A look back at 2020
Hello dear friends & welcome to our little recap of the year that is/was 2020 at Polyvinyl (at the time of writing it is only mid-December). The end of the year is a wonderfully built-in time to reflect on the projects we were lucky enough to work on, memories made, so on and so forth.
To begin this recap, our beloved Co-Owner Matt Lunsford has shared some words about 2020 and looking forward to the next year:
“Around this time last year we made a year-end wrap-up post titled ‘A look back at the great year that was 2019'. Well, a year later ‘A look back at the shit show that was 2020’ doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it? That’s not our style anyhow.
2020 has been exceptionally difficult. But despite all of 2020’s darkness, we were struck by the emergence of caring in the independent music community this year. We saw an outpouring of support for our artists. We saw incredible support for the records we released. And we saw artists and fans alike supporting causes they care deeply about.
Thank you for inspiring us all year long, no matter how dark things seemed at times. See you in 2021.”
If you want to shop allll of our 2020 releases as well as from our Friends & Family, you can find them right here at this handy link to the PV Store.
At the bottom of this writeup you’ll find our roundup of 2020 PV Staff / Artists / Friends Year End Lists 💫
Want to watch all of the music videos we released in 2020?? We made a cute playlist just for the occasion.
We kicked off this year with a new record from of Montreal titled UR FUN. Kevin Barnes set out to make the kind of album where every song could be a single and absolutely nailed it!! Squirrel Flower (Ella O’Connor Williams) made her debut with the stunning I Was Born Swimming which was met with praise from Rolling Stone, NPR, The Guardian, The Fader & MORE. Post Animal returned with a doozy of a sophomore album, Forward Motion Godyssey. Hear the band talk about their shapeshifting tour-de-force with Billboard.
Yumi Zouma joined the PV family in 2019 and released their PV debut this spring. Truth or Consequences is a gorgeous, dreamy record that delivers hard truths with soft tones, a lesson in raw & lucid romanticism.
Anna Burch released her beautiful sophomore record If You’re Dreaming of which SPIN said, “Writing an album that manages to explore inner turmoil while still sounding peaceful is no easy feat, but Burch executes it with immaculate precision, doubling down on her status as both a rookie and a vet.”
STRFKR blessed us with not one, but *two* surprise releases this year. Future Past Life arrived in April bearing songs that are stripped-down, spaced-out and equal parts visceral & dream like. Ambient 1 was beamed down this fall. Built on slow-blooming soundscapes and transcendent webs of synth and percussion, it’s an incredibly peaceful, beautiful release.
Culling inspiration from surrealism, Phillip K. Dick novels and dadaism Hazel English crafted a delightful debut record. Wake UP! examines “our human propensity for dissatisfaction” and shifting dynamics in relationships, be it in the music industry or romantic life.
Jay Som (Melina Duterte) gave us two amazing new tracks on the A Thousand Words 7" . On the release Duterte said, “I forced myself to make a sort of big and jovial song to bring me out of the funk I was in — I also wanted to remind myself that music can be fun!. Heavily inspired by Bruce Springsteen, Elliott Smith, Pavement and that song ‘Alright’ by Supergrass.”
On May 20, Jeff Rosenstock surprise-released his fourth full-length album, NO DREAM !!! Pitchfork summed it up best saying, “It’s quintessential Jeff Rosenstock — an album formulated around evergreen sociopolitical concerns yet sounds like it could’ve been written 30 minutes ago.” Jeff made his late night TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers! And NO DREAM was featured on year-end lists at Brooklyn Vegan (#1!), The Alternative (#2), The New York Times (#9), The AV Club (#15), UPROXX (#23), Stereogum (#24), The FADER (#31) & Pitchfork.
After long being out of print (and hard to find digitally!) we released a deluxe reissue of Volcano, I’m Still Excited!!’s debut EP Carbon Copy with expanded artwork and bonus material including “1st Gun” from the out-of-print New Brad 7”, rare b-side “I Push” (from the Polyvinyl 2005 Sampler CD), the original, extended version of “Durham” and an acoustic rendering of “2nd Gun.” Read Mark Duplass in conversation with Stereogum about “His Blog-Rock Past!” What a headline!
Owen (Mike Kinsella) released The Avalanche, an absolute stunner of an album. The beautifully crafted record goes deeper than ever before, with reflection so painfully blunt it’s sometimes difficult to look at head on. Pitchfork dubbed The Avalanche “[Mike Kinsella’s] most objectively gorgeous work as Owen to date.”
In September, we released one of our most ambitious projects to date. Exquisite Corpse is a sonic experiment featuring musicians across the Polyvinyl family tree. Past & present, reconfigured into new, exciting and unexpected collaborative projects. 47 (!) artists, 11 new tracks.
Anamanaguchi has been BUSY this year. They’re releasing Power Supply on vinyl for the ~ first time ~ and Dawn Metropolis re-mastered for vinyl. Endless Fantasy received a 2020 re-issue with a Deluxe Gatefold Jacket too! Shy Boys crafted a sugary, sparkly and deeply groovy third album. Talk Loud grapples with anxiety, navigating life in a band, life in general. It’s an incredibly human record.
We welcomed Laura Jane Grace to the Polyvinyl family with the surprise-release, Stay Alive. Stay Alive taps into our universal feelings of loneliness for each other, for another time or place. It’s a friend who understands, who pushes us to keep moving.
