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So many great albums in 2020. My list is getting out of hand so I think I’ll go with my favorite musical moment of 2020:
DJ Questlove presents Radiohead: Chopped & Screwed
It was the morning RBG passed away and it seemed like covid was getting worse and everything was upside down. I had been watching Questlove’s streams for a while before, but this night was special. He is an encyclopedia of musical knowledge so when he announced a 3-hour Radiohead set I was a little surprised, but I knew I was in good hands. Quest started his usual intro and told his viewers that he was deep in his feelings and wanted to play Radiohead to release some tension. The next 3 hours was such a weird mix of healing and amazement I did not see coming. He “chopped & screwed” 3 entire hours of Radiohead tracks lol. On paper this would not have excited me too much, but with everything leading up to that moment – it was the perfect remedy, even if for a night. For that moment it felt like everything was going to be OK. |
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Hip Hop Award: Marlowe, Marlowe 2
Marlowe’s sophomore release picks up where their debut left off just two years ago. It feels like at least two lifetimes since then, so for a duo to breathe new breath into a genre that is ever-changing is a feat. Every time I play Marlowe for someone, a hip-hop head is either born, or born again. Beyond that, this album hits even harder than Marlowe 1, so turn it up and make sure you have some icyhot for your neck tomorrow.
Jazz Award: Christian Scott aTundé Adjuah, AXION
This live album encapsulates the last concert Scott’s group performed before COVID-19 shut things down last year. Consisting of songs from 2019’s Ancestral Recall, along with some new material, AXIOM is mostly long cuts of improvisational music grappling with spiritual and existential themes alike. Corey Fonville’s drumming with Weedie Braimah’s percussion churn and circle like a time machine. Scott’s horn is a beacon of truth blasting through generations, and the rest of the band weave the fabric of space and time back together. AXIOM is as moving as it is entrancing, and its replay value makes it my top jazz release of 2020. |
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Luke Schneider – Altar of Harmony
Tycho – Simulcast
Neil Young – Vacancy
Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 2 (Cowboy Arms Sessions)
Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times
Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Prunchy Songs |
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Cindy Lee, What’s Tonight To Eternity
Jeff Parker, Suite for Max Brown
Josephine, Music is Easy
Sweeping Promises, Hunger for a Way Out
Osees, Metamorphosed
Rob Mazurek & Exploding Star Orchestra, Dimensional Stardust
Gia Margaret, Mia Gargaret
Exhalants, Atonement
Damaged Bug, Bug On Yonkers
Luke Schneider, Altar of Harmony
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Sideways to New Italy
Lewsberg, In This House
Alabaster Deplume, To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Disheveled Cuss, Disheveled Cuss
Jerskin Fendrix, Wintereisse
Elvis Perkins, Creation Myths
Datenight, Is This Also It?
M. Ward, Think of Spring
Jim O’Rourke, Shutting Down Here
Wendy Eisenberg, Auto
Idles, Ultra Mono
Guided By Voices, Styles We Paid For
Savoy Motel, Love Your Face
Public Eye, Music for Leisure
Teenage Halloween, Teenage Halloween |
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Though my show on Fridays is typically interviews with local guests, my January 1st show featured some of my favs from all local Nashville artists. I have so much respect and gratitude to all our musicians here who persevered through such challenging time to continue to create some amazing music. I couldn’t fit it all into an hour but here’s a few:
Ashley Ray
India Ramey
Kelsey Waldon
Marcus King
Steve Earle
Will Hoge
Lilly Hiatt |
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Local:
John Dennis, Moral Flames
India Ramey, Shallow Grave
Brian Wright & the Sneak-Ups
Non-Local
X, Alphabetland
John Calvin Abney, Familiar Ground
Leron Thomas, More Elevator Music
Psychic Temple, Houses of the Holy |
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Favorite Album of 2020 for me is Mirrored Aztec by Guided by Voices. Robert Pollard has had a stable line up now since 2017. This includes Doug Gillard, Mark Shue, Kevin March and Nashville’s own Bobby Bare Jr. This has been the longest stable and most productive line up in GbV history and probably the most talented crew. That’s saying something. Pollard and his revolving crew of music wizards have been making records since the mid 80s. I read a review the other day that said Guided by Voices keep on putting out great records for the hell of it. That about sums it up. If you can’t get enough of the four Ps (pop, punk, psych and prog) then Mirrored Aztec (as well as the other 2 releases this year, Surrender your Poppy Field and Styles We Paid For) will satiate your craving for the time being.
