ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2021

<3 to Moka for an awesome job but maybe pls post subsequent ties separately? we don't want any OH GOD NOT THIS collateral damage lol

not that I feel remotely that way about either of these!!

Lingua Ignota was my number one. I think I only listened to it three times this year, but it's an intense experience.

I really did like the LI but didn't vote for it. Caligula still her greatest imo

There are some great lyrics on The Marfa Tapes, too. Not what you might expect from an album fronted by a superstar.

e.g. "Anchor": When the moonlight hits the water/ The reflection hits your eyes/ I can't take it any longer/ And this rope is pulling tight/ Be my anchor, pull me under/ In this river here tonight/ 'Cause I can't breathe when I'm with you/ When I'm with you, I can fly

"Anchor" was one of my favorite songs of the year... I was a little surprised it didn't get any attn in the tracks poll (do folks here not like... songs)?

Not sure why you wouldn't expect great lyrics from a Miranda Lambert–fronted album, tho ;)

OMG Julius Eastman!! I don't think I even realized that was 2021, it rules

I've been too scared of the lack of noise to do the whole Lingua Ignota album yet, but I nommed and voted for 'Pennsylvania Furnace'.

Also those lyrics are so corny, why do people keep posting them???

thank you emil.y

Xp imago: ok! I’ll separate the next ties!

https://i.imgur.com/o8OEhaI.jpg
38. HTRK - Rhinestones
206 points / 7 votes
Song from the album: “Kiss Kiss and Rhinestones”
HTRK/Hate Rock Trio

ty moka

Hatrack!

Finally HTRK crack the ilx poll! This one seems to have more critical weight behind it than their last few. I love them most when they're at their smallest and vaguest, these are lovely tiny songs.

Never listened to HTRK before, but I did a double take on the first track to make sure I hadn't accidentally clicked play on a Nouvelle Vague album.

jesus have Deafheaven actually saved Britpop here

inconclusive but promising so far. it's enough to know that the vocalist wishes to be In Blur

love HTRK and the last few things they've done have been excellent, they've dialled down the electronics on this, but they're still one on of the most affecting bands around imo

Do you Eastman heads like this one more than the OG lo-fi 1974 recording?

This might be my favorite poll in years already. So many records I really loved but didn't put on my ballot are here: Ran Cap Duoi, Rochelle Jordan, Tyler and HTRK were all great records and could have well been on my list weren't it maybe for recency bias on a few things I enjoyed at the end of the year.

And Lingua Ignota was was on my list. Gorgeous followup to her last one which was an all timer.

https://i.imgur.com/KWtSUtJ.jpg
37. Jane Weaver - Flock
208 points / 8 votes
Video from the album: “Heartlow”
Jane Weaver

think i threw some points this way
lovely record, and i kept revisiting every season of 2021

Also those lyrics are so corny, why do people keep posting them???

― emil.y, Wednesday, February 9, 2022 11:19 AM (thirty-five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

bc we have a different opinion than you?

A country song with corny lyrics? Whaaa?

To be fair, I could see them working in a song and being effective. A lot of lyrics that work in a song context are terrible when written down. My reaction more was that people were C&Ping them multiple times as examples of greatness, when they're really just bog-standard lines.

fwiw, I missed that imago had already quote-pasted them, so apologies if the repetition was annoying. you should listen to the song, though! (if you haven't)

https://i.imgur.com/1uV6OHt.jpg
36. The Weather Station - Ignorance
209 points / 8 votes
Video from the album: “Robber”
The Weather Station (Tamara Lindeman)

there was a great album released last year for those that dislike lyrics
https://willandthehumbugs.bandcamp.com/album/now-thats-what-i-call-one-hum-wonders

weather station album had some moments but left me cold overall

Ignorance is a really lush whirling thing overall; not sure anything tops Robber but it's all good stuff. I think I still love her previous album the most though.

really like the first two songs on this but the rest of it to me is just tasteful but dull canada rock

https://i.imgur.com/IZ6zzoD.jpg
35. Wau Wau Collectif - Yaral Sa Doom
212 points / 6 votes / 1 #1 vote
Video from the album: “Mouhamodou Lo and His Children”

Very interested in the Ran Cap Duoi record, new to me as well.

Voted for a Jane Weaver track rather than the album, but I like the album. And did vote for the Weather Station, tuneful bunch of songs. (I like them best when they remind me of Christine McVie.)

weather station album had some moments but left me cold overall

― roflrofl fight (voodoo chili), Wednesday, February 9, 2022 1:26 PM (three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

hey now don't shoot the messenger

lol dull Canada rock. CBCcore

enjoyed the wau wau

yessss I voted for Yaral Sa Doom, love it

awesome to see this so high! It was my #2 but I kind of regret that, it really was the album I enjoyed the most from 2021

I wanted to like that Wau Wau Collectif album more than I did. There's some really cool parts to it but the whole thing just didn't connect with me that much. Perfectly happy to see it here, though.

lol evan i was trying to find a weather related pun but was too lazy, thank you for your service

this preview track is a genuinely lovely vibe at least

I adore that track, but the whole album has a lot more range than that one might suggest

https://i.imgur.com/nSVYP1a.jpg
34. The Bug - Fire
216 points / 7 votes
Song from the album: “Demon”
The Bug - Pressure

https://i.imgur.com/HcEh9vW.jpg
33. Richard Dawson & Circle - Henki
218 points / 9 votes
Video from the album: “Lily”
Richard Dawson (raucous experimental UK folk racket w/ intense picaresque realness vox)

loved henki, especially ivy

Low on my ballot but yes obv I voted for this, Dawson never misses. Circle was perhaps the junior partner in terms of the songwriting share, but the closing track Pitcher is where they shine brightest. Generally quite a backloaded album; Methusaleh and Lily are also standouts imo

Ah yes, this was one of the ones I *was* expecting to place. Was nervous about the project sounding great on paper but being disappointing, but I was not disappointed. Really fucking good stuff.

I wasn't mad keen when Dawson started moving towards band projects in general, and there are some things he's done where I have felt like it adds nothing to his older & more raw solo work, but when he gets proggy and epic it's wonderful.