MCCh 2020 (04) March 15

[Otisredding]

The best albums of 2020 (update March, 15)

The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 34 included sources). The weighted average is based on a formula that includes a) the average of ratings and b) the number of sources that have rated the album.

The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR + Australia: Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Humo; Indiestyle; Jenesaispop; Laut; Mondosonoro; Musikexpress; Nojesguiden; Ondarock; Plattentests; Sentire Ascoltare; The Music
UK: Clash; DIY; God Is In The Tv; Load And Quiet; Music OMH; The Guardian; The Line Of Best Fit; The Skinny
USA + Canada: Allmusic; Consequence Of Sound; Earbuddy; Exclaim!; Nothern Transmissions; Paste; Pitchfork; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Spectrum Culture; Under The Radar

Highlights: These are the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, Beardfood, BostonGlobe, Nowtoronto, Entertainment Weekly, etc…

New entry or Re-entry
Albums that have obtained new reviews and improved the score
Albums that have obtained new reviews but worsened the score

Out:
None

25 - Kiwi Jr.: Football Money - 73,6 (77,6 / 9)
Highlights: Comeback Baby - Leslie - Nothing Changes
Indie Rock



24 - Bonny Light Horseman: Bonny Light Horseman – 73,7 (77,4 / 10)
Highlights: Mountain Rain - Deep in Love - The Roving
Folk



23 - Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar - 73,8 (73,8 / 21)
Highlights: Become a Mountain - Sat by a Tree - Fell Into the Ocean
Neo-Psychedelia



22 - Boniface: Boniface - 73,9 (78,6 / 7)
Highlights: Oh My God - Ghosts - Dear Megan
Indie Rock



21 - Andy Shauf: The Neon Skyline - 73,9 (75,9 / 15)
Highlights: Try Again - Things I Do - Neon Skyline
Chamber Pop



20 - BTS: Map of the Soul: 7 – 74,5 (78,4 / 9)
Highlights: On - [Ugh!] - Black Swam
K-Pop



19 - Ben Watt: Storm Damage - 74,9 (78,6 / 10)
Highlights: Irene - Balanced on a Wire - Retreat to Find
Alternative Rock



18 - Kvelertak: Splid - 75,5 (79,9 / 8)
Highlights: Bråtebrann - Crack of Doom - Fanden ta dette Hull!
Hardcore Punk



17 - King Krule: Man Alive! - 75,6 (73,6 / 27)
Highlights: Alone, Omen 3 - Stoned Again - Cellular
Art Rock



16 - Mac Miller: Circles - 75,8 (77,4 / 16)
Highlights: Good News - Everybody - Complicated
Neo-Soul



15 - Georgia: Seeking Thrills - 75,8 (73,8 / 27)
Highlights: About Work the Dancefloor - Never Let You Go - 24 Hours
Electropop



14 - Keeley Forsyth: Debris - 76,2 (80,9 / 7)
Highlights: Lost - Look to Yourself - Large Oak
Avant-Folk



13 - Grimes: Miss Anthropocene - 76,9 (73,5 / 31)
Highlights: Delete Forever - My Name Is Dark - Violence
Art Pop



12 - Bill Fay: Countless Branches – 77,0 (79,6 / 13)
Highlights: Filled With Wonder Once Again - I Will Remain Here - Salt on the Earth
Singer-Songwriter



11 - Lanterns On The Lake: Spook The Herd - 77,1 (81,7 / 7)
Highlights: Every Atom - Before They Excavate - Swimming Lessons
Dream Pop



10 - Torres: Silver Tongue – 77,2 (77,1 / 21)
Highlights: Good Grief - Last Forest - Dressing America
Indie Rock



09 - Destroyer: Have We Meet – 77,2 (75,9 / 25)
Highlights: Crimson Tide - It Just Doesn't Happen - University Hill
Synthpop



08 - U.S. Girls: Heavy Light - 77,3 (77,0 / 22)
Highlights: 4 American Dollars - Overtime - Woodstock '99
Art Pop



07 - Tame Impala: The Slow Rush – 79,1 (75,8 / 31)
Highlights: Lost in Yesterday - Posthumous Forgiveness - Breathe Deeper
Neo-Psychedelia



06 - Soccer Mommy: Color Theory – 79,6 (78,6 / 24)
Highlights: Circle the Drain - Bloodstream - Yellow Is the Color of Her Eyes
Singer-Songwriter



05 - Makaya McCraven: We’re New Again – A Re-imagining - 79,7 (82,7 / 12)
Highlights: Where Did the Night Go - New York Is Killing Me - I'm New Here
Nu Jazz



04 - J Hus: Big Conspiracy - 79,8 (83,8 / 9)
Highlights: Must Be - No Denying - Play Play
Hip Hop



03 - Code Orange: Underneath - 81,1 (85,7 / 7)
Highlights: Swallowing the Rabbit Whole - Sulfur Surrounding - You and You Alone
Metalcore



02 - Porridge Radio: Every Bad - 81,2 (84,2 / 12)
Highlights: Lilac - Sweet - Don't Ask Me Twice
Indie Rock



01 - Caribou: Suddenly – 82,1 (79,4 / 29)
Highlights: You and I - Home - Never Come Back
Indietronica

[Otisredding]

*Insert annual comment about 70 and over albums here.*

26 - Halsey: Manic - 73,4 (71,7 / 26)
27 - Wire: Mind Hive - 73,3 (76,3 / 12)
28 - Moses Boyd: Dark Matter - 73,3 (77,0 / 10)
29 - Frances Quinlan: Likewise - 73,0 (75,7 / 13)
30 - Bambara: Stray - 72,9 (76,3 / 11)
31 - Sløtface: Sorry For The Late Reply - 72,9 (76,6 / 10)
32 - Pet Shop Boys: Hotspot - 72,9 (72,9 / 21)
33 - Tennis: Swimmer - 72,0 (75,7 / 10)
34 - Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling - 71,7 (74,4 / 13)
35 - Disq: Collector - 71,7 (76,0 / 8)
36 - Pinegrove: Marigold - 71,5 (73,1 / 16)
37 - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: X: The Godless Void and Other Stories - 71,4 (74,4 / 12)
38 - The Big Moon: Walking Like We Do - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
39 - 070 Shake: Modus Vivendi - 71,0 (73,0 / 15)
40 - Squarepusher: Be Up A Hello - 71,0 (71,9 / 18)
41 - Katie Gately: Loom - 70,9 (75,3 / 8)
42 - Bombay Bicycle Club: Everything Else Has Gone Wrong - 70,8 (70,5 / 22)
43 - Lauv: ~How I'm Feeling~ - 70,2 (74,5 / 8)

[vento vivimus]

Missing Greg Dulli - Random Desire - Royal Cream / BMG - 21/02/20
Metacritic: 11 / 7.6

AllMusic writes "Random Desire doesn't necessarily sound like the Afghan Whigs in their glory days, but it does a much better job of summoning the emotional energy and musical tension that made Congregation and Gentlemen classics, and it's the best music he's made since the end of the Whigs' first era."

[Rob]

Here is the updated playlist:

[Otisredding]

MCCh 2020 (05) March 31