THE TOP 100 SONG OF 2021 (PART FIVE)...

 

My picks for the best twenty songs of the year. So many emotionally-packed great tracks that tug at your heart in their simplicity yet undeniable beauty and genius:

1. Free (Sault): 

 the mysterious collective continues its winning streak with this effortless, breezy global pop track that serves as the perfect background filter for their pop/funk intentions. 

2. wyd (Remi Wolf):

 co-produced by Jared “Solomonophonic” Solomon, it features the grooviest bass and most electric synths, and compared to the rest of the album, it moves fast as hell. The track is a great example of Wolf’s ability to create an upbeat vibe yet remain introspective at the same time where Wolf weaves in her struggles with alcohol dependency while sounding as happy as can be. (NYULOCAL) 

3. Gated Windows (Twin Shadow): 

we’ve been awaiting his return to Bowie-esque pop for some time and here it is, in all its triumphant glory.

 

4.Vex (Slowthai): 

that, “calm down darling/ your pum pum’s loose…” line is the zinger of the year. 

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5. Sailor’s Superstition (serpentwithfeet): 

near the album’s midpoint, dark forces arrive to interrupt Wise’s reverie. In “Sailors’ Superstition,” he sees the beginning of the end on the horizon, bidding his partner to keep their love low-key, not to “whistle on [their] ship” and tempt the “rascals of the air.” Anyone who’s seen a horror movie knows this is the moment when something finally goes wrong. (PITCHFORK) 

  

6. The Other Black Dog (Genesis Owusu): 

a sultry, uptempo synthwave track with a constantly rising tension. The beat warbles as we meet the first of the story’s two black dogs. This hound is representative of depression, and it’s a damn menace. Owusu relentlessly delivers fear and a sense of the walls closing in, to great effect. The song is alluring and danceable, and even though the darkness is palpable, it’s irresistible to turn away.  (STILL LISTENING MAGAZINE) 

7. Herald (Odette): 

showcases Odette’s new sonic palette and situates her on the verge of epiphany. The track possesses a modern-meets-medieval style of production with its bouncy rhythm harps, wind instruments and piano. “I wondered if this was death / And I thought it was happiness,” she sings, realizing she wants freedom from a stagnant relationship. It is a terrific starting point for the album. (BEATS PER MINUTE) 

8. Sierra Nights (Kevin Abstract feat. Ryan Beatty): 

a hazy, slow-building song. Abstract does a little rapping near the end, when the energy really builds up, but this is mostly a mellow and expansive pop song about love. Abstract tells his whole origin story — growing up in Texas, moving to California with his friends, doing a bunch of drugs, getting famous — but he does it through the point of view of someone who’d in love and who can finally really talk about it. (STEREOGUM) 

9. Paprika (Japanese Breakfast): 

you can feel that specific buzz in the opening track “Paprika,” which layers martial snares, bubbling orbs of synth, and horns that practically announce “I’m here!” The lyrics colorfully illustrate the blessing and the burden of getting to express yourself creatively for a living: “How’s it feel to be at the center of magic/To linger in tones and words?/I opened the floodgates and found no water, no current, no river, no rush.” But Zauner clearly had no trouble finding inspiration for the song itself, which comes to life with a playful sense of grandeur that’s hard not to get swept up in, waltzing yourself around the house, tingling with wonder. When she’s on, her energy is completely infectious, and the beginning of the album thrives on this current while accommodating numerous styles. (PITCHFORK) 

10. Aye (Sam Fender): 

an immersive ditty. Fender calls out the comfort people with power find in being just a bystander. The song references many tragic images such as watching Jesus get nailed to the cross and watching the horror of kids being assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein. (THE POSTATHENS) 

11. Strange Love (Cautious Clay feat. Saba): 

"This song is about the push and pull of identity in late capitalism," says Cautious. "We're constantly told we need x, y or z to let the world know who we are, inundated with information about what the latest and greatest and coolest is. I love fashion and clothes and putting them together to telegraph myself to the world, but sometimes it's hard to separate what I like from what I'm being told to like. I think it's a struggle lots of people can relate to." (BROADWAY WORLD.COM) 

 

12. Juniper (Katy Kirby): 

originally included on a self-titled release three years ago, Kirby reinvigorates “Juniper” with an even keener production this time. The song was inspired mainly by Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird and the mom-daughter bond and though that historically ties into so many conflicting emotions,  it’s a thrilling rush as musically it explodes towards the end. 

 

 

13. New Heart Design (Turnstile): 

feels like a homage to punk and new wave but the riffs are so fresh and crunchy that it’s like a whole new genre explosion to the ears. 

14. Put It Down (Jazmine Sullivan): 

the new standard for hood soul hook-up rules. 

15. OG! (JPEGMAFIA):

 though he makes ditties to stand out, OG! literally is pulled out from a different hat with its old-school beats and bragging.  

16. Ivy (Taylor Swift): 

overrun with metaphors but mostly in an enticing, thematically fitting way, full of good Swiftian dark-fairytale grist. It’s fun to puzzle out gradually the secret that all the images are concealing—an engaged woman being drawn into a clandestine affair. And there are several very good “goddamns.” (SLATE) 

 

17.  Bye Bye (Genesis Owusu): 

the ease to which Owusu swivels so many styles in one track is mind-boggling. 

18. Cosmic (Denzel Curry & The Alchemist feat Joey Bada$$): 

sometimes all a good song needs is a revisionist take with the homies to ascend to greatness. Here’s a stunning example. 

19. Brown Shoulders (McKinley Dixon feat. Ms. Jaylin Brown): 

would probably fall victim to some degree of forgettability too, but Ms. Jaylin Brown’s feature on the track gives Dixon’s relatively lower energy flow room to breathe and create a pleasant sonic symbiosis towards the track’s closing moments. It’s a high note to go out on, too, considering the gloomy atmosphere its successor employs, with suspenseful sax, gloomy piano, and a really haunting effect curated by some excellent strings. (STILL LISTENING MAGAZINE) 

20. Chemical Romance (Gallant): 

embodies what it feels like to realize you’ve caught the feels for someone—a complicated concept, slightly embarrassing, exhilarating, and scary all at the same time. This natural feeling arises upon attraction, which is why Gallant reassures his significant other, “Baby, butterflies are justified.” Marvin Gaye once sang “half a love is all I feel,” and Gallant continues singing about such unrequited love as he sings, “You won’t let no chemical deceive ya / It’s only gonna leave you brokenhearted.” (BC HEIGHTS.COM) 

The Top 30 ALBUMS of 2021: Part Two (#11--20)...

 

part two...

11. Sheep, Dog & Wolf TWO-MINDS:  Two-Minds was meant to reflect McBride’s attempts to return to his own version of normal. The sharp dissonance and hints of whimsy are part of the melodrama of that recovery, and the knowledge of how that melodrama would play for an audience. What McBride didn’t know is that the audience would all have their own versions of the same joke. (THE QUIETUS) 

 

12. Jon Batiste WE ARE: though he beams into bedrooms every week night as bandleader on The Late Show, Jon Batiste re-introduces himself with his most complete, personal expression of self on WE ARE. It’s rewarding to hear the New Orleans jazz multi-instrumentalist (and most-nominated artist at the upcoming 2022 Grammys) shake off the churn of nightly talk show house music to successfully create music with such permanence. (COS)

 

13. Julien Baker LITTLE OBLIVIONS: in the past, indie dynamo Julien Baker—acclaimed both as a solo act and as a member of boygenius alongside Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers—has stunned us with her ability to evoke powerful feelings using only her hushed vocals, confessional lyrics and sparse instrumentation. On her third studio album Little Oblivions, though, Baker’s self-described “bummer jams” have gained a new and arresting sense of scale, losing none of their poignance in the process. These are lush, expansive compositions, awash in everything from drum machines and synthesizers (“Highlight Reel”) to banjo and what sounds like theremin (“Heatwave”). But ever-present on Little Oblivions is the breathtaking introspection of Baker, alone at a piano (“Song in E”), pouring her whole heart into her songs. They’re more fearless than ever, with instrumental scope to match that of their overwhelming emotions. (PASTE) 

 

