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Pol Pot · Dec 6, 2020

TeezzyD said:
It's definitely a Miley Cyrus album so go into it recognizing that much, but it's a record with balls. Mark my goddamn words. Miley is alpha chad

She's on another tip lately.

Word. Appreciate the heads up. I'm going to give her a spin.

teezzy · Dec 6, 2020

Yeah

Pol Pot

Start here and move forward:

This is the vibe of the album in a nutshell. I'll shut up now. lmao

Rock And Roll · Dec 6, 2020

TeezzyD said:
im scared of how much i love this Miley album, dear lord

I gave it a listen and am pretty impressed. There's some real good hooks on the album and great songwriting all around. I think where it falls flat is when you go after a rock vibe but still use modern production elements it never has the life/energy/excitement it needs. Synths over guitars, drum machines etc... Lack the balls of using real instruments, and you can hear Miley is getting some grit in her vocals so to leave her hanging instrumentally doesn't do it any favors. It's an interesting experiment but I feel like the whole album would have been better if they added live instrumentation and bolstered that with samples. Great songs and everything, I just think they missed the mark with the execution.

Didn't expect Billy Idol to show up with that verse though, he nailed it.

teezzy · Dec 6, 2020

Rock And Roll said:
I gave it a listen and am pretty impressed. There's some real good hooks on the album and great songwriting all around. I think where it falls flat is when you go after a rock vibe but still use modern production elements it never has the life/energy/excitement it needs. Synths over guitars, drum machines etc... Lack the balls of using real instruments, and you can hear Miley is getting some grit in her vocals so to leave her hanging instrumentally doesn't do it any favors. It's an interesting experiment but I feel like the whole album would have been better if they added live instrumentation and bolstered that with samples. Great songs and everything, I just think they missed the mark with the execution.

Didn't expect Billy Idol to show up with that verse though, he nailed it.

My favorite aspect in music, or any art really, is juxtaposition. Whether it be the balance of loud/quiet, heavy/serene, pop/noise, etc. It's why I drool over the output of bands like Deftones, Sonic Youth, Deafheaven, etc. and find them so much more interesting than bands who go all in one direction or the other.This album has that, and it's the feeling of Miley emerging as less of a pop star and more of a real O.G. front-woman that's so intriguing about it . Her last two were very interesting also - Younger Now and Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Pets (the one where she collaborated with The Flaming Lips on) It was a real step in the right direction after her whole Bangerz era where she was just kinda 'bratty' and all over the place. I didn't care for that as much, too much "I'm not just a Disney girl - I do drugs and fuck!" She's matured as an artist since then a ton, and Plastic Hearts is exemplary of that. It has soul.

I legit think Miley has that punk rock spirit in her and starting her career off as a Disney Channel icon who was the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus of all people is super hard to break through. Nonetheless, I respect your review and agree to a large extent. I'd love to hear her ditch the pop pleasantries more and more and explore this more raw edge she's been flirting with for the past decade. Hopefully her next album isn't afraid to be more rough around the edges, it suits her more. That voice is so bassy and rough now. She's got legit pipes.

But yeah, maybe even my AotY. Don't tell the Deftones, because it's damn close. It's not a straight rock album, but more 80s pop rock album.

Bridges · Dec 6, 2020

Only right answer to me:

The Bloody-Nine · Dec 6, 2020

Benediction - Scriptures.

Maiden Voyage · Dec 6, 2020

OP should be up to date. Hit me up if I missed your AOTY.

Explosive Zombie · Dec 7, 2020

TeezzyD said:
E Explosive Zombie

Lmaooooo whoops. I was looking through the metal thread, listening thread, and meta gaf.

But dude! Eternity of Shaog was actually one I'd forgotten to include in my post. Didnt realize it was death metal, I actually was like "oh man why doesnt more black metal use gutturals, this is tight!!"

I'm not hip to subgenres distinctions ultimately I guess, but that album was a bit of a genre bender. Found it on Spotify

They're Death Metal and Black Metal about equally, honestly.

Maiden Voyage · Dec 7, 2020

e0n said:
Maiden Voyage , put me down for Someone New.

You got it!

IfuckinghateReddit · Dec 7, 2020

One other album came out this year that I forgot about, that's actually quite good.

tommib · Dec 7, 2020

Party McHardy · Dec 7, 2020

I can only recall stuff that dropped lately but my votes go to Chris Stapleton’s starting over and Twiztid’s revelashun.

Maiden Voyage · Dec 7, 2020

Llewelyn Moss said:
I can only recall stuff that dropped lately but my votes go to Chris Stapleton’s starting over and Twiztid’s revelashun.

