New music Monday: The best of 2020
With 2020 wrapping up, KCPR’s content team and music DJ’s compiled a list of their favorite songs and albums of the year. Here are their picks and why!
1. Fkn Around by Phony Ppl (ft. Megan Thee Stallion) (January 30, 2020)
Recommended by: Alexa Kushner
This song premiered on Megan Thee Stallion’s Tiny Desk Concert in early 2020. Phony Ppl, in general, is a great singer and songwriter, but with this song, he brings funk back and modernizes it with Megan’s rap. The track is all about being young and having fun without having anyone tie you down. It encapsulates the feeling of youth and what life was like before the pandemic – when we were able to have parties, go out and be more carefree about where we were.
2. The Slow Rush by Tame Impala (February 14, 2020)
Recommended by: Jaxon Silva
If “Currents” was about changing, then “The Slow Rush” is about time. It’s odd how prescient the album was, as the lockdown and pandemic extended from weeks to months to “One More Year” – every day seemed to slow down and yet the weeks seemed to fly. In a way we all had to grapple with time ourselves. Whether through mortality in the face of a virus that has killed over 297,000 Americans or through a hard look at the time we wasted, putting off the things we had always wanted to do until we couldn’t do them at all.
Yet in the face of all of this existential dread, Kevin Parker was there telling us to “breathe a little deeper, should you need to come undone.”
Asking us if it “does help to get lost in yesterday” and affirming to us that, strictly speaking, we are still on track.
Overall this is a very disco/house-inspired album. While time may press on, and today may be tomorrow’s dust, we can at least cope with the rush of time a little better with “The Slow Rush.”
3. BALD! by JPEG MAFIA (February 20, 2020)
Recommended by: Zoe Boyd
In the same vein of his audacious song titles (see for example, “I Cannot F*cking Wait Until Morrissey Dies,” “i just killed a cop now i’m horny,” “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot”) Peggy does not hold back on his 2020 single BALD!. Mafia’s niche for self-deprecating humor, as well as a beat sample from 90’s video game Ridge Racer Type 4, mix to create a track that is downright sassy.
Fun fact: Mafia played on the Cal Poly campus back in fall of 2019, and the cover photo for his single “COVERED IN MONEY!” was taken outside Thai Classic in Downtown San Luis Obispo.
4. CVS by Winnetka Bowling League (February 28, 2020)
Recommended by: Tessa Hughes
This upbeat, quirky single about falling in love was my ideal summer track. This song allowed the summer to actually feel as if I got to have a fun experience, despite being confined to the comfort of my living room. The soft vocals and guitar build up into a fuller sound in the chorus. It is lowkey perfect to dance to or belt out in your car with the windows rolled down.
5. Baby, It’s Okay by Flora Cash (March 6, 2020)
Recommended by: Tessa Hughes
The hit single off of this album, “You’re Somebody Else,” is what skyrocketed Flora Cash to fame and led to this masterpiece of an album. Easily one of my top albums of the entire year, “Baby, It’s Okay” explores the soft yet haunting sounds of the duo has to offer through stunning tracks including “You Love Me” and “I Wasted You.” They ramp it up and solidify their indie rock status throughout, but it is most evident in “They Own This Town,” which plays a little rougher and edgier.
6. Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple (April 17, 2020)
Recommended by: Caroline Seibly
A triumphant return for Fiona Apple, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” is an unconventional, percussion-packed album that falls nothing short of powerful. Accompanying the unconventional rhythms of dog barks, dolphin echoes and household appliances, Apple’s lyrics portray a side of life that many artists shy away from. From the first song to the last, this album requires the listener’s full-attention. With dynamic, honest tracks like “I Want You to Love Me,” “Shameika,” and “Under the Table,” Apple delivers raw and personal remarks of her life that will strike audiences with a complexity that’s oddly comforting.
7. Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius (May 15, 2020)
Recommended by: Keagan Scott
“Set My Heart On Fire Immediately” came out in the early stages of quarantine, at a time when every person was still using training wheels to navigate our new collective lifestyle. Lush production from the prolific artist and producer Blake Mills and the typically incredible lyricism of Mike Hadreas birthed an album created for a time when every human was grappling with the same thing: longing, desire and isolation. Hadreas and Mills crafted songs to lose themselves (“On The Floor”), find themselves (“Nothing At All”), and do it all over again (“Describe”).
8. folklore by Taylor Swift (July 24, 2020)
Recommended by: Sophia Pattison
This unexpected album was released back in July and was created in quarantine. It showed Swift’s talents in a much better light compared to her last two projects, given the less pop constraint on the songs. She was able to write profound lyrics that tell stories and the album is a calm and easy listen.
