Favorite Albums of 2020
Last year seemed like a banner year for releases, but the buzz for 2020 albums, tours and festivals had everyone thrilled for what was to come. No one imagined that all of that would come to a screeching halt in Mid-March when a global pandemic struck. It was a devastating blow to the performing arts community among so many other small businesses, the education system and the healthcare community. Many musicians had just released or were nearing release dates for their music, but were left unable to tour in support of it. Some chose to delay their releases and others forged on and released albums, EPs and singles anyway. We, here at The Amp, have a great deal of respect for those that took a gamble and provided the fans with one of the most important things to help get us through this difficult period. The power of music has continued to bring us together when we can’t join each other like we normally would. Thankfully, social media has allowed the artists to perform livestreams or even just promote their art. It’s allowed the fans to share music and continue to discuss and analyze it. Here at the Amp, we’ve made our own individual lists of our favorite three albums this year to share with our readers. We hope that you’ve listened to some of these amazing artists and their albums, but if not, we hope that you’ll at least give them a listen and perhaps find some new favorites.
Stephanie Blackburn
I found joy in so many artists’ efforts, narrowing it down to three was nearly impossible, however, the three I’ve chosen to highlight, in order of release, are from Sadler Vaden, Lilly Hiatt and Karen Jonas. Sadler Vaden, Anybody Out There?: Full of melodies, guitar solos, and psychedelic elements and combined with commentary on love, loss, and living, this album speaks wisely to contemporary themes. Telling us to disconnect from meaningless distractions in the ethereal “Anybody Out There” and reconnect with meaningful life and those you love, most notably sung in the anthemic “Next To You,” his message couldn’t have fallen at a better time. Lilly Hiatt, Walking Proof: Trinity Lane still hadn’t left my regular rotation when Walking Proof was released. When she sings, Lilly’s heart and soul are revealed for all to see. Her words and guitar on both “Move” and “Brightest Star” are shining examples of her melodic and lyrical genius, and the title track, “Walking Proof,” is more proof that her trajectory will continue to rise. Karen Jonas, Southwest Sky And Other Dreams: Drawn from both her imagination and her encounters while traveling, Karen Jonas synthesized her experiences into one storytelling masterpiece here. Her vocal brilliance and Tim Bray’s stellar style of guitar playing shift easily from the somber “Farmer John,” the vulnerable “Maybe You’ll Hear Me Then,” to the up-tempo “Tuesday,” and rounding out with the fun rockabilly of “Pink Leather Boots.” The characters shine through illustrated by her band of the Seths (Brown and Morrisey on drums and bass, and supported by Tom Hnatow on pedal steel and Wurlitzer). While there are several more I’d like to share, just know that any album I’ve written about this year is one that I love! A year like no other delivered music like no other, and I am looking forward to what 2021 brings for all of us.
Ryan Bush
Despite a year that put a huge hamper on live music gatherings and warm embraces with our concert friends, 2020 has seen some pretty damn good music releases, starting with Arlo McKinley’s latest album, Die Midwestern. The last artist to be signed by John Prine before his passing in April, McKinley’s writing ability stands alone, especially on the tracks of “She’s Always Around” and “Gone For Good.” The gruff softness of McKinley’s voice is a must listen, as is the haunting latest album from Jeremy Squires, Many Moons. It’s a dive into a creative sound built by Squires’ himself. The album is hauntingly beautiful and unique from the opening, “Hazy,” to the last track, “The Shade You Cast.” And in case you’re searching for a talent ready to explode, be sure to put your ears to Zach Bryan’s newest EP, Quiet, Heavy Dreams, and take the opportunity to appreciate a growing songsmith with a gritty, true voice. The lyrics of “Crooked Teeth” are simply fantastic, and exemplify the art of poetic storytelling.
