In The Loop Magazine Staff Picks For 2021 – Best of 2021

Dec 31, 2021 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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Each year, In The Loop Magazine‘s staff write up our favorites from the current years end. This year is no different. Though we’re still in a global pandemic, there were some highlights in the music scene that are worth noting. There were albums released that need to be talked about and shared. There were a few tours that actually happened. And a couple shows we could physically attend. Check out our staff picks of the best of music in 2021.

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James Currie:

This year was another difficult and lack luster year for music as pre pandemic goes anyway. Not that there wasn’t anything good that came out of it, but just limited. Limited shows, limited releases and limited physical interactions that make the Chicago live music scene as glorious as it should be. Thankfully we didn’t shut down completely. We did get some festivals like Lollapalooza and Riot Fest, albeit, a slightly discombobulated, they still took place with fairly light repercussions or heavy waves of COVID-19 outbreaks. They didn’t turn out to be the super-spreaders many feared thanks to proper protocols put in place by festival organizers and cautious fans.

One of the good things about being in lock down (if there really are any) is that most musicians have studios in their homes and could write and release with somewhat ease. This included everyone from the top down. We got a new Beatles documentary with remixed songs and unreleased tracks. We got new music from bands who had big plans on anniversary tours and mega super outings who put those on hold and concentrated on making new music and getting it released. We got special edition vinyl releases, streaming concerts and video interviews. We got local favorites to collaborate and create new projects and EP’s. It wasn’t all that bad. Especially if it meant keeping everyone safe for the future.

Here are my favorite releases for 2021. Since I was home so much (as compared to traveling or attending shows every week), I got a chance to listen to things I normally might not have. A slow down that honestly was welcomed when all was said and done. I discovered a pretty big mix that I’m pretty excited about not only for new artists, but genres I now have a better appreciation for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a metalhead at heart, but this is probably the biggest mash up of genres to date ranging from Indie Pop to Post Punk to Dark Metal to R&B Funk.

Some artist were unusually quiet during the year and I would have to heard something from Lords of Acid, Slayer (RIP) or Jane’s Addiction, but here’s to 2022!

Special note: I am grateful for the last minute release from one of my favorite 90’s Psychedelic Brit-Pop Bands, Kula Shaker, as they put out a free holiday EP ‘Kula Christmas’. Along with this, a promise to release a full length album in the new year.

These are in no particular ranking order, just my alphabetized top 20 albums of 2021.

1. Angels and Airwaves: Lifeforms
2. The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are the Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings
3. Bruno Mars / Anderson .Paak: An Evening With Silk Sonic
4. Buddy Guy: I Was Walking Through The Woods
5. Carcass: Torn Arteries
6. Courtney Barnett: Things Take Time, Take Time
7. Dirty Honey: Dirty Honey
8. Gary Numan: Intruder
9. Gojira: Fortitude
10. Halsey: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
11. IDLES: Crawler
12. Remi Wolf: Juno
13. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: L.W / Butterfly 3000
14. Lord Huron: Long Lost
15. Mammoth: Mammoth WVH
16. Mdou Moctar: Afrique Victime
17. Ministry: Moral Hygiene
18. Royal Blood: Typhoons
19. Snail Mail: Valentine
20. Wolf Alice: Blue Weekend

Concerts didn’t really start until mid year. June was the beginning of the festival and live events. They were limited and few and far between and had more often than not last minute schedule changes or cancellations due to COVID-19 with either band members, staff or cities coming down with the sickness or not following pandemic rules. There were more than a few that I wanted to see that got cancelled or post-poned like Ministry’s Industrial Strength Tour, Dead Can Dance and Warundra. Even the big festivals got hit with headliners cancelling making many question, why not just cancel it all and try again next year i.e. Riot Fest Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More and others. Most stayed away from the smaller clubs but huge outdoor festivals ran free. I limited myself as well, but these are a few of the stand outs for me, but pretty much any live show was a great show.

Best Concerts of 2021:

1. Metallica @ Metro
2. Genesis @ United Center
3. Angels & Airwaves / Limp Bizkit @ Lollapalooza
4. Rival Sons @ The Riviera Theatre
5. Run The Jewels and DEVO @ Riot Fest

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Kurt Baran:

“I Found Grace Inside A Sound”

Top 10 Albums of 2021

1. IDLES: Crawler
2. Dry Cleaning: New Long Leg
3. Wolf Alice: Blue Weekend
4. Turnstile: Glow On
5. Japanese Breakfast: Jubilee
6. Lucy Dacus: Home Video
7. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage
8. Black Midi: Cavalcade
9. Naked Raygun: Over The Overlords
10. Olivia Rodrigo: Sour

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Phillip Solomonson:

My best 2021 concert was beyond imagination. So great I saw it twice. Stewart Copeland’s Police Deranged For Orchestra. Saturday, September 11th, in collaboration with The Cleveland Orchestra, drummer, conductor, arranger and (even) guitarist, Stewart Copeland navigated the audience on a musical journey of rearranged Police songs. From a soundtrack of his 2006 DVD ‘Everyone Stares: The Police Inside and Out’ documentary. Copeland’s run and-gun 8mm films gave viewers a glimpse from his perch on-stage and on top of the world. Copeland arranged Police compositions for the soundtrack. A process he has labeled as derangements.

