Dr. Spin's Favorite Albums of 2021 Part 2: The Top 10!

My ten favorite albums from 2021!  If you watch any post this year, catch this one.

In case you missed it, here's Part 1

Other related links in alphabetical order (no cheating!):

black midi – Cavalcade

Bo Burnham – Inside

Brendan Eder Ensemble – To Mix With Time

Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the LSO – Promises

Mammoth WVH – Mammoth WVH

Once and Future Band – Deleted Scenes

Steven Wilson – The Future Bites

Timmy Sean – A Tale From The Other Side

And....a playlist for your listening enjoyment!  Don't forget to show your support by purchasing directly from these artists.

Dr. Spin's Favorite Albums From 2021 Part 1: #'s 20-11

This post is part of my year-end summary of my favorite albums from 2021, containing #’s 11-20.

Part 2 coming soon.

A post on Chouk Bwa and the Angstromers

A post on Sault’s Untitled (Rise)

A post on clipping.’s CLPPNG

2021 Album Preview Series: December Showcase!

One last roundup for 2021, including albums by:

Chassol – Indiamore (2013)
Deafheaven – Infinite Granite (2021)
Injury Reserve – By The Time I Get To Phoenix (2021)
Let’s Eat Grandma – I’m All Ears (2018)
The Angstromers – Path to Danach (2020)
Emmett Chapman – Parallel Galaxy (1985)

 

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 53: Chouk Bwa & the Angstromers vs. Mammoth WVH

Post featuring Vodou Ale Post featuring Mammoth WVH

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 52: Arlo Parks vs. Tame Impala

Preview featuring Collapsed in Sunbeams

Preview featuring The Slow Rush

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 51: Gunship vs. Steven Wilson

Preview featuring Gunship Post on The Future Bites

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 50: Carolina Eyck & Eversines vs. Brendan Eder Ensemble

Preview featuring Waves LP Inter-review with Brendan Eder about To Mix With Time

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 49: Bo Burnham vs. Cynic

Post on Inside Preview featuring Traced in Air

Mammoth WVH: Being Van Halens

A series of videos about Van Halen’s David Lee Roth period

A word about Simon Collins and the pressures of having a famous dad

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 48: Yes Vs. Tally Hall

Preview featuring Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum Preview featuring The Quest

https://open.spotify.com/album/2TN3NIEBmAOGWmvP96DFs5?si=wEsfgtAVRd-63btNsQQ0OA

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 47: Timmy Sean vs. Mammoth WVH

Inter-review with Timmy Sean Preview featuring Mammoth WVH

Album Eliminations Ep. 46: Gunship vs. clipping.

Preview featuring Gunship Post on clipping.

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 45: black midi VS. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the LSO

Post on Cavalcade Post on Promises

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 44: clipping. vs Squid

Preview featuring Bright Green Field Post on CLPPNG

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 43: Carolina Eyck & Eversines vs. Squarepusher

Preview featuring the Waves LP Preview featuring Feed Me Weird Things

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 41: Arlo Parks vs. Flying Lotus

Preview featuring Collapsed in Sunbeams Preview featuring Cosmogramma

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 41: Yes vs. The Who

Preview featuring The Quest Preview featuring The Who Sell Out

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 40: Gerald Fjord vs. Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the LSO

Preview featuring Receiver Post on Promises

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 39: Mammoth WVH vs Vodun

Preview featuring Mammoth WVH Preview featuring Ascend

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 38: Bo Burnham vs. Mike Dillon

Preview featuring Inside (the Songs) Preview featuring Rosewood

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 37: Carolina Eyck & Eversines vs. The Knife

Preview featuring The Waves LP Preview featuring The Knife

2021 Album Preview Series: Last Call In The Fall

 Previews of November’s albums, including:

Yes – The Quest (2021)
Squid – Bright Green Field (2021)

Gerald Fjord – Receiver (2020)
Squarepusher – Feed Me Weird Things (1997)

Mike Dillon – Rosewood (2020)

Vodun - Ascend (2018)  

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 36: Once and Future Band vs. Steven Wilson

Post on Deleted Scenes Post on The Future Bites

2021 Eliminations Ep. 35: Cynic vs. Sons of Apollo

Preview featuring Traced in Air Preview featuring MMXX

2021 Album Elimination Ep. 34: Timmy Sean vs. Weezer

Inter-review with Timmy Sean Preview featuring OK, Human

2021 Album Elimination Ep. 33: Chouk Bwa & the Angstromers vs. Jeremy Cunningham

Post on Vodou Ale Preview featuring The Weather Up There

Steven Wilson's The Future Bites: Living in the Algorithm

 Review and Discussion on Steven Wilson’s 2021 album The Future Bites

An older text post about my earliest encounters with Porcupine Tree A text post on Steven Wilson’s Grace for Drowning Another text post on Steven Wilson’s The Raven That Refused To Sing

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 32: Tame Impala vs. Hans Zimmer

Preview featuring The Slow Rush Preview featuring Dune OST

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 31: black midi vs. TEKE::TEKE

Post on black midi's Cavalcade Preview featuring Shirushi

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 30: Arlo Parks vs. Sault

Preview featuring Collapsed in Sunbeams Review and discussion on Untitled (Rise)

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 29: MonoNeon vs. Nils Frahm

Preview featuring Supermane Preview featuring All Melody

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 28: Super Collider vs. Weezer

Preview featuring [This Side Up] Preview featuring OK Human

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 27: Art Blakey vs. Jeremy Cunningham

Preview featuring Just Coolin Preview featuring The Weather Up There

Chouk Bwa & the Angstromers: Vodou Ale and the Loas

 Review and discussion on Vodou Ale, the 2019 collaboration between Chouk Bwa and the Angstromers.

2021 Album Elimination Ep. 26: Sons of Apollo vs. The Armed

Preview featuring Ultrapop Preview featuring MMXX

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 25: Gaspard Auge vs. Carolina Eyck & Eversines

Preview featuring Escapades

Preview featuring Waves LP

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 24: Brendan Eder Ensemble vs. Lyle Workman

Inter-review with Brendan Eder Preview featuring Uncommon Measures

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 23: Wobbler vs. Steven Wilson

Preview featuring The Future Bites Preview featuring Dwellers of the Deep

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 21: Rafael Anton Irisarri vs. Nils Frahm

 

Preview featuring All Melody

Preview featuring Solastalgia

2021 Album Eliminations Ep.21: Amir ElSaffar vs. Chouk Bwa and the Angstromers

Preview featuring Inana

Preview featuring Vodou Ale

2021 Album Preview Series: October Showcase

Preview of new music in rotation for October, including releases by:

Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams (2021)
Gaspard Auge – Escapades (2021)
Hans Zimmer – Dune OST (2021)
Weezer – OK Human (2021)
The Armed – Ultrapop (2021)
TEKE::TEKE – Shirushi (2021)

Relevant Links:

Full Arlo Parks performance
Full TEKE::TEKE performance
Full Weezer performance
Text post on Jodorowsky’s Dune OST

2021 Album Elimination Series Ep. 20: Gunship vs. Photay

Preview featuring Gunship Preview featuring Waking Hours

https://open.spotify.com/album/0LobWFX9YoejcBLiQLxfKh?si=cjGjpiTrQ66QtqOaQsd-5A

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 19: Field Music vs Tally Hall

Preview featuring Flat White Moon Preview featuring Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 17: Fantastic Negrito vs. MonoNeon

Preview Featuring Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? Preview Featuring Supermane

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 17: Aimee Mann vs. Once and Future Band

Preview featuring The Forgotten Arm Post on Deleted Scenes

Going Inside with Bo Burnham

 Review and discussion on Bo Burnham's 2021 release Inside (The Songs).

Relevant links:

Full clip from I Don't Wanna Know by Indivoidual Elimination round against Frank Zappa

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 16: Mary Lattimore vs. Lyle Workman

Preview featuring Silver Ladders Preview featuring Uncommon Measures

2021Album Eliminations Ep.15: Rafaelt Anton Irisarri VS. Gabrielle Roth & the Mirrors

Preview featuring Solistalgia Preview featuring Selected Works

Album Eliminations 2021 Ep. 14: Midlake VS. The Who

Preview featuring Antiphon

Preview featuring The Who Sell Out

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 13: Art Blakey VS. Sons of Kemet

Preview featuring Just Coolin' Preview featuring Black to the Future

What's in a Name? clipping. and Rhythm

Review and discussion on CLPPNG, the 2014 release from experimental hip hop group clipping.

