So uh… 2020. Woof, right? I generally don’t like to chalk up a single year to being simply all good or bad because time is a construct and things are constantly in flux, but I can call a spade a spade when it’s this obvious. Between the literal plague and the violence in the streets, it’s been a stressful time for everyone. Personally, I’m really missing going to shows. Being in and around the local music scene for the past 10 years has been a huge part of my life and I’m absolutely dying to be in a sweaty basement somewhere pushing a bunch of crust punks around while someone screams in my face.

On the other hand, I do find some solace in the sheer amount of damn good music that was released this year. So much so, in fact, that I had to bump this up from the top 5 that I’d normally do to a full top 10, and even that was an agonizing process to trim down. In total I had about 20 or so albums listed, which I whittled down to 6 absolutely solid confirmed picks and another 7 which I kept rotating in and out of the remaining spots. 

I want to give a special shout out to the runner-up entries before we dive into the list proper. Folk punk band Days n Daze put out a killer new album on Fat Wreck Chords, which may actually have my single favorite song of the year in “Saboteurs.” Noise rap powerhouse B L A C K I E (all caps with spaces) dropped a really surprising new album out of nowhere, which is possibly his most accessible work to date. Finally, the debut album from grindcore/powerviolence band Escuela Grind is one I found myself returning to a lot. At one point or another these were all in my top 10. One of them was even in there when I started writing this paragraph, so before I change my mind again let’s get onto the list.

The Focusrights – Ew, Music
(mathcore / grindcore)
Bandcamp Spotify

I already talked a bit about these guys in the first That’s Dope! segment, so this should be no surprise at all. Their blend of mathcore and grindcore and about a million other things really hits me in a particular part of my brain. I love when I can’t exactly get a handle on where a song is going next and this band really keeps me guessing. Ew, Music is a frantic and chaotic experience, and I love it. 

Illuminati Hotties – FREE I.H. This Is Not The One You’ve Been Waiting For
(art punk / indie rock)
Bandcamp Spotify

I first became aware of this album when it dropped onto an anonymous soundcloud account under the title “Occult Classic”. I had never heard of this band (who Sarah Tudzin is technically the sole permanent member of) before this, but when a friend of mine shared it with me on discord I loved what I heard. The opening line, “Let’s smash to a podcast, tomorrow mornin we’re cryin’ into a Denny’s grand slam” basically almost made me spit out my drink when I heard it. What a way to start an album. Then halfway through listening, it disappeared. When it was revealed who this was and it was officially released I was eager to check out the full thing and the wait was absolutely worth it. Up beat and energetic with a lot of strong melodies, Tudzin’s quirky personality and sense of humor shine through on every song.

Grey Matter – Climbing Out
(skacore)
Bandcamp Spotify

An early frontrunner for album of the year, this one absolutely rules. Grey Matter blend ska, screamo and post-hardcore seamlessly in a way that feels entirely cohesive and unique. I’ve never heard another band that sounds entirely like them, and that’s something that always makes me pay attention. On top of that, their vocalist writes lyrics that I’m 100% into. “Call out your racist friends, it’s not just a joke if they actually believe it” has been something I’ve quoted about a thousand times this year. The whole album is full of positive and forward thinking messages and it’s a perfect release for this year in particular.

Gulch – Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress
(hardcore)
Bandcamp Spotify

You ever just want to punch somebody in the face? That’s how this album makes me feel, but like… in a good way. Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress gets me so god damned hyped. It’s just 15 minutes of pulse pounding hardcore and it’s a good thing it came out during Covid so that my coworkers can’t see the stank face I make when listening to it. The Siouxsie and the Banshees cover that it ends on is pitch perfect, too. It’s heavy as fuck, super aggressive, but absolutely full of grooves to bob your head to from from to back.

