Thursday, December 30, 2021

On The Right Side of 2021

     Though it was certainly a lot better than 2020, I don't think 2021 is going to down in the global history books as a great year.   But, as always, there was a lot of great music.  I'd especially recommend all of the following artists' 2021 releases: Strand of Oaks' In Heaven, Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird's These 13, David Sanford's A Prayer for Lester Bowie, First Aid Kit's Live Tribute to Leonard Cohen, Rodrigo Amarante's Drama, A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato, Lord Huron's Long Lost, Charley Crockett's: 10 for Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand, and Sons of Kemet's Black to the Future

      As usual, I've only included artists who weren't on the two previous years compilations with the exception of Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten.  (They sound so good together and the song just really captured 2021 for me, so there you go.) I've also re-upped all my previous "best of" yearly compilations (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020).



Disc 1
She Walks in Beauty (with Warren Ellis):  Marianne Faithfull
Could It Be:  Dominique Fils-Aimé
Candles in the Sun:  Miguel
MURDA:  BLK ODYSSY
Mellow Peaches:  The Black Keys
Heartbeat Of America:  Billy Strings
I'm Still Here:  Travis Linville
Blue Mesas:  Leon Bridges
If You Have Ghosts:  Chelsea Wolfe
I Will Be Your Shield:  Billy Bragg
Here's The Thing:  Courtney Barnett
Stones of Silence:  Bobby Gillespie and Jehnny Beth
Dizzy Atmosphere:  David Sanford Big Band
Galacticana:  Strand of Oaks
The Starchaser:  Menahan Street Band
3:00 AM:    HAIM
Just Because You Can:  Speed the Plough
Red Velvet Rope:  Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird
 
Disc 2
 
Who by Fire / As the Mist Leaves No Scar:  First Aid Kit
Blue Raspberry:  Tobacco City
The Globe:  Son Volt
That I Get Back Home:  Deer Tick
Hot & Heavy:  Lucy Dacus
Marathon of Anger:  Parquet Courts
Cosmosis [feat. Ben Okri & Skepta]:  Tony Allen
Movement 5:  Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & The London Symphony Orchestra
Caroline:  Arlo Parks
Tanto:  Rodrigo Amarante
The World Is A Ghetto:  Los Lobos
Love Me Like You Used To:  Lord Huron
Mighty Lonesome Man:  Charley Crockett
Makin Memories:  Melissa Carper
Relative Fiction:  Julien Baker
Call Me A Fool:  Valerie June (w/Carla Thomas)
Put On A Smile:  Silk Sonic
But Beautiful:  Mandy Barnett
 
Disc 3
 
Drinking in America:  Chris Eckman
I’m Waiting For The Man:  Matt Berninger
Screaming:  Jake Bugg
Chismiten:  Mdou Moctar
Pick Up Your Burning Cross:     Sons Of Kemet [feat. Moor Mother & Angel Bat Dawid]
The Same Tree:  CTMF
Fox On The Run:  Daniel Donato
Long Time Gone:  The Flatlanders
Pretty Good:  Nathaniel Rateliff
Rare to Wake:  Shannon Lay
Phase One Million:  Vanishing Twin
Point and Kill:  Little Simz feat. Obongjayar
Give Me Fifteen:  Aimee Mann
Virginia Beach:  Hamilton Leithauser & Kevin Morby
One of These Things First:  Susanna Hoffs
Little Green Apples:  Real Estate
I Never Could Get Enough:  My Morning Jacket
Like I Used To:  Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen