#phoebe ann mosely

[247reader]

Day 11: Annie Oakley!

Phoebe Ann Mosley was born to a poor Ohio family. Her father died six years later, and her mother was unable to provide for her seven children.  She was sent to an orphanage before being “bound out” to a family as a servant, where she was so abused that eventually she ran away. Making it back home, she supported her siblings and mother, first by hunting for food and then by occasional sharpshooting contests. 

She met Frank E. Butler, her eventual husband, by beating him in such a contest; unlike in Annie Get Your Gun, he gave up his sharpshooting career to work as manager for hers. Under the name Annie Oakley, she toured the world with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, and over the next few years, she became its highest paid performer. She shot holes in playing cards and a cigarette out of Wilhelm II’s mouth, appeared in one of Thomas Edison’s early motion pictures, and befriended Sitting Bull, who dubbed her Watanya Cicilla, or “Little Sure Shot.”  (Sitting Bull’s position with the show arguably sums up the whole thing - Cody treated him with personal respect but also very much turned him into a living museum exhibit for white crowds; nevertheless, he liked Annie enough to symbolically adopt her).

Annie was paralyzed in a train crash in 1901, and though she recovered, she retired from professional sharpshooting, although she still performed occasional feats for charity. She and her husband raised and donated money to help orphans, and she also advocated for women’s rights. 

Annie died in 1922; Frank, broken-hearted, passed two weeks later. Buffalo Bill’s show - for both good and ill - helped define the “Old West” in American culture, and Annie remains the archetypal American cowgirl. 

[krautjunker]

Annie Oakley

von Harald Schweim Annie Oakley, die Titelheldin aus Irving Berlins Musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946), eigentlich Phoebe Ann Mosey, nach anderen Quellen Phoebe Ann Moses Butler, (* 13. August 1860 in der Nähe von Willowdell; † 3. November 1926 in Greenville, Ohio); war eine US-amerikanische Kunstschützin. International berühmt wurde sie durch ihre Auftritte in der Wildwest-Show von Buffalo Bill.…

[madrabbitsociety]

I can't believe that happened. I am so very happy. I walked on stage and got to play Watson in front of a real audience and they all said what a nice job I did.

And Holmes told me I was the Perfect Watson. If it weren't for this sinus infection I'd be on cloud nine.

Maybe even with this sinus infection.

Rehearsal Stills - Sherlock Holmes & The American Problem

Photo Credit: Markham Luke

Kentlands Community Players in Partnership with The Gaithersburg Arts Barn

9/16/2023 - 10/1/2023

Dr. John Watson - Avery Morstan

Sherlock Holmes - Corey Estoll

Phoebe Ann Moses - Rachel Brightbill

[thechaosmuses]

Below you'll find a list of my CT muses along with their face claims (more info about each oc muse will be up soon but if you have any questions in the meantime don't be afraid to pm me, I have info on Google Docs for all of them.)

Total Muses; 12 Newest Member; Damian TaylorAdded; 2/18/23

Jake Holden Riley... portrayed by Chris Wood Jubilee Fawn Ellison... portrayed by Phoebe Tonkin Carson Elijah Mayes... portrayed by Daniel Gillies Maddox Rhett Lancaster... portrayed by Ben Barnes Malia Rayne Lancaster... portrayed by Chyler Leigh Makai Reid Lancaster... portrayed by Joseph Quinn Delilah Anne Malone... portrayed by Emily Bett Rickards Austin Blake Coleman... portrayed by Dylan Sprouse Katie Selene Frank... portrayed by Kristen Gutoskie Jana Christine Mayfield... portrayed by Christina Moses Teresa Violet Keaton... portrayed by Hanna Mangan Lawrence Damian James Taylor... portrayed by Jensen Ackles

[prairie-tales]

Annie, get your gun!

Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926) was an American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. She was born Phoebe Ann Moses and (acc. to Wikipedia) developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western Ohio. At age 15, she won a shooting contest against an experienced marksman, Frank E. Butler, whom she later married in 1876. The pair joined Buffalo Bill in 1885, performing in Europe before royalty and other heads of state. Audiences were astounded to see her shooting out a cigar from her husband's hand or splitting a playing-card edge-on at 30 paces. She earned more than anyone except Buffalo Bill himself.

After a bad rail accident in 1901, she had to settle for a less taxing routine, and she toured in a play written about her career. She also instructed women in marksmanship, believing strongly in female self-defense. Since her death, her story has been adapted for stage musicals and films, including 'Annie Get Your Gun', which features the classic show tunes composed by Irving Berlin, 'Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)' and 'There's No Business Like Show Business'.

[heavysunsky]

Western six guns

RELATED STORY: 8 Reasons Why Revolvers Are a Great Choice for New Shootersįrom outlaws to lawmen, inventors to exhibitionists, there are a multitude of revolvers associated with Western figures.When Colt’s patent expired in the mid-1850s, it opened the door for rigorous competition from other manufacturers, such as Smith & Wesson and Remington. Many young designers were chomping at the bit to break into the revolver market. However, while Colt ignited the fire, he was not alone. Patent 9430X began the arms race to develop revolver technology. His first revolving patent was granted in the United States on February 25, 1836.

Samuel Colt, a young eccentric, first patented the revolver in 1835 in England. In fact, it was not even developed in the region. This piece of revolving technology does not predate American expansion into the West.

RELATED STORY: 5 Titans Who Influenced Revolvers, Ammo & Handgun Shooting.

Oftentimes, old west revolvers themselves can be about as famous as the legendary men and women who carried them. The six-shooter is an iconic symbol of not only the historic West, but also Western mythology and popular culture. The revolver is to the West as apple pie is to America. But Oakley continued to perform until the couple died, both in November of 1926. Oakley and Butler later left Buffalo Bill’s Wild West in 1901. It is believed she ordered three of these revolvers. She shot many different types of firearms during her lifetime, including this Smith & Wesson No. Butler faded into the background and helped manage Oakley’s career. This marked a turning point in Oakley’s career and a shift in dynamic for the couple. The pair joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West in 1885. She initially hunted to support her family, but by the age of 15, she had paid off her mother’s mortgage and won a shooting competition against acclaimed exhibition shooter and future husband Frank Butler. However, she was reunited with her family and found her calling. After her father passed away, she was sent to work for a family who terribly mistreated her. Her younger life was plagued by misfortune. 3 Phoebe Ann Moses (1860-1926), better known as Annie Oakley, was born in Ohio. Buffalo Bill essentially laid the foundation for Western films and the mythology that we know and associate as intrinsically American.Īnnie Oakley’s Smith & Wesson No. This gun, originally Yellow Hair’s, was taken by Cody.Ĭody used a plethora of revolvers for his stage performances, but this Remington is representative of another chapter in his story. On July 17, 1876, at the Battle of Warbonnet Creek, Buffalo Bill killed Cheyenne warrior Yellow Hair. There are many guns associated with his stage life however, this Remington Army revolver reflects his time as a soldier. He also became the subject of dime novelist Ned Buntline’s stories, performed in stage shows and ultimately created Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Cody earned his nickname hunting bison to procure meat while working for the Goddard Brothers on the Kansas Pacific Railroad. He served in the 7th Volunteer Kansas Cavalry during the Civil War and scouted for the United States Army during the Plains Indian Wars. While he is remembered as an international celebrity, his journey into the West began when he moved to “Bleeding Kansas” in the 1850s. “Buffalo Bill” Cody (1846-1917) is one of the most iconic showman in Western history. (Note that the ivory grips are not original to the firearms.) While this pair belonged to Samuel Colt, he did not have them for long, since he died a short two years later from gout.Īfter his death, his name would live on as a Western legend with the development of the Peacemaker, the firearm of choice for outlaws, lawmen and showmen.īuffalo Bill’s Remington Army William F. These cased Colt Model 1851 Navy revolvers were engraved by famous Colt engraver Gustave Young. His original revolver, the Paterson, was adopted by the Texas Rangers and inspired Samuel Walker to convince Colt to make a larger-bore revolver named after him. However, his company was plagued by financial troubles. He developed the first revolving firearm patent in the United States. However, it’s a perfect way to start off this list because his revolver idea led to the development of the handgun that “won the West.”Ĭolt was a controversial and eccentric character during his lifetime. Samuel Colt’s Model 1851s Samuel Colt (1814-1862) is not necessarily an Old West legend in the traditional sense, especially since he died in 1862.

[abwwia]

Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Moses; Aug 13, 1860 – Nov 3, 1926) was an American sharpshooter who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.

Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoverished family in western Ohio. At age 15, she won a shooting contest against an experienced marksman, whom she later married in 1876. source & more Wikipedia

#AnnieOakley #herstory #

[thethirdbear]

[californiastatelibrary]

Book of the Week: The Trials of Annie Oakley

Did you love the Hunger Games? Read about a real-life Katniss in the Trials of Annie Oakley! In this book, Howard Kazanjian and Chris Enss, using a wide array of primary sources, bring the quick-thinking, straight-shooter who captured 19th century America’s imagination back to life. If you love stories of marksmanship, women overcoming the odds or the American west, this is the book for you!

[fuckyeahhistorycrushes]

For your consideration, Annie Oakley (Phoebe Ann Moses) 1860-1926

[xtruss]

Sharpshooter Annie Oakley holds a shotgun in a portrait from the mid-1880s. The larger-than-life legend who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show has inspired TV shows, movies, and musicals—and many conflicting accounts of her life. Photograph Via Underwood Archives/Getty

The True Story of Annie Oakley, Legendary Sharpshooter

As a star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, the 19th-Century Icon inspired TV shows, movies, and musicals. But her fame also has led to conflicting accounts of her life.

— By Emily Martin | May 31, 2022 | History & Culture | Explainer

Legend has it that Annie Oakley was such a skilled sharpshooter that she singlehandedly foiled train robberies, shot bears and panthers, and killed a wolf that already had her in its grip—or so claimed one 1887 novel based on her life titled The Rifle Queen.

Oakley’s fame as one of the most skilled gunslingers of her lifetime inspired many tall tales. (The wolf story, for example, never happened.) Some of these myths live on today thanks to the 1946 Broadway musical “Annie Get Your Gun,” whose final scene depicts Oakley losing a match intentionally to protect her future husband’s ego—when in reality she won his heart by beating him in a shoot-out.

It’s difficult to separate fact from fiction about Oakley’s life. As the star attraction of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show—a popular 19th-century act known for its romanticized portrayal of frontier life—Oakley showcased her talents on stages across the world for 17 years. She astounded audiences by shooting cigarettes from her husband’s lips, riddling playing cards in mid-air, and—her go-to trick—shooting a target behind her back while spotting it from a mirror.

Oakley’s reputation was largely crafted by her husband Frank Butler and the promoters of the Wild West Show. But some of Oakley’s own accounts of her life, and those of her descendants, still remain. Here’s the true story of the sharpshooter’s life.

Early Life

For starters, Oakley wasn’t the gunslinger’s real name: Born on August 13, 1860, as Phoebe Ann Moses—which the family sometimes spelled Mozee, Mosey, or Mauzy—she started using the stage name around the time she joined the Wild West Show in 1885.

Instead of the Wild West, Oakley was originally from Darke County, Ohio, and she had a rough start. After her father passed away when she was five years old, Oakley had to help provide for her family. Sue Macy writes in National Geographic’s Bull’s-Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley that Annie helped feed the family by making traps to catch game before taking up her father’s rifle.

Oakley shoots a rifle over her shoulder using a hand mirror in a photo taken circa 1885. The trick was one of her favorites and it frequently impressed crowds. She was skilled with rifles from a young age after she first picked one up to hunt food for her family. Photograph Via Bettmann/Getty

Annie would tell the story of her first hunt many times, and even though details like what type of animal she killed changed over the years, she was certain she brought it down with a single shot.

“I don’t know how I acquired the skill,” she once said, according to Macy. “I suppose I was born with it.”

Tragedy struck again when Oakley’s stepfather died in 1870. Struggling to make ends meet, her mother sent some of her children to live with neighbors. A local farmer took Oakley into his home to help care for his children. Despite his promise that she’d have time for school and hunting, however, it quickly turned into indentured servitude.

She managed to escape and ultimately returned home to her mother as a teen. That’s when she started to regularly sell her kills to the local grocer and hotels, earning enough to pay off the mortgage on her mother’s house.

Her mastery of shooting became her career and even led her to meet her husband, fellow sharpshooter Frank E. Butler, in 1875. Oakley was visiting her sister in Cincinnati when she was invited to a shooting match with Butler.

Both Oakley and Butler hit every pigeon released from the trap, until Butler’s final shot fell beyond the boundary line, awarding Oakley the win. Soon after, the two were married and began performing together.

The Star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show

In 1885, Oakley and Butler joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which would launch her to international fame. Oakley earned her spot in the company by hitting every clay pigeon Butler had launched in the air during a shooting practice.

Butler and Oakley traveled all over the U.S. with the Wild West Show company. The show, created in 1883 by Buffalo Bill, or William F. Cody, was an outdoor extravaganza of the fictionalized Wild West, including reenactments of cowboys battling Indians, shooting expositions, and skits showing off roping and horse riding. (Cody would later publicly renounce some of the show’s harmful depictions of Native Americans.)

Oakley quickly became the show’s main attraction since many audience members were stunned by the combination of her sharpshooting skills paired with her petite frame⁠. And she gained international renown in 1887 when the company performed at Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in London.

Oakley was billed as a headliner of the show, which the Queen and her son, Edward, the Prince of Wales, attended. Tales of Edward inviting the shooter to his box after the show have been corroborated by reports of the encounter, in which the prince described Oakley as a “wonderful little girl.”

Oakley and Butler soon branched out to give private exhibitions to European royalty before rejoining the Western show in 1889. Oakley even shot a cigarette out of German Prince Wilhelm’s hand—although not his mouth as some legends have it.

The couple finally left the Western show when Oakley was injured in a 1901 train accident. However, she continued to appear at exhibitions until she officially retired at 53.

An All-female Regiment of the U.S. Army

Beyond her iconic sharpshooting, Oakley was known for her volunteer and philanthropic work. Bessie Edwards, Oakley’s great grand-niece and cofounder of the Annie Oakley Foundation, writes in the foreword of National Geographic’s photobiography that Oakley donated time and money to tuberculosis patients, orphans, and young women seeking higher education.

Oakley was also passionate about teaching women how to shoot for sport and protection, and she’s thought to have taught more than 15,000 women to shoot over the years through free classes.

Oakley teaches women how to shoot circa 1918. She spent two hours each morning teaching free classes when she lived in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in the early 1910s. Photograph Via Bettmann/Getty

“I think every woman should learn the use of firearms,” she once wrote, according to Macy. “I would like to see every woman know how to handle [firearms] as naturally as they know how to handle babies.”

In 1898 she sent a letter to President William McKinley before the Spanish American War broke out and volunteered to organize a regiment of 50 American female sharpshooters—even though women were not allowed to serve in the U.S. military at the time. Her offer was denied by the War Department.

