Two of my favorite bands are back with new music for the first time in years. In the case of Depeche Mode, it's been six years. But I will say that this is the best album by band in a few decades. As for Everything But The Girl, it's been 24 years since Temperamental. And how amazing they sound. It's as if no time has passed.
I have been a bit captivated by Norwegian singer and songwriter Aurora since I first heard her debut album, All My Demons Greet Me as a Friend, back in 2016. There was something captivating about the intersection between her angelic and ethereal voice and her fusion of pop, electro and synth pop, and folktronica music. But, as with any young and developing artist, there was still work to be done to fuse it all together in a truly cohesive way. On her third album, The Gods We Can Touch, Aurora has done just that and so much more.
An album inspired by Greek mythology and the intersection between the divine and the human, The Gods We Can Touch weaves stories of myths and mythos in contemporary times and settings. They serve as reminders, says Aurora, of things that we have forgotten. "We used to worship the earth, and music was a way of connecting us to something divine," she recently said in an interview. "I love Greek mythology because [they didn't] put shame on being a woman, or being gay, or being trans or sexual and curious. I'm fascinated by how much we've lost over time, and how much shame we put into beautiful things."
It is here, in the context of the intersection between the divine and the human that Aurora's voice and music realize new levels of connection, power, and impact. Aurora doesn't just draw you in as a listener, you become a participant, sharing in her moods, feelings, and emotions. It's no small feat on her part and will leave you with the same wonder that Aurora has for ancient times.
This past year was not the one that any of us expected or wanted. And I think that it's safe to say that everyone experienced such a wide range of thought, feels, and emotions as we all moved through it. This was certainly the case for me. Fortunately with each passing month, there were new albums that provided me with outlets to escape...with any hope to my happy place.
At different times, I reach for each one of these albums again and again. Here are my top albums of 2020!
10. Airbag, A Day At The Beach
I got excited when I first learned that Airbag was back in the studio recording a new album. Since 2009, the band, hailing from Oslo, Norway, had only released four albums. Each one has become favorites of mine. I was ready for more. Almost a year later, A Day At The Beach arrived back in June and I got my Airbag fix.
One would never say that Airbag has a totally original sound. Influences of bands like Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree have always been present. On A Day At The Beach, the band does move in a bit of a new directly with the addition of electronic elements which they say were inspired by the resurgence of ‘80’s electronica and new wave. In this regard, they have tapped into a bit of The Cure circa Disintegration.
With six songs clocking in at almost fifty minutes, there is plenty of music to consume here. I cannot recommend A Day At The Beach enough. This is a fantastic album.
9. Creeper, Sex, Death & The Infinite Void
WOW. WOA?! WOW! That was my reaction listing to Creeper's amazingly original, inventive, and over-the-top sophomore album. Since then, I have been trying to figure out just how to describe this one. Then I read Kerrang!'sperfect review; 'If the coquettish camp of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is your idea of a good time, or you’ve enjoyed the morbid-idiosyncrasies of a John Waters movie, the lovingly-crafted universe evoked by Sex, Death & The Infinite Void might just feel like home. Imbued with endless passion, colour and a carnival of glorious sound, it’s a musical marvel.' A marvel indeed.
8. Glass Animals, Dreamland
Four years after the release of their Mercury Nominated album, How To Be A Human Being, Glass Animals are back and better than ever. A much more personal album, ‘Dreamland is the awakening moment from a turbulent time’ for the band and the ‘nostalgic personal journey of front man and producer Dave Bayley.’ (OMH)
In the hands of other bands, exploring difficult childhood memories, relationships, and the topic of recovery might weight down an album, but not with Glass Animals. Dreamland’s heavy topics are disguised with psych-pop upbeat tones and by ‘referencing people and/or characters as food.’ Using these tactics, the band creates a dream-like state that allows the reality of Bayley’s past to ‘seem a little less intense’ (MFN).
7. The Haar, The Haar
The story goes that Irish folk and traditional percussionist Cormac Byrne and fiddler Adam Summerhayes were on holiday in Inis Oírr when they walked into a pub and were silenced along with everyone else as Molly Donnery began to sing unaccompanied. Fast forward some time and the three meet up in a studio along with accordionist Murray Grainer to record some Irish traditional songs. The four made no plans in advance of entering the studio. As they explained, they just let the music create itself.
What resulted was the creation of a truly stunning collection of songs captured on their first and only takes. As Folk Radio wrote about The Haar, it's 'a very evocative record, bringing senses of the pain and futility of war and the salt of the ocean, as well as the beauty of the land and the strength of human relationships through its works and music. We need more music like this; spontaneous, alive and affecting, The Haar will take you on a journey and have you appreciating the purest of life's pleasures. Wonderful stuff.' I so agree.
