2020 Albums of Note

Here are some albums in no particular order that have grabbed my attention this year. What’s notable was despite the overall shittiness of the year, the music was pretty damn good. Either that or I finally paid attention. You can load your Spotifys and listen to these tunes. You’re fucking adults. And if you really like them, you can purchase a copy of your very own that won’t be subject to the fickle whims of content license agreements. Most of these folks are on Bandcamp.

Mamaleek – Come and See

Black metal fucking jazz fucking avant-garde fucking noise fucking our oppressive inside spaces and how they affect us. It’s appropriate this was released on my birthday. I’ve been listening to it off an on throughout the year, and it’s always held my attention. I want it to cum on my face.

clipping. – Visions of Bodies Being Burned

Slash me up and stab me and fuck me and leave my body a messy maggoty steampile, but don’t forget to leave no evidence.

Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou – May Our Chambers Be Full

I already talked about this album a few weeks ago. It woke me the fuck up.

William Basinski – Lamentations

When you want to wallow but fuck those who want to comfort you. You just be left alone in the horror and misery.

Merzbow – Screaming Dove

Loud ambient screech drone torturefuck with razor-implanted hardons. It’s Merzbow.

Hum – Inlet

I feel bad I gave them a bad review in the UCSB Artsweek section of the paper back in 1998. This is a very shoegaze album that doesn’t mention missing trains from Mars or any of that shit.

Yaeji – What We Drew

MY PEOPLES! You can dance to this without any guilt. It’s not the K-pop that we’re weaponizing against the world you stupid wypipo.

Annie – Dark Hearts

More somber and reflective songs from my favorite Norwegian pop queen.

Run the Jewels – RTJ4

El-P and Killer Mike slay again. “walking in the snow” is an absolute showstopper. The soundtrack to the 2020 protests.

Stabbing Westward – Hallowed Hymns

What did we have to do to get Stabbing Westward to cover the Cure, Ministry and Echo and the Bunnymen? Just wait decades for them to reunite the kablammo with a pandemic.

Thou – Blessings of the Highest Order

The Nirvana cover album you didn’t know you needed.

tricot – 10

Japanese pop punkish math rock and roll sprinkled with aspartame. They make me smile.

Arca – KiCk i

More melodic and less abrasive? Definitely something I can seize to.

Havukruunu – Uinuos Syomein Sota

I heard a hilarious rumor years ago that Syrian refugees who resettled in Finland were so bored they wanted to leave. This black metal group would make me want to stay.