14. St. Vincent DADDY’S HOME: slinky, smart, and gloriously down-and-out, St. Vincent’s latest brings us back to the New York of the Velvet Underground and the Factory’s waifs, leaving us to lounge among the glitter and the grit. Our generation’s rock & roll chameleon, Annie Clark delves into her formerly incarcerated father’s record collection to deliver Bowie- and Prince-esque tunes that are simultaneously utterly her own, weaving in brass and backup singers, while still reflecting that sepia-tone-tinted musical era. The record’s throwback appeal is made all the more delicious because we know Clark will only inhabit this skin until the next one, making the anticipation even greater to see where she heads next. (SPIN) 

  

15. Lia Ices FAMILY ALBUM: may come off a little one-note for those who aren’t particularly interested in Ices’ style, but if you give the album the attention it needs, it reveals bountiful details, surprises, and moving moments. It’s catchy sometimes, and somber and slow other times. It’s also such a delight to hear Ices back at the piano, evidenced best by the staggeringly gorgeous and spare title track. Her knack for melody and creating a very specific sound with such a familiar arsenal of tools is on full display, perhaps more than ever on this album, which is also her most collaborative work, full of guests who come and go and lend only the most graceful additions to the songs. (BEATSPERMINUTE) 

 

16. Little Simz SOMETIMES I MIGHT BE INTROVERT: it’s been interesting to watch the progress of Little Simz’s career over the past five years: each project a stunning leap from its predecessor, juxtaposed with surety of writing skill and confidence. But the key ingredient is conscience because, let’s be frank, an album of this political ambition tends to fall down around its edges at some point. Simz doesn’t force her points though…there’s no rush to stick the landing because she is trusting the musical progress to walk hand in hand with its black intent. 

 

17. Gallant NEPTUNE: it’d be criminal to paint a picture of Gallant’s perceived loneliness as something of his own doing. The singer stumbles across individuals who ruin the few moments he has it together. Take “Dynamite” with Brandy, for example, Gallant deals with a woman who’s both insecure and blinded by the fame and money that surrounds her. Blowing up their lives to the most basic element would be nice but it’s highly unrealistic, something he accepts in the song. Gallant even deals with his frustrations on “Scars.” The up-tempo, dance-friendly track is enwrapped with both the physical and emotional pain that the singer carries on his shoulders. He balances nonchalance with discontent with a track that ultimately finds him moving one to the next awaiting soul who is hopefully ready for what he has to offer. (UPROXX) 

 

18. Billie Marten FLORA FAUNA: a collection of songs that acknowledge the need to weed-out toxic behaviours, using metaphors in nature to nod to both her imperfections and personal growth or humankind’s precariousness. All this is sound tracked, largely, by a departure from the pretty but safe acoustic sound of her 2016 debut ‘Writing Of Blues And Yellows’ and its 2019 follow-up ‘Feeding Seahorses By Hand’. Marten learned bass and listened to lots of Krautrock around this record; the melodies here are her most moreish, her stories are her most open and experimentation is at its broadest. (NME) 

  

19. Odette HERALD: Sonically, the album takes flight with orchestral strings, brass and woodwind arrangements intertwined with electronic elements. While Herald largely sits in line with other rising bedroom pop artists like Joy Crookes, Arlo Parks and Celeste, the album also makes bold experiments that pay off. Spoken-word track "Feverbreak," featuring the Australian electronic duo Hermitude, recalls the work of rapper Kae Tempest, while sound collage of "Amends" includes found sounds of insects and magpies, giving the track a perfect Aussie touch. (EXCLAIM.CA) 

 

20. Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine A BEGINNER’S MIND: while in the past Sufjan Stevens has drawn inspiration from his personal history, the United States, and the cosmos, for A Beginner’s Mind, he and collaborator Angelo De Augustine looked to the movies. On some of these songs, the connections are immediately evident and logical. For instance, the bizarre horror of Hellraiser III is a clear influence on the ominous “The Pillar of Souls,” and the serene “Olympus,” based on Clash of the Titans, is, predictably, filled with mythological figures. But other songs reach far beyond the kernels of inspiration offered by their respective sources to arrive at the unexpected and empathetic conclusions for which Stevens is known. On the De Augustine-led stunner “Murder and Crime,” the duo spins the dystopia of Mad Max into a dirge for an unjust world, and on “Fictional California” (titled after an out-of-context phrase from the Wikipedia page for Bring It On Again), they reinterpret a cheerleading competition as a story about vulnerability. Leave it to Stevens and De Augustine to find true emotion in unconventional sources. (SLANT)