Also:
Pylon, Pylon Box
Paul Burch and the WPA, Light Sensitive
Cartalk, Pass like Pollen
Bob Mould, Blue Hearts
Lilly Hiatt, Royal Blue
Josh Halper, Alrightnik
Rainsticks, October Onwards
Black Bra, Black Bra
A Love Supreme Electric: A Salvo Inspired by John Coltrane Vinny Giola, Henry Kaiser, John Hanrahan, Wayne Peet & Mike Watt |
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Isobel Campbell, There is No Other; brilliant, insightful songwriting with hazy, mystical indie-folk music
Grimes, Miss Anthropocene; brilliant, insightful songwriting with brilliant electronic production
Julianna Barwick, Healing Is A Miracle; heavenly, vocal-laden ambient music
Sign Libra, Sea To Sea; epic instrumental electronic music with lunar maria song titles
Shabaka & The Ancestors, We Are Sent Here By History; spiritual jazz with deep roots and rhythms |
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Run the Jewels, RTJ4
Deborah Jordan, See in the Dark
Kyshona, Listen
Brian Brown, Journey
Little Dragon, New Me, Same Us
Little Brother, May the Lord Watch
Thundercat, It is What It Is
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over |
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Ana Roxanne, Because of a Flower
Becca Mancari, The Greatest Part |
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Tim Heidecker, Fear of Death
Destroyer, Have We Met
Jack Name, Magic Touch
Lake, Roundelay
Lake, Practice Space
Spencer Cullum, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection
Dougie Poole, The Freelancer’s Blues
Woods, Strange To Explain
The Magnetic Fields, Quickies
Fools, Fools Harp Vol. 1
Channelers, Isles Beyond
Josh Halper, Alrightnik
Tommy Mandel, Music For Insomniacs
Wisebuck, Flyworld |
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Sturgil Simpson, Cuttin’ Grass (Vols 1 & 2); Nice surprise releases! Sturgill’s a natural for bluegrass. |
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Sault, Untitled (Black Is) and Untitled (Rise)
DJ Python, Mas Amable
KeiyaA, Forever, Ya Girl
Elysia Crampton, ORCORARA 2010
Pantayo, Pantayo
HAAi, Put Your Head Above the Parakeets EP
Kaê Guajajara, Waramiri EP
MoMa Ready; pretty much everything he put out this year |
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RMR, Drug Dealing Is a Lost Art; Just before lockdown, RMR released “RASCAL,” and for a brief moment everyone lost their damn minds. The song is an anti-cop rewrite of Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road” and places RMR in the long line of folk singers who “borrowed” classic tunes and added lyrics that subverted the original meaning.
John Prine, Live; This is John Prine at his rawest, showcasing his hilarious stage banter, contrasting that with his heartbreaking storytelling, and delivering it all in his signature grating voice. Reissued for the first time since 1988. Absolutely essential.
Bob Vylan, We LIve Here; The English grime punk duo finally released their devastating album this year, and it’s a harsh chronicle of being black, poor, or both in England. Punkest thing I’ve heard in a long time.
Lee “Scratch” Perry & Aquarium, Аквариум In Dub; The Upsetter teams up with legendary Russian psych band Aquarium to make a colorful–sometimes joyful–dub album. A teamup of two of my longtime favorites.
The Last Shall Be First, The JCR Records Story, Volume One; I LOVE gospel, and this Memphis gospel compilation covers everything good about the genre. |
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Favorite New Record:
Lido Pimienta, Miss Colombia; Innovative, thought-provoking and hopeful – just a few reasons why this album was the perfect antidote for 2020.
Favorite Old Record:
Kitty Wells, Forever Young; the Queen of Country Music’s Southern Rock album. She famously hated it but it’s got some gems. |
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Altar of Harmony, Luke Schneider
Nothing as the Ideal, All Them Witches
Stray, Bambara
Dislocation, Nest Egg
Find the Sun, Deradoorian
All Things Being Equal, Sonic Boom
Azure, Vinyl Williams
Luca, Alex Maas
S/T, Riki
Interloper, Holy Wave
The House of Stone, Ancient River
What’s Tonight for Eternity, Cindy Lee
Monument, Molchat Doma
Mestarin kynsi, Oranssi Pazuzu
S/T, Spiral Galaxy
Viscount Suites, Glimmering
…As Your Wanderer Taps at the Invisible Gate, Elonmusk
S/T, SPICE |
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Sun Ra Arkestra, Swirling; first record in 20 years, y’allm Marshall Allen is 96! Spirit sounds for a world that is desperately in need of good vibrations.
Burd Ellen, Says the Never Beyond; the second album from Debbie Armour and Gail Brogan. Seasonal (Christmas) album of perfect harmonies, birdsong, drones and strings. A perfect snow-globe of winter song. |
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Raging Nathans, Oppositional Defiance
The Chats, High Risk Behaviour
Western Addiction, Frail Bray
Spanish Love Songs, Brave Faces Everyone
Personality Cults, New Arrows |
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David Nance, Staunch Honey
Wendy Eisenberg, Auto
Irreversible Entanglements, Who Sent You?
Magik Markers, 2020
Bill Callahan, Gold Record
Sally Ann Morgan, Thread
Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Transmissions
Anne Malin, Waiting Song
Josh Halper, Alrightnik
Glimmering, Viscount Suites |
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Lou Turner, Songs for John Venn; our very own DJ LT. This album has everything I look for in a release: wit, wordplay, storytelling, musicianship, hooks, and subtle oddities. It’s all there. It was the soundtrack to my spring gardening, late summer nights camping, autumn road trips, and winter afternoons. I can’t say enough about this album.
Gordon Koang, Unity; Bandcamp Fridays were gold for discovering new music. And this one stands out. Koang is originally from South Sudan but fled to (and received asylum in) Australia. This is full of funk and grooves and pulls from a variety of African musical traditions.
Powers / Rolin Duo, Self Titled; Jen Powers (hammered dulcimer) and Matthew Rolin (guitar) had a number of releases this year. This is their second best one. Mesmerizing and beautiful instrumentals that carry me away. I get the privilege of putting another one of their (best) 2020 releases out on vinyl in a few weeks.
Planet on a Chain, This Won’t Get Any Fucking Better; Oakland (CA) crusty punk. A wonderfully bitter and dystopian reminder that shit is fucked.
Sarah Louise, Sally Ann Morgan, and Kryssi B, Earth Cult; Sarah and Sally (House and Land) are steeped in the traditions of Appalachian music. Kryssi B (Headroom/ Mountain Movers) is an incredibly innovative guitarist who traverses the realms of experimental and Japanese psychedelic music. And they meet perfectly on this album. I’ve been waiting years for someone to marry these genres. And now I want more.
Asik Emrah, Almanya’dan Gitmez Bu Hasret; Emrah is a guitarist who, on this album at least, takes the 70s Turkish guitar approach that Erkin Koray made so popular and combines it with an 80s funk sensibility.
Rustem Quliyev, Azerbaijani Gitara; Quliyev recorded a bunch of wild and catchy guitar albums in the 70s that drew from a variety of Eastern and Western influences. It’s all here in its lo-fi and magical glory. |
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Yaeji, WHAT WE DREW 우리가 그려왔던
Marlowe, Marlowe 2
Helenda Deland, Someone New
Beatrice Dillon, Workaround
R.A.P. Ferreira, Purple Moonlight Pages
Ulla, Tumbling Towards a Wall
Serengeti, With Greg from Deerhoof
Ka, Descendants of Cain
Andras, Joyful
Dijon, How Do You Feel About Getting Married? |
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Imbocl, Joe Pisapia
Myopia, Agnes Obel
Songs For John Venn, Lou Turner
Ane Brun, How Beauty Holds The Hand of Sorrow
Someday, Falu & Karyshma
The Acoustic Storm Sessions, Elkhorn
Sara’s Half Finished Love Affair, Ellen Starski
Stuff Happens, Stuffy Shmitt
Blonde On The Tracks, Emma Swift
Shallow Graves, India Ramey
Kyshona, Listen |
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Comfort food dominates. and to be honest, Grateful Dead would be way top of the list as far as legit listening time, but there’s nothing new there so here are the new records (and reissues) that spent the most time on my turntable in 2020.
