Top Albums Of 2020

This agonizingly difficult year is finally coming to an end. Twelve months of worldwide struggle, strife, and angst does have a silver lining, however, which was the great music that resulted from the tumultuous chaos we’ve been navigating. Today, one of my most highly anticipated days of the year, is when I’ll be listing my top albums of 2020.

I need to first list the honorable mentions that didn’t quite crack my top ten. These were all great records that stood out for one reason or another but were just slightly outshined by some of their competitors. SAWAYAMA - Rina Sawayama (8/10) is able to add her own twist to a somewhat oversaturated pop genre, offering sometimes aggressive instrumentation that fits her confident attitude. Future Nostalgia - Dua Lipa (8/10) is one of this year’s most innovative pop albums with back-to-back futuristic hits. Shore - Fleet Foxes (8/10) is a wonderfully complex and textured album that reflects on the times we’re living through beautifully. Starting Over - Chris Stapleton (8/10) proves why this famed country singer has established himself as the king of country music. Alfredo - Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist (8/10) is a stellar and smooth rap record that drips confidence, but remains self-reflective. Reunions - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (7/10) provides hit after hit of country blues tracks that highlight Isbell’s lyrical abilities. Folklore - Taylor Swift (7/10) takes this pop megastar into completely uncharted territories, which she navigates swimmingly. Positions - Ariana Grande (7/10) shows a matured yet playful side of Grande that I can’t wait to see grow even more. Saint Cloud - Waxahatchee (7/10) is a Dylan-esque country meditation with hypnotic melodies. Finally, The Slow Rush - Tame Impala (7/10) demonstrates yet again the kind of musical genius Kevin Parker proves himself to be. All of these albums are a part of my permanent library, but the next ten are the albums that defined this year for me. With that being said, let’s get into it.

10. The New Abnormal - The Strokes (8/10)

Manhattan’s own beloved indie rock band The Strokes return to form with their most exciting release in years. The New Abnormal aggregates the band’s best qualities into a compact track list that doesn’t disappoint. Julian Casablanca’s signature vocal delivery returns me to the band’s classics like “Reptilia”, and tracks like “The Adults Are Talking”, “Selfless”, and “At The Door” are some of the group’s best ever. A great album that just cracks the top ten for the year.

9. What’s Your Pleasure? - Jessie Ware (8/10)

Riding the disco synthpop wave that has ingratiated itself into the genre, coming full circle from the 1980s, Jessie Ware jampacked this album with excellent tracks. I’m not much of a dancer — who am I kidding? I never dance — but songs like “Ooh La La” and “Soul Control” do just what their titles suggest. The production, lyrical performance, and instrumentation are impressive, but more importantly consistent, all throughout this spectacular and glamorous record.

8. how i’m feeling now - Charli XCX (8/10)

I knew it would be an uphill battle for Charlie XCX to top last year’s magnum opus Charli, which was my second favorite album of 2019. When I found out that she was not only releasing another album so soon but doing so in quarantine made me apprehensive. how i’m feeling now, while not as squeaky clean as its predecessor, does exactly what it set out to do by creating a playlist for partying in isolation. This optimistic album reinforces that Charli is continuing her reign as one of my favorite artists right now. Great stuff.

7. Punisher - Phoebe Bridgers (8/10)

Punisher is an emotionally complex album for me. Bridgers’ dry sarcasm and heartbreakingly relatable insights glide over largely ambient instrumentals. This pent up emotion culminates in the album’s closing track “I Know The End”, though, one of my favorite closers in the past few years. This is often the album I have turned to for times of quiet contemplation, and because of that, it’s one of my favorite albums of the year.

6. After Hours - The Weeknd (8/10)

I’ll address this once: It’s complete and utter bullshit that The Weeknd received zero Grammy nominations for or related to this album. After Hours is inarguably, to me, Abel’s best work by far. Instead of trying something completely new, he was able to refine his sound down to its essence, utilizing the best aspects of each of his eras to create a matured, nostalgic, and just plain catchy album. Every song has something unique to offer, and tracks like “Blinding Lights” and “In Your Eyes” are smash-hits. Looking forward to his Super Bowl performance - he earned it with this record.

