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algabor writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2020: Al Gabor
Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2020. Our next list is from volunteer Al Gabor.
#1 Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers (Dead Oceans)
Phoebe Bridgers impressed on her first album, Stranger in the Alps (2017), then kept on impressing as a member of boygenius and Better Oblivion Community Center. On Punisher, the unfolding strength of her songwriting ability is astonishing. Her lyrics are by turns enigmatic, touching and drop-dead funny. This album makes me shake my head and smile: Phoebe Bridgers is just going to get better and better.
#2 Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan (Columbia)
Dylan has always drawn his inspiration from a wide range of sources, from French Symbolist poetry, to the Beats, to roadhouse blues. Rough and Rowdy Ways finds him rummaging through the attic of (mostly American) history, literature and pop culture. No dots are connected here: Dylan leaves that to the listeners. At a time when we are consumed with what is happening to (or denied to) us now, anything that makes us consider a broader perspective should be treasured.
#3 and #4 (Tie) Untitled (Black Is); Untitled (Rise) by Sault (Forever Living Originals)
These two albums, released just three months apart, became the crucial soundtracks of this year, reflecting the turmoil of this summer and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Everything about these albums impress: the variety of the music (house, funk, soul, African polyrhythms, disco), the dedication of the artists (most of whom remain anonymous), and the urgency of the message.
#5 Good Souls Better Angels by Lucinda Williams (Thirty Tigers)
Lucinda Williams is pissed, and it’s a rage of biblical proportions. She derides a man without a soul (two guesses) and prays the devil back to hell. Good Souls Better Angels contains fiery blues rockers performed with punk intensity and gospel fervor. And when the rage is spent, she sings moving country blues like “Big Black Train.” A vital album.
#6 Saint Cloud by Waxahatchee (Merge)
It’s fitting that Katie Crutchfield records under a place name. By nailing down the regional, the specific, she gets to the heart of the universal. A quietly powerful album that gets stronger with every listen.
#7 Daughter by Lydia Loveless (Honey, You're Gonna Be Late)
By slow turns, Loveless has honed and deepened her craft. She is older, not the teenager with her head up some guy’s ass anymore (as she wrote in “Chris Isaak”). Her songs cut deeper and the stakes are higher.
#8 Silver Tongue by Torres (Merge)
After falling out with her former label, 4AD, Mackenzie Scott self-produced Silver Tongue. She has learned from her past efforts working with producer Rob Ellis, and she’s crafted a sonically eclectic album. The songs express the emotional vulnerability and heartache of being the more committed partner in an unequal relationship.
#9 Private Lives by Low Cut Connie (Contender/MidCitizen)
Adam Weiner, the lead man and songwriter of Low Cut Connie, has always been a storyteller, but this time around the characters in these songs seem more complicated and real. But if the songs are more contemplative, the basics remain the same: piano-based rock delivered with unchecked passion.
#10 Invisible People by Chicano Batman (ATO)
Nothing like a pandemic to turn “invisible people” into essential workers. The fourth album from this Southern California band is their richest, most political and most focused release yet.
Honorable Mentions:
The Beths -- Jump Rope Gazers (Carpark)
Ratboys -- Printer’s Devil (Topshelf)
Porridge Radio -- Every Bad (Secretly Canadian)
Shamir – Shamir (self-released)
Gil Scott-Heron/Makaya McCraven -- We’re New Again (XL)
Star -- Violence Against Star (Half a Cow) [Thanks for the tip, Nicole!]
Next entry: CHIRP Radio Best of 2020: Joe Held
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