The time has come around once again to celebrate this year’s highest quality long players. This year having arguably more reason than most to cheer the output. As always, this blog post is elder school in its celebrating of the album as a complete work of art, not because of any stand out tracks. No outright winner this year, which is not uncommon but a high achieving twelve albums all worthy of your time and attention and possibly a two minute clap on your doorstep.
Let’s take them in release order. January being one of two bumper months of bonus brilliance.
Chubby and The Gang - Speed Kills
Released January 17th on Static Shock Records, back when Covid still remained someone else’s problem in another part of the world. Over here joyous punk positivity kicked open the front door of 2020 and all was looking healthy in the mosh pit of life. Charlie Manning Walker, aka Charlie Fresh, aka Chubby Charles and his gang have spiked the vein of the growing range of pretentious hardcore sub genres and released an absolute masterpiece of high spirited stomp that fully embraces the fun side of noisy rock. It’s certain that many a pet has been scared off and furniture broken as this album sounded off during lockdown. This year’s Tracksuite Best 50 Tracks of 2020 has selected ‘All Along the Uxbridge Road’
but check out the brilliant ‘Moscow’ aswell.
Released on Glitterbeat on the same day as Speed Kills but a wholly different animal altogether. Portuguese singer Lina and Spanish guitarist producer (and previously Rosalia collaborator) Raül Refree paired up to update and pay homage to legendary Portuguese Fado singer Amalia Rodriguez. A singer so revered that many may claim her work untouchable but there’s such a genuine honesty and love for her music in these contemporary productions that it’s difficult not to see both purists and newbies to this beautiful material being brought together. The Best 50 kicks off with their interpretation of the song ‘Medo’
but here is also the sublime and moving ‘Cuidei que Tinha Morrido’
Then only one week later from Fire Records came the first of another two fantastic albums, giving Tracksuite a somewhat false impression of hope for the year ahead. Atlanta’s garage bad kids The Black Lips, reassessed their sound and released an absolute alt country lo fi rock gem. Only 2mins into the twisted and hilarious opener Hooker Jon, it’s clear that the album ahead is a treat box full of dark wry wit and gloriously subversive world outlook but still soaked in awesome traditional country rhythms to rope you happily in.
Here’s ‘Hooker Jon’
But the playlist went with the raucously triumphant ‘Rumbler’
And then, as Lina and Raül Refree were the flip side of Chubby, so Bonny Light Horseman are the holy light of country to The Black Lips bedeviling influences. Again, arriving on the same day. And also like Lina and Raül, reworking and shaping old folk music for new ears. The folk supergroup made up of Fruit Bats singer Eric D Johnson, veteran multi instrumentalist Josh Kaufman and singer songwriter Anais Mitchell, take long forgotten folk classics and paint them up so fresh they feel new again. There is such genuine affirming care here for these classic ballads that where the originals may have lost a touch of their power through the ageing process, here the trio bring a kiss of new life and distant heartache and passion is truly felt again.
The playlist opted for the gorgeous ‘Jane Jane’
But you’re spoiled for choice. For instance, the beautiful ‘Deep In Love’
But also, check out ‘Sticks’
And then came the bumper summer. Starting with the new album by Harry Rodrigues, aka Baauer, the producer to internet smashing mega viral Harlem Shake from the before times. Released Jun 19th on LuckyMe, a thoroughly expansive full set of twisted bass heavy breaks and bangers. Picking up a variety of Latin American and African rhythmic influences and distilling them all into his inimitable big room style. This complete work is a breathless summation of our lost nights we’ve all been simulating in our kitchens this year and hope to see the return of in 2021.
‘ReachUpDontStop’ illustrates it perfectly.
This time ’Pizzawala’ made the playlist.
One week later, another two welcome works came along. The first of which is easily the most pop accessible of the bunch. The debut self titled album from Jules Apollinaire and Natalie Findlay, aka TTRRUUCES released on All Points. Indie at heart but skirting closer to the mainstream than Tracksuite usually likes to get. It’s utterly joyous though, a mixed bag of electro tricks full of youthful ideas and energy. Pin point accurate to a variety of genres and pop reference points with hooks a plenty. It’s moving, hilarious, infectious and a complete piece of jubilant listening.
‘The Disco’ is in the mix
But check out also, ‘I’m Alive’
You wait around for brilliant debut releases and two come at once. On the same day Canadian five piece garage rockers Pottery put out Welcome To Bobby’s Motel on Partisan Records. An outrageously raucous, art rock ride through contemporary post punk and new wave. These guys know their sound and have the attitude and personality to get it under the skin. But with all of its jagged edges and elusive cool, there is seduction within this indie rock journey.
In the playlist is Texas Drums Pt I & II. ‘demonstrates this reach and ambition, a cowbell-laced, guitar-powered earworm that could play at a soda fountain on Mars. Around three minutes, the pings that signal “go” in a Mario Kart race kick off a raucous second half where the drums build to near-masturbatory excess’ - Pitchfork
And also ‘Take Your Time’
Next, on July 3rd came the simply awesome multi artist collaborative British/South African musical project Keleketla! brought together by Johannesburg’s Keleketla! Library founders Rangoato Hlasane and Malose Malahlela and English legendary electronic producer duo Coldcut. Players include Shabaka Hutchings, the late great Tony Allen, Ed 'Tenderlonious' Cawthorne, Dele Sosimi, Afla Sackey and so many more. This is an absolute delight this work. So many flavours and influences from contemporary South Africa, mixed up into a heady brew with legends and greats from there and here in the UK. But nothing about if feels disparate or loose, its so succinct and tight that it feels instead like the work of decades worn musical companions, which can be put down to the sheer weight of talent on board. Neither does it sound like the sum of its parts, by which I mean, with a changing club scene and afro house in definitive ascendency, it sounds like a jazz house work rather than a world music/afrobeat staple. And with trip hop, urban bass, dub and breaks influences, it’s fresh as hell and it knows it.
The playlist has the album opener ‘Future Toyi Toyi’
But also enjoy the lyric video to ‘Crystallise’
Then, released on July 10th on Patchwork Fantasy came an album so immersed in classic roots rock Americana and psychedelia that it feels like an unreleased and unearthed treasure from some unsigned lesser known stoner garage outfit from the early 70s. Seattle’s Advertisement have birthed a collection of stellar songs so truthful to a hazey bygone era that not only do we pang for all things pre Covid just now but there is a definite push to go further back to a time free of technology that separates us and seek the simpler needs of little beyond, love, connection and music. This is escapist music in a very real sense. Vast, progressive, psych rock escapades that just keep driving on with no worry of losing the way or need for destination. Every track another marker in this murky road trip of frazzled guitar and irreverent spirit.
Album opener ‘Freedom’ is in the playlist.
But try also ‘Always’
Then the last of the year’s three bumper album days gave us first, the hugely welcome return of L.A’s Blu & Exile, the duo known for their acclaimed 2007 debut ‘Below The Heavens’. Released July 17th on Fat Beats ‘Miles’ is an absolute epic and another instant classic. Partly named after Blu’s son Miles but also jazz legend Miles Davis and this is where the album takes its greatest influence. It’s classic laid back boom bap with utterly sumptuous production, laced with the deftest of jazz touches and gorgeous uplifting gospel. There’s a sense of taking stock here, looking back over land travelled with no point left to prove. It almost appears to rise above all contemporary rap works, not getting involved or even judging the battles, rivalries or feeling the need to compete. Instead there’s a feel of wisened heads recognising what they have, rather than what they want. Never has this sentiment seemed more pertinent.
The playlist selected ‘You Ain’t Never Been Blue’
But also, check out ‘Miles Davis’
Lastly, Manchester’s The Blinders released their second album, ‘Fantasies of a Stay At Home Psychopath’, July 17th on Modern Sky and without meaning to keep returning to the theme of Covid constantly (although its impossible to avoid really), I think this title sums up this year’s mind state of isolated frustration in most of us. In many ways, inclusive within the similar hardcore indie package as Idles and Fontaine’s D.C but where both of these bands have had highly acclaimed albums this year, neither have nailed every track like The Blinders have here. Yes, they’ve leant heavily on an early Arctic Monkeys sound and there’s more than little bit of Jim Morrison and The Doors sound in tracks like I Want Gold and Black Glass but I fail to see anything whatsoever wrong with that. It’s got post-punk swagger, goth nonchalance, heartfelt rage but also fragile beauty at times. It deals out a variety of rock beauties with utter conviction and absolute class.
‘Mule Track’ is in the playlist
But lets wrap up with the frenzied brilliance of ‘Forty Days and Forty Nights’
That’s your wack for 2020 folks - get around it. There’s also a further list of 14 albums below well worth your attention if you’ve not quite had your fill yet. And continue to scroll on to the Best 50 Tracks of 2020 playlist.
Xmasuite 2020 playlist coming soon…
Love in Lockdown
D@Tracksuite