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 12: Leprous vs. Tally Hall

Preview featuring Leprous Preview featuring Tally Hall

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 11: Amir ElSaffar vs. Mdou Moctar

Preview featuring Inana Preview featuring Afrique Victime

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 10: Aimee Mann vs. Chad VanGaalen

Preview featuring The Forgotten Arm Preview featuring The World's Most Stressed Out Gardener

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 9: Our Oceans vs. Steven Wilson

 

Preview featuring Our Oceans

Preview featuring The Future Bites

Once and Future Band: The Edges of Deleted Scenes

Review and discussion on Once and Future Band's 2019 release Deleted Scenes

Relevant Links Source Video for Automatic Air clip

2021 Album Elimination Ep. 8: Ghost of Vroom vs. MonoNeon

 

Preview featuring Ghost of Vroom Preview featuring Supermane

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 7: Beauty Pill vs. Gunship

 

Preview featuring Beauty Pill Preview featuring Gunship

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 6: clipping. vs. Coriky

Preview featuring clipping.

Preview featuring Coriky

2021 Album Preview Series: Variety is the Spice

 Overview of September listening, including:

The Who – The Who Sell Out (1967) The Knife – Shaking the Habitual (2013) Chad VanGaalen – The World’s Most Stressed Out Gardener (2021) Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (2021) Our Oceans – Our Oceans (2015) The Sons of Kemet – Black to the Future (2021)

Relevant Links: Previous post on Mdou Moctar

2021 Eliminations Ep. 5: Bo Burnham vs. Frank Zappa

 

Previous post on YCDTOSA v. 5 Preview featuring Inside

2021 Eliminations Ep. 4: black midi VS. Transatlantic

Post on Cavalcade Preview featuring The Breath of Life

Promises, Time, and the Chime

Review and discussion on Promises, the 2021 collaboration between Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra

Relevant links: Previous post on Floating Points Roundup featuring Promises

2021 Album Eliminations Ep.3: The Hawkins VS. Mammoth WVH

Preview featuring the Hawkins

Preview featuring Mammoth WVH

2021 Album Eliminations Ep. 2: Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, & the LSO VS. Soup

Preview featuring Promises

Preview featuring The Beauty of Our Youth

CHVRCHES, Bones, and Synth Trends of the Teens

Review and discussion on The Bones of What You Believe, a 2013 release from CHVRCHES.

Relevant links

A bit about nostalgia
A bit more about nostalgia and M83 

 

2021 Album Eliminations Ep 1: Gunship vs. Disheveled Cuss

2021 Album of the Year Elimination – Gunship vs. Disheveled Cuss

Preview Post including Gunship

Preview Post including Disheveled Cuss

Gunship – Gunship

Disheveled Cuss – Disheveled Cuss

black midi and the Crimsonesque Qualities of Cavalcade

 Review and discussion on black midi’s 2021 album Cavalcade, with an eye on the common ground between their aesthetic and prog-rock legends King Crimson.

Relevant Links:

Previous post on Schlagenheim

Previous post on King Crimson’s recent tour and the 71 album Islands

Black midi in black midi by Patrick Fitzroy

Talkhouse Podcast with Morgan Simpson and Bill Bruford

2021 Album Preview Series: August in Appalachia

A preview of recent listening, including:

Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs) (2021)
Mononeon – Supermane (2021)
Tally Hall – Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum (2005)
Siti Muharam – Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution in Zanzibar) (2020)
Beauty Pill – Please Advise (2020)
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2 (2005)



Relevant Links:

Post on Beauty Pill’s Describes Things As They Are
Best of 2015
Source for Aphex Twin visuals

ZZ Top, Dusty Hill, and Afterburner

 Review and discussion on ZZ Top's 1986 album Afterburner, with special mention of the late Dusty Hill

King Crimson: Live and on Islands

Review and discussion on King Crimson’s 1971 album Islands and their 2021 Music is Our Friend tour.

Relevant Links

King Crimson 2017 playing Starless

King Crimson 2017 playing Indiscipline

Islands, from 1971

2021 Album Preview Series: Summer Solstice Special

Short reviews and discussion on:

Yes – From a Page EP (2019)
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma (2010)
Onipa – We No Be Machine (2020)
Field Music – Flat White Moon (2021)
Spelling – Mazy Fly (2019)
Gabrielle Roth and the Mirrors -  Selected Works 1985-2005(2020)



Relevant Links:

Previous post on Arc of Life
Text post on Field Music

Sinead O'Connor, The Lion & the Cobra, and Fame

 Review and discussion on Sinead O'Connor's stunning 1987 debut "The Lion & The Cobra."

Relevant links: Post on Clutching at Straws, Marillion's 1987 release that I passively refer to in the above discussion.

