Larson's End of 2020 List

I spent a good portion of 2020 building what I call ‘the barn’. This project was part “since we’re home all the time I should probably fix that structure that is falling down in my backyard”, part “wouldn’t it be neat to have a somewhere different to hang out” and part “maybe if I keep building this the world will go back to kind of making sense.”

When compiling my list it occurred to me that I spent a lot of time listening to these albums while either working on or while drinking beer within said barn. This led me to a bonus rating system that serves no purpose. The “Barn Day” rating is how likely I was to listen to an album while building and the “Barn Night” is how likely I was to listen to an album during the barn in ‘bar mode.’

Also I feel like it should be known that the “Barn Day” albums required you to be able to hear things over the drone of an air compressor.

Here is my list of albums that helped me through 2020.

Albums

Bartees Strange - Live Forever

Barn Day 6/10

Barn Night 8/10

This album ping pongs all over the place with genre and vibe and yet is so cohesive. An incredible feat and a fascinating ride.

Dehd - Flower Of Devotion

Barn Day 8/10

Barn Night 9/10

Quite possibly my album of the year if I was capable of thinking on those terms. The song “Loner” is perfection.

Future Islands - As Long As You Are

Barn Day 4/10

Barn Night 8/10

I was really excited when I heard the single for “For Sure”, however, it was the song “Born In A War” that completely won me over. Future Islands were also the first ‘live stream’ concert that we did this year and it was awesome and complete with an 10 minute pause before their encore which really made you wonder if they were coming back. Geez I miss live music.

Destroyer - Have We Met

Barn Day 4/10

Barn Night 7/10

I had totally forgotten about this album and then I made a playlist of all my 2020 music and I ended up re-listening to the whole album like 4 more times. I’m guessing ‘Destroyer Fan’ is set as a cookie in my browsing history for life.

Girlhood - Girlhood

Barn Day 6/10

Barn Night 10/10

Jesse mentioned the song “The Love I Need” in a group text one day and I haven’t stopped listening to this album since.

Haim - Women In Music Pt. III

Barn Day 7/10

Barn Night 7/10

I enjoy this whole album a lot. I enjoy the song “Gasoline” a shit ton. Also, Lindsey Buckingham wishes he wrote “Leaning On You”.

Hinds - The Prettiest Curse

Barn Day 9/10

Barn Night 7/10

These women are amazing. Shredding, longing, heartache and shittalk. Everything you could want in an album.

Idles - Ultra Mono

Barn Day 10/10

Barn Night 7/10

The only reason the Barn Night score is lower that I would like is that this album is so fun when it’s really loud. A lot of people like to have a lot of opinions on this band. I listened to a PodCast (that I enjoy) sneak diss Idles in like 3 different episodes and then wax poetic about the Deftones. I mean everyone’s entitled to an opinion but Deftones?! Yikes!

Kalis Uchis - Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)

Barn Day 4/10

Barn Night 10/10

I learned about Kalis Uchis this year and listened to her 2018 Album incessantly in late summer/early fall of this year. I loved that album a lot and then she released this album. At first I had the standard “but this album isn’t that album” reaction. Then I listened to “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)” like a bajillion times...

Moaning - Uneasy Laughter

Barn Day 8/10

Barn Night 8/10

I think I learned about this band from an Instagram ad which means that I totally got target marketed which I’m ok with when it results in me finding an incredible album. I suggest you try the song “Stranger” if you haven’t.

Muzz - Muzz

Barn Day 7/10

Barn Night 7/10

I knew nothing about this album one day and then for the next 2 months I was listening to it constantly.

Run The Jewels - RTJ4

Barn Day 8/10

Barn Night 8/10

There is nothing I can say to re-stress how much the world needed this album this year.

The Streets - None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive

Barn Day 7/10

Barn Night 7/10

I REALLY WANTED SLOWTHAI TO BE ON THIS ALBUM BUT HE WASN’T. THAT BEING SAID IT IS AMAZING!

Tei Shi - Die 4 Ur Love EP

Barn Day 5/10

Barn Night 9/10

I used to think I didn’t like the first song on this EP then I realized that I was mistaken and in fact I like every song on this EP.

Tennis - Swimmer

Barn Day 5/10

Barn Night 9/10

I have yet to be sad that Tennis released a new album.

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

Barn Day 6/10

Barn Night 9/10

I almost didn’t add this because I think I only started listening to it in 2021 but guess what who cares! It wasn’t Katie Crutchfield’s fault that I started listening to this glorious 2020 album in 2021 right?! It is entirely my fault that I didn’t listen to this glorious album that was released in March of 2020 until January of 2021. I own this. I love the song “Fire” so much. Like maybe too much.

Singles

Not to be outclassed by albums.... Here are four individual singles that I loved this year.

Rich Brian - Don’t Care 

Nas - Car 85

Petite League - Joyrider

Chong The Nomad ft. Hollis - Take Two

Perhaps my song of the year.

Jesse’s End of 2020 List

Vinyl - At the beginning of the pandemic we bought a sectional couch and moved the TV into the basement and the record player upstairs. It transformed the room, our evening, and our pandemic lives as my boys were relegated to the basement for video games and movies. Although it quickly became clear that there were some holes in my vinyl collection - notably all my wife’s favorite albums. That obviously had to change.

Comfort Music - With all the shit that went down last year -- and STILL MOTHERFUCKING GOING ON!!!!!! -- I keep falling back on old favorites to get me through the day, raging along to Algiers, family singalongs to the Head and the Heart, drinking to Frightened Rabbit, drinking to Yola, drinking Blitzen Trapper, and running to just about everything, especially classic/retro soul. Apparently, I can run for miles fueled by Otis Redding, Black Pumas, Los Coast, and Benjamin Booker. 

Algiers - There Is No Year - Speaking of Algiers, their new album was pure fire, even before 2020 really got going. Along with fellow Atlanteans Run The Jewels, Algiers catalog was at the center of my social justice playlists.

Jeff Rosenstock - NO DREAM - 2020 needed a punk album and was the one for me. Just the right mix of singalong, politics, humor, quiet/loud, and indie structural shifts to make it fun, engaging, and of the moment. Plus, Ellis I love to scream along to the title track.

Sunbathe - Somewhere In Between - I’m a longtime fan of Maggie Morris’ Genders and solo work, and this might be her finest. I just love the rolling reverb soaked wistful and longing lyrics. While she may be tired of drinking her feelings, I certainly needed it to moderate mine. Any other year, I would have gone to all her Portland shows.

DEHD - Flower Of Devotion - A wonderful recommendation from Larson! If I described some of the bonkers vocal hooks, you might not check it out, but just know it’s damn catchy, and it all works. One of a couple socially distant musical connections this year that filled me back up.

Girlhood - Girlhood - A late add that I picked up a brief mention on Hanif Aduraquib’s Instagram, and if I focused on the influences - 90s R&B, Sade, 90s British dance music, I probably won’t have listened, but it is so good. Try not to dance along to the closer!

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud - First introduced to her one of these end of the year lists and love her last two albums. It’s been on heavy rotation all year.

Sturgill Simpson - Cutting the Grass - At the top of the list in a year full of cover songs and live albums. Although technically not either, the new bluegrass versions bring new life to some of my favorite songs. Maybe in 2020, artists and fans just needed to hear music they already loved a little bit differently.

KaiL Baxley - Beneath The Bones - A delicious mix of soul, gospel, blues and Americana. His smokey vocals pull it all together whether strutting across the floor or hunkering by the campfire. It’s practically soul food for me. 

KaiL Baxley · American Soul