INDIEVOTION'S BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (2020)

After countless hours of genuine joy listening to loads of standout music, INDIEVOTION presents its year-end list for 2020 Best Albums. Last year was quite weird as the world knows. Anyway even in times of hardship for musicians and artists in general there was great music, mesmerizing records were released, many great acts, lots of refreshingly sounds and gorgeous, addictive songs struck the airwaves making every day a feast for the senses. If 2021 will be as good as 2020 is yet unknown but there's always hope that month after month thrilling new sounds will be discovered and celebrated. 

1 Aoife Nessa Frances - Land of No Injunction



2 En Attendant Ana - Juillet



3 Caroline Rose - Superstar



4 Metz - Atlas Vending



5 Katie Malco - Failures



6 Idles - Ultra Mono



7 Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death .



8 Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today



9 Death Bells - New Signs of ife



10 Madeline Kenney - Sucker's Lunch



11 Dream Syndicate - Universe Inside



12 Porridge Radio - Every Bad



13 Deep Sea Diver - Impossible Weight



14 Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out



15 The Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain



16 Emma Kupa - It Will Come Easier



17 Bob Mould - Blue Hearts



18 Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher



19 Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud



20 Anna Burch - If You're Dreaming

Monroe Moon: Trip and Pop

A couple of months ago I've came across MONROE MOON a band hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan formed by Heather Monroe (vocals, Keys), Theo Malkin (guitar) Tim Strothers (drums) and Justin Jackson (bass) and felt compelled to write a few lines about them after listening to all their current discography. 

Monroe Moon seems to still be on a phase of building a defined sonic identity that can better consolidate their apparent choice for space rock blended with trip-hop, sophisticated jazz vibes and some incidental ethereal pop although sometimes the idea one gets is that they're pretty much comfortable with their soundscape as it probably reflects a way to avoid them being linked to any specific musical genre. 

At first Monroe Moon musical influences seem to be mostly under the spell of both Massive Attack and Portishead but then there's some Cocteau Twins in the background, a little bit of Stereolab and unintentionally until further proof a Wye Oak vibe but there's also some Widowspeak presence and all this helps to give them a contemporary dream-pop contour. 

Monroe Moon overall sound is an atmospheric, warm, sensual embrace that wraps oneself in a curtain, not of darkness but dusk and light, a time gone by and a longing for another era, joy and wisdom enhanced by a brilliant rhythm section, spacey, dreamy guitars, inspirational piano and synths and last but, not least the superb jazzy, posh, dreamy voice of Heather Moon which undeniably stands out as MM ace of spades and brings to mind the voices of Jenn Wasner, Molly Hamilton and Corinne Drewery. 

With two EP's already released, "When The Seagulls Follow The Trawler (2018) and "Joy" (2020), Monroe Moon emerges as one of the most promising bands to keep an eye on in 2021 with or without the pandemic.

NOVEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#130]: Soft Kill - R​.​I​.​P. City

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

OCTOBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#122]: The Wake - Perfumes and Fripperies

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

OCTOBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#116]: Deep Sea Diver - Impossible Weight

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

OCTOBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#115]: Metz - Atlas Vending

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

J. Graves: In between Marathon and Deathbed EP.

I remember to have accidentally stumbled into J. Graves debut full-length "Marathon" by late September 2019. It happened the same way just like when I discovered Joy Division "Closer", Siouxsie and The Banshees "Kiss in The Dreamhouse", The Cure "Pornography", The Psychedelic Furs "Talk, Talk, Talk", The Church "Heyday" or Husker Du "Candy Apple Grey" just to mention a few examples. I was struck by the front cover aesthetics before listening the music and that would later prove to be an absolute spot on intuition. 

"Marathon" still remains an excellent, angry, exercise of infectious, addictive, raw intensity from the opening track to the very end. A fantastic debut, a catharsis of anxieties through poetry, propulsive rhythm section and a soulful, impressive, hypnotic guitar. 

A year after "Marathon" was released, J. Graves shared with the world her "Deathbed" EP which turns out to be another exquisite gem. J. Graves brings back to mind the likes of the Au Pairs, the Gang of Four, Siouxsie and The Banshees but also Sleater Kinney, P. J. Harvey, Interpol or Metric. From a certain point of view J. Graves blends some of these more notorious influences and builds a sonic aesthetic that brings past and present together and manages to revisit revise and somehow contribute to reinvent post punk, a genre that always had a dancing seed glowing in the dark. 

In this new release J. Graves genuinely renews her invitation to dance, run and jump pushing the listener into the exorcism of the inner demons, a therapeutic healing of modern existential anxieties that go entirely in line with the sonic aesthetic displayed in her debut album. 

The four tracks that are part of the new EP not only reinforce the main features and influences that were already present on her previous work but perfect them in a way that undoubtedly makes the Deathbed EP one of the most hautingly breathtaking releases so far this year. 

