Top 15 Favorite Albums of 2021

by Karl W.

    Well, we made it out of 2021, a tumultuous year to be sure, and one where my musical experience is both more and less than it was last year. Sure, this was the year I finally ended up starting this blog (with my favorite albums of 2020 on top of that), and I have finally been able to go to more music festivals now that concerts and festivals are opening up again, but I also felt a bit disconnected from music this year. This year truly had many albums this year from many established names that I just haven't been able to get to, whether due to me not being mentally able to handle the new releases, me being too busy with other commitments and projects, or me just straight up missing them. Still, I was able to find enough to not only pull together a list like this, but also find enough to make this list at least a little bigger than last time! What can I say? Music in 2021 was busy, and it took me a bit to truly find the albums to represent my list, but I feel like I have a comprehensive list of my music listening tastes this year. Before we get to that, however, let's look at some...

Honorable Mentions!

Wolf Alice "Blue Weekend": An album that I felt like I rated a little too harshly in my initial review. This is Wolf Alice with their most expansive sound to date, along with a handful of their best songs to date.

Lingua Ignota "SINNER GET READY": Admittedly I listened to this one a little too late to place properly on this list, and while I'm still not wholly on board with this yet, this is a truly haunting follow-up to "CALIGULA" follows up the themes of that album within a Biblical and religious scale that is well worth appreciating at the very least.

Modest Mouse "The Golden Casket": Okay, maybe this isn't Modest Mouse's best material, and yes, I may like this way more than most, but I got to give it up for one of my favorite bands taking a step up in maturity and introspection with their newest release. 

Japanese Breakfast "Jubilee": Good to see Japanese Breakfast getting some more critical acclaim now, and while I don't love this quite enough to make the list, it still has an ethereal and bright sound to it that this band truly makes their own.

Slothrust "Parallel Timeline": The last cut from this list, but that doesn't mean this album shouldn't be listened to, as Slothrust provide a solid blend of songs that are all distinct and powerful in their own right.

15. Charli Adams "Bullseye"
[Color Study/Ultra]
Indie Pop/Pop Rock/Emo

    Charli Adams' "Bullseye" is one of many debut albums that ended up shocking me this year (seriously, the debuts this year were a feat to behold), yet Adams has a grasp of emotionality and theatrics that makes it a true album to behold. It reminds me a bit of Phoebe Bridger's stunning album "Punisher" last year, yet the emotional core of this album, with the heartbreaking performances and very subtle but pleasant instrumentation, has a different but no less effective kick to it. It's emo at its core, delving into messy relationships and her attempts to try and cling to some semblance of structure through it all. Even still, this album has plenty of highlights, especially since no two songs feel similar and have a lot of complex production through it all. It's a layered project, to be sure, but one that is sure to break your heart all the same.

Standout Tracks: "Emo Lullaby :'(" "Didn't Make It", "Headspace" ft. Ruston Kelly, "Remember Cloverland", "Bullseye"

14. Citizen "Life in Your Glass World"
[Run for Cover]
Emo/Alternative Rock/Dance Punk

    A lot of my listening tastes the past few years have fallen into a lot of pop punk and emo courtesy of bands like PUP and Spanish Love Songs. I was a bit surprised that I didn't have many of those types of albums this year as I did in the past, but thankfully Ohio-based band Citizen got me covered. Citizen's fourth studio album sees the band at their most consistent and powerful, as the band takes a shot at a dance punk direction that works extraordinarily well for them. The band has a handful of their catchiest songs to date on this album, yet that doesn't mean this album is lighthearted in anyway, as the album seems to be a deep dive into depression and self-hatred, with the band getting to some of their bleakest material on this album. It's a true highlight for fans of punk and emo music, and one that paints a bright future for Citizen.

Standout Tracks: "Death Dance Approximately", "I Want to Kill You", "Call Your Bluff", "Pedestal", "Glass World"

13. Turnstile "GLOW ON"
[Roadrunner]
Post Hardcore/Hardcore Punk/Alternative Rock

    Turnstile's fourth studio album marks the true progression of a band. The relatively underground post hardcore and punk band truly hit their stride with "GLOW ON", with their most cleaned up and complex production to date. Turnstile delve more into a dream pop route with a handful of their songs on this album as well, as the production is spacey and vibrant, truly a sound you can get lost in as the album progresses. Despite the dreamier production, however, Turnstile don't give up the traditional punk sound that made them in the first place. Admittedly, it's a bit front-loaded with the best songs coming near the beginning, but Turnstile overall offer a fantastic mix of punk, hardcore, and dream pop that has me excited to see what they have up their sleeves next.

Standout Tracks: "MYSTERY", "BLACKOUT", "HOLIDAY", "ALIEN LOVE CALL" ft. Blood Orange, "WILD WRLD"

12. Jetty Bones "Push Back"
[Rise]
Indie Pop/Pop Rock

    Jetty Bones has been slowly building up steam with a few EPs, but with her first full length debut, she proved to be a true standout. "Push Back" offers a pop rock tour de force exploring mental issues and struggling relationships that call to mind artists like Carly Rae Jepsen or Paramore, but still feeling true to her own style with her occasional rap cadence and overall vocal range. The album is definitely chipper and poppy in tone, even as the lyrics delve into the pits of depression and dark subconscious thoughts (such as on "Dolly"). The juxtaposition really makes this stand out quite a bit, with the hooks being some of the best of the year. It's pretty simple as far as performances, but requires you to dig a little deeper between the lines to truly appreciate it.

Standout Tracks: "Nothing", "That's All", "Taking Up Space", "Dolly", "Bad Trick"

11. Porter Robinson "Nurture"
[Mom + Pop]
Electronica/Synth-Pop/Electropop

    Revisiting "Nurture" after some time made me realize if I had rated this sophomore album a bit lowly at times. Porter Robinson's production and blending of musical styles and tones is simply awe-inspiring, practically begging to be played at big festivals. "Nurture" offers plenty of soaring and eclectic tunes that ebb and flow so smoothly and effortlessly. It probably wouldn't have made this list if it wasn't for the themes behind it as well, delving into Porter Robinson's creative block and depression telling him he couldn't make what he did here, yet he's still here. It spoke to me as someone who had always doubted my ability to make something like this a hobby, and with this being one of my first reviews on this blog, I kinda owe a lot to this in helping me push through my own creative block.

Standout Tracks: "Look At The Sky", "Musician", "Something Comforting", "Blossom", "Unfold"

10. Tyler, the Creator "CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST"
[Columbia]
Alternative Hip-Hop/Rap

    Tyler, the Creator's last three projects saw a growth in personal maturity and more complex production that has led to his best work to date. "Flower Boy" showed Tyler at his most vulnerable and emotional, "IGOR" was experimental but also emotionally complicated and enthralling, yet what "CALL ME" offers is something that is more mature and controlled, and features some of his best writing and flows to date. Tyler is more mature on this record but not entirely as he feels himself mess up situations or wrestles with his mental state and his relationship troubles. Still, Tyler is able to bounce back with more braggadocious tracks where his flows and skills as a rapper are at his absolute best. Even the DJ Drama samples, which I was rather hesitant towards at first, help tie this track together with the themes and narratives on this album. Tyler is three for three now and it's only a matter of time to see where Tyler Baudelaire will check in next.

Standout Tracks: "CORSO", "WUSYANAME" ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign, "HOT WIND BLOWS" ft. Lil Wayne, "SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE" ft. Brent Faiyas and Fana Hues, "JUGGERNAUT" ft. Lil Uzi Vert & Pharrell

9. Black Country, New Road "For the First Time"
[Ninja Tune]
Experimental Rock/Noise Rock/Post-Punk

    There are a handful of fantastic debut albums this year, and I think Black Country, New Road are among the most eclectic and experimental of the bunch. This British rock group deliver an experimental tour de force of complex rhythms and instrumentation across only six songs, though in this instance, they put quality over quantity. The songs ebb and flow almost seamlessly in basically every side, such as on the album centerpiece "Sunglasses" that goes from a mellow tune to a slowly building cacophony of sound. The whole album gives into paranoia and madness, especially with lead vocalist Isaac Wood's manic vocals and dark lyrics that truly give into the paranoia and insecurities around him. With a new album coming out this year (probably already out by the time I post this), Black Country, New Road is here to stay, and we have this pinnacle of British engineering to thank for it.

Standout Tracks: "Instrumental", "Science Fair", "Sunglasses", "Opus"

8. Emily Scott Robinson "American Siren"
[Oh Boy]
Country

    I did not listen to as much country music as I admittedly would've liked. Even this album was a late entry to my listening rotation this year, but boy was I glad I got around to it. Emily Scott Robinson is a real hidden gem of a country artist who has a real knack for her details of small town life and expectations of a young woman in a small town. Country is a genre that hits its strongest in its storytelling and emotional resonance, both of which Emily provides in spades, whose stories are often bleak, but real. Religion and faith are also a big theme on this album, exploring one's complications with their own faith but realizing there is more to faith than just going to church on Sunday. Even despite the bleakness of the material, Emily Scott Robinson is such a gentle but expressive presence behind the microphone, with the production being top notch to match. It might be a late edition to my favorites list, but it's truly a special one.

Standout Tracks: "Old Gods", "Things You Learn the Hard Way", "Let 'Em Burn", "Hometown Hero", "Lightning in a Bottle"

7. Really From "Really From"
[Topshelf]
Indie Rock/Emo Rock/Jazz

    So how does emo rock mixed with jazz sound to you? Leave it to Really From to blend the lines between two very distinct genres into an utterly inspired sound that produces some of the most ear-pleasing hooks and instrumental breakdowns of the year. The genre mixture along with the phenomenal lush production makes for some of the most memorable music of the year, though the lyrics and the themes are equally standout, exploring what it really means to belong. Taken from the perspective of an immigrant couple moving to a new home, Really From tackle language barriers, racism, and how one would define themselves where they are at now rather than where they are...well, really from. It's truly one of the most beautiful and underrated albums of 2021, and one that deserves a listen.

Standout Tracks: "Quirk", Yellow Fever", "Try Lingual", "I Live Here Now", "I'm From Here"

6. Manchester Orchestra "The Million Masks of God"
[Loma Vista]
Indie Rock/Progressive Rock

    Manchester Orchestra seems to be improving more and more as time goes on, with this being the natural evolution from their 2017 concept album "A Black Mile to the Surface" (which was a great album in its own right). Manchester Orchestra continues with its themes of family, whether the birth of a child or the death of a father, the emotions run a little more personal this time around, among the darkest and most expansive instrumentation in Manchester Orchestra's career. The instrumentation and production is head and shoulders above any of their other projects up to this point, almost feeling transcendent to a point, going beyond the boundaries of death, beyond, and back again. For a while I was debating on whether or not this was better than "A Black Mile to the Surface", but it truly is the step in the right direction for the band and I await on what else awaits beyond.

Standout Tracks: "Angel of Death", "Bed Head", "Annie", "Let It Storm", "Obstacle"

5. Magdalena Bay "Mercurial World"
[Luminelle]
Synth Pop/Electronic Pop/Dream Pop

    A cult favorite from this year and for good reason. Magdalena Bay offer up a sound that is lush, creative, and intensely catchy. An utter triumph in production, "Mercurial World" is filled head to toe with utter earworms and is experimental with its sound where it changes synth tones and rhythms even within the same song. If one point of a song doesn't quite catch your attention, just wait a little bit and you'll experience something else completely different. This album sucks you into its world of bright colors and expansive sounds, sticking one foot in a nostalgic sound and another in a more forward-thinking tone that explores an increasingly online world where people are both more and less connected than ever. It's a real success of a debut that has me wondering what world Magdalena Bay will take us to next.

Standout Tracks: "Dawning of the Season", "Secrets (Your Fire)", "You Lose!", "Hysterical Us", "The Beginning"

4. Silk Sonic "An Evening with Silk Sonic"
[Aftermath/Atlantic]
R&B, Funk, Soul

    So I am familiar with some of the criticisms of an album like this. Yes, it's steeped in the nostalgia of the 70s, as was a lot of popular music of this year. Yes, it's corny as hell. However, when the hooks are as good as they are with both Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak pulling some of their best performances, I find it really hard to care about its shortcomings. Silk Sonic is such a match made in heaven that it shouldn't even be fair. Both performers play off each other shortly, and they have such a knack for not only hooks and harmonies, but also the general aesthetic of 60s and 70s funk, soul, and R&B that makes them a force to be reckoned with. Whether or not they will even attempt something like this in the future is beyond me, but, for at least this one effort, the blend of retro R&B and funk was well worth it.

Standout Tracks: "Leave the Door Open", "Fly As Me", "After Last Night" ft. Thundercat and Bootsy Collins, "Smoking Out The Window", "Put On A Smile"

3. McKinley Dixon "For My Mama, And Anyone That Look Like Her"
[Spacebomb]
Jazz Rap/Conscious Hip-Hop

    This is probably the most obscure album on this list, but it is not one to overlook at all. Richmond native McKinley Dixon was inspired by artists like Kendrick Lamar and Kamasi Washington with his jazz-infused hip hop this year, and it honestly has the possibility to be just as good as some of their best material. With a stunning grasp on his flows, composition, and lyrical depth, McKinley Dixon shows he is a force to be reckoned with in the underground rap scene. This album is a slice of jazz rap that is utterly transcendent in its production and instrumentation, with arguably the best implementation of jazz and its different styles all year. Still, this is quite the difficult listen overall, as McKinley Dixon's lyrics are layered and complex, facing street violence and the systems that keep that subjugation going. What's most daring about this album is McKinley's relationship with God and religion, one that feels more confrontational towards God, wanting to have that faith to keep going, but still critical towards whether or not there's a real divine plan towards the troubles in his life and his home. It's a grandiose album, one that really isn't for everyone, yet I can't argue that this is by far the best rap album of the  year.

Standout Tracks: "Never Will Know" ft. Micah James and Gold Midas, "make a poet Black", "protective styles" ft. Abby T., "brown shoulders" ft. Ms. Jaylin Brown, "Mama's Home" ft. Alfred

2. CHVRCHES "Screen Violence"
[EMI/Glassnote]
Pop/Synthpop/Indie Pop

    "Screen Violence" is quite possibly CHVRCHES's best album to date. Their first two albums saw an upcoming talent in the synthpop scene, but "Screen Violence" might be the evolution of their artistic style and lyrical prowess. Though the breakup narrative running through their first two albums was super engaging and enthralling, CHVRCHES shakes it up with a slight horror tilt to their sound, tone, and material, which ends up being a true winning combo. This is definitely their darkest album to date, with the horror iconography helping accentuate some of the darker themes on this album, from gaslighting and bearing under the weight of building expectations. "Screen Violence" is the step in the right direction after their first two albums and the slight misstep after "Love is Dead", and would've been my choice for the best album of the year...although there was one I liked just a little more.

Standout Tracks: "Asking for a Friend", "California", "How Not to Drown" ft. Robert Smith, "Final Girl", "Nightmares"

1. Genesis Owusu "Smiling with No Teeth"
[Ourness/House Anxiety]
Alternative R&B, Alternative Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, Funk

    Genesis Owusu wins the award for best debut album of the year for me. "Smiling with No Teeth" is a blend of hip-hop, funk, soul, and R&B (with additional electronic and rock elements) that feels all Owusu's own while creating some of the best hooks and most explosive songs of the year. The hooks and instrumentation are all incredible, and Owusu's vocal delivery is also impeccable, ranging from howling shouts to a deep soulful swoon. It's very daring but also very poignant for a debut, with themes from abusive relationships, racial instability in society, and even the grind of being a black man in the music industry, yet still having that drive and determination to continue forward in spite of it all. There is humor and charm in his lyrics, but he isn't afraid to go dark. It's ambitious, but showcases a true talent in the music scene that I look forward to hearing for years to come. It was a tough race between this and CHVRCHES for the top slot, and while "Screen Violence" is the best material of CHVRCHES's career, Genesis Owusu offers a brand new style and inventive sound that immediately caught me off guard. For me, personally, my favorite album of the year.

Standout Tracks: "The Other Black Dog", "Don't Need You", "Gold Chains", "I Don't See Colour", "No Looking Back"