After hearing Joy as an Act of Resistance (my favourite album of 2018), Idles became one of my favourite new bands. They play an uncompromising style of punk and post-punk, with jackhammer guitars, loud, unrelenting bass and guitars, and howled vocals about the unfairness of life as a working person. Ultra Mono is just as good as JaaAoR, maybe even a bit better. It's a bit more melodic, and even a bit more noisy.
Like so much music I've grown to love, discovering Civic Center was completely by chance. Both they and their record label, American Dreams, were unknown to me before 2020. Civic Center hail from Chicago, ground zero for a great deal of American industrial music, and the band takes its cues from the more classic sound of early British industrial. Their music is full of minimalist dirges, angular drums and guitars, and howling, distorted vocals. The sound is much like early Cabaret Voltaire mixed with kraut rock bands like D.A.F. and extreme post-punk bands like The Fall and The Birthday Party. Their record label is full of fascinating industrial, post punk and electronics. Another album on the label, Evicshen's Hair Birth, ended up as an honourable mention for 2020.
From the moment Richard Butler begins singing on this album, the bands first proper album in 29 years, a wave of nostalgia and longing hit me like a truck. I had truly missed this band and their unique sound. The Furs haven't changed much in their sound. Made of Rain sounds a lot like 1984's Mirror Moves, in that their sound is the sound that made them so beloved. There are snippets of modern post punk in the album, just enough to remind you that this isn't a classic 80s album, but not enough to pull you out of the wall-of-sound melancholic new wave the band was known for. This was in rotation for much of 2020 and 2021 for me.
Over the past couple of years, Canada's Artoffact Records have built an impressive roster of industrial and post punk band, both domestic and international. Bootblacks are a band that fits right into their sound. A pulsing post punk band with swirling electronic beats and propulsive industrial rock vibes.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Parler Bien - Si Je Suis* - Histoires du Compte-Essex (Independent)
Chicago Underground Trio - Zagreb - Slon (Thrill Jockey)
Apollo Suns - Song for Sterling* - Vital Signs (Independent)
Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline - Upsalapalooza (Independent)
cEvin Key - Night Flower* - Resonance (Artoffact)
Kanga - Home - You and I Will Never Die (Artoffact)
Stereotaxic Device - Man Made God - Stereotaxic Device (KK)
The Hex - Glass Eye* - Victoria's Secret 2021 (Baffled Octopi)
Uniform - Life in Remission - Shame (Sacred Bones)
Vagina Witchcraft - Pyro* - Vagina Witchcraft (Independent)
Cabaret Voltaire - Vasto - Shadow of Fear (Mute)
METZ have been a constant on my year end Top 10 lists. A fantastic noise-punk band from Toronto, their output has been consistently great. Atlas Vending is a good album, but a bit long in the tooth when it comes to noise-punk. METZ are maturing as a band, and this album sees them branching out into more melodic territory without losing the fist to the face sound of abrasive noise. The songs are longer too. Are they losing their edge? Maybe the next album will be the litmus test...
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Ian Daniel Kehoe - Colour Application* - Disco Body Buzz (Tin Angel)
Mctwist - One Time Only* - RNDR005 (Render)
Bright Idea - Glitchin’ Aboot* - RDNR005 (Render)
Operators - I Feel Emotion* - Vital Signs (Independent)
respectfulchild - Beauty* - Vital Signs (Independent0
vinu-vinu - Septembre* - Exilio Transitorio (Independent)
waants - I Won’t Be Sad* - Love U Forever (LHM)
Peppermoth - Light on Mars* - Ventrillokissed (Big Mind)
Smaller Hearts - Back to Ones* - Attention (Independent)
Agath Christ - Easy* - Beg EP (Delicate Automatic)
This album came out of nowhere for me. I had no idea that A Certain Ratio (ACR) were still recording. That being said, this is the first proper album in 12 years. ACR have been around since 1977 and were a seminal left-field, dance and funk fueled post-punk band. They're from the UK, but their sound always had more in common with the no-wave scene of late 70s New York. ACR LOCO feels like it was recorded in a New York loft in 1978 with James Chance or ESG lurking somewhere around the production or engineering part of the record. "Bouncy Bouncy" is classing proto-punk-funk, plumbing the nascent grooves of hipster disco and hip-hop. Lyrics echo the late 70s social problems of hippie and disco culture. This is album is a retro mindtrip that's worth digging into in our 2020s world. It sounds fresh despite being drenched in 70s nostalgia.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Maidens Names - Showhome* - I Now Pronounce You Maidens Names (Independent)
Lee “Scratch” Perry - Babylon Fall - Jamaican ET (Trojan)
Sons of Kemet - Hustle - Black to the Future (Impulse)
JP Meldrum - Fantasy* - Heavenly Scene (Independent)
dad sports - If U Want To* - I'm Just a Boy, Leave Me Alone!! (Grand Jury)
Future Star - Kiss the Mirror* - When Will the DJ of Luv Grant Me My 1 Request (Kingfisher Bluez)
Bridal Party - Jukebox Cutie* - Vital Signs: Live from CJSW (Independent)
Status/Non-Status - Find a Home* - 1, 2, 3, 4, 500 Year (You've Changed)
Jon Gant - Better Than it Seems* - Soft Release (Independent)
Poltergeist - Morning Star* - Hallucinations in the Catacombs (Independent)
Barry Paquin Roberge - Make Up* - Exordium to Extasy (Independent)
Prince Shima - YVR to PVG* - Vital Signs: Live from CJSW (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Drug Sauna - Razzamanazz* - 2% Saunic EP (Independent)
Zoon - Vibrant Colours* - Bleached Waves (Paper Bag)
Klo Pelgag - Remora* - Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (Independent)
Dominique Fils-Aime - Mind Made Up* - Three Little Words (Independent)
Cadence Weapon - Connect* - Parallel World (Independent)
The OBGMs - To Death* - The Ends (Black Book)
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - Break Up* - Theory of Ice (You've Changed)
TOVI - Wandering* - Hard Feelings (Independent)
Bernice - Groove Elation* - Eau de Bonjourno (Telephone Explosion)
Moloko - Knee Deeper - I am Not a Doctor (Independent)
Weird Al Yankovic - Stop Draggin’ My Car Around - Weird Al Yankovic (Rock n Roll)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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The Von Zippers - Truck Stop Nun (Da Slyme)* - Oh Canaduh Two (Lance Rock)
Shovels and Rope - Everybody Hurts (REM) - Broken Jukebox Vol. 3 (Dualtone)
Reid Jamieson - The Israelites (Desmond Dekker)* - Songs of 69 (Independent)
Grapes of Wrath - The Weight (The Band)* - Brave New Waves Sessions (Artoffact)
Devo - Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley) - Total Devo (Enigma)
Okkervil Riker - Riot Act (Elvis Costello) - Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello (Glurp)
Eef Barzelay - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (Al Green) - More Superhits of the 70s (Mike Shell)
Thorn - Pay No Mind (Beck)* - Sunlit Baby (Independent)
Whitehorse - Fade Into You (Mazzy Star)* - Strike Me Down (Six Shooter)
The Pixies - Head On (Jesus and Mary Chain) - Trompe the Monde (4AD)
The Farm - Don’t You Want Me (Human League) - Ruby Trax (NME)
Ohama - Six Days on the Road (Dave Duddley)* - My Electronic Country Album (Independent)
Faith No More - War Pigs (Black Sabbath) - The Real Thing (Warner)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Monodrone - Leather Gloves* - Smooth Cuts (Independent)
Homesick - Omen* - Isolation Tapes (Independent)
A Pact Between Strangers - Laurel* - Power for Power (Independent)
NETRVNNER - Futura* - Into Orbit (Independent)
T. Griffin - Manufacture* - The Proposal (Constellation)
Trash Magic - Time Erasure* - Power World (Independent)
Young Neighbours - Challenger (remix)* - XIMER SUOMAF (Independent)
Niki and the Dove - Mother Protect - Instinct (Sub Pop)
Psaap - Hill of Our Home - The Only Thing I've Ever Wanted (Domino)
Brian Eno - Innocenti - Shutov Assembly (Opal)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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L’abime - Perdu Dans le Bois* - L'abime (Independent)
iskwe - Breaking Down* - The Stars (Aporia)
Danny Bell - The Longest Walks* - Songs from the Town (Good Egg)
Michael Feuerstack - Call of the Tired* - Harmonize the Moon (Forward)
Parasol Ghost - Melodies* - All Else Has Long Been Forgotten (Independent)
Garcon de Plage - Le Bal - Amour Aveugle (RPUT)
Diploids - 87 Tripod* - Ranch (Independent)
Mark Mills - My Bad* - Be Okay (Independent)
Birmani - Lac de la Confusion* - Birmani (Cuchabata)
Da’at - MMXX* - Demo (Independent)
High Arctic - Ghost of Mine* - False Passage (Independent)
Tunto - Convoy Music - YTY (Aani)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Atlatl - Yukon Thunder* - Atlatl (Independent)
Autogramm - Internal Data* - No Rules (Nevado)
The Houses (Where We Grew Up) - Arrested* - Welcome to Kitimat (Independent)
Medicate and Ashley - Funeral Glow* - Nowhere (Independent)
NoMeansNo - The Graveyard Shift* - One (AntAcidAudio)
Spring - Pastel* - Celebrations (Independent)
Outpatient - You’re So Cool* - Unreality EP (Independent)
Tactics - Stifled Yawns* - Demo(n) EP (Slow Death)
Flatbed - Give Me Paw* - So Low Death Snake (Slaughter House)
Flatbed - Hell Pot* - So Low Death Snake (Slaughter House)
DOA - Give ’em the Lumber* - Are U Ready? (Scratch)
The Smugglers - Barkerville* - Team Mint (Mint)
Front Line Assembly - Provision* - Caustic Grip (Wax Trax)
Skinny Puppy - Chainsaw* - Chainsaw EP (Nettwerk)
Yes, I'm chronically behind on my 2020 best of reviews, but I'll get them done eventually dammit!
