Jeremy J. Fisette’s 2020 Round-up
Using three adjectives to describe each entry – no repeats.
Top 25 Albums of the Year:
01. Lianne La Havas, Lianne La Havas
Immaculate, slinky, impressive.
02. Laura Marling, Song For Our Daughter
Pristine, moving, beautiful.
03. Jessie Ware, What’s Your Pleasure?
Groovy, soulful, glistening.
04. Perfume Genius, Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
Chameleonic, intense, eclectic.
05. The Killers, Imploding the Mirage
Surprising, tight, electric.
06. Half Waif, The Caretaker
Subtle, intricate, compelling.
07. Trevor Powers, Capricorn
Transportive, unique, haunting.
08. Adrianne Lenker, songs
Complex, heartbreaking, inspiring.
09. Land of Talk, Indistinct Conversations
Vivid, laid back, elemental.
10. Mary Lattimore, Silver Ladders
Lovely, soothing, gobsmacking.
11. Fleet Foxes, Shore
Overwhelming, sparkling, comforting.
12. Autechre, SIGN
Alien, unsettling, magnetic.
13. Moses Sumney, græ
Pointed, graceful, astonishing.
14. Throwing Muses, Sun Racket
Gnarly, detailed, fascinating.
15. Keeley Forsyth, Debris
Strange, gorgeous, moody.
16. Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Idiosyncratic, percussive, alluring.
17. Bill Callahan, Gold Record
Funny, spare, touching.
18. Ana Roxanne, Because of a Flower
Otherworldly, serene, gentle.
19. The Chicks, Gaslighter
Bright, catchy, admirable.
20. Anjimile, Giver Taker
Robust, honest, tender.
21. Owen Pallett, Island
Intriguing, adventurous, smart.
22. Laura Veirs, My Echo
Emotive, melodious, revealing.
23. Sol Seppy, I.A.A.Y.A. Part One
Staggering, deliberately paced, generous.
24. Braids, Shadow Offering
Slinky, varied, immediate.
25. Isobel Campbell, There Is No Other
Rustic, enchanting, welcome.
Top 25 Songs of the Year:
01. Moses Sumney, “Virile”
Brash, industrial, intense.
02. Lianne La Havas, “Weird Fishes”
Transformative, impressive, superb.
03. Perfume Genius, “On the Floor”
Danceable, sunny, relatable.
04. Jessie Ware, “Spotlight”
Groovy, involving, vespertine.
05. Sylvan Esso, “Rooftop Dancing”
Loveable, catchy, uplifting.
06. Kate NV, “Sayonara”
Odd, fun, entrancing.
07. Fiona Apple, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”
Surprising, intricate, special.
08. Fleet Foxes, “Featherweight”
Beautiful, memorable, classic.
09. Laura Marling, “Held Down”
Strong, muscular, gorgeous.
10. Roisin Murphy, “Murphy’s Law”
Slinky, immersive, darkly funny.
11. Owen Pallett, “Fire-Mare”
Complex, staggering, layered.
12. Half Waif, “Ordinary Talk”
Dark, entrancing, intimate.
13. U.S. Girls, “4 American Dollars”
Funky, immediate, biting.
14. Lady Gaga, “911”
Robotic, fun, sad.
15. Braids, “Young Buck”
Personal, sticky, vivid.
16. The Killers, “My Own Soul’s Warning”
Charging, skyward, towering.
17. Jess Williamson, “Infinite Scroll”
Rustic, pretty, simple.
18. Bill Callahan, “Pigeons”
Funny, detailed, interesting.
19. Waxahatchee, “Fire”
Confident, earworm, forceful.
20. Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, “Temple”
Fiery, passionate, angular.
21. Adrianne Lenker, “anything”
Subtle, knotty, emotive.
22. Katy Perry, “Never Really Over”
Fluorescent, memorable, snappy.
23. Land of Talk, “Weight of That Weekend”
Smooth, tuneful, poignant.
24. Sufjan Stevens, “The Ascension”
Spare, sweeping, striking.
25. Phoebe Bridgers, “Kyoto”
Forward, touching, deceptively breezy.
Here’s a playlist I made featuring my Favorite 25 Songs of 2020. I wanted this playlist to function like a mixtape, with ebbs and flows, that you can listen to simply for the strength of the songs. It does not reflect some sort of “alternate ranking” – my list above is my official ranking.
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