2021 Albums of the Year Edition
Top Albums of 2021
At the New Year’s Eve parties I stayed a little quiet about it but this is my newsletter so I feel like I can speak candidly. 2021 wasn’t that bad for me. Of course, the pandemic was (is) absolutely awful - that goes without saying - however on a personal level I accomplished a bunch of things that I’m proud of. For one, I managed to continue my weekly music reviews even out of lockdown. Coming from the bottom-scraping of 2020, the past year was indeed steps ahead.
The music released in 2021 wasn’t half bad either! I hope that you agree whether your faves are listed below or not. In fact, if they aren’t then you’ve got some exciting catching up to do. Without further ado, a month of teasing is more than enough, I present AudioVernacular’s Albums of the Year, 2021 Edition.
Honourable Mentions
[Electropop]
Half Waif - Mythopoetics
[Deep Folk]
The Weather Station - Ignorance
[Cerebral Hip Hop]
Dave - We’re All Alone In This Together
[Atmospheric Glitch]
Iglooghost - Lei Line Eon
[Indie Pop]
17. chloe moriondo - Blood Bunny
What a catchy yet still very smart record from this young (19) American singer-songwriter.
Just1Song: Favorite Band
[Post-Everything]
16. Black Country, New Road - For the first time
After years of promise all of their spoken-word-esque singles plus a few new songs have been packaged up ‘For the first time’ to showcase just how great this British band is.
Just1Song: Science Fair
[Genre-Hopping Hardcore]
15. Fucked Up - Year of the Horse
An outrageous number of genres are deftly represented on this sprawling latest edition in the “Year of the …” series that it’s often too much to take all IV acts in one sitting.
Just1Song: Act II
[Bookstore Folk]
14. Craig Cardiff - All This Time Running
An essential bookstore folk record.
Just1Song: Emm and May
[Experimental Post-Punk]
13. Squid - Bright Green Field
Delivering on the promise of their live show and early singles, this record of all-new music is explorative and unique, and quite often exceptional.
Just1Song: Narrator (featuring Martha Skye Murphy)
[Epic Rock]
12. Adjy - The Idyll Opus (I-VI)
As if the title wasn’t a dead giveaway, this is an epic journey of a record.
Just1Song: Where June Meets July: VII. The Cicada’s Song, Pt. II
[Quintessential Guitar Indie]
11. The War On Drugs - I Don’t Live Here Anymore
They’ve done it again with another beautiful, listenable album that showcases their league-leading guitar work wonderfully, not to mention the synth touches.
Just1Song: Living Proof
[Relaxing Synth, Harp Music]
10. Saint Sister - Where I Should End
For such a simple concept, I kept coming back for more of this Irish duo. Their lovely singing voices are the main event with the uniqueness of harp adding un petit je ne sais quois. For how simple some of the songs are, with just synth and harp or even a cappella, the lyrics carried by their angelic voices always land. It is a perfect mellow record that can make any activity relaxing.
Just1Song: The backbeat and dreaminess to Karaoke Song have struck me since the first play - the first Saint Sister song I ever heard.
[Hard Rock Nearly Instrumental Duo]
9. Bicurious - (re)constructed
Add another band to my “Favourite Hard Rock Duos” list. When I first heard these two, I couldn’t even finish the record, let alone wait for the next newsletter, to share Bicurious with friends that would appreciate them. Immense grooves and drum/guitar instrumentation that stands up even with minimal or a complete absence of vocals. Deserves to be turned up and played often.
Just1Song: Within this single track, Like We Used To, there are enough movements to show off the diversity and crunchy brilliance of this band that is exhibited throughout the whole record.
[Mellow R&B]
8. serpentwithfeat - DEACON
It would seem my personal journey of knowing myself is not yet complete. How do I know? Well, serpentwithfeet was a Maybe Your Bag album the first week I wrote about it and yet here I am posting it in my year-end Top 10. I believe that the ability to change your mind should be lauded rather than criticized. Obviously, this warm, intimate collection of smoothly sung R&B tracks has grown immensely upon me. Maybe my bag, after all.
Just1Song: Although the variation between tracks is quite notable, it’s the vibe of the album rather than individual songs that draw me to it. Opener, Hyacinth, does a fine job of setting the scene and the titular lyric strikes hot.
[Synth Pop]
7. Chvrches - Screen Violence
I say that this is Chvrches best record (although I’ll hear you out if you want to argue how they broke onto the scene with ‘The Bones of What We Believe’ [2013].) All aspects of their game seem refreshed and advanced at least one step. The electro dance may be slightly more subdued but in its place is stellar indie guitar work, while the songwriting is also out of this world. The lyrics orbit in darkness, with Lauren Mayberry tugging you out into deep space especially on How Not to Drown (suitably paired with Robert Smith of The Cure). Then there’s this album closing gem “I drink, and I think too much; I should quit one of the two.”
Just1Song: Can I say tracks one through seven? No? Fine. Since I can’t decide I’ll stick to my previous pick of Good Girls and all that is good about it.
[Storied Alt. Folk]
6. Lord Huron - Long Lost
Lord Huron is a complete alt folk album where every song has its place. Comfortably fit into an old timey television show set piece, the tracks each stand on their own but wrap up together so well. The finale is a suitable outro that in a way departs from that but taken as a postscript it works perfectly as a long credit roll that could soundtrack a planetarium film.
Just1Song: The strings elevate Long Lost up into the starry sky.
[Personal Atmospheric Glitch]
5. Porter Robinson - Nurture
There are beautiful records. There are interesting records. There are those records that reveal themselves more and more on repeated listening. ‘Nurture’ fits all these categories. Each time I put it on I pick up on new aspects which keeps me returning to it. For such a highly produced piece of art, it is amazingly personal and evocative, drawing emotion despite the glitching and electronics.
Just1Song: What a powerful and, in many ways, uplifting ode. A defiant declaration upon which to draw inspiration to forge on and just Look at the Sky.
[Party Anthems]
4. The Halluci Nation - One More Saturday Night
The hits just keep on coming here. Combining all kinds of sounds, both absolutely modern and rooted in their native culture, The Halluci Nation made a feel good, nae, great record that turns up the energy and gets the dance party started.
Just1Song: The energy they manage to inject into this track, Tanokumbia, is praiseworthy. That beat!
[Brat Pop]
3. Ashnikko - DEMIDEVIL
Ashnikko doesn’t give a care. She is brash and says declares exactly what she thinks, using rather colourful language. It is surely empowering, refreshing, and frankly, hilarious. I’d be mortified to be one of her “cisgender, heterosexual male” exes with all the ferocious barbs she drops on this record full of bangers.
Just1Song: This ain’t no innocent sleepover! If “your girlfriend” Princess Nokia is invited then it’s gonna get raunchy at this Slumber Party.
[Novel Hardcore]
2. Turnstile - GLOW ON
When constantly listening to new music and then writing your thoughts about it week upon week, you come across many similar sounds. It gets to the point that when a truly original work crosses your speakers, it stands out. Enter ‘GLOW ON’. They’ve taken hardcore, turned it on its head, splashed punk all over it, and made it recognisable yet completely new. It’s a genuine treat on each listen as my favourite song changes to whichever one I happen to be listening to at that moment.
Just1Song: Right now, I’m choosing HOLIDAY with a gun to my head. But ask me tomorrow and it could very well be BLACKOUT, MYSTERY, or T.L.C (as I chose before).
[Experimental Pop+]
1. Self Esteem - Prioritise Pleasure
I can – and have - turned to this album at just about any point, in any mood, this year. Making dinner, going for a run, chilling with my mates; it is so totally versatile. The fact is, it’s a masterpiece that shines no matter the situation. Rebecca Taylor has composed a fun but serious, poppy but substantial, danceable but chill, sophisticated but accessible collection. It really feels like she made the record that she wanted to, added plenty of flourish such that each song has a purpose, while all are accomplished in their own way.
Just1Song: Is it hedonistic to Prioritise Pleasure? The jarring squeals surrounding the “one, two, three” as well as the “just for me” refrain separate this song from all others released this year.
We should be back to our regularly scheduled program next week as it seems that there are album releases again. Yay.
The highlight of Superbowl LV, The Weeknd, brings us ‘Dawn FM’.
Might cherry pick records I’ve discovered from other year-end lists now that my moratorium on reading them is over.
There you have it! Another year in the books (record sleeves?). The new music never stops. Bring on ‘22!
-Stefan
