Listed below are the best albums of the 2020s (so far) as calculated from their overall rankings in over 59,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 4 hours ago).
"Billie Balearic Beat Yeah 've had varying responses to the Billie phenomenon, her first album was one of the first times listening to it I just felt old- what seemed to be heralded as this brilliant bit of noir pop I just saw a lot of teenage I-cracked-the-code posturing and the fact that the sou...""Billie Balearic Beat
Yeah 've had varying responses to the Billie phenomenon, her first album was one of the first times listening to it I just felt old- what seemed to be heralded as this brilliant bit of noir pop I just saw a lot of teenage I-cracked-the-code posturing and the fact that the sound just felt far too much like nearly everybody who'd blasted out of the post Odd Future hype, though there were a couple of moments (especially "Bury a Friend" and "I Love You") that I could see some real talent and promise for the future. Then came the messy Pandemic release of "Happier than Ever", which I found far more interesting, not only in it's Kid-in-a-candy-store endless genre hopping but in that she was exploring some geniunely conflicted and difficult emotions that made the album feel more directly confessional, even if admittedely the throw-it-on-the-wall approach meant a good number of the songs didn't work (surprisingly the limpest ones were the more directly venomous kiss-offs) and didn't really cohere as an album despite the consistient overarching theme of the emotional torment of sudden fame.
Now I can see why this album has gotten the positive acclaim it has, it's an incredibly lean release full of the kind of shimmering, attractive compositions that Billie and her longtime bro producer Finneas have mastered over the course of her career, and on the surface there is a feeling of more direct and less put-upon angsty singer-songwriter appeal to the overall songs & LP. But... uh... well I guess to go bit by bit: "Skinny" is a solid and incredibly succinct summination of her previous album, both the cost of fame and the invasive personal scrunity (particularly the crassest kind, especially on her own body or love life), if maybe a bit slight overall it still effectively lets the ink dry on the chapter to move forward. Now "Lunch" was oddly ballyhooed as something shocking and daring because of it's dip into direct Sapphic attraction, but uh, which current left-of-center girl singer DOESN't have a lesbian-crush song out there? It's as on-trend as it gets, which doesn't mean it isn't earnest and perhaps an FU to those Twitter weirdos who endlessly hounded her with Queerbaiting accusations, but I mean "Bad Guy" honestly was more risque than this. And mentioning that song of course highlights a major reason why I think a number will have a number of major "... that's it?" reactions to this song, since it has all the elements to be a major banger in theory, but it doesn't bang at all in practice. I think in many ways Billie's usual detached cool hampers this here as her voice should really morph into a more hormonal throttle, but I donno maybe it's some annoying & dated tricks (f*king hell those perfunctory hand-claps, giving late Aughties flashbacks). It's maybe disappointing that this is what's going to get the most attention when the following tracks are much stronger, a far better mix of the more spacious and fluid compositions anchored strongly in the nucleus by Billie's much more confident though still appealingly delicate husk of a voice. The only somewhat peculiar thing here is why the album went from talking about newfound infatuation to immediately pivoting towards breakup song after breakup song (or more so, Near-Breakup or Missed Ships in the Night songs), there seems to be a track or two that's lying somewhere on an editing room floor.
Only by "The Greatest" am I starting to see some problem with the overall production, as the late additions of percussion and chopped-up distortion feel pounded flat into the composition when they should feel a lot more dynamic and intrusive. Then there's "L'amour de ma vie" which, no, the French title doesn't mean a damn thing, which ultimately is another Ironic not-in-love ballad with a decent but for Billie predictable punchline.... but then that's where the album gets really weird. And I Don't mean that in a good way. Cause just after the song seems to end it suddenly swerves instantly into this 2000s Ibiza-ready deafining Euro Club song though if it were thrown threw a Hyperpop cheese grater, which I admit for the first time I was actually taken aback and surprised when listening, but thematically and musically it has no connection to what came before or after and feels like the equivalent of mustard suddenly and needlessly squeezed onto a sundress. Though I'll take that over the next track, next to that one Micheal Scarn moment from When We All Fall Asleep as one of the only truly terrible tracks she's produced, a ridiciously cheesy electro beat with no humor or progression to make it feel Ironic or Campy or whatever the fuck. At first it was confounding, but when the next track rips-off her own Wish You Were Gay beat but without pithy lyrics or a discernible point at all, it came clearer but also... why? are you going back scrounging for Z-sides from your late 2010 days?
