The less said about 2021 so far the better, right? We won't rehash the political chaos, the ongoing climate crisis, the billionaire space race and, of course, the C-word (Covid-19 – what were you thinking?). Instead, we'll focus on the music. Here are a set of lists by our staff which sum up the best albums released this year so far. There's a mix of stuff in here so dig in and check out the things you've missed, and read our reviews of the best ones. Let us know what incredible records we've missed, but in the mean time, check out our favorite albums of 2021 thus far.
Aaron's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Olivia Rodrigo
Sour (Geffen)
"How do you do fellow kids?" Yeah, it's probably not "punk" to highlight a pop album, but Olivia Rodrigo's Sour deserves it. You're fooling yourself though if you don't hear a little Bikini Kill in opening track, "Brutal," or missing the influence Paramore had over hit single, "Good 4 U." Sour has its bits of pop-punk, but doesn't stray far from the Singer-Songwriter tree harboring Phoebe Bridgers or Lucy Dacus. She's just a bit more Pop about it.
- Aaron H
2
AFI
Bodies (Rise)
This band is 11 albums into their career and are still finding ways to surprise. Now, I admit, I'm a little biased when it comes to new AFI albums. As a whole, Bodies feels a little disjointed as it jumps from Post-Hardcore to New Wave to Post-Punk, but ultimately there's not a song on the album I skip. If you think you know what to expect from AFI at this point, then you haven't been paying attention.
- Aaron H
3
Squid
Bright Green Field (Warp)
I can't remember how I came across this band called Squid, but boy, am I glad that I did. Their debut album, Bright Green Field, is a combination of Post-Punk and Art-Rock. Sometimes it's hollow and cold sounding to compliment it's dystopian theming and sometimes it loud and bombastic. It's the type of album you appreciate more and more with each listen.
- Aaron H
4
Cold Cave
Fate in Seven Lessons (Heartworm Press)
Cold Cave are back with a new EP and it's full of Darkwave goodness. Fate in Seven Lessons keeps up the momentum that Cold Cave have built up over the years. It's a bit darker and dream-like as opposed to some of their previous singles and releases, but still manages to churn out some solid dance-inducing numbers with tracks like "Night Light" and "Promised Land."
- Aaron H
5
Sleater-Kinney
Path of Wellness
I admit I feel a little guilty about liking a new Sleater-Kinney album without Weiss attached, but it's a solid album. The band returns to their more straightforward Alt-Rock sound after 2019's electro-underlying The Center Won't Hold. Path of Wellness will feel more familiar for long-time Sleater-Kinney fans. 10 albums in and the duo is still churning out catchy hooks, and delivered of the best Rock records of the year (so far).
- Aaron H
Andy's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Arab Strap
As Days Get Dark
While a lot has changed since we last heard from this Scottish duo some 16 years ago (lyrical passages about image files and camsite workers clearly show that), they don't seem to have missed a beat when it comes to contemplating the miseries of modern existence. With a first line from vocalist Aidan Moffat that immediately recalls the arresting opening stanza of 1998's Philophobia, the lyrics are as caustic as ever and I don't think the band's ever sounded better musically.
2
Blanck Mass
In Ferneaux
One of electronic music's most prolific and consistent figures strikes again. Much like Burial's Rival Dealers, the expansive and dense tracks on this album seem to go everywhere and anywhere, with bizarre bits of random dialog only adding to the enigma. This is kind of hard to pin down on any sort of level, weird and downright abrasive at times, majestic at others. However it is fascinating to listen to and, moreover, experience.
3
Mabe Fratti
Será que ahora podremos entendernos
Anchored by expressive cello lines joined by gentle Spanish-language vocals and electronic elements, this more of less classical-oriented album saunters through about an hour of supremely pleasant compositions. Frequently hazy and dreamy, there's a sense of yearning to much of the material here, yet this gorgeously-constructed album seems like precisely the thing one might want to sink into in a world that sometimes seems to be going mad.
4
Mannequin Pussy
Perfect
It's kind of shocking how this band transitions from delivering tear-you-apart savage assaults to sugary sweet, heartwarming pop songs. Nowhere is this tendency more evident than on this lean, only occasionally mean EP, which alternates between these two distinct modes effortlessly.
