2020 Year End Lists

"She said 'Why do you play all them sad songs? Who went and hurt you so badly?'

I just laughed and said 'Baby, them sad songs are the only things that make me happy.'

Yeah, sad songs make me happy."

- BJ Barham: American Aquarium

Well... this year fucking sucked. There's not much sugarcoating that. I'm well aware that my musical preferences don't exactly lie in the "uplifting bangers" category, but this year more than ever I skewed depressing. They say that art reflexively meets the mood of the people. Good job, art. 

Without further ado...

 Top Albums of 2020

Honorable Mentions: Larkin Poe - Self Made Man; Tennis - Swimmer; Huey Lewis & The News - Weather; Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin' Grass Vol. 1 & 2; Freddie Gibbs + The Alchemist - Alfredo

25) Dogleg - Melee

Early on in Melee, the Detroit emo rockers proclaim "Get drunk with your friends and stay at home...". This record was released March 13, 2020. The exact day a national state of emergency was declared. The line proved prophetic for the next... well... 9 months. And counting!

24) DUCKWRTH - SuperGood

Admittedly, I was fooled by DUCKWRTH's name and only listened to it because I thought it was some sort of Kendrick Lamar alter-ego. It's not, but it's still good! SuperGood is a collection of hip-hop that feels straight out of the mid 2000s, with the shimmery backing melodies to match. 

23) Bruce Springsteen - Letter to You

The Boss' 20th record stands in stark contrast to 2019's Western Stars. Letter to You brings back much of the arena rock bombast that was recently sacrificed, peaking with "Ghosts" which will undoubtedly slide right into the E-Street live show when those are allowed to be a thing again.

22) Matt Berninger - Serpentine Prison

The voice of The National didn't stray too far from the mold on this release, but that brought a comforting aspect to the project. The title track was the first release and is likely the strongest offering on the record. I'm interested to see if Berninger uses this project as a vehicle for more experimental sounds in the future. 

21) Moses Sumney - grae

Double albums are always concerning. By the end, they tend to drag. It's just so hard to put out over an hour of quality material. Moses Sumney's concept of the double album does not fit the narrative. grae is an artistic achievement throughout, but doesn't really peak until the "Bless Me"/"Before You Go" couplet that rounds out disc two. 

20) Sierra Hull - 25 Trips

Sierra Hull is a hall of fame level mandolin player (and member of Sturgill Simpson's current band and The First Ladies of Bluegrass), but she puts her own songwriting sensibilities on display here. 25 Trips is her fourth solo offering, but it's her strongest and indicative of untapped potential in the songwriting space. 

19) Katie Pruitt - Expectations

Although she's got a bit more twang in her voice, Pruitt's songs conjure thoughts of the boygenius trio - Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus. There's a bit more chorus to Pruitt's work (like literally, at times, a church chorus), but she should slide right into that stratosphere with moderate ease. 

18) Brian Fallon - Local Honey

The former Gaslight Anthem frontman's third solo release strays farther from his punk roots than ever before, but with solid results throughout. At only eight songs, it clicks by a bit too fast, but there's something to be said for all killer no filler.

17) Beach Bunny - Honeymoon

This record teetered on guilty pleasure throughout the year. It's somewhat formulaic bubblgum pop (and I hear they may also have gotten Tik Tok famous, smh), but the record is carefree fun. The second track "Cuffing Season" is probably the best demonstration. 

16) Khruangbin - Mordechai

Typically an instrumentally focused funk band, Khruangbin made a big change this time around: Lyrics! "Time (You and I)" is a great example of the improvement even a simple repeating lyric can bring. Aside from this release, the group also collaborated with Leon Bridges this year to spectacular results. 

15) Bartees Strange - Live Forever

This debut record is a little schizophrenic, jumping genres seemingly every song. The result, though, shows some of the highest ceiling potential of the year. Aside from this record, he also posted a collection of National covers this year as a pandemic pet project. 

14) Kiwi Jr. - Football Money

As a debut release for this group of Canadian rockers, Football Money makes comparisons somewhat easy. From a historical standpoint, Kiwi Jr is Pavement. From the contemporary, they're Parquet Courts. What that really means is they're rapid fire, witty lyrics over jangly guitars, and I'd like more, please. 

