Even though I was in my honours year and busily working on my thesis, I still was able to keep on top of a heap of music - especially my faves.

Here are my favourite albums from this year (in alphabetical order), the best was obviously (if you have followed any of my social media platforms), Phoebe Bridgers' Punisher.

 

SEE MORE OF MY MUSIC BLOGS.

Even though I was in my honours year and busily working on my thesis, I still was able to keep on top of a heap of music - especially my faves.

The best was obviously (if you have followed any of my social media platforms), Phoebe Bridgers' Punisher.

 

Here are my favourite albums from this year (in alphabetical order):

Babyteeth (music from the Australian movie)

First, here's the trailer for my favourite film of the year. This is an exceptional film that you must watch!

Now, this film does NOT have a soundtrack, but my favourites songs are:

Mallrat's For Real:

'Cause you didn't even wanna die once this week
And when you're around, I feel less of a freak.
And when you smile for real, you make me smile for real.

Sudan Archieve's Come Meh Way:

And tUnE-yArDs's The Bizness:

Charli XCX - How I'm Feeling Now

Just what we needed when lockdown was upon us. 

Fave songs are Detonate:

and Anthems:

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

The whole album is a banger, no wonder a lot of other end-of-year lists have Dua Lipa in their top 10.

Fave songs are Physical:

Cool:

and Break My Heart:

I have great memories of having a dance-off to this album with my (then) 6-year-old nephew in the first stages of lockdown!

Fiona Apple - Fetch The Boltcutters

 

My fave song is Shameika:

Make sure you read this wonderful article, Meet Shameika Stepney, Inspiration to Fiona Apple on Fetch the Bolt Cutters: The unlikely story of how two childhood schoolmates changed each other’s lives.

Gus Dapperton: Orca

 

His lyrics are exquisite. Fave songs are Bluebird:

And Post Humourous:

 

Ivey: love + miscellanea

 

Gold Coast band! Fave song is I Hate U:

 

Little Mix: Confetti

 

Fave song is Holiday:

Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

My favourite album of the year. I adore Phoebe.

I was ever so excited when one of my fave music writers interviewed her.

Most people and a heap of end-of-year lists have listed I Know the End as their faves, which is awesome, but my fave songs are Kyoto:

 

I don’t forgive you

But please don’t hold me to it,

Born under Scorpio skies.

I wanted to see the world

Through your eyes until it happened,

Then I changed my mind.

And Chinese Satellite:

Took a tour to see the stars
But they weren't out tonight.
So I wished hard on a Chinese satellite.
I want to believe,
Instead I look at the sky and I feel nothing.
You know I hate to be alone,
I want to be wrong.

Pinegrove - Marigold

 

 Fave song is Phase:

So while I do align my library
By the colors on the spine of my books,
When I'm looking for a resolution
But there's wreckage everywhere I look.
And there's brambles scratching at the window
And there's silver shining on the thorns
I could've sworn the moon's singing to me
Strung in a phase so strange and torn.
Now the stars look fake and strung up
And the colors on the floor are worn
And the hues on my body are muted
In the shadow, my uniform.

Run the Jewels - RTJ4

It's been a big year of learning from others (if you are open to it). The thing I most love about this album is how the words punch you straight in your heart as they light your soul on fire to keep fighting the good fight as we are NOWHERE near the end yet, we're all just getting started.

The best track and my favourite is Walking in the Snow:

The way I see it, you're probably freest from the ages one to four

Around the age of five you're shipped away for your body to be stored

They promise education, but really they give you tests and scores

And they predictin' prison population by who scoring the lowest.

And usually the lowest scores the poorest and they look like me

And every day on evening news they feed you fear for free

And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me

And 'til my voice goes from a shriek to whisper, "I can't breathe."

And you sit there in the house on couch and watch it on TV

The most you give's a Twitter rant and call it a tragedy.

But truly the travesty, you've been robbed of your empathy

Replaced it with apathy, I wish I could magically

Fast forward the future so then you can face it

And see how fucked up it'll be.

I promise I'm honest, they coming for you

The day after they comin' for me.

I'm readin' Chomsky, I read Bukowski

I'm layin' low for a week.

I said somethin' on behalf of my people

And I popped up in Wikileaks.

Thank God that I'm covered, the devil is smothered

And you know the evil don't sleep.

Dick Gregory told me a couple of secrets before he laid down in his grave

All of us serve the same masters, all of us nothin' but slaves

Never forget in the story of Jesus, the hero was killed by the state.

And A Few Words for the Firing Squad is also powerful:

 

Been two years, truth is I'll probably never be the same

Dead serious, it's a chore not to let myself go insane.

It's crippling, make you want lean on a cup of promethazine.

But my queen say she need a king, not another junkie, flunky rapper fiend.

Friends tell her "He could be another Malcolm, he could be another Martin"

She told her partner "I need a husband more than the world need another martyr."

Made in Atlanta, Georgia, where I use to ride the MARTA

With a empty .22 in the front pocket of my Braves Starter.

Tryna make it out the mud as a baby father is much harder.

The same children that you love and adore, the court will use to break and rob ya.

Circumstance woulda broke a weaker man, but I put it on my mama.

I'm a man of honor and the hardship made me a better money runner.

 

And here's my favourite EPs for the year:

Baby Queen - Medicine

Fave song is Pretty Girl Lie:

Laurel: Petrol Bloom

Fave song Best I Ever Had:

Mat Kerekes: Amber Park

Mat is one of my fave musicians, so I adore everything he releases. Including these.

Fave songs from Amber Park are Low:

It’s give and take

When everything is gone and so much has changed.

I can tell you’re tired and nothing has gone your way in a long time

And your heart, it aches

I told you that I won’t let you get too low.

...and A Moment:

 

And I've got one foot off of the edge, so just say when...
Maybe I was just alone for a little bit too long
Maybe everything I did was for the best but I got lost
And maybe I should take it slow, spend a little more time home.

I'm thinking I should take some time to bandage up when I get torn.

Fave song from Songs for Breanne (which is a bit more of a chilled EP) is Dogwood:

 

I wish we were younger

Could’ve gave you some big love

Could’ve saved you from hurt that you once knew.

Instead only in bits and pieces I’d think of you.

Purchase from Bandcamp or other music platforms.

Valley - sucks to see you doing better

Fave song is Homebody:

 

Also, check out My Fave Songs for the year!

As always, I get my music from Bandcamp, AudioTree, and FluxBlog. Also love NRP's TIny Desk sessions and KEXP sessions.

Here are a few of my favourite music writers you can follow on Twitter:

• Amanda Petruchich - her Best Music of 2020
• Matthew Perpetua - his 2020 Survey Mix (Apple Music + Spotify playlists)
• Steven Hyden - his Favorite Albums of 2020 (quite a few unknown artists)

SEE MORE OF MY MUSIC BLOGS.