When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Oakley again wrote a letter to the Secretary of War, offering to train a women’s division: “I can guarantee a regiment of women for home protection,” she wrote, “every one of whom can and will shoot if necessary.”

The secretary did not take her up on her offer, but Oakley still helped in the war efforts by giving shooting demonstrations at U.S. Army posts. She even trained her dog, Dave, to sniff out cash donations for the Red Cross, which people wrapped in handkerchiefs and hid for the dog to find—earning him the nickname Dave the Red Cross Dog.

Protecting Her Reputation From Tall Tales

Oakley worked furiously to build her reputation—and protect it from the gossip and libel that often accompanied her fame.

In 1890, newspapers worldwide reprinted a French report that she had died in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Oakley telegrammed reassurances from England, where she was on vacation and very much alive, and demanded that newspapers retract the report. Evidently, Macy writes, the paper had misspelled the name of the actual deceased, a singer named Annie Oatley.

Then, in 1903, two Chicago newspapers reported that Oakley was locked up in a local jail after pleading guilty to stealing a man’s pants to get money for drugs. The story was picked up nationwide. To set the record straight, Oakley wrote to the newspapers saying she had not been in Chicago for months. Most printed retractions when an investigation revealed that an actress with the stage name Any Oakley was the true culprit—but that wasn’t enough for Oakley.

She filed libel lawsuits against 55 newspapers and spent much of the next seven years testifying in court. According to Macy, she won or settled 54 of the cases and came away with more than a quarter of a million dollars.

Legacy

Oakley was soon considering other career moves, like starring in movies or writing a memoir, but her health declined rapidly after a car accident in 1922 left her with a permanent leg injury. In 1926, she was diagnosed with a blood disorder and died at 66 years old in Greenville, Ohio. Her husband, who had been visiting North Carolina for the winter, died 18 days later.

In spite of—or perhaps due to—the conflicting accounts of her life, Oakley’s reputation has endured through the years. Her tenacity and determination have become an inspiration for many, with her likeness appearing in TV shows, movies, and musicals.

“Aim for the high mark and you will hit it,” she’s reported to have said. “No, not the first time, not the second time, and maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting for only practice will make you perfect. Finally, you'll hit the bulls-eye of success.”

[pandora-morningstar]

Ikemen vampire oc: Annie Oakley

((I made these in picrew))

Since there was a lack of girls in the game I made another, this time it's the famous American marksman Annie Oakley. Here are some interesting facts about her.

1) Annie Oakley isn't her real name, it's Phoebe Ann Moses, she was nicknamed Annie by her sisters and she chose Oakley as her professional surname after the name of an Ohio town near her home.

2) She made her first shot a eight years old and she still considers it her best one

3) Annie outgunned a professional sharpshooter and later married him. Her husband, Frank Butler, drank his respecting women juice and supported his wife throughout her career

4) She was a member of Buffalo Bill's wild west traveling show. Annie would wear normal dull clothes so the audience wouldn't be distracted from her performance.

5) Big chief sitting bull considered her his adopted daughter. He sent $65 to her hotel in order to get an autographed photograph. She sent him the photo with his money and met him the next day. The native American chief insisted on adopting her and she was then christened ‘Watanya Cicilla,’ or ‘Little Sure Shot.’”

Comte made her a vampire and brought her back to the mansion. To say Napoleon and Jean where suprised was an understatement, Comte allowed Annie to bing her famous Remington Beals .32 caliber rifle with her, when asked about it Annie replied by saying she's a sharpshooter and would give a demonstration when Theo started to laugh.

Once outside, Annie took a lit cigarette out of Leo's mouth and asked Arthur to be her assistant. She told him to hold the cigarette in his mouth and stand completely still. He did as she moved 20ft back and took aim, a gun shot rung through the air and Arthur was stood, petrified with the butt of the cigarette in his mouth. Comte give her a round of applause while the others now had a case of fragile masculinity

Of course Isaac was fascinated by the physics of all this and conducts many experiments with Annie, Sebastian has never written notes as fast and Napoleon felt his pride crumble. Annie is good friends with Athena ((my other female ikevamp oc)) and they will often talk over coffee.

Now Annie still campaigns for equal rights and for women to defend themselves. She also teaches gun safety and works with Jean at the weapons shop, she's a ride or die kinda gal, once she's on your side, she's on your side for life.

((I found these pictures on bing images))

This is what she wears:

[spurgie-cousin]

Weird History Wednesday: Annie Oakley🤠

Born: August 13, 1860, Darke County, OH Died: November 3, 1926, Greenville, OH

Overly Quick Overview: Annie Oakley is a famous American sharpshooter associated with the American Western legend ‘Wild Bill’ or ‘Buffalo Bill’ Hickock.

1. Annie was actually born Phoebe Ann Moses. Her sister’s gave her the nickname Annie growing up, and she adopted Oakley as her stage name in adulthood. 

2. She was born to a poor family in Ohio, with a disabled father who died in 1866. After his death, she began hunting to help feed the family while simultaneously honing her shooting skills. Around the age of 13 she began selling the game she killed to restaurants, eventually making enough money to pay off her family’s farm mortgage at 15.

3. Legend has it that at 15, she beat 28 year old acclaimed marksman Frank Butler at a shooting competition. Whether this is true or not is disputed by historians, since it also seems like Annie might’ve lied a bit about her age throughout the years (see facts below). Regardless of her age, the two shooters got married approximately a year after she beat Frank at the shootout.

4. She joined the circus-like traveling show ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ with her husband in 1885. The show was an exaggerated exhibition of the fabled American West, which included many famous ex-outlaws, expert shooters, and Native Americans. The group famously performed for many overseas royal figures, including Queen Victoria and Kaiser Wilhelm II.

A promotional photo for ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ of Annie shooting over her shoulder using a mirror

5. A year after Annie joined BBWW, the group was joined by a younger female sharpshooter name Lillian Smith. Many historians believe that Oakley was threatened by the younger competition, and fudged her age when publicly recounting her life during the show to account for it.

6. In a letter to president William McKinley, Annie offered to train a regiment of sharpshooting women to fight in the Spanish-American War. She wrote, “....in case of such an event (escalated war) I am ready to place a company of fifty lady sharpshooters at your disposal. Every one of them will be an American and as they will furnish their own arms and ammunition will be little if any expense to the government.” McKinley denied her offer, as would Woodrow Wilson later on when she made the same offer during WWI.

7. During her time in BBWW, she became close friends with Native leader Sitting Bull, who gave her the affectionate nickname ‘ watanya cicilla’. It’s loosely translated as ‘little sure shot’, which BBWW would later use in their promotional ads and which Annie is still known by to this day.

8. Annie and her husband were included in one of the first recorded commercial filmings of all time (11th of any films to be exact) exhibiting their shooting abilities. They filmed at Thomas Edison’s Black Maria studio.

9.

Some of her famous shooting tricks included putting out the flame of a candle with her bullets, and shooting a hole through a cigar her husband was smoking on stage.

10. Annie continued shooting well into old age, mostly for philanthropic reasons to benefit women’s issues. At 60, she hit 100 clay targets in a row from 16 yards at a North Carolina shooting competition in 1922. 