After Yumi Zouma’s sold-out US tour was canceled due to COVID-19, the band decided to rework Truth or Consequences. Without touring these songs didn’t have a chance to breathe and move in a venue, where they eventually take on a different life. Since working remotely is already baked into the dynamic of the band, Truth or Consequences — Alternate Versions came together organically. It’s so exciting to hear the songs take on another form!
In October we welcomed Oceanator (Elise Okusami) to the PV family!! We were absolutely stoked to reissue her revelatory debut album, Things I Never Said. Of the record, The Alternative said, “It’s not just a good debut, but a perfect one. The years of hard work that went into it can be felt, and Okusami’s immense talent is breathtaking.” I could not agree more!!
Chris Farren gave us two brilliant new songs with FALL IN LOVE2NIGHT / PHANTOM FRIEND. The first was written after a challenge from none other than Jeff Rosenstock to see how much they could write. It is absolutely ELECTRIC my friends.
PHEW. That is a lot of wonderful art. Thank you for reading through this and for all of your support this year!
You can stay up to date with all things Polyvinyl by subscribing to our e-mail list and YouTube Channel, following us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and/or following our playlists on Spotify.
Love,
Your friends at Polyvinyl
—
Keep on scrolling for our 2020 PV Staff / Artists / Friends Year End Lists!!!
🤠 POLYVINYL STAFF 🤠
Melody Wachtel 🤠
My top ten releases this year! (In no particular order)
Mikau — PHANTOMa
Escuela Grind — Indoctrination
Zombieshark! — I Will Destroy You, Myself, And Everything I’ve Ever Loved
Soul Glo — Songs To Yeet At The Sun
Just Abandon Myself — Flowers Against A Cruel Sky
Recovery Girl — Recovery Girl
Wormhole — The Weakest Among Us
Liturgy — Origin of the Alimonies
Codex Orzhova — Baja Blasted
divā — Demo 2020
Top 10 Reality TV Shows that helped me ruin my brain:
1. Are You The One- look I believe in abolition but everyone on this show should go to horny jail
2. Australian Bachelor In Paradise- I have been so homesick that watching a show filled with the kind of kids who would bully me in high school was a great idea
3. The Chef Show- (not objectively bad) the friendship between Jon Favreau and Roy Choi and Jon’s eagerness to learn 🥺
4. Below Deck Med- Malia is a narc
5. Great British baking show- why was Matt Lucas there? We want Sandi back
6. 90 day fiancé: The Other Way- the ignorance made me stressed yet I couldn’t look away
7. The Circle- wait was that even this year? What is time.
8. Vanderpump Rules — I guess I missed working in a restaurant, and yelling at Jax is cathartic
9. Love is Blind- “she gave her dog wine?!” I screamed to myself while drinking my own wine
10. Top chef- Padma. That’s all
TOP 10 LABELS
Cascine
Double Double Whammy
Father/Daughter
Fire Talk
Get Better Records
Kill Rock Stars
Luminelle
Royal Mountain
Sooper Records
Winspear
Michael Thies 🤠
Top Ten Albums / EPs / Singles:
Tkay Maidza — Last Year Was Weird, Vol 2.
Magdalena Bay — Mini Mix Vol.1
Yaeji — What We Drew 우리가 그려왔
Couch Prints — Tell U
IAN SWEET — Power / Dumb Driver / Sword
Tapeworms — Funtastic
Lila Iké — Sweet Inspiration — Dub
Oceanator — Things I Never Said
Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats — UNLOCKED
Charli XCX — how i’m feeling now
Rob Wilcox (Subscribe to Rob’s Sophistipoptopia Playlist!!) 🤠
Rob’s Top Ten 80s Cheesepop Songs:
10. Scritti Politti — “Perfect Way”
09. Spandau Ballet — “True”
08. Fiction Factory — “(Feels Like) Heaven”
07. Simply Red — “Stars”
06. Steve Winwood — “The Finer Things”
05. Go West — “The King of Wishful Thinking”
04. Wang Chung — “Dance Hall Days”
03. Level 42 — “Something About You”
02. The Human League — “Human”
01. Swing Out Sister — “Breakout”
Alex Osman 🤠
Things I Enjoyed in 2020
Books:
Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker
How To Change Your Mind — Michael Pollan
Brave New World — Aldous Huxley
Music:
Caribou — Suddenly
Yelle — L’Ére du Verseau
MICHELLE — HEATWAVE
Vendredi sur Mer — Premiers Émois
Things:
Caucusing in the Iowa Primary
Visiting 7 new states this year
Meditation
Seeing a cactus in real life
Achieving my New Years Resolution for the first time ever (read 12 books)
Having a catch-all excuse for not leaving home
Meeting and working with the wonderful people at Merge Records
Learning I will be a godfather in 2021!
Top 10 Non-PV Related Things of 2020 (In No Particular Order)
Bandcamp Fridays
2nd Grade — Hit to Hit
The New York Times Daily Podcast
Dehd — Flower of Devotion
Dirty Projectors — 5EPs
Andy Shauf — Neon Skyline
Faye Webster — In A Good Way
Various Artists — Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983–1987
Happyness — Floatr
Sweeping Promises — Hunger For a Way Out
Chris Hassen 🤠
My Top Ten 2020 Survival Kit
Anna Wiener — Uncanny Valley (book)
Bad Moves — Untenable (album)
Emo Project (SiriusXM channel)
Hot Mulligan — you’ll be fine (album)
Hayley Williams — Petals for Armor (album)
New York Times Crossword Puzzle & Spelling Bee
Nightly walk while listening to a podcast (Reply All, Dead Eyes, 30 for 30, Modern Love, Wind of Change, etc…)
Patrick Rothfuss — The Name of the Wind (book)
Scarlet, my daughter
Ted Lasso (tv show)
Top Ten Times/Things that Felt Inspiring in a Fairly Uninspiring Year (In No Particular Order)
1. Reading “Untamed” by Glennon Doyle
2. Going running in the same 4.5 mile loop countless times and sometimes when it is nearing sunset, running into the direction of the sun and closing my eyes (hoping not to trip) and it just feels nice for some reason. Honorable mention: daily neighborhood walks with my partner, Patrick + pup, Patchouli
3. The Black Lives Matter protests in Champaign and my tiny hometown of St. Joseph, IL
4. Watching “The Last Dance” — I’m not even a huge sports ball fan but this was incredible
5. The births of two nieces, Lucy and Charlotte
6. “songs” by Adrianne Lenker + “Gold Record” by Bill Callahan + “RTJ4” by Run the Jewels + “Nobody Lives Here Anymore” by Cut Worms
7. Joe Biden + Kamala Harris winning the freaking election
8. Visiting Milwaukee Art Museum for the first time (February — before the world shut down)
9. Deactivating my Instagram and Facebook
10. Pretty much watching the leaves turn as we hiked up and down a mountain in Vermont (Camel’s Hump)
Nico Hualde (The Drylook / Metaphysics) 🤠
Top Ten “Happy Hour At Home” Snacks Of 2020:
1. Dot’s Pretzels
2. Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds
3. Zapp’s Voodoo Potato Chips
4. Utz Pub Mix
5. Claussen Kosher Mini Dill Pickles
6. Blue Diamond Wasabi Almonds
7. Alici Anchovies With Ritz Crackers
8. Pearls Greek Olive Medley
9. Planter’s Cheez Curls
10. Binny’s Party Peanuts
Seth Hubbard 🤠
Top 9 Albums We Didn’t Release (In no particular order) + 1 Best Show
Cut Worms — Nobody Lives Here Anymore
Anjimile — Giver Taker
Run The Jewels — RTJ4
Christian Lee Hutson — Beginners
Lomelda — Hannah
Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
Phoebe Bridgers — Punisher
Chilly Gonzales — A very chilly christmas
Dehd — Flowers of Devotion
Ted Lasso
Top 10 Songs of Comfort in 2020 (in no specific order, not including PV releases) 2020 was the year I retreated back into a pocket of sounds that were a source of light for me. The majority of quarantine was spent alone in my half-basement apartment and across the country from my friends and family. I yearned for anything that made me get my ass off my couch, dance, or inspired me to create. When I listen to these songs I’m reminded of the simple joys I forced myself to find — like the sun peeking through the windows after weeks of gloom. Thanks to these artists for being the soundtrack of those moments during quarantine and onward!
1. “Mess” — SASAMI
2. “In A Good Way” — Faye Webster
3. “rangerover” — Porches
4. “Central Time” — Vansire (feat. Mick Jenkins)
5. “Her Light” — Cleo Sol
6. “Hug” — Van Mary
7. “Eat This Bass” — Haiku Hands
8. “I Dream A Highway” — Gillian Welch
9. “Winona” — Miloe
10. “Home” — Caribou
My Top Ten “Moments” In Music 2020 (in no particular order)
Coming to work at Polyvinyl
Okay yes, maybe this is pandering but I mean it with my entire heart. Working with these kind, hilarious people has made my whole year and I cannot wait to see what we do in 2021.
Protomartyr’s Modern Business Hymns
I think this record is timeless. Undoubtedly it dovetails with our current issues, mindsets, etc. But this band has such a deep talent for tapping into the core of human nature. It’s heavy, it’s also funny. Being alive is weird as hell and I, for one, am grateful for each record we get from this band.
Adrianne Lenker playing a guitar with a paintbrush
Songs / Instrumentals meant so much to me this year in a way I can’t really explain. But watching Lenker play guitar feels like a religious experience.
Charli XCX’s Appleville set
Charli’s how i’m feeling now is a true quarantine record. It’s also just a really freaking great record. But seeing Charli perform at home, candles lit, big t-shirt, absolutely GOING for it just absolutely rules. It feels as relatable as it can given she’s f’in Charli XCX.
Michael Imperioli getting into music criticism
Did I think I was going to hear Imperioli wax poetic about Cat Power on NTS? No way. But seeing him being a complete and unabashed fan of music was so earnest and frankly just fun.
Every single thing Emily Kempf’s voice did
Dehd are one of the best bands on the planet. Kempf’s voice makes me feel like I’m on a road I’ve never been on — twists and turns and oh dang there’s a bend here?? What an adventure!!!
Oneohtrix Point Never doing “I Don’t Love Me Anymore” live on Late Night
I have listened to this song approx one million times. The visuals! The lighting! Seeing a band together in the same room playing music! I am the plastic bag floating in the river!!
Thank you Bandcamp for being absolutely wonderful.
