Top 30 Songs of 2021

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

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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SONG #3


Shrykespeare

Gunship, The Drone Racers

She's a bird, she's a sidewinder
Just hold on, we're in this together
Like a ghost, like a vampire
Hey spirit, can I take you home?

Survive, overdrive
A thousand teeth of a thousand voices
When the sun goes down, it goes on and on

If you grew up in the 80s and are or were a pop culture junkie, you might just consider this the greatest video ever. Whoever came up with the concept of The Terminator, Optimus Prime, He-Man, The Predator, The Alien, Skeletor, Goku, and even Big Trouble in Little China’s Jack Burton taking part in a drone race? Well, it’s brilliant. Oh, and the song’s pretty kick-ass too. Gunship, for those not in the know, are a British synthwave band led by Alex Westaway. Maybe this song wouldn’t be half as cool if it didn’t have the video to go along with it, but… here we are. At #3. Place your bets on who wins this race…I’m betting you’ll get it wrong.





Leestu

Black Country, New Road, Opus

From what was my number one album for most of the year, until I ended up loving a couple of others more, comes this musically challenging opus.





Tranny

Halsey, Easier than Lying

As Halsey continues to prove her musical versatility by successfully experimenting more with different genres on each of her new releases, it's become clear over the past few years that she's at her best when she combines punk, pop and industrial elements together. Unsurprisingly, working with the minds behind Nine Inch Nails on a record led to some really terrific additions to this portion of her catalog. "Easier than Lying" takes the angst and hookiness of a pop punk song and filters it through an abrasive, disorienting lens to make an absolute monster of a song that is unquestionably Halsey's best to date.





Six

IDLES, Car Crash

The only act to deserve 2 tracks in my Top 30, mostly because of the extreme contrast. If “Beachland Ballroom” is a hard rock soul song, then “Car Crash” is an explosion of abrasive noise. Singer Joe Talbot outlines a car crash blow-by-blow, almost at the verge of rapping through his gritted teeth, as he really sings about his uncontrolled addiction issues. But the music is stunning, the forceful beats of the drum domineering as the bass thrums throat-swallowing booms while the guitar is run through filters of disturbing static. It’s one of their boldest songs to date.
And, if you don’t like the song you can still enjoy the video which compiles car driving shots from TV and film across the years.





Surfer

Media Jeweler, Stuck

LA based Media Jeweler are a band who balance elaborate sonic infrastructures with studied experimentation through a heady mix of post-punk, jazz rhythms and art punk choruses into something which becomes greater than its individual parts. Their latest record, The Sublime Sculpture Of Being Alive, found the band fine tuning their experimental time signatures to form a wild adventure which roves between the political and personal to portray an accurate of modern day society. One of the many highlights of this record, which was without doubt my favourite of the year, is Stuck, with its flowing tick tock beat and marching rapid lyrics from the baritone croon of Sam Farzin. Intoxicating, dramatic and intense, with elements of Talking Heads for good measure, Media Jeweler have managed to hone their knotty, rhythmic, and ultimately jubilant music into something strong enough to carry real emotional weight.





RON B

BROCKHAMPTON Featuring Danny Brown, Buzzcut





JOHNERLE

My Morning Jacket, Love Love Love

It wouldn't be a music countdown without a little My Morning Jacket to ruin Tranny's day. :lol: My other favorite song from this album is eight minutes long, so you owe me one, kid.

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

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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JohnErle wrote:
January 30th, 2022, 2:51 pm
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.
Not going to lie, I have just heard that Isaac Wood has left the band for health reasons and I'm absolutely gutted. This band are probably my favourite discovery of the past couple of years and I had such high hopes, and indeed expectations from the group. The new album sounds immense, and will likely be up there with if not the best of the year. I have only seen them perform once and just had my next gig to see them in April cancelled, so this is such a shame. The band say they will continue, but without Isaac I just don't know how much of a loss that will be. He seems the heart and soul of the band. At least I guess he is taking action for his own health rather than continue on in what must be such difficult circumstances, but selfishly it still feels like such a shame.

Anyway, I promise I do intend to listen to all your picks and critique away when I have a little more time, but good to see such investment from the forum still.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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BCNR was again the highlight of round 3 even if it was a big step down from the previous track posted. If this is more typical of their sound I probably won't ever be a big fan. Nothing else did anything for me.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

#4
Shryke: Wow, this was great. Never heard CHVRCHES make something this dark and borderline trippy before, but it suits them very well.

Leestu: Listen #2 of this track hasn't really changed for me. If anything, the diminishing effectiveness of their anxious, chaotic sound brought on by stretching the song out for so long without deploying frequent tempo shifts was more evident.

six: Those screeching, bizarrely loud Imogen Heap on a drawer full of steroids vocal effects in the first couple of minutes inflicted the level of pain on my eardrums that I most certainly did with my pick for this round, so kudos on the swift revenge sir. The rest of it was just ambient music that I don't feel too strongly about either way.

surfer: Certainly unique, but those super low, mumbly vocals just didn't do for me.

