I guess it's like electrolytes

Continuing my trip up The Guardian's Best Albums of 2020 list...

#30 : Shore - Fleet Foxes

It’s been a year of letting go, a prospect more comforting for some than others. In the former camp was Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, flying essentially solo on the group’s fourth album. The clenched fussiness of 2017’s Crack Up abated for more subtly detailed, openhearted arrangements – padded and cottony on Featherweight, earnest and loving on Sunblind, a tribute to departed songwriters such as Richard Swift and Arthur Russell – as Pecknold resolved to accept the things he cannot change, to surrender to contentment and honour community in divided times: “We’ve only made it together, feel some change in the weather.” 

I quite liked Fleet Foxes first album - it was a collection of average songs elevated beyond mediocrity by some beautiful harmonies.  So imagine what would happen if you made a similar album but took away the beautiful harmonies.  Ah, that's a bit unfortunate, isn't it?

Customers also listened to Sufjan Stevens which I can see but is another critical blindspot for me - everyone seems to love Illinois when it came out, except for me who was left scratching my head.  And looking at Wikipedia (which has a surprising amount to say about this album) it seems this is a similar situation.  Oh well - never mind, eh?  In my opinion, far and away the best thing about this album is the cover art.  It has been a useful exercise though because I now know how to pronounce Sufjan (it's Soof-yan, if you're interested!).  

#29 : Circles - Mac Miller

Released after his death from an accidental drug overdose, Miller’s final album showed the evolution of his artistry. The rapper had already been stretching out into the role of a Bruno Mars-ish funk singer, and here he tries that out at a lower tempo, seeming to really enjoy letting his voice reach for longer notes or more fragile types of song: psychedelic balladry, indie-folk, white soul. It’s tough to consider how much further he might have wandered next.

I was aware of Mac Miller - really only because of his famous girlfriend and early death (sadly only 26).  I had no knowledge of his music and had always assumed he was a sub-par Eminem wannabe, so wasn't expecting much from this.  But whatever I was expecting, I wasn't expecting what I got - it's a hard album to pigeonhole (and I certain wouldn't use "psychedelic balladry, indie-folk, white soul)..  I've gamely struggled and come up with "very slowed-down rap" - it's a very deliberate vocal delivery but at a lower speed and frequency than you'd expect, over some curious backing sounds.  Some of it is a bit meandering at times - I think the album would have benefited from more variation in pace - but overall it's an interesting listen.

Wikipedia doesn't have a lot to say about the album but does use the term "emo rap" which even I have to admit is a snappier genre name than "very slowed-down rap" - I think I might have to rebrand it as "vsd rap" which sounds more mysterious.  "Customers also listened to" a load of people I've never heard of, but somehow I doubt they sound all that similar to this album.  It's odd because I can't really claim I liked it, but I enjoyed listening to it and I suspect a re-listen would pay further dividends.  The lyrics are pretty heartbreaking in places, the album cover art adds to the impression of a conflicted personality and, for once, I agree with the Guardian reviewer when they say "It's tough to consider how much further he might have wandered next".  Overall, the whole situation just feels incredible sad to me - which suggests I've come a long way from my initial "sub-par Eminem wannabe" rejection.

#32/31 - Two hard to describe albums
#28/27 - One good, one not so much