#10. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – ‘PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation’

PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation is a fantastic album. From its evocative storytelling about the destruction of our planet to Michael Cavanagh’s outstanding performance on drums, it showcases King Gizzard’s ability to effortlessly blend between genres.

#9. Black Country, New Road – ‘Live at Bush Hall’

There is a uniqueness to Black Country, New Road’s latest album Live at Bush Hall compared to their previous albums. Firstly, the album is a live recording of the songs they have been performing on the road. Secondly, and arguably the most important reason: it’s the first album to not feature Issac Wood’s voice since he departed the band last year. Whilst Live at Bush Hall is a different album from their previous two, I appreciate that the band does not try and simply replicate and replace Issac Wood’s voice. Live at Bush Hall allows each member to explore their identity away from Issac, whilst also still alleviating the parts I most enjoy from Black Country, New Road.

#8. Wednesday – ‘Rat Saw God’

Karly Hartzman, the lead singer, and lyricist of the band has some truly stellar storytelling as she guides you through a small American town. Throughout the album exists a sense of existential dread which the band builds upon through the intensity of their instruments. Wednesday succeeds in the mood they try and create throughout the project, creating a haunting collage of characters as they try to navigate a variety of emotions.

#7. Black Pumas – ‘Chronicles of a Diamond’

Despite coming out in October, the focus of psychedelic R&B and soul blends together to create a perfect summer album. The album holds similarities to their first debut, but also departs and moves onto a more unique and developed sound. Eric Burton’s voice has an incredible range in this album, each song allowing him to showcase his variety.  

#6. Sufjan Stevens – ‘Javelin’

Throughout the album, there is a fleeting sense of time. This album is an intimate album about his partner who passed. Time as a concept is presented concerning grief which is demonstrated from the very first song to the end. Lyrically Sufjan is at his best with each song managing to pack a punch in one way or another. Javelin is a tender look at grief and a deeply intimate album.

#5. Olivia Rodrigo – ‘GUTS’

GUTS kicks off her sophomore album by exclaiming she is an ‘all-American b*tch’. It’s catchy and touches upon the hypocrisies women face. It’s set the stage for the rest of the album, where she explores toxic relationships, to never feeling pretty enough. Each song is carried by Olivia’s charismatic performance and strong vocals, demonstrating a sense of growth from SOUR. It’s another fun pop album from the artist that’s guaranteed to help you through heartbreak.

#4. Caroline Polachek – ‘Desire, I Want to Turn Into You’

Desire, I Want to Turn Into You is a fantastic art-pop album. Throughout the album, Polacheck ranges from a varied use of instrumentals such as the Spanish guitar, and electric bass riffs which helps to create a tropical atmosphere across the album. Polacheck’s album, after losing her father to COVID-19 focuses on the different ways we try to seek a safety net, even if it consumes us whole in the process.

#3. Kara Jackson – ‘Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?’

U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate of 2019 Kara Jackson released her first debut album this year. It’s a quiet folk album that expresses so much to say on loss. Whether it’s from the loss of a friend who had passed, the loss of a relationship, or to loss of self. To accompany this deeply lyrical, personal, and at times philosophical album is her guitar which she uses to alleviate her point. It’s a beautiful album, with one of my favorite album covers of the year.

#2. Mitski – ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’

Mitski returns with another standout album that focuses on the parts we wish to hide from ourselves. The theme of love is at the center of this album, with Mitski offering different philosophies on the subject. Her love and loneliness are synonyms, whereby the only sense of salvation is the sense of self-proclaimed love in “My Love Mine All Mine.” Accompanied by a sweeping orchestra in the background, Mitski’s production is rich, making it one of her best albums to date.

#1. Nicole Dollanganger – ‘Married in Mount Airy’

Never has an artist got under my skin in the same way Nicole Dollanganger can. Married in Mount Airy is a gothic depiction where each character lives and breathes long before and after the song finishes. Her songs are deeply rich in storytelling, so much so you can feel the intensity of the character’s pain as they face such immovable forces. The production on this album is phenomenal, the eerie doubletracking helps elevate the gothic atmosphere, demanding you to pay attention to each character. Nicole is well known for attention to dark subjects such as trauma, true crime, and murder, and Married in Mount Airy is no different. However, she does it in such an effortlessly cinematic way, that I often find myself turning back to it trying to pick apart the many interpretations she offers.

Written by: Amy Burchett