It’s been a weird year for everyone, but especially for
those who work in the live entertainment industry. Hopefully, through efforts like those
spearheaded by NIVA (the National Independent Venue Association) to Save Our
Stages, we will be able to return to enjoying live music when the pandemic
worries subside. Meanwhile, hats off to
all the performers who continue to produce music we love from the safety of lockdown,
and here’s hoping we may gather again in real life someday.
-TOAST’S FAVORITE STUDIO ALBUMS of 2020-
01) JASON ISBELL and the 400 UNIT – Reunions
The reigning King of Americana (if Americana’s even a thing),
the gravelly-but-still-very-much-like-Jackson-Browne defector from Drive-By
Truckers puts his new band through their paces and comes up aces with another
pleasing collection of songs. If it
sounds like I’m being sarcastic it’s only because he’s so universally lauded I
feel like pushing back, but the fact remains these are well-constructed,
well-played, well-recorded songs that sound, by and large, like instant heart-warming
nostalgia. He may yet prove to be the
best singer-songwriter of his generation.
HIGH POINTS:
Overseas, It Gets Easier, What’ve I Done to Help, Running with Our Eyes
Closed, Dreamsicle, Letting You Go
02) GREYBOY ALLSTARS – Como de Allstars
Since they only seem to reconvene every several years,
catching them is like catching a total eclipse, but this time the result is
absolutely stellar so park it, spark it, and soak it all in. Possibly the funkiest of all Karl Denson’s
various projects, GBAS continue to shine as the soundtrack to the greatest 70s
film you’ve never seen, possibly because it only exists in your dreams. You could call it jazz but that makes it seem
like background in a noisy café. This
music demands that you pay attention, possibly while dancing.
HIGH POINTS: Como de Allstars,
Complete Breakfast, the Skipper, Executive Party, Les Imperials
03) PHISH – Sigma Oasis
This sounds more like a Phish album than any in the 2.0 or
3.0 catalog. Perhaps because they’ve
stripped back the temptation to experiment and simply play in the groove. It’s their expertise after all; I’m just
surprised it took so long to circle back around. Some of these songs benefit from having been
worked out live for a few years but as an album this whole affair feels tingly
and happy, like you might be about to leave your body.
HIGH POINTS:
Everything’s Right, Steam, Sigma Oasis, Mercury, Thread
04) TAME IMPALA – the Slow Rush
Australian Kevin Parker moves even farther from making
guitar-oriented music but still produces shimmery, neon-colored
psychedelia. How he manages to make
loneliness and grief sound like the sun is shining on top of Big Rock Candy
Mountain, where a rave has been bumping for a week but nobody’s tired of dancing
yet, is still Tame Impala’s greatest mystery.
The non-album single “Patience” is a winner too.
HIGH POINTS: Borderline, Is It True, Tomorrow’s Dust,
Breathe Deeper, One More Year
05) LETTUCE – Resonate
If the cover art is any indication, this is meant to be a
companion album to last year’s excellent “Elevate.” Whether it’s supposed to be the second in a
series (like a double-album released in two individual parts) or just songs
leftover from those sessions, “Resonate” comes across much stronger and more
self-assured than its twin. Of all the
bands that generate “new rare grooves,” Lettuce is proving to be the best.
HIGH POINTS: House of
Lett, NDUGU, Silence Is Golden, Blaze, Mr. Dynamite
06) MY MORNING JACKET – the Waterfall II
It’s apparently a known fact that these songs were all held
back from the last MMJ album (the Waterfall, 2015). Well, if they’re still holding on to enough
to form “the Waterfall III,” I wish they’d get along with releasing it
already. These may not be the most
adventurous songs in their repertoire, but they do prove that MMJ doesn’t
strictly need to be adventurous to be downright enchanting.
HIGH POINTS: Feel
You, Magic Bullet, Wasted, Run It
07) EOB – Earth
For anyone who disagrees with the notion that Radiohead can be
thought of as “more-experimental U2,” give a listen to “Shangri-La” from Ed
O’Brien’s solo album (oddly – because it stands so sure of itself – his
first). Surely Radiohead is greater than
the sum of its parts, but why it took EOB so long to step out of the shadows is
anyone’s guess. “Earth” is a revelatory
combination of melody and atmosphere.
HIGH POINTS:
Shangri-La, Brasil, Olympik, Banksters
08) KING GIZZARD & the LIZARD WIZARD – K.G.
The prolific KGLW has returned to the microtonal well they originally
plumbed 7 albums and a mere 3 years ago.
While some might accuse them of suffering from musical ADHD, I saw them
on that tour and can see why they chose to revisit the microtonal milieu. Rumor has it the next album (titled “L.W.”)
comes soon and I’ll be ready to buy it whether it’s microtonal or not. Such is the compelling and unusual appeal of
KGLW.
HIGH POINTS:
Intrasport, Minimum Brain Size, Automation, Honey
09) WOOD BROTHERS – Kingdom in My Mind
Though probably not the best album in their history, the
Wood Brothers are such a well-oiled machine that anything they release is bound
to be above-par listening. “Kingdom in
My Mind” continues their genre-blending quest to be the most interesting folk
band on the planet, if not the most commercially successful. If jazz-folk isn’t already a thing, they
should lay claim to that label.
HIGH POINTS: Little
Bit Sweet, Alabaster, Little Bit Broken, Don’t Think About My Death
10) WAXAHATCHEE – Saint
Cloud
Katie Crutchfield seems aware that feelings can be messy,
and furthermore, if you’re going to sing about your feelings it can come out
messy, and that is totally okay. She’s
not laboring over the details to try and smooth out the rough edges, in fact
those rough edges are probably the aesthetic “finish” she’s striving for. If you thought she couldn’t possibly top
2017’s “Out in the Storm,” think again.