Jehnny Beth, also known as Camille Berthomier, is best known as the vocalist for British post-punk band Savages. This album, her debut as a solo artist, is rooted in the deadly serious, emotionally and pummelling style of Savages, but is much more. A delicate album, balancing the vicious edge of post punk with spacy electronics, minimalist piano-pop, glitch electronics, industrial,poetry and dark confessional ballads, To Love is to Live is a difficult but rewarding album to listen to. An emotionally raw and draining performance, dripping with urgency and tension.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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No False Suns - The Black Fourth* - Jubilee Me (Independent)
CAAPI - Mydriase* - Mydriase (Cuchabata)
Beat Sexu - Sempre Juntos* - Deuxieme Chance (Pantoum)
BAAB - Moi Aussi* - Redactions Tranquilles (Pantoum)
Pure Carriere - Bolero* - Eterna 83 (Pantoum)
Bernice - Dry River Bed* - Eau de Bonjourno (Telephone Explosion)
Ghoul Talk - Sleeper - Magician EP (Independent)
Maidens Names - American Idol* - I Now Pronounce You Maidens Names (Independent)
Feeling Figures - Try* - Feeling Figures EP (Celluloid Lunch)
Didjits - Top Fuel - Full Nelson Reilly (Touch and Go)
Drug Sauna - Space Dungeon* - 2% Saunic EP (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Outback - Prevent* - Indicator (Independent)
A Toy Rabbit - Peace* - I Believe in Myself (Independent)
Sunalta - Only* - Tidal (Independent)
Rhye - Holy* - Home (Loma Vista)
cEvin Key - Orange Dragonfly* - Resonance (Artoffact)
Kanga - Ritual City - You and I Will Never Die (Artoffact)
Agath Christ - Beg* - Beg (Delicate Automatic)
Emerald Suspension - Locutions - <=15 (Independent)
Cabaret Voltaire - Night of the Jackal - Shadow of Fear (Independent)
Dazeknight - Skywayve* - EMINQC Vol. 3 (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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LAL - Free and Broken* - Meteors Could Come Down (Coax)
J.Alpinist - Shackles* - VHS DUBS (Independent)
Prince Shima - The Line of Kings is Broken* - Fantasy Themes Vol. 1 (Illuminated Paths)
AVI - There Are No Words* - Scattershots (Independent)
AVI - Artifacts* - Scattershots (Independent)
DJ Shub - The Social* - War Club (Independent)
Ohama - Ring of Fire* - My Electronic Country Album (Independent)
Selci - Hide Forever* - A Soft Place (Independent)
Bipolar Cell - Vapor Forest* - EMINQC Vol. 3 (Independent)
Tiger Suit - All the Same* - All the Same (Independent)
AA Wallace - Nothing* - In Alpha Zones (Culvert)
Nick Schofield - Kissing Wall* - Glass Gallery (Backwards)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Soft Fossil - Cyber Funeral* - Dark Star (Independent)
ACT! - Psutka: Section 1 (1-20)*
Scrap Arts Music - Kozak: Tiny Marimba*
Tanya Kalmanovitz, violia, Ted Richeman, pump organ - Kalmanovich: Money Will Make Them Pitiful*
Veronica Hadju, soprano, Requiem Volunteer Orchestra and Chorus - Walde: Requiem for a Glacier, 1st movement, Introit*
Tetrix - Friends in Low Places* - Friends in Low Places (Independent)
AVRIG - Flicker* - Bastudatory (Independent)
Ariel Ulysses - Sickenly Sweet, Clinging to Life* - A Song for a Rainy Day (Independent)
Map 71 - Aces - Belladonna Sunsets (Foolproof)
Fly Pan Am - Parkour 2* - The Proposal OST (Constellation)
Kitz Willman - Dust on the Bookshelf* - Royal Visit to Uranium City (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Pointed Sticks - Lovely Bird* - Pointed Sticks (Sudden Death)
Dark Time - Patience is a Virtue* - Radiation (Independent)
Autogramm - Too Loud* - No Rules (Nevado)
Keeper E - Telling the Truth* - The Sparrows All Find Food (LHM)
Church of Trees - Save Me* - Pause (Independent)
Bear Mountain - Can’t Stand to Lose* - Badu (Last Gang)
Zoon - Vibrant Colours* - Bleached Waves (Paper Bag)
Websites - Firewall* - Second Album (Independent)
The OBGMs - All My Friends* - The Ends (Black Box)
Fitness - Fingernails* - Full Well (Sad Cactus)
The Demics - The 400 Blows* - The Demics (Linus)
Heavy Meadow - Get Home* - Heavy Meadow (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Danny Bell and His Disappointments - Good Canadian* - Songs for the Town (Good Egg)
Oceanside85 - No Time* - Neon Dreams (Independent)
Earl Donald - Birds of Paradise* - A Lighter World (Independent)
Texture and Light - Soft Focus* - Vulture Medicine (Introversion)
Sook Yin Lee and Adam Litovitz - Rumble Like a Stranger* - Jooj Two (Mint)
Ponemah - Release Me* - Ponemah (Independent)
Klo Pelgag - Umami* - Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs (Secret City)
Kate Bush - Army Dreamers - The Story so Far (Beggar's Banquet)
Culture Shock - Gonna Get You Girl* - Forever and Ever and Ever (Independent)
No Museums - Bungalows* - There is Always an Ending (Independent)
Thick Glasses - Doggo* - Courir Apres la Queue (Hell for Breakfast)
The Specials - A Message to You Rudy
Kinnie Starr - All I See* - Edge of the Knife (Aporia)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Caribou - Never Come Back* - Suddenly (Merge)