5
White Suns
the lower way
Belching noise eruptions. Screeching tones. Aggressive, shouted and/or screamed vocals and supremely distressing lyrical material. Pummeling instrumental parts that can either flip on a dime or head into a menacing deep space. May as well be the sonic equivalent of getting hit by a truck, but that's about what I'd expect from White Suns.
Campbell's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Home Is Where
I Became Birds (Knifepunch Records)
We've come across a slew of young bands who effortlessly channel the vibes of emo bands and sounds that they don’t even draw from, or sometimes haven’t even heard of (see: Dogleg). Enter the gorgeously layered sound of Home Is Where, whose EP I Became Birds feels grounded in 90s Midwest emo, led by acoustic melancholy but expanded with harmonicas and horns that cover a myriad of substyles. It feels good to move past the more emulated elements of twinklecore, as Home Is Where swerves into countless “oh this sounds just like X” moments. Someone described this record broadly as just “good rock,” which is overtly reductive, but still speaks to its broader appeal.
2
Bachelor
Doomin' Sun (Polyvinyl)
Bachelor is the multi-instrumentalist duo of artists Jay Som and Palehound, but saying that they sport elements of Dinosaur Jr. and The Pixies drastically undersells their depth. Their debut album Doomin’ Son is dreamy but weighty, an often subdued sound with genuine power pop sensibilities and an eclectic palate. “Moon” is beautifully minimal like they isolated the most essential pieces of Built to Spill’s There’s Nothing Wrong With Love. I’m woefully uninformed, but this album has been a true highlight of my year.
3
Bruiser Wolf
Dope Game $tupid (Bruiser Brigade)
Danny Brown’s Detroit collective Bruiser Brigade has always been an acquired taste, eccentric personalities and matching vocal deliveries paired with out-on-a-limb production. Despite years of quiet releases from the crew, Bruiser Wolf appeared nearly out of thin air; in his own words, “I’m tryna go from dope dealer to Coachella.” His delivery is high-pitched with a quick, weaving flow that’s reminiscent of E-40, over producer Raphy’s perfectly stripped-down beats. This album is one of the most distinctive and powerful of the year, also bringing attention to the Bruiser compilation TV62 and Fat Ray’s phenomenally bleak Santa Barbara, as we await the potential of Danny Brown’s sequel to XXX.
4
As many of you readers and SPB staff writers are, I’m a sucker for very specific styles of hardcore, and the bouncy youth crew of Buggin is one of the best encapsulations of the fun I remember from the mid-aughts. While Brainfreeze is technically only a single, it’s the most complete version of their sound so far, and I can’t wait to see what the return to live hardcore does for the quartet. The flexi disc release is a really nice touch.
5
Chill Children
Tokyo Nights (Self-Released)
Chill Children is a mysterious collective of hip hop producers (another soft spot for me) led by two New Zealand beat makers who craft lush, robust instrumental beats. This eight-song EP isn’t from your lofi YouTube channel -- it’s deep, humid, bedroom trap led by heavy 808s and accented with a hefty dose of obscure references and Memphis samples. They remind me of the nascent unfettered energy of early Divine Council, but more subdued in a midnight drive soundtrack kind of way. If you’re into SoundCloud deep dives, you’re in for a real treat with the branches you could explore from here.
Cheryl's Top 5 Albums of 2021 So Far
1
De Doorn (Relapse Records)
De Doorn is the Belgian's bands first album for Relapse and their first to be sung entirely in their native tongue of Flemish. The album is a lesson in catharsis and release and the peaks and valleys of their sound are curated in such a way as to evoke the rise and fall of breath and emotion in times of hardship.
2
Këkht Aräkh
Pale Swordsman (Self-Released/Livor Mortis
Romance is at the heart of Ukranian artist Këkht Aräkh's Pale Swordsman as the black metal genre is twisted to include longing and love by way of a vampyric narrative. It's very clever and quite beautiful at times.
