Written by Jennifer Moglia
Although “end of year list season” is usually about everyone’s favorite albums that came out during the current year, I always really like looking back on albums that I listened to for the first time despite not being released that year. Since I listened to a ton of new music this year, this article will be about ten of my favorites, in no particular order; click here for a full playlist!
10: “Errorzone” by Vein
Released: June 22nd, 2018
Favorite Tracks: “Errorzone”, “Doomtech”
How to Support: Merch via Closed Casket Activities, @VEINBAND on Twitter
Boston hardcore band Vein was a recommendation that I got often when I first started getting into the genre. After finally listening to their debut full-length “Errorzone”, it finally made sense why so many people told me to check them out.
“Errorzone” is a primal, disarming experience of an album, to put it simply. The fusion of nu-metal and classic hardcore forms a sound that packs a punch no matter how many times you listen to it.
Although the title track is probably the strongest, other highlights include “Doomtech” and “Anesthesia.” Any band that can make an impression in under half an hour gains my respect immediately, and I can’t wait to see what this band does next, after the release of “Old Data in a New Machine, Vol. 1” earlier this year.
9: “Demo 2017” by Wicked Garden
Released: January 10th, 2017
Favorite Track: “Anxiety Overdose”
How to Support: Vinyl via LDB, @WickedGardenKY on Twitter
One of a few releases on this list that is under 10 minutes, I discovered Wicked Garden’s 2017 demo when looking for vinyl on Life and Death Brigade Records’ website. Any band who does a pink vinyl pressing will catch my eye, so naturally, I had to check this EP out.
In another instance of fusing genres, Wicked Garden is almost like a mixture of indie, alternative rock, and hardcore. Each song brings genuine emotion and anger, with strong choruses to be found all around.
When faced with the task of classifying this release into a single genre, I wasn’t sure if I could do it. Whether you’re a fan of Culture Abuse, Foo Fighters, Weezer, or early Nirvana, there’s something within “Demo 2017” by Wicked Garden for everyone.
8: “I Love You, Honeybear” by Father John Misty
Released: February 9th, 2015
Favorite Tracks: “I Love You, Honeybear”, “True Affection”, “The Ideal Husband”
How to Support: Merch via Official Artist Store, @FatherJohnMisty on Twitter
Father John Misty is potentially one of the most polarizing figures in music. The stage name/persona of singer Josh Tillman, the character’s jaded, cynical attitude towards just about everything shines through in his music, and it’s not for everyone; you either love him or you hate him.
Another artist that I finally decided to check out after a ton of recommendations, I started with the more recent albums in Misty’s discography, “God’s Favorite Customer” and “Pure Comedy” before working my way back to “I Love You, Honeybear” and his debut, “Fear Fun.” Even though I discovered his entire catalog this year, his sophomore album is what stuck with me; even though his typical cynicism was still present, he was discussing topics that aren’t normally seen in such a negative light, like finding love and meeting his now-wife.
The opener and title track is the clear fan favorite, and with good reason, but this entire record is full of hits; from the electronically-influenced “True Affection”, to the emotionally charged, angsty “The Ideal Husband”, to softer moments like “I Went to the Store One Day” and “Chateau Lobby #4 (In C for Two Virgins)”, to the cockier “The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt.” and “Nothing Good Ever Happens at the Goddamn Thirsty Crow.” Father John Misty’s “I Love You, Honeybear” has a little something for everyone, no matter what your view on love and relationships is, and I wouldn’t hesitate to call it one of the best indie/folk albums of all time.
7: “Lover” by Taylor Swift
Released: August 23rd, 2019
Favorite Tracks: “Death by a Thousand Cuts”, “The Archer”, “Cornelia Street”
How to Support: Merch via Official Artist Store, @TaylorSwift13 on Twitter
Like so many other teenage/young adult girls, Taylor Swift has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. For one reason or another, her 2019 album “Lover” slipped through the cracks for me around the time that it was released, and I didn’t get a chance to listen to it until the “lockdown” period of 2020 began in the spring.
Despite being a bit of a change sonically for Swift, I still think that this is one of her best records to date. The country singer-songwriter turned pop powerhouse balances her renowned lyrical ability with a more peppy, synth-infused sound, making for one of the most fun albums I’ve heard in a while.
“Death by a Thousand Cuts” and “The Archer” will break your heart in the best way possible with bridges that put some of her best to shame, while softer moments like “Soon You’ll Get Better (feat. The Chicks)” and “Cornelia Street” show off her vulnerable side. Other highlights include “The Man” and “Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Prince” where Swift comments on today’s political climate and disadvantages she may face because she is a woman.
The power ballads and tearjerkers are evened out with classic poppy love songs like “Cruel Summer”, “I Think He Knows” and “Paper Rings.” With the release of “Lover”, Taylor Swift proved that she’s “still got it”, and will forever be remembered as one of the best pop artists and songwriters of this time.
6: “Distant Like You Asked” by Like Pacific
Released: February 19th, 2016
Favorite Tracks: “Richmond”, “Distant”, “22a”
How to Support: Merch via MerchNow, @LikePacific on Twitter
Concerning the genre of pop-punk as a whole, it can be hard to stand out or stray from the traditional mold. When I do hear something that is classified as pop-punk that makes me excited to listen to music again, it catches me by surprise; that’s what happened when I discovered Like Pacific.