Zane Coppard - Glass Ceiling* - Of Self (Independent)
Tired Cossack - Velvet Night* - EP (Independent)
Wack - Galactic Funkeyes* - Wack EP (Independent)
Besnard Lakes - Feuds with Guns* - Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings (Flemish Eye)
De.Ville - Atlantique* - Atlantique EP (Independent)
Art d’Ecco - I am the Dancefloor* - In Standard Definition (Paper Bag)
The Night Terrors - Dance Dance Retribution* - Songs to Keep You Up At Night (Independent)
Thug Shells - Streelights* - Rainy Day EP (Independent)
Deep Covers - Illusory* - Dark World (Independent)
They Might Be Giants - Hall of Heads - John Henry (Elektra)
Jihad Jerry and the Evil Doers - Find Out - Mine is Not a Holy War (Cordless)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Roaring Hymn - Drive Me to Death* - Demo MMXX (Independent)
Tunic - Fade Out* - Exhaling (Artoffact)
Tunic - Shaking Hands* - Exhaling (Artoffact)
Jesus Lizard - Blue Shot - Shot (Touch and Go)
The Fluid - She Don’t Understand - Purplemetalflakemusic (Sub Pop)
Death from Above 1979 - One and One* - Is 4 Lovers (Last Gang)
Polysics - Making Sense - Vista (Myspace)
J Blissette - Cowgirl* - All Things Considered, Rock Music Was a Mistake (Independent)
Nutrition - City Wide* - No EP (Slow Death)
Nutrition - Sore Thumb* - No EP (Slow Death)
Warpage - Hobby Surgeon* - Warped Head (Independent)
Warpage - Wild* - Warped Head (Independent)
Pink Steel - My Girl’s Radioactive* - Here We Go Again (Independent)
Blessed - Movement* - iii (Flemish Eye)
Maxime Gervais - Une Nouvelle Forme de Joie* - Une Nouvelle Forme de Joie (Cuchabata)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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DJ Shub - Smoke Dance Two* - War Club (Shub Music)
Boisson Vegetale - Late Night Yellow* - Periodic Repeater (Eat Glass)
Morgan Doctor - Strangers VI* - Strangers (Aporia)
Telefuzz - Wifi Cheerleaders* - Silent Rooms (Verbrilli Sound)
Jon Cohen Ex - Rhode Island* - Lorem Ipsum (Independent)
Hello Moth - Times Like This* - When the Sky Melted (Independent)
June Thrasher - Viper Creek* - Viper Creek (Independent)
A Certain Ratio - Bouncy Bouncy - ACR LOCO (Mute)
VT100 - Visitor - Algorithm (Independent)
Negativland - Before I Ask - The World Will Decide (Seeland)
Rainbow Trash - Hot Dog Nation* - Les Filles du Chalet (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Atusko Chiba - I Just…* - Sounds from Mothland Vol. 1 (Mothland)
Cougher - Lip Service* - Periodic Repeater (Eat Glass)
Diatribe - Kingpin - Funky Alternatives 5 (Rough Trade)
Elephant Skeletons - Blindfold* - NB Calling Vol. 1 (Independent)
Diner Drugs - Rotten Eggs* - NB Calling Vol. 1 (Independent)
Barnacle - Smash* - Pentagon Black Compilation Vol. 5 (Pentagon Black)
Ladies Night - Date Night* - Pentagon Black Compilation Vol. 5 (Pentagon Black)
The Coachwhips - I Made a Bomb - Narnack Records Is... (Narnack)
Bishop Boys - Might Be Alright* - CJAM: Live Off the Floor (Independent)
Yo La Tengo - Gentle Hour - Dark Was the Night (4AD)
Starlight Mints - Inside of Me - Treats 2006 (Barsuk)
Buck 65 - The Centaur* - Zed: Live Off the Floor (CBC)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Federico Balducci - Walk in the Park* - Clowder ov Death (Independent)
Steve Bug - The Clock is Ticking - Never Ending Winding Roads (Poker Flat)
KMFDM - No News - Don't Blow Your Top (Wax Trax)
Ploho - Kind People - Fantom Feelings (Artoffact)
Girlfriends and Boyfriends - Your Touch* - Fallacy of Fairness (Independent)
Leanna Betasamoake Simpson - Surface Tension* - Theory of Ice (You've Changed)
Whoop-Szo - Warrior Down (Zoon remix)* - Warrior Down Remix (You've Changed)
Aphasia - Rainy Season - Crocodile Society of Aphasia (Aporia)
Iceage - Catch It - Beyondless (Matador)
Nels Cline Singers - Segunda - Share the Wealth (Blue Note)
Hiroki Tanaka - Blue Eyed Doll* - Kaijo Kioku Kyoku (Independent)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Lederhosen Lucil - Anarchavid* - Tales from the Pantry (Hypo)
Kele Fleming - Lullaby for Gutenberg* - The Song I'll Write My Whole Life (Independent)
Dey Rose - Puzzle Piece* - Panting Heart (Independent)
Makiisma - Briar Rose* - Lady Misery (Independent)
Jordana - Far Away from You - Something to Say to You (Grand Jury)
Sophia Bel - No More* - Princess of the Dead, Part II (Bonsound)
Fiona Gurney and Murray Peterson - Ghost Will* - The Holographic Medium (Independent)
Kim Gordon - Don’t Play it Back - No Home Record (Matador)
Siouxsee and the Banshees - Swimming Horses - Best of: Once Upon a Time (Beggars Banquet)
Elura - Less Gravity* - Ending Songs (Independent)
Electrelane - Tram 21 - The Power Out (Too Pure)
Golden Boy and Miss Kittin - Autopilot - Or (Emperor Norton)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Lung - Sweet Bejesus* - Magnum Opiate (Zulu)
Rapoon - Fixated - Cold War: Drum and Bass (Caciocavallo)
The Avalanches - Music Makes Me High
AXXA - Drifter* - AXXA (Independent)
Mogwai - Drunk and Crazy - Earth Division EP (Sub Pop)
FM Einheit and Caspar Brontzmann - Park der Lowen - Merry Christmas (Our Choice)
Phleg Camp - Easy Star* - Brave New Waves Sessions (Artoffact)
Future Islands - Aladdin - The Far Field (Domino)
Odd Limbs - Blame it on the Supernatural* - Walking on Light (Independent)
Joe Nora and Yuutsu - Above Our Heads* - Inner Oceans Sessions Vol. 3 (Independent)
Hot Little Rocket - Let’s Play in Traffic* - How to Lose Everything (Saved by Radio)
Montag - New Found Land* - Phases (Carpark)
Detroit's post-punk masters Protomartyr have long been a favourite of mine. I picked Relatives in Descent for my best of in 2017. This years album, Ultimate Success Today, has the band in familiar brooding post punk territory, but also sees them pushing in new directions. Some of the punchy, blue-collar noise punk of Idles has begun creeping into their songs. And this album has a decidely freejazz feel to it, with blaring saxophone somewhere in every song. Bandleader Joe Casey's howling and obscured vocals echo Ian Curtis and Mark E. Smith most of the time. This is angry, despondent and defeated inner city post punk at it's best.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Reykjavictim - The Sound Where My Head Was* - Nostalgia (Independent)
Helena Deland - Truth Nugget* - Someone New (Luminelle)
Brad Laner - Old Cold - Neighbour Singing (Hometapes)
Badge Epoque Ensemble - DIY* - Self-Help (Independent)
Viagra Boys - Creatures - Welfare Jazz (Year 0001)
Plants and Animals - In Your Eyes* - The Jungle (Secret City)
Chad VanGaalen - Earth from a Distance* - The World's Most Stressed Out Gardener (Flemish Eye)
Teal Amour - Colours of the Sun* - Good Morning, I Love You EP (Independent)
Eve Parker Finley - The Rules* - Chrysalia (Coax)
Trevor Sloan - I’m Your Friend* - Green Reflections (Independent)
Debraska - Awakening* - Apathy (Independent)
Jaill - While You Reload - Traps (Sub Pop)
Hood - The River Curls Around the Town - Cold House (Domino)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart - In Touch* - Suuns and Jerusalem in My Heart (Secret City)
Thisquietarmy x Away - Beta 0000 0100* - Singularities Phase One (Independent)
Ubinqu - The Spirit of Paradise* - The Cosmic Moth (Cuchabata)
Ravine Angel - The Emperor* - Major Arcana (Independent)
The Vast and the Curious - Call to Adventure* - Radical Acceptance (Independent)
Charles Spearin and Josefin Rumsteen - Time is a Measurement of Desire* - Thank God the Plague is Over (Arts and Crafts)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
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Peach Kelli Pop - Close to You* - Lucky Star EP (Lauren)
Bad Hoo - Don’t Like People* - Right as Rain (Independent)
Bike Club - Where Do We Go On* - Find Romance (We Are Busy Bodies)
Wet Cigarette - Speed* - Uncut (Independent)
Mi’ens - Ice Cream Ponies* - Future Child (Kill Rock Stars)
Freak Heat Waves - Dripping Visions* - Zap the Planet (Telephone Explosion)
Teenanger - Touching Glass* - Good Time (Telephone Explosion)
New Fries - Bangs* - Is The Idea of Us (Telephone Explosion)
Pogo Car Crash Control - Qu’est-ce qui va pas* - Tete Bleme (Independent)
Pegboy - Never a Question - Fore EP (Quarterstick)
Dead Kennedys - Chicken Farm - Frankenchrist (Alternative Tentacles)
Mudhoney - Let it Slide - Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge (Sub Pop)
Ape War - Single Entendre* - EP 2020 (Independent)
Vancouver's Crack Cloud were on my radar thanks to two stellar independent EPs, Crack Cloud in 2016 and Anchoring Point in 2017. Both EPs were full of spacy, dense post punk. Their debut full-length was, decidedly, not what I was expecting them to follow up with. It's got the post punk, but it's also mixed in and buried under with dance pop, spoken word, electronic soundscapes and noise rock. The band is a sprawling collective of musicians, performance artists and multimedia artists. The album merely captures the band's musical end: their live performances are a sight to behold, with multimedia to go along with the music and dance routines on stage while the band plays. The members are recovering or recovered drug addicts or people that struggled with mental illness, with performing and making music as a vital part of their healing. This isn't an album, it's a cathartic experience, one that takes you places you didn't think you'd be going when you started listening.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Vanden Dool - The View From Here* - The View from Here (Independent)
Maandala - Hot Funk* - Second Circle (Independent)
Deep Covers - Repeater* - Dark World (Independent)
Die Scum Inc. - Vivisection* - Flight of the Infinite (Independent)
Harga Descending - Dreading Changes* - Communal Scream (Independent)
Mihai Popoviciu - El Classico - Motion Manifold (Poker Flat)
Acid Pauli - Life Polarizer - MOD (Oiue)
Nickelman - Shine - Butterwax (Urbnet)
West Indian Girl - Hollywood - West Indian Girl (Astralwerks)
Stereolab - Au Grand Jour - Switched On (Duophonic)
Microstoria - Per Format - _snd (Thrill Jockey)
Manitoba - Bijoux* - Up in Flames (Merge)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Itchy Self - Reprobate* - Here's the Rub (Celluloid Lunch)
