The Best Albums Of 2020

Let's make this perfectly clear: 2020 was a sucky year for new music. But I'm making the annual list anyways. 25 albums, as usual. Difficult to whip something up this year, but I enjoy making lists. In correlation with how much I disliked this year's music, I wrote a short blurb for each album here. That is, I wrote one of the album's flaws. 

From your favorite music curmudgeon: Enjoy.

The Best Albums Of 2020

25 

Gil Scott-Heron / Makaya McCraven 

We're New Again: A Reimagining By Makaya McCraven

Technically this album was already released 10 years ago. 

24 

Jeff Rosenstock 

NO DREAM

I only enjoy this album when I feel a reckless sense of hopelessness.

23 

Dirty Projectors 

5EPs

This is technically a compilation and shouldn't be here.

22 

HAIM 

Women In Music Pt. III

I know this is pop music, but HAIM have never been my favorite lyricists.

21 

Owen Pallett 

Island

This one's kind of a snoozer.

20 

Moses Sumney 

græ

I don't understand the concept at all. 

19 

The Soft Pink Truth 

Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?

For such an experimental album, the overall choices might be more safe than they are bold.

18 

Destroyer 

Have We Met

Not a huge fan of the "accessible indie synthpop" approach here. 

17 

Klô Pelgag 

Notre-Dame-Des-Sept-Douleurs

Too much time spent in balladry considering I can't speak a lick of French. 

16

Lido Pimienta 

Miss Columbia

For a pop-influenced album, this is pretty slow.

15 

Chloe x Halle 

Ungodly Hour

I can't tell if this is a bad thing or not, but a lot of this stuff reminds me of mid-2000's radio R&B.

14 

Ka

Descendants Of Cain

Sounds just as predictable as any Ka album.

13 

Laura Marling 

Song For Our Daughter

The middle of this album is like churning butter.

12 

Against All Logic 

2017-2019

By the end of the album, it kinda loses its identity as a Nicolas Jaar project. 

11 

Phoebe Bridgers 

Punisher

I actually disagree with a lot of the artistic/instrumental choices here.

10 

Freddie Gibbs / The Alchemist 

Alfredo

This is somewhat of a "small" affair. 

9 

The Microphones 

Microphones In 2020

Hard to take in in one sitting. 

8 

Adrianne Lenker 

songs

Some of these songs sound like they have no beginning or end. 

7 

Sevdaliza 

Shabrang

Too long.

6 

Lianne La Havas 

Lianne La Havas

Definitely nothing too experimental or groundbreaking here. 

5 

Charli XCX 

how i'm feeling now

This can sound REALLY annoying if you're not in the mood. 

4 

Run The Jewels 

RTJ4

This might be their most musically simple album.

3 

Perfume Genius 

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately 

Too much moaning.

2 

Jessie Ware 

What's Your Pleasure?

There is nothing wrong with this.

1 

Fiona Apple 

Fetch The Bolt Cutters 

This isn't even her best album. 

The 30 Best Artists Of My 30-Year Life

Couldn't make it past my 30th birthday without making a random music list. I've been alive from 1990-2020. Here are possibly the best artists from that era.

FOR THE RECORD...

-I recently had a facebook conversation with my sister about the music critic world being ruled by white men. This is definitely a list made by a white male.

-These are probably the best artists of my lifetime, not necessarily my "favorite." My favorites would include more artists that were big when I was in high school during the late 2000's. 

-Wu-Tang Clan is on this list. Namely because of all the amazing solo projects that came from them. In that aspect, they are better than The Beatles. 

-This list wasn't hard to make because I didn't think too hard about it. ONLY 30 artists? With that being said, I have an honorable mentions list of 30 artists. Here it is. 

MIA. Fiona Apple. Guided By Voices. Missy Elliott. Cat Power. The White Stripes. Spoon. Clipse. The Smashing Pumpkins. Stereolab. REM. Broken Social Scene. Oasis. Pulp. Blur. Beach House. TV On The Radio. Joanna Newsom. The Magnetic Fields. Mark Kozelek. Will Oldham. Phil Elverum. Massive Attack. Bill Callahan. Destroyer. Weezer. Beastie Boys. The National. Erykah Badu. D'Angelo.

