2021 was a big year for me personally. I decided to return to college for the first time since 2008. I am studying broadcasting and production technology thanks to find a love of podcasting from the show. I decided the best way to make this my career is to return to school. After one semester I feel like I made the right decision.
Continuing with my top 200. Here are the picks for numbers 101 through 150.
From this batch, we have a couple more past guests. First is Gnawing with their first full length album. We talked about it on the show this week so go check out Part 2 of our best of 2021. The only other guest from this batch is Totally Slow. We had a blast talking with Scott this year about Dag Nasty. Totally Slow may have released their best album yet with Casual Drag.
Screamo is represented around the world with Italy’s Votto and Malaysia’s Piet Onthel. SNAG come from the Midwest and released an album about the end of the world; and Hundreds of Au put out another killer astro themed record.
Fox Face was one of my early contenders for album of the year and heavy without being metal or hardcore; a features that Rid of Me and Bummer also share.
Final Gasp head up the spooky brigade with their Samhain influenced brand deathrock. Black Marble and Flesh of Morning keep the goth vibes except in a dance scenario; and Qlowski get more post punk with it.
The anonymous Moroccan hardcore band Taqbir released one of the most urgent EPs of the entire year. Drip-Fed threw some boogie in their Texas hardcore; while Gel pummeled their way through your stereo.
Over in jolly all’ England, Idles worship continues strong but Shame releases a better version of it than the band who inspired the movement. On the more fun side of UK punk, Fresh and Cherym bring the joy. And if you want a perfect heartland punk album not made in the US, try Portsmouth’s Misgivings.
I listened to way more Spanish language bands this year with Farmaco, Ataque Zero, Mundo Primitivo, and Quiet Fear. They all offer something different musically and perspective-wise.
To wrap things up I’ll talk about the legends that released albums in this batch. Spoken in Tongues released their second full length album. Fronted by Billy Power of Blenderhead, he is one of my all time favorite artists and I am so happy he has returned to making music after years of absence.
Jim Ward of At the Drive-In and Sparta game returns with a solo rock record. Mac McCaughan primed us all for next year’s Superchunk album with an experimental collection of songs.
Lastly, Low released one of the most exciting albums of their later career, proving you don’t have to stop innovating.
That’s all for today. Be back tomorrow with numbers 51-100.
101. Votto - Quindi noi sbagliando facemmo giusto
102. Fox Face - End of Man
103. Final Gasp - Haunting Whisper
104. Gazeless - 861
105. Taqbir - Taqbir
106. Misgivings - Dream Neighbor
107. Drip-Fed - Kill the Buzz
108. Fresh - The Summer I Got Good at Guitar
109. Fiddlehead - Between the Richness
110. Springtime - Springtime
111. Spoken in Tongues - The Light at the End of the Tunnel is a Black Hole
112. Haiki / Awesome &roid - Split
113. The Canines - Guapo
114. Mehenet - Ng’ambu
115. Cherym - Hey Tori
116. Nanny - Can’t Remember, Can’t Forget
117. World Smasher - Big Head
118. Ghösh - Alien Nation
119. SNAG - Death Doula
120. Black Marble - Fast Idol
121. Cemento - Killing Life
122. Farmaco - Descolonizar
123. Flight Mode - TX, ‘98
124. Jim Ward - Daggers
125. Flesh of Morning - Here in Heaven
126. Two Thumbs Down - End All Be All
127. Shame - Drunk Tank Pink
128. Misty Eyed - Samsara
129. Militarie Gun - All Roads Lead to the Gun
130. Ataque Zero - Ataque Zero
131. Rid of Me - Traveling
132. Qlowski - Quale Futuro?
133. Gnawing - You Freak Me Out
134. Banzai - Swan Song Lullabies
135. Low - Hey What
136. Teen Creeps - Forever
137. They Might Be Giants - BOOK
138. Blanco Tranco - I’ve Been Dying to Tell You
139. Piet Onthel - ambo(I)enitaksu(p)odulu
140. Gel - Violent Closure
141. Mundo Primitivo - Paisaje Interior
142. Scrapheat - A Little Light
143. Education - Parenting Style
144. (T-T)b - Suporma
145. Bummer - Dead Horse
146. Hundreds of AU - Acting From Remote Satellites
147. Floating Room - Shima
148. Mac McCaughhan - The Sound of Yourself
149. Quiet Fear - Hasta la muerte si es preciso
150. Totally Slow - Casual Drag