Wednesday 30 December 2020

Explosions In The Sky


Explosions In The Sky probably don't need much of an introduction, as they are easily one of the biggest bands I've ever posted on here. As a quick overview, they are a four-piece post-rock band from Austin, Texas that began in 1999. They've become one of the most influential and emulated bands of their kind. The layered, melodic guitars soaked in reverb and delay have cropped up in a multitude of other genres and popularized a lot of soundtracks (some of which EITS contributed to directly). They're as epic and anthemic as their namesake suggests, making every moment monumentous. Thus, I figured they were the best closer for this year, which we can all at least pretend ended on a high note. Enjoy.


1. A Song For Our Fathers
2. Snow And Lights
3. Magic Hours
4. Look Into The Air
5. Glittering Blackness
6. Time Stops
7. Remember Me As A Time Of Day 

1. Greet Death
2. Yasmin The Light
3. The Moon is Down
4. Have You Passed Through This Night?
5. A Poor Man's Memory
6. With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept

1. First Breath After Coma
2. The Only Moment We Were Alone
3. Six Days At The Bottom Of The Ocean
4. Memorial
5. Your Hand In Mine

6. The Long Summer

Note: Temporary Residence Limited compilation to celebrate its 50th release

1. Day One
2. Day Two
3. Day Three
4. Day Four
5. Day Five
6. Day Six
7. Day Seven
8. Day Eight

1. The Birth And Death Of The Day
2. Welcome, Ghosts
3. It's Natural To Be Afraid
4. What Do You Go Home To?
5. Catastrophe and The Cure
6. So Long, Lonesome

Note: Bonus disc of remixes available here

1. Last Known Surroundings
2. Human Qualities
3. Trembling Hands
4. Be Comfortable, Creature
5. Postcard from 1952
6. Let Me Back In

1. Wilderness
2. The Ectastics
3. Tangle Formations
4. Logic Of A Dream
5. Disintegration Anxiety
6. Losing The Light
7. Infinite Orbit
8. Colors in Space
9. Landing Cliffs

SOUNDTRACKS

1. From West Texas
2. Your Hand In Mine (w/strings)
3. Our Last Days As Children
4. An Ugly Fact Of Life
5. Home
6. Daniel Lanois - Sonho Dourado
7. To West Texas
8. Your Hand In Mine (Goodbye)
9. Inside It All Feels The Same
10. David Torn - Do You Ever Feel Cursed
11. Lonely Train
12. Bad Company - Seagull
13. The Sky Above, The Field Below
14. A Slow Dance

Note: Score by EITS except where noted

1. Fires
2. Theme From Prince Avalanche
3. Dear Madison
4. Passing Time
5. Rain
6. Alone Time
7. Hello, Is This Your House?
8. Can't We Just Listen To Silence
9. Wading
10. Dear Alvin
11. The Lines on the Road That Lead You Back Home
12. An Old Peasant Like Me
13. Join Me on My Avalanche
14. The Adventures of Alvin and Lance
15. Send Off

Note: Score by Explosions In The Sky & David Wingo

1. Warriors
2. Waking Up
3. Briefing
4. Seal Credo / Landing
5. Checkpoints
6. Steve Jablonsky - The Goat Herders
7. The Decision
8. Set Them Free
9. False Summit
10. Murphy's Ridge
11. Steve Jablonsky - 47 Down
12. Axe
13. QRF En Route
14. Hunted
15. Gulab
16. Near Beheading
17. A Storm Is Coming
18. Steve Jablonsky - Letter Received / Taliban Attacks
19. Steve Jablonsky - Lone Survivor
20. Never, Never, Never Give Up

Note: Score by EITS except where noted by Steve Jablonsky

1. Manglehorn Lock and Key
2. Lightning and a Bottle
3. Did I Scare You?
4. Baseball Miracles
5. A Strange World
6. Peristalsis
7. The Lift
8. Paper Moons
9. Hello!
10. Kylie and the Lion
11. Beehive on a Mailbox
12. The Purge
13. Out to Sea
14. Can You Believe It?

Note: Score by Explosions In The Sky & David Wingo

Sunday 27 December 2020

Dropdead

Dropdead are a four-piece hardcore/powerviolence band from Providence, Rhode Island that began in 1991. They technically began in 1989 under the name Hellocaust, but after a few sound and line-up changes settled on the Dropdead we all know and love in 1991. Named after the Siege release we all know and love (see here), Dropdead were initially relentless in release after release of extreme punk rock, becoming a foundational aspect of powerviolence and hardcore as a whole. Their short songs, bursts of noisy aggression and vehement DIY ethics and politics defined the band in their most influential era.