Now here's the actual list. No blurbs, just cool pictures. 

The 30 Best Artists Of My 30-Year Life

30 Godspeed You! Black Emperor

29 Eminem

28 Vampire Weekend

27 Arcade Fire

26 Belle & Sebastian

25 PJ Harvey

24 LCD Soundsystem

23 Built To Spill

22 Yo La Tengo

21 Modest Mouse

20 A Tribe Called Quest 

19 Wu-Tang Clan

18 Frank Ocean

17 Sufjan Stevens

16 Fugazi

15 Daft Punk

14 Aphex Twin

13 Beck

12 Wilco

11 The Flaming Lips

10 Bjork

9 Elliott Smith

8 Jay-Z

7 Animal Collective

6 Nirvana

5 OutKast

4 Pavement

3 Kendrick Lamar

2 Kanye West

1 Radiohead

Ode To My Bachelor's Degree

I got my degree almost 4 years ago. December 2016, to be exact. I attended college for 10 semesters. Fall 2009, plus fall 2012-2016. Also spring 2013-2016. Yep. That's 10. Anyways. My B.A. diploma still sits in the envelope it came in. I'm not sure what to do with it. I'm not sure what to do with it metaphorically, either.

It's like I'm always turning into someone else. I was a different person for each semester I was in school. I've been multiple different people since I've graduated. With all these different versions of myself, I guess some versions were closer to my real self than others. But never wholly there. 

I got my degree in stage management, which is something I never really cared about. Then why did I pursue it for a few semesters of my college life? It seemed like a happy medium between my love for the artistic and my right-side-brain way of functioning. But it never satisfied. I only applied for a few theatre management jobs through it all. 

At one point I studied journalism. I started off as an actor. I was doing okay performance-wise at all these things. But internally, the incompleteness was always there. It still is. 

Somehow, amid my life's journey of incompleteness, I got a Bachelor's Degree. Simply a phase I went through. Somehow dedicated a lot of time and energy into getting this thing. 

I only write this because I've felt bad for the last few months. And have just recently been having flashbacks to my final semester at school. I never had a clear view of my future. I cared about what was in front of me and succeeded at that. But the amount of things to do placed in front of me have been reduced and I've been finding new ways to do nothing over the last 4 years. 

Going to school gave me something to do. At all times. Yet it was all non-consequential. I've always lived a life of action with little purpose, only now I do less. How am I supposed to learn things? How am I supposed to progress? How do I feel like myself? Will I ever feel like myself?

I have a Bachelor's Degree in stage management. I have a 1997 Ford Taurus. I have a used Fugazi CD. Don't ask me which possessions mean the most to me. I have enough belongings to cram into a shared apartment. What am I supposed to have? And what do I do with these things I do have? 

I just always feel weird saying I have a Bachelor's Degree. And all my college days feel like a distant dream to me. I've had so many friendships, yet I always have a hard time keeping them strong. I learned so many new things, only to have them shoved from one ear out the other every summer. All these things are my fault. What do I do now? Who have I become?

Music Doesn't Make Me Happy

Music doesn't make me happy. 

Music is my life. I love music. But does it make me happy? Nah. It feels more like a chore. It's like something I have to carry. I get too nit-picky about it. 

I'm listening to music right now as I write this. I'm listening to music I like. Funny thing, sometimes I choose to listen to music I don't like. I realize my taste in music is very narrow and stupid. Most music out there I simply just don't care about. 

This thought occurred to me last night at a jam session. After an hour or so of jamming with some friends on my bass guitar, I was shown a couple YouTube videos of a bluegrass duo--I think they were called The Milk Carton Kids? Anyways. This one guy in the band was arguably the greatest guitarist I've ever witnessed. Yet I did not give a flying flip. 

