My 20 (or 21) Favorite Albums of 2021
We spent all of this year with the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, partially because we spent all of this year surrounded by many of the same selfish, ignorant people who refuse to get vaccinated, wear simple cloth masks in public, or even try to socially distance themselves from others. At least here in the midwest, it feels like half the population has gone mad and decided to ignore scientists and health professionals. It reminds me of the zombie movies where people make the dumbest moves despite all the evidence and then wonder why society is crumbling before their eyes.
However, like last year, there was still plenty of good music released, it helped as a balm for the soul, and I'm here to tell you about what I felt was the best of it. As usual, this post is going to be limited to pop and rock, but I'll likely make a separate list of at least ten of my favorite jazz and other more instrumental albums.
For various reasons I won't go into here, I'm avoiding reissues, compilations, live albums, and so on in my Top 10. Those ten slots are reserved strictly for new music recorded and originally released in 2021. Slots #11-21 are open to anything that was released this year.
Without further adieu, here are my 20 (well, 21) favorite albums of 2021, ranked from #21 to #1...
21 • Inhaler — It Won't Always Be Like This
I'm sneaking in a 21st entry here because these are releases from 2021, of course. This album feels like the right fit for the 21st entry because I didn't discover it until the year was almost over. However, I'm playing the heck out of it right now and really enjoying it. The band is fronted by Elijah Hewson, son of a guy named Paul Hewson, otherwise known as Bono from U2.
20 • Sophia Kennedy — Monsters
The sense of experimentation on this album reminds me of many of the female artists (Kate Bush, Björk, Laurie Anderson, etc.) that I love so much. She has a background in film and film music and it shows. These songs are cinematic in the stories they tell and the way they tell them.
19 • Ryley Walker — Course In Fable
One of at least three great releases that Ryley was involved with this year. This one is probably the most accessible, but they're all worth your time if you are similarly attracted to this guy's many talents.
Andy Gill was the co-founder and lead guitarist of one of my favorite post-punk bands of the late 70s and early 80s, Gang of Four. He died in February of 2020 and this tribute album started to take shape shortly afterward. It includes songs covered by artists from seven different countries and four continents, a testament to the breadth and scale of Andy Gill's influence.
17 • Ezra Furman — Sex Education: Songs from Season 3
Ezra's been providing music for the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education since its inception. The tunes are a combination of music from his back catalog and music written specifically for the show. Last year, his full album of music from the show was my #12 album of the year. This 5-song EP of songs from the third season of the show was an unexpected but pleasant surprise.
16 • The Fratellis — Half Drunk Under A Full Moon
16 • The Fratellis — Half Drunk Under A Full Moon
This fun band from Glasgow, Scotland has had albums in the running for my year-end lists in the past, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time they've actually made it on to one. There are so many catchy tunes here, even my very pop-oriented wife took to this one when she heard it.
15 • Marianne Faithfull — The Montreux Years (live)
A glorious collection of 14 songs recorded during five performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival from 1995 to 2009. This is a fantastic showcase for the inimitable talents of the one and only Marianne Faithfull. The track list reads like a best-of but the performances are delightfully unique and personal.
14 • Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit — Georgia Blue
An album of songs by artists from Georgia that run the gamut of musical styles. Some of the songs "work" better than others, but there are no clunkers here. The range of what's being covered here speaks to the band's talent and versatility. Quite a few musical guests helping them out, too.
13 • Cassandra Jenkins — An Overview of Phenomenal Nature
By far, the quietest album in my entire list this year. In fact, Cassandra's vocals here could best be described as "whispered" although they demand more attention than that might imply. I think it has a lot to do with Jenkins' style and her way with words.
12 • Art d'Ecco — In Standard Definition
The last thing I expected to discover in the year 2021 is a good glam rock album, and yet this is exactly that. I had never heard of Art d'Ecco until I heard a track from this in a mix, but it hit me right away. Turns out he has two previous albums out. According to its creator, this one is "a concept album about entertainment". He has since released a cover of The Jam's "That's Entertainment" that would have fit perfectly with these other great tunes.
11 • Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band — The 1979 Legendary No Nukes Concert (live)
Springsteen was one of numerous artists who took part in a series of five concerts organized by Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) founded by Jackson Browne, partially as a response to the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in March of 1979. These concerts were all held at Madison Square Garden in NYC in September of 1979. A 3-LP compilation from these shows was released in November of that year and included only two tracks from the Springsteen show - both covers. Of course, 1979 was the pinnacle of what many Springsteen fans (including yours truly) feel were the greatest years of his career. To finally be able to hear a good recording of his entire concert is a definite treat.
