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.

How Strange, Innocence (2000)

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 

Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever (2001)

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

The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place (2003)

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

Thank You (2004)

6. The Long Summer

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

The Rescue (2005)

1. Day One

2. Day Two

3. Day Three

4. Day Four

5. Day Five

6. Day Six

7. Day Seven

8. Day Eight

All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone (2007)

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

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (2011)

1. Last Known Surroundings

2. Human Qualities

3. Trembling Hands

4. Be Comfortable, Creature

5. Postcard from 1952

6. Let Me Back In

The Wilderness (2016)

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

Friday Night Lights (2004)

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

Prince Avalanche (2013)

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

Lone Survivor (2013)

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

Mangelhorn (2015)

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

Bandcamp

Website

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Apple Music

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.

Demo 1991 (1991)

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

Dropdead (1992)

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...

Dropdead/Rupture (1992)

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

Dropdead/Crossed Out (1993)

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

Live At The Jam Room (1993)

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)

落とす死 (1993)

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"

Discography 1991-1993 (1994)

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

Drop On - The Bootleg (1996)

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

Hostile (1996)

1. Witch Hunt

2. Spirit Lies Broken

3. Fade

4. Those Who We Deny

5. Prison

6. Hope Is An Option

2nd LP (1998)

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"

Humanity Is Burying The Earth With Its Rotting Carcasses (1999)

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

Dropdead/Totalitär (2002)

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

Dropdead/Unholy Grave (2003)

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

Live AJZ Wermelskirchen 1998 (2003)

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

Dropdead/Look Back And Laugh (2004)

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

Converge/Dropdead (2011)

1. Converge - Runaway

2. Dropdead - Paths of Glory

Dropdead/Ruidosa Inmundicia (2013)

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

Fighting For Life (2013)

1. Dropdead - Foundation

2. Dropdead - The Final Chapter

3. Systematic Death - Suji

4. Systematic Death - Dashing

What Could Be EP (2013)

1. What Could Be

Note: Recorded in 2004

Dropdead/Brainoil (2015)

1. Dropdead - Harvest

2. Dropdead - Indoctrination

3. Brainoil - Inherit The Reflection Of Stasis

Arms Race EP (2018)

1. Arms Race

2. Give It Up

Dropdead 2020 (2020)

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

Bandcamp

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Spotify

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

SPOTIFY (ALBUMS)

SPOTIFY (SONGS)

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.