Despite being one of the most notable names in powerviolence and hardcore, their discography remains a fucking nightmare to try and cobble together. They've put out multiple splits, multiple recordings of the same songs, and numerous releases all inexplicably left as self-titled, no matter the years and track listing differences that span between them. Having said that, with the most recent release of a new LP (their first official full-length since 1998), their Bandcamp has made it much easier to access all their material. They released compilations that contain their early material, and long-spanning "mid" material, right up until the modern era and release of Dropdead 2020, their most recent album. The name sounds like an update on their old sound, when in reality is just a stark reminder of the messages they've been espousing since the early 90's, and keeps in line with the tried-and-true sound that they both defined and continue to perfect, reminding us why there is no other band quite like the one, the only, Dropdead. I didn't include the new Bandcamp/streaming releases, inside put together as many individual releases as I could for this to include both sides of splits, individual artwork and track listings, etc. If you want to make your life a little easier though, their Bandcamp or any major streaming service is the place to be. If you're looking for just the essentials, Discography 1991-1993, 落とす死, 2nd LP, and Dropdead 2020 have you covered, but start with 落とす死. Enjoy.

1. Intro
2. Unjustified Murder
3. At The Cost Of An Animal
4. Doorway To Extinction
5. Direct Action
6. Wound Runs Deep
7. Power
8. Ignorant
9. The Circle Complete
10. Attention
11. Confused
12. Easy Way Out
13. Follow Blindly
14. Protest
15. Chosen Path
16. War System
17. Do You Choose Life?
18. Untitled
19. Strengthen Your Conviction
20. Untitled
21. Legacy Of Death
22. Only A Fool
23. Survival

1. Unjustified Murder
2. Doorway To Extinction
3. Strengthen Your Conviction
4. Protest
5. At The Cost Of An Animal
6. Direct Action
7. Power
8. Chosen Path
9. Survival
10. Bullshit Traditon
11. Wound Runs Deep
12. Do You Choose Life?
13. Ignorant
14. Only A Fool
15. You Have A Voice...

1. Dropdead - Washed Away
2. Dropdead - Living In Fear
3. Dropdead - Confused
4. Dropdead - Attention
5. Dropdead - Deliver Yourself
6. Dropdead - Control
7. Dropdead - Life In Chains
8. Dropdead - Endless Slaughter
9. Dropdead - I Will Defy
10. Dropdead - The Truth Behind
11. Dropdead - Fucking Assholes
12. Dropdead - Legacy Of Death
13. Dropdead - No Glory
14. Dropdead - Still You Follow Blindly
15. Rupture - OD On THC
16. Rupture - Little Johnny's Dead
17. Rupture - The Human Race Can Fuck Me Up The Arse
18. Rupture - Justification Of Your Life
19. Rupture - Ake Är Gud
20. Rupture - Permanentia Intoxica
21. Rupture - Acid Orbit
22. Rupture - Rescue The Future? Get Fucked!
23. Rupture - I'm Having A Fucking Flahsback
24. Rupture - Fucking Old Cunts Need A Kick In The Head

1. Dropdead - New World Slaughter
2. Dropdead - Sheep
3. Dropdead - Belly Full Of Lies
4. Dropdead - Requiem
5. Dropdead - Bosnia
6. Dropdead - Nazi Atrocities
7. Crossed Out - Supremacy
8. Crossed Out - Selfserve
9. Crossed Out - Neglect
10. Crossed Out - Suffocate

1. New World Slaughter
2. Sheep
3. Requiem
4. Belly Full Of Lies
5. Bosnia
6. Nazi Atrocities
7. Herd
8. No Glory
9. At The Cost Of An Animal
10. Clone
11. Army Of Hate
12. Stolen Life
13. Still You Follow Blindly
14. Internal (Crossed Out)

1. Hopeless
2. Bullshit Tradition
3. Sheep
4. A Nation Sleeps
5. Do You Choose Life?/Deliver Yourself
6. At The Cost Of An Animal
7. I Will Defy
8. Army Of Hate
9. Bosnia
10. You Have A Voice
11. Fucking Assholes
12. Strength In Your Conviction
13. Nazi Atrocities
14. Herd
15. Monument To Stupidity
16. Unjustified Murder
17. The Circle Complete
18. Clone
19. Only A Fool
20. Requiem
21. Control
22. Life In Chains
23. Stolen Life
24. Chosen Path
25. Wake of Deception
26. Washed Away
27. New World Slaughter
28. Fucking Assholes Pt. II
29. Ignorant
30. Regression
31. Klan
32. No Glory
33. Still You Follow Blindly