Austra - Mountain Baby* - HiRUDiN (Pink Fizz)
DK5600 - Atmospheres Explosibles - Distancas Katrias 5600 (Bugs Crawling Out of People)
Operators - Control* - Blue Wave (Last Gang)
The Herbaliser - The Missing Suitcase - Very Mercenary (Ninja Tune)
Beck - Cold Brains - Cold Brains EP (DGC)
The Organ - Memorize the City* - Grab That Gun (Mint)
Showbusiness Giants - Vampire Hookers* - Let's Have a Talk with the Dead (Virgin)
Jennifer Castle - NYC* - Monarch Season (Idee Fixe)
Flaming Lips - Dinosaur on the Mountain - American Head (Warner)
Screaming Trees - More or Less - Sweet Oblivion (Universal)
Devastations - Rosa - Yes U (Beggar's Banquet)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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The Von Zippers - Truck Stop Nun (Da Slyme)* Oh Canaduh 2 (Lance Rock)
Apollo Ghosts - Nicolas Bragg (cub)* - Local Delivery Only (Independent)
Apollo Ghosts - Everyday Life (Tough Age)* - Local Delivery Only (Independent)
Apollo Ghosts - The House That Heaven Build (Japandroids)* - Local Delivery Only (Independent)
cub - Cast a Shadow (Beat Happening)* - Betti-Cola (Mint)
King Ropes - Drugs (Talking Heads) - Go Back to Where they Came From (Independent)
Razed in Black - Rapture (Blondie) - Platinum Girl: A Tribute to Blondie (Cleopatra)
Afghan Whigs - Lost in the Supermarket (The Clash) - Burning London (Epic)
White Flag - Wuthering Heights (Kate Bush) - Freedom of Choice (Caroline)
Redd Kross - How Much More (The Go-Go’s) - Freedome of Choce (Caroline)
Possum Dixon - El Mongoloido (DEVO) - We Are Not Devo (Centipede)
Sid Vicious - I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges) - Sid Lives (Jungle)
Penis - Riff Raff (AC DC) - A Punk Rock Tribute to AC/DC (Legacy)
More Fun - Barbra (The Modernettes)* - Oh Canaduh 2 (Lance Rock)
Weird Al Yankovic - Tacky (Pharrell)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Shrouded Amps - Embryo* - Make Me Strange (Independent)
Bad Buddy - Stupid Girl* - Bad Buddy (Independent)
Hex Beat - Two Masters* - A Series of Kicks (Mangled Tapes)
No Museums - Beatsongs* - Youth Club is Over (Independent)
Moths and Locusts - Cocaine Kangaroo* - Exoplanets (Noise, Agony, Mayhem)
Mr. Bungle - The Holy Filament - California (Ipecac)
Map 71 - Stitches - Turn Back Metropolis (Foolproof)
Culk - Dichterin - Zersteuen Uber Each (Siluh)
Enon - Marbles Explode - Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence (Touch and Go)
Single Mothers - Engine* - Through a Wall (New Damage)
Milk Lungs - Snail - The Better Button (Arena Rock)
Male Bonding - Mysteries Complete - Endless Now (Sub Pop)
Two months late, but I'm finally getting into reviewing the best albums of 2020, starting with #10. lie, from Vancouver, play a noisy and dark form of punk. The band's name is pronounced Lee-ay. After a couple of well received indy released, lie made the move to Mint Records, the home of pretty much every great Canadian indy and post punk band on the west coast. Their sound in this album is decidedly more noisy and punky than previous efforts, which have dabbled with new wave and techno. This album chugs along quickly with pummeling guitars, half-screamed vocals and a vicious feminist edge. They have truly come into their own on this record.
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Elephant Skeletons - Sleep* - Sleep (Independent)
Daft Punk/Ki Theory - The Son of Flynn - Tron: Legacy Remixed (Disney)
Sega Sisters - Ho Hum* - Gene Sis (Independent)
Secret Mommy - I Can’t Get Down* - Plays (Ache)
Aphni - Never Ending* - Circle Sky (Independent)
PaintedFoxes - Cool Mint* - Dig (Independent)
Microbunny - Gamma Hydra IV* - Dead Stars (Independent)
Proffessor Undressor - Suspended in Syntax* - POP (Independent)
TWRP - Roll With It* - Over the Top (Independent)
Drop the Lime - Glassy Eyes - This Means Forever (Elephant6)
Lex Plexus - Googoomunga* - Vault Smashing Vol. 6 (Ulusulu)
Our annual look at musicians we lost in 2020, with a special focus on underground and Canadian musicians. We lost a lot of great musicians this year to Covid-19 too.
This is not a comprehensive list, but a list of musicians I want to celebrate, and I try to get all the notable names in here, along with their music.
Marty Grebb (The Buckinghams)
Tommy Hancock
Neal Peart*
Bobby Comstock
Wolfgang Dauner
Steve Martin Caro (The Left Banke)
David Olney
Jimmy Heath
Robert Parker
Norman Amadio*
Meritxell Negre (Peaches and Herb)
Joe Payne (Nile)
Sean Reinert (Cynic)
Bob Shane (The Kingston Trio)
Reed Mullin (Corrosion of Conformity)
Lucien Barbarin
George Blondheim*
Andy Gill (Gang of Four)
Andrew Brough (Straitjacket Fits)
Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage)
Steve Weber (The Fugs)
Lyle Mays
Paul English (Willie Nelson's band)
Ron Thompson
Pearl Carr
Henry Gray
Andrew Weatherall (Two Lone Swordsmen)
Pop Smoke
Elyse Weinberg*
David Roback (Mazzy Star)
Barbara Martin (The Supremes)
McCoy Tyner
Laura Smith*
Keith Olson (The Music Machine)
Eric Taylor
Danny Ray Thompson
Phil Phillips
Genesis P-Orridge
Wray Downes*
Kenny Rogers
Gabi Lopez (D.A.F.)
