixon - Reporting From Detroit
Weezer - OK Human
Eighteen Visions - 1996
Brand Of Sacrifice - Lifeblood
Erra - Erra
Devil Sold His Soul - Loss
Tetrarch - Unstable
Belvedere - Hindsight Is The Sixth Sense
Mannequin Pussy - Perfect EP
AFI - Bodies
Fear Factory - Aggression Continuum
Pupil Slicer - Mirrors

 

Montero is my most anticipated album this year by far. If he lands this, history will be made. Also the new Modest Mouse is really good, maybe up there with LCW and M&A for me.

 

This is like the best year of EPs I ever remember, it's just one after another and a lot of them are overshadowing full albums for me

 

this isnt an album but damn pollyanna was good

 

what are your favorites?

 

Mannequin Pussy and the two from Justin Courtney Pierre are my favorites. Also Beach Bunny, Pinkshift, Michigander, Pronoun, Teamonade and Meet Me @ The Altar.

 

Skullcrusher put out the best EP this year and if you haven’t listened you’ve been majorly sleeping

 

I've heard a couple songs, thought they were alright

I must have played the Flight Mode EP like a hundred times this summer

 

My favourites from this year so far, off the top of my head (I feel like I’m missing some):

Waterparks - Greatest Hits
Capstan - SEPERATE
Hot Mulligan - I Won’t Reach Out To You (EP)

And I’m highly anticipating This Is How The World Ends by Badflower, due to be released September 24 I believe. Ok, I’m Sick was wicked and they’ve dropped three songs from the new record so far and they’ve all been dope - especially Family - so I’m pumped.

Non-album mentions, Driveways dropped a new song this year, Five Years Down, plus a couple of acoustics that I’m digging.

Unconfirmed hopeful speculations… with The Wonder Years releasing two new songs December last year I’m hoping for something new from them, it’s been a minute.

 

Damn, somehow I missed this! Sweet.

 

Will be checking this out shortly, cheers

 

SOLD

 

I was taken aback by how good and distinct from their recent records this recently released Ulver live recording is - this really goes places in the space of an hour, and it is (to my knowledge) all-new material. RIYL.....Ulver (but also long-form ambient/orchestral/synth excursions with some serious goth flavor).

if ambient or orchestral drift bores you, don't worry: this has beats and (eventually) vocals too

 

My end of the year list is going to look a lot like the list of August releases.

 

The new Joy Formidable is really good. Not sure why nobody is talking about it.

 

Oh man, this completely flew under the radar for me—checking it out immediately. I love their catalogue so I'm sure it's great. Also they apparently live in Utah now, which is fun for me because I also live in Utah and have lived in North Wales, where they're from. Neat.

 

Tomorrow new Thrice, Spiritbox and Eidola. Next week new Badflower. Thankfully it's still good to be a rock fan nowadays.