3
Old Nick
A New Generation of Vampiric Conspiracies (Grime Stone Records)
Old Nick are one of the most fun black metal acts around at the moment and their take on raw black metal is filled with curious melodies and synths, a whole lot of tongue-in-cheek humour and the knowledge that black metal is kinda stupid sometimes. A New Generation of Vampiric Conspiracies is the work of a band who are working hard to improve their sound and have a lovely time while doing so.
4
Paysage d'Hiver
Geister (Kunsthall Produktionen)
Paysage d'Hiver only released their first "official" full-length in 2020 after two decades of existence (although the project has several demos under their proverbial belt) and so another new album in less than a year came as quite the surprise.
Geister is a furious work that takes in nightmares and darkness and is based around the curious Swiss tradition of Tschäggättä.
5
The Ruins of Beverast
The Thule Grimoires (Ván Records)
The Ruins of Beverast have always been an intriguing addition to black metal in that they take the structures of the genre and inject them with blackened doom and gothic influences. The Thule Grimoires is a heady mix of all of those inspirations and explores the outer reaches of the known world.
- Cheryl
Christopher D's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Bad Brains
Bad Brains - Punk Note Edition (Bad Brains Records)
Recording currently owned by The Bad Brains and wrapped up in an alternate cover mimicking the famous Blue Note Label. Originally released in 1982 on the Roir Cassette label. Blistering boiled alive hardcore seasoned with righteous positive vibrations. The Bad Brains are the pantheons of this genre. These limited edition releases sell out quicker than a lightning bolt into the Whitehouse with profit margins reaching 7 times the original price. Get them with Attitude!
- Christopher D
2
Rudimentary Peni
Great War (Sealed Records)
An unexpected gift fell from the heavens burning through the stratosphere of hell like a forgotten sputnik to come crashing at our feet and beckoning us to reconsider. Hardly described as cunctation as one can probably more accurately transport this release as The Tin Man getting some well-deserved lubrication and to carry on as if nothing happened in the space and time continuum. Onwards and upwards marching naysayer brethren death church folly.
- Christopher D
3
Wipers
Youth of America - Anniversary Edition: 1981-2021 RSD (Jackpot Records)
Another essential slab of coloured vinyl dripping with the inner grooves of Greg Sage’s magical guitar-move over Jimmy and take that magical flute and shove it where the sun don’t shine, there is a not so new sheriff in town and he has been spinning yarns for decades influencing one dead rock star after another. Apparently highly reclusive and dedicated Sage is a well-respected demi-god and shuns accolades showered on him while continuing to ply his passion. Essential as vaccines.
- Christopher D
4
various artists
Brown Acid - The Twelfth Trip (RidingEasy Records)
Bong rattling bass, Flicker, flicker, flicker tune in and drop out. Be Leary of LSD. Probing Grand Mal seizure material for the ages, penetrating mass hysterics followed by undulating waves of subtle calmness surfing on fluffy clouds with the Silver Surfer to be followed by Thor’s hammer crushing your cranium to tiny bone fragments spraying your mindless dribble for eternity. Drop Brown acid blotters and dive into empty forgotten community swimming pools when every new kid on the block list wanted to follow the right of sabbath noir passages. Brown Acid Series Classic Rock from the Late '60s and Early '70s.
- Christopher D
5
Screamers
Demo Hollywood: 1977 (Super Viaduct)
Good things come to little children who patiently wait. Children must be seen but not heard. Children must not talk back to figures of authority. Well, fuck you that day has arrived for those patient little children dwelling in the sewers awaiting the soundtrack to fuel their angst-ridden suppression. Arise and be one. Raise your tiny pumped fist in the air and scream like the screamers. Don’t be normal, don’t follow a formula, follow your heart. Follow Follow Follow. There is plenty of Tomata in these vines to gormandize your paltry palette.
- Christopher D
Dennis's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
After a couple years of silence Shevils surprised me with a new album. I almost missed it. I am glad I didn't! Shevils brand of hardcore features heavy Refused influences spiced up with some Helmet and more, making it into somehting distinct their own. I already had a weak spot for them, but they really outdid themselves this time around.
