Best Music of 2021

What do you think about Lael Neale's album "Acquainted with night"? I'm just listening to it. Great intimate, introspective vocals in a lo-fi production. Harp, harmonium and drum sounds in the background. It feels nostalgic and like a warm summer breeze. Might get a bit monotonous in total though, but some great songs on it.

Another interesting very quiet album is "Time waits for no one" by Cheval Sombre. Very emotional vocals on deep ballads. Gentle and slowing down. A record to listen to with closed eyes.

I also like "Yol" by Altin Gün. It's an Amsterdam based psychedelic band with many funk and Turkish folk influences. Many synths are used, songs are influeced by New Wave. Still the songs feel fresh to me, like it's retro and futuristic at the same time.
 
So far this year the biggest standout still for me is Black Country, New Road. I cannot get enough of it. I also enjoy the new Julien Baker. The new Hayley Williams hasn't clicked with me just yet, but I hope it does. The new Hold Steady is also surprisingly great, like their best album since Stay Positive. Other than that, I am really looking forward to Japanese Breakfast...and that's all I can think of at the moment.
 
Bennnnn said:
So far this year the biggest standout still for me is Black Country, New Road. I cannot get enough of it. I also enjoy the new Julien Baker. The new Hayley Williams hasn't clicked with me just yet, but I hope it does. The new Hold Steady is also surprisingly great, like their best album since Stay Positive. Other than that, I am really looking forward to Japanese Breakfast...and that's all I can think of at the moment.
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Saaaaaame on the BC, NR album 🔥🔥 The Weather Station and Snowpoet albums round out my top 3 for the year as of right now. And then there are about a dozen albums just under those that have the potential to be in that top tier for me. 2 months in, what a year already!!
 
Bennnnn said:
I love Actor so much. It was the first new release of hers I heard. I got into her debut right before and was blown away by what she did on Actor. Strange Mercy was another big step forward to me. But I was so disappointed in the S/T. It was weird to see because I had been such a huge fan before and it seemed like that was the album that got more people into her music. And I still haven’t figured out why.

side note: Catching on twice on the Strange Mercy tour was incredible. And got to meet her after one of the shows and she was incredibly nice. I feel like doing that is probably much harder these days.
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That may be one reason Actor is my favorite: it was the first album I heard by her, maybe a year or so after it came out. My friend gave me a burnt copy with Oh My God at the end, and I think it hit during a magical year for me. I do like the S/T, I just think the second half has some of her weaker songs. The first time I saw her live was on the S/T tour, though, and I still loved it. Wish I would've seen her earlier in her career, when her oddness was understated.
 
musicjunkiegreg said:
And another:

Tristen - Aquatic Flowers - May 28


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That's crazy to see someone talk about Tristen here. I used to go to open mics she hosted when I was younger, and we were supposed to play a show together in Chicago back in 2006 but she had some vocal issues that day. I'm glad to see her music career doing well; I know she played in Jenny Lewis' band several years back.
 
mrjoshuamccormack said:
That's crazy to see someone talk about Tristen here. I used to go to open mics she hosted when I was younger, and we were supposed to play a show together in Chicago back in 2006 but she had some vocal issues that day. I'm glad to see her music career doing well; I know she played in Jenny Lewis' band several years back.
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Haha, yeah, it's crazy that someone else here knows who she is. I've only casually listened to Tristen's music over the years, but that's an excellent story you have, very cool! I think we all have a story or two we can tell about an artist that is completely unique or a live experience that is one of a kind.

Speaking of unique stories:

My Mom grew up with, rode horses with, and lived just down the road from Jason Newsted (Metallica's bassist from the late 80s through the 90s). Because of that, Metallica was one of my favorite bands through my childhood.

And just late last February (my last live show before the pandemic), my wife and I saw one of my favorite metal/prog rock bands, Opeth, live in Chicago (my second time seeing them). At the end of the show their drummer, Martin Axenrot, reached out into the crowd and gave me his sticks. And prior to that, the vocalist from the opening band, Graveyard, gave me their paper set list they had taped to the stage when they played. Such an awesome night!
 
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