Top 30 Songs of 2021

Anything music related. Latest songs, good new bands, and blasts from the past.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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SONG #5


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Sam Fender, Seventeen Going Under

See I spent my teens enraged
Spiralling in silence
And I armed myself with a grin
Cause I was always the fuckin' joker
Buried in their humour
Amongst the white noise and boys' boys
Locker room talkin' lads' lads
Drenched in cheap drink and snide fags
A mirrored picture of my old man
Oh God the kid's a dab hand
Canny chanter, but he looks sad
God, the kid looks so sad

I’d never heard of Sam Fender before 2021. This kid with the Geordie accent of NE England won me over instantly with this song, which honestly, may be the best-produced on my whole list. The instrumentation is immaculate (and there's some truly gorgeous sax in the mix), the lyrics are wistfully nostalgic and painfully deep, and Sam’s voice… wow. The whole thing combines a retro sound that might have come from Springsteen in his heyday, with a timeless message that will be just as relevant three decades from now. This song originally started in the middle of my list, but it just kept climbing. And climbing. And climbing. It ends up at #5, and damn, it deserves it. That line “I see my mother, the DWP see a number,” just guts me every time.





Leestu

Wolf Alice, The Last Man On Earth

A haunting tune that soars with majestic beauty.





Tranny

Turnstile, Don't Play

A much more upbeat number than my previous pick ("New Heart Design") from this record, the explosive "Don't Play" is more in line with Turnstile's hardcore roots without fully tabling the subtle, genre-bending experimentation that flows through the entire project.





Six

Folly Group, Four-Wheel Drive

And speaking of the influence of Ollie Judge’s yelping vocals, along comes an act riding on Squid’s coat-tails who fortunately are pretty damn impressive in their own right. This song was rattling through my brain for months last year, being a perfect post-punk concoction of angular guitars acting like percussion and the rhythm drives this song about forgiveness. Fittingly these guys were the first band I saw live since the lockdown, and despite having to sit socially-distanced, they still managed to delight.





Surfer

Mogwai, Ritchie Sacramento

While the temptation for Mogwai has been to make smoother, calmer music recently, more in line with their soundtrack work, their most recent album, As Love Continues, released at the beginning of last year, seemed to fly in the face of that. Yet while they’ve clearly learned a lot from their moody soundscapes, the rare vocal lead single, Ritchie Sacramento, found the band harnessing a method for retaining momentum, lending urgency to these ideas and textures. It's a song that steals the show on an already strong record, with its upbeat, almost anthemic rhythm marking a departure from their signature sound, and highlights that there are still flickering moments of innovation in a band well into their 3rd decade.





RON B

Tyler, the Creator, Lumberjack





JOHNERLE

eels, The Magic

“I get it, don't sweat it, I'm not your cup of tea
Believe it or not, not everyone loves me”

I just can't relate to the narcissistic lyrics of so many Millennial or Gen Z songwriters. Give me Gen X self-loathing any day.

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

#6

Shryke: Split on this one. The primary synthline has a really eerie bite to it, but it's too repetitive and lacking in strong atmosphere to build into something really immersive.

Leestu: Good lyrics and use of acoustic guitars/harmonica, but the mumbled vocals really took me out of it.

six: Only liked this slightly more than surfer's #7 pick. They have some proficiency in writing chaotic music, there's just not enough tempo shifts or cool, weird shit going on to justify its 8+ minute running time.

surfer: Got flashbacks of unintentionally going to a bar during an open mic night about 6 years ago and being bombarded with white hipsters doing stoic slam poetry behind some bongos or a snare drum while listening to this. Two thumbs way down.

Ron: A terrific change of pace for Idles and one of the best tracks from Crawler.

John: The band is still in top form. Bruce Dickinson.... not so much.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

#5
Shryke: It's funny that once I read you compared him to Springsteen, I figured I'd hate this since the Boss' music drives me completely fucking bananas. But this was actually quite pleasant. The passion and soul-bearing honesty in his vocal delivery comes across beautifully and the instrumentation does a good job of slowly escalating to hammer the emotion home.

Leestu: Was very cold towards this record when I checked it out over the summer, and nothing changed upon relistening to this tune.

six: Solves Squid's length issue, but this still isn't quite chaotic enough to really work.

surfer: Never heard anything like this from Mogwai before. Definitely more anthemic than their standard fare, but still very dreamy and full of beautiful melodies. Easily my favorite song you've picked so far.