Katie Pruitt, Expectations
Sturgill Simpson, Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1; (and Vol. 2 but there’s no physical yet for that so it doesn’t count in my world)
Guided By Voices, Mirrored Aztec & Styles We Paid For
Lilly Hiatt, Walking Proof
Emma Swift, Blonde On The Tracks
Lianne La Havas, Lianne La Havas
Margo Price, That’s How Rumours Get Started
Becca Mancari, The Greatest Part
Nubya Garcia, Source
Tom Petty, Wildflowers & All The Rest; super deluxe edish
Prince, Sign O’ The Times; super deluxe edish
Pylon box |
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My favorite music that soothed my soul and helped me make it through 2020, in no particular order:
Spencer Cullum, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection
David Bowie, The Next Day
Neil Casal, Fade Away Diamond Time
Leonard Cohen, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)
Brigid Dawson and The Mother’s Network, Ballet of Apes
Paul Defiglia, In Daylight (releasing in 2021)
Deradoorian, Find The Sun
El Búho, Ramas
Aoife Nessa Frances, Land of No Junction
Dana Gavanski, Wind Songs EP
Dana Gavanski, Yesterday is Gone
Beth Gibbons and Rustinman, Out of Season
The Greek Theatre, When Seasons Change
Lilly Hiatt, Walking Proof
Dalai Lama, Inner World
Fantastic Negrito, Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
Gigi Masin, Calypso
Melody Fields, Broken Horse EP
Midnight Cassette, Castle Of My Heart
Modern Nature, “Cycles” Project
Modern Nature, Annual
Hania Rani, Home
Daniel Romano’s Outfit, How Ill Thy World Is Ordered
Daniel Romano, Visions Of The Higher Dream
Sault, (UNTITLED) Black Is
Luke Schneider, Altar of Harmony
Skyway Man, The World Only Ends When You Die
Snowgoose, The Making of You
Emma Swift, Blonde On The Tracks
Samantha Whates, Waiting Rooms
Woods, Strange to Explain
Yin Yin, The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers
Joyce Elaine Yuille, Welcome To My World |
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Adrianne Lenker, Songs; a beautiful quarantine album. Another incredible year for music. |
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Top Albums:
Irreversible Entanglements, Who Sent You? (International Anthem)
Vintage Crop, Serve To Serve Again (Upset The Rhythm)
Public Eye, Music For Leisure (Pop Wig)
The Chats, High Risk Behavior (Bargain Bin)
All Hits, Men And Their Work (Iron Lung)
Lewsberg, In This House (self released)
Tôle Froide, La Redoute (Le Turc Mechanique)
Sweeping Promises, Hunger For A Way Out (Feel It)
Datenight, Is This Also It? (Drop Medium) (local)
Healing Gems, Fiesta Pack (Mock Records)
Top EPs:
Brain Bent, Obligatory Icebreaker (self released)
Fun Time Objects, C20/20 Go-Go! (Fuzzy Warbles)
Love Tan, self titled (self released)
Snooper, Music For Spies (Computer Human) (local)
All Ashore, Stayin’ Afloat (Daytrip) |
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Weak Signal, Bianca |
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Run the Jewels, RTJ4
Older album new to me:
Viagra Boys, Consistency of Energy |
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David Boswell, The Story Behind the Story
Fontains D.C., A Hero’s Death |
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Jeff Rosenstock, No Dream |
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Charli XCX, how i’m feeling now
Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Arca, KiCK i
Austra, HiRUDiN
Julianna Barwick, Healing is a Miracle
Lauren Bousfield, Palimpsest
Braids, Shadow Offering
Buscabulla, Regresa
Wendy Eisenberg, Auto
Empress Of, I’m Your Empress Of
Katie Gately, Loom
Hazel English, Wake UP!
