10 Best Albums of 2021

by Julian Spivey

10. “Better Than Bublé” by Dobaedoobaedoo
The lounge singer gauntlet was thrown down this year with Dobaedoobaedoo, who takes his name from a part in Frank Sinatra’s classic “Strangers in the Night,” released Better Than Bublé, a shot across Michael Bublé’s bow. The smooth-voiced crooner made such a thing cool again with tracks like “Baby Daddy Drama” and “Love You The Most.”

9. “In The Crease” by Penguins in Flight
Canadian indie rockers Penguins in Flight returned after a seven-year hiatus with In The Crease, reminding listeners the Great White North isn’t just Arcade Fire’s domain. With a three-guitar attack from Grayson Grace, Norm Wendt and Ethan Dunwoody on tracks like “Maple Leaf Fire” and “Toronto Turnaround” the group sounds like they’ve never taken time off from recording.

8. “Demon Seed” by Minotaur Breath
One of the hardest groups currently in thrash metal is Minotaur Breath, not to be confused with the similarly sounding Centaur’s Breast, have released their sophomore album Demon Seed to rave reviews that have garnered the New Zealanders newfound fame outside of their home island. Listeners must be warned though that hardcore epics like “Deathcunt” and “Antichrist’s Asshole” are not for the feint of heart.

7. “The I.R.A. at Play” by My Uncle Killed Lord Mountbatten
If you’ve never listened to Gaelic punk-dubstep than you really should check out the debut of My Uncle Killed Lord Mountbatten titled The I.R.A. at Play, a mixture of two genres even your cool parents never would’ve dreamed could be combined. The I.R.A. at Play tells the story of Cian O’Malley, a young gang member during The Troubles who falls for sweet redhead Amelia, the illegitimate daughter of the local priest.

6. 나는 푸티 베어입니다 by Pouty Bear
Much of the talk in America about K-pop revolves around the majorly popular boy band BTS, with its legions of fans that will literally kill you if you so much as think a negative thought about their favorite group. But the best of K-pop in 2021 was 나는 푸티 베어입니다 (English translation: I Am Pouty Bear) by newcomer Pouty Bear, who has combined K-pop with a flair of reggae to create one of the bounciest sounds of the year with such worldwide bangers as “이것은 모든 헛소리입니다.”

5. “Meat is Murder” by Arm the Animals
You thought pop-punk had ended in the late ‘00s, didn’t you? Well, not so fast. And now it’s teamed up with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in the form of Arm the Animals, a group out of Provo, Utah, with songs like “Meat is Murder,” the title track of its debut album, “Deer Hunts You” and “Pigs Are Cops, Not Bacon.” It’s rock with a message, that’s why it’s punk, except it’s also pop because the Sex Pistols are either dead or become Trumpers.

4. “Dewpoint” by Dewpoint
The self-titled debut of Dewpoint, the stage name of British guitarist-vocalist Eric Crapton (not to be confused with the similarly sounding rock hall of famer/anti-vaxxer), is a glorious double album of blues-rock told only the way a white British man can do it – that is without all of the deep sadness of decades upon decades of systemic racism. With dark songs like “London Blues #12” and “Lower Than the Dungeons of London” you’ll almost forget Crapton was born into English aristocracy.

3. “Meow Mix-tape” by Uruguay. The Cat
Formed solely of former members of Portugal. The Man, Uruguay. The Cat released one of the dopest alt-rock albums of the year with Meow Mix-tape. With infectious grooves and deep lyrics that even some of the group’s songwriters can’t quite comprehend songs like “Purrfection” and “Still Feeling It” are ripe for radio play and packed stadiums across the world.

2. “The Devil is Here” by Mr. Rogers’ Meth Lab
Mr. Rogers’ Meth Lab, a bluegrass-gospel-hip trio out of Owensboro, Ky., turned two of the oldest genres of music on its head in 2021 with The Devil is Here, featuring fast finger-picking by banjoist Hoaky Poppins and sawing fiddle by Trent Frye on old-timey gospel tunes like “The Old Rugged Cross,” “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” with newly written (and often profane) raps by MC Turtle inserted into them speaking of all the horrors and ills of modern day life in the hollers of Kentucky.

1. “Appalachian Beatboxing” by DJ Slutaleupagus
Consisting mostly of eefing and yodeling, Appalachian Beatboxing brings the sounds of Appalachia of more than a century ago into modern times with rhythmic wheezing, hiccupping and various bird, goat and cattle calls to the scratching of vinyl records by famed DJ Slutlaeupagus. Pop a molly and your mind will be blown.