My favorite new music releases of 2020.
Listed in the order they were released:
Close Lobsters – Post-Nep Anti: Arte Povera in the Forrest of Symbols (Shelflife) 
– Scottish indie/rock release their first album in 31 years. It contains all the smooth vocals and melodic
jangly guitar hooks that made the band stand out from so many others all those years ago. Do not let the very Metal cover art fool you. (Their 1987 song “Let’s Make Some Plans” is in my All-Time Top 10 Favorite Songs)
jangly guitar hooks that made the band stand out from so many others all those years ago. Do not let the very Metal cover art fool you. (Their 1987 song “Let’s Make Some Plans” is in my All-Time Top 10 Favorite Songs)
Wasted Shirt – Fungus 2 (Famous Class) – Ty Segal and Lightning Bolt’s Brian Chippendale team-up. The music is a bit over the top for Segal and a bit under for Chippendale. (I find it hard to make it through a whole Lightning Bolt album). Prime Touch and Go era Butthole Surfers inspired noise with a few Led Zeppelin riffs here and there. It's hard to keep up with the different bands and material Ty Segal releases but I recommend checking this one out
.
Big Cheese – Punishment Park (Triple B ) – NYHC style 
band out of the UK but not like Agnostic Front, Sick of it All, or other big names. Instead, Big Cheese takes its influence from some of the lesser-known NYHC bands like Breakdown, Alone in a Crowd, Outburst, or Straight Ahead. They even managed to capture the slight echo recording style, so many of those bands had.
band out of the UK but not like Agnostic Front, Sick of it All, or other big names. Instead, Big Cheese takes its influence from some of the lesser-known NYHC bands like Breakdown, Alone in a Crowd, Outburst, or Straight Ahead. They even managed to capture the slight echo recording style, so many of those bands had.
Dogleg – Melee (Triple Crown) – I am not really sure what you would label this kind of music Michigan’s Dogleg plays. The band had a conversation with fans on Twitter about this yesterday. Tons of hooks but not “pop/punk”. Loud guitars but not “noise” or “hardcore”. Some seriously powerful anguished vocals singing emotional lyrics but not “emo”.
Fiona Apple- Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Epic) – I have never
been a Fiona Apple fan. I do not think I have owned one album by her. then the title of this album made me curious, so I gave it a listen. Not really rockin’ at all (it is nominated for the “Best Rock Album” Grammy) more of a laid smooth-flowing album with a variety of interesting percussion. It sounds like the musicians were having a ball in the studio. Now it's time to go back and revisit her catalog.
been a Fiona Apple fan. I do not think I have owned one album by her. then the title of this album made me curious, so I gave it a listen. Not really rockin’ at all (it is nominated for the “Best Rock Album” Grammy) more of a laid smooth-flowing album with a variety of interesting percussion. It sounds like the musicians were having a ball in the studio. Now it's time to go back and revisit her catalog.
Mikey Erg – Bon Voyage (Stardumb) – After a calmer song-oriented 2019 album Mikey Erg returns to the revved-up pop/punk that made his previous band The Ergs! So much fun. Only 4 songs, 3 originals, and a Beatles cover (“Mother Nature’s Son”) but so many hooks. Just what I needed to hear at the height of 2020 issues.
Nation of Language – Introduction, Presence (Self 
Released) - The New York Duo (?) doing a very good mix of O.M.D, Depeche Mode, and later Roxy Music. Not a clunker among the 10 songs. Make sure to check out their Pixie's cover released separately too.
Territories – When the Day Is Done” (Pirates Press) - Heartfelt anthemic melodic punk rock out of Ontario, Canada. Somewhere between the punk rock (“Guns of the Revolution”) and power/pop (“China”) of the Red Rockers, with a little early U2 and Stiff Little Fingers mixed in. So good to sing along to. “Quit This City” may be my favorite song of the year. Make sure to check out their previous album and the material of the band Knucklehead, which most of the members came from.
New Found Glory – Forever and Ever x Eternity (Hopeless Records) – NFG dropped 
the overproduction of the last 17 years or so, beefed up the guitars and kept the vocals a bit rougher for this one. The songs are faster and heavier. But all songs still manage to maintain their pop hooks.
the overproduction of the last 17 years or so, beefed up the guitars and kept the vocals a bit rougher for this one. The songs are faster and heavier. But all songs still manage to maintain their pop hooks.
Hum – Inlet (Earth Analog) - When Hum surprised everyone with a new album this past summer, I was expecting it to be like the sparse post-rock, ambient almost shoegaze sound of the breakout 1993 Astronaut album and its followers. There is a little of that, but it mainly picks up to the pre-breakout fame sound of their debut album Electra 2000. Layers and layers of tidal waves of guitars. The first song is even titled “Waves”
Paper Mill – Past the Westway (Self-Released)- 
Sometimes it pays off to scan through some of the Playlists like “new punk tracks” on Spotify. This is how I find out about this UK band. Gruff vocals over-revved up melodic riffs. Some of these guys were members of a band called Beneath Atlantis, but Paper Mill is a far better band. Looking forward to an upcoming full-length.
Sometimes it pays off to scan through some of the Playlists like “new punk tracks” on Spotify. This is how I find out about this UK band. Gruff vocals over-revved up melodic riffs. Some of these guys were members of a band called Beneath Atlantis, but Paper Mill is a far better band. Looking forward to an upcoming full-length.
Lucy and the Rats – Got Lucky (Dirty Water) – Female melodic vocals fronted melodic 3-chord power/pop-influenced punk rock out of London, although I think the singer Lucy is Australian. 13 hook-filled songs with a slight surf influence. Perfect theme for this last summer.
Creeper – Sex. Death, and the Infinite Void 
(Roadrunner) – I first heard of this British band when they were listed all the way at the bottom of the poster for 2018’s Reading Festival. Powerful and melodic “horror punk” with a singer who can really belt out the tunes. A.F.I. meets Meatloaf. They will be getting big in 2021. Some members were in a previous more punk band called Our Time Down Here.
(Roadrunner) – I first heard of this British band when they were listed all the way at the bottom of the poster for 2018’s Reading Festival. Powerful and melodic “horror punk” with a singer who can really belt out the tunes. A.F.I. meets Meatloaf. They will be getting big in 2021. Some members were in a previous more punk band called Our Time Down Here.
Be Well – Weight and the Cost (Equal Vision) – Brian McTernan, formally frontman of Washington, D.C.’s Battery now known more for his production work, is joined by members of Bane, Darkest Hour, and others for Equal Vision’s best album in years. ‘Weight’ still has many hardcore elements of Brian and co’s past bands but also adds heavy melodic guitars and real singing. Through in some seriously intense lyrics dealing with fatherhood, depression, and more. Such an unbelievably powerful album. Demands to be listened to all the way through each time.
Dropdead – Dropdead 2020 (Armageddon) – Providence’s Dropdead long-running (29
years!) extremely fast hardcore/punk/thrash(?)/grindcore (?) release their third album (among many singles). The only difference is this time the vocals are a lot clearer. You can really understand the lyrics, instead of the indecipherable screaming on their other material. Although I have liked all their stuff, I do find it more enjoyable to be able to sing along.
AC/DC – POWERUP (Columbia) – The expression gets used a little too much, but a new AC/DC album is exactly what we needed after this year. This album is exceptionally good. I am not even a Brian Johnson AC/DC fan. Believe the hype.
Spotify Playlist With Two Songs From Each Release
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/30iSr9Vv56VdUpXu52SACF?si=Xd2Vj3mvTaOurNBYHTPiMQ