The minute that Jordan Black’s angry vocals kick in on opening track “Richmond”, bitterly delivering the lines “As if I had all the answers, to fix your mistakes / I couldn't risk too much, it was all at stake”, you know you’re in for a treat. This band’s debut record is angst-filled, but not in an empty way; it’s insightful.
Although Like Pacific has made big strides since this album, releasing their second full-length “In Spite of Me” in 2018 and a single called “Hands Tied” this year, it’s obvious why “Distant Like You Asked” became a classic for so many. It re-ignited my love for pop-punk that is so easily lost lately, and I’d recommend it to anyone else who has felt themselves falling out of love with the genre as well.
5: “Never Better” by Anxious
Released: August 23rd, 2019
Favorite Track: “Seeds”
How to Support: Vinyl via Triple B Records, Merch via Bandcamp, @WereAnxious on Instagram
After they were announced for Knuckle Puck’s winter tour with One Step Closer and Heart Attack Man, I decided to check out the debut EP from Connecticut band Anxious. Titled “Never Better”, the cover art for this release is what initially caught my eye, but the music is what made me stick around.
Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, this EP is a perfect introduction to Anxious’ sound. Early Title Fight may be the easy comparison here, but it’s the most fitting one.
This band’s sound is raw and real, with vocalist Grady Allen’s passionate delivery making every lyric come to life. Anxious is a band that should definitely be on your radar if they aren’t already.
4: “All Hell” by Vanna
Released: July 8th, 2016
Favorite Tracks: “Flower”, “Lead Balloon”
How to Support: Merch via MerchNow, @VannaBand on Instagram
Vanna’s “All Hell” was an album I checked out on a whim at the beginning of this summer, and was another one that I was drawn to because of the cover art and gorgeous vinyl variants. Even though they played their final show three years ago this week, I had only heard them in passing and had never really sat down to listen to them.
This band blends influences from subgenres like metalcore, melodic hardcore, and post-hardcore to create their unique sound. The combination of frontman Davey Muise’s harsh vocals over pretty, flowy-sounding instrumentals just works together swimmingly.
For me, the standouts are the more emotionally charged tracks, like “Flower” and “Lead Balloon”, but the sonically heavier songs like “Mutter” and opener “Paranoia Euphoria” fit in perfectly as well. As a whole, this is a consistent, cohesive melodic hardcore record, and a perfect ending to Vanna’s run as a band together.
3: “Malibu Nights” by LANY
Released: October 5th, 2018
Favorite Tracks: “If You See Her”, “Thru These Tears”, “Run”, “Malibu Nights”
How to Support: Merch via Official Artist Store, @ThisIsLANY on Twitter
Like many others, I went through my fair share of breakups and emotional turmoil in 2020. In the thick of it, this summer, one of my best friends told me that I should listen to LANY’s “Malibu Nights” since it helped her through a breakup a few years ago.
If any album could be named the “official breakup album”, I would think it would be this one. In nine songs and just over half an hour, LANY takes listeners through every stage of a breakup, helping them feel and recover from every emotion involved in the process, from initial sadness on “Thick and Thin” and “I Don’t Wanna Love You Anymore”, to denial on “If You See Her” and “Taking Me Back”, to anger on “Run”, to acceptance and closure on “Thru These Tears.”
Once again, the title track is the standout and fan favorite, but this whole record is really worth a listen, front to back. I’d recommend this to anyone, regardless of relationship status, but especially if you’re healing from a broken heart; this will feel like comfort food for your ears.
2: “This Too Won’t Pass” by Can’t Swim
Released: November 16th, 2018
Favorite Tracks: “What Have We Done?”, “My Queen”
How to Support: Merch via Official Artist Store and MerchNow, @CantSwim_ on Twitter
Alternative band Can’t Swim’s 2019 EP “Foreign Language” was one of my favorite releases of last year, due to its aggressive vocal delivery and heavy instrumentation. When I decided to check out more of their discography, I was shocked to stumble upon “This Too Won’t Pass.”
Unlike the heavier “Foreign Language” and 2020’s electronic-leaning EP “Someone Who Isn’t Me”, 2018’s “This Too Won’t Pass” is more on the pop-punk side. Each song is filled with energy and emotion, and although I haven’t seen them live yet, I’m sure they all translate well to a live setting.
The one-two punch of “What Have We Done?” and “My Queen” starts the album off with a bang, followed immediately by the heart-wrenching “‘sometimes you meet the right people at the wrong times’”, and by the time you reach the closer “Winter of Cicada”, your mind will be blown. This is a simple, fun rock album, and it stayed in my rotation for the majority of 2020.
1: “To Whatever Fateful End” by Magnitude
Released: May 10th, 2019
Favorite Track: “Defy”, “To Whatever Fateful End”, “Lament”, “Opposition”
How to Support: Merch via Cold Cuts and Big Cartel, Vinyl via Triple B Records, @MagnitudeXXX on Twitter
I know I said this list is in no particular order, but if any of the spots are accurate, it’s #1. No album impacted me more this year than North Carolina straight edge hardcore band Magnitude’s debut full-length, “To Whatever Fateful End.”
As someone who got into hardcore fairly recently a little over a year ago, I wanted to learn all that I could about the culture surrounding the genre rather than just listening to the music. To me, Magnitude is one of the best modern bands that embodies that.
While many of the songs are focused around being straight edge and the mindset that comes with that, just about anyone and everyone can take something from at least one of the songs on this record. It’s masterful, heavy-hitting hardcore with great lyrics to match; what more could you ask for?
What were your favorite albums that you discovered this year? Let us know by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!
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