Before I was a photographer I was a freelance music journalist who covered every kind of music on the planet. When I started doing photography full-time seven years ago, it was cool to retire from my music writing career. Do you know how nice it was to listen to an album and not have to come up with an opinion about it?
Years later, I’m still a music junkie and, because I spend a whole lot of time in front of a computer, editing pictures, I get to listen to a lot of albums. A LOT of albums. Like 2 or 3 a day, on average.
Though I no longer have to come up with an opinion as my job, like anyone, my opinions still happen naturally and I have my favorites. So here are my 6 favorite records of 2021, along with the brief notes I might have made as I listened.
Strawberry Mansion - Langhorne Slim
My highest rated album of the year (4.5 on a scale of 5) oddly has no notes attached to it. I was probably busy listening and not thinking, which is the best way to go. For certain, there’s a hopeful spirit about this record that transcends the words and music. (If you’d like to read an interview I did with Slim — aka Sean Scolnick — you can check one out here.)
Todd Snider - First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder
The time I first listened, all I said was “I love it,” probably because it’s all soul and funk and acoustic guitars. If I understand correctly, this was inspired by a series of Sunday morning online concerts that Snider did during lockdown (and the spirit shows).
Dave Alvin - From An Old Guitar (Rare and Unreleased Tracks)
“Rare and unreleased” can mean true gems or pure garbage (hence the reason why they were unreleased). In this case, it’s the former that happens here. And you gotta love the guy’s voice.
Tom Jones - Surrounded By Time
Yes, Tom Jones is still alive (he’s 81 years old) and he’s still recording (this is his 41st album) and it went to #1 in the UK, making him the oldest legitimate pop star on the planet. And, to be honest, he sounds AMAZING. My original notes summed it up": “Tom’s a dude.”
Amethyst Kiah - Wary + Strange
I came to this album late in the game — just a few weeks ago, in fact — and though I didn’t rate it as numerically high as others, it probably deserves a 5 out of 5. It’s that good. Or, as I said at the time: “Wow.”
Allison Russell - Outside Child
Pure magic. ‘Nuf said.
Runner’s Up
(aka albums released in 2020 that I just go to this year)
Waylon Payne - Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher and Me
Herman Dune - Notes from Vinegar Hill
Bonny Light Horsemen - Bonny Light Horsemen (probably the best album I’ve heard in the past 4 years)
Justen Farren - Pretty Free
John Craigie - Asterisk The Universe
Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways