It goes without saying that 2020 was a weird and hard year for a lot of us. But if you’re anything like me, turning to music felt like a comfort blanket, if even for a moment. Here are just some of the albums I turned to during this tumultuous year, resulting in a lot of ugly crying, dancing, and disconnecting. Enjoy!
All albums are organized in order of release date.
Rare-Selena Gomez
After dealing with public breakups, a lupus-related kidney transplant and checking in to rehab to focus on her mental health, Selena Gomez had weathered a few storms since the release of her last album, Revival. So it should come as no surprise that her new album, Rare, had her see things in a different light. The pop star’s third studio album dives deep into topics of self-love and self-acceptance. The lead single ‘Lose You to Love Me’ is a post-breakup anthem about the motions you go through to find yourself after losing a lover. Other tracks like ‘Dance Again’ and ‘Let Me Get Me’ see Gomez shake off bad energy and past mistakes, joined with influences of latin pop and R&B. Rare brings about a new clarity for the singer, paving the way for her to emerge as something more.
Always Tomorrow - Best Coast
On Best Coast’s 2015 album California Nights, lead singer Bethany Cosentino ponders the question ‘when will I change?’ On their latest album, Always Tomorrow, the narrative switches to ‘everything has changed/I like it this way.’ And in retrospect, a lot has changed. In the last couple of years Cosentino has become more vocal about sexual misconduct in the music industry, used her platform to promote political causes and worked on her sobriety. The latter of which is deeply rooted in the new album. On ‘Everything has Changed’ and ‘Different Light,’ she celebrates the changes she’s made and that happiness doesn’t need to be found at the bottom of the bottle. And while the album has its moments of victory, anxiety still manages to creep in. On ‘Graceless Kids,’ Cosentino proclaims ”they need a hero, not a wreck/I’m just a phony in a floral print dress.” And on ‘Wreckage’ she asks “if I’m good now/Then why do I feel like a failure?” Each track feels confessional, chronicling growth, change, self-doubt, and self-improvement. The balance is a reminder that with every high comes a low, but all the more reason to get back up, dust yourself off and try again.
Wake Up Sunshine - All Time Low
Many pop-punk bands have come and gone but few have stayed the course like All Time Low. Their previous efforts, Last Young Renegade and Future Hearts saw the group go in a more pop direction, which generated a mixed response. But Wake Up Sunshine sees a return to the classic pop-punk sound they’ve cemented over the years. It feels nostalgic without being too lenient on it. Jumping in with guitar riffs and booming drums, each track packs a punch. The catchy choruses and bouncy beats don’t miss either. ‘Sleeping In’ is the type of song that makes you want to dance around your room. ‘Getaway Green’ and ‘Melancholy Kaleidoscope’ sound like the soundtrack to your Warped Tour days. And while a lot of the tracks may be reminiscent of their earlier material, All Time Low throw a few musical curve balls with the likes of ‘Monster’, an aggressive alt-rock track that features rapper blackbear. And ‘Favorite Place’ is a soaring ballad featuring indie rockers The Band CAMINO. The band rounds out the album with ‘Basement Noise’ an ode to their earlier days starting out as teenagers playing in garages and basements. Wake Up Sunshine proves that once again All Time Low are more than just a typical pop-punk band and are here for the long haul.
Petals for Armor - Hayley Williams
It should go without saying that Petals for Armor, the debut album from Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams, is not a Paramore record. Not just literally, but conceptually too. This is a confessional, vulnerable album from a woman who’s been at the forefront of pop-punk for many years and now it’s her time to set a new path with her own narrative. Petals for Armor is wrapped up in themes of frustration, sadness and self-worth. The album’s lead track, ‘Simmer,’ is dark, and moody with a vocal snarl that has been described by Williams as her personal experience of dealing with abuse and revenge. She deals with intense trauma on ‘Leave it Alone,’ and is cynical about her divorce on ‘Dead Horse.’ Petals for Armor is a raw and honest record with no edits, filters or sugar coating. It breaks down the barriers and lets you get all in your feelings.
Pray For It - July Talk
It had seemed that Canadian indie-rock band July Talk had solidified their sound. Their past two albums were built on an effortless cool and grit. The distinction between lead singers Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay’s voices are indistinguishable. So while perhaps listeners were anticipating the same thing for their third album Pray For It, we were thrown a curve ball. Pray For It sees a new musical direction for the group, leaning more towards a more stripped down version of the band. Aggressive guitar riffs and up-tempo beats have been substituted for piano and a light 80’s synth. From the gentle horn section on ‘Identical Love,’ the dreamy haze of ‘Life of the Party,’ and the gospel-like vocals of ‘Champagne’ (ft. James Baley and Kyla Charter), it all stacks up to create a more intimate record with an expanding musical repertoire. But a surprise in sound, the unpredictability of it all, feels right for July Talk and can only serve as a building block of where to go from here.