[tulaladd]

世界最遅tulaladd2020best DL list

年間ベストを始めて以来、初の事態。

なんと9か月遅れのポスト。あと3か月で次の年ベスの発表時期じゃないですか…唯一にして最大の理由が、もちろんあるにはある。

暗夜行路のような唄声が車内から眺める某庁舎前の雪景色と甘酸っぱい感情を喚起させるRY Xや、このリストには登場しない自分用に作ったプレイリスト（日本語ラップ編、シティーポップ編）をひとりで何度も諳んじては胸を焦がした。それらの音楽が本来持つ資質にプラスして思い出補正でランクインした作品がいくつかある（最たるものがサントラ部門かな）。そんな変化があった2020年でした。

それを除けば、音楽ライフは基本的に前年を踏襲。つまり引き続きapple music依存型で、DIG活動もほほ休止（荷物の山に埋もれたタンテをセッティングし直せるまともな精神状態じゃなかった…）。落第生の体たらくをここ何年も続けてるわけです。とはいえ昨年と比べれば、リスト入り作品の数が格段に増えた＝それなりに楽しい音楽生活が営めていたのも事実。その充実を支えたものがアルゴリズムって点がものすごく納得はいかないけれど。（毎年書いてるけど、手当たり次第サブスクを横断する中で「もう一度聴きたい」と思えたものが以下のDLリスト。感覚的には昨年より緩い5枚に1枚。それでも昨年比3倍の約250枚！）

いつまで延命できるか分からないローカルラジオを継続できたのもラッキーだった。相変わらずみんなとあーだこーだ言いながらいろんな曲を聴く時間が音楽ライフを豊かにしてくれました���感謝。過去最高に音楽への熱が薄いテキストになっちゃうけど、9か月遅れだと致し方なしか。

三ツ星評価のうち、エル・ミシェルズ・アフェアのシングルはラジオの一戸くんレコメン、今年も熱量が持続しているサウスロンドン・ジャズ・シーンのマンスール・ブラウンEPはおなじみWOZNIAK星くんのオススメ、ほかにも人から教わってお気に入りになった作品が少なくないのは、サブスクじゃ届かないリアルの強みが感じられて、そこだけは希望があるのかな。

特筆するとすれば、Bartosz KruczynskiのEARTH TRAX以来追い続けてきたリズムセクション・インターナショナルが、旬のサウスロンドン・シーンと地下ハウス/テクノ・シーンのメルティング・ポットだったことが分かって興味が再燃させられた個人的な事件。そのセンセーションのグラウンド・ゼロにあたるTHE COLOURS THAT RISEの発見が今年No.1の成果かな。

唯一職場で音楽談義ができるために相互レコメンに特化したLINEを展開中のT氏に教えられたエディ・チャコンのアルバム、そのエディの復活劇を手掛け、若林恵さん経由でずっぽりハマったソランジュ『A Seat At The Table』の禅的ミニマリズのデザイナーでもあることが事後に発覚したジョン・キャロル・カービーの2人は、今年ならではの幸福な時間の中で何度も繰り返し聴いた一生の思い出確定盤。ジョンなんか3カテゴリーに分かれてのランクインだもんな。　

さて2021年。あと3か月しかない。今年はやる？やらない？いろいろ越えるべきものが多くすぎてそれ以前の問題かもしれないなけど。

【TECHNO / HOUSE / (NU)DISCO / ELECTRONICS】 ★★★THE COLOURS THAT RISE / Grey Doubt ★★THE COLOURS THAT RISE / 2020 EP（2017） ★★THEO PARRISH / Wuddaji ★★Machinedrum / A View of U ★Kuniyuki Takahashi / Flying Music EP ★Oneohtrix Point Never / Magic Oneohtrix Point Never ★VLADISLAV DELAY / Rakka ★LUKE SLATER / berghain fünfzehn ★Jayda G / Both of Us / Are U Down EP ★TSHA / Flowers EP ★DISCLOSURE / Energy ★DARKSTAR / Civic Jams ★Chari Chari / We Hear the Last Decades Dreaming ★HUNEE / Boiler Room : an hour with HUNEE（DJ Mix） ★Autechre / SIGN Arca / @@@@@ BURIAL / Chemz FOUR TET / Sixteen Oceans JAMES BLAKE / Before EP GLOBAL COMMUNICATION / Transmissions Sampler JOHN FRUSCIANTE / Maya TRICKFINGER / She Smiles Because She Presses the Button EP TRICKFINGER / Look Down, See Us EP 60 Miles / Swamp 2 Sea EP EARTH TRAX / LP1 EARTH TRAX / LP2 BIG YAWN / No! HIATT dB / Palimpsest EP GL / You Read My Mind DJ SOFA / Elsewhere Junior I - a Collection of Cosmic Children’s Song Mr President / One Night feat.Celia Kameni & Cindy Pooch J.A.K.A.M. / ASTRAL DUB WORX Inner Science / Made パソコン音楽クラブ / Ambience EP LOCUSSOLUS / Locussolus（Expanded） Various Artists / South DAN KYE / Small Moments OFF THE MEDS / Off The Meds BASSO / Proper Sunburn - Forgotten Sunscreen Applied By Basso（2019） Copenema / Dexia a Musica Tocar（2019） Seahawks / Eyes of the Moon（2019） Jayda G / Significant Changes（2019） MMM / Que Barbaro（2013）

【HIPHOP / R&B / BEATS / FUNK】 ★★★EDDIE CHACON / Outside（Laraaji Remix） ★★EDDIE CHACON / Pleasure, Joy and Happiness ★★Lil Narnia / Pain Extract ★★VHOOR / Baile & Sauce ★AG CLUB / Halfway Off the Porch ★MAC MILLER / Circles ★THUNDRCAT / It Is What It Is ★WILMA ARCHER / A Western Circular ★OXP, ONRA & POMRAD / Swing Convention ★DJ KRUSH / TRICKSTER ★BENEDEK / Bene’s World（2017） JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / High feat.Eddie Chacon & Nailah Hunter THE WEEKND / After Hours DRAKE / Dark Lane Demo Tapes POP SMOKE / Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon IVAN AVE / DOUBLE GOODBYES MOSES SUMNEY / græ PETER COTTON TALE / CATCH NNAMDI / BRAT Yves Tumor / Heaven Ta a Toutured Mind Teebs / Ardour（10th Anniversary Edition） Wajatta / Don’t Let Get You Down Lapalux / Esrevoinma EP Kutmah / New Appliance THE HELIOCENTRICS / Telemetric Sounds VULFPECK / The Joy of Music, The Job of   Real Estate JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Lazzara（2019） Various Artists / Kutmah presents : Sketchbook Radio Archives, Vol.1（2018） Invisibl Skratch Piklz / The 13th Foor（2016） D-STYLES / Phantazagorea（2002）

【JAZZ（the New Chapter） / WORLD】 ★★★MANSUR BROWN / Tesuto ★★★JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / My Garden ★★KAMASI WASHINGTON / Harmony of Difference EP（2017） ★JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Love Theme ★MANSUR BROWN / Shiroi ★JEFF PARKER / Suite for Max Brown ★CHICAGO UNDERGROUND QUARTET / Good Days ★TOM MISCH & YUSSEF DAYES / What Kinda Music ★KAMAAL WILLIAMS / Wu Hen ★ROB MAZUREK & EXPLODING STAR ORCHESTRA / Dimentional Stardust: ★ORLANDO LE FLEMING / Romantic Funk : The Unfamiliar ★SAM WILKES / WILKES（2019） ★YUSSEF KAMAAL / Black Focus（2016） ★ZSOFIA BOROS / Local Objects（2016） JYOTI & GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW / Mama, You Can Bet! BUTCHER BROWN / #KingButch BRAXTON COOK / Fire Sign PAT METHENY / From This Place Fabiano do Nascimento / Preludio SAM GENDEL / Satin Doll SAM GENDEL / Pass If Music（2018） SAM WILKES / Live on the Green（2019） BRANDON COLEMAN / Resistance（2018） KIEFER / Superbloom（2019） 鈴木良雄 / モーニング・ピクチャー（1984） 鈴木良雄 / ウイングス（1987） JOHN EBERSON, BJ0RNAR ANDRESEN, PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / Mind the Gap（2001）

