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).
"Spoon practically always delivers. There are some really thoughtful tracks here. I love the shout out to Austin Texas singer-songwriter Dale Watson in the title track. Recommended. Condensed to a 7" Single: A-Side: The Hardest Cut B-Side: The Devil & Mister Jones"Reply
"Crazy stuff, very reminiscent of Daughter's "You Won't Get What You Want," but in a hip hop version. Ominous atmosphere, with plenty of runtime comprised of suspenseful rapping over minimalist or noisy (even all-out screechy at times) background beats. My opinion is that this form of music is not...""Crazy stuff, very reminiscent of Daughter's "You Won't Get What You Want," but in a hip hop version. Ominous atmosphere, with plenty of runtime comprised of suspenseful rapping over minimalist or noisy (even all-out screechy at times) background beats. My opinion is that this form of music is not meant for casual listening at all, but for a dedicated appreciation to the lyrics and artistic value. An exception might be "Check the Lock;" total banger within this album's context."[+]Reply
"Too much water. Never enough. Except on the tracks that don't quite have as much water, but Ichiko probably has the best vocal chops for 2020 singer/songwriters, by an ocean-wide margin."Reply
"It's taken about a half-dozen listens (of the offline version), but it finally clicked. There really just isn't anything quite like this. It's a dark, hard-hitting, no-holds-barred gauntlet of killer bars and mind-bending beats. Yeah, maybe you could trim this down, but why would you want to when...""It's taken about a half-dozen listens (of the offline version), but it finally clicked. There really just isn't anything quite like this. It's a dark, hard-hitting, no-holds-barred gauntlet of killer bars and mind-bending beats. Yeah, maybe you could trim this down, but why would you want to when you've got an album this impeccable."[+]Reply
"85 to 95/100 (Continuing a trend of punk albums absolutely kicking my ass in 2021, this album goes ahead and kicks ((perhaps)) the very hardest. Post punk, dance punk, noisey rock, artsy heaviness, oh my! Oh and go listen to "Snow Day" if you wanna see what is so great about Shame.) This album fu...""85 to 95/100 (Continuing a trend of punk albums absolutely kicking my ass in 2021, this album goes ahead and kicks ((perhaps)) the very hardest. Post punk, dance punk, noisey rock, artsy heaviness, oh my! Oh and go listen to "Snow Day" if you wanna see what is so great about Shame.)
This album fucking rocks. It makes me wanna mosh and dance and stand still and sad whilst looking out at the city streets and go and tear shit up, all in relatively equal measure across its 42 minutes.
Its nearly relentless in its heaviness, and it IS relentless in its tension and mood. All the while Shame remain undeniably accessible and even catchy.
A few of these songs (namely, Snow Day, Harsh Degrees, Human For A Minute, Born In Luton) are next level statements and just sublime. The rest of the album and its other tracks are also excellent. The slowed down tracks are gorgeous, and manage to be manic and fragile and very tense all at once (The closer, Station Wagon and especially again Human For A Minute are excellent examples of this fine tight rope they so deftly walk.). On the great song 6/1, there is even a moment of emotional depth that rivals early Interpol (it does sound quite similar to some of those classic Turn On The Bright Lights songs).
I don't have much to say of any usefulness. I guess I will summarize in the following run-on sentence: if you love Punk rock, if you love those manic and catchy Talking Heads guitar riffs from their late 70s albums, if you love the spit and fury of John Lydon's vocals and the cooler than cool (ice cold) vocals of peak Strummer, if you love muscular and, frankly, badass Bass lines holding down the furious beast alongside some pummeling Post-Punk drum barrages, if you love albums that come fully formed and beautifully paced and come with the singular purpose of shaking you by the shoulders and giving you a swift kick in the ass, then I think you will LOVE this album and it will become a new favorite or, at the least, you will appreciate the heck out of it.
As I listen to this album more and more throughout the year (and I do think it will be one I am constantly reminded of and sticks with me) I am sure my opinion will blossom a bit. As of now I am mostly just loving that in 2021 I am listening to an album that makes me feel like a vibrant and pissed young rebel again. This album even makes Digital Marketing and IT troubleshooting seem like acts of tortured and righteous rebellion.
"I need a new solution.
I need a new resolution,
and its not even the end of the year.""[+]Reply
"Yep, he’s done it again - another masterful release. This time full of life-affirming positive mantras and a transcendent connection to a higher meaning."Reply
"Album Rating: 83.92 (1,007/12) (Including Bonus Track (1,085/13 = 83.46)) Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Let God Sort Em Out 11.07.2025 The consistency, the beats, the clarity - just a brilliant re-schooled bike shed fumble. 1.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - The Birds Don't Sing (Feat. John Lege...""Album Rating: 83.92
(1,007/12)
(Including Bonus Track (1,085/13 = 83.46))
Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Let God Sort Em Out
11.07.2025
The consistency, the beats, the clarity - just a brilliant re-schooled bike shed fumble.