Clipping – Visions of Bodies Being Burned
(noise rap)
Bandcamp Spotify

Clipping have had a really interesting career trajectory. While they’re probably more well known now for being “that dude from Hamilton’s rap project”, they’ve been making noise injected rap music for a while. I remember listening to Midcity back when it first came out and not quite knowing what to make of it. Their music hasn’t always clicked with me, but I’ve always found it fascinating. Then last year they gave themselves a horror movie soundtrack makeover and piqued my interest immediately. I really enjoyed all of the John Carpenter influences and spooky vibes of There Existed An Addiction to Blood, and Visions of Bodies Being Burned is even better. It’s a really great follow up to the groundwork they laid last year and it feels like they’ve really ironed out whatever small kinks there were this time. This is easily my favorite thing that they’ve put out.

Kill Lincoln – Can’t Complain
(ska-punk)
Bandcamp Spotify

Look, if you’re surprised to see not only one but two ska albums on this list then you don’t know a single thing about me. Kill Lincoln have been making waves for a while now and it’s not hard to see why. Between running Bad Time Records and just putting out some damn good ska-punk albums, they’re one of the bands who are 100% leading the charge when it comes to ska in 2020. As far as Can’t Complain is concerned, I think it’s their best work. It’s very reminiscent of a lot of the third wave bands from the 90s, but with some more modern guitar work. You can tell there are some hardcore influences as well creeping around the edges, culminating in a Paint it Black cover towards the end of the album. Overall this is just a really energetic and upbeat record that makes me miss live shows more than any other album this year.

Chepang – Chatta
(grindcore)
Bandcamp Spotify

The new album from Nepalese grindcore band Chepang falls into one of my favorite musical categories that I like to call “weird grindcore”. The album starts off with what sounds like a screeching saxophone and then the band comes in like a ton of bricks. The guitar work is super interesting and memorable here and there’s just a very unique flavor to the whole thing. They have two drummers, which isn’t something I even realized until I watched a live video, but given the sheer speed of their songs it’s incredibly impressive that they manage to stay in sync. This is the kind of forward thinking release that makes me excited about where the genre is headed.

Joji – Nectar
(alternative r&b)
Spotify

This may be the biggest outlier on the list, but I like what I like. Joji’s take on pop and r&b is something that has really clicked with me. His music is melancholy and gritty, with sort of a “smoky” quality to it, if that makes any sense. The music videos he releases are fascinating as well, dealing wit a lot of high concept themes such as trying to escape a never ending limousine. I really liked Ballads 1, and this one is just as good. Obligatory Filthy Frank reference.

Internal Rot – Grieving Birth
(grindcore)
Bandcamp Spotify

There was so much good grindcore this year. Aside from the already mentioned Chepang, Focusrights, and Escuela Grind there were notable new releases from Meth Leppard, The Sound that Ends Creation, and Holy Grinder. My absolute favorite however was the new one from Internal Rot. We’ve been waiting for a follow up to 2014’s Mental Hygiene ever since that one instantly became a modern classic, and Grieving Birth does not disappoint. 22 tracks and 23 minutes that just do not let up from start to finish. It doesn’t break the wheel or get super heady and experimental, it’s just really straight forward and punky and it survives on pure adrenaline and execution. Simply put, this is what grindcore should sound like.

Jeff Rosenstock – No Dream
(pop punk / power pop)
Bandcamp Spotify

Here it is, my album of the year. Are you surprised? I’m not surprised. Jeff is one of my favorite songwriters in music and his previous band Bomb the Music Industry! are my favorite band. Seriously, everything this guy touches is good all the way back to his days in The Arrogant Sons of Bitches. No Dream pops off aggressively, immediately bringing a harder punk sound into the equation than pretty much anything on last year’s -POST. Personally, I couldn’t be happier with that decision. Musically, this album is really up beat and fun, with memorable melodies and hooks galore. The lyrics on this one are as good as ever, too. As always, there’s a mix of introspection, humorous anecdotes, and political and social awareness. The title track in particular hits really hard on the political side of things.

They’ll be like “Whatever, idiot”
and fuel their brand of power incorruptible like it exists
Saintly fronts in a system that rewards only the greediest
The only endgame for capitalism is dystopia
And we know all about but we just don’t know what to do
What can we do?
-Jeff Rosenstock, “N O  D R E A M”