Ron B: MGMT is still active? What a world. Anyways, the song was below average at best.

John: Just no.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by numbersix »

#3

Shryke: was going to say something about them at least admitting to how much they fetishise the 80s, but then it got very darkwavey and I liked it.

Leets: Got a strange relationship with BCNR - like their Slint-like sound but when they go all Eastern-European-gypsy-folk I get kinda turned off. So this isn't my favourite of theirs, even if I appreciate the originality of mixing such disparate genres.

Tranny: Liked the moody verses but the chorus didn't deliver.

Surf: Oh music like this is my crack. A great find, so thanks for introducing me.

Ron B: Again! And still okay, particularly the Brown bits.

John: Very nice, dreamy, with a psychadelic flourish.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

Remember, here is the schedule for posting your #1.

If you like, you may re-post a list of your songs leading up to #1.


Feb 1: Leestu
Feb 2: Six
Feb 3: Ron B
Feb 4: Tranny
Feb 5: JohnErle
Feb 6: Surfer
Feb 7: Shryke
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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Can't believe we're up to the penultimate song already!


SONG #2


Shrykespeare

Cannons, Bad Dream

I wish that somebody would wake me
Don't like this feeling, won't you shake me
'Cause any more might break me
And you'll never know

For me, the last two years have been a fusillade of Cannons (see what I did there?). This band from L.A. has engulfed my soul with their retro-disco-laid back vibe, led expertly by Michelle Joy’s sultry-as-hell voice. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t think they can make a bad record. And as long as they keep putting songs out semi-regularly, you can look forward to seeing them on my year-end lists. I would LOVE to see them live someday. I hear they put on a great show.





Leestu

Pond, Pink Lunettes

From their ninth album, helpfully titled 9, this track harkens back to their psychedelic dance punk they have dabbled with in the past, but this time with a little bit more frenzied chaos.





Tranny

Doja Cat feat. SZA, Kiss Me More

"Kiss Me More" is what every pop song should strive to be: A bubbly, sugar rush that is addictive, catchy as hell and flat-out irresistible. There sincerely may never be another bright summer day I experience that doesn't include me ingesting this little orb of pure fucking sunshine at some point before the sky goes dark.





Six

Lost Girls, Menneskekollektivet

Conceptual artist Jenny Hval’s musical output has always had an air of pretence to it, making it more like something that belongs in a modern art installation than anywhere else. It’s still mostly good stuff, but this new moniker, a collaboration with fellow Norwegian artist Håvard Volden, breaks new territory. Starting as a meditation on the self after a visit from a Jehovah Witness, it turns into a wondrous pondering on the nature of sounds, one which embraces synth pop with echoes of 80s electro.

Many years ago I visited my uncle in Boston, and in the evenings had nothing to do but raid his tape collection. I put on Dark Side of the Moon and gazed into the stars as everyone else slept soundly, and felt an incredible sense of wonder and awe. Listening to this track, some 24 years later, gives me that same overwhelming feeling.





Surfer

Qlowski, A Woman

London’s Qlowski released their full length debut, Quale Futuro?, back in the summer, an album that cemented their futuristic take on romanticized post-punk and experimental new wave. The record is undeniable mix of disoriented sheen and punk attitude, with a nod to the 80’s and a reckless desire to envelop the listener with noise when least expected. The highlight of the record came courtesy of “A Woman,” a song that found keyboardist Cecilia Corapi handling lead vocals. It’s a mesmerizing moment, thick with synth atmospheres and a tight krautrock rhythm. Summarising the struggles that females must encompass from the first moments of life, A Woman is empowering, and with its looping synths and joyous chorus, a delight from start to finish.





RON B

Courtney Barnett, Write a List of Things to Look Forward to





JOHNERLE

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Love Don't

Picking one song over another for these lists is a tricky business. When I listen to this album on Spotify, the more melancholy Something Ain't Right is probably my favourite, but listening on YouTube is a different story. A wise man once said the medium is the message, and it's the official videos that always seem to stand out on YouTube. Why? Well, they inevitably have better sound quality while also giving you something to look at. And since Shryke has me going last in every round, it only makes sense to end round two with this showstopper which ends with the band walking off stage, leaving the audience wanting more.

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

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

#3

Shryke: Was hoping there would be a little more of an explosion at the end, but it was pretty atmospheric and the more abrasive synth sections ruled.

Leestu: Liked this a lot more than surfer's pick from the prior batch. While I'm still not crazy about the vocal delivery, this has a really epic feel to it and the uptempo horn sections are delightfully nutty.

six: This comparison may sound kind of batshit insane, but ever since I first heard this in the fall, I've felt that it sounds like a cut from one the last couple of Death Grips records that just happens to have Joe Talbot on vocals. Moving on, it's a cool track that's probably the biggest experimental swing Idles took on Crawler.

surfer: A 4-minute quirky hellscape that I couldn't wait to get out of. The male vocalist is an instant hall of fame entry in my insufferable indie vocalist hall of fame.

