2021 Music Reviews
Adele, 30 (2021) C+
You can't take away the fact that she has one of the greatest voices in music ("Easy on Me") and some of her "choices" seem off - recording herself crying at the end of "My Little Love," turning "I Drink Wine" into a rant, drifting into R&B, making seven minute long pop songs, wearing Bantu knots in public, etc. - but she wants everyone to know she's been through tough times and that she's doing better. I hope she enjoys the rest of her 30's....
Anne-Marie, Therapy (2021) D
Opener "X2" has some of that Taylor Swift-esque snarkiness, but the appeal wears off very quickly: she's both conceited and self-critical, which is sometimes an odious combination. Pack your bags, drop that phone, take that Lexapro.
The Antlers, Green to Gold (2021) B
When we were all in lock-down I wondered what Silberman and the Boys were up to, and of course they - and Arab Strap! - were working on new material. The sadness is still there, but it's tempered by nostalgia - a casual waltz through the old memory box. It's not as emotionally wrenching as previous records, but we don't need any of that right around now....
Arab Strap, As Days Get Dark (2021) B
Considering the state of the world right now, it's not surprising that Moffat and Middleton, in lockdown and unable to drink the night away at the Hug & Pint, reformed their legendary act and put some new songs together . It's less dreary than one would think - Middleton makes sure of that - and it's sometimes ... dare I suggest ... a tiny bit optimistic? Like 2% maybe? Aiden sang it best years ago: "I lost my social skills a while ago but now I feel them coming back."
Arca, KICK ii (2021) F
The same exact review of last year's "KiCK i" also applies here: there isn't a sound effect Ghersi can't stack on top of another ten to twenty in a row with no sense of cohesion.
Audiobooks, Astro Tough (2021) C-
If you like spoken word snottiness over dance hall beats, this might just be for you (I can take it or leave it).
Iggy Azalea, The End of an Era (2021) B-
It's too easy to trash this when it offers so much raw, crude fun: she's nowhere near Missy or Salt-N-Pepa in terms of talent, but I like the directness, and "Emo Club Anthem" and "STFU" are hilarious. She's also not there to waste your time: she slams the door open, yells in your face for less than forty minutes, kicks over a table and then gets back in her Lambo.
Azure Ray, Remedy (2021) D+
They have really sweet voices, and I'm sure they mean the best, but they could have spent longer writing their songs, which are kind of stale (it's not like they didn't have ample time to do so). They're listed as "dream pop," but this is closer to alt-country (which isn't a slam - I like Neko Case).
Julien Baker, Little Oblivions (2021) B+
You have to wonder if she's over-extending herself of late - there's a lot of material being put out in a short period of time - but she certainly has plenty of talent to carry her through her twenties at least (maybe she'll become a teacher eventually? Not recommended, but I'm just putting it out there). This peters out in the last third, but songs like "Hardline" and "Faith Healer" are fantastic, and both her voice and guitar are very expressive. Carry on, lady.
Courtney Barnett, Things Take Time, Take Time (2021) C+
There's certainly some joy to come from her word play and "woe is me" mindset, but her delivery is annoying: it's as if they woke her up from a ten year coma. The songs could have used a little more diversity too: why keep that awesomely shriek-y guitar so quiet most of the time?
Black Country, New Road, For the First Time (2021) A-
Seven British young-uns listened to Slint's "Spiderland" and Underworld's entire back catalog (bassist Tyler is Karl Hyde's daughter) and some Jewish music and thought "let's have a go at this." It's a splendid - and pleasingly off-kilter - debut, and it might just be a masterpiece: Isaac Wood's groaning ("Leave Kanye out of this!") and odd approach to storytelling pares well with the sax, keyboard and guitars.
Black Dresses, Forever In Your Heart (2021) C
A sloppy and chaotic mixture of industrial and death metal and grrl rock - just when you think they've got a groove their ADHD kicks in and whammo, the song just ... changes. If you like 100 Gecs (or music that sounds like it's intentionally scrambled by a Zoom conference with poor connectivity), this might be for you, but I'd rather just listen to an old Le Tigre record.
Black Midi, Cavalcade (2021) D
Naked City did it better.
Blanks, Nothing Lasts Forever and That's Ok (2021) D-
They sound a little too close to Wham for anyone to find that acceptable.
The Body, I've Seen All I Need to See (2021) C-
Heavy indeed, but I feel like it's Sunn O))) with a few more notes and different vocal samples.
The Body and Big Brave, Leaving None But Small Birds (2021) F
It's ... a challenge listening to someone say "Hard Times" for what feels like an eternity over sludge.
Leon Bridges, Gold-Diggers Sound (2021) C
Don't get me wrong: he has a smooth delivery and can string together a nice melody, but this is closer to Josh Groban than maybe even he would want to admit.
Brockhampton, Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (2021) C
For being a "boy band" that has thirteen members (as of April 2021), you have to wonder why they needed so many contributors (Danny Brown, JPEG, Rocky and Ferg, etc.) and yet the album is still only average: the beats are mostly basic and there's a lack of new ideas being thrown among all those young brains. Maybe exhaustion is setting in?
Cannibal Corpse, Violence Unimagined (2021) C-
I've always wondered if people who say they listen to "everything except rap and country" keep forgetting to mention bands with songs named "Ritual Annihilation" and "Surround, Kill, Devour." For fellow fans of this genre, I can only say this is middle-of-the-road: it should give fans what they want, but nothing more (it's not even close to as ferocious as CC's earliest material with Barnes).
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Carnage (2021) B-
If I call out Tumblr-ettes and TikTokers for their less-than-average poetry, I have to do the same here - younger, less sober Cave would have probably greatly disliked older Cave - but I think songs like "White Elephant" and (especially) "Shattered Ground" have a real dark energy coursing through them.
Clairo, Sling (2021) D-
Her low-key delivery might grate on some nerves, but that's not even its biggest problem: I can't tell the songs apart. At least with her peers - Girl in Red, Olivia Rodrigo - there's some diversity to their records. If she is an "industry plant" - as the rumors go - then why can't they get her a better collaborative team?
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, New Fragility (2021) C-
I'd lost track of what Ounsworth has been doing since "Some Loud Thunder" - fourteen years! - and pleased to hear his trademark whine/yelp is still intact ... but I'd argue that, and maybe it's the years gone by, I find it a lot less endearing these days. What's also not helping is the fact that the songs aren't as inventive as they were in the early days.
Coldplay, Music of the Spheres (2021) D
Just when I thought they couldn't get much worse than they've been since "Viva la Vida," Martin and the boys have now pulled a Kanye and are one step closer to making gospel ... and when the songs aren't as good as they used to be, Chris' lyrics now seem even more trite. I truly believe they would have scrapped something like "Biutyful" fifteen years ago.
J. Cole, The Off-Season (2021) C
He claims "pride is the devil," so why does he spend so much time bragging about himself? Granted, he is very good at it....
Lucy Dacus, Home Video (2021) B+
Deeply personal second album from Lucy: she can easily go from folk to alt. rock (to a splash of metal!) while telling stories from her more youthful years. I hate to say I didn't have high expectations but she quickly changed my opinion as it's one of the best albums of the year, filled with self-doubt, nostalgia and regret.
Darkside, Spiral (2021) D+
Sometimes Jarr and Harrington seem like they've got it all figured out, other times it's like someone let them loose in a home goods store with a hammer ... or they're just humming to themselves and forgotten what they were working on in the first place.
Dave, We're All Alone in This Together (2021) D
He starts the record off moaning about his own poor past, then on "Clash," brags about his material possessions (as if a really expensive watch is worth blowing money on) ... and it is grating when he's trying to rhyme every other word together a la Eminem. It's not even entertaining to listen to, except when he makes poor choices with his lyrics ("A good girl like Pokemon / Easy to see, but hard to catch").
Deafheaven, Infinite Granite (2021) D+
"Sunbather" had garnered a sizeable cult audience back in 2013 for its "black metal" - I was never a fan, but now I see they've shifted to what they're calling "shoegaze" but I like to think of as "stale prog rock." Two of the tracks in the middle of the album, "Lament For Wasps" and "Villain," aren't terrible, but neither My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive have anything to worry about.
