Albums of 2021

[Savage Henry]

Two albums stood out for me this year.

The Blips - The Blips:  a lockdown album made by members of the Drive By Truckers, the Glory Fires and the Mystic River Band - melodic garage rock for fans for the aforementioned bands.

Laura Stevenson - Laura Stevenson -  a slightly country-twinged late night indie rock record.  She’s incredibly talented, and a stand out in a field which is increasingly  filled with identikit female artists singing about emotions.  She is flat out incredible live, and I hope she’s on the bill at SxSW this year.  

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Savage Henry

[the jambo-rocker]

Late to the party but my top 10.

 

Manchester Orchestra - A million masks of God. It's like the more you listen to them the better they get. Remarkably consistent quality of albums considering this is their 6th.

Halsey - If I can't have love, I want power. Produced by none other than NIH. The songs that are good are straight bangers. 'Tradition' is a great opener and 'you asked for this' is in my ears all the time.

Orla Gartland - Probably my biggest out of nowhere addition. Probably the most 'complete' album I've heard this year in that I could listen to every song on it from my shuffle and not feel the need to skip.

Wolf Alice - Blue weekend. 

Psychedelic porn crumpets - SHYGA! The Sunlight mould. Not quite as good as high visceral, but still damn fine. I get the feeling they'd very good to watch live.

Trashboat - Don't you feel amazing? Alpha omega a straight up CHOON. The album takes me back to my days of watching cartoon network and switching to Scuzz/Kerrang during the adverts.

Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee. Says more about the standard of albums this year that I have it only as my 7th favourite.

Modest Mouse - The golden casket. Just glad they're back.

Tigercub - as blue as indigo.

Lord Huron - Long lost.

 

Honestly my bottom two could switch with Don Broco and Olivia Rodrigo's depending on my mood.