Five 2020 Records on Repeat in 2021
1
Romeo Blu - Jordan's Bed
This two-song EP (we want more!) is the synth-y brainchild of Carson Cox, best known for his guitar and vocals with Merchandise, but who has also supplied phenomenal rhythm and percussion for Too Free and Clear Channel. I’ve been on the Carson Cox train since the early 2010s and with everything he does I sink further into my seat. While his band Merchandise has always had a penchant for noisy effects, drum machine beats, and swirling synths cushioning the guitars, Romeo Blue ditches guitars entirely. On this record, he leaves us with just his dreamy deep voice and his drum machine brilliance which evokes 80’s new wave, synthpop, and electronica like Depeche Mode and his favorite band, New Order.
2
Gag - Still Laughing
Gag offers a fresh take on classic 80’s hardcore punk. It’s sometimes a little slower in tempo, but huge in attitude. Quick feedback-ridden dissonant chords and chunky bass lines are backed by brilliant cymbal-heavy syncopation, leading us to highly anticipated slow sweaty breakdowns. After the creepy, airy noise intro, the echoing screaming vocals don’t let up on 10 two-minute or shorter tracks, until a final synth-y techno outro – something less often found on hardcore punk records.
3
SPICE - SPICE
A punk and hardcore supergroup - featuring Ross Farrar and Jake Casarotti of Ceremony, Cody Sullivan of Sabertooth Zombie, and Ian Simpson of Creative Adult - SPICE combine take their wheelhouses to churn out melodic 90’s flavored punk rock with tinges of grunge. Their sense of melody is highly attributed to the addition of violinist Victoria Skudlarek, whose harmonies weave in and around the sharply distorted guitar riffs, heavy drum beats, and Ross Farrar’s newfound style of singing and shouting that he began perfecting on Ceremony’s last album. Farrar takes us through moody peaks and troughs with his artistic imagery. The tempo varies throughout, guiding us through heavy punk and onto the edge of reverb-y emo and shoegaze. It’s under 30 minutes, but it’s quite the journey.
4
Sweeping Promises - Hunger for a Way Out
This powerful debut album from Sweeping Promises definitely swept me off my feet. It’s pure DIY post-punk with aggressive bass lines, spirited vocals, and sharp lead guitar hooks. Their lo-fi sound is filled out by simple synth lines, adding a catchy pop tinge to the punk urgency.
5
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon III
Kid Cudi is royalty in the realm of emo-rap. On this album, like many of his previous, he vulnerably details his mental struggles and the fight to overcome them. Cudi’s croons are backed by catchy atmospheric beats and melodies courtesy of producer Mike Dean, Kanye West’s music director. This album spans genres and his guests assist: Skepta and Pop Smoke add bold bars to the hard-hitting rap track, “Show Out”; indie queen Phoebe Bridgers lends a verse on the electro-emo ballad “Lovin’ Me”. Samples from films Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Castaway, and Stand by Me are sprinkled throughout and add to the playful nostalgic feeling Cudi has mastered.