Jolene Horihan
I’m grateful for the artists that pushed through the barriers of this year and shared their music with us. For so many like myself, it has been therapy. Music is medicine and it is essential. These are the top three albums that have guided me through 2020: Stephanie Lambring’s Autonomy is a gut-wrenchingly honest look at how society dictates issues women face in each phase of life. From revealing dark thoughts of one’s self in “Pretty” and “Little White Lie” to sneering at the wrong-doers and hypocrites of “Mr. Wonderful” and “Joy of Jesus.” It’s vulnerable and emotional and oddly uplifting. I can listen to this album and feel layers of the heavy load of life peel away. This album was definitely my favorite of the year. Justin Wells’ The United State was my most anticipated and it delivered on that hope and excitement. In a year when our country faced many obstacles including a pandemic, racial violence and a tumultuous election, Justin was there to remind us that we must seek unity, compassion and understanding. Look to those closest to your heart for support and like Justin sings, “It’ll All Work Out.” This album was a breath of fresh air when we needed it most. My favorite tracks are “The Screaming Song,” “Some Distance from It All” and “Ruby.” Brennen Leigh’s Prairie Love Letter played right into this Midwestern Plains girl’s heart. Maybe I’m biased, but I think Brennen proved herself despite my geographical connection. Not only did she bring together an all-star collection of players, her songwriting is witty, emotive and conscious. You don’t have to be from The Plains to understand what she’s trying to convey. Her words are detailed and picture-perfect. She’ll make you want to buy a “John Deere H,” regret that “You’ve Never Been to North Dakota” or have you protesting “You Ain’t Laying No Pipeline.” Real life experiences that are personal to me were definitely the main theme of the albums I was most impressed with this year. I think when you are thrust out of your normal rhythm of life, you cling to the elements that are most familiar. For as exceptionally good as so many of the albums are this year, I am intrigued to see what a year in quarantine does for the music of 2021.
Kerri McClinton
It seems like the albums that have spoken to me the most deeply this year have run along a personal vein that flows with themes of vulnerability, self-revelation, and the struggle to find joy in the midst of all of it. In Modern Appalachia, Sarah Siskind weaves an emotive tapestry of identity and self-exploration, using rawness, depth and vulnerability as the common threads that are so important to all of us, especially now when putting everything out there is more frightening, and yet, more necessary than ever, even if it looks different than it would have eight months ago. The Secret Sisters created an absolute stunner in Saturn Return. Track by track, the sisters deal with the changes and transformations of life. They nudge us to explore where we find our resilience when we’ve lived long enough to question everything. Saturn Return encourages us to shed the fears of our youth and the competition that often takes place among women, and instead opt for inclusiveness and understanding, for a better relationship with ourselves and others. Shape & Destroy (Ruston Kelly) follows along with the theme of change and struggle in the face of it all. If you know what it's like to struggle with addiction, with introspection and self, with getting sober, with overwhelming change, with shit that hurts but is unfortunately necessary, with growing up and learning how to find joy in the things that are truly meaningful, with shifting priorities, with learning that sometimes the biggest act of bravery is just continuing to get your ass out of bed, day in and day out, and believing that you as a human have meaning and purpose, even though so much around you has changed and you've changed, too, then for real, this is one you need to listen to without delay.
Mandy Mitchell
The Great World-Wide Quarantine of 2020 might have put a screeching halt to live shows and music business as usual, but judging by the plethora of cleverly-written and expertly executed albums released amid this year of woes and lows, it did very little to dampen or hamper the pen or artistic drive of some notable singer/songwriters. With a list of honorable mentions too extensive to visit even briefly, the following three albums struck a particular sentimental chord with me and deserve in-depth recognition. John Moreland’s LP5 was a drop I had been anxiously anticipating and one that did not disappoint. Moreland’s continuing evolution was on full display with this fearlessly creative collection; "East October," "Let Me Be Understood," and "When My Fever Breaks" being the standout tracks for my tastes. Nathaniel Rateliff’s And It’s Still Alright turned into a three month obsession, and in the end only sheer willpower kept me from spinning this record on incessant repeat for the remainder of the year. The coaxing, wistful lyrics of "And It’s Still Alright," "Mavis," and "Time Stands" earned top play for me daily. Lastly, all hail the artistic genius that is Sturgill Simpson. In a move that felt more than faintly defiant, Sturgill’s 2020 drop of Cuttin’ Grass has forever secured itself as one of my all time favorites. On the heels of the raucous and often transcendental 2019 rock album Sound & Fury (which left some tunnel visioned fans’ heads spinning), Sturgill has released one of the most genuine and forthright albums of the year in any genre. A virtuous hat trick of both heavenly and diabolical conception. Even listeners not fond of the banjo will, after listening to the album in its entirety, lose themselves in befuddled wonderment at the broad and extensive talent and range of Sturgill and the boys and girls “still working on the sound” with him. All tracks notable, the standout might be "I Don’t Mind." A genuine and sincere body of work, Cuttin’ Grass is my conceptually and demonstratively highpoint album of 2020.