Ron: A fiery, catchy standout from my favorite hip hop record of 2021 by a wide margin.

John: Round of applause for self-loathing. Becoming more and more of a lost artform these days. Song was pretty decent too.
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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

I don't think I compared Sam HIMSELF to Springsteen. The Springsteen comparison came from the melody, the particular mix of guitar, drums, and sax. Sam and Bruce's voices couldn't be much more different.

As for the second half of your critique.... well, that's fucking spot on. The buildup is incredible, and it's why I've gone back to it so many times.


I'll just add that it's a little bittersweet that this song (where he talks about his father) fell on this day, my dad's birthday. He would have been 83. I lost him two years ago, and I'm thinking about him a lot this week.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Leestu »

#7

Shryke (ONR): pretty good duet...the contrast of their two voices brought to mind the Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush dynamic from Don't Give Up

Tranny (Billie): a bit of a throwaway from the album for me...I like the fact that she did a bossa nova tune but bossa nova doesn't do much for me, and neither do the restrained love/lust lyrics...vocals are great as always though

Six (Parquet courts): great song that made my top 100...I did get into madchester music at the time so personally I'm loving the influence of it we are starting to see around

Surfer (Squid): love this song and album...my favourite from the album

Ron (Rufus): Innerbloom would make my favourite songs of all time list, but apart from that no other Rufus songs have had any sort of emotional attachment, just a detached appreciation because they do singable progressive house probably better than anyone else atm...they are relatively popular in my household though so I hear them enough to know On My Knees was my favourite of theirs from 2021 (more fun to sing along to)

John (Matt the Electrician): that was very enjoyable, reminded me of Eels so I liked it

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Leestu »

#6

Shryke (OVERWERK): my problem with this song and its ilk is that it sounds like something written for a game, or a TV scene, or to be chucked in the middle of a set of songs for people to not pay any attention to as they mindlessly dance along in the crowd (like suicidal sheep?), and the individual song on its own without aby of that does nothing to stand, and is nowhere near my styles of music I like where that doesn't matter to me

Tranny (St. Vincent): a fascinating album for sure, and this is one of the better songs from it, its funkiness is appealing

Six (Squid): love the rhythm, love the vocals, and "that's why I don't go outside" has become a bit of a comforting catchphrase for me lately...musically the psychedelic droney swirl of guitars in the last two minutes is awesome (see that's the stress when you do go outside)...probably should have been in my top 30

Surfer (Nightshift): I like the rough amateurish vibe but not much new here, which isn't necessarily a bad thing itself, but in this case I feel its more a song to show their potential as band to be keep an ear out for, to see what they can do from here, more than a great song itself

Ron (IDLES): excellent song that for my list was a casualty of doing a top 30 this year

John (Iron Maiden): I am ambivalent to Iron Maiden, I like their theatricality and epicness, but they are middle of the field in terms of me enjoying their music, I can take it or leave it...this was fine, I liked the music, vocals not to my taste

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by numbersix »

#5

Shryke: Dunno, sounded a lot like most comtemporary singer-songwriters over here.

Leetsu: I know these guys are huge over here and headline the big festivals. Always thought they were a more soft-rock band but this is a proper pop ballad. And sadly wasn't for me at all.

Tranny: There's a lot going on in these 2 mins. I can see why they're considered an exceptional hardcore act

Surf: A slight improvement over recent Mogwai stuff, for sure. In fact Dry Fantasy almost made my Top 30. But still not a patch on their first decade of music. Soundtrack work is definitely the best home for them now. Their music was used really well in ZeroZeroZero.

Ron B: Interesting choice. Not one I'd consider a highlight of the album, although the music is nicely heavy.

John: Didn't realise he's still around. I remember when Novocain for the Soul was played on the radio several times a day. How's that for Gen-X memories? For some reason I thought he killed himself, but I must be thinking of Sparklehorse. Anyway It was nice, and liked the guitar sound.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

#5

Leestu (Wolf Alice) - I've listened to a few Wolf Alice songs here and there in the past two years. I envision a time when I might become a big fan of theirs... but I'm not there just yet.

Tranny (Turnstile) - I liked this better than the first Turnstile song. Good stuff.

Six (Folly Group) - Enjoyed the guitars, but the vocals were just too weird for me.

Surfer (Mogwai) - Really enjoyed this. Sounded a lot like classic Psychedelic Furs.

Ron B (Tyler TC) - Wow, that was short. So... a song called Lumberjack. It was OK. :lol:

JohnErle (eels) - Really liked this. Love that Gen-X angst. Great to see eels still going!
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

SONG #4


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CHVRCHES feat. Robert Smith, How Not to Drown

You promised the world and brought me it hanging from a string
Stuck it in my mouth, into my throat
Told me to sing
That was the first time I knew
You can't kill the king
And those who kiss the ring

My favorite collaboration of 2021. Scottish electropop band CHVRCHES have been on heavy rotation for me in the last two years, thanks in great part to their stellar piano and Lauren Mayberry’s wonderful vocals. Their album Screen Violence was sensational, but it was this track that made me a superfan. It pleases me that they’re getting some exposure now – “Good Girls” (in my Top 100) appeared in a Netflix show called Stay Close, and “How Not to Drown” was featured in the first episode of the revived CSI: Vegas. Then, of course, there’s the addition of The Cure’s Robert Smith, who looks like Death with lipstick but sounds as amazing as he did four decades ago. This is a song I have gone back to several times a week since I first heard it.





Leestu

Squid, Narrator

If I wasn’t doing a one per artist rule three songs from Squid’s great debut album (a top 10 album of the year for me) would have been in my top 30, with this unsettling, mentally unhinged, experimental post-punk epic being the highlight.





Tranny

Between the Buried and Me. The Double Helix of Extinction

The criteria that I set for my list here is very simple: 1. The song has to be released within the given year. 2. The more extreme metal cuts are excluded. The latter one is because I respect you guys too much to continue to expose to you some of the more insane, objectively unpalatable (excluding Leestu of course) shit that I enjoy-especially in a year like 2021 that saw so much great stuff come from that space. With all of that being said, I had to make one notable exception to the rule with this track. While there are some brief proggy breaks in the action, "The Double Helix of Extinction" sees Between the Buried and Me harkening back to their heaviest days as a band and the ferocity that was put forth here proved right away that the surprise sequel to their 2007 career-defining masterpiece "Colors" was going to be the work of the band rediscovering their old fire in order to prove to themselves that they could still make music like this 20+ years into their career...





Six

Low, Days Like These

And just when I thought my love of post-rock had been banished to the old days of the early noughties, along come Low with a staggering record. Most of their recent fare has been lacklustre, but the Duluth duo have realised that mood and tone has always been their strong point, and are now leaning heavily into it. Vocoder vocals are cranked up to crackling extremes, blowing out our eardrums with intense intimacy, until the song finds a tender beat that lulls into a segment full of warped sighs and moans.





Surfer

Black Country New Road, Track X

Black Country, New Road have proven over the past year or so that they are not a band to be tied down to one genre. Whilst they were, rather unfairly, dumped into the same pool of post-punk as Black Midi, Shame, and Squid (all of whom are wonderful bands), BCNR have continued to push and reinvent themselves. Releasing their debut album in the early months of last year, we found the band had reworked a couple of earlier singles, graduating from the sprechgesang style that defined the band’s early work into full-on singing and expansive music traversing multiple genres. This singing style reaches its peak in Track X, a lovely example of what happens when the band chooses harmony instead of chaos. It’s quietly devastating, with the sweet violin, sprightly saxophone, and warm backing vocals making lyrics like “I told you I loved you in front of Black Midi” sound forlorn. It is a majestic single, and proves they have much more to offer than just a one-note style, and with the early singles of their second album, due out next month, hinting at another giant leap, undoubtedly the band will continue to surprise and delight.





RON B

The Avalanches feat. MGMT & Johnny Marr, The Divine Chord





JOHNERLE

Heartless Bastards, How Low

Heartless Bastards delivered another solid album last year, but none of the songs from A Beautiful Life are mind-blowing enough to earn the #1 spot on my list. Taken as a whole, the album is really strong, and How Low is just one of many highlights.

Also: The River, Photograph

Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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#4

Leestu (Squid reflux) - It's been all of three days since I heard this song, so I'm not subjecting myself to it again.

Tranny (BtBaM) - Tranny, I'll return the respect you've shown us with your admirable restraint by picking out what I liked about this song. Which, predictably, is the same as always - everything but the demon growls. I Googled the lyrics, which are actually quite provocative.