Brandon Juhans, Essential Dread
KLLO, Maybe We Could
James Krivchenia, A New Found Relaxation
Adrianne Lenker, songs & instrumentals
Grischa Lichtenberger, Kamilhan; il y a péril en la demeure
Meitei, Kofū
Jake Muir, the hum of your veiled voice
No Joy, Motherhood
Frances Quinlan, Likewise
Ana Roxanne, Because of a Flower
Carl Stone, Stolen Car
Yaeji, WHAT WE DREW 우리가 그려왔던
Yumi Zouma, Truth or Consequences |
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Taylor Swift, Folklore; this is the sound of an artist coming into their own as a songwriter, assisted by the influence of a new collaborator, Aaron Dessner of The National. |
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CB Radio Gorgeous, EP
Dicklord, It’s Soooo Boring
Cable Ties, Far Enough
All Hits, Men And Their Work
Sniffany and the Nits, The Greatest Nits EP
Brandy, The Gift of Repetition
Bully, Sugaregg
Cold Meat, Hot and Flustered
NOBRO, Sick Hustle EP
Smalltown Tigers, Five Things EP
Sweeping Promises, Hunger For A Way Out
Dick Move, Chop!
Shadow Show, Silhouettes |
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Maria Schneider Orchestra, Data Lords
Sun Ra Arkestra, Swirling
Lee Konitz Nonet, Old Songs New
Luciana Souza & the WDR Big Band with Vince Mendoza, Storytellers
Mark Masters Ensemble, Night Talk: The Alec Wilder Songbook
Arturo O’Farrell and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Four Questions
Big Band of Brothers, A Jazz Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band
Brian Landrus, For Now
John Beasley & Monk’stra, Monk’stra Plays John Beasley
Orrin Evans & the Captain Black Big Band, The Intangible Between
Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra, The Planets Reimagined
Christian McBride Big Band, For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver
Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wayne Shorter, Music of Wayne Shorter
Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, The Ever Fonky Lowdown
Hans Anselm Big Band, Liquid Circle
Dave Stryker & the WDR Big Band with Bob Mintzer, Blue Soul
Andy Jaffe Nonet +3, Chorinhoso
Lenora Zenzalai Helm and the Tribe Jazz Orchestra, For The Love of Big Band |
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Lily Chao, Chinese Folk Songs; Best Album
Carne Cruda, I Love You More Than Tacos; Best 7″
Babasonicos; Best Band Discovered While getting tacos
The Sorcerers, In Search Of The Lost City Of The Monkey God; Best Album Discovered By Listening To WXNA
Candi Staton, His Hands; #1 Song Played By DJ rhatfink In 2020 |
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Bill Callahan, Gold Record
Nick Cave, Idiot Prayer (Alone at Alexandra Palace)
Rose City Band, Summerlong
Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions, Bir Samaniar Simdi
M. Ward, Think of Spring
Death Valley Girls, Under The Spell of Joy
Deradoorian, Find The Sun
Jennifer Castle, Monarch Season
Lucinda Williams, Good Souls Better Angels
As well as, Lu’s Jukebox series:
- Runnin’ Down A Dream: A Tribute To Tom Petty
- Southern Soul: From Memphis to Muscle Shoals and More
- Bob’s Back Pages: A Night Of Bob Dylan Songs
- Funny How The Time Slips Away: A Night of 60s Country Classics
- It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to The Rolling Stones
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Julián Mayorga, Cuando tengo fiebre veo la cabeza de un leopardo magnífico
Cold Meat, Hot and Flustered
Contento, Lo Bueno Está Aquí
Torbán Folk Band, Стріла/Thunder
HAAZ, HAAZ
Bab L’ Bluz, Nayda!
IDLES, Ultra Mono
Rachel Brooke, The Loneliness In Me
Meridian Brothers, Cumbia Siglo XXI
Rüstəm Quliyev, Azerbaijani Gitara |
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Public Enemy, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
Tyler Childers, Long Violent History
Otis Gibbs, Hoosier National |
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Sven Wunder, Wabi Sabi
Spencer Cullum, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection
Caribou, Suddenly
The Clientele, It’s Art Dad
Lambchop, TRIP |
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Joan Kelsey, House of Mercy
Bill Frisell, Valentine
Johnny, Lawn
Spencer Collum, Spencer Collum’s Coin Collection
Rainsticks, October Onwards
Josephine Foster, No Harm Done
Will Ringwalt, Canaanland |
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Public’s Eye, Music for Leisure
Smarts, Who Needs Smarts, Anyways?
US Girls, Heavy Light
Powerplant, A Spine/Evidence
Grimes, Miss Anthropocene
Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Nnamdi, Brat
Spice, First Feeling
Sweeping Promises, Hunger for a Way Out
Special Interest, The Passion Of |
