Best music of 2020... so far

Does anyone have an explanation for 2020? Anyone?

Yeah, neither do I.

In other years I've tried to say something wry and bleak but ultimately hopeful about the current state of affairs, but I really don't have anything. The best I can do is this: support Black Lives Matter and remember that your actions affect other people (so maybe wear a fucking mask, yeah?).

In other words, take Dr. Dreyfuss' advice from The Apartment: " Be a mensch! You know what that means? A human being."

Here's my list of 25 favorite albums from the first six months of the year, followed by 50 songs.

Albums

1. The New Abnormal – The Strokes 

2. Dedicated Side B – Carly Rae Jepsen 

3. SOUTHSIDE – Sam Hunt

4. Notes On A Conditional Form – The 1975

5. Alfredo – Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist 

6. Everything – Kota the Friend 

7. how i’m feeling now – Charli XCX 

8. It Is What It Is – Thundercat 

9. The Album – Teyana Taylor 

10. Rough and Rowdy Ways – Bob Dylan

11. Truth or Consequences – Yumi Zouma

12. Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa 

13. Local Honey – Brian Fallon 

14. Women In Music Pt. III – HAIM 

15. After Hours – The Weeknd 

16. It Was Good Until It Wasn’t – Kehlani

17. Introduction, Presence – Nation of Language 

18. The Slow Rush – Tame Impala

19. Printer’s Devil – Ratboys 

20. It Was Divine – Alina Baraz

21. Cold Water – Medhane 

22. Everything Is Beautiful – Princess Nokia 

23. RTJ4 – Run The Jewels 

24. Modus Vivendi – 070 Shake 

25. Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman

Songs

1. "Murder Most Fowl" – Rough and Rowdy Ways – Bob Dylan

2. "People, I’ve been sad" – La vita nuova – EP – Christine and the Queens

3. "Young Once" – SOUTHSIDE – Sam Hunt

4. "Hard Feelings" – Local Honey – Brian Fallon

5. "Texas Sun" – Texas Sun – EP – Khruangbin and Leon Bridges

6. "party 4 u" – how i’m feeling now – Charli XCX

7. "Circles" – Circles – Mac Miller

8. "Tomorrow’s Dust" – The Slow Rush – Tame Impala 

9. "Don’t’ Stop… Demo" – Single – Oasis

10. "Something to Rap About" feat. Tyler, The Creator – Alfredo – Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist

11. "JU$T" feat. Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha – RTJ4 – Run The Jewels 

12. "Inside Friend" feat. John Mayer – Single – Leon Bridges 

13. "Fast Car" – Single – Black Pumas

14. "God Whispered Your Name" – Single – Keith Urban

15. "Martin " – Making a Door Less Open – Car Seat Headrest

16. "The Wall and I" – Introduction, Presence – Nation of Language

17. "Dear April" (Side A – Acoustic) – Single – Frank Ocean

18. "Southwark" – Truth or Consequences – Yumi Zouma

19. "Sweeter" feat. Terrace Martin – Single – Leon Bridges

20. "Cool" – Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa

21. "Stumble On My Way" – Pick Me Up off the Floor – Norah Jones

22. "Misunderstood" (Live in New Orleans) – Painted (Deluxe Edition) – Lucky Daye

23. "Endamame" – Single – Zacari

24. "Time Flies" – Dark Lane Demo Tapes – Drake

25. "Pretty Lady" – Single – Tash Sultana

26. "SAVAGE ANTHEM" – PARTYMOBILE – PARTYNEXTDOOR

27. "Bad Behaviour" – Single – Elli Ingram

28. "To Me" – It Was Divine – Alina Baraz

29. "Hate The Club" (feat. Masego) – It Was Good Until It Wasn’t – Kehlani

30. "King Prospero" – World As a Waiting Room – White Denim

31. "Rapper Weed" feat. Boogie – Single – SiR

32. "You Amaze Me" – Devotion – Margaret Glaspy

33. "Shawn vs. Flair" – Pray for Paris – Westside Gunn

34. "Fake Love" feat. Elcamino – No One Mourns the Wicked – Big Ghost Ltd and Conway the Machine

