2021 Media Roundup: Music

[sabotabby]

This is gonna be short as well, because 2021 was probably the worst year ever for music for me. At least with 2020, I was actively seeking out livestreams and dancing in my kitchen pretending to be at concerts. I had tired of this by 2021, and between my podcast addiction (more on that later) and general depression there just wasn't a lot that I'd bonded with enough to buy.

That said, there was some really excellent music this year and I'd be remiss not to mention it. So here are some albums I loved in no particular order, and my pick for best album of the year.

Zeal & Ardor by Zeal & Ardor: This is Manuel Gagneux's third Zeal & Ardor album, and he's been releasing it in dribs and drabs, so every so often I get a notification that a new track has dropped. Weird. Anyway, I've talked about them before—black metal fused with Black spirituals and chain gang songs and overall one of the most innovative sounds I've ever heard.

Black Encyclopedia of the Air by Moor Mother: How do I describe Moor Mother? I'll just post her description: Low fi/dark rap/chill step/ blk girl blues/witch rap/coffee shop riot gurl songs/southern girl dittys/black ghost songs/. This album is poetic, haunting, and weird as fuck, and I'm here for it.

We Are Lady Parts Soundtrack by Lady Parts: I'm going to talk more about We Are Lady Parts when I get around to my television roundup (spoiler: it was my favourite TV show of the year), but anyway I loved the show and its soundtrack so much that I bought the album just so that I could relive the show again. Female Muslim punk rock, and it stands on its own even without the show (but watch the show).

And my favourite album of the year: Connectivity by Grace Petrie. Soulful, heartbreaking, and very much a 2021 Big Mood, Grace's lyrics are pure poetry and her songwriting has put down little claws in my auditory canal and will not budge.

In the last few months, things have gotten kind of terrible for me, emotionally, and I have only been listening to one song. Over and over again. It's the last one on the album and if I die, you can play it at my funeral before launching my corpse at the Ford government. It's that perfect. Have a listen.

Watch on YouTube

Maybe you need a live version too:

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[flamingsword]

That is a goddamn fantastic song, and I’m going to link it around.

[sabotabby]

Right? Hence, on repeat, all the time.

[kore]

The highlight of my musical year was Dessa releasing a new single like every MONTH -- she called the series "Ides" -- and now there's an EP with selections from it, and also some great swag. She did great videos for the songs too. -- I'm worried about her, she just really ramped up touring. I hope she goes home. But that's about the only way musicians have to make $$$ anymore. I paid for each mp3 as it was released and got the digital and CD versions, but I know she was planning a big tour for it.

[sabotabby]

Ooh, I should check that out.

Part of why I was doing the livestreams last year is that I don't want musicians I love to go broke. But it was a harmful practice for me, emotionally, so I will find other ways to get them money, I think.

[ioplokon]

Moor Mother!

Also Lady Parts sounds up my alley. I'm a bit eh about soundtracks, but I'll give it a shot based on your recommendation.

[sabotabby]

Check it out. I'm normally not into soundtracks either but the songs are pretty fun. I can't find a video of their cover of "9-5" but apparently the thing I didn't know I needed was Dolly Parton covered by hijabi punks.

[moonblossom]

I told Ford on Twitter that I would see him in hell. LOL

[sabotabby]

I mainly use Twitter to hate-tweet him.

[moonblossom]

Me too!!!! :)

[nyctanthes]

Moor Mother. ♡

[sabotabby]

I am enjoying how many Moor Mother friends I have. <3

[rydra_wong]

You probably know this already, but Petrie is a fantastic trans ally (which means a lot in the UK's current TERF-riddled state):

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/10/22/grace-petrie-connectivity-trans-lesbian-transphobia/

https://twitter.com/gracepetrie/status/1451858296869113864

https://twitter.com/LaurakBuzz/status/1459285722163261443

[sabotabby]

I gathered by the absolute epic lyric:

And it's a bloody nightmare
Trying to fight the spread of bigotry and fear
That's uniting Piers Morgan and Germaine Greer
And all our progress
Yeah, I wonder who it's for
When I dared to utter that trans lives matter, yeah
And all I got was a TERF war

[disastrid]

The last time i saw zeal and ardour it was in Atlanta and the opening band was hilariously awful. Z&A always deliver live though. I was really hoping to see them on their European tour in 2020 but lol etc.

[sabotabby]

Yeah, I saw them live and they were brilliant. I was supposed to be seeing them again but 2020.

[rdi]

One of my biggest hopes for a future in which Covid is under control is that we get to see Grace play live here. In the meantime I’m just going to have to find time to learn a bunch of her songs myself...

[sabotabby]

OMG SAME

(Well, not the learning her songs. I just sing them in the shower, and not well.)

[metawidget]

Last year you got me listening to Bob Vylan, and now I've pre-ordered Zeal & Ardor. You might have won a grimy toaster or something.

[sabotabby]

HAH awesome. Though I have a very nice toaster already.

I'm a bit sad that all of the music I bonded with this year was work by artists I already loved. Usually I have a few new finds? But this wasn't the year for it.

[highlyeccentric]

You're right, i did need that live version. And I rather think that track might need to shoulder out "I will make it through this year" as ritualised NYE listening, this year...

[sabotabby]

Agreed. "This Year" is always on the playlist for me as well.

[frenzy]

super belated reply here, but I wanted to give everything a listen. I fucking love zeal and ardor (even if mega metal dudes dont anymore) I'd been hesitant to check out lady parts, esp because the title made me worry about transphobia. the music was good though so maybe I'll give it a try. everything else wasnt exactly my tea, but moor mother was good. just not for me.

[sabotabby]

Oh, there's no transphobia at all in it. There aren't any trans characters though. I think the name is just a reference to Spinal Tap.