Punisher - Phoebe Bridgers
Punisher, the second studio album from indie-rocker Phoebe Bridgers, is rich with emotion, a staple for the singer, but the themes on this record go deeper. Her soft vocals paired with haunting music sound like late night drives on quiet streets, foggy and heavy with too many thoughts in your head. There’s an ache for watching things end, dreaming of what could have been, depression and disassociation, especially noted on tracks like ‘Chinese Satellite’ and ‘Halloween.’ And while it’s loaded, it doesn’t feel exhausting or overwhelming. There’s the up-tempo ‘Kyoto’ and the sweet bluegrass nod, ‘Graceland, Too.’ If anything, Punisher feels like the most appropriate companion for 2020 and the messy year we’ve endured.
Women in Music Part III - Haim
In an interview with Apple Music, Haim lead singer and middle sibling Danielle, described the album making process for Women in Music Part III (or WIMPIII), as one without a plan. That everything was more fun if it was off limits—and it shows. For their third studio album, WIMPIII feels spontaneous and fun while also showing off that the group has grown a lot since their 2013 debut Days are Gone. The new record explores a variety of genres from R&B to pop to country rock. Off the top, opener ‘Los Angeles’ with its breezy saxophone intro carries that yearn for sunny days. ‘The Steps’ and ‘I’ve Been Down,’ with its combination of groovy guitar riffs layered against acoustic strums, sound like they could be on early Sheryl Crow records. Haim also covers a lot lyrically on this album. There’s misogyny in the music industry (‘Man from the Magazine’), grief (‘Hallelujah’), anxiety (‘Now I’m In It’) and, to make sure it’s not too serious, a booty call (‘3AM’). Evolving in their songwriting and production, Haim have proven that, without question, women make the best rock music.
Folklore - Taylor Swift
Perhaps one of the most buzzed about album of 2020 came from none other than Taylor Swift. Ditching her traditional album promotion, Swift made a surprise announcement a mere 48 hours before releasing Folklore. Swift’s eighth studio album sees the singer dip her toes more into indie pop and indie folk (though a deep dig into her catalog and you’ll see she’s dabbled in this genre briefly before). Gone are the catchy, pop-radio tracks. They’ve been replaced with gentle pianos and soaring orchestras. The overdubbed vocals have been substituted for gentle hums and soft harmonies. Recruiting long time collaborator Jack Antonoff and The National’s Aaron Dessner, the album explores the elements of storytelling, something Swift has been notorious for, but this time, she adjusts the spectrum to indulge in all sorts of narratives. From a fake love triangle, to a rich socialite who used to live in her Rhode Island home, and even paralleling the story of her grandfather going to war with the COVID-19 frontline workers. Folklore is a record of wonder, lust, love, heartbreak and the yearn for closure. The first album in her 30s, Folklore marks the start of a new decade where Swift continues to establish her legacy as a songwriter.
Sugaregg - Bully
After parting ways with her bandmates and focusing on the right treatment for her bipolar II, Alicia Bognanno reintroduced Bully as a solo effort and released Sugaregg, an album that packs a punch in a major way. The music is fast and upbeat driven by thudding bass and racing guitar riffs. Pair this with Bognanno’s raspy howl at the forefront and throw in some soft layered harmonies, it’s an intriguing balance that rope listeners in. The writing on Sugaregg is personal. On ‘Every Tradition’ she dismisses the societal norms put on to women, there’s uncertainty and frustration on ‘Where to Start’ but then there is resilience on ‘Not Ashamed.’ And on ‘Like Fire’ she opens up about her bipolar disorder. Sugaregg is a great grunge-rock record that makes you want to be at the front of the moshpit, screaming along to the words.
Stay Alive - Laura Jane Grace
Technically, Stay Alive by Laura Jane Grace shouldn’t really exist, at least not as a solo record. Grace had a collection of songs written, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and being separated from bandmates, she was without a group to record them with. And without wanting to let the songs go to waste, Grace got to work. The end result was Stay Alive a bare bones, stripped down album, lightyears away from the aggressive punk rock of Against Me!, but at its core, is still very punk. Fast progression, songs all around two minutes, and Grace’s signature wail at the top of it all. The only difference is that, aside from a drum machine, the album is just Grace and an acoustic guitar. Even though the songs were previously written, the themes of loneliness, isolation, hopelessness and the want for change could not have been more timely in 2020. On ‘The Swimming Pool Song’ Grace sings ‘I am a haunted swimming pool/I am emptied out and drained.’ On ‘The Calendar Song,’ Grace dreams about wanting to escape to Portugal. ‘Hanging Tree’ has the not-so subtle jabs at Donald Trump with lines like ‘You’re tweet, tweet, tweeting from a golden tower/ Ain’t got no soul to sell and that’s your power.” Perhaps one of the best things about this record is it carries a bout of intimacy with it. It sounds like a jam session in a basement with your friends. And although that seems impossible right now, it makes for a good companion of what could be.