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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Top 30 Songs of 2021

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That time again, when some of us lay our music tastes bare and throw it open to blistering critiques.

Ron B and JohnErle will be joining us later in the countdown.


SONG #30


Shrykespeare

Gary Numan, Intruder

You can whisper your Lord's prayer
And pretend that it matters
But don't you wish you'd just listened more?

It’s been over four decades since Gary Numan injected a new, synth-heavy sound into the late 70’s high-on-disco musical bloodstream with his first big hit, “Cars”. Though many consider him a one-hit wonder, he’s become a cult favorite, and for good reason. “Are Friends Electric?” remains one of the most-played songs in my lifetime, and the man finds new ways to hook my brain with his art. When I found out in January that he had a new album dropping in 2021, I had to listen to the first single the second it debuted. It blew my mind. At 63 years young, Numan is still at the top of his game. Intruder as an album is very environmentally conscious, and its lyrics speak of a despair as we watch the world die around us. The title track from that album hits my list at #30 (and there will be another one later on). If you’ve ever been a fan of Numan, I highly recommend his latest outing. Few artists are still punching this hard forty years into the game.





Leestu

Iceage, Shelter Song

This is the title track and opening track to their latest album. Like their previous album, a top 10 album of the year for me. Elias's distinctive slightly slurred vocal stylings really suit the song's message here - life can be hard sometimes but hopefully you can find comfort and support from your close loved ones. Musically Iceage have mostly left their punk blues behind them for this song, going with a more slowed down soulful art rock sound with a bit of a (surprising) britpop influence - I hear some Primal Scream (from their Rolling Stones influenced era) and Verve in this song. A positive uplifting song despite it's depressing surface appearance that kept growing on me throughout the year during these challenging times, as I kept returning to its shelter.





Tranny

Sturgill Simpson, Ol’ Dood (Part I)

The latest shift in genres for Sturgill Simpson was a bit nostalgic for the 43-year old alt country star as he embraced the bluegrass sound he grew up around in his home state of Kentucky. With his vivid lyrical storytelling amplified by a simple yet commanding instrumental featuring some pronounced banjo plucking and harmonica blowing, Simpson proves to be a natural in the genre and has likely made the people of his state very proud in the process





Six

IDLES, The Beachland Ballroom

The boys from Bristol disappointed some, including me, with their fun but occasionally lazy record Ultra Mono from last year. But rather than wallow they instead did a U-turn and came out with a surprise album this year. A surprise not just due to timing but also because the band stretch out in new directions, musically and lyrically. This is a beautiful punk-soul song, with Joe Talbot’s lyrics and delivery offering something earnest and deeply personal.

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

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silversurfer19
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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Hey guys, hope you are all well, and had a great Christmas and New year. Life is so busy at the moment, but I miss this place so when I get a chance to check in it is always a pleasure. Good to see so many familiar faces still going strong.

I apologise for missing the start of the countdown, will try and get my first batch in to Shryke shortly, but I will add my first entry below:

30.
Smirk, Eyes Conversing




Over the past few years Nick Vicario has released great punk records, excelling at both noisy hardcore with Crisis Man and post-punk with Public Eye. During that time he’s also released a string of EPs from his solo project, Smirk, and this song comes from the band's debut full length. There is more agitation and anxiety in this sound, however, than his past projects, as he brings a little of Wire and a tipple of Devo to the mix, and this makes for a, dare I say, fun listen. The tightly wound, jittery rhythm and whirling synths are perfectly offset with the tin reverb of the vocals, which deliver an alien like quality to this fascinating punk in nervous times.

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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Good start to the countdown, gentlemen

Shryke: don't think I've heard a Numan song from this millennium, but this wasn't bad in a sort of mid-era Depeche Mode kinda way
Leetsu: Took a while to recover from this massive change to their sound, but it's a good record and Shelter Song, despite sounding derivative.
Tranny: John, why did you murder John and wear his face as a mask?
Surf: Very DEVO, very cool.

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Shrykespeare
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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#30

Leestu - Good song. I probably wouldn't have noticed the Primal Scream and Verve influences if you haven't pointed them out, but upon hearing the song, I got it. The lead singer also has a very Thom Yorke-ish voice in parts.

Tranny - Not my thing at all.

Six - You guys go on and on about IDLES, but I'm not feeling it. This was interesting, though. Made me thing of a song I heard this past year by Madrugada that made my Top 100.

Surfer - This was a trip. I liked it. Kind of like if Jack White took the helm of Devo.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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numbersix wrote:
January 2nd, 2022, 4:39 pm
Tranny: John, why did you murder John and wear his face as a mask?
Ha! Joke's on you, and not just because of your proofreading skills. I don't even like Sturgill Simpson.

Since I'm not joining in until the top 10 I probably won't offer many comments until then. These songs today were all fine, if you like those sorts of things, but nothing really grabbed me.

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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JohnErle wrote:
January 2nd, 2022, 7:33 pm


Ha! Joke's on you, and not just because of your proofreading skills.
Dammit!

I blame the COVID I currently have

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by JohnErle »

numbersix wrote:
January 2nd, 2022, 7:39 pm
JohnErle wrote:
January 2nd, 2022, 7:33 pm


Ha! Joke's on you, and not just because of your proofreading skills.
Dammit!

