Until you rob a hypebeast, you ain't seen sadness

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

#18 : RTJ4 - Run The Jewels

Marching through tracks with a “mind on a mission on the road to perdition”, the rap duo leave a wake of flame streaked across each one. El-P fills his lyrics with funny Burroughsian grot and non sequiturs that somehow make perfect sense, while Killer Mike dispenses scorn like ticker tape on some of his most proficient bars yet. Authority figures from warmongers to the Twitterati are dispensed with as the duo seem to embrace chaos as a means of making change. The beats feel a part with classic hip-hop, but churn with cyberpunk heaviness. The pair will get their wish: “May our tombstones read: they were nothing to fuck with.”

I've somehow managed to avoid RTJ so far - not intentionally because my suspicion was I'd quite like them.  And it appears I do - but a whole album's worth was a bit of a stretch.  There is a load of skill on display with words spitting out relentlessly and I mean RELENTLESSLY - it just doesn't stop!  When it's like that, I find you have to really concentrate with the lyrics in front of you or you just have to let it wash over you - and I'm sorry to say but circumstances meant that I went for the latter option here.  However, I did pay attention during "a few words for the firing squad" though and I'd have to say it's powerful stuff

This is for the do-gooders that the no-gooders used and then abused
For the truth tellers tied to the whippin' post, left beaten, battered, bruised
For the ones whose body hung from a tree like a piece of strange fruit
Go hard, last words to the firing squad was, "Fuck you too"

Customers also listened to a load of people I've never heard of and DJ Shadow, which seems a strange mix.  Personally, I tend to prefer rap that has something to say and it definitely appears that RTJ have a few things on their minds, so I'm tempted to revisit this or look at some of their other stuff.  I was also most amused by some of their track titles like "Holy Calamafuck" on RTJ4 and who can forget their tender 2013 Xmas single "A Christmas Fucking Miracle"?!?  So, whilst the album didn't immediately grab me, I suspect this is more my fault than the album's - there's certainly a lot of love for it out there.

#17 : A Hero's Death - Fontaines D.C.

The Dublin band’s second album is so evocative, and produced in such a way you can feel the echo and space in a room, that it conjures a sense-memory of what gigs were once like: the jostling that glee turns into slam-dancing, the “mm” of agreement when a ballad ends. The mood is more downbeat than their debut and their growing pains are clear: frontman Grian Chatten furrows his brow, his heart and mind shifting as he ages, picking up wisdom and trying on identities. But his bandmates’ dynamism and energy, and his own quiet resilience, bears them all aloft. Quite simply one of the best bands in the world right now, who have something to say and the means to say it.

I didn't think I liked Fontaines D.C., so was surprised how much I enjoyed the opening track featuring a strong melody played by obviously competent musicians.  "Obviously I've got them confused with someone else", I thought and settled down to enjoy the album.  And then he started singing...

The lyrics aren't exactly brilliant (the opening track features the line "Life ain't always empty" 30 times) but I can live with that compared to the vocal delivery which I just found INCREDIBLY annoying.  I think the songs are strong though, so can I take the instrumental version please?  Or have a nice lilting female vocalist?

However, it's fair to say the internet disagrees with me - which is fine, there's plenty of room out there for differing opinions!  It's interesting to consider whether a younger me would have liked this - my tolerance for, shall we say, "differing" singing styles has definitely decreased as my age as increased (yes, I'm a grumpy old man now!).  "Customers also listened to" Idles and Working Mens Club which doesn't surprise me in the slightest - I'd also suggest Joy Division are a similar touchpoint.  Overall, I think it's a well-made album which just happens to violently disagree with me - hopefully they can forgive me.

#20/19 - Two strong women
#16/15 - Two I find tricky to describe