Wally's Best of '21
I've already done this once and the list got deleted. Lord give me strength. I also have a whole write-up for each album that that seems like a lot of work to try pair it down for the word limit of this site so... minimal effort here we go! List is roughly building up from albums I really enjoyed to my absolute favorites of the year. |
| 31 |  | Lantlos
Wildhund
Honorable Mentions:
Garbology-Aesop Rock (Hip-hop) - Lots of great rhymes. Some banging beats.
Classic-Four Stroke Baron (Progressive Metal) - Have you ever wondered what Tears for Fears would sound like as a metal band?
Etemen AEnka-Dvne (Sludge Metal) - Heavy Riffs for days.
Pressure Machine-The Killers (Rock) - An awesome late night campfire album.
Wildhund- Lantlos (Post Rock) - Deftones atmosphere with a little more shoegaze. |
| 30 |  | So Hideous
None But a Pure Heart Can Sing
Absolutely wild experimental hardcore.
Favorite Song: "The Emerald Pearl" |
| 29 |  | Emma Ruth Rundle
Engine of Hell
This album made me sad and I loved every minute of it.
Favorite Song: "Return" |
| 28 |  | Lil Ugly Mane
Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern
I didn't know if I liked this album or not until I realized that I'd recommended it to almost everyone in my life.
Favorite Song: "porcelain slightly" |
| 27 |  | BADBADNOTGOOD
Talk Memory
Dreamy jazz fusion with elements of King Crimson.
Favorite Song: "Signal From the Noise" |
| 26 |  | Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Shyga! The Sunlight Mound
The best King Gizzard album this year.
Favorite Song: "Tripolasaur" |
| 25 |  | Tyler, the Creator
Call Me If You Get Lost
Finally he releases an album that just isn't the same sad boy bops the entire time. Also... that Blarf sample.
Favorite Song: "MANIFESTO" |
| 24 |  | MOL
Diorama
Great shoegaze black metal.
Favorite Song: Serf |
| 23 |  | Failure
Wild Type Droid
The fact that I haven't checked out Failure until this year is a damn travesty. I definitely need to check their back catalogue.
Favorite Song: "Half Moon" |
| 22 |  | Spiritbox
Eternal Blue
Despite being overhyped and then over critiqued, this is still a solid metalcore album.
Favorite Song: "Constance" |
| 21 |  | Chevelle
NIRATIAS
It's a Chevelle album. One of their better ones, but still a Chevelle album.
Favorite Song: "So Long, Mother Earth" |
| 20 |  | Lingua Ignota
SINNER GET READY
The most emotionally intense album of the year.
Favorite Song: "PERPETUAL FLAME OF CENTRALIA" |
| 19 |  | The World Is a Beautiful Place...
Illusory Walls
The last two songs could use a little trim but in general this is fantastic.
Favorite Song: "Invading the World of the Guilty as a Spirit of Vengeance" |
| 18 |  | Black Midi
Cavalcade
Wild post punk that dabbles in old progressive rock.
Favorite Song: "Slow" |
| 17 |  | Leprous
Aphelion
While not as engaging as "Pitfalls" this album is still incredibly solid and solidifies why Leprous is one of the best progressive rock bands in the game.
Favorite Song: "Silhouette" |
| 16 |  | Jeff Rosenstock
SKA DREAM
I'm a ska nerd at heart and this is the best ska album in a decade or so.
Favorite Song: "NO TIME TO SKANK" |
| 15 |  | Manchester Orchestra
The Million Masks of God
Showcasing a little more experimentation that its predecessor, this is an engaging indie rock album from start to finish.
Favorite Song: "Dinosaur" |
| 14 |  | Meer
Playing House
The best "alternative progressive pop orchestra" you've never heard of.
Favorite Song: "She Goes" |
| 13 |  | Little Simz
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
An album that feels like a coming out party despite being the 4th album in Simz's discography.
Favorite Song: "Introvert" |
| 12 |  | Kauan
Ice Fleet
A great album for setting the mood for ghost stories.
Favorite Song: Album experience. |
| 11 |  | VOLA
Witness
A catchy progressive metal act that doesn't rely on too much djent.
Favorite Song: "21 Light-Years" |
| 10 |  | Biffy Clyro
The Myth of the Happily Ever After
One of the most underrated alternative rock bands and winners of the worst song title of 2021.
Favorite Song: "Slurpy Slurpy Sleep Sleep" |
| 9 |  | Backxwash
I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS AND MY DRESSES
Smoldering industrial hip-hop. Hands down the darkest album on this list.
Favorite Song: "BURN TO ASHE" |
| 8 |  | Mastodon
Hushed and Grim
While not as aggressive as some of their classics it's still an incredible return to form.
Favorite Song: "More Than I Could Chew" |
| 7 |  | Devil Sold His Soul
Loss
Atmospheric post-hardcore with some great breakdowns.
Favorite Song: "Witness Marks" |
| 6 |  | Every Time I Die
Radical
It's Every Time I Die doing what Every Time I Die does best, although slightly less experimental than "Low Teens".
Favorite Song: "Distress Rehearsal" |
| 5 |  | Turnstile
Glow On
The most fun pop punk album in a hot minute and winner of the best recorded live show of 2021.
Favorite Song: "Mystery" |
| 4 |  | Frost*
Day and Age
In a year where Steven Wilson released a terrible pop rock album, Frost* come in an take the throne.
Favorite Song: "Day and Age" |
| 3 |  | Genesis Owusu
Smiling with No Teeth
A great R&B debut with elements of funk, hip-hop, and house.
Favorite Song: "A Song About Fishing" |
| 2 |  | BRUIT
The Machine Is Burning...
Emotive. Sweeping. Epic. Violent. Fragile.
Favorite Song: "The Machine is Burning" |
| 1 |  | Fucked Up
Year of the Horse
As a fan of cheesy progressive metal, this is right up my alley. Chalk full of reoccuring motifs and lyrics, this is a must for anyone who enjoys progressive music. Hands down my most listened to album of the year.
Favorite Song: "Act Three" |
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