Note: Also known as "1st LP", "Dropdead" or "Dropdead 1993"

1. Unjustified Murder
2. Doorway To Extinction
3. Strengthen Your Conviction
4. Protest
5. At The Cost Of An Animal
6. Direct Action
7. Power
8. Chosen Path
9. Survival
10. Bullshit Traditon
11. Wound Runs Deep
12. Do You Choose Life?
13. Ignorant
14. Only A Fool
15. You Have A Voice...
16. Washed Away
17. Living In Fear
18. Confused (Buried Deep)
19. Attention
20. Deliver Yourself
21. Control
22. Life in Chains
23. End The Slaughter
24. I Will Defy
25. The Truth Behind
26. Fucking Assholes
27. Legacy Of Death
28. No Glory
29. Still You Follow Blindly
30. Wake Of Deception
31. Swedish Medley
32. New World Slaughter
33. Sheep
34. Belly Full Of Lies
35. Requiem
36. Bosnia
37. Nazi Atrocities
38. Whatever I Do
39. The Circle Complete

1. Bullshit Tradition
2. Unjustified Murder
3. You Have A Voice
4. Sheep
5. Requiem
6. No Glory
7. Spirit Lies Broken
8. Control
9. New Would Slaughter
10. Hopeless
11. Herd
12. Washed Away
13. Army Of Hate
14. I Will Defy
15. Life In Chains
16. The Circle Complete

1. Witch Hunt
2. Spirit Lies Broken
3. Fade
4. Those Who We Deny
5. Prison
6. Hope Is An Option

1. Superior
2. Bitter Fruit (The Seed)
3. Those Who We Deny
4. Tied Down For Survival
5. Clay
6. Idiot Icon
7. Part Two (The Enemy Within)
8. Witch Hunt
9. Nothing Less Than Lost
10. Stone
11. Us And Them
12. One Inside One Hundred
13. Justify Your Violence
14. Spirit Lies Broken
15. Dead Inside
16. Life Disease
17. I Will Stand
18. What Once Was Life

Note: Also known as "Untitled", "Dropdead" or "Dropdead 1998"

1. Bullshit Tradition
2. Control
3. Unjustified Murder
4. Sheep
5. Requiem
6. Those Who We Deny
7. Mindless Icon
8. Witchunt
9. Herd
10. Army Of Hate
11. Bosnia
12. Prison
13. What Once Was Life
14. No Glory
15. You Have A Voice
16. At The Cost Of An Animal
17. Still You Follow Blindly
18. New World Slaughter
19. I Will Defy
20. The Circle Complete
21. Stolen Life
22. Part II
23. Life In Chains

1. Dropdead - The Truth Will Remain
2. Dropdead - Empire Of Done
3. Dropdead - At The End Of Days
4. Dropdead - A Disease Called Man
5. Dropdead - Scream At The Wall
6. Dropdead - Awaken Sleeper
7. Totalitär - Hur Orkar Vi
8. Totalitär - Nu Gar Jag
9. Totalitär - Du Ar Status Du

1. Dropdead - What Once Was Life
2. Dropdead - Witch Hunt
3. Dropdead - Prison
4. Dropdead - Dead Inside
5. Dropdead - I Will Stand
6. Unholy Grave - Sneak Attack/Justice?
7. Unholy Grave - Goddamn Bullshit
8. Unholy Grave - Innocent Blood
9. Unholy Grave - Wish?
10. Unholy Grave - Burning Anger

1. Superior
2. Bitter Fruit (The Seed)
3. Unjustified Murder
4. Idiot Icon
5. The Enemy Within (Part 2)
6. Sheep
7. Requiem
8. Dead Inside
9. Those Who We Deny
10. Army Of Hate
11. Witchhunt
12. Us And Them
12. Us And Them
13. What Once Was Life
14. You Have A Choice
15. No Glory
16. One Inside One-Hundred
17. At The Cost Of An Animal
18. Still You Follow Blindly
19. I Will Stand
20. Life In Chains
21. Herd
22. Wake Of Deception
23. Tied Down For Survival
24. Prison
25. I Will Defy

1. Dropdead - What Could Be
2. Dropdead - Boxed In
 3. Dropdead - Brick By Brick
4. Dropdead - A Final Question
5. Dropdead - Words of Truth
6. Dropdead - Another Stone
7. Look Back And Laugh - Fuel The Conquest
8. Look Back And Laugh - Hero's Salute
9. Look Back And Laugh - Kick The Chair