6. Eric Hutchinson, Class of 98
In the press release for Class of 98, Eric Hutchinson explains that sometime last year, he came to a strange realization: he kept daydreaming about high school. It had been over 20 years since the singer-songwriter had graduated, yet the adolescent dreams, hopes, fears, anxieties and emotions he faced as a kid began flooding back. Suddenly, he felt transported back into his teenage self and those years filled with the kind of alienation and private angst that is recognizable to most anyone who’s ever been 16.
Now, years later, he has chronicled those adolescence years. Wrapping them in ’90s inspired alt-rock-pop music from bands like Fountains Of Wayne and Weezer, Hutchinson has crafted a memorable set of songs and album.
5. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia
Having no idea who Dua Lipa was when I first listened to Future Nostalgia, I got all excited that I had made some great musical discovery that I would share with my kids. The album fits squarely in their musical lane. Turns out that I'm about the only one who doesn't know about Britain's biggest female musical artist.
I will just say that I love Future Nostalgia. As Variety wrote, "It's an impeccably crafted, gleefully executed half-hour plus of pop perfection that does meet the moment, maybe, in just reminding you how good it feels to be human, And to be in love. And to be in Studio 54." This is modern pop at its best.
4. Siv Jakobsen, A Temporary Smooth
Gentle and calming, Oslo-based singer-songwriter Siv Jakobsen’s ambient, folky tunes belong in an independent coming of age film, or at very least, a heartbreaking scene in Normal People. Poised with an unhinged rawness, Jakobsen’s sophomore album ‘A Temporary Soothing’ does just as the title says, acting a security blanket to offer shelter during those blue Sunday evenings or summer thunderstorms. Clash Magazine
I was immediately drawn to this album and have come back to it many times. It's captivating and hard to escape.
3. Lime Cordiale, 14 Steps To A Better You
What a FUN album! Australian brothers, Oliver and Louis Leimbach, along with their bandmates are back with another gem of an album. With their sound that blends 'summery vibes and harmonies and bouncing melodies' (Billboard), Lime Cordiale's catchy sing-along-songs are second to none.
Listening to this album will put a smile on your face and bounce in all 14 of your steps...to a better you. This is one of those albums that we all could use a bit more of this year.
2. Katie Melua, Album No. 8
Katie Melua is one of the UK's best selling artists of all time. Yet, here in the states she is not widely known. It's really ashamed. Melua is that rare artist who's music radiates and captivates while remaining quiet and gentle. These are two qualities that we don't see too much of anymore. Being loud, shocking, and controversial seems to sell more albums these days.
Now in her mid-thirties and recently divorced, Melua's lyrics go deeper and get more personal than on past albums. Wrapped in a beautiful cinematic melancholy soundscape, Melua reflects on thoughts and feelings of loss, of heartbreak, and of appreciation for what has been and what is to be. While Album No 8 is Melua's story, passages throughout are recognizable and relatable. It all makes Album No. 8, Melua's most special album to date.
1. Motorpsycho, The All Is One
I was not familiar with Motorpsycho when I first sat down to listen to The All Is One. I also had no idea of it's running time. Turns out that the album, the last in a trilogy by the Norwegian trio, clocks in at one hour and twenty four minutes. It’s a good thing that I did not know or I probably would have never started listening. But honestly, when I go to the end….I was truly disappointed that it was over. I just wanted more. And I wanted to learn everything that I could about this band that has produced 24 albums over the past 30 years.
As Everything Is Noise wrote about The All Is One, ‘Truly, this is an album you give yourself up to. It can be a demanding task to surrender your whole attention and time to just listening to music, no matter how good it is – albums like The All Is One not only make it simple, but incentivize you for doing so. The reward is the experience itself: a swaddling of progressive, psychedelic (called ‘psychodelic‘ by the band) rock that’s equal parts calming and transcendent. It’s a portal to another world or dimension, one with technicolor skies, drinkable air, and tingling currents that prick your corporeal form to remind you that you’re the most alive you’ve ever been, all while floating on a magic carpet.'
Listening to The All Is One, I could not help but reflect on the truly epic albums that I listened to as a kid and absolutely devoured as they transported me someplace that I had never been. It is exactly what I needed this year...or any year.
It's been a year since I have posted anything to my blog. I honestly thought that I was done writing. A busy and full life will do that to a person. But music has always been such a huge part of my life and I never stopped listening. In fact I listen to more music now that I did even when I was writing. Perhaps I have more time to listen because I am NOT writing. In any event, this year has been an especially great year for music and many have asked me about my favorite albums of the year. This question got me inspired to spring into action and write about those albums. So here they are.....
