ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2020

Didn't check out this album either but I liked the direction her singles took so I will

bonus tracks on the deluxe are great too

xp Or rather I am, right now, and it sounds good! Metal and bubblegum, two of my favourite things

“Concrete” was my song of 2020 and I own the Poppy LP (waited patiently for months during a pandemic to get it on vinyl to boot) but it never had a sniff of getting into my Top 25. That’s how good a year it was.

I had this album in my top 10. I secretly suspected it might be the #78 victim so I'm glad to see it here.

yeah important to stress that it was an amazing year and there will be lots of albums I liked or loved in this 77 that I didn't vote for

Also this makes me glad I decided to break my rule of no overlaps between the albums and songs lists, otherwise this might not have made the countdown.

okay the Max Brown title-track is the absolute star of the show, and it made me wait the whole album to hear it haha

that's where i'm at too
top stuff

ooo

https://i.imgur.com/H4o0Bm6.jpg
#74: Kairon; IRSE! - “Polysomn” - 188 points - 5 votes

Rolling Stoner/Psych 2020

https://kaironirse.bandcamp.com/album/polysomn-2

“Finnish four-piece Kairon; IRSE! are one of a number of acts dissecting the sounds of shoegaze, krautrock and prog; jumbling up the components and piecing them back together to make a murky and oppressive spaced out stew.”
https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/kairon-irse-polysomn-album-review

well that image is very pleasing

yes!! sooo relieved this made it as it was desperately close to my 25. the Wastement boys on absolute fire in 2020. beautiful, violent shoegaze glory

I voted for An Bat None in the tracks poll instead, which missed out by like 4 points :(

okay the Max Brown title-track is the absolute star of the show, and it made me wait the whole album to hear it haha

― imago, Monday, February 1, 2021 10:46 AM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

that's where i'm at too
top stuff

― nxd, Monday, February 1, 2021 10:47 AM (three minutes ago)

Jordan is right that you all should check out his previous album too when you get the chance

Love the Jeff Parker album, and anyone who's listening for the first time and liking it should definitely check out his previous one on International Anthem, which is even better imo:
https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/the-new-breed

― change display name (Jordan), Monday, February 1, 2021 9:31 AM (seventeen minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Jordan OTM. I like all of his solo albums, tbh, though the pre-International Anthem ones are more straight-ahead.

5 votes

There's something I've been missing with Jeff Parker. He is fine as a sideman but I'm not sure I really get what makes him worth listening to over any other major jazz guitarist. Will try again with this one.

Don't know anything about this one, either! Sounds very cool and spacey so far.

Opening track of the Kairon is stellar imo

this is an annoying thing to say but if I'd heard "an Bat None" in time I'd have voted for it in tracks and it would have made the rollout :(

Yeah, I must've missed any discussion of this, I'm feeling it.

xp

On a very quick skim on Bandcamp: liking their maximalist sound but the vocals may be a dealbreaker for me.

This is another, like Jeff Parker, in the 'previous album incredible' bracket imo

xp i like the vocals - sounds like the pale saints!

anyhow it seems like a cool record overall, sounds kinda like mew meets swervedriver or something?

My copy of that Kairon IRSE album just arrived yesterday, but haven't had a chance to spin it yet. I've heard incredible things about their two most recent albums.

Feel like both the Parker album and this one start so strong that the rest of the tracks are kind of diminishing returns. But as I said with Parker, I feel like there's enough to like here that I'll come back to it.

the Jeff Parker and Kairon IRSE both got lots of play over here this year

Like, Nels Cline and Mary Halvorson released epic albums and this was what everyone lost their shit for? Xps

I liked the Halvorson a lot! Playing the Parker now and it's lovely.

https://i.imgur.com/ADtmgQV.jpg
#73: Deftones - “Ohms” - 188 points - 6 votes

Deftones: Underrated?

“After two and a half decades, Deftones are still finding new ways to energize, enrage, and inspire themselves – and with Ohms, they’re finding new ways to peak.”
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/82095/Deftones-Ohms/

too low

i like that moka's design template makes the album art look like a face in the moon

I dig the Jeff Parker, it really is a suite, feels like a unitary work. Have not listened to the Nels Cline album from last year, I should.

Deftones??!! Actually, I do remember people chatting about this, but I think I thought they were joking!

Like, Nels Cline and Mary Halvorson released epic albums and this was what everyone lost their shit for? Xps

I listen to the Parker album more like an electronic record. He cares about sound & texture, it's more about the concept/big picture than the guitar playing. The Nels Cline & Halvorson records are more jazz documentary style recordings, more like guitarist's guitarist albums.

Also the Parker album really translated well to pandemic home listening, I don't really want much skronk these days.

Today I learned that Deftones still made music after, like, 2005.

wow, I haven't listened to a Deftones album since the 90s. I guess I was kind of vaguely aware they were still going, but did not expect them to show up here.

they have never made a bad album and are one of the best bands ever

agreed

my sole 'tones vote went to the phantogram remix alas

Idk if I've ever heard one of their songs, but I am impressed by the loyalty on display here

yeah, I'm gonna check this out. This was one of my favorite bands when I was 20ish.

Yeah def tones of it

I listen to the Parker album more like an electronic record. He cares about sound & texture, it's more about the concept/big picture than the guitar playing. The Nels Cline & Halvorson records are more jazz documentary style recordings, more like guitarist's guitarist albums.

Also the Parker album really translated well to pandemic home listening, I don't really want much skronk these days.

― change display name (Jordan), Monday, February 1, 2021 10:17 AM (one minute ago) bookmarkflaglink

Wish more modern jazz was like this.

Don't think I've ever intentionally heard a deftones song or album. Where should I start?

they also progress on each album while still retaining the core sound, which i think is my favorite way to evolve musically: every album different but also the same

best introduction to deftones is the album white pony

thanks brad

Thanks, Jordan. I'll listen with that in mind.