35. "Lockdown" – Single – Anderson .Paak

36. "Something Comforting" – Single – Porter Robinson

37. "Universal Soldier" – A Written Testimony – Jay Electronica

38. "sadder badder cooler" – Sunshine Kitty (Paw Prints Edition) – Tove Lo

39. "Dangerookipawaa Freestyle” – Single – Ab-Soul

40. "Magic Hour " – Chilombo – Jhené Aiko

41. "In A Good Way" – Single – Faye Webster

42. "Fall_Window" – Forever – Starchild and The New Romantic

43. "Strobe Lights" feat. Gallant – Produced By: Adrian Younge – Adrian Younge

44. "In the World" feat. Nick Hakim – Single – Lance Skiiiwalker

45. "Whiskey Regrets" – Single – Rationale & TS Graye

46. "More Than My Hometown" – Single – Morgan Wallen

47. "Stick That In Your Country Song" – Single – Eric Church

48. "Murphy’s Law" – Single – Róisín Murphy

49. "Headlights" – I Was Born Swimming – Squirrel Flower

50. "Chapter 319" – Chapter 319 – EP – clipping.

Missing from playlist:
50. "Chapter 319" – Chapter 319 – EP – clipping.

Album of the Week: My Morning Jacket The Waterfall

At their best, My Morning Jacket is an intergalactic amalgamation of classic rock and gritty soul, with a dash of funk style and prog-rock delivery.

So, it's fitting the first sound you hear on the band's newest album, The Waterfall, is what sounds like a spaceship taking off on a cosmic journey. The Kentucky band has never been content being earthbound, and on this album they present perhaps the most balanced mix of their alt-rock twang and Prince-soul stylings.

First, a bit of reassuring news – Jim James still has the best voice in music today, and to quote Killer Mike from Run the Jewels, if you don't believe me, "thenmaggot fuck, then fight me." He is capable of growling like a bear that just woke up from hibernation, deep, grumbly and husky, and then he sends it into the stratosphere with some of the most alarmingly lovely high notes I've ever heard (as heard on Z's "Wordless Chorus").

James uses his voice as a subtle tool on The Waterfall, and while his signing lacks some of the adventurousness found on Evil Urges, it may well be his most consistent album (from a vocal standpoint) in years. "Spring (Among the Living)" gives James a chance to show almost his entire range in one song, and lets the rest of the band follow along on a future funk journey of rebirth.

Rebirth and rediscovery are the themes of the album, and for all the sonic adventures the band takes, it features some of James' most personal lyrics. Several of the songs focus on the ending of a relationship and growing apart from the person you once loved.

On "Thin Line" James sings about the "thin line between loving and wasting my time," and how loving someone doesn't mean you belong together. And then there's "Get the Point," one of the album's prettiest numbers. It's also their version of Bob Dylan's funniest (and meanest) break-up songs, and is just beautiful in its simplicity.

This is the first time I've heard a string section on an MMJ album, and its use on the aforementioned "Thin Line" and "Get the Point" add some lovely flourishes. The strings are put to best use on closer "Only Memories Remain," which lets James do his sweet soul thing to draw the album to the close. It's easily their best closing song to date, and is easily one of the band's loveliest works.

The Waterfall features some of the bands catchiest songs since It Still Moves, and the group has become incredibly skilled at creating hooks that may not hit you over the head, but still manage to be subtly ingratiating, especially upon repeat listens. To wit, it's easy to see why "Big Decisions" was selected as the lead single off the album – it perfectly distills everything the band has learned about being "radio friendly" while remaining undeniably themselves. My Morning Jacket seems incapable of jettisoning who they are for a wider audience (praise be!) and we should all be grateful for it.

James and company have never been hesitant about wearing their influences on their sleeves, and they continue the trend here – there are the touches of Dylan (of course), bits of Neil Young in the southern stylings, Jimmy Page guitar-work, a bit of The Doors on the synths and keys, and of course Prince in James' voice. One of the highest compliments I can give them is while they've never hidden the musicians who've been influences, the way My Morning Jacket blends all these elements together creates a sound that is utterly original and exploratory.

There is a sense of exploration on The Waterfall that has me very excited about what My Morning Jacket has coming next. James has said in recent interviews that when the band got together they ended up with so much material that they basically recorded two albums, and the next one will be out early 2016, so we have that to look forward to. Until then, I'm more than happy to let the band carry me over the waterfall with this album – because as My Morning Jacket knows, the freefall leads to flight.

The Waterfall is out on ATO.