This list always tries to respectfully disagree with the choices that seemingly garner praise everywhere else. The picks are not awful but I always stand by my belief that they aren't as great as they are made out to be. Here goes:
1. Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia:
when I think of Dua Lipa, the only memorable thing that comes to mind is how nice she seemed announcing this year's Grammy nominations...not her music. Not A Single Track. Everyone has been pushing Future Nostalgia as if it is some sacred text to dance music but all I hear is a young lady lost amid the beats. I'm not saying she won't get there eventually but she's not there yet and so many of her peers are doing far better already. METACRITIC 8.8/10
2. Phoebe Bridgers Punisher:
I'll give her the first half of the album and who doesn't love "Kyoto" but Bridgers runs out of much needed grit down the stretch. METACRITIC 9.0/10
3. The Microphones Microphones in 2020:
frankly, I'm still confused if this is technically and album or one long drawn out track. Either way, no dice. METACRITIC 8.7/10
4. Bob Dylan Rough And Rowdy Ways:
yes, I know it's Dylan the master but there is hardly any justification for all the fuss critics have made about this release. METACRITIC 9.5/10
5. BC Camplight Shortly After Take-off:
not everyone can pull off this type of album and BC Camplight produces spotty work here at best. METACRITIC 8.9/10
6. Adrienne Lenker Songs:
there is a certain logic to saying that as the band she's in (Big Thief) is overrated then surely as a big part of it her solo album would probably end up in the same category, eh. METACRITIC 8.4/10
7. Charli XCX How I’m Feeling Now:
I guess it would be crass to say that male critics just like the album cover but the music isn't earth-shattering like her earlier pop efforts so I'm still stumped on why this is getting praise. METACRITIC 8.2/10
8. Lil Uzi Vert Eternal Atake:
at first I thought its placing on year-end lists would be regulated to hip/hop magazines but now it's spreading inexplicably everywhere. METACRITIC 8.4/10
9. Lianne La Havas Lianne La Havas:
nice little warm-up music but the edge is missing. METACRITIC 8.3/10
10. Mary Lattimore Silver Ladders:
every year there's some minimalistic central pick that crops up on every year-end list and though it's early, I suspect it'll be this. METACRITIC 8.5/10
