Let’s
be honest: 2020 hasn’t been a great year. From the chaos of the pandemic to the
stress of the election, this hasn’t been an easy time. Still, there were a few
artists that released new music. I know I’ve been less and less active on this
blog but I just don’t have the inspiration that I used to. However, one
tradition that I would like to keep going is the Year in Review.
This
is an article of my takes on the music from 2020 that I’ve purchased.
New
albums
X
Alphabetland
Rating: ****
FAVORITE ALBUM OF
THE YEAR
More than 25 years since the release
of Hey Zeus, LA punk rockers X surprised everyone by releasing a new
studio album. The album, Alphabetland, was dropped back in April 2020-
almost 40 years to the day the band released their 1980 debut Los Angeles.
While not a groundbreaking album, Alphabetland is a fun batch of tunes
in the spirit of the band’s first four albums. In just 24 minutes, X present a
little bit of everything: you got all-out punk rockers, rockabilly-tinged tunes
and ska flavored ditties. Some fans might gripe about the album not being
entirely originally- given the re-recordings of “Delta 88 Nightmare” and “Cyrano
deBerger’s Back.” Even if not entirely original, Alphabetland is an all
around good effort from a veteran artist.
Highlights:
Water
and Wine, I Gotta Fever, Goodbye Year Goodbye, Free
Bob Dylan
Rough and Rowdy
Ways
Rating: ****
Now entering the sixth decade of his
career, Bob Dylan released his first album of original tunes since 2012’s Tempest.
While Dylan’s 79-year-old voice may not please everyone, the man still has a
lot to say. The ten songs on Rough and Rowdy Ways are songs that see
Dylan questioning his morality- along with singing songs of remorse and heartbreak.
Musically, Dylan sounds like he’s picking up where he left on Tempest- although
you will find some rock n roll numbers and a few bluesy tunes. While a solid
album, Rough and Rowdy Ways is a bit longer than it should be- with the
17 minute “Murder Most Fowl” being the misstep on the album. While many have
been praising the Kennedy assassination themed epic, the song has one too many
name drops. Despite its weaknesses, Rough and Rowdy Ways is still worth
a listen.
For a more in-depth review on this album, read my review on Pop Culture Beast.
Highlights:
False
Prophets, I Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You, Goodbye Jimmy Reed, My Own
Version of You
Fee Waybill
Fee Waybill Rides
Again
Rating: *** ½
More than 20 years since his last
solo album, Tubes frontman Fee Waybill surprised everyone by releasing a brand
new studio album. While a new album, some of the songs were apparently recorded
a few years earlier. Although Waybill worked with friends such as Richard Marx
on this album, Rides Again is just okay. The songs are catchy and
Waybill’s voice sound great. The only thing working against this album is that
it isn’t entirely memorable. I’ve only heard the album a few times and I’m
struggling to remember the names of the songs. While not entirely memorable, Rides
Again isn’t bad at all.
Highlights:
Faker,
Don’t Want to Pull the Trigger, Man of the World
The Residents
Meat, Metal and
Bone
Rating: ****
When it comes to the Residents’ work
after the 1970s, their output is either hit or miss. In the case of Meat,
Metal and Bone, I’d say this is a good album. I’ll admit that I haven’t listened
to all of the group’s discography but compared to the other albums I’ve heard,
this is a really solid effort from the group. As per usual with Residents albums,
this follows a concept- performing the songs of Alvin Snow, aka the Dyin’ Dog. Part
of the experience in listening to this album is reading the liner notes included-
which tells the story of the (more-than-likely fictional) blues singer. This is
a very inspired effort from the group and it gets better on repeated listens.
For a more in-depth review on this album, read my review on Pop Culture Beast.
Highlights:
DIE!
DIE! DIE!, River Runs Dry, Momma Don’t Go, Midnight Man
AC/DC
Power Up
Rating: ****
Despite the drama surround the band
in 2016, AC/DC returned this year with a brand new studio album- with singer
Brian Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd back in the band. Dedicated to the late
Malcolm Young, Power Up is a surprisingly decent album. Throughout the
album, the band are in fine form playing an array of catchy rockers. Musically,
the band are firing on all cylinders- which is impressive considering how older
these guys are. This is probably the band’s most consistent since 2008’s Black
Ice- albeit with a shorter runtime. With the Brian Johnson era albums after
Back in Black, it’s a bit of a bumpy road through their discography. With
Power Up, this is a thoroughly consistent effort. If this ends up being
their last one, Power Up would be a perfect end to their career.
