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Albums of the Year Current Events: 2020

Albums of the Year, 2020 Edition

🎹 Music for this post is the music for this post.

Always remember: work is a means to an end. The things that are not work are the most important things in life. For me, music is one of those things. I like the challenge of distilling a year’s worth of music into five favorite albums. This awful year, I gave myself permission to select six that I want to share with you, my dear readers.

1. Fontaines DC – A Hero’s Death

https://www.fontainesdc.com/

A great work, by a young post-punk band with the same raw talent you might have seen from U2 in 1980, Billy Bragg in 1984, and Nick Cave in 1986. If you need convincing, just watch.

2. Chris Cornell – No One Sings Like You Anymore (Volume One)

https://chriscornell.com/

You will miss Chris Cornell even more when you listen to this late 2020 surprise, a love letter to artists he admired. His cover of John Lennon’s “Watching the Wheels” is better than the original. If there is a Volume Two, it will be hard to live up to this. Let’s hope.

3. Wire – Mind Hive

http://www.pinkflag.com/

Wire is, inarguably, one of the best bands of all time. I cannot think of an album ever made by a band of 45-year industry veterans that is as vital as Mind Hive. An unexpected surprise in this very grim year.

4. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Rendition Was In

https://sharonjonesandthedapkings.com/

Another great posthumous album of brilliant covers. Losing Sharon Jones was a tragedy. What a joy to hear her once more.

5. Idles – Ultra Mono

https://www.idlesband.com/

2020 was a year that was made for punk music. Reviewers seem to like this album less than 2018’s Joy As An Act of Resistance. I respectfully disagree. This is vital, timely, and just what my soul needed.

6. Kelly Stoltz – Ah! (etc)

https://www.kelleystoltz.com/

This is comfort food for people of my vintage, so it might not be your thing. Take a little of The Byrds and throw in some Robyn Hitchcock, and you have the makings of something wonderful. The vintage cover artwork is the cherry on the sundae.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

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