Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

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JohnErle
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by JohnErle »

#13

Hip-Hobbits – I didn't realize rap had made it to the Shire.

Smith St. Band – Flat, boring production. Get a new producer for the next album and they might have something.

Franchise (feat. all the rappers) – The beat was nice, but repeated ad nauseum, and I tuned out most of the rapping

Tinashe – Apart from making me think of Tina Fey every time I see her stage name, she does little for me.

Aries – It has one foot firmly in the 80s, but there's enough other stuff going on to make it feel fresh. ADDED.

Scented Smartguy – I meant to check out this album, but as I recall it dropped on the same day as Jason Isbell's and my #1 album of the year, so it got lost in the shuffle. I think I listened to it once and forgot to get back to it. This was pretty solid, though. ADDED

Melkbelly – In the 90s it might have sounded fresh, but it still wouldn't have been for me.

Taylor Swift – If I didn't know who it was, I could have tolerated it in a polished, saccharine, pseudo-folk, Lisa Loeb kinda way.

Jerusalema – Simple, but nice and uplifting, with a great voice and open, airy production. Sometimes it helps to not know what the singer is saying. ADDED

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Shrykespeare »

#12

Banks - Joji & Diplo - My second crossover! (#23) Great song. Love it!

JohnErle - Steve Earle Cheerfest - I think I've heard this before. Didn't like it then, either.

Leestu - Grandaddy - Very cool. Got a definite Pink Floyd "Comfortably Numb" vibe with this song.

Ron B - Lime Cordiale - Didn't do anything for me.

Screen - Meg Myers - Wow, there's been a lot of Meg. Some of it's been good, like this one.

Six - Bob Vylan - Don't like it, though it was reminiscent of some Prodigy.

Surfer - Shopping - It's like Devo had a baby with The Waitresses!

Tranny - RTJ - Not for me.

UDM - Missy E - Never been a fan.
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by transformers2 »

Had some extracirucclar shit going on that has prevented me from commenting on the last full few days worth of songs, so I just wanted to pop in and say that I haven't fallen into the ether and will be returning to dropping my full mundane commentary tomorrow. There was nothing from #14 to #12 that was new to me that really stood out tom outside of that Bob Vylan song from six. Also cool to see Daylight pop up again and another track from Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia appear.
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

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NOTE: WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A ONE-DAY BREAK (THURSDAY) BEFORE STARTING OUR TOP TEN. THIS WILL GIVE Y'ALL AN EXTRA DAY TO TRY TO CATCH UP WITH YOUR LISTENING, AS WELL AS TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME WHO HAVEN'T DONE SO TO GET THEIR 10-2 SONGS TO ME. RESERVE A DATE FOR YOUR #1 SONG ON THE OTHER THREAD IN THE MUSIC FORUM IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO.


SONG #11


BANKS

Machine Gun Kelly feat Blackbear, My Ex's Best Friend

MGK has always dabbled with his rock indulges on the side, but took the full plunge in 2020. And it's pretty good.





JOHNERLE

Steve Earle & The Dukes, It's About Blood

The heaviest song on the album is also the centerpiece, which finishes off with Steve Earle listing the names of every man who was killed in the disaster, his voice full of righteous anger.

A couple of months after this album dropped, I decided I wasn't going to continue to potentially expose myself to COVID for a company that obviously didn't care about its front-line employees. Did decades of Steve Earle's working man anthems factor into my decision? Maybe.





LEESTU

IDLES, Anxiety

What I love about this song is it sounds similar to what I imagine an anxiety attack would sound like if it was piece of music.





RON B

The Weeknd, Save Your Tears





SCREEN

M-22 feat. Medina, First Time





SHRYKE

Purity Ring, stardew

Drive me like we daydream
To the edge of where you start
Leave me in the afterglow
The dew of dying stars
A storm is coming
I feel it in my scars
And in the morning
We'll wonder where we are

One of my author friends, T.L. McDonald, introduced me to Purity Ring, and for that I’m eternally grateful, as it’s some of the best dreampop I’ve ever heard. Megan James’ sweet voice reminds me so much of The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler’s, it’s scary. It also makes me wistful that The Sundays called it quits in the 90s after only albums. That being said, it kind of broke my heart that this song ended up just outside the Top 10. And as for the video… well, if you thought nothing could out-weird Grimes, think again.

Album: Womb
Other great tracks: silkspun (my #60), sinew, peacefall





SIX

Sufjan Stevens, Run Away With Me

Sufjan’s latest album sort got lost in the crowd, but to me it was a beautiful collection of music that took from his intimate Carrie and Lowell record as well as his more audacious Age of Adz, not to mention his stunning contribution to the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack. Run Away with Me is a quieter, more romantic number, the synths swirling in the background, ready to burst with breath-taking emotion.





SURFER

The Cool Greenhouse, Cardboard Man

I first fell into the wonderful world of Tom Greenhouse last year when I discovered the fantastic Alexa! single (props to six for his inclusion on here), complete with looping guitars and delightfully witty lyrics. Their debut LP found him with a complete band and a few more instruments, but the core of that sound was still very much there, just minus the fat. On its lead single, in just 6 minutes of monotone riffing married with retro bleeps and blopps, Greenhouse assembles an awesome array of caustic cut up one liners that take cheap shots at all the morally bankrupt, devious swindlers of society (himself notwithstanding) which make for a wholly entertaining listen.



ETA: The above link didn't work for me, so here's one that did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o613wx5jy_I



TRANSFORMERS

Rina Sawayama, Paradisin'

Sawayama taps into her Japanese heritage here with a wildly energetic, J-pop- inspired song about taking advantage of your youth by living the most free, fun life possible.





UNDEADMONKEY

Andrea Bocelli, Fall On Me

this song gets me in the father feels, the look on Andreas face when his kid starts singing. I don't know what my kids will grow up to be, but i want to support them to be the best whatever they want to be.

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

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by numbersix »

Leetsu: Love this song. Definitely one of the better ones. Reminds me a lot of Bleach-era Nirvana, ina good way!

Ron B: Quite nice.

Shryke: Really liked this. Actually saw them live once and their equipment was weird as hell. They also provide the theme tune to one of the best shows on TV at the moment, Search Party.

Surf: Nice to see so many emerging bands being so influenced by The Fall! Really enjoyed this. Must get the album as Alexa is the only song I know.

Others didn't do much, beside the Bocelli song which was so sickly sweet I now have Type 2 diabetes.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Leestu »

#14

Nothing I disliked today.

Ron: ShockOne, Follow Me - possibly the best song so far from this Perth producer. It took me by surprise how much I enjoyed this song throughout the year as I normally not that into Drum and Bass, but everytime this comes on it lifts my mood...got to see him live once headlining a local artist only festival a few years ago, his years of experience, and time spent working in the London scene probably contributed to the quite impressive performance

Six: Fiona Apple, Newspaper - it was an interesting album for sure, definitely a bit different, a top 100 album but not AOTY worthy for me (although I can see why it is for others - it's just more a fascinating listen rather than an enjoyable listen), this is one of the highlights though

John: Steve Earle & The Dukes, Devil Put the Coal In The Ground - really liked this, liked the old style folkiness with an exotic twist, liked the vocals, and good lyrics

Surfer: Public Practice, My Head - another band I haven't heard of from a genre I'm into...definitely a funky '80s vibe that had my bopping my head along

Banks: Mothica, Vices - I can't remember what I thought of the last Mothica song but I kinda liked this, good production and I liked the lyrics

Transformers: Deftones, Urantia - I was a bit disappointed in this album to be honest...but you're right that it's an improvement on Gore...I doubt I'll come back to anything from this like I do with White Pony and Around The Fur

