According to my admittedly sloppy records, I listened to 435 albums that were released in 2021. Here is my list. First my top 5, then the next 25, then the next 50, and as a bonus, my top ten EPs. Each category is internally organized alphabetically. I only had time to talk about the first five, but it was a great year for music (though again, when isn't it?).
Best Albums 2021
Top Five
1.Art D’Ecco—In Standard Definition
A glam rock and pop album from another time. Conceptually it is obsessed with celebrity, and also concerned with celebrity obsession. Sure, the influences are pretty obvious, but when you are doing your best to channel early Roxy Music and 70s Bowie, that might not be so bad. And sure, it doesn’t hit those immortal highs, but I found myself wanting to groove along from start to finish.
2.Midnight Sister—Painting the Roses
Why just do one glam pop album? If Art D’Ecco wants to channel Roxy Music and Bowie, Midnight Sister is more T. Rex and Donna Summers, trying to give us some sort of glitter disco cabaret. And sure, it doesn’t always do that, but I found myself seduced by their vision and enthusiasm. Also, I don’t know much about music videos, but they direct their own music videos, and I really suggest watching them. It’s a different way to see the surrealistic soundscape they are seeking to create.
3. Shungudzo—I Am Not a Mother, But I Have Children
Okay, this is clearly trying to produce a protest album. And has gotten some criticism for being too on the nose, too try hard. Which… sure. But sonically something is often working against the lyrics, winking subtly at the audience. I found myself caring less about the obviousness, and more often being impressed by the sheer audacity of the thing. Not to mention so many of the songs are dangerously catchy.
4. St. Vincent—Daddy’s Home
I said on facebook that it was weird to choose this album to begin the inevitable St. Vincent backlash, because the whole thing is so good. It is a self-aware attempt to both change her sound, and try to maybe undermine her reputation as aloof while, you know, trying to actually cement that reputation. Okay, let’s backup. I was lukewarm when it was released. But I found myself listening to it again and again, liking it more and more. And well, here we are. The album, for the five of you who haven’t listened to it, is trying to reproduce a kind of 70s New York grimy sound (kind of like Nick Cave attempts on Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!). But of course this meets St. Vincent’s trade mark precision and careful production values. I think that is why we have an artifact that doesn’t fully work on the first listen, but really captivated me by the end.
5. Sarah Mary Chadwick—Me and Ennui are Friends, Baby.
This was a year in which many of the women musicians who wrote personal and haunting lyrics of my teenage years released albums. Including new work by Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, and Liz Phair. None of them were bad, but something was missing. Maybe they had changed, or I had, or probably both. But then I listened to this album by Sarah Mary Chadwick, and it captured a bit of that old feeling. It probably helps that Chadwick is close to my current age. Before I go further, I should say this album needs basically every kind of content warning, dealing with depression, death, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, and lots of explicit lyrics. But it’s deeply confessional, and clever, and sad, and I listened to the whole thing with my eyes extra big. If you want 42 minutes of heartbreak and brilliance, you should give this a try.
Next 25
Amyl and The Sniffers—Comfort to Me
Amythyst Kiah—Wary + Strange
Arca—Kick ii-iiiii
Cassandra Jenkins--An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
Charley Crockett—Music City USA
Clever Girls—Constellations
The Coral—Coral Island
Curtis Harding—If Words Were Flowers
Death From Above 1979—Is 4 Lovers
Dominique Fils-Aime—Three Little Words
Faye Webster—I Know I’m Funny haha
Jupiter & Okwess—Na Kozonga
Lael Neale—Acquainted With Night
Lingua Ignota—Sinner Get Ready
Lord Huron—Long Lost
Melissa Carper—Daddy’s Country Gold
Mon Laferte--SEIS
Nancy—The Seven Foot Tall Post-Suicide Feel Good Blues
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis—Carnage
Nick Shoulders—Home on the Rage
No-No Boy—1975
Shannon & The Clams—Year of the Spider
Tele Novella—Merlynn Belle
Valerie June—The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers
Viagra Boys—Welfare Jazz
Next 50
Allison Russell—Outside Child
Anna B. Savage—A Common Turn
Arlo Parks—Collapsed in Sunbeams
Billie Eilish—Happier Than Ever
Black Country, New Road—For the First Time
Black Midi—Calvacade
Claire Rousay—A Softer Focus
Clio—L’amour Hélas
The Courettes—Back in Mono
Daniel Knox—Won’t You Take Me With You
Deap Vally—Marriage
Field Music—Flat White Moon
Gary Louris—Jump for Joy
Haiku Salut—The Hill, the Light, the Ghost
Hamish Hawk—Heavy Elevator
HTRK—Rhinestones
Illuminati Hotties—Let Me Do One More
Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, & John Randall—The Marfa Tapes
Jarvis Cocker—Chansons d’Eunni Tip-Top
Joy Crookes—Skin
John Hiatt & Jerry Douglas—Leftover Feelings
Jungle—Loving in Stereo
La Luz—La Luz
Lana Del Rey—Blue Bannisters
Le Ren—Leftovers
Lil Nas X—Montero
Little Simz--Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Matthew E. White—K Bay
Maxwell Farrington & Le SuperHomard—Once
Mdou Moctar—Afrique Victime
Monophonics & Kelly Finnigan—It’s Only Us
Nick Waterhouse—Promenade Blues
Night Beats—Outlaw R&B
Parquet Courts—Sympathy for Life
The Peacers—Blexxed Rec
Pearl Charles—Magic Mirror
Pokey LaFarge—In the Blossom of Their Shade
Pom Pom Squad—Death of a Cheerleader
Riddy Arman—Riddy Arman
Riley Downing—Start It Over
Sault—Nine
She Drew the Gun—Behave Myself
Sierra Ferrell—Long Time Coming
Tamar Aphek—All Bets Are Off
Teke::Teke—Shirushi
Vincent Neil Emerson—Vincent Neil Emerson
The War on Drugs—I Don’t Live Here Anymore
William Doyle—Great Spans of Muddy Time
Willie Nelson—The Willie Nelson Family
Yola—Stand for Myself
Top Ten EPs
Ber--I'm Not In Love
Billy Nomates--Emergency Telephone
Blood Red Shoes--Ø
Car Seat Headrest--Madlo
Dessa--I Already Like You
Gabriels--Bloodlines/Love and Hate in a Different Time
Molly Lewis--The Forgotten Edge
Near Tears--Get With the Program
Olivia Jean--Palladium
Pixey--Free to Live in Colour