【（INDIE）ROCK / （INDIE） POP / SSW】 ★★★EL MICHELS AFFAIR / Reasons feat.Bobby Oroza ★★EL MICHELS AFFAIR / Adult Themes ★★THE FLAMING LIPS / American Head ★★SUFJAN STEVENS / The Ascension ★★FLEET FOXES / Shore ★★COLDPLAY / Everyday Life（2019） ★★RY X / Unfurl（2019） ★★THE WAR ON DRUGS / Lost in the Dream（2014） ★PHOEBE BRIDGERS / Copycat Killer feat. ROB MOOSE - EP ★Mk.gee / A Museum of Contradiction ★PEEL DREAM MAGAZINE / Agitprop Alterna ★BLAKE MILLS / Mutable Set ★THE STROKES / The New Abnormal ★CHS / Jungle Sauna（2019） ★KINDNESS / Something Like A War（2019） ★〝Blue〟Gene Tyranny & Peter Gordon / Trust In Rock（2019） ★STATE RIVER WIDENING / Early Music（2003） BIBIO / Sleep On The Wing Jonsi / Shiver JEFF TWEEDY / Love Is The King REAL ESTATE / The Main Thing ANIMAL COLLECTIVE / Bridge to Quite LITTLE DRAGON / New Me . Same us JAGA JAZZIST / Pyramid TAME IMPAlA  / The Slow Rush TRAVIS / 10 Songs SORRY / 925 JOSEPH OF MERCURY / WAVE Ⅱ Khruangbin / Mordechai Various Artists / Hiding From the Landlord HOWLING / Colure DEVENDRA BANHART / Ma（2019） LANA DEL REY / Norman Fucking Rockwell（2019） DAVE GROHL / Play（2018） CRITERIA / En Garde（2003）

【PUNK / HEAVEY / EXTREAM】 ★★envy / The Fallen Crimson ★★lang / There is no reply, but sweet wind blew（2018） ★envy / LAST WISH（Live at Liquidroom Tokyo） ★SLIFT / UMMON ★HORSE LORDS / The Common Task ★coriky / coriky ★Sans Visage, Look at moment / Split Single ★Sans Visage / moments（2017） ★LIGHTNING BOIL / Sonic Citadel（2019） ★Harvey Milk / Courtesy and Good Will Toward Men（2006） DEFTONES / Ohms Converge / Endless Arrow JESU / Terminus JESU / Never JESU / Ascension（Delux） KRUELTY / A Dying Truth XIBALBA / Anos En Infierno Various Artists / Speedy Wunderground Year 4（2019） RUSSIAN CIRCLE / Russian Circle Audiotree Far Out（2019） EARTH / Live at Third Man Records（2017） THE ARMED / Only Love（2018） THE ARMED / Untitled（2015）

【AMBIENT / NEW AGE / DRONE / MINIMAL MUSIC / EXPERIMENTAL】 ★★JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Conflict ★★Dukes of Chutney / Hazel  ★HEATHERED PEARLS / Cast ★SAM PREKOP / Comma BING & RUTH / Species FRANKIE REYES / Originalitos IAN WILLIAM CRAIG / Red Sun Through Smoke WINDY & CARL / Allegiance and Conviction JONNY NASH & SUZANNE KRAFT / A Heart So White JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Tuscany（2019） JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Meditation In Music（2018） JOHN CARROLL KIRBY / Travel（2017） ALEXANDER RISHAUG / Shadow of Events（2011） 【CLASSIC / OST】 ★LUDWIG GORANSSON / Tenet OST ★JOHN WILLIAMS / Double Trouble ※from OST of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban（2004） DUSTIN O'HALLORAN / Ammonite OST KAMASI WASHINGTON / Becoming（Music from the Netflix Original Documentary） DUSTIN O'HALLORAN / Lumiere（2011） BETH GIBBONS, The Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra & Krzysztof Penderecki / Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No.3（2019） ANTONI WIT, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra(Katowice) & Polish Choir of Krakow / Henryk Gorecki: Symphony No.2（2001） ZSOFIA BOROS / Local Objects（2016） 【DOMESTIC（without HIPHOP）】 ★★★METAFIVE / 環境と心理 ★★GEZAN / 狂（KLUE） ★★downy / 第七作品集「無題」 ★★岡村靖幸 / 操 ★★崎山蒼志 / ソフト　※FEVER LIVE ver. on YouTube ★★SILENT POETS / dawn（2018） ★WOZNIAK / Vegetable Home Run ★Ai Aso / The Faintest Hint ★jan and naomi / YES ★mei ehara / Ampersands ★ディーン・フジオカ / Neo Dimension ★LUNA SEA / Make a vow ★坂本慎太郎 / 好きっていう気持ち / おぼろげナイトクラブ ★Cuushe / Waken ★sassya- / 脊髄（2019） ★小袋成彬 / Piercing（2019） ★She Her Her Hers / stereochrome（2014） WOZNIAK / Lost WOZNIAK / Double Face mouse on the keys / Arche 5kai / Untitled #2 KAN SANO / Susanna Ovall / Ovall（2019） mabanua / Blurred（2018） D.A.N. / Aechma ふさえ / そのまま 相馬智行 & 鳴海徹朗 / ���の闇 jan and naomi / Neutrino 王舟 / Pulchra Ondo 春ねむり / LOVETHEISM 井出健介と母船 / Contact From Exne Kedy And The Poltergeists（エクスネ・ケディと騒がしい幽霊からのコンタクト） 吉田一郎不可触世界 / えぴせし 岡田拓郎 / Morning Sun blgtz / Feature EP Coff / Tiny Music（2019） 【DOMESTIC（HIPHOP）】 ★★DJ CHARI & DJ TATSUKI / GOLDEN ROUTE ★★Weny Dacillo / Hapitable Hotel ★Hideyoshi / Dead End Adventure ★GG UJIHARA / WEAKNESS EP（2018） ★DJ CHARI & DJ TATSUKI / Time feat.Yo-Sea & KEIJU（2019） ★GG UJIHARA / WEAKNESS EP（2018） KOHH / worst KEIJU / T.A.T.O. Sauce81 / S8100 MARTER / Weltraumasthetik 2020 Normcore Boyz / MEDIAGE なみちえ / 毎日来日 徳利 / REVOLUTION starscream & Page Hiiragi / Ghost(s) DJ CHARI / GAME（2019） YOUNG HASTLE & GG UJIHARA / YOUNG UJIHARA EP（2019） Weny Dacillo / AMPM EP（2017）

[fullregalia]

20/20.

This year, in hindsight, was a real write-off. I had grand plans for it, and while I ushered it in in a very low-key manner since I was recovering from the flu, I’d expected things to look up. Well, you know what they say about plans (RIP, my trip to Europe). I got very, very sick in early February, and I’m not entirely sure it wasn’t COVID. Since March, the days have been a carousel of monotony: coffee, run, work, cook, yoga, existential spiral, sleep. My Own Private Year of Rest and Relaxation, if you will. Of course, life has a way of breaking through regardless; I attended protests, completed my thesis, graduated from grad school, took a couple of road trips upstate, and celebrated the accomplishments and birthdays of friends and family from a safe social distance. It was all a bit of a blur, and not ideal circumstances to re-enter the real world, or whatever this COVID-present is. 