I played trombone growing up. I was in the high school band my freshman year, and almost my sophomore year. That's when it hit me that I really don't care about symphonic music. I still don't. I can't say I'm unimpressed. It's just that for the most part, it just doesn't make me feel or think anything.

I still remember this one roommate who questioned my guitar skills because I didn't know how to play "Classical Gas." Why would I want to learn how to play "Classical Gas"? 

I think music is a way for me to find a deeper meaning behind things. That's not fun. That's not joyous. Sometimes I judge the production quality, despite the fact I have no idea how to produce music myself. Sometimes I'm snarky about the lyrical content, which is something I personally struggle with. But I only care about whatever music I want to care about. 

Soundtracks to musicals? Old-timey bluegrass shtick artists? Background compositions for movies? Reggae DJ sets? DIY YouTubers who put their own spin on pop covers? Any Christian music ever made at all? A Capella? "Classical Gas"? I don't have to care.

Sometimes music excites my senses. But it often just feels like a dull job where I'm always on the clock. Critiquing everything I hear. Coming up with song ideas. Things like performance and enjoyment are only a small piece to the puzzle. 

I kinda wish music made me happy. It sounds pleasant. But just the way I think...Music might have too much of some general over-arching purpose for it to be a basic outlet or hobby. I want to be known as a songwriter. But it's an overwhelming thought. And a task that requires work outside of the comfort zone. And right now, a lot of musical work is outside my comfort zone. Because I know I can do it, but probably won't enjoy it. Because music doesn't make me happy. It's more like some burden I've chosen to carry and hide inside. 

For all you music people out there, keep making music. Keep listening to the songs you like. I'll be over here sitting and stewing over it all. 

Existing In America

The picture above is a marvelous star-spangled lady dancing background for James Brown's "Living In America" in Rocky IV. I've always lived in America. These days, I'm not living in America. I'm kinda just, like...existing in America.

I post a lot of self-negative things on the internet. It's what I do. The more I do it, from each angle, it's interesting what kind of feedback I get from friends. Right now my main gripe is that I feel like my life has no purpose. I get a job I don't care about. And outside of work, I've lost all motivation to do anything interesting or fun. 

I think I've been going through a bad trip, when it comes to the medication I'm on. I feel anxiety symptoms way too frequently. And I worry about things I've never worried about before. I've never felt like this before. 

So why even mention America? I've just been thinking about the American Dream, and I don't think I fit the mold. Everything is too heavy for me. Working on anything, difficult or not, causes me stress. And yet doing nothing just leaves me empty. Nothing satisfies. I don't believe in anything. Nothing worth working for, nothing worth working on. In the land adventurous freedom and opportunity, I've lost all sense of adventure. "Work hard, play hard?" I do neither. I'm not a very good American. 

I strive to be as extravagant as the lady in that picture. Wearing a giant feathery headdress, half-naked, waving American flags. Looks like a blast. Lately I have a hard time getting out of my house. I know I need to get a job again, but what's the point? I don't think I have any marketable skills. And when it comes to my spare time, I don't think about music the way I used to. There's no sense of energy or excitement. There's no peace or clarity. No purpose. Just existing. But at least I'm existing...in America. 

Other People Reviewing My Music

SONGS FROM A BASEMENT (Studio EP)
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/album/songs-from-a-basement-ep
-"Your sound is sick. You should be sending this to different labels!" "You always get people sending you their music and it’s always kind of ehhh. Good maybe, but not great. Your stuff though? Dude. What the hell? I had absolutely no idea that you were so talented." "I was completely enthralled in all 4 tracks. You made me feel emotional, and your material was relatable. Also, the way you blend acoustic with so many other styles. In the beginning I had a sort of Conor Oberst and Bob Dylan vibe. But then there was Elliot Smith and Panda Bear! And then Brian Wilson showed up. You reminded me of so many amazing artists while maintaining a total uniqueness. I could hear your speaking voice through your melodies and the result was amazing. Your voice is so beautiful and capable and your songs are amazing." "A talented motherfucker."
-"I'm glad you've kept recording, writing, and playing. And I hope you received positive feedback from others because, wow. Your guitar playing, melodies, and lyrics are top notch. These songs feel nostalgic without being sentimental. It took me back to other times where I was surprised by the depth, quality, and freshness of music I wasn't expecting to be so affected by. I hope you keep writing and sharing. Because I'll keep listening."
-"Happy to support your music because it's effin legit." "Music so good I bought it on the sabbath!" "The only music I listened to today was yours. It's truly awesome."
-"It was amazing." "It's good music. Good job." "I decided to buy the album again."
-"Sounds great!"
-"Who is this? I need this!"
-"Positive feedback all around."
-"Great work!"
-"I loved them all. You are very talented, my friend."
-"Nice work! I would say it reminds me of Beck mixed with the Juno soundtrack! Awesome!"
-"These are so good!"
-"Enjoyable!"
-"Just as interesting as your guitar and lyrics are your vocal inspirations. Really fun, honest, simple music."
-"Good stuff!"
-"Fantastic. I truly love it." "Melancholy. It's kinda depressed but I enjoy it." "I liked the melodies. They were interesting. You really sounded like you were feeling it when you were singing." "Interesting independent music. Great sound!"

PLIGHT
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/plight
"Sounds like a mix of Third Eye Blind and Radiohead from The Bends era."
"30 seconds in, and I'm surprised you're not schooled in emo."
Brooks stand-out
REACH / CLOSE
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/reach-close
Sierra's favorite. "I love that song." "It was my song all of spring semester."
Richie's 2nd favorite
MEMORY SUITE
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/memory-suite-demo-mix
"This is your A-Side."
"The lyrics are quite something."
Brooks stand-out
SHOULDA TRIED TO HOLD YOUR HAND
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/shoulda-tried-to-hold-your-hand
*Most Plays*
"Bass reminds me Beat Happening."
Derrick's favorite
Richie's favorite
Uncle Ron's favorite. "Reminded me a lot of Henry Gross."
Melissa's favorite. "It was giving me real Paul Simon/early Beatles vibes.
Brooks stand-out. "I've hummed this all day. I'm going to try to figure out how to play it."

MEMORIAL (Home recordings)
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/album/memorial
-"Blew me away." "The vocals, guitar and melodies are so lovely all together." "I'm impressed with your courage to be so vulnerable. I've really related to the lyrics in all three pieces you've shared."

THE LIFE EXPERIENCE
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/the-life-experience
Ashley's favorite.
MET ME
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/met-me
Derrick's favorite
"I really like the sound." "Really like the lyrics too. I'm really impressed with what you got."
"Frustrating to listen to." "Really honest and relatable."
NO ONE'S HYMN
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/no-ones-hymn
"Lovely."

HEY! 2 SONGS! (Home recordings)
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/album/hey-2-songs

SUMMER REDEMPTION
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/summer-redemption
"I liked this." "I like it raw."
Brooks stand-out.
"Great guitar riff."
LAUREN FROM CHICAGO
https://scottehall.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-lauren-from-chicago
"I really like it."
Richie's favorite.
Keith shared. "It's very raw--raw emotion, raw recording and raw talent."
"Really really good."

DEPRESSING IMPROV JAMS (Soundcloud project)
https://soundcloud.com/my-scott-e-hall/sets/depressing-improv-jams?fbclid=IwAR2-Inog34PlllRew1EULJI0QZqqiWMthgYG4T13b1Lj-rrgSdngUCcffAE
-"Amazing." "Your music is getting better and better."
-"Definitely originals. Love it!"

1ST SESSION (Soundcloud project)
https://soundcloud.com/my-scott-e-hall/sets/1st-session

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH AMERICA
https://soundcloud.com/my-scott-e-hall/indian-paint-brush-america?in=my-scott-e-hall/sets/1st-session
"Sounds so Burt Bacharach."