David Overstreet
2020 was a tough year to get through, especially for concert junkies like us. But it did not keep great music from being created. The Balladeer is yet again another strong link in a long chain of amazing albums from renowned and often overlooked songwriter Lori McKenna. I am still floored at the idea that she is not a household name after 20+ years of writing, recording, and performing. Her latest album, The Balladeer, is a collection of songs written so close to her heart that they quickly make their way to yours. There are so many wonderful tracks on this album that will quickly have you happily singing along, noticing your eyes well up in tears, or drawing out old memories and feelings that still take your breath away. There are very few songwriters that have this gift. And it is because of this that I give her my #1 spot for the year. Anyone who knows me knows that Red Dirt and Texas Country are my go-to jams! So, when I heard that four of the heavy hitters in Texas Country were getting together to create a supergroup, that got my full and undivided attention. And The Panhandlers’ (Josh Abbott, William Clark Green, John Baumann, and Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry) self-titled album did not disappoint. At first, I wondered whose sound and style would dominate. I was pleasantly surprised that this seemed to be some of the best cowriting that I have ever heard. So much so, that no one artist stole the spotlight and that this was an entirely different sound altogether. They even took a Charlie Stout song, “West Texas In My Eye,” and made it their own and one of the biggest hits off that album. The album has many facets: some romantic, some sad, and others playful, but all centered on one theme: West Texas. Reckless Kelly’s double album American Jackpot/American Girls was originally planned as one album that Willy wanted to produce himself. While in the studio, with some time left over, he ended up writing and producing a full second album. They did not skimp on either the production or the songwriting on either album. Then they released it as a double album giving fans twice what they expected, which is not uncommon for the boys of RK to do. This double album was met with great expectations & strong radio support that generated quite a few hits like “American Jackpot,” “I Only See You with My Eyes Closed,” and “Lonesome on My Own,” and yet, the best stuff like “42,” “Anyplace That’s Wild,” or “Tom Was a Friend of Mine,” Willy’s tribute to his late friend, Tom Petty, are jewels that only those who own the album get to enjoy regularly. So, for both quality and quantity, this album gets my #3 spot for the year.
Melissa Payne
Although 2020 has been a terrible year in almost every way imaginable, the amazing music that has come out has almost made it worth it. It was a year of canceled shows and festivals, but also a year of livestreams, quarantine-inspired music and incredible songs that covered addictions, heartache, love and loss. This year many of my favorite artists released new albums and I found many new-to-me artists that released albums that spoke to me in a myriad of ways. According to Spotify, I discovered 686 new artists in 2020. The task of narrowing that huge list down to only three favorite albums seems daunting, but necessary. I’ve likely listened to Charley Crockett’s Welcome to Hard Times more than any other album this year. It perfectly fit my mood the last half of 2020 and “Wreck Me” feels like a personal anthem. With his signature blend of honky-tonk and Gulf-Western, Welcome to Hard Times is what I would imagine a spaghetti Western would sound like. Each new album from Charley somehow seems better than the last. Perhaps it’s him growing as an artist and realizing exactly who he is, but the songs, both original and covers on this particular album have made it one that I can’t get enough of. Rarely has a new-to-me artist impressed me as much as Malin Pettersen has with her album, Wildhorse. This Nordic artist and her album of songs inspired by her time in the US is a record that I’d reach for over and over again, because it’s an album that can suit almost any mood. Malin’s song, “California,” quickly became one of my favorite tracks. After one listen, I felt like I knew what the soundtrack of the 1960’s in California should have sounded like. “Mr. Memory” sounds straight out of the honky-tonk and if you didn’t know better, sounds like something pulled from the album of a 60’s country queen. Last, but certainly not least, Stephanie Lambring’s, Autonomy is the album that has made me cry the most in 2020. It’s tracks feel like each one was written for a painful part of your life. Whether it’s the awkwardness of being a pre-teen, struggles with organized religion or the constant striving for perfection that comes at a cost, Autonomy cuts to the deepest part of you with it’s raw emotions. There are so many other albums that I wish that I could talk about, but these three have left a significant impression on me, in this hellish year and for that, I couldn’t be more grateful.