At times deranged songs unfold in a cacophony before settling into the familiar radio-friendly arrangements. This left me anticipating and guessing like a deadhead between jams. First on his drum kit, then at the conductor’s podium, and even played guitar on The Beds Too Big Without You. Stewart is animated, fun, engaging, and talented like a god amongst men.

Awe why not? I caught the concert again on December 2nd. This time with the distinct pleasure of attending The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s newly renovated home. The inaugural season. This took the performance to another level in this ornate classical music venue.

As far as pure creative genius and reinvention goes, this is in the same ratified air as David Byrne’s American Utopia. Multiple dates are scheduled for Nashville. Check it out. https://www.stewartcopeland.net/716/events-and-tours

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Christopher David:

1. Failure: Wild Hype Droid
2. Aimee Mann: Queens of the Summer Hotel
3. Snail Mail: Valentine
4. The Unseen: The Goatman (OST)
5. The Beths: Live In Auckland
6. Film School: We Weren’t Here
7. Four Eyes: I Hope This Finds You Well
8. Gary Numan: Intruder
9. St. Vincent: Daddy’s Home
10. Dayglow: Harmony House

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Jake Barlow:

Top Concerts of 2021

1. Slipknot
2. Megadeth
3. Riot Fest (Great seeing DEVO for possibly the last time)
4. Lollapalooza

Songs that jumped out at me that I’m listening to are Canons – Fire For You The Neighourhood- Devil’s Advocate Missio – Can You Feel The Sun The Backseat Lovers – Kilby Girl Black Pistol Fire – Look Alive Elephant Heart – Lenguas Grandson- Blood in the Water Black Pumas– Fire Meg Myers – Desire Alt-J – U&Me Samsara Blues Experiment – Second Birth Spaceslug – Wasted Illusion Nothing But Thieves – Futureproof.

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Alex Valentovich:

1. ETID – Radical Formed in 1998 and somehow these legends of southern style hardcore / metalcore only get better with age. Possibly their best record yet, which is saying a lot given their insane catalog.
2. Hawthorne Heights – The Rain Just Follows Me The biggest shock of 2021 is Hawthorne Heights releasing an all killer no filler album. Not always the biggest fan of these emo / metalcore long term Warped Tour runners but this new album seemingly infuses their sound with the sounds of the bands that came up along with them.
3. Heart Attack Man – Thoughtz And Prayerz
4. Taylor Swift – RED (Taylors Version) The biggest and best pop singer out there. You know you’re great when your new re-recorded album with only a handful of new songs and additions can make a top 10 again.
5. Turnstile – Glow On The band making hardcore known again. Infusing that’s 90s hardcore sound and other genres into the fold Turnstile continue to be a band making their own path and trend. While their sound changes album to album this has infused a little of everything from the surfer vibes to the two steps.
6. Can’t Swim – Change Of Plans Spiritbox – Eternal Blue Possibly metals most talked about band of 2021 and for good reason. Courtney and Spiritbox lead the way in mixing heavy with some of the most beautiful and sincere moments you could wish for from a metal band.
7. Dying Wish – Fragments Of A Bitter Memory Gods Hate – Gods Hate The perfect music to beat someone up to or get beat up to. It’s heavy, it’s relentless, it doesn’t care what you think.
8. AJR – Ok Orchestra AJR in 2021 have blown me away. The catchiest radio pop rock band out there exuding energy, positivity, and good times throughout.

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Ed Spinelli:

Best Live Concerts of 2021

1. Limp Bizkit at Lollapalooza
2. Post Malone at Lollapalooza
3. Patti Smith at Riot Fest
4. Wilco at Summerfest (Milwaukee)
5. Genesis at United Center
6. Bob Dylan at Auditorium Theatre

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Angela Urban:

Sawyer Brown. All the Sawyer Brown.

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Harrison Christoph:

I didn’t get out to any shows this year, but I did listen to some great music and see some cool live stream concerts. These are my highlights of 2021.

1. Ministry: Moral Hygiene – This new album from Al Jourgensen and company was a great call back to not only earlier Ministry sounds, but pulls from his other side projects like Lard and Pailhead. While it’s still fresh, there are trace amounts of classic effects, writing style and tone.
2. Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage – For this one, we get a mix of sound that is Cave and Eliss. It’s slow but deep. Play this one when you feel the need to steep on something or chill.
3. Snail Mail: Valentine – Lindsey Jordan brings out all the feels on this one. It’s got some great rocking tracks as well as her now signature sound of personal music from the soul.
4. St. Vincent: Daddy’s Home – Anne Clark just never seems to disappoint. With Daddy’s Home, she keeps things new incorporating new guitar techniques and digital sounds. She writes from personal stories and fantastical theories.
5. Lord Huron: Long Lost – With a twanging guitar and slang in his voice, Ben Schneider takes the country sound a little further mixing it in with modern subject matter. The country feel and soulful vibes run deep in this album.

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Bobby Talamine:

Bobby Talamine’s Top Albums of 2021: The list

Always a head scratcher year in / year out to try to whittle it down from so many choices. And seemingly, it seems with every passing year more and more releases come out in every genre imaginable, with so much music often being overlooked. Nevertheless, here’s what I played and listened to the most throughout 2021, in no descending order.

1. Goat Girl – “On All Fours” – Frenetic energy throughout, with terrific songwriting. And to think that this album was released back in January of this year, and still resonates. That says lots.
2. Mogwai – “As the Love Continues” – A band that never disappoints, and knows how to embrace the darkness, and write succinctly about the darkness. The band has been around for awhile, like over 25 years, and have always maintained stellar musicianship that captures your attention. Another album that was released back in February of this year, and still holds up to this very day.
3. Actors – “Acts of Worship” – A dark and sensual record that breathes in the air of shadowy pop and post punk undertones, never flinching into more common elements, and weakening the sauce. Jason Corbett and his band compel the listener to dig deep into its grooves and uncover the nuggets within, through repeated listens. I’ll gladly oblige.
4. The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am no Longer Afraid to Die – “Illusory Walls”-  I hear classic Yes in this album. I hear sophistication of musicianship throughout as well, with commanding singing and songwriting. I hear a band taking lots of risks, especially with two songs clocked in at the end that are well over 15 minutes each. And it’s never boring. And it works and works. And all of it is so gloriously hard hitting and melodic as all get out.
5. Turnstile – “Glow On” – What the fuck is going on here? Is this Hardcore? Is this crazed and distorted rhythm and blues? Is it spacey synths defying all of your expectations with the occasional bone crunching riffs? Why yes- it’s all of the above, and compelling throughout.
6. Floating Points with Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra – “Promises” – A cosmic mind meld of coolness, with sophistication to melody front and center- never ever condescending or abiding to one upmanship. Blurring the lines between ambient, classical, and jazz, leaving you quietly breathless and relaxed and refreshed, knowing full well that it’s cool knowing a guy like Pharoah is in his eighties and can still create and compose, with stellar contributions from Sam Shepherd. So worthwhile.
7. Gojira– “Fortitude” – The seventh studio album from these bludgeoning wizards. Ambitious to a T, and made more special by the very fact that Joe Duplantier is questioning everything in our state of the world, but doing it in such a cohesive and yet frightening manner of display. You better have the musical chops to back all of this up, that’s for sure. You dive into the deep end of the pool while bringing us all in- there’s no room for mental and physical error. And they succeed on all counts.
8. Converge & Chelsea Wolfe – “Bloodmoon I” – To be able to shred, and maintain the shred, and yet expand on your sound with the feverish wails and downright passionate singing with Chelsea Wolfe speaks volumes. All compositions- devastating and pummeling, yet majestic and compelling. A head turner in scope and blessed throughout with talented musicians who want to push and feel and discover more and more, and take risks. My kinda collaboration to discover again and again.
9. Low – “Hey What” – Oh my God- this album. Distorted slowcore that speaks volumes from the great north state of Minnesota. Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk continue to obliterate typical song structures- instead finding a happy place of adding ambient and electronic music into the fold, and doing it with panache and not second guessing there reasons for such pursuits. All the while making an album with not a weak song in the bunch. Emotional ear candy, that’s for sure.
10. Idles– “Crawler” – And this is the album that had (and still has) the most repeats for me since its release in mid November. Joe Talbot and Idles- clearly the preeminent band for exploratory post punk and urgent care kind of music. And to think that this release comes out within less than a year from their last album, “Ultra Mono”, back in September of 2020. That should tell you something- that Idles has lots and lots to say, and you better pay attention. So voracious and commanding, knowing full well going in that Talbot has so much to talk about- his ongoing battles with addiction, a near fatal car accident to contend with as well, let alone the political discourse that’s typically also front and center. And to say that bands like this have run their course, with the proverbial call of “Been there. Done that”. Allow Talbot to punch you in the face for even thinking that. This band takes no prisoners, and relishes in going full steam ahead from trauma to triumph. I for one love knowing time and time again how much I love to root for this band to succeed. They never ever disappoint, both on record, or witnessing them perform live. My favorite album of 2021.

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Colette Custin:

1. Judas Priest at Rosemont
2. Michigander at Lincoln Hall
3. Slipknot at Tinley
4. Senses Fail at Joshua Tree Livestream
5. Tristen at Schubas

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