Fix’s Media Diet 2021
TOP 11 (alphabetical):
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.
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The Antlers – Green to Gold
My soundtrack to Hudson Valley Fall/Winter. One of their best records yet and worth the wait.
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Birdy – Young Heart
A go to ‘comfort’ record during an often less than ideal year. Simple(?) singer/songwriter, yet rich and necessary. Narrowly made top 11 vs Brandi Carlile’s album.
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Black Country, New Roads – For The First Time
They remind me of early REM and Replacements love child, which I know makes no musical sense? A nice departure from all of the comfort music.
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Cassandra Jenkins – An Overview on Phenomenal Nature
Another Hudson Valley/local influenced record that fits the ‘comfort’ category and is… innocuous in a good way. Yup, I was drawn to this category this year and can you blame me?!
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Dave – We're All Alone In This Together
Not available in US yet?! Dave proves he is far deeper than a one record artist as he once again destroyed me with his lyrics and beats.
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Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny, Ha Ha
Quirky, catchy, dreamy and cool. And of course… comforting.
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Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Zauner had quite a year, with her very enjoyable book (esp if you like Korean food) and this fantastic record. Difficult to classify as it shifted genres readily – one track making me dance and the next zoning me out, while all the while telling stories.
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Low – Hey What
The 1st time I heard “Days Like These” I stopped, sat down and nearly wept. Can’t explain it but this album was overpowering both sonically and lyrically. Low continue to amaze and evolve.
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Squid – Bright Green Field
Quirky, sonic minefield/soundscape and debut of the year contender along with Black Country. This one captured the many manic moments of 2021.
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TEKE::TEKE – Shirushi
Think Yoko Kanno & the Seatbelts and Zappa composing the soundtrack to Kill Bill III.
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The Weather Station – Ignorance
This was the 1st album of the year that blew me away and I knew it would be a go to for the rest of year. Like Japanese Breakfast it’s difficult to classify except to say it’s just really, really great, but you already knew that, right?
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Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend
This one is sort of an outlier as it fits the arena rock/ballad genre and is not the sort of music I am generally drawn lately, beyond a few listens and yet, this is so much more + The Last Man on Earth is a lighters in the air song for the ages.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (Alphabetical):
- Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
- Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
- Betamax Vs Clive Bell – S/T & Soccer 96 – Dopamine
- Ducks Ltd. – Modern Fiction
- Illuminati Hotties – Let Me Do One More & Indigo De Souza – Any Shape You Take
- Maya Dunietz – Free The Dolphin
- Mogwai – As The Love Continues
- Nick Hakim & Roy Nathanson – Small Things
- Tonstartssbandht – Petunia
- Steven Wilson – The Future Bites
Among those absent from this list: The Felice Brothers, War On Drugs, The Murlocs, The Stranglers, The Liars, Arab Strap, Julian Baker, The Chills, Snail Mail, Floating Points, Mdou Moctar, Israel Nash, Lucy Dacus, Idles, Anders Parker, etc…
REISSUES
Radiohead – Kid A Mnesia
Hiroshi Suzuki – Cat
V.A. – Back-Up: Mexican Tecno Pop 1980-1989
The Beatles – Let It Be (Deluxe)
Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Ver)
FILMS (Living circumstances made watching movies/TV difficult)
: Petit Maman, Dune, The Worst Person in the World, Power of the Dog, The Card Counter
BOOKS
Bewilderment, This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends, To Govern the Globe, Fulfillment, My Heart Is A Chainsaw, Small Things Like These, Ice Cream Man
PODCASTS
Transmissions, Day X, Motive, Fat Leonard, Blowback, The Heist, Threshold, The Uncertain Hour, On The Media, Angry Planet, CounterSpin