Light In The Attic’s entire Twitter account
I have laughed out loud more times than I can count. Are you following them??? Tweeting is an art and they have it absolutely dialed in.
Yo La Tengo’s ambient set
Really that sentence says it all. One of the first virtual shows I watched this year, it was truly special to see this band create sounds together in real time. They didn’t talk much, only to each other. It was beautiful.
Aaron Shults 🤠
This year I found a renewed love for baking! Here are some my favorite things I’ve made ~
10. Palmiers (S/o Claire Saffitz’s new cook book)
9. Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake (Modified from Claire Saffitz’s recipe)
8. Miso Buttermilk Biscuits (One more time for Claire Saffitz)
7. Tomato Mozzarella Pastries (Inspired after trying something similar from Hopscotch Bakery + Market in Champaign)
6. Bon Appetit’s Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (I learned to love brown butter here — so so good)
5. Pecan & Cream Cheese Danishes (Cheese Danish is v nostalgic for me — had a lot of fun with this one)
4. Vegan Yeast Glazed Donuts (These turned out better than any non vegan donut I’ve ever made in my life)
3. Vegan Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (Used a pumpkin cookie cutter for this around Halloween — it’s a true game changer)
2. Baguettes (So many baguettes)
- Vegan Chocolate Cake w/ Vegan Ganache (My partner and I have made this every year for the past 10 years on our anniversary! Major shout out to Kamila :)
Sara Chabot 🤠
10 beings, things, or events that made me happy in 2020:
1. Dan
2. 5 year milestones: Marriage, Homeownership
3. all the stupid/cute things my cats do
4. my growing stationery obsession
5. developing new skills while hanging on my couch
6. learning a new/better way to prep tofu
7. the amount of coloring books, markers, and colored pencils stashed around our house
8. reconnecting with my AmeriCorps Team via zoom (Blue 7, Charleston, 2002–03)
9. streaming services
10. Target’s drive-up option
Kristina Baptiste 🤠
Favorite moments/songs of 2020:
1. Kicking off 2020 by spending New Years’ in Glasgow, Scotland with my roommates and friends. Listening to disco, Rico Nasty, Fontaines DC, and everything in between. Followed by a day of 2020 eating Domino’s and watching all the Shrek movies.
2. My best friend from Austin, Dree, and her boyfriend Stephen came to visit New York in February. We ate our way through the city: Fishcheeks, Ops, La Cantine, Pastis, and more.
3. Dancing to Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia any chance I got. (Shoutout to Vondrae and Mike)
4. Road trip to Vermont with my favorite people.
5. And last but certainly not least, my favorite moment of 2020 was joining the PV fam :) Easily the best decision I could have made!!
1. Dehd- “Loner”
2. SAULT- “Miracles”
3. Kerosene!- “Yves Tumor”
4. Helena Deland — “Comfort, Edge”
5. Cindy Lee — “One Second to Toe the Line”
🎸 POLYVINYL ARTISTS 🎸
Gus Lobban (Kero Kero Bonito) 🎸
10 Amazing Tracks from 2020
Jessy Lanza — All the Time
Magdalena Bay — How to Get Physical
Planet 1999 — Party
Tapeworms — Safety Crash
Yves Tumor — Kerosene!
food house — Thos Moser
Laura Groves — Infinite Wisdom
A. G. Cook — Show Me What (with Cecile Believe)
Dreamtrak — On Ice
BUMPER — Red Brick
Evan Thomas Weiss (Into It. Over It., Pet Symmetry, Their / They’re There) 🎸
Top Ten New or Reinvigorated Hobbies for the Year 2020 (Which May (or) May Not Have Had Anything to do w/ Quarantine)
01. Weekly Friday Midnight Chicago Bike Rides (bike gang)
02. Supporting Brilliant People Who Have Released Incredible Records & Art This Year
03. Actually Listening To My Record Collection Again
04. Subscribing to a Wine Club
05. Growing My Hair Long For The First Time In My Life (it doesn’t suck!)
06. Restarting a Previously Failing Record Label via Patreon (Storm Chasers LTD)
07. Learning How to Actually Play Keys
08. Cooking // Perfecting my Breakfast Potatoes Recipe
09. My Creative Collaborators in IIOI, Pet Sym, TTT and Couplet
10. Releasing Records Again for the First Time in Five Years
Jess Abbott (Tancred) (Website, Twitter, IG) 🎸
Top 10 Things That Got Me Out Of Bed To Exist For Yet Another Day
1. Taco Bell Chalupa
2. Conflict Is Not Abuse by Sarah Schulman [book]
3. Untitled by The Cure [song]
4. Red Scare [podcast]
5. Hey, Arnold
6. Jessa Crispin’s astrology
7. Black Le Pens [literally pens]
8. Kirsten Dunst
9. Tiger rice cooker
10. I’ll Take It Boring by Jordana [song]
Anna Burch 🎸
My Top 10 Films
The Conversation
Thief
Frantic
Blow Out
The Daytrippers
Before Sunrise Trilogy
Uncut Gems
Jackie Brown
Enemy of the State
Every Denzel movie I watched except John Q (Deja Vu, Man on Fire, The Manchurian Candidate, Malcolm X, Pelican Brief, Training Day, Taking of Pelham 123, Unstoppable, He Got Game, American Gangster)
Peter Berkman (Anamanaguchi) 🎸
Top NYC Pizzerias (2020)
10. Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Filling the void of a hi-quality New York slice, as the trend of mostly wack ‘Neapolitan’ shops spread over NYC. Paulie Gee also has their own Neapolitan restaurant which is very good, but I prefer this!