The permanent call to dance, the restless strummed guitar always pushing forward like a locomotive accompanied by Aaron MacDonald's electrifying shuffling drums and some highly corrosive, vicious bass lines made by Kelly Clifton that give a sonic grandeur to the overall sound that work as the perfect support for Jessa's magnificent vocals song after song that make J. Graves one of the greatest and most stimulating artists one can find these days. 

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

Funeral Lakes: Golden Season EP (2020) Review

I remember to have received a music submission in my e-mail on New Year's Eve 2019 from a Toronto-based duo Funeral Lakes consisting of Chris Hemer and Sam Mishos. I've found their submission quite a coincidence since I had them under the radar for sometime but due to reasons unknown ended up not reviewing their seductive, socially provocative, dreamy, dark and much acclaimed debut album. 

Funeral Lakes offer the listener a sonic aesthetic that ranges from indie-folk to indie-punk and folk rock which quite inevitably bring to mind Typhoon's "White Lighter" album as well as Arcade Fire namely their 2003 eponymous EP and "Funeral" album but one can also spot some Neil Young, Talking Heads, Bikini Kill and Airborne Toxic Event. 

Last month the band released their new album, a three song EP of electrifying, politically committed music wrapped up with some of the finest lyrics one can find.

The EP opens with the sophisticated indie folk piece that is Eternal Return. The song is some sort of slow burner that keeps a moderate pace until it grows into a final catharsis illustrative of the ongoing frustration of the state of contemporary politics which leads to Earth Falls the undeniable hit song the EP delivering some vicious keyboard retro sounds, steady rhythm section, addictive bass line and sweet vocals that blend awesomely with the collapse of the world as we supposedly know it along with the inevitable destruction of Earth's ecosystem but before we're irrevocably doomed and everything falls apart there is still time for the tempestuous, high energetic, undisguised anger of Power Trip the closing song of Golden Season EP. This is song could easily become a punk anthem fuelled by the great enraged vocals and the impassioned frenetic guitars. 

In overall Golden Season turns out to be one of the most enjoyable, relevant EPs of the year with three masterfully crafted songs. Very well done! 

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8/10 

Songs For Sabotage: "Night of Joy" Album Review (2020)

Some people say that the best things happen accidentally. That's what probably occurred to Lina Sophie and Richey Rose when they met out of the blue at a Brooklyn bar four years ago and connected through a mutual love for 80s post-punk, goth and 90s grunge but also their genuine interest for Swedish indie, alternative music scene. 

Songs for Sabotage officially formed in 2019 and are named after the New Museum 4th Triennial exhibition of the same name. A year later due to COVID spread, they moved to Lexington (KY) where their debut album was finished, and appropriately titled Night of Joy after the Brooklyn bar where their bond started. 

Night of Joy kicks in smoothly but once it kicks in it becomes infectiously addictive in a haze of the most modern classic 80s Post-Punk and Goth sonic aesthetic that one can come across and it works superbly with their Swedish crush that allow to perceive the presence of Acid House Kings, The Cardigans and Radio Dept. 

Night of Joy offers a pallette of masterfully crafted tunes with delightful bass lines, melodic guitar patterns that bring to mind Johnny Marr but also exploding guitar choruses bringing to mind the energy of The Joy Formidable and gorgeous, clean, pop vocals reminding Nina Persson. The outcome of SFS debut album is a handful of great songs such like Sabotage, Urgency, Metal or Drifting. The album closes with a stunning, vibrant, electrifying cover of Peter Murphy's "Cuts You Up" which highlights the idiosyncrasy of the whole album. 

In the middle of the COVID pandemic Songs for Sabotage should be highly praised for releasing a great album in these difficult, weird, challenging times we're living in and which can work out as gasoline for SFS future releases. 

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8/10 

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#114]: Idles - Ultra Mono

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#126]: Death Bells - New Signs Of Life

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#113]: Bob Mould - Blue Hearts

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#120]: Ultrviolence - Sally Would Say

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS [#121]: Emma Kupa - It Will Come Easier

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#112]: Throwing Muses - Sun Racket

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

AUGUST BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#129]: I Like Trains - Kompromat

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

AUGUST BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#111]: Bully - Sugaregg

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

AUGUST BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#110]: No Joy - Motherhood

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

AUGUST BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#125]: Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#127]: Madeline Kenney - Sucker's Lunch

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#109]: The Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#108]: Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#119]: Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JUNE BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#117]: Muzz - Muzz

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#107]: Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#106]: Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#118]: Illuminatti Hotties - FREE I​.​H: This Is Not The One You've Been Waiting For

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#105]: The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#132]: Paul Weller - On Sunset

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#104]: Poppongene - Futures Unsure

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JULY BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#103]: A. A. Williams - Forever Blue

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10

JUNE BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#102]: Becca Mancari - The Greatest Part

INDIEVOTON RATING: 8.5/10

JUNE BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#101]: Film Noir - Tendrement

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10