5. Visions of Bodies Being Burned - clipping. (9/10)

A perfect sequel to the psychological thriller that was last year’s There Existed an Addition to Blood, Visions of Bodies Being Burned is another stellar offering from Daveed Diggs and company. Incorporating horror movie elements is magnetizing to a Halloween-head like me, and they do it so well on this album. In some ways, this record is better than the first installation. The continually developing instrumental backing is thoroughly impressive, and Daveed Diggs continues to become one of my favorite Jack of all trades rappers. Fantastic project.

4. Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez - Gorillaz (9/10)

At long last — a damn near perfect Gorillaz album. Damon Albarn has finally recaptured the essence of the Gorillaz who I grew to love and appreciate with albums like Demon Days and Plastic Beach. Features are implemented amazingly, pairing dissimilar artists together seamlessly. Some of the songs here, like “Pac-Man (feat. ScHoolboy Q)” and “Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia)” are some of my favorites in Gorillaz’ entire discography. I hope there’s more where this project came from because it is dynamic and reawakens the spirit that makes this band who they are.

3. Song For Our Daughter - Laura Marling (9/10)

Laura Marling’s gentle but potent delivery makes Song For Our Daughter one of the most emotionally resonant listens of the year for me. Fun at times, sad at others, and impressive from beginning to end, this singer-songwriter record is magnificent in its composition and execution. Marling’s vocal performance here is one of my favorites of the year. Heartfelt and touching, this is a fantastic project that I imagine will age very well in the coming years.

2. RTJ4 - Run The Jewels (9/10)

Killer Mike and El-P are the epitome of a dynamic duo. They’re certainly no strangers to hard-hitting and timely bars, and RTJ4 is no exception. A lot of the subject matter written here, particularly relating to racial tensions and relations, is unsettlingly relevant, especially since it was written before this year’s racial protests. This proves that these issues have been long-lasting and systemic, not simply a new trend. A track like “walking in the snow”, my favorite song of the year, is so effective because it speaks to the moment. As soon as Killer Mike’s verse started for the first time, I knew I was in for something bone-chilling and masterfully crafted. Most of this album is just that. Any other year, RTJ4 would likely take home the top prize and number one spot. This year, however, there was one record that outshined this stellar project…

1. Fetch The Bolt Cutters - Fiona Apple (10/10)

Truly incredible music meets the moment and brings something new to the table. On Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Fiona Apple is able to reach a place in my mind that had gone untouched up until that point. On this record, we are reminded to put one foot in front of the other no matter how challenging and insurmountable the circumstances may seem. The unabashed vulnerability of Apple’s vocal performance on this album, both aggressive and submissive at different times, are examples of pure artistic expression. The curtain is pulled back, and I am able to witness Apple’s reality as if it were my own for this album’s 51-minute runtime. Released at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the sentiment of cutting one’s self out of their imposed box was perfect for the moment. That time allowed for vast introspection, too, which this project doesn’t shy away from indulging in. There simply is no music that sounds like Fetch The Bolt Cutters, and there may never be again. Nearly perfect from beginning to end, this is my favorite album of the year.

I grappled with this year’s rankings almost every day until recently coming to a final list I am satisfied with. Music was one of the best things to come out of an otherwise very challenging year. This is just my opinion and preference, but I highly suggest that you check out the albums I discussed here, including the honorable mentions. Thanks for reading! Also, here’s a Spotify playlist of my favorite songs from the albums featured in this post.

Album Review: Starting Over - Chris Stapleton

Chris Stapleton has quickly established himself as the current king of country music. Often more introspective and metaphorical than his colleagues, Stapleton’s masterful songwriting and heartfelt delivery come together to create compelling and textured songs. His newest album Starting Over, which features a stripped-back and minimalist cover, is really more of a natural evolution from what made Stapleton’s music so beloved by fans in the past. While not every track shines, the wonderfully arranged composition of most songs makes for a great listen.

The album’s opening title track “Starting Over” eases the listener into the project but reintroduces them to Stapleton’s instantly-recognizable voice. Typical country tropes are used here, but when assembled carefully, create a fresh take on a tried-and-true country song recipe. Things pick up quickly, though, like a plane taxiing and then going fast enough to take flight. “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice” is a clever and somewhat sinister country bluegrass banger with great guitar licks and backing drums. As this song transitions into track #3, it becomes clear that there is no rigid sonic theme being followed, but instead, every track has something unique and special to offer. “Cold” is one of my favorite songs on the album. Its killer chorus is delivered remarkably from Stapleton, who is truly putting his all into this track. The string accompaniment is included tastefully and skillfully, making this track quite special.

“When I’m With You” is a down-on-your-luck anthem made sweet, but wanders a little too slowly for my liking. It’s not that this track is bad, per se, but instead just lacks the quality that the first three readily supplied. Stapleton’s lyricism is a highlight here, though, as his direct delivery is potent as it sticks the landing. Luckily, the album’s tempo increases yet again with “Arkansas.” This is a nostalgic and energetic banger perfect equipped to be featured on any road trip playlist. “Joy Of My Life” reminds me of a Jason Isbell track with its acoustic guitar and compassionate lyrical content. It’s hard not to think of your special person when listening to this track, which was the point.

“Hillbilly Blood” is an interesting track where Stapleton reflects on his heritage and culture in an introspective and critical manner. While not necessarily ashamed of his upbringing, Stapleton begins the themes of detaching from the lifestyle he grew up knowing, which continue later on. We take a sharp turn on the next track “Maggie’s Song”, which punched me in the face emotionally. The story of his late dog Maggie should bring tears to the eyes of all non-sociopathic listeners; it’s a real tear-jerker. “Run Maggie run, with the heart of a rebel child. Run Maggie run, be just as free as you are wild”… like, are you serious? 2020’s tough enough without your ridiculously well-written and sad lyrics. Good stuff.

“Whiskey Sunrise” tells the story of the morning after a night of indulgence. Its backing instrumentation is rugged and impressive throughout, pairing well with Stapleton’s hard-hitting vocals. “Worry B Gone” is a funky track that doesn’t resonate much with me but doesn’t take me out of things too severely. “Old Friends” is a partial spoken-word track, which is a risky play on an album like this. Luckily, Stapleton’s delivery fits with the tone established so far, and the well-written lyrics allow for an emotionally resonant track here.

“Watch You Burn” is one of the most passionate tracks I’ve heard in a long time, as Stapleton rips into the Mandalay Bay shooter and basically tells him that he will burn in hell one day. The ferocious guitar lick and drums in the chorus are spectacular, and this track deals with sensitive subject matter masterfully. “You Should Probably Leave” is a low point on the album for me, as it sounds like a typical country radio track, which generally leads me away from the genre. The subject matter is just so surface-level here that I can’t enjoy it. “Nashville, TN”, on the other hand, is an exceptional closer to this album and continues the theme of letting go beautifully. Stapleton has effectively written a love letter and a goodbye to his formative city of Nashville. Although I’m not attached to that city, feelings of attachment and maturation portrayed here are very relatable and resonant with me. Great closer.

On Starting Over, Chris Stapleton continues to impress me. Artists like Jason Isbell, The Highwomen, and Stapleton make me question whether my impulse to deny listening to country music is valid or reasonable. I’m not sure it is at this point, because this stuff is just too great to not give an occasional listen. I highly recommend you check out this album.

Favorite tracks: “Starting Over”, “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice”, “Cold”, “Arkansas”, “Hillbilly Blood”, “Maggie’s Song”, “Whiskey Sunrise”, “Old Friends”, “Watch You Burn”, “Nashville, TN”

SCORE: Light 8/10

Album Review: Positions - Ariana Grande

Last year, Ariana Grande impressed fans and critics alike with the release of her fifth studio album thank u, next. A sign of maturity, that album was one of my favorite pop records of 2019. Grande’s aesthetic began to blossom fully, and tracks like “7 Rings” and the album’s title track still impress me. After a quick turn around, Grande has released her new album Positions. While not as impressive or cohesive as her last project, I still enjoyed many of the tracks here, and I’m still excited to see what Ariana has to offer in the future.

Ariana Grande is somewhat known for her excellent opening tracks. “shut up” is a multi-layered, moody, and sassy track that indicates the project’s vibe right from the beginning. It’s hard not to be impressed by Grande’s impeccable performances, especially when accompanied by the bouncy, rap-like refrains found throughout. It’s nowhere close to a track like “imagine,” but it’s still not too shabby. “34+35” is a cheeky, tongue-in-cheek track that lets Grande’s promiscuous side shine. Gratuitously sexual lyrics have been popularized and normalized this year, as evidence by tracks like “WAP.” Some have described this project as Ariana Grande’s “horniest album” yet, which is hilarious but quite honestly fairly accurate.