After that bizzare extended interlude, the album does admirably close with a song that could've been a 120-minutes underground smash in the mid 90s, a dense, subtly swirling and smartly layered Electro-accented bit of 90s alt-rock that both lyrically and sonically actually closes the album pretty effectively, even if it's making me question why we needed that needless and jarring bit of leftovers thrown in as the penultimate track(s).
So yeah that's kind of why I find this a mixed bag, less than being hit Hard and Soft on both sides it feels like an album that starts off on a steady Gallop but then kind of Waddles on the edges before gracefully crossing the finish Line. it's certaintly lovely to listen to despite some really questionable choices late in the run but it also has already felt less than meets-the-ear after giving it a couple of repeat listens, maybe her and Finneas's musical choices are starting to feel a bit too lameneted and "Safe Edgy", but also Billie seems to pick and choose when she wants to be more detailed and upfront with her lyrics to skewing a more dead-eyed Coyness and simply straining the emotional crux of the songs to feel more generalized and universal rather than directly personal. It's solid and I can see why some view it as her best, but I find it a slight step down from the previous release and it's following singles which just felt much more from-the-gut even if it led to messier results. Maybe this is just the start as many have already worked the theory this is just the beginning of several colour-coded releases, but for now I'll rate this as a (mostly) musically pleasing release that just feels a bit too tentative at key moments to take that next leap forward."[+]Reply
"When considered as a whole, this album is a sprawling trip into an otherworldly stream of consciousness. Sometimes lulling you blissfully, other times urging your body to be moved with emotion. The already established featured artists on this record adapt perfectly to the cross-genre blending, ne...""When considered as a whole, this album is a sprawling trip into an otherworldly stream of consciousness. Sometimes lulling you blissfully, other times urging your body to be moved with emotion.
The already established featured artists on this record adapt perfectly to the cross-genre blending, never being overstepped by production & never fully taking on too much of the spotlight.
Just riding the sonic wave & playing their part within the music."[+]Reply
"(A near-perfect Indie Folk album that is so much more than just an indie folk album that it feels silly dropping that name/genre/tag on it. It’s still peak-Sufjan - somehow after over 20 years and it’s just a life-affirming, beautiful, escapist work of intense beauty) It’s a good feeling having a...""(A near-perfect Indie Folk album that is so much more than just an indie folk album that it feels silly dropping that name/genre/tag on it. It’s still peak-Sufjan - somehow after over 20 years and it’s just a life-affirming, beautiful, escapist work of intense beauty)
It’s a good feeling having another Sufjan Stevens work to digest and listen to over and over. Also the harmonies and the input from his musical partner here, De Augustine, are excellent. The two of them have made a spiritual, beautiful in every way, gem of an indie folk album. I love it.
My appreciation grows each time I listen. Sufjan has always been an artist that I considered to be a melodic genius. Specifically in his more low key releases, and more acoustic albums, such as Carrie & Lowell and Seven Swans and big chunks of Michigan, he has always had this brilliant way of creating melodies and harmonies that are unabashedly beautiful. His more epic, huge sounding songs and albums are also brilliant, just not quite as much my personal taste/preference.