Death From Above 1979, Is 4 Lovers (2021) B-
Fairly solid fourth record from these randy Canadian gentlemen: this particular release is listed as being "dance punk" on Wikipedia but I think it's more in line with standard hard rock ... except significantly fuzzier and more distorted. And maybe Grainger was right years ago when he said they just wanted to be a "hardcore" version of AC/DC....
Lana Del Rey, Blue Banisters (2021) B+
For most artists, releasing two records the same year is arguably a bad idea, but holed up with deactivated social media accounts and a truck full of Parliaments she pulled it off ... and what's surprising is how it's almost as good as "Chemtrails." She even dabbles in trip-hop ("Dealer," where she really goes all out) and keeps that nasty sense of sarcasm in her back pocket (to go along with her mace).
Lana Del Rey, Chemtrails Over the Country Club (2021) B+
After her masterpiece, Normal Fucking Rockwell, I wasn't sure what direction she was going to go in, but she seems to have taken her deep, deep sarcasm to pop-meets-outlaw country. It's a nice and delicate shift - Jack Antonoff is once again helping with production and writing, and he's done a great job keeping her properly in character. I never imagined she'd attempt to cover a Joni Mitchell song ("For Free"), but that shows the wide range of her talent.
Dinosaur Jr., Sweep It Into Space (2021) B-
Full confession: I've been the biggest fan of this band - something about Mascis' voice always irked me (even though I own copies of "Green Mind" and "Where You Been") - so it's been a while since I paid attention to them, but this is a pretty decent album, and it's interesting how they kept with their "own sound" instead of bothering adapting to the times. It's just straight up rock & roll. Kids, pay attention.
Dntel, Away (2021) C-
There are a couple of spots on here ("From the Window," I Made Something") where Tamborello sounds just as fresh as he did when he worked with Ben Gibbard on their legendary Postal Service record, but the rest of the time he's just noodling around, making it no different than a lot of club/dance music.
Drake, Certified Lover Boy (2021) D-
He's set the bar so low with some of his lyrics on past records and somehow keeps making it worse (Mr. 6 calling himself a lesbian is not recommended in this current environment), and pretending he's some "lost, depressed soul" who's constantly misunderstood goes in the face of reality: I've seen you courtside, buddy. If he made this to continue some silly feud with Kanye, Ye just ran him over with his Crazy Train.
Billie Eilish, Happier Than Ever (2021) C
Of course the title of her second album is sarcastic - there's still a lot teenage whining going on (which was to be expected) - and it's back to her irritating breathy whispering over what's either minimalist or dance-floor background music (provided by her brother). I'm not a fan, and I think many of her peers are doing much more engaging songs; "Oxytocin" is just "Bad Guy" with some slight tweaks.
Garbage, No Gods No Masters (2021) C-
The first two albums by Manson and the gents were part of my permanent soundtrack during my high school years, but I've lost track of what they've been doing for the last decade: there's still this leftover techno feel to the project which is fine, but the songwriting isn't there - no "Cherry Lips" or "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" - and Shirley's dismissal of "capitalism" and "masculinity" could have used more ... refinement.
Girl in Red, If I Could Make It Go Quiet (2021) C
Not too bad as far as grrl-powered indie pop goes, but let's not pretend Ms. Ulven - who hails from Norway - is doing anything "radically different" from, say, Miley Cyrus except that she's open about being a lesbian. "I'll Call You Mine" is probably my favorite track, granted the songwriting isn't the strongest.
Glasvegas, Godspeed (2021) F
Based on the cover, I'm taking it they want to be The Clash, but they can barely be an average American hard rock band from the 80's. I would rather re-listen to Def Leppard's entire discography than have to hear "Shake the Cage" or the closing number ever again ... and how dare they use the music from Psycho for one of their lousy songs?
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, G_d's Pee at State's End! (2021) C
A disappointing whiff from everyone's favorite Canuck anarchists, with many of the pieces sounding like B-sides off of "Luciferian Towers." They're incredibly talented musicians, so I expect more than what could have been just them jamming for fifty minutes.
The Go! Team, Get Up Sequences Part One (2021) C-
There are flashes of their old selves in there - especially with the peppy "Let the Seasons Work" and the harmonica on "A Memo for Maceo" - but it's around half-time that it starts to dive in quality. Is that when the school spirit started to wane?