UDM: Shakira, Antologia - well the crowd loved it...I'm guessing by the abundant tears it's a really sad song...I didn't mind it, I like sad songs

Shryke: Within Temptation, The Purge - it doesn't do a lot for me but it's okay as a one-off listen

Screen: Dua Lipa, Break My Heart - I'm still not converted but this one is okay if I must listen to her

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by silversurfer19 »

Fallen behind a little this thread, so will do a quick roundup of standouts in each round rather than each song:

18:
Pendulum, Grouplove and Adrianne Lenker clear standouts. Not familiar with the latest of the first two, haven't listened to Pendulum in probably a decade, and while they sound very similar to how I remember them, it was something good to dance to. Grouplove was a lot of fun, need to invest in the band a little more than just their debut album. Adrianne is always lovely, this no less.

17:
Last Quokka was new to me, but that was good stuff with some very angry lyrics and good riffs. Tame Impala x2 was groovy, he seems to have really made the psych pop scene his own, will check out the album after the coutdown is over. The Balthazar song was nice and chilled with some nice beats. Born Confused is one of the many highlights of the wonderful Porridge Radio record.

16:
Ray LaMontague is usually an artist who puts me to sleep, but the Roll Me Mama, Roll Me song was lovely. Didn't get into the new Caribou at all, this song included.

15:
That Run The Jewels track was awesome, such a great build up with the throbbing beats and sax underpinning the duelling vocals. Need to check out that album for sure. Glad you took so much from that Nation Of Language record, Shryke. As soon as I heard it I knew it would be right up your street, has a lovely 80s synth vibe to it. Yeah six, I'm firmly rooted into the disappointed camp of the new IDLES record, but the energy on this one is good. Overall though, still starting to feel a little stale.

14:
Steve Earle has a great little gravely voice, definitely get the Waits reference as well as perhaps a little Jack White in there too, the guitar twang is perhaps a little much, but there's lots going on here that is fantastic. The KG track didnt have the same immediacy or appeal as some of the previous, but it was still cool. That ShockOne song was damn cool as club tracks go, great to get pumped up, just a shame I'm in lockdown...

I can't say I had ever really listened to Fiona Apple much prior to this last record, but it was interesting. Lots going on and possibly too much to take in on first listen, but it was intriguing. This song is one of the more memorable from the album, i really like the vocal harmonising in the background as it lays out the tempo of the song. Didn't recognise the reference to The Fall, and I've only just gotten around to watching it!
Deftones are an act I have tried to get into in the past and failed. I listened to the first couple of tracks on Ohms and it was just a little too heavy for my tastes, this is much better though.

13:
The Steve Earle song sounds like it is all set up for a good ol' country hoedown with some square dancing. Not for me at all. Quite enjoyed the scrappy style of the Smith Street Band song, has a slight Brand New vibe to it which is always welcome. The Tinashe song was surprisingly engaging, lovely stuff. As with the Perfume Genius song too. I don't think he has actually topped his first three records yet, but this along side On The Floor were the standouts from his last record. The Taylor Swift song just kind of blew over me, leaving no impact either way.

12:
The Grandaddy song definitely has Jonathan Donahue vibe to it, and while doesn't come close to anything from Under The Western Freeway or The Sophtware Slump, it was lovely in its own right. Always nice to hear New Order, didn't do anything spectacular, but with that rhythm section they have never really needed to. Second time Bob Vylan has made the countdown and listened to it a little since Leestu posted it. Good stuff. Preferred the last RtJ track, but this was certainly still very listenable.

