The Albums (& EPs) of 2021
- tatimonty
- Dec 31, 2021
- 4 min read
Well here we are -- the end of 2021. It's been quite the year -- both in music, and in the world in general.
A ton of albums have been released over the course of the last twelve months, but these are my albums (plus EPs) of the year - in reverse order, for suspense, of course. I'm also going to try to keep the explanations/descriptions short because it's NYE and I don't want to be typing at my laptop all day. Besides, I genuinely think these albums & EPs need to speak for themselves.
Let's start with the EPs, shall we?
EPs of 2021
5) Conversations with Myself | Sarah Barrios
To say Sarah Barrios is one of the artists I'm most excited about right now is an understatement. It's only been a few months since I discovered her music, but I am obsessed. Her EP from this year, Conversations with Myself, is a good example of why exactly I'm so excited about her music. It's raw and real while still being fun (albeit sometimes sad).
4) Gone | Emilie Adams
Emilie Adams is yet another artists I'm excited about. Her music is exciting, it's fun, it's, well, kind of sexy. Her EP, Gone, is a bit of everything.
3) Feelings | NIGHTBREAKERS
Feelings was an EP that stuck with me a lot harder than I thought it would. It might only be five tracks, but they're all bangers. Every single one of them. It's an all-around great EP. Can't really say anything negative about it.
2) Fever | Against the Current
On the long side for an EP at seven tracks, Fever sees a return to more rock roots for Against the Current. And, boy, is it wonderful. There's not a lacking track on the album. And it really hits home too, lyrically. Makes me super excited for what's to come from them, well, moreso than I was already.
1) DESPERATE TIMES DESPERATE PLEASURES | Boston Manor
To the surprise of no one, probably, who has ever heard me talk about Boston Manor, their EP is my EP of the year. There's really no hesitancy on that -- it's five tracks of near perfection. It's once again honest and raw, paired perfectly with a sound I can only describe as theirs. As always, they've really outdone themselves with this one.
Albums of 2021
7) XOXO: From Love & Anxiety In Real Time | The Maine
Released in July, this album is quite the feel-good vibe and sees it's fair share of danceable tunes while still keeping it pretty real. This album is a fun listen and, in my opinion, is one of the best summer releases of the year.
6) OK Orchestra | AJR
This album dropped all the way back in March, so I'm not going to lie, I kind of forgot that this was a 2021 release. I shelved it as a whole for much of the summer when I got really behind on new music and just ultimately didn't listen to music as much, but when I came back to it in the fall, I was reminded just how good of an album this is. It's exactly what AJR is in terms of sound and experimentation and it's really impressive. I cannot remember what I said about it when I reviewed it upon release, but regardless, my opinion on this album is even higher now than it was nine months ago.
It's a fun, lively, albeit very real record. I thought it would be hard to follow up Neotheater - but they proved otherwise. If somehow you haven't heard a single song from OK Orchestra, well, you need to.
5) Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2 | Ice Nine Kills
A follow-up to 2018's The Silver Scream seemed like a really challenging feat. But they took everything and elevated it to an entirely new level. Metal meets horror once again for quite the killer album. It's always really impressive to see the things Ice Nine Kills create, and this record would probably be higher on my list if I actually had more time to sit and listen to it these past few months. Make no mistake -- I will rectify that, and so should you, if you haven't already listened to it.
4) trauma factory | nothing,nowhere.
Released back in February, trauma factory has had nearly a years-long hold on me. Some days I'm honestly surprised this record isn't a few spots higher on my list. nothing,nowhere is an incredible artist who continues to put out some of the most honest songs I've ever heard. This album is no exception.
3) The Band CAMINO | The Band CAMINO
This is an album that I genuinely liked when it dropped, but as the rest of the year progressed, every song became catchier to me, hit me harder and suddenly my opinion of this album changed. I love this album. Their self-titled debut full-length hits so many high notes, it's really an incredible listen.
2) Greatest Hits | Waterparks
There was a long period of time I genuinely believed this would be my AOTY. And I think it just barely isn't. It's got the perfect highs and lows an album should have, sandwiched between an incredible opening track and a super solid closing track. This record has something for everyone on it, it's just that good, and in some ways, that eclectic. It sees Waterparks trying new things and killing it.
1) We Should Be Having Fun | American Teeth
I first found American Teeth this year, and I can't lie, I never imagined his debut album would be my AOTY. But it's an incredible record. It hits a lot of incredible notes. And American Teeth is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists and I genuinely believe he's going to create some cool shit -- this album is proof of that. It's a fun album. Is it perfect? No, it's not, I'll admit to that. But that's one thousand percent okay. It may not be a flawless album (where's the fun in that anyways?) but it was perfect for me this year. It was exactly what I needed. Give it a listen -- you won't regret it.
There you have it -- my albums and EPs of 2021. What are yours?
Here's to 2022 -- may it be an even better year than 2021, no matter how hard or easy that may be a feat.
Comments