9. Williamsburg Pizza
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
We sent their pizza to low-earth orbit for our “Endless Fantasy” music video. Their recipe has changed a bunch over the years, but has never dipped below solid dankness.
8. Scarr’s Pizza
Lower East Side, Manhattan
No other place like it in the city I think. Would be able to pick it out of a lineup of 100 different spots. Highly powerful slice. Only downside is I usually burn my mouth there because I’m impatient.
7. L&B Spumoni Gardens
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
Classic NY Sicilian, ‘upside-down’ style — with the sauce over the cheese. When I went there an old man said “back in the day, you would get beat up for wearing a Yankee’s hat down here!” They give you your pie immediately when you pay for it. They are always busy but always have room.
6. Freddy’s Pizzeria
Whitestone, Queens
Maybe my favorite New York Sicilian — takes the best from Triangolo (the mozzarella blanket) the sweetness of sauce from L&B, and they put sesame seeds on the crust. Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop has their own pie called the “Freddy Prince” in tribute — which is very, very good but not quite as good as this.
5. L’Industrie
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
A new-comer in the city. Earlier in the year, I thought they’d place much higher — but the quality has fluctuated a few times. Somebody *clearly* knows what they are doing there. Once they manage some quality control, they could easily contend for number one. Not saying that lightly!
4. Di Fara (Original location)
Midwood, Brooklyn
NY mainstay, open since 1965. The first time I had a bite of a Di Fara slice was a really beautiful experience. Papa Dom — who likes keeping a Pope Francis prayer card at front of the shop — doesn’t make the pizzas anymore (unless you rent out the place?). Considering his age, that’s probably for the best. You can buy his son’s poetry books there??? As for the pizza, the seed is still strong and they are comin’ in at number 3. I’ve got money riding on one of his grandchildren carrying on the mantle, gently and behind the scenes.
3. Luigi’s Pizza
South Slope, Brooklyn
(**Editor’s note: I accidentally deleted a previous submission and Peter accidentally deleted the description, so this entry is unfortunately lost to the ether)
2. Philomena’s Pizza
Woodside, Queens
This place had been off my radar until my buddy Neil took me there this fall. HIGH QUALITY. Worth a drive to it. The variety in pizza is astounding, and they do it all insanely well. Not much to say besides it being one of the best I’ve ever had.
1. NY Pizza Suprema
Midtown, Manhattan
The only pizzeria to get denoted a “perfect slice” by Slice Harvester in 2010, still true by my standard in 2020. They used to only make plain slices until 1988. It’s out of control. Would also recommend the Chicken parm slice with parmesan dusted on top. I would call this the “Platonic Ideal” of New York pizza, but it’s more of an Aristotelian form because thankfully it is real and actually edible.
Elise Okusami (Oceanator) 🎸
My Top 10 of the 27 Sam Rockwell Movies I Have Watched During Quarantine
In alphabetical order:
Blaze
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Galaxy Quest
Jojo Rabbit
Laggies
Moon
Mr. Right
Seven Psychopaths
Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri
Winning Season
❤️ POLYVINYL FRIENDS ❤️
Jacob Daneman (Pitch Perfect PR) ❤️
My Favorite Albums of 2020 That I Didn’t Work On, In No Order:
Anthony Moore — Out
Arbor Labor Union — New Petal Instants
Ezra Feinberg — Recumbent Speech
No Home — Fucking Hell
Irma Vep — Embarrassed Landscape
Leo Takami — Felis Catus and Silence
Sven Wunder — Eastern Flowers
Naujawanan Baidar: Vol 1&2
Slum of Legs — Slum of Legs
Chris Forsyth with Garcia Peoples — Peoples Motel Band
Alabaster DePlume — To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Sweeping Promises — Hunger for a Way Out
Luke Stewart — Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet
Jusell, Prymek, Sage, Shiroishi — Fuubutsushi (風物詩)
Gunn-Truscinski Duo — Soundkeeper
Lomelda — Hannah
Mary Lattimore — Silver Ladders
Leo Takami — Felis Catus and Silence
Sven Wunder — Eastern Flowers
Judy Miller (Motormouth Media) ❤️
Top 10 Things I Ate In Lockdown That Made Me Fluffy (that I would never eat otherwise)
1. Pillsbury Grand Heat and Eat Biscuits. How many twist-can biscuits did I eat? Let me show you my butt.
2. Tartine’s Country Loaf Bread: See above and add tears
3. Chicken Nuggets from a box: Any brand, I ate them
4. Good Humor Chocolate Eclair Ice Creams: A box a week for 10 weeks until i could not argue with myself any longer about “why I deserved this”
5. Two Frozen Pizzas: Both terrible, both delicious
6. Trader Joes Coconut Fried Shrimp: Air Fryer and I dated a lot, this was one of our special moments
7. Multiple boxes of Honey Nut Crunch Cereal: This is Honey Nut Crack and should come as an injectable.
8. 5–6 Frozen Burritos: Have not had these since I was a teen but Instacart magically inserted these into my cart and somehow i ate this dog food with gusto.
