This year has been a mess, but a hallmark year for records. I could name five without blinking that I believe are forever records. I can name one that broke my heart, and changed something in me. Ruston Kelly’s Shape and Destroy. This album was released earlier this year, but better late than never.

I came into this record as a fan. I’m exactly who an artist like Ruston Kelly hits: someone raised on traditional music, with a taste for the more eccentric punk/emo tracks. When you add those things together you’d think you get something that’s pretentious, without direction, and confused about what it wants to be. This is not that, this is something that is made to reach down your throat, close its hand around your heart and pull it out while you watch. It’s painful, but it’s supposed to be. It’s voyeuristic as an artistic choice. It’s personal by design.