Holy hell, I forgot about Stapleton's album coming out. This year has too many good records to keep track of.

teezzy · Dec 7, 2020

Llewelyn Moss said:
I can only recall stuff that dropped lately but my votes go to Chris Stapleton’s starting over and Twiztid’s revelashun.

New twiztid eh? They've been pretty hit or miss since Green Book tbh. I cant pretend I'm not curious though

Maiden Voyage · Dec 7, 2020

Added:

Earlyworm's Top EPs of 2020

EARLYWORM’s Top EPs of 2020 — EARLYWORM

Issue 24 | December 7, 2020

www.earlyworm.world

Pitchfork's best songs of the year

The 100 Best Songs of 2020

The tracks that defined this bizarre year, featuring Megan Thee Stallion, the Weeknd, Christine and the Queens, Noname, Waxahatchee, and more

pitchfork.com

TrainedRage · Dec 7, 2020

Clowncore-Van

Come at me bro.

jezhumphrey75 · Dec 7, 2020

Eminem and Benny the butchers albums

belmarduk · Dec 8, 2020

I already had my vote but Dua Lipa's album was excellent as well.. as was After Hours by The Weeknd. Both should've gotten Grammys. Doesn't Beyonce have enough??

Maiden Voyage · Dec 8, 2020

The 50 Best Albums of 2020

The albums that got us through this chaotic year, featuring Fiona Apple, Bad Bunny, Lil Uzi Vert, Phoebe Bridgers, and more

pitchfork.com

Pitchfork added to the OP. Their AOTY is Fiona Apple.

And another for Sault:

The 100 Best Albums of 2020

2020 may have taken away live music, but it couldn't stop artists from putting out great albums. Here are the best records this year had to offer, handpicked by the Noisey staff.

www.vice.com

teezzy · Dec 8, 2020

I'd forgotten Apple had a new one too. That's not a bad choice. I remember that being a bop.

Maiden Voyage · Dec 24, 2020

Big bump in lists. Adding the ones below and expecting a list from Anthony Fantano (The Needle Drop) soon as well.

The A.V. Club's 20 best albums of 2020

Here are the 20 best albums we heard in 2020, as voted upon by The A.V. Club’s music critics. And if you’re curious, the contest for the top spot wasn’t even close.

music.avclub.com

AP's top albums of 2020: Toni Braxton, Teyana Taylor, JoJo

1.

apnews.com

MAGNET's Top 25 Albums Of 2020 - Magnet Magazine

1) The Strokes The New Abnormal (Cult/RCA)2) Porridge Radio Every Bad (Secretly Canadian)3) Guided By Voices Surrender Your Poppy Field and Mirrored Aztec and Styles We Paid For (GBV Inc.)4) Adrianne Lenker Songs and Instrumentals (4AD)5) Jeff Parker Suite For Max Brown (International...

magnetmagazine.com

https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/list/9494859/best-albums-2020-top-50/

BrooklynVegan's Top 55 Albums of 2020

From Run The Jewels to Fiona Apple to Hum to Bartees Strange to Napalm Death to Mary Lattimore, here are our favorite albums of this whirlwind year...

www.brooklynvegan.com

The 50 best albums of 2020

Our list of the albums that defined 2020 from Lady Gaga and Hayley Williams to Pink Siifu and J Hus.

www.thefader.com

The 50 best albums of 2020: the full list

Our countdown is complete, topped by a mercurial work of sprawling invention by a woman who has dug deep to survive. Taken as a whole, these choices contain drama, solace, poetry and fire, a fitting selection for a turbulent year

www.theguardian.com

The 40 best albums of 2020

Despite the music industry being one of the worst-affected sectors during the pandemic, artists have gone above and beyond with albums to help us get through it. The Independent picks its 40 favourites

www.independent.co.uk

BEST OF 2020 MUSIC: Songs, albums, and artists that shined in a WTF year

KCRW’s Best of 2020 Music showcases the best songs, best albums, and best artists picked by our DJs. And our Best New Artist represents a local, LA musician you oughta know.

www.kcrw.com

The 10 best albums of 2020: Taylor Swift, Fiona Apple, more

Five women take the top 3 spots, with Taylor Swift's quarantine album leading our year's best.

www.latimes.com

The 50 best albums of 2020

We’ve collated our writers’ ‘best of’ lists and crunched the numbers to arrive at NME's 50 best albums of 2020

www.nme.com

The 100 Best Albums of 2020

2020 may have taken away live music, but it couldn't stop artists from putting out great albums. Here are the best records this year had to offer, handpicked by the Noisey staff.

www.vice.com