Throughout it all, in lieu of happy hours, coffee dates, and panel discussions, I’ve turned even more to culture and cuisine to fill the the negative space on my calendar where my social life once resided. However, since a global pandemic ought not to disrupt every tradition, here’s my year-end round up of what made this terrible one slightly more tolerable. 

TV

After an ascetic fall semester abstaining from TV in 2019 (save for my beloved Succession), I allowed myself to watch more as the year wore on, and especially after graduation. I caught up on some cultural blind spots by finally getting around to The Sopranos, Ramy, Search Party, and Girlfriends. I wasn’t alone in bingeing Sopranos, it absolutely lived up to the hype and then some; this Jersey Girl can’t get enough gabagool-adjacent content, pizzeria culture is my culture!

Speaking of my culture, there was also a disproportionate amount of UK and European shows in my queue. Nothing like being in social isolation and watching the horny Irish teens in Normal People brood. I’m partial to it because I share a surname with the showrunner, so I have to embrace blind loyalty even though there was, in my opinion, a Marianne problem in the casting. Speaking of charming Irish characters with limited emotional vocabularies, I belatedly discovered This Way Up a 2019 show from Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan. And while Connell and Marianne are actually exceptional students, I found the real normal people on GBBO to bring me a bit more joy. Baking was abundantly therapeutic for me this year, and watching charming people drink loads of tea and fret over soggy bottoms was a comfort. I also discovered the Great Pottery Throw Down, and as a lifelong ceramics enthusiast, I cannot recommend it highly enough if you care about things like slips, coils, and glazing techniques. GPTD embraces wabi sabi in a way that GBBO eschews flaws in favor of perfection, and in a time of uncertainty, the former reminded me why I miss getting my hands in the mud as a coping mechanism (hence all the baking). Speaking of coping mechanisms, like everybody else with two eyes and an HBO password, I loved Michaela Cole’s I May Destroy You; though we’ve all had enough distress this year for a lifetime, watching Cole’s Arabella process her assault and search for meaning, justice, and closure was a compelling portrait of grief and purpose in the aftermath of trauma. Arabella’s creative and patient friends Kwame and Terry steal the show throughout, as they deal with their own setbacks and emotional turmoil. Where I May Destroy You provides catharsis, Ted Lasso presents British eccentricity in all its stereotypical glory. At first I was skeptical of the show’s hype on Twitter, but once I gave in it charmed me, if only for Roy Kent’s emotional trajectory and extolling the restorative powers of shortbread. For a more accurate depiction of life in London, Steve McQueen’s series Small Axe provides a visually lush and politically clear-eyed depiction of the lives of British West Indians in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Lastly, how could I get through a recap of my year in tv if I don’t mention The Crown. Normal People may have needed an intimacy coordinator, but the number of Barbours at Balmoral was the real phonographic content for me.

Turning my attention across the Channel, after the trainwreck that was Emily in Paris, I started watching a proper French show, Call My Agent! It’s truly delightful, and unlike the binge-worthy format of "ambient shows” I have been really relishing taking an hour each week to watch CMA, subtitles, cigarettes, and all.

Honorable mention: The Last Dance for its in-depth look at many notable former Chicago residents; High Fidelity for reminding me of the years in college when my brother and I would drive around listening to Beta Band; and Big Mouth.

Music

My Spotify wrapped this year was a bit odd. I don‘t think “Chromatica II into 911″ is technically a song, so it revealed other things about my listening habits this year, which turned out to remain very much stuck in the last, sonically. I listened to a lot more podcasts than new music this year, but there were some records that found their way into heavy rotation. While I listened to a lot of classics both old and new to write my thesis (Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Prokofiev, and Bach) the soundtrack to my coursework, runs, walks, and editing was more contemporary. Standouts include: 

Saint Cloud by Waxahatchee, which makes me feel like I’m breathing fresh air even when I’m stuck inside all day 

La Bella Vita by Niia, which was there for me when I walked past my ex on 7th avenue (twice!) and he pretended that I didn’t exist 

Fetch the Bolt Cutters by THEE Fiona Apple, because Fiona, our social distancing queen, has always been my Talmud, her songs shimmering, evolving, and living with me every year 

Shore by Fleet Foxes, for the long drive to the Catskills 

Women in Music, Pt. III by HAIM, because these days, these days...

Musicians have been reckoning with tumult this year as much as the rest of us, and the industry has dealt with loss on all fronts. I’d be remiss not to talk about how the passing of John Prine brought his music into my life, and McCoy Tyner, who has been a companion through good and bad over the years. 

Honorable mention to: græ by Moses Sumney; The Main Thing by Real Estate; on the tender spot of every calloused moment by Ambrose Akinmusire; Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers; folklore by you know who; and songs by Adrianne Lenker. 

Reading

What would this overlong blob be without a list of the best things I read this year? While I left publishing temporarily, books, the news, and newsletters still took up a majority of my attention (duh and/or doomscrolling by any other name). I can’t be comprehensive, and frankly, there are already great roundups of the best longform this year out there, so this is mostly books and praising random writers. 

Last year I wrote about peak newsletter. Apparently, my prediction was a bit premature as this year saw an even bigger Substack Boom. But two new newsletters in particular have delighted me: Aminatou Sow’s Crème de la Crème and Hunter Harris’ Hung Up (her ”this one line” series is true force of chaotic good on Blue Ivy’s internet). Relatedly, Sow and Ann Friedman’s Big Friendship was gifted to me by a dear friend and another bff and I are going to read it in tandem next week. 

On the “Barack Obama published a 700+ page memoir, crippling the printing industry’s supply chains” front, grad school severely hamstrung my ability to read for pleasure, but I managed to get through almost 30 books this year, some old (Master and Margarita), most new-ish (Say Nothing, Nickel Boys). Four 2020 books in particular enthralled me:

Uncanny Valley: Anna Wiener’s memoir has been buzzed about since n+1 published her essay of the same name in 2016. Her ability to see, clear-eyed, the industry for both its foibles and allure captured that era when the excess and solipsism of the Valley seemed more of a cultural quirk than the harbinger of societal schism.  

Transcendent Kingdom: Yaa Gyasi’s novel about faith, family, loss, and--naturally--grad school was deeply empathetic, relatable, and moving. I think this was my favorite book of the year. Following the life of a Ghanaian family that settles in Alabama, it captured the kind of emotional ennui that comes from having one foot in the belief of childhood and one foot in the bewilderment that comes from losing faith in the aftermath of tragedy.  

Vanishing Half: Similarly to Transcendent Kingdom, Brit Bennett’s novel about siblings who are separated; it’s also about the ways that colorism can be internalized and the ways chosen family can (and cannot) replace your real kin. It was a compassionate story that captured the pain of abuse and abandonment in two pages in a way that Hanya Yanagihara couldn’t do in 720.

Dessert Person: Ok, so this is a cookbook, but it’s a good read, and the recipes are approachable and delicious. After all the BA Test Kitchen chaos this summer, it’s nice we didn’t have to cancel Claire. Make the thrice baked rye cookies!!!! You will thank me later.

Honorable mention goes to: Leave The World Behind for hitting the Severance/Station Eleven dystopian apocalypse novel sweet spot; Exciting Times for reminding me why I liked Sally Rooney; and Summer by Ali Smith, which wasn’t the strongest of the seasonal quartet, but was a series I enjoyed for two years.  