I blame the COVID I currently have
Dang. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully it's just a mild case of Omicron.

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numbersix
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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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Whichever varient causes typos, that's the one I've got.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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numbersix wrote:
January 2nd, 2022, 7:57 pm
Whichever varient causes typos, that's the one I've got.
I believe that's Omicorn.

Get well soon!

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Leestu »

#30

Thrilled to be back here doing this again, and nice start!

Shryke (Gary Numan): Like Six this definitely reminded me of the industrial influenced side of Depeche Mode. Definitely a surprise to hear he returned with a new album and good that it seems to be a decent album.

Tranny (Sturgill Simpson): I haven't worked out what it is but there is something about Sturgill where he just does what he does better than what he does deserves to be. This song is a great example of that. I find it difficult to enjoy bluegrass but I liked this song more than I normally would. His vocal performance is really good here, and the music works well.

Six (IDLES): I think they learnt a lot from Ultra Mono, although I still love it, and Crawler is a welcome change, and a step forward in development, even if I don't like it as much. His crooning here definitely took me by surprise the first time I heard this song, and yes, wonderful vocal performance and an excellent song!

Surfer (Smirk): of course you start with an artist I've never heard of before...I'm a bit of a sucker for any garage punk so although this doesn't stand out for me immediately it was fun.

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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30.

Shryke, Gary Oldman - I think I remember the promo for this record coming out at the beginning of last year, but never took the time to listen to the music. And you are right, it's good to see he still has something to offer despite the longevity of his career. Yet, it's not really something I will listen to again, I feel. Nothing particularly wrong with it and I certainly do not dislike it, but it just wasn't particularly memorable.

Leestu, Iceage - This was honestly the first record from Iceage that I struggled with. While they have always shifted genres between records, this was the first time I didn't find anything particularly exciting from them. Lockdown Blues kind of hinted at this direction with its unsubtle lyrics and tired music, and this whole record, Shelter Song included, continued in that vein. I almost hear Kasabian in their new sound which, from the band who brought us White Rune, Ecstacy, The Lords Favourite and Forever, was a disappointment. As we know, however, they are always willing to try new things on each new record so I still hold out hope.

Transformers, Sturgill Simpson - I am not familiar enough with the genre to critique, but it does sound like it would sit nicely on a soundtrack of a film from the Gold Rush era and not feel like a pastiche. So fair play to Simpson for stretching his wings.

Numbersix, IDLES - After Ultra Mono, this was a breathe of fresh air, and alongside Progress and MTT 420 RR a real show of depth to the band. Unfortunately the rest of the record didn't live up to these grand ideas and experimentation, but it's good to see another side to the band. And who knew Talbot could vocalise like that!

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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SONG #29


Shrykespeare

Clan of Xymox, All I Ever Know

Looking back to all those years
Spent with you
I watched the pictures of my life
From back then
I said it many times before
That I love you
It never grows old for me
It is all I ever know

Just like Gary Numan, Dutch band Clan of Xymox has been a staple of my personal playlist since the 80s. Lead singer Ronny Moorings (very much the Dutch equivalent of Robert Smith) has been the man up front for 41 years now, and their sound has evolved without losing any of its dark-gothic bite.





Leestu

Carla Geneve, Dog Eared

Carla Geneve is a local artist I have been following for a few years now. A singer/songwriter who usually fuses indie rock, folk, and country, but here she rocks out and lets herself belt out some strong vocals.





Tranny

Silk Sonic, Fly as Me

Break out the polyester and head to the local roller rink because Silk Sonic (a new project featuring Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak) has brought bouncy, funky soul tunes back to the musical landscape. If a Studio 54 revival ends up materializing, you'll know who to thank (or blame).





Six

NOV3L, Group Disease

I’m a huge fan of the Canadian recovering-addict collective Crack Cloud, and this group is an off-shoot, the members taking a slightly more New Wave approach to the material. They snuck out their debut full-length, which has this distinctly lo-fi, tinny production sound to it, and this song has a great groove to it.





Surfer

FACS, Strawberry Cough

FACS might strike you as electronic debris, frying and short circuited, but their sound is unabashedly grounded in its rhythms. In between Noah Leger’s blown out drums, Alianna Kalaba’s doom drenched bass grooves, and Brian Case’s sputtering ellipses and noise pulses, FACS deliver doomed, yet immensely danceable gazetones, and when the trio come together as on this song, it's like experiencing a delicate dance, slinking in controlled chaos.

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

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

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Another solid round

Shryke: I've a few friends who are a fan of these. Not bad for an 80s act still going
Leetsu: Not bad. A lot of new acts sound like they belong on 1990s college radio stations. That's not a complaint!
Tranny: This was fun, considering I'm no Bruno Mars. I mean, as funk goes it sounds pretty derivative to me, but it's still damn listenable
Surf: Very much up my alley. Will have to look more into these guys!

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by Shrykespeare »

#29.

Leestu - This was really good.

Tranny - Tranny, this was a stone groove, m'man. Outasight!

Six - Got a definite Talking Heads vibe to this. Cool.

Surfer - Weirdly compelling.
Happy 60th birthday Jet Li! (4/26/23)

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Re: Top 30 Songs of 2021

Post by transformers2 »

Just checking into confirm that I didn't kill John and that I'll start commenting on songs daily around #20 once I fulfill some self-imposed writing obligations.
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