HIGH POINTS: Lilacs,
Fire, Oxbow, Hell
-TOAST’S FAVORITE LIVE ALBUMS of 2020-
We are especially grateful for these recorded live
experiences in the Age of COVID…
01) JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE – Live in Maui
Recorded 7/30/1970, just weeks before he died. Decades later, Jimi’s playing is still unique
and incredible.
02) ROGER WATERS – Us + Them
Recorded in Amsterdam,
2018. With help from Lucius and Jonathan
Wilson, Waters cranks up the emotionalism and satire to eleven.
03) GOOSE – Alive and Well
Recorded at various locales, 2019. Cements their reputation as a rising star in
the jam band firmament.
04) JOHN LEE HOOKER – Live at Montreux 1983
Hooker is firing on all cylinders and is joined by Luther
Allison, Sugar Blue and more for the show-closing jam.
05) TREY ANASTASIO BAND – Burn It Down
Recorded on tour in January, 2020. Named for the incendiary performances TAB was
hitting on night after night.
06) TESKEY BROTHERS – Live at the Forum
Recorded Nov. 2019 in their hometown of Melbourne, Australia. They get to flex their muscles and stretch
things out a bit live.
07) JERRY GARCIA BAND – Garcia Live Volume 13
Recorded at the now-defunct (but fondly remembered) Poplar
Creek Music Theatre on 9/16/89, featuring Clarence Clemons on sax.
08) KING GIZZARD & the LIZARD WIZARD – Live in San Francisco ‘16
Recorded 5/25/16 at The Independent, San Francisco, CA
shortly after the release of their studio album “Nonagon Infinity.” Bonkers.
09) SPAFFORD – Live at the Drive-In
Recorded 5/24/20 at Digital Drive-In, Mesa, AZ. This was the first advertised “drive-in” show
within driving distance. Other bands
followed suit over the summer.
10) WAR on DRUGS – Live Drugs
Recorded at various locales, 2014-2019. Sequenced to unfold as a WOD concert normally
would. Full immersion recommended.
-TOAST’S FAVORITE SINGLES of 2020-
01) BAKAR – Hell N Back
This song brightens my day every time I hear it. Perfect and timeless.
02) ARLO PARKS – Hurt
Like a soothing balm and a reminder it “won’t hurt so much
forever.”
03) JOHN PRINE – I Remember Everything
A heart-achingly poignant capstone on an impressive career.
04) TWO TRACKS – Beautiful
Simple yet panoramic; folky yet danceable.
05) PRESSING STRINGS – Brave
Understated and positive, like good advice from a beloved
relative.
06) ROBERT CRAY BAND – This Man
A song about voting out El Presidente, cleverly disguised as
blues-from-infidelity
07) FLEET FOXES – Can I Believe You
Melancholy and melodic, moves forcefully at the volume of a
ghost’s whisper.
08) MATT MAESON – Hallucinogenics
Like an urban (or suburban) Jack Johnson, painting street
life caricatures.
09) SONGHOY BLUES – Worry
Proving that all the best guitar rock comes out of West Africa these days.
10) PHOEBE BRIDGERS – Kyoto
Confessional stream-of-consciousness set to a buoyant soundtrack.
-TOAST’S MOST COVETED BOX SETS of 2020-
TOM PETTY – Wildflowers and All the Rest
PRINCE – Sign o’ the Times (super deluxe edition)
GRATEFUL DEAD – June 1976
-TOAST’S LOCAL FAVORITES-
ALEX MARYOL – In the Meantime
DAVID BERKELEY – Oh Quiet World
BORIS McCUTCHEON – As Old As Española
-TOAST’S FAVORITE COVERS of 2020-
KITCHEN DWELLERS [as PINK FLOYD] – Pigs (Three Different
Ones)
AMBER MARK [as NIRVANA] – Heart-Shaped Box
KATIE PRUITT [as NEIL YOUNG] – After the Gold Rush
DAVE ALVIN [as BOB DYLAN] – Highway 61 Revisited
KAREN O / WILLIE NELSON [as QUEEN / DAVID BOWIE] – Under
Pressure
LAZER LLOYD [as PRINCE] – Purple Rain
BLACK PUMAS [as TRACY CHAPMAN] – Fast Car
MOLLY TUTTLE [as GRATEFUL DEAD] – Standing on the Moon
JORJA SMITH [as ST.
GERMAIN] – Rose Rouge
GHOST LIGHT [as TEARS for FEARS] – Head Over Heels (live)
-TOAST’S FAVORITE LIVE STUNT-
In a year when there were precious few live stunts to be had
(and don’t think we don’t appreciate you all trying drive-in shows, or motor
speedway shows), I’m giving the crown to Trey Anastasio Band for “The Beacon
Jams,” a multi-week residency (crowdless, naturally) at the fabled Beacon
Theatre in New York City. This was as close to making lemonade from
lemons as I think we were able to get this year. The audio on the livestreams was excellent,
and we got quite a few Phish-via-TAB debuts out of the deal. Truly, it was the next best thing to being
there.
-TOAST WOULD LIKE MORE, PLEASE-
BANANAGUN
BELLA WHITE
BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD
CARY
MORIN
JOE WONG
JOHN CRAIGIE
LAZER LLOYD
NUBYA GARCIA
PRESSING STRINGS
S.G. GOODMAN
That’s all for this year’s listmania. Looking forward to having excellent concert
and festival highlights to feature in 2021!
Stay safe and be well (^_^)
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