Frownland

2018 is here. Something about fresh slates and all that inspiring **** or whatever. How about looking back at the year and stuff. If you know me this will probably seem like a pretty predictable list. Or maybe it won't be. I in no way listened to everything this year, so it is in no way a complete list, so recommendations and stringent criticism of my ranking are welcome. You do have my guarantee that every album on this list is excellent.

So many questions. Will my own albums be on the list? Is my list even finalized? Does anyone even give a ****? Is this the first entry?

Well it's the first entry, but I'm going to start posting about the albums tomorrow.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

OccultHawk

If you haven’t listened to SAICOBAB stop the presses.

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Exo

You should do what I do. Start posting albums and then stop for like 9 days.

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LastFM

SUPREME POO BAH MODERATOR EXTRAORDINAIRE

Anteater

This will be an interesting list.

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Anteater's 21 Fav Albums Of 2020

Anteater's Daily Tune Roulette

Frownland

I'm going to start with my honourable mentions. The honourable mentions will be done as a collection, so they're not in any particular order. The top 20 will be ranked, though.



Faust is a force of nature barreling along at full capacity and when they stop, they'll keep echoing until music itself ends.

The album's opener is the strong point on this album as it's full of gorgeous drones on strings and electronics punctuated by spoken word and operatic singing and percussion that turns into that classic pulsing rock sound that they're known for. The tracks in between are great as well too. La Poulie has some really awesome percussion moments and Cloryphyl has badass percussion throughout. Lights Flicker gets especially punky with the screechy sax and female vocals full of immediacy and attitude over the driving drums and guitar. The closer takes on a darker and jazzier element with angrier male spoken word and trumpet. It touches on fusion-era Miles sound before breaking back into those Faustal rhythms and synth and cello melodies to close out the album.

Faust never waste any time with their music. Their songs are extended and full of improvisations, but it's never done without purpose or played without thoughtfulness. Faust owns their invention and boasts exciting new features. It's easy to forget about new material from bands like Faust on the strength of their old material, but any fan of Faust or krautrock in general needs to hear this album as it's the high quality music that you can expect from such a powerhouse.


Rating: Dank as ****

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

OccultHawk

Zappi is has been at it for coming up on 50 ****ing years and that’s a no bull**** seriously good high energy record.

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Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND:

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Chula Vista

https://memyselfi5.bandcamp.com/album/me-myself-and-i

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“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

OccultHawk

A little deep in the sauce tonight?

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2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion

Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND:

https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html

Chula Vista

Yup. See "Your Day".

__________________

“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

Frownland

I want to start off by saying that I hate the term nu jazz. Here's a quote for those that don't know what nu jazz is "Nu Jazz is to (traditional) Jazz what punk or grunge was to Rock, of course. [...] The songs are the focus, not the individual prowess of the musicians. Nu Jazz instrumentation ranges from the traditional to the experimental, the melodies are fresh, and the rhythms new and alive. It makes Jazz fun again." Stupid as hell right? Jazz can only thrive when it has new blood and ideas, and these idiots think that just because jazz came to fruition before the advent of readily available electronic instruments that adding electronics demands a new subgenre.

Anyway, really ****ing nice jazz record here. Very soulful, melancholy, and chill with especially virtuosic keys, hip hop rhythms, and the occasional vocalist. It's not typically an album I'd return to but it's a great go to that hasn't worn on me since I've found it and it's a good album to throw on in mixed company. I don't really have much to say about it tbh but it's super solid.

__________________

Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.