10 Favorite Albums of 2020

Better late than never right? Here are my 10 favorite albums of the year! Thanks to everyone who was interested and read some of my other posts regarding my favorite music of the year -- I really enjoy writing about it.

10. The Garden - Kiss My Super Bowl Ring

I’ve been interested in Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, the twin brothers who make up The Garden’s music for a couple of years now. Their blend of pop-punk, indie rock, and occasional hip-hop is something that is of interest to me because those are the genre of music I listened to most when I was younger. It’s also a mix of music that you definitely see as influences to some popular music in 2020, but you don’t see it executed so abrasively in the music itself like it is in The Garden’s.

Though their music first came to my attention a couple of years ago, they had yet to release a project that stuck with me until this album, their fourth studio LP. This is by far their most on track and consistent project to date and it’s nice to see the progression from them releasing just a couple of songs on an album that I enjoy, to this, a project that I frequently find myself listening to from front to back. The production on this thing is ear-popping and catchy with the lyrics blending absurdism and reality to a tee. There is hard-hitting electric guitar all over this thing, but there are also distorted drum beats that you’d find on some sort of indie hip-hop project which gives this album a refreshing change of pace throughout. The duo also brings in production help from Dylan Brady of 100 Gecs fame for some songs and he delivers some of the best moments on the album.

This project has me super excited to see what the Shears brothers bring to the table with their next musical endeavor, and I hope it remains to be this clear and concise because it truly made for a great listening experience this year!

Favorite Songs: A Struggle, AmPm Truck, Hit Eject, The King of Cutting Corners

9. Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension

Anyone who knows me knows how much I obsessed over Sufjan Stevens this year. While I had always been a huge fan of his 2015 Carrie and Lowell album (it ended up on my top 50 albums of the decade list), I had never dived into his back catalog until this year… and let me tell you, I was obsessed. I listened to Sufjan more than any other artist this year and while most of the time was spent listening to his older music, I also enjoyed his release this year quite a bit as well. I think this is one of, if not the most catchy album in his discography -- but he also takes risks and experiments as he has with most of his other albums as well.

This album is long, coming in at an hour and 21 minutes, with the closing track being a 12 and a half minute epic about America so boldly titled… “America.” Some of these long song lengths aren’t too rare in Sufjan’s music, but I think the fact that the shortest song on here is still over three and a half minutes makes this project feel a bit longer than it is. For someone who isn’t into the songs as much as I was, I can see this being an issue for them, but I quite enjoyed the long and windy paths some of these tracks took. I have to say I hadn’t been much of a fan of Sufjan’s more electronic music, and while this thing is basically all electronic, I have enjoyed this just as much as some of his stripped-down stuff -- which is a step in the right direction.

Like all of his music, lyrically this album tackles a lot of religious and political issues, along with a 5 minute and 47-second song whose only lyrics is, “I wanna die happy” sung over and over in heavy reverb -- this is a track that is actually quite haunting but finishes with an insane eruption synth and electronic drumbeats, it’s actually one of my favorites on the album.

I would probably put this album in the middle of Sufjan’s discography in terms of how much I like it, but that just proves how much I’m into some of his previous works because this was easily one of my most listened to albums this year.

Favorite Songs: Tell Me You Love Me, Die Happy, Ursa Major, Landslide, The Ascension

8. The Microphones - Microphones in 2020

Phil Elverum is one of my favorite artists of all time and has been making music under the name Mount Eerie since the early 2000s, but before that, he released music under the name, The Microphones. Elverum did a sort of a look back to those times this year, announcing the release of this, the supposed 5th official album release of this namesake. This was a very exciting announcement for me because the music he released under that name had been some of my favorites of his. While he did release this album under that name, this still feels much more of a Mount Eerie type album based more in storytelling and which features limited instrumentation.

I think that is what Elverum was going for on this album though, despite the name change. On this record, Phil spends one 45 minute song (including the first eight minutes of just beautifully strummed acoustic guitar) telling the story of his past and the creation of his Microphones project. This one is filled with straightforward explanations of how he created the name, why this was interesting to him, and what that time of his life meant to him now that he looks back on it almost 20 years later. For a die-hard fan like me, this was an awesome experience to be able to hear Phil talk about this stuff and be let in on his mindset. The songwriting is as good as ever and the instrumentation is beautiful and goes through a series of changes, which helps break the song into sections.

While I find this song to be very enjoyable, I can understand why some people who aren’t as enthralled by the mythos of Elverum’s music might find this album to be a bit inaccessible. It’s very long and contains a lot of lyrics that need a prior context of his discography to totally understand, but I don’t think Elverum made this album for first-time listeners, in fact, he doesn’t make music for anyone other than himself these days, and this is where his mind took him this year. I was curious to see where Phil would take his music after a few very emotional albums about the passing of his wife, and this kind of makes perfect sense to me -- a reflection of his life prior to all of that, a place that probably feels safer to reflect upon for Elverum. But I again, am now wondering where Phil goes after this, does he continue to release music under the Microphones name? Or does he go back to Mount Eerie? I have no idea where it’s going, but I can tell you that I’ll be listening no matter what path he takes.

Favorite Songs: The whole thing (obviously)

7. Arianne Lenker - songs

Adrianne Lenker, of Big Thief fame, comes through with a nice, simple quarantine acoustic album here. With all the songs being pretty much just her and a guitar, the thing that carries this album is Lenker’s lyrics and unique singing voice. This thing is full of love songs pretty much through and through, which if you know me, is plenty fine with me. There are some really complex ideas scattered throughout this album and in the lyrics which make it a really entertaining listen for me because I find something different that clicks with almost every listen through.

There isn’t much else to say about this thing, it’s just one of the best singer/songwriter albums of the year and I encourage everyone to check it out -- especially people who are in love/falling into love.

Favorite Songs: anything, zombie girl, not a lot just forever, dragon eyes

6. Laura Marling - Songs For Our Daughter

This next album comes from legendary singer/songwriter Laura Marling. To be honest, I was unfamiliar with her work until I had heard this record -- but I quickly fell in love with it and wanted to dive deeper into her back catalog after hearing it. After listening to a lot of her previous work (which I also like a ton) I can confidently say that this is my favorite thing she’s released and I also think it’s her best work yet.

Marling based this album on the idea of singing songs from the perspective of a mother giving advice to her daughter, hence the album title. Funny enough, I was surprised to hear that Marling herself, doesn’t have a daughter or any children at all. You wouldn’t know that listening to her lyricism though, she really is giving some very potent advice coming from the now 30-year-old Marling, stuff that really hits hard as someone who is older but still figuring out the reality of adult life. Some of the lyricism is basically just giving a heads up to someone who might not understand how the world totally works, something a mother would inevitably want her daughter to know. There are also some beautiful love ballads on this thing as well, including one of the best closing tracks to a record this year -- there is a great mix between these two types of songs, making it more accessible to people.

Marling’s vocal performance and production are as beautiful as ever, she has the best Joni Mitchell-Esque high notes of any contemporary artist out there. This mixture of potent lyricism, incredible vocal performance, and intricate production made for one of the best singer/songwriter albums of the year and as now made me a huge fan of Marling for the future.

Favorite Songs: Held Down, Song for Our Daughter, The End of the Affair, For You

5. Bill Callahan - Gold Record

This record is by far the record that grew the most on me throughout the year. Callahan’s last album Shepard in a Sheepskin Vest, was one of my favorite albums of the year last year (and of the decade), so I was very excited when he announced he was going to release another one this year.

Unlike Shapard, where Callahan got very personal about his own life, talking a lot about getting married and having his first child, Gold Record is told almost exclusively from the perspective of different narrators for each of the songs. For example, the opening track “Pigeons,” is told from the perspective of a wedding day limo driver, diving deep into a story of him driving two newlyweds to their honeymoon hotel all while examining their relationship to see if they’re a match and thinking about what the idea of marriage means to himself. This is such a great opening track, and really gives the listener an idea of what to expect for the rest of the album.

Another reason I love Callahan and this album is, not only are his lyrics insightful and elegant, but he is genuinely hilarious at times as well. He has an entire song dedicated to longtime singer/songwriter Ry Cooder, who is an amazing musician, but certainly not a household name by any means. During this song, Callahan sings how much better Cooder would make the song if he, “laid a part down right here where the song grows thin.” He also delivers the funniest line of the year when he sings, “English rocker’s all the money goes right up their nose - But Ry Just smiles and tries another difficult yoga pose,” which just makes me crack up every time I hear it.

I was very lukewarm on this album for months after it came out, but much like music does, I finally got it after a random listen through. I don’t think it’s quite as epic as Shepard, but it’s certainly a great follow up, especially releasing only around a year after. Callahan has quickly become one of my favorite artists over the past couple of years.

Favorite Songs: Pigeons, The Mackenzies, Let’s Move to the Country, Breakfast, Ry Cooder

4. Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now

Ah yes, THE quarantine album. Charli XCX is the most exciting artist in pop music right now. Her last album Charli is a near-masterpiece and had helped push hyper pop into the mainstream.

This year, as soon as the COVID lockdown started in the U.S., Charli announced that she was going to hunker down and create an album completely at her house with limited help from her producers. Then, just weeks later, she delivered one of the most creative albums of the year that so perfectly encapsulated the world that we were all living in at the time. The whole album is focused on, of course, quarantine, but also mental health and what sounds like an off and on relationship.

As always, the production on this thing is otherworldy and unmatched and lyrically, Charli does such a good job of delivering these complex feelings of a covid ran world, in such an accessible way. It’s catchy, influential, and just important for people who were feeling stuck and alone during quarantine (myself included). Also, just the fact that she delivered such a quality album in such a short time period.

There’s no question that Charli is one of my favorite artists in music right now, and though she has definitely made enough music to satisfy me recently, it appears she will be releasing more in 2021 -- needless to say, I can’t wait for it!

Favorite Songs: forever, 7 years, detonate, enemy, c2.0, anthems

3. Ichiko Aoba - Windswept Adan

This is the most recent album to make the list (released December 2), but I can’t tell you how much I’ve been listening to this album all of this month. This is easily my favorite album/music right now -- I just can’t get enough of it. Ichiko Aoba is a Japanese folk singer/songwriter and I have to say, I was unfamiliar with her work before I heard this album. Her previous work is very skeletal… mostly just her and an acoustic guitar, and while you see that on some tracks on here, this thing is also full of strings, synths, chimes, and many other unique instruments that make up some of the most beautiful production of the year.

I have to say, after listening to her back catalog, I much prefer this new “fuller” sound, but at the same time, I enjoy the shorter and more bare tracks on this album like “Horo,” “Chi No Kaze,” and the first part of “Adan No Shima No Tanjyosai.” There is a reason for this though -- the sound quality on this album may be the best of any album I’ve heard in a very long time. Aoba is singing extremely close to the mic on almost every song, making it so you can hear pretty much every noise that she makes during the song, every breath, every small smack of her lips. Aoba’s performance and songwriting (which is all in Japanese) make this characteristic about the album that much more impactful and the songs that are quieter, much more powerful because you are really left along with her soft singing voice -- it really is an entrancing experience that I can’t quite explain.

The mix of these quiet tracks and the addition of songs full of instrumentation like “Pilgrimage,” “Porcelain,” and “Dawn in the Adan” make this album much more fresh and exciting than some of her other albums. The runtime is 50 minutes, but it feels like much less when you just close your mind and play this thing, which is always something I like about albums. Lastly, if it wasn’t for the next album on this list, the closing track here would easily be my favorite closer of the year, it just perfectly wraps up the album and makes me tear up almost every time I hear it.