9. my future – Billie Eilish (July 24, 2020)
Recommended by: Alice Sukhostavskiy
Eillish’s single quickly rose to be one of her most popular songs and it showcases her vast musical talent while singing about a topic we can all relate to: how our past affects our future and everything ahead. The song is very relevant, especially as many people have struggled with the effects of the pandemic. “My future” is very calm and relaxed and definitely worth a listen from fans of all music genres.
10. Midnight Sky by Miley Cyrus (August 14, 2020)
Recommended by: Tessa Hughes
This was the debut single off of Cyrus’ eventual album “Plastic Hearts” which left audiences yearning for more. In this track, Cyrus let fans have a taste of her new sound, one where she seemingly has finally found her voice. It encapsulates the perfect combination of rock and pop without losing the slight country twag Cyrus has always possessed. Cyrus has powerhouse vocals and a free spirit that is evident throughout this track’s lyrics and sound.
11. Shore by Fleet Foxes (September 20, 2020)
Recommended by: Evan Gattuso and Jaxon Silva
Gattuso: While some of my favorite artists (Osees, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Holy Wave, GUM, King Krule, Post Animal, and Tame Impala) released new albums this year, none impacted me the same way as Fleet Foxes’ “Shore” did. The album is the most joyous, gracious and accessible of Fleet Foxes’ material and. is essential for the current times, as it offers an escape to a private refuge far away from the turmoil of everyday 2020.
Silva: A surprise release on the Autumn Equinox, this album was something of the perfect antidote to chaos of 2020. From online classes to election fears to the literal pandemic and all of its malcontents, it seemed most people were a bit worn down – they needed something of a warm hug. Which Robin Pecknold delivered, through an album with enough warmth to make you feel like you have an extra cozy sweater on. This album glows, as the first strums of the guitar in “Wading in Waist-High Water,” invites you to take a stay for a minute on the shore.
12. Spilligion by Spillage Village (September 25, 2020)
Recommended by: Lilly Leif
This album encapsulates the chaos of 2020 but also ways to cope with some of us through masterful verses by EARTHGANG, JID and Merba. The core of this album is the importance of love, whether it be romantic or platonic, and the infusion of soul, rap and funk. Spillage Village created such a unique sounding album, which is why it makes this my top of 2020.
13. Lost in Translation by The Neighbourhood (September 25, 2020)
Recommended by: Eden Baker
This is the third song on The Neighbourhood’s new album “Chip Chrome and
the Monotones.” It begins with a 1950’s/60’s feel which then transitions into the song’s main funky, light-hearted sound. The intro makes “Lost in Translation” one of the Neighbourhood’s more unique songs while the dreamy, fun vibe of the main track makes this a good tune to listen if one wants to dance or feels that they need a distraction from the pace from the current state of the world.
14. This is Our Life by Des Rocs (October 2, 2020)
Recommended by: Tessa Hughes
I actually discovered Des Rocs in early 2020 and instantly became a fan of his powerful, deep voice. His vocals are what stands out in all of his songs. The way they fill the entire track is breathtaking. This was no different in “This is Our Life,” the title piece off of his latest EP.
The theatrical feel in the song is similar to the grandiose spirit often in Muse’s music, but it resonates more in Des Rocs’ work. The fact that a song like this is a part of his early discography shows that he will be a force to be reckoned with and is special in his talents.
15. Songs by Adrianne Lenker (October 23, 2020)
Recommended by: Keagan Scott
Adrianne Lenker’s “songs,” is the first part of two separate albums released in October. The melodies and contemplation in each track that are born out of a year lost to COVID are mesmerizing and revealing with each listen. Lenker was able to craft an album that felt completely aware of its function and purpose.
In a time of such little clarity and solace, the frontwoman of indie rock band Big Thief delivered an album shrouded in bird song and complex strumming patterns. She leans into the brooding concepts of emptiness and grief that have defined life in quarantine for so many. Whether Lenker is creating music for solo projects or her world-renowned band, she never fails to masterfully bare her soul as a mirror for others to use as a reflection.
16. Man on the Moon lll: The Chosen by Kid Cudi (December 11th, 2020)
Recommended by: Jennifer Newton
Dare I say Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi) has saved 2020 with his newest album. When 2020 needed him most, Cudi delivered a spine chilling and trap-esque album. The beats on each song are intoxicating. The very first song on the album, “Beautiful Trip,” (which references the first song featured in Cudi’s first Man on the Moon album in the trilogy) gives a nostalgic feel. The very first few seconds gets the listener excited to for more.
The songs move from energetic – like “Another Day” or “Show out” – to slower and melancholic – like “ The Void” or “4 da kids.” It’ll be interesting to see what else Cudi has else in store since the final song alludes to more coming soon as the album closes with a simple “ To Be Continued…”
Check out the entire playlist HERE. Comment below what your favorite recommendation was this week!