1.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - The Birds Don't Sing (Feat. John Legend & Voices Of Fire) 93
2.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Chains & Whips (Feat. Kendrick Lamar) 86
3.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - P.O.V. 75
4.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Ace Trumpets 79
5.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - All Things Considered (Feat. Pharrell Williams & The-Dream) 77
6.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - M.T.B.T.T.F. 83
7.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - E.B.I.T.D.A. (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 85
8.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - F.I.C.O. (Feat. Stove God Cooks) 83
9.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Inglorious Bastards (Feat. Ab-Liva) 88
10.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - So Far Ahead (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 84
11.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers (Feat. Nas) 88
12.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - By The Grace Of God (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 86
Bonus Tracks:
13.Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - So Be It 78
Ranked in order of preference:
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - The Birds Don't Sing (Feat. John Legend & Voices Of Fire) 93
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Inglorious Bastards (Feat. Ab-Liva) 88
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Let God Sort Em Out/Chandeliers (Feat. Nas) 88
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - By The Grace Of God (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 86
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Chains & Whips (Feat. Kendrick Lamar) 86
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - E.B.I.T.D.A. (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 85
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - So Far Ahead (Feat. Pharrell Williams) 84
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - M.T.B.T.T.F. 83
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - F.I.C.O. (Feat. Stove God Cooks) 83
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - Ace Trumpets 79
* Clipse (LGSEO - Bonus Track - USA - Jul 25) - So Be It 78
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - All Things Considered (Feat. Pharrell Williams & The-Dream) 77
* Clipse (LGSEO - USA - Jul 25) - P.O.V. 75"[+]Reply
"Post Punk and Art Punk. Oh and REALLY GREAT Post Punk and Art Punk. Oh and this band and album is fucing awesome. And the lead speaker is already a first ballot hall of fame vocalist. Florence "Flo" Shaw, remember that name.) You ever hear one of those albums that, for some reason, makes you smil...""Post Punk and Art Punk. Oh and REALLY GREAT Post Punk and Art Punk. Oh and this band and album is fucing awesome. And the lead speaker is already a first ballot hall of fame vocalist. Florence "Flo" Shaw, remember that name.)
You ever hear one of those albums that, for some reason, makes you smile, instantly and then the whole way through? An album that just sounds so right, so in step with the way you feel and the way you want to express those feelings, you can't help but feel instantly like you are hearing an old favorite despite it being the first time you've ever heard the artist? Yeah, those are great times. And, guess what? That is EXCATLY how I felt about this here debut LP by English Post Punk wry jokesters Dry Cleaning! Isn't that a crazy twist I just concocted there? Bet you didn't realize those first sentences were about this album here!
Anyway, enough of that. More about New Long Leg. Its brilliant. It's the best Post Punk album I've heard in awhile. It is, musically, a tour-de-force of at times ice cold repetitive riffs and at times quite lively, buttery almost funky riffs. The bass playing and the way it is highlighted at times reminds me of the bass heroics of Wobble on Metal Box (don't get yourself in a twist, I'm not saying its exactly the same, just at times that heavy, funky, wobbly dub bass vibe comes through here and there), and other times the bassist is always holding that groove down with such sexy greatness. The drumming is that post punk simplicity with just enough wiggle to keep you guessing.
The songs are all cool and all built around these varying phases of lowkey post punk excellence. Sometimes the songs take weird left turns, such as on the hypnotic second half of album closer "Every day Carry" and the way that weird synth melody is just battered and slashed by these weird effects that get more and more random and unexpected and manic, is glorious.
Yet, really, I'm burying the lead. The star is the utterly unique Florence Shaw. Her wry humour, her at first glance monotone spoken word delivery, the way she takes no one and nothing seriously in the words she graces these tracks with (including herself), the wit and the absurdity of some of these seemingly throw-away lines, everything about her is brilliance. I think some may say she is boring and monotonous, well I don't, and those people are wrong. She is the heart and soul of this album with all due respect to the perfectly done post punk jams that she talks over.
This whole album just feels right. It feels cool, equal parts warm and cold, funny and thought provoking and the perfect antidote to so much of this other (also quite great in most cases) post punk/art punk coming out of England the last few years. Whereas they are oh so earnest and angry and angsty and dour, here comes this gem of an album and band that maintains those similar musical aims and influences but flips the package on its head with a wise crack, a pointless monologue, and a sly smile. Oh and the music is better executed, more unique and more inspired to boot.
In case you can't tell, I just love this album."[+]Reply