Grouplove, This Is This (2021) D-
If they're trying to "bring back rock" - I'm detecting the influence of Pixies, Hole and Jane's Addiction - maybe they should do something ... inventive and fun with it? Listen to the first few seconds of "Scratch" and tell me you don't hear "Where Is My Mind?"
Halsey, If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power (2021) C-
She's big on the empowerment angle and talks about toxic male culture - and then later says she wants to be choked - but so have a lot of other people, so it's too familiar. There is also a lack of very strong singles on here ... although I'm sure the record company will push a few hard ("Honey" is grating).
Armand Hammer and The Alchemist, Haram (2021) C+
Very smooth-rolling collaborative album that moves beyond the "usual" topics of rap (self-praise, degrading women, selling drugs, etc.) and extends itself to speak about the world in general. I'm not a huge fan of all of the stream-of-conscious lyrics - more than once I muttered "What?" to myself whenever Woods or Elucid said something bizarre - but the Alchemist's unorthodox beats just keep rollin' on....
Hotel Fiction, Soft Focus (2021) C-
Stereotypical Swiftian girl-pop that covers the usual: loss, dreaming, romance, nostalgia ... you get the idea. It's only nine tracks long, but too often they run together a little too closely.
Hovvdy, True Love (2021) B-
Thanks to Discover Weekly on Spotify, I was first introduced to these lads by their cover of Coldplay's "Warning Sign" (adding an even dreamier outro), and you can hear Martin & Company's influence (with maybe a little John Mayer tossed in there too), and I like the mix of acoustic guitars and jangly electronics in the background. It trails off a bit with the last few songs, but other than that, I appreciate the positive vibes all around. We need them.
Iceage, Seek Shelter (2021) B-
After the majestic "Beyondless" - which I think is one of the best albums of the previous decade - these Danish guys decided to scale it back to their usual punk/rock roots: they're still turning out some nicely thought out songs (Elias is a book nerd and has respect for the written word), but it's like an accomplished athlete who won a gold medal is now settling for the Bronze. Or maybe they didn't want to keep mixing this band's aesthetic with Marching Church....
Idles, Crawler (2021) B+
Mr. Talbot has thrown out such things as empathy and delicacy - if they were ever truly really there in the first place - for a record that seems even heavier than their other LPs. Those E strings get hammered on harder than your face at one of their notoriously raucous gigs (speaking of which, how does he not lose his voice every night?).
Iglooghost, Lei Line Eon (2021) F
You can hear the influences (Squarepusher, Autechre, etc.) but like the worst of Arca, it's sprawling and all over the place with zero cohesion.
Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee (2021) B
Ms. Zauner reminds me a smidge of early Rachael Yamagata (circa "Happenstance"): confident, urbane, wistful but not wrecked over it. There's a hint of the 80's in this LP that I don't personally like ("Be Sweet" is one of the weaker songs) but there's no denying she has talent.
Nick Jones, Spaceman (2021) F
He's as high as the ceiling. He feels like a spaceman. He needs to hire a massive team of writers.
The Killers, Pressure Machine (2021) D-
Not content to just "be himself" (whatever that entails), Brandon now thinks he can try to be Bruce Springsteen. It's at best a poor imitation, at worst a complete insult to The Boss ... and everyone's ears.
Kings of Convenience, Peace or Love (2021) B-
The last time I listened to this Norwegian duo was back in the early 00's - "Quiet Is the New Loud" and "Riot on an Empty Street" - and (incorrectly) thought they'd broken up, but I guess the pandemic convinced them, like so many other musicians, to make a new record. It's sweet and cozy - like a double dose of Valerian Root followed by half a tab of Xanax and a million pillows - but ends abruptly ... as if they lulled themselves to sleep.
Kings of Leon, When You See Yourself (2021) C+
Opener "When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away" has the Followill Gang flashing a bit of the ol' excellence in their best records, but the middle of the record is somewhat stale - "Time in Disguise" and "Supermarket" are so-so - and it doesn't have enough of the swagger that made them famous in the first place.
Lil Nas X, Montero (2021) B-
I've been enjoying Mr. Hill's non-musical performance pieces for a while - the "Satan Shoes," the flamboyant music videos, the "pregnancy" photo shoot for People magazine (and everything else he does that makes Middle America uncomfortable) - but he's not only a provocateur, he's also capable of self-reflection and can string together a collection of decent songs. He also doesn't over-do it with the collaborators - it's all him, and he's worth listening to (although more media antics would be nice too).
Limp Bizkit, Still Sucks (2021) D
The early 2000's are ... back? Durst's lyrics haven't exactly gotten better over time - no surprise there - and it seems like he still has a grudge against the world, but if you have to listen to this (or are shackled in a chair at Gitmo and your handlers want to amp the torture), take the time to admire Borland's guitar work (he's one of the best we got). In fact, seeing Wes and Fred on stage together always struck me as being supremely odd: the ultimate frat bro hanging out with the Art School freak who likes playing dress-up....
Lingua Ignota, Sinner Get Ready (2021) C-
At least the spirit of Nico is alive and well.
London Grammar, Californian Soil (2021) C-
It's clean but uninspired pop that can be safely played over the speakers at Old Navy while you try on clothes that break down after two washings.
Lorde, Solar Power (2021) C+
She has, in fact, taken her sound in a new "satirical" direction: it's more mellow, the lead single sounds like George Michael and she has a delicate delivery ... but it's not her strongest album and there simply aren't enough singles on there (and the second half of the record is a kind of weak). Asserting you think you know everything and have seen anything is charming when it's a teenager saying it, but now that she's 24 ... that should be the age when you realize you don't know a thing about anything.
Low, Hey What (2021) D-
They changed their sound a lot since I last heard from them and ... well, it's a lot more experimental, although not in a way that's engaging (they almost sabotage their own record with the clicking on "White Horses"). The concluding track feels twice as long as it really is - leave GY!BE to that sort of thing.
L'Rain, Fatigue (2021) B-
A bit cacophonous but I don't think she drifts off uncontrollably: it's like she starts from an R&B angle and then covers it up with layer after layer of distortion.
Mach-Hommy, Pray for Haiti (2021) C+
Strange LP from Jersey's most famous anonymous rapper: the lyrics are really ... different (bordering on silly ... skrrrrr), the skits are odd and the beats - please forgive me for saying this - remind me of Rza. I'm not sure if he's being sarcastic or what, but "Murder Czn" makes me think he's making fun of other artists in his genre glorifying violence....
Madlib, Sound Ancestors (2021) C
A smooth - if unremarkable - collection of carefully mixed tracks ... but I think he's really missing MF Doom (who passed away in 2020) and Freddie to give it that 'little extra' something.
Makthaverskan, For Allting (2021) C+
Their previous LP, "III," was a favorite of mine from 2017, and while there's still plenty of energy left in the group (whose name I cannot pronounce no matter how hard I try), it's not nearly as catchy ... until the last two songs (the title track and "Maktologen") where lead Maja Milner's voice really shines.
Marina, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land (2021) D-
So she wants to depose the "patriarchy" ... and replace it with "highly emotional people?" But then who will cut the grass? Or keep starting senseless wars? Or open that pesky jar of pasta sauce? (I kid, but she really didn't try hard here.)
The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers (1976) B+
For some reason, I've never listened to this early Jonathan Richman album, and it's crude and alive and got tons of spring in its step. You can easily tell how this influenced ... pretty much everybody in post-punk and indie rock, whether they're aware of it or not.
Modest Mouse, The Golden Casket (2021) D+
With two song titles sporting F-words you have to wonder how "edgy" Brock and the gang are trying to be ... perhaps to distract from the fact that this is one of their weakest records (and they don't put out a new record every year ... or even every other year) and struggles to engage the listener (despite all of Brock's vocal gymnastics).
Mogwai, As the Love Continues (2021) C
Another mediocre release from some of my favorite Scottish musicians - opener "To the Bin My Friend, Tonight We Vacate Earth" is the kind of expertly crafted art rock that made them famous, but it's rather mundane from there on. I still find vocals (not samples) on a Mogwai release to be ... odd.
Nas, Illmatic (1994) A
One of the masterpieces of the genre: Nas hasn't done anything as good since this, and he probably doesn't have to. It's thirty-nine minutes and fifty-one seconds of Truth.
Parquet Courts, Sympathy for Life (2021) D+
This is the first record by the band that didn't grab me: instead of doing their usual blend of art punk, they're now doing a mediocre Talking Heads impersonation ("Plant Life," "Application/Apparatus"). "Zoom Out" could have been the soundtrack for a 70's porno.
Pom Poko, Cheater (2021) B
Giddy power-pop from Norway - except lead singer Ms. Ragnhild Jamtveit sings in English - that is the exact kind of uplifting fun we need to get through the Winter months. The things Martin Tonne can do with that guitar might have impressed the long-gone great improvisers of the instrument.
Porches, All Day Gentle Hold ! (2021) F
He does. This thing. Where he. Breaks up. His sentences. Into fragments. And he's very fond of repeating himself. Take it back, actually make an effort next time.
Portrayal of Guilt, We Are Always Alone (2021) C-
It's impressive from a technical point-of-view, but the technical metal combined with growly vocals has been done by others ... and better.
Porter Robinson, Nurture (2021) F
"Yo dawg, I heard you like auto-tune, so I put auto-tune in your auto-tune."
Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (2021) B
This is, without a doubt, as assured a debut for a female singer/songwriter since Lorde's "Pure Heroine": she may still be a teenager and caught up in the trivialities of that age (too many songs are her complaining about some dumb boy she's better off without), but there's no denying the nostalgic power of "Drivers License," a perfect pop nugget which should win her a Grammy (if those things mattered anymore). Producer Dan Nigro deserves his share of credit for making it sound as crisp as it does - it's not surprising he worked on Sky Ferreira's "Night Time, My Time."
Jeff Rosenstock, Ska Dream (2021) C+
Apparently, Rosenstock is a major fan of ska music and decided to "re-do" all of his songs off of 2020's "No Dream" in that style ... and while it's definitely different, it makes what was an emotionally charged record (with a mixture of moods) into this thirteen track party. If he wasn't so serious about it I'd have thought he made it as a joke.
Rostam, Changephobia (2021) B
His reputation as a producer has been well-established - not to mention his work with the rest of Vampire Weekend - and it turns out he's good as a solo artist (no shocker there). I'm not a fan of all the vocal effects he uses, but the album is soothing and jazzy (although he runs the risk of sounds corny with the sax).
Ty Segall, Harmonizer (2021) F
Not sure if it was intentional or not, but too much of it sounds like homage to (bad) hair rock from the 80's ... and then there's Ty's "vocals" on, for example, "Ride." It's a very difficult record to get through, especially if you have respect for rock and roll.
Ed Sheeran, = (2021) C
Over the years I've heard some of his singles but never bothered with any of his albums - he's not for me but I can see why people like him: he sings about innocuous things in a sweet, inoffensive way, and his delivery is smooth. He pets kitty cats and cleans up rubbish and you can let your girlfriend go for Dippin' Dots with him without worrying about things getting weird.
Silk Sonic, An Evening With Silk Sonic (2021) B-
The tag-team of Mars and .Paak is irresistible and as far as surface-level appeal, it's Top 40 ready. "Leave the Door Open" is the track getting the most attention (with good reason - .Paak's opening lines are so memorable) but "Smokin Out the Window" is a song that hits me particularly hard (we've all been there at least once ... sometimes more than once because we have questionable taste in the ladies).
Sleater-Kinney, Path of Wellness (2021) B
It's odd to say it, but I think this is the best material Tucker and Brownstein have put out since their earliest records, and as I've said before, I love the idea of rockers getting better as they get older. The first half of the record is arguably stronger than the second, but "Bring Mercy" sends it out on a pleasurably snide note.
Slowthai, Tyron (2021) C+
Sophomore releases from artists who had acclaimed debuts tend to be duds, and this is a step backwards for Frampton (Tyron is his first name): he's sounding a little too much like Eminem in that he often tries to rhyme every word together. The best track here just happens to have James Blake and Mount Kimbie lending a hand, which might give him an idea what direction he should be heading in.