- Dennis
2
How I never heard DeeCracks before Serious Issues is a small wonder (I am so tempted to say serious issue, but I will spare you that bad pun). I now wish I would have checked them out earlier. After being impressed by Serious Issues I checked out their earlier albums and was left impressed by most of their catalogue. The good thing is that catching up like this is a fun thing to do. DeeCracks Ramonescore could well be the soundtrack for my summer!
- Dennis
3
Blaze Bayley
War Within Me (Blaze Bayley Recordings)
Blaze is an amazing artist. This guy appears to be living for his live shows. Those are always amazing and extremely energetic. If you have ever seen one you know what I am talking about. Instead of being down over not being able to tour he worked with his band on War Within Me and it is another banger. To me this is how heavy metal should sound.
- Dennis
4
Black Moon Mother
Illusions Under the Sun (Petrichor Records)
Black Moon Mother came as a total surprise to me. I had never heard of the band, but read a review of their album Illusions Under The Sun. Reading it I thought it should not appeal to me. I mean, doom metal with shoegaze and even trip hop influences, that's not exactly my usual musical diet. The track I checked out during reading the review kept popping up in my head though. I have played this album numerious times already and it keeps me captivated each time. Amazing stuff really.
- Dennis
5
One of my favorite punk bands releasing a new album, it would have been very strange if this would not feature on my best off list. But here it is. Why so low on the list, you might wonder? That's simply because it has not yet had too much plays. I need to listen to this a bit more often to really determine where on this list it should be. We'll at the end of the year how much they really impressed me this time around!
- Dennis
Loren's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
My top records of the year are often fast and catchy: the stuff that bodes well for different moods and heavy repetition. But Black Snow is something else. It’s dense indie rock with moody movements, introspection and storytelling. It’s also just soothing and powerful. While it’s far from upbeat, it captures a mood befitting of the past year but without woeful indulgence.
- Loren
2
Midtempo punk: when it works, it works wonders. This is thoughtful punk that balances melody and grit but without the aggression. That’s not to say it isn’t angry, it’s just a lot more subtle.
- Loren
3
This feels like a copout, but at this point you know what you’re going to get with Neighborhood Brats. And it’s going to be good. The band play classic punk with sociopolitical lyrics that balance the political with the personal. It’s angry first, but thoughtful and with more depth. And this one might be their best; except I think I say that each time around.
- Loren
4
First off, I enjoy Vacation and Mixtapes quite a bit. And The Mimes has some of the same members, and more. And they reached out and maybe I’m playing favorites that way but I don’t think so. I liked this record on first listen, but in putting together an interview, I had it on repeat for quite a while and I picked up the depth beyond the playful-punk sound. It’s shiny and fun on the surface, but scuffed and thoughtful underneath.
- Loren
5
Mikey Erg (Rad Girlfriend Records)
With a Clash-inspired cover, this is sort of a mission statement record that’s intentionally “punk.” Mikey Erg has done a lot of acoustic stuff in recent years (solo), but this record is loud and fast. While it’s definitely connected to his work with The Ergs!, it’s more dynamic and varied throughout, before ending in what feels like a segue to his next record which (I predict) will push genre boundaries rather than play to them as this one does.
- Loren
Spyros' Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Genghis Tron
Dream Weapon (Relapse Records)
After dropping their insane grind fused nintendocore bomb with Board Up The House, Genghis Tron disappeared. Now, with anticipation building they have returned, stripping away many of the brutal aspects of their sound and opting for an ethereal and otherworldly presence. Dream Weapon is not just a great follow-up, but a record of maturity.
- Spyros Stasis
2
Following their not very exciting debut, Heirloom of a Sullen Fall, Monte Penumbra came back with a vengeance in As Blades In The Firmament. Dissonant to the extreme with a cyclonic progression and intricate structures, fusing avant-gardisms while retaining the genre’s bitter edge, it is a work that propels them to the forefronts of black metal.
- Spyros Stasis
3
Oriflamme
L’Egide Ardente (Sepulchral Productions)
Raised in the rich tradition of the Quebecois black metal scene, Oriflamme arrived with a stunning debut in L’Egide Ardente. Longform, monotonous compositions carrying an immense momentum filled with an epic perspective and an unforgiving attitude.
