The year's tastiest records from Country Westerns, Romy, Genesis Owusu, Jayda G, Gaz Coombs, Yo La Tengo, Spector, Anna St. Louis, Those Pretty Wrongs, and Billy Nomates!
Quite a few of these albums found their way onto my listening list this year with a couple just missing out on making my top 50 (Anna St. Louis and Yo La Tengo). But there’s also a nice selection of new (to me) music to check out further.
How on earth did I miss out on a new Genesis Owosu album? 2021’s Smiling With No Teeth made my top 20 that year. Look forward to digging into this one!
Gaz Coombes found his way onto my AOTY list this year, loved this album!
Yeah, that Anna St. Louis was one that I enjoyed the nuances more with every listen and happy to have it on here.
Smiling with No Teeth is a classic and I initially thought Struggler would be a top ten, but as the months have gone on, I don't think it's as diverse as SWNT, but also still a really great record. Curious to hear what you think!
Gaz Coombes, I can't say enough good things about him. A legend forever and confession, I've listened to the new one five times SINCE posting this list hahaha. It's really a stunner!
Can I just say how nice it is to see a similar sentiment regarding "big" records this year? Don't get me wrong; LPs from the likes of boygenius were objectively good-- they just weren't my thing. It would've felt a bit performative to include them.
That said, so far we only have one "shared" record (you can probably guess what it is), which is a testament to just how much killer stuff was released this year.
Overall, the "big' records are a nice change up from the usual, but there is so much great stuff on the undercard to talk about! You and I have been doing this for a while now, and I appreciate that we never "performative" picks. Don't want to spoil your rankings, but I'd imagine it's that one that starts with "Yo" and ends with "La Tengo."
I agree on the “big” record thing. Every year there are a number of critically acclaimed albums that, try as I might, just don’t work for me for whatever reason. And that’s fine. My own musical taste is my own and I’m fine with it. But I sometimes feel like I’m the only person in the room not getting it.
The one that stands out the most for me in the last few years is Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Just never worked for me. I went back to it for another half dozen listens again this year and it was still a no for me. Sometimes giving an album some time and distance provides the space for me to appreciate an album, or hear it differently, but not in that case.
This is gonna take a while...
Plenty to take in during the quiet release calendar over the next month!
touche
Quite a few of these albums found their way onto my listening list this year with a couple just missing out on making my top 50 (Anna St. Louis and Yo La Tengo). But there’s also a nice selection of new (to me) music to check out further.
How on earth did I miss out on a new Genesis Owosu album? 2021’s Smiling With No Teeth made my top 20 that year. Look forward to digging into this one!
Gaz Coombes found his way onto my AOTY list this year, loved this album!
Looking forward to seeing the rest of the list!
Yeah, that Anna St. Louis was one that I enjoyed the nuances more with every listen and happy to have it on here.
Smiling with No Teeth is a classic and I initially thought Struggler would be a top ten, but as the months have gone on, I don't think it's as diverse as SWNT, but also still a really great record. Curious to hear what you think!
Gaz Coombes, I can't say enough good things about him. A legend forever and confession, I've listened to the new one five times SINCE posting this list hahaha. It's really a stunner!
Can I just say how nice it is to see a similar sentiment regarding "big" records this year? Don't get me wrong; LPs from the likes of boygenius were objectively good-- they just weren't my thing. It would've felt a bit performative to include them.
That said, so far we only have one "shared" record (you can probably guess what it is), which is a testament to just how much killer stuff was released this year.
Overall, the "big' records are a nice change up from the usual, but there is so much great stuff on the undercard to talk about! You and I have been doing this for a while now, and I appreciate that we never "performative" picks. Don't want to spoil your rankings, but I'd imagine it's that one that starts with "Yo" and ends with "La Tengo."
Bingo. I am nothing if not utterly predictable. lol.
I agree on the “big” record thing. Every year there are a number of critically acclaimed albums that, try as I might, just don’t work for me for whatever reason. And that’s fine. My own musical taste is my own and I’m fine with it. But I sometimes feel like I’m the only person in the room not getting it.
The one that stands out the most for me in the last few years is Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters. Just never worked for me. I went back to it for another half dozen listens again this year and it was still a no for me. Sometimes giving an album some time and distance provides the space for me to appreciate an album, or hear it differently, but not in that case.
Fetch The Bolt Cutters was so so, and I agree. Still appreciate the hell out of Fiona Apple!
100%.
And in the specific case of 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters," I just couldn't get into it, either.