11:
The Steve Earle song certainly sounded vitriolic, and was possibly the strongest of the countdown thus far. Anxiety just sounds all too familiar from their previous stuff, borrowing a few too many riffs to really engage. The Weeknd certainly has a nice voice, I didn't know who he was until Uncut Gems by the way, and this has a nice dance beat with cool synths. You may be surprised I know that M-22 song, I certainly am but its undeniably catchy. Purity Ring are still going? Haven't listened to them since Shrines, but will make an effort to listen to this new record, as this was a dream pop delight. The Sufjan song is also lovely, such lush, dream like vocals. These slower tempo songs on the record were certainly my favourite, highlighting the edge Carrie and Lowell has over his other more recent records. I have not heard much of Rina Sawayama other than what has been listed on here already, although I have become more aware of her recently as she had been fighting the UK music industry for not recognising her as a UK artist despite living here her whole life (her dad is Japanese but Japan do not allow dual citizenship). Anyway, this was better than the last song on here, lots of energy and ideas going on, which for the most part works.

And.. I'm caught up! Will get my next batch to you in the next day Shryke!!

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by JohnErle »

The site's making it a pain for me to sign in again because of some Spamhaus B.S., so I'll just say nothing excited me from rounds 12 or 11. The Sufjan track was ok but fell flat. I blame the production.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by transformers2 »

#11
Banks: Tickets to My Downfall was a very pleasant surprise, but this track does nothing for me. I'll pin the mediocrity on the reliably innocuous Blackbear and the questionable choice of putting 808's in the verses.

John: What an immense piece of visceral, rage-filled American storytelling. I'm going to have to give the whole record a spin at some point.

Leestu: Funnily enough, I was just listening to this morning. One of the nosier, punkier tracks on Ultra Mono and probably my 3rd favorite on the record behind Model Village and Grounds.

Ron: Incredible song from an incredible album. Synthwave suits The Weeknd's skill set perfectly.

Screen: The epitome of subpar electropop/house.

Shryke: Womb was a huge letdown for me after really digging Purity Ring's first 2 records. Almost every track on the album sounds exactly the same as this one-which gave it an stagnant and interchangeable feeling that doomed it to overwhelming mediocrity .

Six: This is the closest I've ever come to liking to a Sufjan Stevens song. Truly a remarkable accomplishment!

Surfer: Didn't like it. Much more droning and less funny than the Alexa song.

UDM: Way too sentimental and classy for my tastes.
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Shrykespeare »

#11

Banks - MGK feat. bb - "Ubiquitous" doesn't begin to describe MGK in the past year. For a time I was convinced that 50% of all music recorded in 2020 featured either Machine Gun Kelly, Yungblud or Travis Barker. I've just seen too much of him to be objective about any of his stuff.

JohnErle - Steve Earle - Likely the last Earle song I'll hear this year. It wasn't too bad.

Leestu - IDLES - Don't know if I'd call it a musical anxiety attack, but it's a decent piece of post-punk.

Ron B - The Weeknd - I've enjoyed most of this guy's stuff. This was no exception.

Screen - M-22 feat. Medina - I quite liked this.

Six - Sufjan Stevens - Most of what I've heard of Mr. Stevens came on these RS countdown lists. I think this is my favorite so far.

Surfer - The Cool Greenhouse - Frankly, this bored the shit out of me.

Tranny - Rina Sawayama - Never heard of Rina, but this was a cool introduction.

UDM - Andrea Bocelli - For a few moments, I thought, "Andrea Bocelli's covering the most lyrically incomprehensible REM song of all time? This will be interesting..." Then I pressed play. It was nice, but not something I'll return to.
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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Leestu »

#13

Ron: Travis Scott feat. Young Thug & MIA, FRANCHISE - I'm not a fan of Travis Scott, heard a couple of his albums and they are not good, but he struck gold on this song. I love it and it made my facebook top 100 songs...so much better than the overly ambitious but ultimately flawed Sicko Mode...the bass beat here is killer, and the M.I.A. feature is steals the show

Banks: Jack Harlow, Tyler Herro - he really seemed to come out of nowhere with What's Poppin and this song...catchy beats and catchy rapping..."the ones that hate me the most are just like me" - I like that line for some reason

Six: Perfume Genius, Jason - great song, my second favourite from the album behind Describe which was in contention for my top 100