Highlights:
Realize,
Shot in the Dark, Through the Mist of Time, Systems Down
Paul McCartney
McCartney III
Rating: ****
Paul McCartney had no plans in
releasing new album in 2020. Once the lockdown came around, McCartney went to
work on a new studio album. As the title would suggest, McCartney III is
the third in a trilogy of albums, with the other two installments coming out in
1970 and 1980. Staying true to the first two albums, McCartney III sees
the former Beatle playing every instrument- giving the album a more intimate
feel and vibe. Musically, the album does have some of the acoustic and
experimental elements found on the first two album. However more than anything,
it sounds like a follow up to 2018’s Egypt Station in terms of the
production and overall sound. While not an instant classic, McCartney III is
still an all-around solid album.
Highlights:
Find
My Way, Pretty Boys, The Kiss of Venus, When Winter Comes
Ranking
1.
X-
Alphabetland
2.
Paul
McCartney- McCartney III
3.
AC/DC-
Power Up
4.
Bob
Dylan- Rough and Rowdy Ways
5.
The
Residents- Metal, Meat and Bone
6.
Fee
Waybill- Fee Waybill Rides Again
Archival
Releases
Neil Young
Homegrown
Rating: ****
Shelved for over 40 years, Homegrown was
supposed to be Neil Young’s follow-up to the immensely successful Harvest.
However due to the depressing nature of the songs, Young shelved the album. Now
in 2020, Homegrown has finally been released. As an album, it’s pretty
solid. However, it’s hard to fully immerse myself into this album. Had Homegrown
been released back in the day, perhaps it would’ve been considered one of
Young’s best albums. Though if it was released then, would Young’s other great
work have ever happened? Still, I do like the album. As to if I listen to it
many years from now- I don’t know.
Paul McCartney
Flaming Pie
Album Rating: ****
Bonus disc: ***
After a two-year delay, the Paul
McCartney Archive Collection continued this year with Paul’s 1997 effort Flaming
Pie. Usually considered to be one of McCartney’s best later efforts, the
album has a rock/pop-indie thing going on here. From beginning to end, this is strong
abum- featuring songs such as “The Song We Were Singing,” “The World Tonight,” “Calico
Skies,” the title track and “Little Willow”- with the last being a touching
tribute to Maureen Starkey. For an album made in the late 1990s, this remaster
surprisingly sounds better than the original CD. Looking in Audacity at the
files, the original CD was much louder. With the new remaster, it sounds warmer.
As for the bonus disc, you can skip it.
Jimmy
McCulloch
White
Line
Rating:
****
An
indie label reissued the long out-of-print White Line tapes from Wings
guitarist Jimmy McCulloch. Formed in the late 1970s, White Line was a band
formed by McCulloch with his brother Jack and bassist/singer Dave Clark. The
band would only release one single but had about a dozen of demo tracks
recorded- which finally saw the light of day in 1994. By surprise, this
collection was reissued and it’s good to see this back in print. While most of
the songs are incomplete, this is a solid collection of tunes. Highlights
include “Call My Name” the McCulloch sung “Too Many Miles” is an absolute
killer.
Listed
below are my reviews for other archival releases- all coming from Pop Culture
Beast. To read them, simply click on the text that’ll lead you to the reviews.
Peter Green- The Name of the Game
Harry Nilsson's The Point Blu Ray- FAVORITE ARCHIVAL RELEASE
Sir Lord Baltimore- Complete Albums
Trapeze- Trapeze/Medusa/You Are The Music We're Just The Band
The Residents- Cube E Box
Culpeper’s Orchard- The Polydor Years
Billion Dollar Babies- Battle Axe
Iron Butterfly- Unconscious Power: 1967-71
The Stooges- From KO to Chaos
Movies
Zappa
Rating: ****
Directed by Alex Winter (Bill and Ted), Zappa is a career-spanning documentary about the brilliant Frank Zappa. Using archival footage and new interviews from Zappa's peers, Zappa is able to paint a picture of one of the most unique musicians of the 20th century. While a good movie, it isn't without it's flaws: several parts of Zappa's career are missing while some fans might be disappointed that his actual music is barely discussed. If anything, this is a documentary about Frank Zappa as a person. As such, it does its job.
In
Memoriam
Neil
Peart- drummer for Rush
Bill
Rieflin- drummer for REM and King Crimson
Lou
Kouvaris- guitarist for Riot
Florian
Schneider- member of Kraftwerk
Little
Richard- rock n roll musician
Astrid
Kirchher- photographer/artist, fiancé of Stuart Sutcliffe
Bob
Kulick- session musician for Kiss
Peter
Green- guitarist of Fleetwood Mac
Pete
Way- bassist of UFO
Frankie
Banali- drummer of Quiet Riot
Lee
Kerslake- drummer of Uriah Heep and Ozzy Osbourne
Eddie
Van Halen- guitarist for Van Halen
Ken
Hensley- keyboardist of Uriah Heep
Dieter
Horns- bassist of Lucifer’s Friend
Leslie
West- guitarist/singer of Mountain