9. Saltine Crackers and Campell’s Soup. Would crumble half a box of crackers in my soup and eat the cracker soup and say “ohh this reminds me of a warm hug” until all the crackers expanded in my tummy and I felt like barfing.
10. Quesadillas slathered in butter and grilled: I am the master
I can make a ‘dilla that will kill ya. I am also a rapper.
There is still some shredded cheese left and it taunts me.
Judy Miller is currently in recovery in Los Angeles and is no longer allowed to order groceries or go to the market.
Zachary Cepin (High Road Touring) ❤️
Top Ten Things That Got Me Through 2020:
Achievement: five years alcohol-free
Binge-watch: Friday Night Lights
Clothing brand: Ovadia
Concert: Diane Coffee at Emo’s East
Flex: Exfoliating daily
New band: dad sports
Painter: Oh de Laval
Podcast: Red Scare
Song: All Them Witches — “See You Next Fall”
Sweet potato: Japanese, organic
Sohale Kevin Darouian (Designer for STRFKR) ❤️
Top 10 Activities While in Quarantine:
1) Cooking
2) Learning a new instruments
3) Making art, designing, and animating
4) Gardening / taking care of house plants
5) Listening to records
6) Reading the books that have been collecting dust on the shelf
7) Keeping in contact with friends and family online
8) Going on daily hikes
9) Watching indie and foreign films
10) Supporting local and/or small businesses
John Chavez (Ground Control Touring) ❤️
Top Five Pandemic Panic Reducing LPs of 2020
Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble — s/t
Don Cherry — Om Shanti Om
Alabaster DePlume — To Cy and Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1
Matthew Halsall — Salute to the Sun
Anjimile — Giver Taker
Top Five slow cooks of 2020
Momofuku Bo Ssam
Beef Stew with Maple Syrup and Stout Beer
Gojuchang Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Short Rib Barbacoa Tacos
Texas Style Pulled Pork BBQ plates
Joe McGinnis (The Syndicate) ❤️
My Top Ten Songs Featured In Season One of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
1. “Friday Night” — The Son of the Deceased
2. “The Day Robert Palins Murdered Me / The Bones Are Their Money” — Billy & His Band
3. “The 112th Baby of the Year Competition Theme Song” — Sam Richardson
4. “He Layeth On High” — New Joe
5. “Moon River Rock” — Rod
6. “Are You Ready For This” — Clear Blue Fire
7. “Fenton’s Stables and Horse Ranch Jingle”
8. “Days Away” — Speed Not Steel
9. “Palm Tree Girls” — Johnny
10. “Untitled (My Condolences)” — New Joe
Elyse Lankford (IAN SWEET) ❤️
My Top Ten Throwbacks of 2020 (unranked)
1. Jesse McCartney’s 2004 album “Beautiful Soul” (ok maybe ranked)
2. Moving back in with my parents lol
3. Buttons and Bowknots for my birthday breakfast (nutmeg biscuits dipped in melted butter and sugar. Had this every year as a kid)
4. Driving around my hometown with my best friend from high school!
5. Was introduced to The O.C. TV show. So not a throwback for me personally, but in general. God I love Seth Cohen.
6. Found my old Nintendogs DS Lite game after 10 years
7. Cheetah Girls 1 and 2 (3 does not exist as far as I’m concerned)
8. The comeback of Adidas slides
9. A summer where all I had to do was read and lay on a blanket in my yard
10. A love so strong for the Newsies 2012 broadway revival one can only compare it to a teenagers’ crazed obsession
Jared Jones (Winspear) ❤️
Top ten albums of 2020 in no particular order:
NNAMDÏ — BRAT
Perfume Genius — Describe
LAKE — Roundelay
El Obo — Reach Into The Dark And Pull It Closer
Adrianne Lanker — songs & instrumentals
Dehd — Flower Devotion
Loving — If I Am Only My Thoughts
Fleet Foxes — Shore
Orion Sun — Hold Space For Me
Waxahatchee — Fire
Douglas Blake (Pirate!) ❤️
Top ten things that Made me laugh this year: 1)The Movie Palm Springs 2) The Morning Brown song from Auntie Donna 3) Trump losing GA 4) Aunty Donnas Ellen Sketch 5) That KFC lifetime Movie with Mario Lopez ( just the photo) 6) That time Rudy Giuliani .. well all the things were hilarious but the brown hair liquid thing coming down his face was the best 7)Was Tiger King this year? damn that was funny i guess. 8) I bleached my hair like I was 19 that was hillarious 9) Quiplash ( Joke Boat ) 10) Cats.
Jerrod Landon Porter (iheartjlp.com) ❤️
Top 10 Manga Titles Read and Why.
1. Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi (3in1) Vol 1–8
because of heartbreak and baseball. Koshien!
2. Komi Can’t Communicate by Tomohito Oda Vol 5–10
because she needs an anime and we must protecc.
3. The Quintessential Quintuplets by Negi Haruba Vol 7–11
because who’s your favorite quintuplet and why Yotsuba?
4. Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama Vol 5–6
because witches are bitchin’.
5. No Matter What You Say, Furi-san is Scary by Kinoue Seiichi Vol 2
because there is so much misunderstanding of this delinquent yankee girl.
6. Konosuba by Natsume Akatsuki Vol 7–10
because of the explosions.
7. If I Could Reach You by tMnR Vol 1–3
because everyone needs a wholesome yuri title to cry over.