The only artist I always thought was Sufjan’s equal in being able to create memorable, familiar, warm and engaging melodies seemingly forever and with ease, was Elliott Smith. And this connection is more clear than ever on this album. Specifically on songs like “Murder And Crime” and “Lost in the World”. The former really does sound like peak Smith, it’s incredibly sad and moving. I also find it fascinating that despite having a somewhat similar style melodically (especially on those more Smith-esque tracks) it’s clear that Elliott and Sufjan are VERY different people and artists. There is not the same abyss-dark sadness on these or any Sufjan song. He is more optimistic and whimsical even at his darkest. Just a thought, and a detour.
On the whole, in sort of bland general terms, this album is great. It’s beautiful, it works as a complete album experience, it’s consistent and it’s a beautiful length as well. If you know me you know I have a bias for shorter and more compact albums generally. While I recognize the genius at work with Illinois, Michigan, Age of Adz etc, each of those classic Sufjan albums just - for me - felt too long. This album is a breezy, beautiful escape. It has its emotional highs and lows and its struggles and it’s loves and it’s fantasy themes and all that…. All in 46 or so minutes. Brilliant.
I don’t know what the distribution of contribution was betwixt Sufjan and Angelo. Otherwise, I would make more mention of Angelo’s work. He has a fine voice and creates beautiful harmonies and if this album is any indication, he can stand up alongside a GIANT in modern music quite well. Which is impressive. I plan on learning more about what this collab actually entailed.
The stand tracks are numerous and again the album as a whole works damn well. I actually feel like the second half is stronger ( despite the first half being absolutely stunning with that opener, “Return to Oz” “Olympus” and the brilliant gem of a title track.). Or l, at least the second half is equal and more to my taste vibe-wise. On side 2 “Murder and Crime” and that run of 4 yea is to end the album are just… *chef’s kiss-mixed-with-a-swoon*
In closing, this album is just about the most bracing breathe of fresh air I can imagine. Right as the beautiful Autumn coolness started setting in, I got this life-affirming album, this deep, musically and lyrically rich album, and I will never forget the feeling of listening to it the first couple times while sitting outside in a breezy 60 degree afternoon. It was magical. And the magic hasn’t gone away after 6-7 listens. I think this is an album I will come back to a lot and move higher and higher in my personal rankings and opinions as I do. It’s maybe, close to, my fave Sufjan Album. This and Carrie & Lowell personally are my faves of his - while having love and respect for most of his other projects (that I’ve heard… he has done ALOT). I just have a soft spot for soft, folkie, harmony-rich, almost S&G-style Sufjan. Anyway, What a beautiful, heavenly album. "[+]Reply
"So much of this years music has been a struggle to listen to, not this one, difficult second album it is not, spilling confidently from one track to another. Sounding distinctly more Alternative than last years Dogrel, a more morose tone is struck. Grian’s vocals are once more an oasis of origina...""So much of this years music has been a struggle to listen to, not this one, difficult second album it is not, spilling confidently from one track to another.
Sounding distinctly more Alternative than last years Dogrel, a more morose tone is struck. Grian’s vocals are once more an oasis of originality in a desert of fakers. Let me put that again, refreshingly original.