Podcasts

I’m saving my most enthusiastic section for last: ever since 2018, I’ve been listening to an embarrassing amount of podcasts. Moving into a studio apartment will do that to you, as will grad school, add a pandemic to that equation and there’s a lot of time to fill with what has sort of become white noise to me (or, in one case, nice white parents noise). In addition to the shows that I’ve written about before (Still Processing, Popcast, Who? Weekly, and Why is This Happening?), these are the shows I started listening to this year that fueled my parasocial fire:

You’re Wrong About: If you like history, hate patriarchy, and are a millennial, you’ll love Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes’ deep dives into the most notable stories of the past few decades (think Enron and Princess Diana) and also some other cultural flashpoints that briefly but memorably shaped the national discourse (think Terri Schiavo, Elian González, and the Duke Lacrosse rape case).

Home Cooking: This mini series started (and ended) during the pandemic. As someone who stress baked her way through the past nine months, Samin Nosrat and Hrishikesh Hirway’s show is filled with warmth, banter, and useful advice. Home Cooking has been a reassuring companion in the kitchen, and even though it will be a time capsule once we’re all vaccinated and close talking again, it’s still worth a listen for tips and inspiration while we’re hunkered down for the time being. 

How Long Gone: I don’t really know how to explain this other than saying that media twitter broke my brain and enjoying Chris Black and Jason Stewart’s ridiculous banter is the price I pay for it.

Blank Check: Blank Check is like the GBBO of podcasts--Griffin Newman and David Sims’ enthusiasm for and encyclopedic knowledge of film, combined with their hilarious guests and inevitable cultural tangents is always a welcome distraction. Exploring a different film from a director’s oeuvre each week over the course of months, the podcast delves into careers and creative decisions with the passion of completists who want to honor the filmmaking process even when the finished products end up falling short. The Nancy Meyers and Norah Ephron series were favorites because I’d seen most of the movies, but I also have been enjoying the Robert Zemeckis episodes they’re doing right now. The possibility of Soderbergh comes up often (The Big Picture just did a nice episode about/with him), and I’d love to hear them talk about his movies or Spike Lee (or, obviously, Martin Scorsese).      

Odds & Ends

If you’re still reading this, you’re a real one, so let’s get into the fun stuff. This was a horrible way to start a new decade, but at least we ended our long national nightmare. We got an excellent dumb twitter meme. I obviously made banana bread, got into home made nut butters, and baked an obscene amount of granola as I try to manifest a future where I own a Subaru Outback. Amanda Mull answered every question I had about Why [Insert Quarantine Trend] Happens. My brother started an organization that is working to eliminate food insecurity in LA. Discovering the Down Dog app allowed me to stay moderately sane, despite busting both of my knees in separate stupid falls on the criminally messed up sidewalks and streets of Philadelphia. I can’t stop burning these candles. Jim Carrey confused us all. We have a Jewish Second Gentleman! Grub Street Diets continued to spark joy. Dolly Parton remains America’s Sweetheart (and possible vaccine savior). And, last, but certainly not least: no one still knows how to pronounce X Æ A-12 Boucher-Musk.

[thebowerypresents]

POSITIVE SPINS: NEW ARTISTS, NEW ALBUMS, AND NEW LIVE STREAMS THAT PUT OUR 2020 ON A BETTER TRACK

2020 proved to be one of the hardest years we have collectively gone through.  While we didn’t have live music to lean on when times got tough, these are the albums, artists and livestreams that got us through the rough patches and will carry us into a brighter 2021.

Listen to our playlist of Positive Spins!

BEST NEW ARTISTS OF 2020 (in no particular order)

THICK

“Brooklyn-based pop-punk three-piece, THICK, are not afraid to say (or sing) what’s on everyone’s mind - with a fierceness and confidence I can only aspire to assume. Sticking it to the establishment is the name of their game - take “Mainsplain,” for instance - and they manage to do so with catchy chord progressions and an uplifting vigor. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the trio, and who else they’ll put in check.” - S. D.

Ela Minus

“Brooklyn-based techno-pop artist Ela Minus broke onto the scene this year with her debut album “ acts of rebellion.” The Colombian-born musician has a background in emo bands, is a trained jazz drummer, and she wrote, produced, engineered, and recorded the album on her own. “acts of rebellion” is moody and sultry, while still making you want to grab your friends and dance.” - K. C.

Arlo Parks

“Without even having released her debut album yet, Arlo Parks has made a name for herself this year. Singles released throughout the year, paired with 2019’s EP ‘Sophie’ and her slot as support on Hayley Williams’ (cancelled) tour have boosted Arlo to a new level this year, that we can only assume will continue to rise in 2021 when her debut album drops.” - K. C.

Beabadoobee

“Beabadoobee’s interesting name is only matched by her sound - bedroom-pop fused with nineties indie-rock, tinged with a tender, DIY aesthetic. Her track “If You Want To” will have you singing along, while her single “She Plays Bass” will take you back to your hormonal, vulnerable, teenage years met with sublime nostalgia. She’s without a doubt a silver lining in 2020.” - S. D.

BENEE

“I first saw Auckland’s BENEE at Rough Trade in October of last year - her sincere, to-the-point lyrics and quirky hooks instantly hooked me. You may know her track, “Supalonely,” which found popularity on TikTok during the height of lockdown, but BENEE’s sound isn’t limited to the confines of one social media trend. In her debut album released this year, BENEE displays an uncanny ability to tackle alt-rock, hip-hop and electro-pop all at the same time, in an unbothered, endearing way - making her a “one to watch” in 2020 and beyond.” - S. D.

Christian Lee Hutson

There isn’t a lack of acoustic singer-songwriters out there, but Christian Lee Hutson is an important new voice. Hutson first full length album, “Beginners,” released this year, has a warm and honest quality to it. The production is subtle (thanks to producer Phoebe Bridgers), and so perfectly complements a simple, acoustic narrative. The result is a soulful, beautiful, and special work of music. - S. D.

Do Nothing

“2020 newcomers out of Nottingham, UK, Do Nothing have already made a big splash in the post-punk world. Releasing their first EP, Zero Dollar Bill, earlier this year, the band have been compared to Idles and are setting out on a similar path of success. Upon first hearing their earlier single Lebron James, countless fans are sure to be sucked into the world of Do Nothing.” - K. C.

Kate Bollinger

“I first listened to Kate Bollinger when she released I Don’t Wanna Lose in 2019. I played the track Candy on repeat all year long. It has been so lovely to watch her grow into the artist she is today. This year she released an EP called A word becomes a sound, which quickly became one of my favorite releases of 2020. Her voice is so comforting. Whenever I listen, I feel like I am being coddled in a fluffy blanket with a cup of herbal tea and nothing could go wrong at that moment. I can’t wait to see what Kate has planned for 2021 and beyond!” - L. S.

SAULT

“After a year of intense racial unrest in the United States, SAULT’s importance is more significant now than ever.  With themes focusing around the Black Lives matter movement, this mystery soul-funk group has become more than buzzy in the music scene, and has earned a spot on tons of year end lists.” - K. C.

Sorry

“London-based genre-defying band Sorry released their debut album ‘925’ this year, produced by James Dring (Gorillaz, Jamie T) which is already reason enough to pique the interest of most. The album certainly does not disappoint, with each song giving you a different taste of the many interesting sides of this up-and-coming group.” - K. C.

Honorable Mentions:

Gracie Abrams Remi Wolf Hailey Whitters KennyHoopla Jade Hairpins Jockstrap Model/Actriz Mild Orange Your Smith Neal Francis

BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2020 (in no particular order)

Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters

“Fiona Apple is fearless in this album. The song structures and sounds take you on a listening experience I can only describe as emotional in the best way. Eight years of waiting was totally worth it.“ - S. D.

Fleet Foxes – Shore

“This album had been bright spot in a difficult year. St. Ann’s Church was the perfect location for their Colbert performance of Can I Believe You and the live stream will be the perfect holiday present. Ready to feel all the feels!” - K. A.

Khruangbin - Mordechai

“Khruangbin is one of my go-to bands, and “Mordechai” has been heavy in my rotation in 2020. It’s really a great album – I play it cover-to-cover and pairs well with a cocktail and cooking at home, infusing some needed spice and energy in what could otherwise be ‘just another night’ during a long, monotonous several months.” - C.M.

Moses Sumney - Græ

“The highly anticipated second album from Moses Sumney, shows us more of the highly personal, raw and emotionally moving music we have some to expect from him. The cluster of emotions that Moses works through with his beautifully unique voice in this 20 song album give us a look into the complicated mind of one of the most interesting artists of the last 5 years.” - K. C.

Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

“*Bill Hader’s Stefan voice* this album has everything! From the heavy and distorted bass on “Describe” to the melodic harp stringing of “Leave,” to the dance ballad (is that a thing?) “On The Floor,” Perfume Genius’ album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately really does have it all. Each song feels vastly different from the next in tone, instrumentation, and influence – yet they all come together so perfectly to make this stunning album, all while showcasing his vocal depth and range. There’s a reason he’s called Perfume *Genius*, and that is because Mike Hadreas can take familiar feelings and turn them into unconventional pop ballads that feel both relatable, but new and exciting at the same time.” - R. E.

Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher  

“How does Phoebe do it? (a question I ask myself daily). I remember waking up on June 18 as if it was my birthday. Punisher is everything I hoped for and then some more. The last song on the album, “I know The End” concludes with a scream which is the perfect cherry on top to this masterpiece. This album is a rollercoaster of Phoebe’s emotions and I feel blessed to be along for the ride. It is relatable, heartfelt and honest. Thank you to Phoebe for this gift. The world will never be the same after this.” - L. S.

Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA

“SAWAYAMA is the early 2000s pop resurgence we didn’t know we needed, mixed with all the best parts of nu-metal. Rina Sawayama uses catchy pop hooks reminiscent of early Britney Spears, and pairs them with heavy guitar riffs to give us arguably the most fun album of 2020 that we cannot wait to experience live.” - K. C.

Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

Thundercat - It Is What It Is

“I love how this album embraces the darkness while managing to find the light in despair - it seems to acutely reflect the times we are in yet is simultaneously so personal to Bruner. The lyrics are set against a backdrop of funk, electronica, jazz, and soul, so there’s a little something for everybody.” - S. D.

Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud

“This album was released early in quarantine, and was the perfect musical escape during some of the toughest days. The imagery and reflection of the lyrics are why Saint Cloud tops my list of albums of 2020.” - J. F.

Honorable Mentions: The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers Fontaines DC - A Heros Dream Kevin Morby – Sundowner Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Reunions My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall II CHIKA - Industry Games Megan Thee Stallion - Suga Christian Lee Hutson- Beginners Idles- Ultra Mono Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin Grass Pup - This Place Sucks Ass Futurebirds- Teamwork Adrianne Lenker – Songs / Instrumentals Tom Misch, Yussef Dayes - What Kinda Music + the bonus tracks EP Some Kind Of Peace – Olafur Arnalds Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown - Pressure Josh Ritter - See Here, I Have Built You a Mansion Sahara Moon - Worthy Local H - Lifers Deep Purple - Whoosh! Indigo Girls Look Long Taylor Swift - folklore Against All Logic – 2017-2019

TOP TEN LIVESTREAMS 2020 (in no particular order)

Christine & The Queens (Live on KEXP at Home)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bavZe47um4

“Live on KEXP at Home” was home to some of my favorite quarantine livestreams, and this one did anything but disappoint. Not only does Chris, aka Christine & The Queens, perform, but interviews are woven throughout the livestream. The drama of her performances, juxtaposed with her witty and humorous banter with the interviewer was such a breath of fresh air. If you’re a fan of Chris, this is a must watch.“ - S. D.

Courtney Barnett and Lucius & Friends: Live From Our Lounge Rooms with Sheryl Crow, 3/25/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbfRbw3o1jU

“This was a gift that kept on giving. The stream started off with Courtney Barnett and Lucius in matching pajamas. I truly thought it could not get any better but I was in for a treat! The stream included performances by Nathaniel Rateliff, Sheryl Crow, Sharon Van Etten, Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby and more. I can safely say this was my favorite live stream I watched in 2020.” - L. S.

Julien Baker, Themfest Instagram Livestream, 4/16/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINSbY4wRjs

“Recorded for Themfest during the early days of quarantine, Julien Baker’s in-home livestream was a welcome respite from the Cuomo briefings and general despair of mid April. Just kidding, Julien Baker is the queen of Sad Shit and I certainly didn’t tune into this livestream expecting a mood boost. But if you subscribe to the “sad songs make me feel better” aesthetic purveyed by our sweet little siren, this moody, intimate shot-on-iphone set will scratch that itch. But let’s not fool ourselves, nothing will ever replace the feeling of holding your breath along with 1,799 others at Brooklyn Steel while JB rips your heart out, in a nice way.” - E. M.

Kurt Vile, Love From Philly Livestream, 5/3/20 (covers John Prine’s “Sam Stone” near the end)  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjKG-7d5loY&feature=emb_logo - Jared

“Back in May, Kurt Vile took to his basement for a solo acoustic stream to benefit 30 Amp Circuit, a non-profit dedicated to support the health, wellness, and professional needs of Philadelphia-based musicians and artists. The intimate 3-song set rounded out with a special tribute to the late John Prine, as Kurt did his own rendition of “Sam Stone.”” - J. D.

Radiohead, In Rainbows - From The Basement, 6/4/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWqDIZxO-nU

“This is the one die hard Radiohead fans have been waiting for. This session originally from 2008 existed in some pretty esoteric places and has been almost impossible to find – until now.” - G. A.

Sturgill Simpson, Live at The Ryman Auditorium, 6/5/20  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO73im4J2sU

“2020 was supposed to be a banner year for Sturgill, until he got COVID-19 in April. He’s ok now, but something about this performance in the sacred church of country music The Ryman, hits different.” - G. A.

Haim - Women in Music PT. III Live Show, 6/25/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_eJU6X3_jQ

“I love pretty much everything the Haim sisters do - so much so that I aspire to be a sister myself. When I was feeling those very familiar mid-pandemic blues, their “Women in Music PT III” livestream, which celebrated their new album of the same name, was the exact pick me up that I needed. For the first time since March, the 30 minute set made me feel as if I was at an intimate gathering - rather than behind a computer watching a YouTube video along with thousands of others. The stream will have you grooving, laughing, and you may even want to be a Haim sister yourself.” - S. D.

Nilufer Yanya, Boiler Room: Streaming From Isolation with Night Dreamer & Worldwide FM, 6/28/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAaAicIJE7s

“Hauntingly beautiful and yet also somehow grounded, Nilufer Yanya’s June livestream was a special one to watch. It makes the case for how intimate an artist’s performance can be, even virtually.” - G. A.

Brittany Howard, Live From Ryman Auditorium, 10/17/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLH59WLQbZo

“Watching Brittany Howard and her incredible band rip through a set on the Ryman stage like no one and everyone was watching all at once was cathartic. The combination of such a singular artist and historic venue hit a similar nerve to seeing an artist you’re excited about play a show in the flesh with people you love – not an easy feat!” - M. L.

Tkay Maidza - Live on KEXP at Home, 11/3/20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPJgrDvyRbw

“13 minutes and 11 seconds of pure energy. This livestream is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, and, in my opinion, showcases Maidza as the star that she is. A must-watch if you’re looking for a refreshing and colorful approach to hip-hop.“ - S. D.