Snail Mail, Valentine (2021) C
This has gotten a lot of critical acclaim, and I'm not sure why: her voice constantly wavers around annoyingly, perhaps as a way to distract from the fact that her lyrics are best suited for a private chapbook and the music just isn't that interesting. She saves the best for last, however: "Mia" is a sweet love ballad set to strings. She should consider more of that for the next album ... it worked for Angel.
Spellling, The Turning Wheel (2021) F
Is this the lost soundtrack for an atrocious musical for children that should have stayed missing?
Spirit of the Beehive, Entertainment, Death (2021) D
There are fleeting moments of indie pop bliss in this, but they can't stay consistent, repeatedly changing things up so what could have been a nice song just gets jumbled up.
Vince Staples, Vince Staples (2021) C-
An odd half-hearted effort from Vince - most songs run less than two and a half minutes, and it doesn't seem like he put a lot of thought into many of them or the production. He's shown in the past he's better than this, so something recorded and mixed in an hour isn't going to cut it.
Still Corners, The Last Exit (2021) C-
It's a sort of dream-pop meets alt. country hybrid, and much of it is forgettable, but I think "Crying" is the British duo at their best: the synths pair well with the whistling and Tessa Murray's sensuous delivery.
St. Vincent, Daddy's Home (2021) B-
Ms. Clark shows her influences very clearly: Prince ("Pay Your Way in Pain"), Pink Floyd ("Live in the Dream"), R&B and funk ... and maybe Sheena Easton too ("My Baby Wants a Baby"). But the trouble is, this sounds too much like her doing covers instead of her own style, which is what you'd expect from an artist just starting out, not one who's been active for two decades. What's impressive, then, is how good it is ... if not necessarily cohesive.
Sufjan Stevens, Convocations (2021) B-
Ambitious five-disc release by Sufjan (each disc represents one of the "stages of grief") that was recorded in the Winter of 2020 following the death of his biological father. The concept for this reminds me of what The Caretaker did with Everywhere at the End of Time, but like that work it's over-extended - the first record ("Meditation") is expectedly somber, but "Lamentation" and "Revelation" are a tad too IDM-esque ... and then "Celebration" sounds like a dirge and the finale, "Incantation," is a foray into glitch. Still, despite reservations about whether it accomplishes what he intended it to (deep emotional pain doesn't "sound like anything"), Stevens is too talented to ignore.
Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine, A Beginner's Mind (2021) B+
He works well on his lonesome, yet this collaboration with De Augustine is fantastic and can be included along with his best work: it's ethereal ("Back to Oz") and pensive, continuing to explore the usual themes associated with him - he really is one of the better songwriters currently working. I'm not sure what Angelo's contributions to this were, but he could have been the one giving Sufy an encouraging pat on the back and an iced coffee before they hit the record button.
Teen Creeps, Forever (2021) D-
Please Belgium, I beg you: we don't need any more Blink 182-type bands. At least not for another forty years.
Tigers Jaw, I Won't Care How You Remember Me (2021) D-
Please Scranton, I'm pleading with you: we don't need other groups that are clearly fixated on late 90's/early 2000's pop punk.
Tune-Yards, Sketchy (2021) D+
With her debut, Garbus sounded alive and spirited, but now it seems she is kind of limited in the kind of music want to make: it's as if she's remixing herself and tossing in disconnected "thoughts."
Twenty One Pilots, Scaled and Icy (2021) D-
This record is so mushy and innocuous they make Hall and Oates look like Morbid Angel.
Twin Shadow, Twin Shadow (2021) D
Lewis has gone from what could be called dream pop his previous albums, now he's trying to be ... Parliament? He's not that great at either. Next up: gospel?
Tyler, the Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) B-
Based on interviews, he has the energy of a middle school student on a pound of sugar so I'm surprised when he's able to take it down a few hundred notches and be introspective, which he is here. For his outward confidence, there's a pensive mind in there ... one that can mix the profane with the wise. That said, the two eight-plus minute songs ("Sweet" and "Wilshire") should have been trimmed.
Viagra Boys, Welfare Jazz (2021) A-
Like Protomartyr here in the States, there's a wave of anger and sarcasm pouring out of these Swedish blokes who look like they've spent a significant portion of their lives getting kicked out of every bar in Scandinavia. "Ain't Nice" is a strong opening bit - and the gravelly and self-loathing "Into the Sun" is my favorite - but the cover of John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves" is that final elbow to the jaw before they scamper off the Absolut Factory.
The War on Drugs, I Don't Live Here Anymore (2021) D
Past records of theirs never did much for me, but then for the title track (with Lucius) it's like it could have been the music over the closing credits of a Meg Ryan movie. I don't care for Adam Granduciel's Dylanesque delivery: it's best not to imitate a legend when you're only average yourself.
Wavves, Hideaway (2021) C+
Semi-decent pop-punk with a few solid moments ("Thru Hell," "Help Is on the Way," "Caviar") that's hindered by the inclusion of some really questionable songs (the skippable "Sinking Feeling" and the alt-country "The Blame" being two main offenders). When your record is only nine songs, there isn't much wiggle room.
The Weather Station, Ignorance (2021) D
Not sure why this is getting any kind of acclaim - she addresses climate change ... but has almost nothing new to say about it (or anything else, for that matter). Regardless, Tori Amos was a bit better at bad poetry and warbling vocals.
Weezer, OK Human (2021) D
"Bird With a Broken Wing" and "Playing My Piano" are two more examples of Rivers becoming what he once held in contempt - he's slowly morphing into John Tesh.
Weezer, Van Weezer (2021) D+
The second LP from Rivers just this year is his idea of what "hard rock" is, but it just sounds like the usual Weezer schtick with the amps turned up.
Kanye West, Donda (2021) B
Ye himself hyped this up so much I thought that there was no way the finished product could match the anticipation (and the controversies), yet for its extreme length (108 minutes) and what seems like hundreds of contributors, it's not all that difficult to listen to: it could have been slimmer, sure, but Kanye really loves God (and Jesus) in a time where more and more people are drifting away from religion, and his obsession with his faith - and himself - is oddly captivating. It's the audio equivalent of a train crash, with West as the Mad Engineer.
Steven Wilson, The Future Bites (2021) D
So I'm guessing Wilson is some Luddite whining about consumer culture, but what's so wrong with volcanic ash soap? Or noise-cancelling headphones? Or monogrammed luggage? Come on, man, live a bit. And while I'm at it: I never liked Porcupine Tree, either.
Xiu Xiu, Oh No (2021) B-
Mr. Stewart has been (and will continue to be) an acquired taste - the combination of yelping and whispering and warbling is his alone - and he's never been that great at merging the styles and ideas into anything cohesive (or coherent) ... and he probably doesn't care and his collaborators (from Chelsea Wolfe to Twin Shadow) don't mind it. "Knock Out" (with Alice Bag) gets about close to a "lead single" he'll ever bother recording.
You'll Never Get to Heaven, Wave Your Moonlight Hat For the Snowfall Train (2021) D+
Chilly and mellow, yes, but entirely too much so: even Slowdive knows how to rev it up when they need to.
Zayn, Nobody Is Listening (2021) D+
One Direction was never known for its creativity, but this is especially plain. Is he singing through a kazoo on "Connexion?"
Singles of the Year: Julien Baker: "Faith Healer," Black Country, New Road: "Athens, France," Nick Cave and Warren Ellis: "Shattered Ground," Lucy Dacus: "Hot and Heavy," Lana Del Rey: "Dealer," Del Water Gap, "Ode to a Conversation Stuck in Your Throat," Indigo De Souza: "Kill Me," Girl in Red: "I'll Call You Mine," Annie Hamilton: "Exist," Hovvdy: "True Love," Japanese Breakfast: "Paprika," Kings of Leon: "When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away," Nature TV: "You and Me," Pom Poko: "Cheater," Olivia Rodrigo: "Deja Vu," Slowthai (Featuring James Blake and Mount Kimbie): "Feel Away," Snail Mail: "Mia," Still Corners: "Crying," St. Vincent: "Pay Your Way in Pain," Swiss Portrait: "Find My Way," TV Priest: "Lifesize," Viagra Boys: "Into the Sun"
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