This very easily could end up being my favorite album from this year, but since it was released not too long ago, I decided the give the other two albums a little bit of a longevity bonus.

Favorite Songs: Pilgrimage, Horo, Sagu Palm’s Song, Chi No Kaze, Dawn in Adan, Adan No Shima No Tanjyosai

2. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

This is another album that took a little bit to grow on me but obviously, coming in at number two, it has a lot. While I had always been interested in Bridger’s music, it had never quite stuck with me until this album.

The reason I’d say that is instrumentally, there isn’t anything crazy going on here, it’s nice don’t get me wrong, but the reason I keep coming back to this album and why it took so long for me to “get,” are the lyrics. I truly believe Bridger’s is one of the best songwriters in music right now and this album just cuts so deep. This thing is sad song after sad song and as it keeps going, you just get deeper and deeper into your feelings. With the focus on most tracks being Bridger’s lyrics, there is very limited instrumentation on most of it -- I actually believe although it sounds limited, there is a lot of very complex production behind these songs. It’s quiet but full of distorted strings and guitars that make it feel very full -- this is a quality of Bridger’s production that ends up in most of her music, even the Christmas covers she releases during the holidays every year.

This is another album that in order to get the full experience, you have to listen to the whole thing in order. These sad songs coming at you back to back just build up and the stories start to connect with each other, which you wouldn’t quite understand if you hadn’t heard the songs before. While I know some people aren’t into listening to whole albums in order, the payoff here is HUGE.

The album ends with what is my favorite closing track of the year, “I Know the End.” During this album, you’re just begging for there to be some sort of release of emotion, you get it a little bit on the song “ICU,” but mostly, the tracks are filled with Bridger’s singing in her quiet voice… but then you get to the final track. It starts out much like the rest of the album, a quiet, distorted electric guitar, and Bridger’s singing in the same way as she has but midway through the song, that guitar starts to get a little louder, and some drums come in. Phoebe’s voice starts to sing with a bit more emphasis as she sings about the world coming to an end apocalypse stylee. By the end of the song, the guitars and drums are blaring and Phoebe is screaming into the microphone, “The end is here.” As a listener, you’re like “finally! This is where this was all going towards,” and you’re hit with these intense emotions as the album closes out. I remember hearing this for the first time and my mind being blown, it wraps up the album so perfectly and makes this one of the best listens of the year.

Everything Phoebe is putting out right now is incredible, she truly has had one of the biggest years in music, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to see where she goes next with it.

Favorite Songs: Garden Song, Kyoto, Savior Complex, ICU, I Know the End

1. Pinegrove - Marigold

Last but not least, Pinegrove released one of the first albums I heard this year (released on January 17) and it has pretty much held up as my favorite of the year. Pinegrove has been one of my favorite bands for the last couple of years so this may be a bit of a biased pick, but I truly believe this is the best and most concise album they’ve released yet.

The context of the album is a bit muddy, being the first release of new material since the sexual coercion allegations against lead singer Evan Stephens Hall. Without getting too deep into that, I think Hall goes about addressing that situation very tastefully on this album. The whole thing isn’t about that, but it springs up here and there on the album. Songs like “Endless” and “Alcove” do this best, with Hall seemingly incorporating the feelings he had at the time, and turning them into life lessons that he shares with his audience.

Lyrically, I’ve always been a huge fan of Hall, but the importance of him having something clear to write about here made this album feel more complete than anything they have released in the past. There’s no filler here -- it’s a concise 11-track, 38-minute album which also includes Pinegrove’s first ambient track, a 6-minute piece to close the album named after the title of the album. Musically, this album isn’t much different than the other stuff they have released, but it just feels like they have perfected that craft here.

I’m a little upset that I haven’t seen this album on any year-end lists, maybe it’s because it was released so early in the year, or it could be because of Pinegrove’s loss of reputation after the allegations came out around two years ago… but I would encourage anyone who likes indie rock music to check this thing out.

Favorite Songs: The Alarmist, No Drugs, Hairpin, Phase, Alcove