Six (Low) - If they'd dialed back on the crackling vocoder just a tad, I might have liked this more. Might. Definitely like the second half more than the first.

Surfer (BCNR) - I had to look up "sprechsegang". Great word. Song was very pleasant. Liked it.

Ron B (Avs/MGMT/JMarr) - I am a fan of some of MGMT's stuff, and I love a lot of Johnny's, but this... I love retro stuff, but only up to a point. This sounded like the happy hippie fare of the sixties filtered through the pillow-soft-rock of the 70s. If Starland Vocal Band are still alive, I'm sure they'd love this. I don't.

JohnErle (Heartless Bastards) - I can get behind the anti-greed, anti-anti-climate change message, as well as the four-minute PSA that passed for the video. As a whole, though, it felt like the strokes they were using to paint the picture were too broad to say anything other than "We're fucking things up, let's just stop." Call me a cynic.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Leestu »

#5

Shryke (Sam Fender): a great song from a great songwriter, great singer, and talented musician. Definitely travelling similar terrain to Springsteen. If you haven't heard his debut album yet its got some great songs on it too.

Tranny (Turnstile): another great song from an album full of great songs

Six (Folly Group): oh yeah, now that's why I love doing this, finding new great music...as soon as it started I knew that was a sound I liked, and when those vocals kicked in I was sold. Grabbed me on first listen for the reasons you said, and I feel there is more to discover on future listens. There really seems to be so much musically going on there, the little interesting percussive noises here and there, for example. My favourite new find so far and adding to my 2021 songs playlist

Surfer (Mogwai): decent song from a decent album (good enough to make my top 100), they are still great at creating soundscapes and atmospheres to drift away with, hence I tend listen to their albums in full and not individual songs on their own

Ron (Tyler): more Tyler...it's fine...I like its harshness...as often throughout the album not keen on his vocals here...too short for sure, I would have liked to hear that beat for longer

John (eels): cool song...great to see him still making music and seeming to enjoy it...his albums are still enjoyable and I usually get around to listening to them at some stage as he goes along

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Leestu »

#4

Shryke (CHVRCHES): this is a strange one for me, because I am not too keen on the first half of the song, but once Robert Smith comes in I think its great, I love the sound of them singing together, and the last couple of minutes with its Disintegration era vibe is excellent. I kept listening to it throughout the year, the start grew on me a bit, and in the end it was one of my last cuts for my top 100, so best pick of yours so far for me...album is good too, the best synth pop album of the year for me and in my top 100 for the year

Tranny (BTBAM): lol...I was wondering where all the metal was...thought you might have been mellowing out a bit...enjoyed the journey this song took me on, I'm still not overly keen on the growling vocals, but they don't bother me either, just another part of the song

Six (Low): you are right that it's all about the mood and tone, I like the way they use a harsh ambience and get some beauty coming out of it, but I find the song itself a bit dull

Surfer (BC,NR): a surprisingly nice piece of music, probably my favourite new song from the album on first listen, but after listening to the album a lot last year I like all the others more. Although this has become a welcome respite on the album with its perfect placement after the chaos and before the epic closer

Ron: (The Avalanches): I love the sound of the happy hippie fare of the sixties filtered through the pillow-soft-rock of the 70s here ;) (I love how sometimes the reasons someone doesn't like a song, are the same reasons someone else does)...seriously though a beautiful song that brings me a feeling of peacefulness

John (Heartless Bastards): it was okay

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by numbersix »

#4

Shryke: certinaly one of your best songs in the countdown. Though mostly because of Smith's involvement. It needed more of him. Presumably he did the guitar bit at the end, which is the best bit.

Leetsu: Like the food, I can never get enough of Squid.

Tranny: Too epicly metal for me.

Surf: Very interesting choice. I've always thought of this track as a bridge to the finale, rather than a song in itself. I like it though, as it mimimise Isaac Wood's attempts to sing, which sometimes can be grating. Sunglasses just missed out in my top 30

Ron B: Very nice to listen to, but I've already forgotton it.

John: Same as above.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by JohnErle »

Black Country, New Road is a name I've been seeing mentioned for a while, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've heard any of their stuff. That was quite nice and might inspire me to check out their album.

Nothing else from the past few rounds is likely to stick with me.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

Bumped to next page.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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