Sault's Untitled (Rise) and "Real Talk"

Review and discussion on Sault’s 2020 album “Untitled (Rise)”

2021 Album Preview Series: July Showcase

New listening for July 2021, including:

Mammoth WVH – Mammoth WVH (2021)
Clipping – CLPPNG (2014)
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and the London Symphony Orchestra – Promises (2021)
Gunship – Gunship (2015)
Frank Zappa – You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore v. 6 (1992)
Midlake – Antiphon (2013)



Relvant Links:
A previous post on Floating Points Crush
A previous post on Midlake’s Tales from Van Occupanthe
A previous post on 80s nostalgia and FM-84

Brendan Eder Ensemble; Mixing Notes, Improv, and Time

 Featured artist interview, with discussion on Brendan Eder's 2020 album To Mix With Time.

Extended interview!

Through the Fire With HSAS: A Gem In The Rough

Review and discussion on the 1985 release from Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, Kenney Aaronson, and Michael Shrieve.

Relevant Links: Short film Miss You

Crafting a Dialog: Frank Zappa's "You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore vol. 5"

Part five in a six part series! Review and discussion on Zappa's 1992 entry in the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore catalog.

2021 Album Preview Series: Rhapsodies in June

Brief impressions of albums in play for June 2021, including:

black midi – Cavalcade (2021)
Lyle Workman – Uncommon Measures (2021)
Japan – Quiet Life (1979)
The Biology of Plants – Vol. 2 (2018)
Transatlantic – The Absolute Universe: The Breath of Life (2021)
Steven Wilson – The Future Bites (2021)

Relevant Links:

Text post on early Porcupine Tree

And on Steven Wilson’s first solo album

And on The Raven That Refused to Sing

Text post on Transatlantic’s Kaliedoscope

Howard Jones' Dream Into Action: The Optimist's Prime

 Review and discussion on Howard Jones' 1986 album Dream Into Action

Yes, Not Yes, and Arc of Life

Review and discussion on the self-titled debut by Arc of Life (2021) with a special look at its context in Yes’ history and the ways in which it is (and is not) Yes.

Relevant Links:

Open Your Eyes review that sets up some 90s Yes history

Preview post that includes a look at Gleb Kolyadin

The text post from 2014 that predicts the Arc of Life lineup

For more of my previous writings on Yes, follow the tag at the bottom of this post.

Matthew Sweet's 100% Fun: Stick With the Basics

Review and discussion on Matthew Sweet's 1995 power pop classic 100% Fun.

Relevant Links: 70s inspired animation by Eva Landry

2021 Album Preview Series: May Music Showcase

Previews of new music for May 2021, including:

Mogwai – As The Love Continues (2021)
Fugazi – Steady Diet of Nothing (1991)
Ghost Against Ghost – Still Love (2017)
Deep Thoukus – Deep Thoukus (2020)
Rick Wakeman – The Red Planet (2020)
Cynic – Traced in Air (2008)

Relevant Links:

Asteroid animation from Anselmo La Manna

Fugazi images from MaRoZa

Destino sync by Igor Baliun

Roger Waters' Radio K.A.O.S: A Cold War Bridge

 Review and discussion on Radio K.A.O.S., Roger Waters' 1987 album with special guest Brent E. Jones, author of Days of Steel Rain.

Below is the extended version of the discussion, with forays in to the relationship between Radio K.A.O.S. and David Gilmour's Pink Floyd

Relevant links: An old text post on Is This The Life We Really Want?

Avery R. Young's tubman.: Religion and Resistance

Review and discussion on Avery R. Young's 2019 album tubman.

Morphine's The Night: The Sandman Sleeps

Review and discussion on The Night, Morphine’s 2000 release.

Relevant links:

Post on Cure for Pain

Part 3 of Cure for Pain: The Mark Sandman Story

Album Preview Series 2021: The Aesthetics of April

Overview of new music in April, 2021, including albums by:

Chouk Bwa and the Angstromers – Vodou Ale (2020)
Aimee Mann – The Forgotten Arm (2005)
Ghost of Vroom – Ghost of Vroom vol. 1 (2021)
Thought Gang – Modern Music (2018)
Arc of Life – Arc of Life (2021)
Wobbler – Dwellers of the Deep (2020)

Relevant Posts:

Source for the Ghost of Vroom images

The Yes Open Your Eyes post

A Tale From The Other Side: A Quarantine Commentary

Interview and discussion on Timmy Sean's 2021 album A Tale From The Other Side, featuring feedback from the artist.

Extended footage with Timmy Sean.

Van Halen's Diamond Days Part 6: 1984

 Review and discussion on Van Halen’s classic 1984, and the final installment of a six-part series covering the David Lee Roth era of the band.