This year, at one point, was supposed to be a return to “normal” – Vaxxing, Grandpa Joe, live shows… and whilst not as shitty as 2020, still lots of uncertainty in the air. My new “normal” was acquiring a LOT of new music from artists I didn’t know, or know very well… So, for the first time, my POOPlist is not just what I bought over the past year, but a culling of releases into a sort of top 10 or whathaveyou! Here goes… (in no particular order)
Anyway I did find new music to listen to, after all when the world is running down, you make the best of what’s still around. As well as watch Sling TV for live sports. Netflix and Hulu for shows and just listen to all of my Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy and Motorhead records as well as cuddle with my partner of 26 years.
Taylor Swift, Nas, Weezer, Parquet Courts, Olivia Rodrigo, Armand Hammer & The Alchemist, William Parker, Tyler The Creator, L’Rain, Too Much Joy
It was the best of times, it was the worst…fuck me, it was just the worst of times, except for music!!! I’ve actually heard more great music, since losing my store, than I had in some time. There was so much music I couldn’t get to it all. Even today, the day before deadline, I am hearing some great stuff I’d like to investigate further. But at a certain point I just gotta give up. Don’t know if I’m gonna have any pithy remarks for my top 20; my pith is kinda undernourished this year. I will say that I probably listened to more punk, post punk, whatever, than I have in past years. How much will be in my top 20? I dunno yet, I’m just riffing.
Allison Russell, Aaron Lee Tasjan, American Aquarium, Bob Dylan, Girl in Red, Low, Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, Paul McCartney, Ryley Walker
I’ve got 6 and 6 and 6.
6 favorite albums
6 favorite movies
6 item Mike Watt list
It’s new if it’s new to you! As Watt himself would say.
It felt new to be back at the movies this year, which was great, and overall I’m feeling optimistic.
My POOP DISC-CLAIMER (disc-lamer?): My re-emergence into the world in 2021 apparently affected my music habits. Compared to never-again-please-2020, I found less of a need to seek refuge in music this year, spending less time in front of my computer and my stereo and more time taking baby-steps into the old world. I may not have seen any live music under a roof but I did routinely go to the supermarket, some record stores, the wine shop and, best of all, visit with my kids and my friends. And then I listened to some music after that. And as per usual, the music I kept returning to was mostly retro in one way or another. More than half of the titles on my list are in some way a look-back at something. The present ain’t what it used to be.
Tyler the Creator, Angel Du$t, Porches, IAN SWEET, UV-TV, Colleen Green, Brockhampton, Illuminati Hotties, Cory Hanson, Vince Staples
Black Country New Road, Elvis Costello, Mdou Moctar, Sleaford Mods, Saint Etienne, Toumani Diabaté & London Symphony Orchestra, Madlib w/ Four Tet, Kiwi Jr., black midi, Susana Baca
Still on my quest to replace most of the (worthwhile) albums I lost during a Long Island hurricane a few years ago. Thousands of albums,45’s, cassettes, magazines, and equipment gone in a flash (flood). Most of my resources are spent on that quest so my purchases to acquire music continue to be somewhat limited to what I know and what I like. Some of my list might be from the previous year or two but so what…
JIM FINNIGAN’S POOP 2021 Well the good thing was that at least we stopped (some of) the crazy. But TFG’s minions are still hell-bent on further trying to destroy the country by opposing any measures to control the virus that his incompetence caused to be spread everywhere. At least concerts and movies have been making a comeback, although tentatively. I’m still not into exploring the recordings of new artists and groups, but what the hell, I can still provide a Poop list based on a bunch of oldies but goodies. So here’s some stuff that I got into this year:…
Dan Wilmer 12 Albums for 2021: Langhorne Slim, Weezer, Japanese Breakfast, Hiss Golden Messenger, Lucy Dacus, Chvrches, Modest Mouse, Felice Brothers, James, The Flatlanders, Dinosaur Jr.,
How about that, I just noticed that 7 1/2 of my top 11 bands have women lead singers/songwriters. Meanwhile, 2021 was another year overflowing with musical goodness and there are at least 30 albums I wanted to include but eliminated in the interest of brevity. So many new discoveries for me as well – I had never heard 13 of the bands on the below lists.
Hello world. Emerging from another year of cabin fever. Covid is still here, no end in sight. The country is as divided as ever. Even feeling the effects of global warming as we kick the new year off with record high temps. Wish I could say music was the one bright spot keeping me going, but it is more like music is helping me to cope. Lots of repetitive, atmospheric sounds – nothing too disruptive to the system. Sure, a few rock records slipped through, but mostly I looked for a mood. That said, here goes with what kept me afloat.
Christian McBride & Inside Straight, Veronica Swift, Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, Orrin Evans, Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh & Tyshawn Sorey, Chick Corea Akoustic Band, Renee Rosnes, Julie Sassoon Quartet, Rachel Eckroth
Mogwai, Bryce Dessner, Australian String Quartet, Sydney Dance Company,Rutger Hoedemaekers, Havana Swim Club, Resina, Explosions in the Sky, Bell Orchestre, New Chronologies of Sound, Justina Jaruševičiūtė, Ian Wellman,
Courtney Barnett, Low, Dinosaur Jr, Teenage Fanclub, The Besnard Lakes, Jose Gonzalez, My Morning Jacket, Kiwi Jr, Aeon Station, Leo Nocentelli, The Who, The Sparks Brothers,
Nala Sinephro, Villagers, Darkside, Damon Albarn, Jose Gonzalez, Ishmael Ensemble,Helado Negro, Sufjan Stevens | Angelo de Augustine, Goat Girl, Field Music
Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night nor frickin’ COVID shall stay the couriers of POmposity and OPinionation from the swift completion of their appointed ruminations. Although, admittedly, last year’s turnout was a wee thinner than usual, the POOP goes on. Please feel free to share this invitation with anyone who might make a contribution to the POOP effort
Behold the 34th Annual POOPlist . . . or How I Spent My Pandemic. This year’s POOP documents what might be called the very best records of the very worst year. But for a year steeped in such sheer and utter shititude, there somehow managed to be a surprisingly ample amount of inspired music (as noted by a few people). So, if you would, allow POOP34 to provide a tincture of balm during this long slog toward whatever the next normal turns out to look like. At least there is comfort to be found that Trump is mostly gone and vaccines are mostly here, so there are those flags to mostly rally around. In the words of Nostratownshend, let us hope that ’21 is gonna be a good year. This year 19 POOPsters decided that making lists was as a good a way to kill quarantine time as anything else.