Shryke: Gorillaz feat. Peter Hook & Georgia, Aries - great song, so impressive how it sounds like both a Gorillaz song and a New Order song

Surfer: Melkbelly, LCR - there was more than a hint of The Breeders here, interesting drumming

John: Steve Earle, Fastest Man Alive - it's hard not to like good rockabilly, it's just mood lifting music

UDM: Master KG feat. Nomcebo, Jeusalema - not bad, cool rhythm, good vocals

Transformers: Taylor Swift, Seven - it's not bad, I just find it a bit dull

Screen: Tinashe, Lucid Dreaming - not for me at all

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Leestu »

#12

Six: Bob Vylan, We Live Here - Wow! This is a surprise, I did not expect to see this on anyone else's list...Awesome song!

Transformers: Run the Jewels feat. Gangsta Boo, Walking in the Snow - another one of the highlights from the album

Ron: Lime Cordiale, Reality Check Please - these guys had a huge 2020...No Plans To Make Plans, and Screw Loose were my favourites

Surfer: Shopping, Initiative - good catchy song

UDM: Missy Elliott, Cool Off - good to see Missy is still releasing new music, this was fun

Shryke: New Order, Be a Rebel - no surprises here, this is what I would expect a new New Order song to sound like, which is not a bad thing

Steve Earle & The Dukes, Black Lung - that last breath at the end was effective...been enjoying these Steve Earle songs...who would have thought?

Banks: Joji & Diplo, Daylight - good song, nothing I'll ever love but I enjoy it

Screen: Meg Myers, Take Me to the Disco - its okay but there's many songs I like better from this album

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by JohnErle »

Leestu wrote:
February 26th, 2021, 10:48 pm
...been enjoying these Steve Earle songs...who would have thought?
I think you've said something similar every time I've included him in a countdown. When are you going to stop being surprised? ;)

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by Leestu »

JohnErle wrote:
February 27th, 2021, 1:18 pm
Leestu wrote:
February 26th, 2021, 10:48 pm
...been enjoying these Steve Earle songs...who would have thought?
I think you've said something similar every time I've included him in a countdown. When are you going to stop being surprised? ;)
When I really like a whole album. I think it's because through you I'm only hearing the better songs, but I'm more an album listener and the two I've heard so far were only okay with one or two great songs (So You Wanna Be An Outlaw with Fixin To Die, & Transcendental Blues with the title track). I will check out this one soon though and maybe it will be the one. Might listen to J.T. at some stage too.

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Re: Top 50 Songs of 2020 (20-11)

Post by JohnErle »

Leestu wrote:
February 27th, 2021, 8:45 pm
JohnErle wrote:
February 27th, 2021, 1:18 pm
Leestu wrote:
February 26th, 2021, 10:48 pm
...been enjoying these Steve Earle songs...who would have thought?
I think you've said something similar every time I've included him in a countdown. When are you going to stop being surprised? ;)
When I really like a whole album. I think it's because through you I'm only hearing the better songs, but I'm more an album listener and the two I've heard so far were only okay with one or two great songs (So You Wanna Be An Outlaw with Fixin To Die, & Transcendental Blues with the title track). I will check out this one soon though and maybe it will be the one. Might listen to J.T. at some stage too.

If it's a full album experience you're looking for, I'd recommend I Feel Alright as starting point. Much of it harkens back to early rock & roll or rockabilly like Elvis, Gene Vincent, or Johnny Cash, and there's plenty of classic blues and a bit of Velvet Underground in there as well. So You Wanna Be An Outlaw was his most overtly country album since the 80s, and also my least favourite since the 80s. I love the eclectic nature of Transcendental Blues, but if those wild mood swings aren't your thing, I Feel Alright is much more focused musically than his later albums. It's also the first album he wrote after getting out of prison and getting sober, so it's his most personal, confessional album. I believe it was in my top 5 when we did the album countdown ages ago.

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