- Spyros Stasis
4
At times it is difficult to get excited by a new release from acts that are prolific. Well, that does not happen for The Body! Their doom/sludge base has been corrupted by power electronics and noise, and with I Have Seen All I Need to See they are also opting for a more organic approach that somehow ends up being even nastier and harsher.
- Spyros Stasis
5
Adventurous to a fault, Yuko Araki has been toying with harsh noise and experimental electronica through her solo project. In her latest effort however there is a certain personal aspect that rises through the aural debris. The fragmented beats, walls of noise coming together to narrate a story spoken in an unknown language for End of Trilogy.
- Spyros Stasis
Rob's Top 5 of 2021 So Far
1
Smol Data
Inconvenience Store
Holy moly!! No new album inspires me like Inconvenience Store. Smol and her mysterious Data have taken all sorts of musical inspirations, stirred them into a big bowl, thrown that bowl on the floor - breaking it - and made me lick it up, glass and all. Wow, that was a bad analogy. But my point is that this record is a tasty hodgepodge of genius that demolishes your expectations at every turn!! Do you like good songwriting? What about descriptive imagery (“he’s a tall boy deep when I walk in,” reminds me of the one frat party I went to in college and subsequently left out of discomfort)? How about vocals that sound like they're being sung 2 inches from your face (in a good way)? If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, this record is for you.
2
Weezer
OK Human
Weezer has put out two albums this year, and one of them was very, very bad. In fact, I'm supposed to write an SPB review about how bad it is (sorry, Loren! Expect it on your desk by Friday). But the other record - OK Human - is pretty decent! I stayed up till midnight with a Weezer-superfan pal to listen to it, and we both were pleasantly surprised. The concept of a Weezer record with all acoustic instruments is pretty cool on its own, but you never know what kind of string cheese Rivers will pull out of his ass for something like this. And yeah, while the cheese did make plenty of appearances (“Gosh darn this cast iron lounger, my butt will bruise,”) OK Human is my favorite thing Cuomo ‘n co. have put out in a long time.
3
We Are The Union
Ordinary Life
When I first heard We Are The Union in 9th grade, they absolutely blew my mind. I hadn't heard a ska punk band playing Lifetime-esque melodic hardcore before, and I downloaded their album for free on Purevolume. However, when they got back together put out Self Care, the ska-memery felt a bit forced to me (though it's a decent record). Ordinary Life, on the other hand, is maybe the best thing they’ve ever done. It's not Dan Yemin-core (shoutout Jordan), and it's not mimicking any third-wave reunion, either. No, it sounds wholly honest and showcases what this band is right now. Yes, it’s ska punk. But it’s not limited by the expectations of what We Are The Union should sound like (which is fitting, considering this record serves as vocalist/guitarist Reade Wolcott’s coming out as a trans woman). Also, the horn parts are the best I've heard in a new ska record in a long time. They're carefully placed and serve the song well. Good job, WATU. You're making me a fan all over again.
4
155
Wake The Dead
155 is more than a podcast - it’s a cult. Since hosts Sam Sutherland and Josiah Hughes finished discussing every blink-182 song and rebranded as a “podcast about ‘punk’ songs,” they’ve released weekly compilations of their listeners covering the song they choose to discuss that week. For Comeback Kid’s seminal hardcore anthem, “Wake The Dead,” their followers outdid themselves. Every cover on this compilation is good, even if it's silly or meant to punish the listener. On that note, if you grew up around flashy evangelical churches like me, I recommend listening to the cover by Teen Jazz Worship Team. Its accuracy was both hilarious and painful to listen to.
5
Lucy Dacus
Home Video
OKAY, so this record only just came out, but it’s already one of the best of 2021. This is the softest Lucy Dacus record to date, which for a rock artist can be career suicide. But she really earned it with these songs. The stripped-down style makes for great storytelling and actually reminds me a lot of Dave Bazan. Lucy, if you ever read this, let’s talk about our times at VBS.