1. Converge - Runaway
2. Dropdead - Paths of Glory

1. Dropdead - A Fall Of Empires
2. Dropdead - Last Breath
3. Ruidosa Inmundicia - Asco
4. Ruidosa Inmundicia - Donde Esta La Solucion
5. Ruidosa Inmundicia - Blanco Y Negro

1. Dropdead - Foundation
2. Dropdead - The Final Chapter
3. Systematic Death - Suji
4. Systematic Death - Dashing

1. What Could Be

Note: Recorded in 2004

1. Dropdead - Harvest
2. Dropdead - Indoctrination
3. Brainoil - Inherit The Reflection Of Stasis

1. Arms Race
2. Give It Up

1. Prelude
2. Torches
3. Road To Absolution
4. Only Victims
5. Warfare State
6. Corrupt
7. God Illusion
8. Vultures
9. The Black Mask
10. Ashes
11. Book Of Hate
12. Flesh And Bone
13. Stoking The Flame
14. Bodies
15. Hatred Burning
16. Nothing Remains
17. Abattoir Of Pain
18. Stripped By The Knife
19. Hail To The Emperor
20. Before The Fall
21. United States Of Corruption
22. Will You Fight
23. The Future Is Yours

Saturday 19 December 2020

Best Of 2020

It's not easy to use "best of" and "2020" in the same sentence, but for the sake of tradition we will. For all the downsides that came with it, this year did bring a plethora of amazing music to the table, with so many albums being the only thing that made it semi-bearable. Below is a list of a few albums that definitely had that impact on me. Keep in mind this is not a definitive "best of" ranking, rather a purely personal "favourites" list. This is just a loose ranking based on relative enjoyment, not a concrete "4 is better than 5" type listing, if that makes any sense at all. Basically, take all this with a grain of salt. Formatting for this is a little different than previous years, as the old ones looked fine on desktops but a nightmare to view on mobile. A Spotify playlist is also available at the end if that's of interest to you.

Please feel free to let me know what albums stuck out to you most this year, or if there's anything wrong with mine. I've got a few more posts to go before the end of the year, and then I'll see you in 2021. Enjoy.

Honourable Mentions

Seahaven - Halo Of Hurt
I'm Glad It's You - Every Sun, Every Moon
Viva Belgrado - Bellavista
I Love Your Lifestyle - No Driver
Laura Jane Grace - Stay Alive

50. Frail Hands - parted/departed/apart


49. Caustic Wound - Death Posture

48. METZ - Atlas Vending


47. Envy - The Fallen Crimson


46. Gulfer - Gulfer


45. Exhalants - Atonement


44. Dropdead - Dropdead 2020


43. Stormlight - Natoma


42. Frances Quinlan - Likewise


41. Stay Inside - Viewing


40. Childish Gambino - 3.15.20


39. The Strokes - The New Abnormal


38. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene


37. Duma - Duma


36. Drain - California Cursed


35. Code Orange - Underneath


34. Dehd - Flower Of Devotion


33. Nuvolascura - As We Suffer From Memory And Imagination


32. No Note - If this is the future then I'm in the dark


31. the Mountain Goats - Songs For Pierre Chuvin


30. Nø Man - Erase


29. Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension


28. Young Jesus - Welcome To Conceptual Beach


27. The Microphones - Microphones in 2020


26. Gulch - Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress


25. The Weeknd - After Hours


24. Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter


23. Matt Berninger - Serpentine Prison


22. Taylor Swift - folklore


21. Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide


20. Owen - The Avalanche


19. Record Setter - I Owe You Nothing


18. Jeff Rosenstock - No Dream


17. Respire - Black Line


16. Idles - Ultra Mono


15. Bright Eyes - Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was


14. Backxwash - God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It


13. Infant Island - Beneath


12. Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud


11. Fleet Foxes - Shore


10. Bartees Strange - Live Forever


9. Touché Amoré - Lament


8. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart On Fire Immediately


7. clipping. - Visions Of Bodies Being Burned


6. Dogleg - Melee


5. Run The Jewels - RTJ4


4. Brian Fallon - Local Honey


3. Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters


2. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher


1. Spanish Love Songs - Brave Faces Everyone



As a quick note, the songs chosen for the second play aren't necessarily my favourite from each, just tracks I thought would be good representations of their respective albums. There are also two albums in the top 50 not on Spotify, which are available here and here.

So that's it. Again, thank you for the continued interest in this blog, and I'm glad it's still kicking around. Please do let me know what your favourites from this year were, as I'm sure there's a ton that I completely missed or overlooked. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year (though I'll see you before then) and thanks again.