Weekly Chart – 2021-11-20
Top 10 for week ending in 11/20/21
10. Audiobooks – Astro Tough (Heavenly/PIAS)
“Consisting of producer David Wrench and vocalist Evangeline Ling, this duo gets down and dirty with genre-bent chaos as they weave post-punk, 80’s synth and techno into Ling’s emotionally strained vocals. Dry and calculated, this release is extremely reminiscent of post punk acts such as Dry Cleaning down to the powerful spoken word moments.”
– Tawny H.
9. Good Morning – Barnyard (Polyvinyl)
“With a lo-fi, acoustic recording style that calls to mind modern indie rock contemporaries… [Barnyard] addresses topics such as the Australian brush fires of 2020 and egotism in the music industry with cynicism and bite, contrasting its bleak subject matter against its upbeat melodies and spritely instrumental arrangements.”
– Michael C.
8. Makthaverskan – För Allting (Run For Cover)
“[För Allting], meaning forever in Swedish, free-dives to intense emotional depths drenched in 80’s shoegaze and incorporates some delightfully lush indie moments. Reverb-lidden [sic] with spooky synth, this release will probably draw in a lot of Siouxie and the Banshee fans with it’s dark and dreamy tracks.”
– Tawny H.
7. Deerhoof – Actually, You Can (Joyful Noise)
“This band consistently releases quality albums that are exactly what we have come to expect from this San Francisco 4-piece, but there is an underlying theme on this release as well. Deerhoof wants us to break free from the constraints set forth by our capitalist overlords and create a new world void of “traditional” societal norms.”
– Rory K.
6. Snail Mail – Valentine (Matador)
“Accompanied by strings and synths, Lindsay Jordan expands her sound all while singing about a whole lot of heartache and drinking… earnest and sincere songs that are sure to appeal to fans and newcomers alike.”
– Rory K.
5. Parquet Courts – Sympathy For Life (Rough Trade)
“Parquet Courts are honing in on their old ways… This album reverts back to the good ol’ Light Up Gold days but finds a happy medium by including some groovy psych and 80’s synth layered delightfully on top of their classic tongue-in-cheek post-punk wackiness.”
– Tawny H.
4. Charlotte Cornfield – Highs in the Minuses (Polyvinyl/Double Double Whammy)
“Folk-rocker Charlotte Cornfield makes beautiful music… On Highs in the Minuses… she processes her post-pandemic trauma through an album designed to capture the energy and soul of a live performance… the sound of an artist who has clearly honed her skills throughout her three previous albums and is ready for a promising career.”
– Michael C.
3. illuminati hotties – Let Me Do One More (Snack Snack Tracks/Hopeless)
“Pop punk hero Sarah Tudzin AKA illuminati hotties is back… Self labeled as ‘tenderpunk,’ Tudzin provides us with clever insight in expecting the unexpected and remaining resilient to life’s many curveballs. Even with a primarily spunky pop-punk attitude, this release takes some twists and turns exploring other musical styles like slower ballads with a grunge-y Phoebe Bridgers touch and folk…”
– Tawny H.
2. The Ophelias – Crocus (Joyful Noise)
“The third full-length release from Ohio’s The Ophelias, Crocus, is out on Joyful Noise. But it wouldn’t be out of place as a K Records release in like, 1997… this album chronicles singer Spencer Peppet’s recovery from a bad breakup, and the one step forward, two steps back process of moving on, with sad and lovely results.”
– Meg M.
1. Sufjan Stevens and Angelo de Augustine – A Beginner’s Mind (Asthmatic Kitty)
“…nothing but excellent songwriting, beautiful indie-folk instrumentation, and angelic vocals. Stevens and Augustine have incredible chemistry on this album, from their gorgeous vocal harmonies to their superb playing throughout. To put it plainly: this album is great… you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not giving this thing a listen.”
– Andy B.