“motive (with Doja Cat)” is another bouncy, fast-paced pop track with a lot of potential, but potential I don’t think it fully capitalizes on. I enjoy Grande’s contributions to the track, but I found Doja Cat’s feature here pretty underwhelming. With these two on the same track, I expect more than what was delivered. “just like magic” features an impressive vocal performance from Grande, but the song’s tempo and subject matter leave me wanting a little bit more. Up to this point, the album is slightly above average, but nothing to write home about.

“off the table (with The Weeknd)” is a heartfelt and sensual track that uses its feature appropriately and effectively. Abel’s performance reminds me of his vocals on Beauty Behind The Madness, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. If you want to get in your feels, this could be the track for you. “six thirty” matches the rest of the album’s aesthetic, but the repetitive lyrics feel a bit underdeveloped to me. “safety net (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)” is a pretty decent, radio-friendly pop track that demonstrates yet again why Ty is such a solid feature artist.

The back half of the album is impressive to me. “my hair” is a cute track with what sounds like, to me, a strong Pharrell influence. The whistling here is a bit much, but otherwise, I enjoy this song. That over-the-top whistling performance continues into “nasty”, which is one of the least impressive tracks on the album for me. It’s fairly one-note and underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more depth. “west side” provides T R A P S O U L-like production and Bryson Tiller-esque flow from Grande. This is a very smooth and cool track. The transition into “love language” is a bit abrupt, but this song’s instrumentation is too upbeat not to enjoy.

The final three tracks are all very strong. The title track and lead single for this album, “positions”, is an absolutely fantastic song. Grande has become an expert at creating these sorts of songs, and I don’t get tired of this aesthetic. Grandiose production and multilayered vocal performances never get old. The music video rocks, too. “obvious” is a short-lived track with a hard-hitting base backing that sets up the final track very nicely. "The album’s closer “pov” is my favorite song on the album, and one of my favorites in Grande’s discography in quite some time. Heartfelt, passionate, and beautifully composed, this final track alone makes up for a lot of what the rest of the album is missing.

Overall, I think a little more time in the studio could’ve really rounded out this project and brought it to its full potential, but this is still a solid Ariana Grande album. A slight step down from thank u, next, but on the same level as a project like Sweetener for me. This is a good album in general, with the highs being extremely impressive and the lows just slightly underwhelming. I highly recommend you give Positions a listen. Thanks for reading!

Favorite tracks: “shut up”, “34+35”, “off the table (with The Weeknd)”, “safety net (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)”, “my hair”, “west side”, “love language”, “positions”, “pov”

SCORE: 7/10

Joe Biden Wins The 2020 Presidential Election

It’s done. Over the past four days, the United States has waited patiently as legally-cast ballots were counted in key swing states across the country. On Saturday morning, Pennsylvania was called by most mainstream media news networks, putting Joe Biden above the 270 electoral vote threshold to win the presidency. Kamala Harris is now the first woman to be Vice President-Elect, which shows how far we’ve come as a nation.

This election has served as a decisive referendum against Donald Trump’s failed leadership. After dealing with vast racial tensions, an uncontrolled pandemic, and constant attacks against democracy, the American people chose Joe Biden with more votes than any other presidential candidate in the country’s history.

Honor, humility, empathy, and respect will return to the White House. Competence and dedication will return to the White House. We now have a President and Vice President-Elect who will govern for all Americans, not just for their supporters. Today is historic, and I’m so relieved to know definitively that we’ve made the right decision.

Final 2020 Presidential Election Prediction

Tomorrow marks a very important day for the United States. In less than twenty-four hours from now, voters will be lining up all across the country to cast their ballots for the 2020 presidential election. Although tomorrow is the last day to cast a ballot in this election cycle, early voter turnout has been record-breaking. This is in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but polls show that voter enthusiasm may also be at an all-time high. So far, the race has been steady. Joe Biden has maintained a roughly 8% national lead over Donald Trump and has maintained slightly tighter leads in battleground states for the entire cycle. Barring something unprecedented happening, such as polls with an unpredictably high error or Trump making an effort to steal the election, Joe Biden is clearly favored to become the 46th president of the United States. I’ve predicted the outcome of the election multiple times on my blog, and in this post, I will do so for the last time until we find out the result, whenever that may be. Let’s get into it.

When determining who I believe will win each state and district, I looked at historical precedent, polling data, and local issues to make my predictions. Some states, whose polls are overwhelming partisan and consistent, can easily be categorized as “safe” for their respective candidate. Due to many previously safe Republican states shifting to the left, Joe Biden’s advantage becomes significant early on in tabulating electoral vote shares. There is no doubt that California, New York, and Illinois will go to Biden, or that Wyoming, North Dakota, and West Virginia will go to Trump.

The “likely” states for each candidate are states I believe will be decided by a >10% but <15% popular vote margin. Very few would doubt Colorado going to Biden or Indiana going to Trump, although these states will be slightly too close to call them “safe” for their candidate. Perhaps if these states allocated their electoral vote share proportionally, candidates would make more of an attempt to reach out to voters here. But due to their partisan composition, it just remains that no surprises will come out of these states on election night.

I categorize “lean” states with a popular vote margin of >5% but <10%. This is where things get interesting and challenging to predict. Recent A+ rated rustbelt polls show Biden is probably going to recover the “blue wall” of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania that Hillary Clinton lost in 2016. It should be noted that, against popular opinion, the last election’s national and state-level polls were fairly accurate, and all mostly within a margin of error that happened to favor Trump. This can be explained by Clinton’s failure to properly campaign in these states in the final stretch, James Comey’s influential letter just weeks before election day, and pollster bias which didn’t account for the education factor heavily enough. Since adjustments have been made in polling methodology since then (see 2018’s mid-terms) and there have been very few scandals in this cycle that have stuck against Biden, there’s no reason to assume polls will be as off as they were in 2016. As we begin to look at the “tilt” states of this election cycle, it becomes clear that Trump is the definitive underdog yet again, even more so than in 2016, and that he would need to sweep every battleground state in this year’s election to have a chance at winning. The problem for him: he’s down in almost all of them.

The two non-circumstantial factors that differentiate Biden’s campaign from Clinton’s are 1) stability, and 2) enthusiasm. Clinton’s leads in 2016 fluctuated greatly, which hasn’t been the case for Biden yet. On election day in the last cycle, Hillary Clinton was on both a national and statewide downswing that eventually favored Trump. Additionally, Clinton’s leads weren’t nearly as high as Biden’s have been so far, with Biden polling 50+% in multiple battlegrounds ahead of Trump according to A+ pollsters. We can’t count Trump out just yet, though, because this election is also one of the most unprecedented in the country’s history, as it is taking place in the middle of a pandemic. Turnout and mail-in ballots are variables that need to be considered, although it is difficult to predict how Trump’s likely premature declaration of victory will affect the race on election night, if at all. We’ve already talked about the red mirage theory on this blog, but even that may prove null if any of the swing sunbelt states show a sizable victory for Biden tomorrow night.

My tilt state predictions are even slightly conservative as I give Trump Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, and Texas, all of which very well could go to Biden. I’ve made the joke before that if Florida voters were to choose between world peace and a sexually transmitted disease, the vote would be 51%-49% and the choice wouldn’t be clear, so it’s difficult for me to expect Biden to win here, but polling has consistently shown a steady shot for the Biden campaign to end the election on November 3rd by winning the Sunshine State. Arizona, which has been shifting left consistently over the past few election cycles, is in the same boat, and will greatly increase Biden’s chances of winning if he secures its electoral votes. North Carolina polling has shown preferential for Biden, although I wouldn’t be shocked if it (or any of the other states mentioned here) went in Trump’s direction. However, I believe the keystone and most likely tipping point state of this election, Pennsylvania, will be closer than many expect.

I want to first address that Donald Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the potential discarding of hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots that aren’t processed by election night is authoritarian, fascistic, and anti-American. I’m glad that the Attorney General of Pennsylvania is confident in his ability to sustain these ballots if they are to be challenged by Trump’s lawyers. Trump has basically lived in Pennsylvania these last few days, though, and it bordering ultra-conservative West Virginia makes me think the popular vote margin in PA will be around 2 or 3%. By now, though, according to my predictions, Biden will have secured a popular vote victory of 335-203, becoming the President-Elect of the United States.

We all just want this election to be over. The constant headlines, divisiveness, and lies from the Trump administration have proven even more exhausting than I ever thought possible. In Biden, there will be a return to at least a level of decorum and respect for the White House that will allow us to address challenges such as racial disparity, COVID-19, and climate change, among others. If you haven’t voted yet, safely go to an in-person polling location tomorrow and do so. It’s your responsibility as a citizen to stay informed and engaged. Also, stay safe - I don’t want things to get ugly out there, but the way things have happened so far this year, nothing surprises me anymore at this point. Thanks for reading.