Mike Longo
Peter Stapleton (Dadamah)
Eric Weissberg
Manu Dibango
Bill Reiflin
Edward Tarr
Neil Landon (The Flower Pot Men)
Luigi Roni
Bob Andy (The Paragons)
Jan Howard
Joe Diffie
Alan Merrill (The Arrows)
Bill Withers
Cristina
Wallace Roney
Ellis Marsalis Jr.
Bucky Pizzarelli
Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne)
Barry Allen* (Painter)
Black the Ripper
Eddy Davis
Steve Farmer (The Amboy Dukes)
John Prine
Peter Ecklund
Big George Brock
Ceybil Jeffries
Jymie Merritt
Ryo Kawasaki
Kenny Young
Eddie Cooley
Lee Gates
Lee Konitz
Giuseppe Logan
Matthew Seligman (The Soft Boys)
Ian Whitcomb
Derek Jones (Falling in Reverse)
Jacques Pellen
Florian Schneider
Fred the Godson
Big Al Carson
Bobby Lewis
Tony Allen
Cady Groves
Dave Greenfield (The Stranglers)
Sweet Pea Atkinson (Was Not Was)
King Shooter
Uganda Roberts (Dr. John)
Brian Howe (Bad Company)
Mark Berkan
Little Richard
Betty Wright
Moon Martin
Jean Nichol*
Denny DeMarchi* (Alias)
Phil May (The Pretty Things)
Lucky Peterson
Sean Tyler (Ducks Deluxe)
Willie K
Bobby Digital
Jimmy Cobb
Al Rex (Bill Haley and the Comets)
Bucky Baxter
Bob Kulick (WASP)
Majek Fashek
Joey Image (The Misfits)
Gaynel Hodge
Chris Trousdale (Dream Street)
Rupert Hine
Steve Priest (The Sweet)
Marjan
Frank Bey
Floyd Lee
James Hand
Bonnie Pointer
Paul Chapman (UFO)
Ricky Valance
Keith Tippett (King Crimson)
Yuji Adachi (Dead End)
Victor Feldbrill*
Hugh Fraser*
Hux Brown
Vera Lynn
Ryan Anthony
Tami Lynn
Freddy Cole
Tom Finn (The Left Banke)
Johnny Mandel
Benny Mardones
Max Crook (Del Shannon)
Joe Pennington
Nick Cordero*
Cleveland Eaton
Tiloun
Charlie Daniels
Ennio Morricone
Eddie Gale
Rich Priske*
Ken Chinn/Chi-Pig*
Jamie Oldaker
Dobby Dobson
Annie Ross
Tim Smith (Cardiacs)
Dominic Sonic
Peter Green
Helen Jones Woods
Bent Fabric
Malik B
Randy Barlow
Tony Costanza (Machine Head)
Chip White
Wayne Fontana
Vern Rumsey (Unwound)
Salome Bey*
Belle du Berry (Paris Combo)
Trini Lopez
Steve Grossman
Pete Way (Fastway)
Jack Sherman (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Hal Singer
Todd Nance (Widespread Panic)
Frankie Benali (Quiet Riot)
Justin Townes Earle
Bryan Lee
Water Lure (The Heartbreakers)
Peter King
Mick Hart
Gerry McGhee (Brighton Rock)
Archana Mahanta
Erick Morillo (Reel 2 Reel)
Gary Peacock
Lucille Starr*
Bruce Williamson (The Temptations)
Sid McCray (Bad Brains)
Toots Hibbert
Reggie Johnson
Jaoquin Carbonell
Edna Wright (Honey Cone)
Peter Starkie (Skyhooks)
Roy C
Lee Kerslake (Uriah Heap)
Tommy DeVito (The Four Seasons)
Roy Head
Ira Sullivan
Guitar Crusher
Max Merritt
Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power)
Helen Reddy
Karel Fiala
Bunny Lee
Johnny Nash
Ray Pennington
Brian Locking (The Shadows)
Erin Wall*
Pierre Kezdy (Naked Raygun, Pegboy)
Dyan Birch (Arrival)
Harold Betters
Jon Gibson
Kim Massie
Ezra Schabas*
Saint Dog (Kottonmouth Kings)
Paul Matters (AC/DC)
Gordon Haskell
Johnny Bush
Toshinori Kondo
Chet White (Girls)
Spencer Davis
Tony Lewis (The Outfield)
Viola Smith
Margie Bowes
Jerry Jeff Walker
Billy Joe Shaver
Phil K (Lostep)
Ronnie Peel (Thunderclap Newman)
Ken Hensley (Uriah Heap)
Len Barry
King Von
Bones Hillman (Midnight Oil)
Alec Baillie (Leftover Crack)
Andrew White
Lynn Kellogg
Jim Tucker (The Turtles)
Doug Supernaw
Tony Hooper (Strawbs)
Hal Ketchum
Anne Sylvestre
Dan Morrison (Area-7)
Andre Gagnon*
Eric Pacheco (Babylon AD)
LD Beghtol (Moth Wranglers)
Harold Budd
Jason Slater (Third Eye Blind)
Sean Malone (Gordian Knot)
Joseph Morganfield
Gene Tyranny
Charlie Pride
Sam Jayne (Love as Laughter)
Albert Griffiths (The Gladiators)
Carl Mann
Stanley Cowell
Clay Anthony (Junkyard)
Pelle Alsing (Roxette)
Chad Stuart (Chad and Jeremy)
KT Oslin
Leslie West (Mountain)
John Fletcher (Whodini)
Tony Rice
Tito Rojas
MF Doom
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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US Girls - Rage of Plastics* - In a Poem Unlimited (4AD)
Ladyshark - Market This - Good Stuff (Amityville)