8. My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi Vol 16–24
because western super hero comics are weak right now. Fight me.
9. Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition by Rumiko Takahashi Vol 1–2
because Rumiko is a goddess and a genius.
10. Rent-A-Girlfriend by Reiji Miyajima Vol 1–3
because we all have a taste for fine culture.
Jordan Howard (The Syndicate) ❤️
Top 10 Favorite Smells
Sunscreen
Camping Bonfire
Fresh-Cut Grass
Cinnamon
Coffee
My old car (smelled like crayons)
Soft Pretzels
New York (all smells mixed)
Hiking nature smells
Clam Chowder
Top 10 Records of 2020
#1 Beabadoobee Fake It Flowers (Dirty Hit)
#2 Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Sideways to New Italy (SubPop)
#3 Fiona Apple Fetch The Bolt Cutters (Epic)
#4 Devon Gilfillian Black Hole Rainbow (Capitol)
#5 Sports Team Deep Down Happy (Bright Antenna)
#6 Remi Wolf I’m Allergic To Dogs! EP (Island)
#7 Run The Jewels RTJ4 (Jewel Runners/BMG)
#8 George Clanton & Nick Hexum S/T (100% Electronica)
#9 Hazel English WAKE UP! (Polyvinyl)
#10 Shygirl ALIAS EP (Because Music)
Rupam Sofsky (Shine On) ❤️
Top Ten Albums of the Year:
1 — Destroyer: Have We Met? — Merge
2 — Owen Pallett Island: Domino
3 — Perfume Genius: Set My Heart On Fire Immediately — Matador
4 — Le Couleur: Concorde — Lisbon Lux
5 — Of Montreal: UR FUN — Polyvinyl
6 — Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever: Sideways To New Italy — Sub Pop
7 — OSees: Protean Threat — Castle Face
8 — Stephen Malkmus: Traditional Techniques — Matador
9 — Adrienne Lenker: Songs — 4AD
10 — Arca: KiCk i — XL
Trevor Morrison (co-sign) (Warm Visions) ❤️
10 GOOD THINGS (WITH MANY LAYERS — SORRY) THAT MADE MY 2020 BETTER:
- Finishing my Best 200 Albums + Songs of the 2010s lists for my blog + celebrating 10 years of its existence
- Spending the spring with my dog before he passed
- Moving from Brooklyn to live with my partner in Manhattan & cooking a lot
- Running twice a week, celebrating one year of veganism and losing 20lbs
- NBA Bubble
- Getting recognized by the potato people at the Union Square farmers market
- Criterion Channel membership → In The Mood For Love, House, Black Orpheus, Girlhood & McCabe & Mrs. Miller were the ones I think of the most since.
-SUPPORTING OUR FAV FOOD SPOTS: Brooklyn Whiskers, Orchard Grocer, Spicy Moon, Seitan Rising, Modern Love, Superiority Burger, Screamers, Clementine Bakery & Beyond Sushi.
-NON-2020 MUSIC: The Flamingos, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Insides, Sade, Power Trip, Blue Gene Tyranny, Ted Lucas, Max Cilla, Motohiko Hamase, Ann Steel, Manuel Göttsching, Lucinda Williams, David Axelrod, Belle & Sebastian, Unwound, Jim O’Rourke, Whitney Houston, Bruno Pernadas, Harold Budd and always Prefab Sprout.
2020 MUSIC: Cindy Lee, Jessie Ware, TOPS, Yves Tumor, SAULT, Anna Von Hausswolff, Sea Oleena, Shabason Krgovich & Harris, Charli XCX, The Microphones, Eartheater, Ana Roxanne, TootArd, + so many more.
Shil K. Patel (Tiger Bomb Promo) ❤️
My Ten (Well Actually Eleven) Favorites Of 2020 That Tiger Bomb Didn’t Promote In Alphabetical Order
Armand Hammer — Shrines (Backwoodz Studioz)
Helena Deland — Someone New (Luminelle)
Dua Saleh — Rosetta (Against Giants)
Mary Lattimore — Silver Ladders (Ghostly)
Lomelda — Hannah (Double Double Whammy)
The Microphones — Microphones In 2020 (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
NNAMDÏ — Brat (Sooper)
Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately (Matador)
Sault — UNTITLED (Black Is) & UNTITLED (Rise) (Forever Living Originals)
Yves Tumor — Heaven To A Tortured Mind (Warp)
Mike Caridi (Double Double Whammy / The Glow / LVL UP) ❤️
top 10 things favorite activities i did in 2020
- sat on my roof
- slow cook chili
- lived in a camper
- smoke weed on a big tractor
- home made pizza
- learn to paint
- improve at skateboarding
- listen to only tusk by fleetwood mac
- not think of excuses to stay in
-look at houses i can’t afford on zillow
Mallory Hawk (Double Double Whammy) ❤️
Top 10 Things That Kept Me From Blasting Myself Into The Sun
charli xcx — how i’m feeling now
dunkin’