A Hero’s Death will see scenesters leave in droves as with most buzz-bands, but it proves Dogrel was no fluke and there’s more in the tank. Fontaines DC are gonna be with us for a while yet, they ain’t going anywhere."[+]Reply
"I have been listening to the track Ruined since it dropped and it hasn't left my head since. Looked forward to the album dropping and it did not disappoint. Song for song, Adrianne Lenker makes it sound so easy and hard at the same time. I love her voice and the words she puts together. Her new v...""I have been listening to the track Ruined since it dropped and it hasn't left my head since. Looked forward to the album dropping and it did not disappoint. Song for song, Adrianne Lenker makes it sound so easy and hard at the same time. I love her voice and the words she puts together. Her new version of Vampire Empire completely knocked me over and prefer this version. No drums on album and you don't even notice... until you do, and it doesn't matter... early contender for AOTY."[+]Reply
"Laura's gotten better with each album, and so it is here, as this may be her strongest set of songs so far, despite lacking the experimentation of Semper Femina or her side project LUMP. It's a lush, melodic set of songs, on which I personally feel that Laura conveys more vulnerability than she e...""Laura's gotten better with each album, and so it is here, as this may be her strongest set of songs so far, despite lacking the experimentation of Semper Femina or her side project LUMP. It's a lush, melodic set of songs, on which I personally feel that Laura conveys more vulnerability than she ever has before - though there is sass and fire to be found too, particularly on the track Strange Girl. Case in point is the closer, For You, a simple acoustic ballad with a gorgeous, understated melody that takes the album out on a floaty cloud of warm feelings. Great album!"[+]Reply
"Solid album. She has talked about how she is challenging herself to write great music about ordinary, content, undramatic, life. I would say she is succeeding."Reply
"Diamond Jubilee is an epic of longing, sadness and joy. Across its 32 tracks it manages not only to hold such a high quality track for track, but also establishes and sticks to a clear musical identity. Tracks might vary in tone, instrumentation, vocal delivery or even whether there are instrumen...""Diamond Jubilee is an epic of longing, sadness and joy. Across its 32 tracks it manages not only to hold such a high quality track for track, but also establishes and sticks to a clear musical identity. Tracks might vary in tone, instrumentation, vocal delivery or even whether there are instruments at all, but it all seems to come from its own place, separate to anywhere else. I've always been fascinated by the ability some artists have in creating music that seems to come from a separate world, I'm thinking of artists like Joanna Newsom or the Microphones/Mount Eerie here. The latter stands out as an example of an artist who can significantly change their sound (think of the differences between The Glow Pt 2, Wind's Poem and Dawn) whilst maintaining a clear musical identity, it all evokes a rainy and wild pacific north west with a kind of mythological streak. The same thing happens on Diamond Jubilee. Stone Faces into Gayblevision into Dracula should be jarring in how the tracks vary, instead the common feel of these tracks coming from a gentle but sad place holds them together. A lot is down to the production, nothing's allowed to dominate too much, least of all the vocals, which still manage to be the centrepiece of each track.
I found the record a bit much to take on when it first released, often listening to the first dozen tracks or so and then zoning out a bit more with time. Since the bandcamp release I've got more in the habit of starting at different points and familiarising myself with each of the songs. I really recommend this approach to anyone who's finding the runtime an issue. Some of the real treasures here are the instrumentals and it took me a while to really appreciate them. Olive Drab is bold and energetic, it feeds beautifully into Always Dreaming's harps; Darling of the Diskoteque evokes empty spaces and past times; 24/7 Heaven lives up to its name, it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard (it's interesting how this record focusses more on heaven where What's Tonight to Eternity, a record which makes this sound like the top 40, was more concerned with hell).
A lot's been made of the record's sadder elements, which it does evoke powerfully, but I also find it very romantic. There's a sense of love unfulfilled, by separation or otherwise, but the feelings of emotional closeness are still there. Tracks like All I Want is You or Kingdom Come are really good examples of this, they are ostensibly sad songs, but there's a warmth that comes through, either from Pat's vocals or the instrumental sections, which are often just as revealing. I've recently had to move away from my partner for work and there's a sadness to it, but in those moments of longing you have the time to really appreciate someone for who they are and there's a weird kind of joy in that. It's this type of conflicting emotion that Cindy Lee manage to evoke in so many different ways across Diamond Jubilee, a record that seems to take you to another place."[+]Reply
"There are a ton of really cool ideas and textures here, but boy, for a record that's less than 40 minutes long, it's strangely exhausting. I've listened to it three times by this point, and I still can't say I totally understand what's going on here."Reply
"Enjoyably listenable pop. Tons of disco and soul influence on the writing and sound. Just a good modern take on that whole genre. Not innovative or avant garde, just really listenable."Reply
cestuneblague | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (5 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
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Mercury | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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johnner | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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indieshins | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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HoldenM | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +6 votes (6 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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