13) Marcus King - El Dorado

This record reached highs as significant as any other this year, but in total, the lows dragged it down a bit for me. Against steep odds, though, the future of blues guitar is a white kid from South Carolina. Toward the end of the record, "Too Much Whiskey" is a melodic tribute to Charlie Daniels, one of the many musicians lost this year. 

12) John Moreland - LP5

At the risk of overselling it, traditional folk plucker John Moreland introduced a bit of electronic flair into LP5 and got some Bon Iver level results. This slow burn of a record showcases the gains that can be made from bringing a higher production value to songs that are already capable of supporting themselves. 

11) Frances Quinlan - Likewise

This record technically launches a second solo project for Frances Quinlan - Hop Along started that was as well - but there's no doubt this is a departure from that band sound. Ever present is Quinlan's unique vocal cadence and approach. You either love it or hate it. Count me in the former camp. The record caps with a vast reimagination of Built To Spill's "Carry The Zero".

 

10) Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Reunions

Although this may not stack up historically in the Isbell catalogue - an impossibly high bar for anyone - , it's still among the best offerings of this year. The best song on the record (and one of the better of the year) is "It Gets Easier", while the heavy hitting guitar comes out on "Overseas".

9) Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

It seems like Katie Crutchfield and her Waxahatchee project are always afterthoughts in the grand hierarchy of contemporary songwriters, but that may change after Saint Cloud. This is the most country record she's released - hear that subtle change in her voice - and the avenue suits her. Production on the record was smartly handled by Brad Cook, and the whole release is better for it. 

8) Sports Team - Deep Down Happy

In the spirit of Arctic Monkeys and Blur before them, British indie kids Sports Team have a built in swagger on this debut record. The backing band displays versatility throughout, which never allows a sense of Britpop sameness to settle in. The lyricism alternates between scathing critique and tongue-in-cheek silliness, but neither is more effective than the other. I'm excited to see what these guys do next.  

7) Run The Jewels - RTJ4

Ironically enough, for an album released in the backdrop of 2020, Run The Jewels have actually pulled the aggression back a notch on RTJ4. Previous releases were absolutely relentless. RTJ4 addresses the themes of the time in a more subtle manner. The writing content is given center stage here rather than the delivery, and overwhelmingly the results are positive.

6) American Aquarium - Lamentations

Lamentations is a record full of inflection points. The songs are littered with characters - the North Carolina tobacco industry, the general south-east region of the United States, and even songwriter BJ Barham himself - facing proverbial forks in the road and staring down decisions. The whole message of the record is magnified by the current state of the world, but it would have been nearly as applicable any time in recent history.

5) Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling

The Truckers don't exactly specialize in the subtlety of songwriting that I typically enjoy. The lead singles off this record - "Thoughts and Prayers" + "Armageddon's Back In Town" - just beat you over the head with their goals, but the rollicking bar band still has a way of worming in your head and never letting go. A band this deep into its life cycle should not be this consistent, but album after album, these heathens deliver. 

4) Lilly Hiatt - Walking Proof

After rising to prominence with her last release, Hiatt cements her own place with Walking Proof. Oscillating between 80s Alt Rock styles and quiet Americana plucking, Lilly Hiatt (and all her friends that play on the recordings) present the most complete and lush sounding album of her career. 

3) Tennessee Jet - The Country

Longtime Cody Jinks co-writer Tennessee Jet doesn't release too much on his own, but this album is special. The tracklist includes two cuts Jinks previously recorded, but in both cases, The Country contains the definitive versions. Leading track "Stray Dogs" is on the shortlist for song of the year, whereas single "Johnny" could easily be a long lost White Stripes tune. 

2) Zephaniah OHora - Listening to the Music

Merle Haggard. Those were the first words that came to mind on my initial pass through this record. I'd never heard of OHora before, but I quickly realized that anyone that had ever listened to his art has made the same comparison. It's not lazy. He's not a tribute act. His voice just sounds the same. And he can write the hell out of a song. OHora is among the handful of contemporaries proving that traditional country music is in good hands. 

1) Arlo McKinley - Die Midwestern

The first release on Oh Boy Records following John Prine's death could not have been any better. Lyrically, this is some of the best work of the last decade. It's heavy.  Like most debut records, these songs are clearly lived in and perfected over years of tweaking. McKinley turned 40 just prior to the release. He blames his Cincinnati upbringing for his delayed entry into the music business - apparently the rust belt doesn't exactly encourage artistic license - but the experiences he had along the way are what propel this record into the stratosphere. After running the ten song gauntlet, you'll find the duality of Die Midwestern: It's one half pride and stubbornness in your upbringing, but it's also half self-fulfilling prophecy. It's also the best record of the year. 

And that's that for another year. For whatever reason, I cannot get a Spotify playlist of songs to embed below, so I guess we're just skipping that on this go around. Whatever. 2020 strikes for one final time...

The 2010s: An End of the Decade Recap (Part Six)

We continue today with Part Six - the conclusion - of the Top Albums of the 2010s. Picking up where we left off...

5) James McMurtry - Complicated Game
Year: 2015
Original Rank: 1/10 ranked on my 2015 lists
Genre: Folk

"At the end of the rope, there's a little more rope most times."

James McMurtry may go down as one of our time's forgotten songwriters. He's never written a hit, in fact not even close. But he does tell seemingly simple stories with deep layers built in. Complicated Game, on its surface, is a desparate and depressing record. Mostly performed on an acoustic with relatively little backing instrumentation, the record conveys the feeling of a long and trying winter. The lyrics, however, almost unanimously point toward a feeling of hope that is still there. It may be fleeting, and it may take a miracle, but there's still a way out of this. Opener "Copper Canteen" is reflective on an elderly marriage and two people that have long exhausted their use for each other, until you realize that's not what it's about. Album centerpiece "Carlisle's Haul" focuses on an aging fisherman barely surviving. The song is more packed with imagery than most novels, and clearly articulates the man's solution to his minimal daily catch. The back half of this record is a little stronger and more varied musically than the first, but each song is approached with the care and respect of a master craftsman and one that deserves much more recognition than he's getting.

4) Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Year: 2013
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2013 lists
Genre: Folk

"There's a man who walks beside me, He is who I used to be. I wonder if she sees him and confuses him with me."

Undoubtedly and unmistakably, Southeastern is Jason Isbell's sober record. The man now known as a multiple Grammy winner and probable best songwriter in a generation used to be known as the guy that partied so hard he managed to get thrown out of the Drive-By Truckers. In early 2012, as Southeastern was beginning to come together, Isbell gave up drinking and made it stick. Much of the record focuses on themes of rebirth and self-discovery and the benefits of such an exercise. During this period, Isbell met his wife and penned the first track on this record, "Cover Me Up". This song is an absolute powerhouse. It's the song that will prevent Isbell from being forgotten. While only a half decade or so old, "Cover Me Up" is being covered and released at an astounding rate right now by mainstream musicians. The audiences getting exposure to it for the first time continue to mount, and likely will continue in the future. "Cover Me Up" directly addresses Isbell's sobriety in its middle verses, providing one of the best insider moments on a record ever. Aside from the opener, middle track "Elephant" is the most necessary offering on the record. Telling the story of a cancer patient clinging to her final days in a barroom, this is a sad song even by Isbell's lofty standards. Southeastern is the most carefully crafted record released this decade. It's an Isbell solo release, but his acoustic is backed at times by his band, the ferocious 400 Unit, and the record sparkles for it.

3) Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
Year: 2015
Original Rank: 2/10 ranked on my 2015 lists
Genre: Rap

"The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice. The blacker the berry, the bigger I shoot."

Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly is not only the best rap record released this decade, it is the most important. When it comes to grand gestures, Kendrick is not Kanye, however he's not afraid of going over the top to get his point across. In his performance slot at the 2016 Grammys, Lamar appeared from backstage in a prison jumpsuit and chains before launching into TBAP track "The Blacker the Berry", which definitely had people talking the next day. This record is one written to address bluntly the issues facing African Americans in this decade. It's all encompassing and powerful throughout, touching on everything from the stigma of casually enjoying watermelon to the real threat of someone with an itchy trigger finger. This record was released in 2015. Do you even remember 2015? Politically, it seems like a literal lifetime ago. However, much of what Lamar noticed and noted at that time is even more heightened today. These issues recur regularly and, at least in the short-term, do not seem like they are getting better. On release, this record, while absolutely outstanding, had the potential to age poorly. It did the opposite. And that makes it all the more important right now.

2) Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Year: 2012
Original Rank: 2/10 ranked on my 2012 lists
Genre: Rock

"Remember saying things like "We'll sleep when we're dead" and thinking this feeling was never gonna end?"

Japandroids were pretty much done. Coming off a year where they played hundreds of shows in support of their debut record and gained no traction whatsoever, the duo considered folding up the project. They liked touring though and they liked playing songs. It made them feel young. They needed to hold onto their youth, at least in spirit. In fight or flight, Japandroids fought and clawed their way to a masterpiece. Celebration Rock is one of the most bombastic and raw recordings of rock music ever offered.  No theme is more prevalent on this record than the abstract party. Opener "The Nights of Wine and Roses" addresses it head on, as do later tracks "Adrenaline Nightshift" and "Younger Us", while most other offerings at least dance around the premise. But this record isn't really about the party itself. It's about the feeling the party brings. It's about being absolutely engulfed in the moment you're living and having the time of your life doing it. You feel invincible. I believe it's absolutely impossible to be in a bad mood after listening to this record. The joy from the band is palpable and you just absolutely have to get in on the fun.

1) Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Year: 2013
Original Rank: 1/10 ranked on my 2013 lists
Genre: Indie

"Nobody knows what the future holds and it's bad enough just getting old."

Modern Vampires of the City is grown-up Vampire Weekend operating at absolute maximum capacity. It feels weird to basically admit that my favorite band, one with just four recordings to their name, has peaked, but it seems so obvious at the same time. I'm really not sure how they could top this record in the future. While still trafficking in many of the same international music styles they utilized on early records, lyricist Ezra Koenig chose to look more inward on this release. At times he hones in on religion or death with powerful results. Others, like on "Step", he eschews traditional vocal cadence for more of a hip-hop style of writing and delivers a dense track of name-checks and inside jokes. All of this creates a more relatable experience for the listener. Gone are the days of Vampire Weekend being the smartest guys in the room (at least overtly). No more boat shoes and polos. No more ten dollar words. The Ivy league education is nice, but at a certain point, it was a barrier to entry for this band. Abandoning - or at least setting aside - that tendency made them so much more accessible. The band still wrote potential hits ("Diane Young" was their highest charting song until early 2019), but the formula had changed slightly. This version of Vampire Weekend may be gone forever. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Rostam Batmanglij departed the band after this release and the band's current sound is veering closer to jam than ever before. But that's okay. As I said, it's hard to admit that your favorite band has likely peaked. I'm at peace with it. The peak was high. Very high. And if they never get back, that's okay.


Thanks for reading. See you in 2020.

The 2010s: An End of the Decade Recap (Part Five)

We continue today with Part Five of the Top Albums of the 2010s. Picking up where we left off...

20) Vince Staples - Summertime '06
Year: 2015
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2015 lists
Genre: Rap

A double album, Summertime '06 clocks in at just under an hour. Through the runtime it is dense and heavy, tackling uncomfortable topics with ease and grace. Sales wise, it didn't make much of an impact, but one of its singles did spawn an amazingly awkward viral video.

19) The Wild Feathers - The Wild Feathers
Year: 2013
Original Rank: 7/10 ranked on my 2013 lists
Genre: Country

Easily the best output the band has ever had, this self-titled debut includes "The Ceiling", one of the best songs of the decade. This record is a mix of folk sounds and harmonies, but the vocal twang and visible influences make it unmistakably country.

18) Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy
Year: 2014
Original Rank: 3/15 ranked on my 2014 lists
Genre: Folk

Rice's first proper record in nearly a decade went straight to the top of the charts in his native Ireland and also performed admirably in the US & UK. His trademark delicate vocals are present throughout and his powerful songwriting gives all of these tracks their legs.

17) The National - High Violet
Year: 2010
Original Rank: 5/10 ranked on my 2010 lists
Genre: Alternative

The best record by The National released in the timeframe, High Violet was the band's mainstream breakthrough. More and more layers of this record reveal themselves with subsequent listens. While subtlety has always been prominent in the band's songs, it's more powerful here than before.

16) Kanye West - Yeezus
Year: 2013
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2013 lists
Genre: Rap

If The National are kings of subtlety, Kanye West would be... the opposite of that. Yeezus is 40 minutes of brash, in your face declarations from a man that knows he is important - even when he's demanding croissants. Yeezus has been certified platinum by the RIAA and represents Kanye's 5th consecutive #1 album. "Black Skinhead" is the most representative track on this record.

15) Tyler Childers - Purgatory
Year: 2017
Original Rank: 17/25 ranked on my 2017 lists
Genre: Country

Tyler Childers emerged from the previous unknown of the eastern Kentucky mountains to take the Americana world by storm in 2017. This collection of songs covers small town life (and the desire to get out) as well as any recent records. Childers earned a number of awards for the record, including Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 Americana Awards in Nashville.

14) Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
Year: 2016
Original Rank: 7/20 ranked on my 2016 lists
Genre: Country

Similar in feel and content to the prior ranking, Midwest Farmer's Daughter showcases Margo Price's retro tastes and desires. She's a great lyricist, covering well worn ground with an approach that makes her thoughts feel fresh.

13) Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Year: 2011
Original Rank: 6/10 ranked on my 2011 lists
Genre: Folk

The last record to feature the traditional Bon Iver folk sounds, this is one of the most beautiful releases of the decade. It just sounds pretty. Endless layers of strings and brass combine here for some absolutely perfect moments. Lead single "Holocene" gets most of the headlines, but album opener "Perth" is probably the strongest track.

12) Jack White - Lazaretto
Year: 2014
Original Rank: 1/15 ranked on my 2014 lists
Genre: Rock

Lazaretto finds Jack White at his most Jack White-y. It's extremely self-indulgent, but not in a detrimental way. White had a vision to cram as much into the record as possible and he executed. It's a rock and roll record, but provides a wide variety of sounds across that spectrum. The vinyl version of this record is the best selling vinyl since sales tracking began.

11) MGMT - Congratulations
Year: 2010
Original Rank: 1/10 ranked on my 2010 lists
Genre: Indie

MGMT departed from the synthesizer heavy sound that made them famous and brought guitars on this record. Critically, they paid the price for it as Congratulations was panned upon release. To me though, this one always hit the mark. It's different, yes, but it's a great collection - their best, I say - and the title track is a perfect album closer.

10) Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
Year: 2011
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2011 lists
Genre: Folk

Frank Turner set out to make a record representative of his version of English life. Turns out that's not so different than middle class America. This record is sprinkled with tracks addressing fear of failure and veering off your path, but it's also got triumphant anthems about the power of connecting with the music. It's a complete work and one that hits home no matter which side of the Atlantic that happens to be on.

9) The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past
Year: 2012
Original Rank: 1/10 ranked on my 2012 lists
Genre: Punk

On The Impossible past is rooted in punk, no doubt, but at the same time The Menzingers are tipping their cap to their east coast rock brethren on the record. It's blunt and timeless. It's got a rough edge to it that may not be easily digestible for everybody, but it's authentic and human. This is a collection of powerhouse songs with unlimited staying power.

8) Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 2
Year: 2014
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2014 lists
Genre: Rap

Run The Jewels 2 is the most aggressive hip-hop record of the decade, and possibly one of the most aggressive recorded. It is intense. Both members are given chance to feature and air their grievances across the runtime, but the mesh points produce the best moments of the record. El-P & Killer Mike were made for each other.

7) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Year: 2010
Original Rank: 2/10 ranked on my 2010 lists
Genre: Indie

The general consensus on this record is that it's the perfect metaphor for the actual suburban life. This record presents itself as perfectly polished but in reality its real meat lies in its chaotic underbelly. It's an amazing accomplishment of an album. On the back of an Album of the Year win at the Grammys, The Suburbs went to #1 in the US, sparking a string of three straight records for the band to do so.

6) Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
Year: 2014
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2014 lists
Genre: Country

In recent years, Sturgill Simpson has taken heat from a certain subset of fans for abandoning the hardcore traditional country sound of this record. That's because it's so damn good. Simpson's psychedelic side is in play here as well, no more than on the album opener. This record is proof that great art will find an audience even if the deck is stacked against it.


Check back tomorrow as the countdown concludes with #5-#1.

The 2010s: An End of the Decade Recap (Part Four)

We continue today with Part Four of the Top Albums of the 2010s. Picking up where we left off...

40) Brand New - Science Fiction
Year: 2017
Original Rank: 3/25 ranked on my 2017 lists
Genre: Alternative

Many signs point to this being the last Brand New album, and if it is, I suppose it's a good thing to go out on top. The band put out a series of less than stellar singles in the run up to the release, but rebounded with the actual album content. Potential nonsense aside, Brand New was one of the most quietly important bands of the 2000s.

39) Brandi Carlile - By The Way, I Forgive You
Year: 2018
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2018 lists
Genre: Folk

Brandi Carlile was nearly 15 years into her career when she finally got people to notice. By The Way, I Forgive You was preceded by lead single "The Joke" which earned Carlile a performance on the Grammy stage, allowing her to deliver a rendition so powerful she could no longer be overlooked.  She, and that song, won two trophies that night.

38) Pinegrove - Cardinal
Year: 2016
Original Rank: 8/20 ranked on my 2016 lists
Genre: Alternative

Decades after northern New Jersey was the influence for Springsteen's tales, it equally shaped the young men of Pinegrove. The instrumentals and tones scream emo revival,  but the words are much more heartland rock than anything and the outcome is a great record with a shocking amount of perspective from 20-somethings.

37) Noah Gundersen - Ledges
Year: 2014
Original Rank: 15/15 ranked on my 2014 lists
Genre: Folk

Ledges looked like it would vault Gundersen to stardom as one of the undiscovered songwriters of our generation. Struggle is at the forefront of all these songs, but none more so than the title track which is beautiful and heart-wrenching, and probably hits a little close to home for anyone trying to break a vicious cycle.

36) American Aquarium - Burn.Flicker.Die
Year: 2012
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2012 lists
Genre: Southern Rock

It seems like bands always break out when they stop trying to do just that. On Burn.Flicker.Die, BJ Barham was resigned to folding up the project. Instead the unit released a career defining collection. These are destructive songs of addiction, loss, and an overworked band on the road to nowhere. You've got to bottom out to improve, right? It's definitely true in the case of American Aquarium.

35) Future Islands - Singles
Year: 2014
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2014 lists
Genre: Indie

If you've ever been on the internet, you've almost certainly seen the video of frontman Sam Herring bashing his chest, pecking like a bird, and dancing in otherwise indescribable ways on David Letterman. The viral sensation brought more folks to this band and this record than ever before, and while it may have felt fluky, it was certainly well deserved.

34) Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg
Year: 2012
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2012 lists
Genre: Folk

I got to Jake Bugg about a month too late for this record to make my 2012 lists, but it's an absolute masterpiece of a debut. All across the spectrum - from the hard chugging opener "Lightning Bolt" to the simple and powerful "Broken" near the record's middle - the songs grab you in a rare way. Bugg may never be able to recreate the magic of this record, but that's okay. It already exists, and it's perfect.

33) Gary Clark Jr. - Gary Clark Jr. Live
Year: 2014
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2014 lists
Genre: Blues

Live records are usually disqualified from these types of rankings, but not here. Gary Clark Jr. Live is the most appropriate representation of the Texas bluesman's output. He's one of the guitar virtuosos of our generation, and if you have doubts, I'd invite you to take in this record's rendition of "When My Train Pulls In" or "Bright Lights".

32) Vampire Weekend - Contra
Year: 2010
Original Rank: 3/10 ranked on my 2010 lists
Genre: Indie

The sophomore release from Vampire Weekend does not have a hit akin to "A-Punk" on the tracklist, but does find the quartet leaning further into the worldly instrumentation that dotted their debut. The record entered the charts at #1 on the Billboard 200 and had three overall singles land on the US Rock Charts.

31) Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
Year: 2016
Original Rank: Honorable Mention on my 2016 lists
Genre: Indie

Will Toledo's first record of original material since signing a major record deal is a balls to the wall thrill ride, but not one that abandons its indie rock sensibility. It's urgent from first note to last in all the right ways. The record entered the Billboard charts and "Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales" is among the songs that define this decade.

30) Local Natives - Hummingbird
Year: 2013
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2013 lists
Genre: Indie

This album dealt with the emotional toll of change, and as a byproduct, was extremely somber in its own right. This tonal shift brought out the best in Local Natives. This record's "Breakers" was the first track by the band to chart in the US.

29) Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again
Year: 2014
Original Rank: 5/15 ranked on my 2014 lists
Genre: Punk

Clocking in at under 20 minutes, Never Hungover Again is easily the most concise record on the ranking. Joyce Manor is a punk band with twinges of pop songwriting mixed in. The title is ironic, I assume, because putting this record on puts me in the mood to aggressively pound cheap beers.

28) Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Year: 2018
Original Rank: 8/25 ranked on my 2018 lists
Genre: Country

This full realization of Kacey Musgraves as a songwriter is among the most personal records of 2018. The closer, "Rainbow", has been appropriated by every possible group at this point, but even that speaks to the relatable writing of Musgraves. The record was awarded Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammys.

27) Mitski - Be The Cowboy
Year: 2018
Original Rank: 6/25 ranked on my 2018 lists
Genre: Folk

Mitski reigns in the fuzzy bombast of her prior record for a more straightforward and inward looking release. Be The Cowboy is Mitski dealing with fame and the lack of congruence between her stage persona and her actual self. This is a folk record leaning on pop sounds, but it has definite staying power.

26) Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book
Year: 2016
Original Rank: 12/20 ranked on my 2016 lists
Genre: Rap

While officially a mixtape, not an album, Coloring Book is Chance the Rapper at his best. Collaboration with Kanye West, Justin Vernon, Lil' Wayne, Future, and Andersen .Paak allow this to feel just a little disjointed, but Chance holds it all together with his positive approach. On a record of features, Chance's solo piano ballad "Same Drugs" is the highlight and keystone.

25) Houndmouth - Little Neon Limelight
Year: 2015
Original Rank: 4/10 ranked on my 2015 lists
Genre: Alternative

Houndmouth's appeal was in twofold: their midwestern songwriting and their gender reliant harmonies. Both are on display in this offering. The characters in these songs are larger than life and they're presented respectfully by the band. Shortly after this release, the band lost members and shifted their approach, seemingly making this record a moment in time that will never be achieved again.

24) LCD Sounsystem - This Is Happening
Year: 2010
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2010 lists
Genre: Indie

Intended to be the final LCD Soundsystem record, This Is Happening might just have to settle for being the best one instead. Over the course of an hour, James Murphy proves why he is one of the most influential musicians in recent memory. "Dance Yrself Clean" stands as one of the better album openers on this list.

23) Dave Hause - Bury Me In Philly
Year: 2017
Original Rank: 1/25 ranked on my 2017 lists
Genre: Rock

Dave Hause is one a handful making records in the vein of peak Springsteen or Petty. His 2017 release is his most well rounded solo release but stays as rooted in traditional east coast rocking approach. To Hause, Philly is always home and this blue collar rock 'n' roll record is an authentic conveyance of that.

22) Tame Impala - Lonerism
Year: 2012
Original Rank: Not ranked in my 2012 lists
Genre: Indie

Lonerism made Tame Impala the critical darlings that they are, deservedly so. Kevin Parker's brand of psychedelic rock expands the potential of the genre. The record, and the one before it (and the one after it) took home Australia's album of the year prize. "Elephant" is the band's only release to chart inside the Top 10 in America.

21) Manchester Orchestra - Cope
Year: 2014
Original Rank: 2/15 ranked on my 2014 lists
Genre: Alternative

Manchester Orchestra's best commercially performing record is also their best critical output. This is a rock record through and through, one that is unapologetic about what it is and what it tries to be. It's not a record of nuance. Its intensity is its strength.



Check back tomorrow as the countdown continues with #20-#6.