Erin Reed
While on the surface it may seem as though 2020 didn’t provide much to brag about, but a little digging will prove new music was there when we needed it most. Juliet McConkey’s Disappearing Girl was my album binge of choice. The sincerity and lyrical depth kept me hitting play for months. McConkey’s debut album is clearly the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a successful career. Sturgill Simpson’s Cuttin’ Grass - Vol. 1 had all the comfort of coming home. The daring and artistic approach Simpson takes toward his music has solidified my place as a lifelong fan of his work, but there’s something about the familiarity of his back catalogue combined with his bluegrass roots that made this album particularly special. And Zephaniah OHora’s Listening To The Music delivered a breath of fresh air to what the world currently knows as country music. With its Merle-esque vocals and storytelling, guitar licks often reminiscent of Marty Robbins, and the distinct cry of the pedal steel, this is as close to traditional country as it gets.
Phillip Ring
Ruston Kelly's Shape and Destroy is an album of love, loss, triumph, failure; made of pure magic and beauty. It’s sad. It’s introspective. It’s well crafted. If you haven’t listened to this, do it now! BJ Barham is a songwriters' songwriter, and if Lamentations (American Aquarium) doesn’t show it, I don’t know what would. Timely and powerful tunes like “Better South,” and the title track “Lamentations,” speak to the hearts of those like myself; born, bred and indoctrinated with what Patterson Hood would call “the southern thing.” Sturgill Simpson's Cuttin’ Grass is the back catalog of Dick Daddy himself, stripped down with an all star cast, “The Bluegrass Avengers,” including the MONSTER player that is Sierra Hull providing the chop and the harmonies on some of my favorite songs of forever. I am the target audience for this.
Derek Scudder
In a normal year, I would be presenting my three “best” records of the year, but 2020 is anything but normal. My listening habits have been more like eating comfort food; stick with what you know and makes you happy. Instead, I am recommending these three from 2020 with parts of my reviews from The Amp. In a career filled with classic records, Lucinda Williams has delivered her best yet with Good Souls Better Angels. The lyrics are easily her most passionate ever and the band is rocking like never before. Nine new songs (plus 2 instrumental tracks) offer the same themes of cautious optimism and quiet resignation that prevailed in John Moreland’s previous collections, but the participation of an outside producer has given the tracks on LP5 a different sound. Beautiful guitar work of sideman John Calvin Abney is on display, as always, but the sparse arrangements of past albums have been tastefully expanded with keyboards and percussion. Forever Worse Better is a collection of songs that defy categorization. It rocks far too hard to be called Americana, it’s much too mature to be considered Pop, and it sure as hell ain’t any kind of Country. What it is, is Great Peacock. They call themselves “Nashville’s next great southern rock band,” and I can’t argue with that.”
We encourage you to support these artists and others that we have covered throughout the year. Maybe that means catching an upcoming livestream, buying some merch or sharing their music. Don’t forget about your favorite venues right now either. So many aren’t receiving funding to stay open and they are in dire straights. Do what you can to help support live music, venues and artists right now, as it’s going to take fans pulling together in order to get through this.
