Ben's End of 2020 List

It has been a year. Here is my list of ten albums I listened to through this mess.

1. Laura Marling - Song for our Daughter - There is a brief moment of Sheryl Crow. But, this is the best folk album in a world overflowing with folk albums. Her ELO rating is just through the roof.

2. Sault - Untitled - This counts for both albums ("Black Is" & "Rise"). Every song feels like I've heard it before. Its comforting and jarring at the same time. 

   

3. Lupe Fiasco - House - Listened to this for months. An EP that covers dinosaurs and shoes, impossible to go wrong. I really love SHOES (feat. Virgil Abloh).

4. Gil Scott-Heron & Makaya McCraven - We're New Again - A Reimagining by Makaya McCraven - A rabbit hole of a story. 

5. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher -  Could easily be No. 1 

6. Jaguar Sun - This Empty Town - Somehow captured a feeling that lasted for the second half of 2020. Its that space of time from the end of Summer through the middle of Fall. Like the beautiful orange mid-day photos when the sun was blocked out by smoke.

  

7. John Prine - Tree of Forgiveness - Listened to a ton of John Prine this year. Not just his most recent album, but pretty much everything. My daughter recognizes his songs at this point. One of my favorite 2020 songs was "How Lucky", a duet off Kurt Vile's new EP, Speed, Sound, Loneliness. Brings tears every time.

     

8. Run the Jewels - RTJ4 - Big name drops album just in time to play at the protests.

9. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters - This belongs in a museum.

 

10. Dominic Fike - What Could Possibly Go Wrong - Ear candy