The Garrys - Maria the Weaver* - Haxan OST (Independent)
Self-Cut Bangs - Shapeshifter* - Self-Cut Bangs (Independent)
girlongirl - Write That* - Take (Independent)
Buildings and Food - Particle Dream* - Up Down Strange Charm (Number F)
Curve - Dirty High - Come Clean (Interscope)
Chvrches - Gun - The Bones of What You Believe (Virgin)
Linaire - Go in the Morning* - Linaire (Independent)
Jody Glenham - Talking Out Loud* - Mood Rock (Independent)
Meg Lee Chin - Bottle - Piece and Love (Invisible)
Low - Time is the Diamond - Trust (Sub Pop)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Lie - Digging in the Desert* - You Want it Real (Mint)
Crack Cloud - Bastard Basket* - Pain Olympics (Meat Machine)
Protomartyr - Michigan Hammers - Ultimate Success Today (Domino)
Jehnny Beth - The Rooms - To Love is to Live (Caroline)
A Certain Ratio - Family - ACR Loco (Mute)
METZ - Hail Taxi* - Atlas Vending (Sub Pop)
Bootblacks - The Jealous Star - Thin Skies (Artoffact)
Psychedelic Furs - You’ll Be Mine - Made of Rain (Cooking Vinyl)
Civic Center - The Prophet - The Ground Below (American Dreams)
Idles - War - Ultra Mono (Partisan)
Idles - Mr. Motivator - Ultra Mono (Partisan)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Change of Heart - What My Paws Can Move* - Honeysuckle (Cargo)
Mira Calix - Little Long Gone - Skimskitta (Warp)
China Crisis - King in a Catholic Style - Flaunt the Imperfection (Virgin)
Chelsea Light Moving - Sleeping Where I Fall - Chelsea Light Moving (Matador)
Citadel - The Valley and What Lies Beyond It* - Aquarian EP (Independent)
Curve - Alligators Getting Up - Come Clean (Universal)
Clues - You Have My Eyes Now* - Clues (Constellation)
Cygnets - Juno* - Isolator (Negative Gain)
Cinerama - Unzip - Disco Volante (Manifesto)
Cassandra Complex - Sleeper - Cyberpunx (PIAS)
Consolidated - Business of Punishment - Business of Punishment (Nettwerk)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Broken Social Scene - Highway Slipper Jam* - Forgiveness Rock Record (Arts and Crafts)
Bailterspace - Be on Time - Robot World (Matador)
Bakelite - Silence in Golden* - Bakelite (Independent)
Syd Barrett - Dominoes- Wouldn't You Miss Me? The Best of (Harvest)
Borghesia - 133 - No Hope No Fear (PIAS)
Birmingham 6 - You Cannot Walk Here - You Cannot Walk Here (Zoth Ammog)
Beef Terminal - How We Ended Up Under the Wheels* - 20 Goto 10 (Noise Factory)
Bear Mountain - Always Been You* - Badu (Last Gang)
Bonobo - Terrapin - Animal Magic (Ninja Tune)
Bigod 20 - Swallow Me - Supercute (Sire)
bis - Girl Star - Intendo (Grand Royal)
Beat Happening - Foggy Eyes - Beat Happening (K Records)
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Alunared - This Machinery* - SLMZK! (Action Driver)
Barry Adamson - It’s Business as Usual - Oedipus Schmoedipus (Mute)
Arling and Cameron - 1999 Spaceclub - 1999 Spaceclub EP (Emperor Norton)
Lydia Ainsworth - Ricochet* - Darling of the Afterglow (Arbutus)
Animal Collective - Kids on Holiday - Sung Tongs (Domino)
Adult. - Nothing of the Kind - Anxiety Always (Ersatz Audio)
Azeda Booth - Big Fists* - In Flesh Tones (Absolutely Kosher)
Jay Arner - Sacrifice* - Jay Arner (Mint)
Animal Names - Skyline Teeth* - Ballet Bones (Independent)
Asobi Seksu - Coming Up - Fluorescence (Polyvinyl)
And Christ Wept - Fascist Statement - Destroy Existence (Independent)
Best Albums of 2020
1) Idles - Ultra Mono (Partisan)
2) Civic Center - The Ground Below (American Dreams)
3) Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain (Cooking Vinyl)
4) Bootblacks - Thin Skies (Artoffact)
5) METZ* - Atlas Vending (Sub Pop)
6) A Certain Ratio - ACR Loco (Mute)
7) Jehnny Beth - To Love is to Live (Caroline)
8) Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today (Domino)
9) Crack Cloud* - Pain Olympics (Meat Machine)
10) lie* - You Want it Real (Mint)
Honourable Mentions: Bob Mould - Blue Hearts (Merge), Austra* - HiRUDiN (Pink Fizz), Spectres* - Nostalgia (Artoffact), Evishen - Hair Birth (American Dreams), Caribou* - Suddenly (Merge)