1. Arctic Monkeys, AM My son says that AM is the best album by the band yet. It's hard for me to agree or disagree with him. Comparing AM to the band's first two albums is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. I loved the explosive energy and roughness of the band's early albums and I never really wanted their sound to change. Yet as we all know, over time things do change. The great news is that over the years the band has grown and matured and so have their songs and songwriting, and now I find myself absolutely loving where the band is today.
2. Arcade Fire, Reflektor
I loved Funeral, Arcade Fire's debut album. But I must have been one of the lone folks to not think that the band's 2010 release, The Suburbs, was the best album of the year. After two years of absence, the band is back with an epic album produced by James Murphy. From the opening song Reflektor to the 11 minute closer Supersymmetry, this album serves as a reminder that albums as albums, and not just a loose collection of songs, do still have their place and relevance in today's musical environment.
3. Airbag, The Greatest Show On Earth
Airbag has quickly become one of my favorite bands. On their third album, The Greatest Show On Earth, the Norwegian prog rock band has fully matured into exceptional songwriters, incorporating a tapestry of textures, shifting tempos, and bombastic dynamics, engaging the listener with a balanced combination of both moody atmospheric soundscapes and grandiose sonic assaults in the tradition of albums like "Dark Side Of The Moon". Prognaut.com
4. Phosphorescent, Muchacho Matthew Houck, who performs under the moniker Phosphorescent, was one of my great musical discoveries this year. I don't know quite how Houck escaped my musical radar for so many years. Now, having listed to his entire catalog of music, I can say that Houck is a special musical artist. With this said, while Houck has written some truly great songs in the past, Muchacho is his first fully realized album. Like a number of the albums on my best of list this year, Muchacho is an album that needs to be listened to and experienced in its entirety.
5. Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park
"Mercury Records debut album is everything a new artist dreams her first record will be. 'Same Trailer Different Park' is well-written, edgy (yet familiar) and coated in "cool." Musgraves is an original who at age 24 is surprisingly wise and adept at using her voice to share her experiences." Taste of Country
6. Vampire Weekend, ModernVampires Of The City I can't say that I have been a big fan of the band's past work. They had their moments, but I thought that they were a bit overrated. Not so on their latest album. Vampire Weekend's songs shine on ModernVampires Of The City. This album is pure pop joy. What captivates me most about this album is the way the band layers each song with sounds and textures that give them such richness and warmth.
7. The National, Trouble Will Find Me
Not much for me to say here. I'm a bit biased when it comes to this band. In my heart and mind, The National can do no wrong. Fortunately for me, the band has not proven me wrong yet. Trouble Will find Me is another exceptional album by one of the best bands in the country.
8. Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
I will admit that this album was one of my guilty pleasures of this past year. But that's OK, I know that I am not alone. Who hasn't found him or herself singing along to Get Lucky, which is right up there with the best songs of the year. Yet this album is so much more than a great sing-along-song. This French duo, know for their electronic music, pays homage to the best of the disco era while keeping their feet firmly planted in the here and now. This fusion of musical styles and eras works flawlessly and creates an awesome album.
9. Jason Isbell, Southeastern People still refer to Isbell as the former member of Drive By Truckers. I love that band, but Isbell has been on his own since 2007, which is quite a while. In that time, Isbell has established himself as a special songwriter and singer. On Southeastern, Isbell reaches new hights with both. In an interview with Rolling Stone Esbell said that after getting sober, writing and recording the new album felt more natural to him.... and telling the story of his recovery has become part of his existence. Fortunately for us we all become the second beneficiary of sobriety. His story telling and life observations have never been better. Here is a song from the album, a song about cancer, that exemplifies what is so special about Isbell's songwriting.
10. James Blake, Overgrown Two years ago, Blake's self titled debut album was one of my favorites of the year. As much as I loved it, I honestly thought that Blake would be a one trick pony. Marrying Electronic, Dubstep, R&B, and anything else that one could think of, Blake created a musical space that was totally original and new. But then what? On Overgrown, Blake has taken all that he has done and learned and has moved into a new, more sophisticated, and fully realized space. This is truly an incredible creative effort.
What I love about music is its power to transport me. Sometimes it’s unexpected, sometimes it’s exactly where I want to be. A single melody can unlock memories I didn’t realize I still carried, while certain chords or lyrics take me to another time or place. Some songs feel like home, offering shelter, while others deliver me to an unknown place or space, stirring emotions I can’t quite name. In this way, music isn’t just sound—it’s a sonic subway, delivering me to a station of refuge or one I never knew existed.
Music has always been an important part of my life. My family and friends knew this well, often asking me what I was listening to and what I liked. It was always humbling to be asked, and eventually, I gathered the courage to create this music blog—to put into words what draws me to certain music and why.
Over the years, my passion for writing has grown, along with my excitement for sharing musical discoveries. I hope your time here sparks excitement and leads you to a musical discovery of your own. More than anything, I hope your visit brings a little joy to your day.
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