rock of love / flavor of love
straightiolab podcast
the sweet youtubers who taught me logic pro x
UNHhhh with Trixie + Katya
twirling in my room to adrianne lenker
roof spliffs + roof picnics
great british baking show
animal crossing new horizons
Michael Felder (Art Direction & Design @ MYKO FLDR) (Website / IG / Twitter) ❤️
My Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of 2020
10. Willo, “Slide”
9. BLXST, “No Love Lost”
8. Armani Caesar, “The Liz”
7. Busta Rhymes, “Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God”
6. Big Sean, “Detroit 2”
5. Lil’ Yachty, “Lil’ Boat 3”
4. Don Toliver, “Heaven Or Hell”
3. Mozzy, “Beyond Bulletproof”
2. FXXXXY, “Do You Trust Me?”
- Dinner Party (Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, 9th Wonder) — Dinner Party — Dessert
Jessi Frick (Father/Daughter Records) ❤️
Ten things that kept my light shining in 2020
Everything Megan Thee Stallion touches
How To with John Wilson
Putting my health first: cutting back on alcohol and making exercise a daily practice
I May Destroy You
Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Green Tea
Getting to know & work alongside Anjimile, Justine & Gabe
The bidet toilet seat I bought on a whim last Christmas
Baby Yoda
Pen15 Season 2
Love is Blind
Tori Benes (Tiger Bomb Promo) ❤️
My favorite records of 2020 paired with vanity license plates I saw this year
1. Waxahatchee’s St. Cloud & OURPURE
2. Eartheater’s Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin & BEA5T
3. Bullion’s We Had A Good Time & ZSTHDAY
4. Julianna Barwick’s Healing Is A Miracle & ONESOUL
5. Cabane’s grande est la maison & DR POET
6. Thanya Iyer’s KIND & BEBECAR
7. Dehd’s Flowers of Devotion & KRISPY
8. Adrianne Lenker’s songs & LIPS
9. Melody English’s Melody & AMORTAL
10. Harry the Nightgown’s Harry the Nightgown & MMGOOD 2
Chris Chew (Website / Instagram) ❤️
Top Ten Packet Ramens I tried this year (and sodium content per package)
1. Nongshim K-Army Stew (2020 mg)
2. Nissin Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu (2030 mg)
3. Samyang Buldak Jjajang Hot Chicken (1420 mg)
4. Indomie Mi Goreng Hot & Spicy (840 mg)
5. Nongshim Champong (1700 mg)
6. Samyang Kimchi Ramen (2100 mg)
7. Nongshim Neoguri Spicy Seafood (2020 mg)
8. Samyang 2x Spicy Hot Chicken (1360)
9. Nissin Demae Tonkotsu Pork (2200 mg)
10. Ottogi Jin Jjambong Spicy Seafood (1860 mg)
Ishaq Fahim ❤️
top 10 album cover illustrations + their respective artists
10. Orthy — Fable Living (@ian_orth_)
9. Sweeping Promises — Hunger for a Way Out (@dailyillustrated)
8. The Undercover Dream Lovers — It’s All in Your Head (@aaronlowell)
7. Holy Hive — Float Back To You (@zyn_vaites)
6. Tim Heidecker — Fear of Death (@robertbeattyart)
5. Babeheaven — Home for Now (@rivercousin)
4. Giraffage — Basketball (@keithrankin)
3. King Krule — Man Alive (@j.g.marshall)
2. 070 Shake — Modus Vivendi (@samspratt)
- Oneohtrix Point Never — Magic Oneohtrix Point Never (@robertbeattyart)
Jesse LeDoux ❤️
My 2020 survival guide: (I know, I know. Everyone has done them. But if there’s just one thing on this list that resonates with someone, it means SOMETHING in 2020 wasn’t a total disaster, right?)
1. Tom Bihn masks — Local Seattle company Tom Bihn has been making packs and bags for decades. They’ve brought that experience into mask-making. The neck strap allows you to remove your mask but always have it nearby. Not sure why this feature hasn’t been copied far and wide.
2. Karhu shoes — getting out and going for walks are IMPORTANT. Karhu’s are super comf, incredibly durable, and nobody ever asks where you got your Nikes.
3. Breathe. That’s all. JUST BREATHE. Make sure you suck it all the way down to the bottom of your belly.
4. Heather Cox Richardson’s daily Facebook posts — Her summary of the day’s top news stories make sense of the political chaos, giving us the historical background to realize we’re living in bat$#!+crazy unprecedented times.
5. Bill Callahan’s Gold Record — Lace up those Karhus, strap on that mask, put this on (and see #3).
6. Andy Griffith Show — If you’re able to look past the fact that there isn’t a non-white actor to be found (it started airing in 1960), take a trip to Mayberry for some simple stories about a simpler time.
7. tobewelcoming.com — Starbucks and Arizona State University teamed up to create a series of anti-bias classes on a wide array of topics (gender, race, age, class, nationality…). The best part? It’s all free. You WILL come out the other end a better person.
8. The Pandemic Has Turned Los Angeles Into a Walking City — a short visual essay by designer Geoff McFetridge. Poetic, sad, and beautiful, done at the start of the lockdowns for the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/23/magazine/los-angeles-coronavirus-diary.html
9. Smoking (food, not cancer sticks) — My big splurge this year was buying a smoker. Started by smoking some salmon. Made a brisket. Cooked the Thanksgiving turkey on it. Even made granola and cookies. Something important happens when you slow down the process. It gives you time to think, enjoy life, and appreciate the good things around you.
10. Most importantly, thanks to all the nurses, school teachers, grocery employees, restaurant workers and everyone else who hasn’t had the luxury to work from home. You’re essential in more ways than one.