Ron: Holy shit, a crossover!!!!!! Miracles can happen folks!

John: Damn, I almost made it out unscathed too. Fingers crossed for better fortunes next year.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by JohnErle »

I won't have time for any thoughtful analysis before the #1s begin, so here's your final taste of snarky first impressions until next year.

Cannons – What a misfire! (See what I did there?)

Doja Cat – This has been streamed a billion times on Spotify already, as opposed to Surfer's pick, which hasn't even been streamed 20,000 times, and some of his previous picks were under 2,000, half of which were probably him. Despite its ubiquity, I'd never heard it before, as far as I know, and I'll never hear it again if I can help it. And in honour of Howard Hesseman, who passed away a few days ago, try to picture Dr. Johnny Fever ripping this off a turntable and saying “Disco Sucks!”

Lost Girls – I've always hated Pink Floyd, but maybe that's because I never got high at an Uncle's house in Boston after all the adults were asleep. The spoken word intro had me rolling my eyes, but the music has a nice, spacey take on something Caribou might have done. The vocals didn't really fit with the music, though, and it was ultimately too repetitive. Of course, if I was high, who knows?

Pond – Apparently trying to sound like The Rapture is an entire sub-genre these days. They've been around a long time, so maybe they sounded like The Rapture before The Rapture did? This sounds totally different from some of the Pond stuff I've enjoyed in the past. It's conceivable it'll grow on me, but the first time through it didn't really register.

Qlowski – Flat, boring production. There might have been a decent song there with better production.

Courtney Barnett – I heard this somewhere before and my opinion hasn't changed. It's a disposable blend of generic indie and country twang.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

#2
Shryke: Really should like this more since they operate in an area of the pop music spectrum that I enjoy quite a bit, but every single that you've picked from them over the past 2 countdowns has been just alright to me.

Leestu: Pretty cool mix of dancey fun and psychedelic weirdness.

six: The spoken word intro was ROUGH. It got a lot better once the vocals kicked in and it settled into kind of an ethereal groove, but it was still a bit too muted to fully work for me. Big shoutout to the Boston skyline though. Bet it looked even more incredible while under the spell of whatever mood enhancers you found next to your uncle's Dark Side of the Moon tape.

surfer: A welcome return to the realm of listenability after last round's unholy offering.

Ron: Folk-tinged indie rock is quite the diversion from your electronic-heavy list, but definitely not for me.

John: This was indeed a rousing, catchy old school soul tune that wrapped up the round on a pleasing note.
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

Catching up before the barrage of #1s starts.


#3

Leestu (BCNR) - This felt like something straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Which means I'm pretty much indifferent to it. That wailing at the end made me wince.

Tranny (Halsey) - I do love the NIN-style grind, but I'm with Six on the chorus. For a second I thought I was listening to Olivia Rodrigo.

Six (IDLES) - This was brutal. But... kind of in a good way.

Surfer (Media Jeweler) - Talking Heads have been invoked a lot since this countdown started (mostly by me). I suppose it's warranted here, but only ephemerally. Music like this may be Six's crack, but for me it's more like my mother's tuna casserole - I'll consume it with a smile to make her happy, but I'm not going to ask for seconds.

Ron B (Brockhampton) - Didn't we see this before? If so, I assume I'll forget it just as quickly the second time. Did hear a little Cypress Hill influence, though.

JohnErle (MMJ) - One of the few songs on other people's lists that I've actually heard before. I like it. Definitely in the Tame Impala range of chill.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by numbersix »

#2

Shryke: Didn't make an impact for me.

Leetsu: This is quite different to the stuff you (and Surf) posted before. I get the Rapture comparison, but to me they've clearly been listening to Suicide a lot. And for me most bands who channel that NY duo end up appealing to me. Great track.

Tranny: First time listeing to Doja, despite seeing her everywhere, including on an episode of Dave. It was catchy pop, for sure.

Surf: Good stuff here. I keep hearing Television in the songs you've picked this year. Maybe I just going nuts.

Ron B: I like her. Caught her live once. Always listenable though I've yet to hear anything, including this, which makes me love her.

John: Solid stuff. Like the Motown vibe.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

#2


Leestu (Pond) - I think I would have loved this 20-30 years ago. Now... I just like it.

Tranny (Doja Cat) - Not bad. Her voice, like Tones and I and several others, just doesn't appeal to me much. But it is catchy.

Six (Lost Girls) - Definitely trippy. And long. I waited and waited for it to go somewhere. Never did.

Surfer (Qlowski) - I don't know. I close my eyes and listen to this song, and I picture a bunch of 12YO girls getting together to form a band. Weird.

Ron B (Courtney Barnett) - I wasn't wild about any individual thing in this song, but put it together, it kinda worked.

JohnErle (Nate R & NS) - Heard a lot of Nate, liked most of it. Next year I'll put you first. :D
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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