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| stock promotional photo for the 2CD/DVD version |
★ ★ ★ The Top 10 ★ ★ ★
As
mentioned at the onset... reissues, compilations, live albums, and so
on were intentionally excluded from my Top 10. The following ten slots are reserved strictly for new music strictly recorded and released in 2021.
10 • St. Vincent — Daddy’s Home
Annie Clark's father was recently released from prison. That appears to be ground zero for this album, heavily steeped in 70s imagery and sounds that presumably recall the music he introduced her to as a child. It took me a while to understand where the album was coming from (thanks again, Jason!) but now that I get it I love it.
9 • Kacey Musgraves — Star-Crossed
It's no secret that this is Kacey's breakup album. That fact alone started me building a wall in front of it. I'm not terribly surprised that she won me over in the end but, honestly, so much of this album makes me sad. I often just feel like I want to give her a big, sympathetic hug when I listen to it. Regardless, she examines what seems like every aspect of her relationship and its eventual demise, creating her own kind of concept album about the ins and outs of human connection.
8 • Olivia Rodrigo — SOUR
Olivia Rodrigo is 18 years old and, not surprisingly, writes songs about teenage relationships and teenage concerns. As someone who is 40 years older, this shouldn't interest me much. However, Rodrigo has insight that is well beyond her years and a sense of sincerity in her writing and singing that pulled me in and made me care. Add to that her powerful voice and impressive range, and I found myself loving this album more each time I listened to it.
7 • Del Amitri — Fatal Mistakes
My favorite Scottish pop band returns with their first studio album in 18 years and it does NOT disappoint. Justin Currie, in particular, is still a master at crafting pop songs with acerbic bite. He has released (excellent) solo albums in the interim, but it’s great to hear him back with guitarist Ian Hardie at his side.
6 • Desperate Journalist — Maximum Sorrow!
This band's second album, Grow Up, was my introduction to their post-punk sound. That one ended up in my Top 10 of 2017, coming in at a very similar position to this one if I remember correctly. Their last album didn't do as much for me but the singles released in advance of Maximum Sorrow! album had me very excited. When the album finally dropped, I was over the moon. I'd say, without reservation, that it has become my favorite album in their catalog.
5 • Gary Numan — Intruder
Numan has been a creative musical adventurer for over 40 years now. This latest album is dark and brooding and, while that has indeed been his trademark for a while now, he continues to manage to do it well without it sounding like a caricature of himself. He also manages to write albums full of genuine emotion (besides anger) and places them squarely within an industrial musical landscape. What this guy does he does really, really well.
4 • Dry Cleaning — New Long Leg
Imagine Laurie Anderson with a British accent fronting early Pretenders. The contrast between Florence Shaw's deadpan vocal delivery and the electric, post-punk sonics shouldn’t work, and yet somehow it does. And then some. It's a witty, weird, and wonderful record.
3 • The Tragically Hip — Saskadelphia
When The Tragically Hip were recording their third album, 1991’s brilliant 'Road Apples’, they wanted to make it a double album. The band's label balked, so they whittled it down to a single LP. This 6-song EP represents the first official release of some of the songs that got cut, clearly indicating that the label made a huge mistake. There isn’t even a mediocre track here, and it’s so great to hear more new music from a time in their career when they were absolutely on fire.
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| Saskadelphia - my #1 album in June |
2 • Halsey — If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power
Halsey's 'Manic' ranked pretty highly for me (also #2) in 2020. Now, she goes into full collaboration mode with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and just blows the doors off the already high expectations I had. Reported to be an album influenced by her pregnancy and birth of her first child, none of that appears blatant to me. Instead, the Halsey/Reznor/Ross team creates the most lyrically and sonically interesting album of her career so far.
1 • James — All the Colours of You
The last five plus years have been pretty rough on all of us. This album touches on all the crap we’ve been through and, somehow, emerges hopeful and full of light. I’ve probably listened to this album more than any other this year because it leaves me the feeling that we're going to be okay every time I play it.
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| My #2 in June became my #1 by the end of the year |
Enough words... Want to listen?
I've put together a Spotify playlist with a couple sample tracks from each of these albums. If you're interested in hearing some of this music, check this out!
You like jazz?
Hey! I listen to jazz as well, at least enough to warrant a separate list.
Check out my Top 10 jazz albums of 2021 here.
(TBA)
Looking for even more great music?
Since 2014, I have been contributing my Top 10 to Bret Helm's Life On This Planet blog. He and his partner Sarah do a fantastic job with it, supplementing their lists with those of numerous friends around the globe. Please click on the link below to take you over to this year's Best of 2021 blog post...
