In a year where nothing went as planned, music carried us through with unforgettable hooks and fiery riffs that we will be spinning well into 2021.
Ranting about the moments and experiences 2020 stole from us is effortless. There are trips never taken, concerts delayed, albums shelved, and potential life-changing opportunities that never came to fruition. At Haulix, we are trying hard to reflect on all the good that 2020 brought, especially with music. There are albums and artists we discovered this year that made the last twelve months more bearable. We heard songs that we will sing until our lungs give out, and we found a lot of emerging talent that we will see as soon as live music returns.
It is impossible to name all the artists and records that made this year worth surviving, but here are ten releases we believe saved 2020.
Laura Jane Grace – Stay Alive (Polyvinyl)
Punk icon and bestselling author Laura Jane Grace gave 2020 a much-needed dose of good news by surprising her fans earlier this week with Stay Alive, the singer/songwriter’s first solo album. Featuring fourteen tracks produced by Steve Albini in early July, the record perfectly depicts the swirling chaos of emotions that many have felt throughout 2020. It’s a record about wanting to be anywhere other than where you are, possibly in someone else’s skin, all while coming to terms with the ever-present need to love ourselves. It’s an album that is both aching for escape and basking in the often overlooked pleasures of being alone, which is to say, it’s a perfect summary of what most of us are dealing with right now.
Spiritbox – Holy Roller 7” (Rise Records)
Spiritbox is the best new band of this and any other year in recent memory. Formed in 2017 by husband and wife duo Courtney LaPlante and Michael Stringe, Spiritbox recently signed with Rise Records as part of a partnership between the influential label and Pale Chord. The first product of that deal is this 7”, which packages the group’s breakout single with a remix featuring Crystal Lake vocalist Ryo Kinoshita. The new track doesn’t add length to the song, but it does help make an already brutal song hit a bit harder. That should be enough fans champing at the bit for the band’s next release, which we hope arrives sooner than later. Until then, “Holy Roller” remains a strong contender for song of the year
Bearings – Hello, It’s You (Pure Noise)
Canadian rock band Bearings deliver a large amount of heart and hooks with their latest full-length record. Hello, It’s You captures the epic highs of young love and our deep-rooted longing to belong in a manner that never ceases to captivate its audience. Do you wish you were anywhere else doing anything else right now? Have you found yourself yearning to find a way back to a simpler time? Are you embracing the endless possibilities of adulthood with wide-eyes and a cautious spirit? If one or more of these questions hit home, then there is at least one song on this record for you.
Run The Jewels – RTJ4
Some may say RTJ4 is more of the same, but that is an oversimplification of Run The Jewels’ latest offering. The elements that fans have come to expect are present, yes, but they are more refined. The beats are funkier, and there is more precision in the lyrics. The message of RTJ4 is never up for debate. Run The Jewels make groove-heavy rap for a working-class population that is more aware than ever of the oppression that they face and the need for immediate change. Though the duo cannot facilitate systemic upheaval on their own, they are doing their part and ask that we do the same.
Lamb Of God – Lamb of God (Epic)
Expecting Lamb of God to deliver a great album is like expecting grass to be green or water to be wet. The metal titans are one of the longest-running bands in the modern heavy music scene, and they never miss their mark. Lamb of God’s music speaks to the importance of maintaining forward momentum and how personal evolution is the key to a long and happy existence. That isn’t to say that progress is smooth or doesn’t require pain, but the group’s 2020 self-titled album tells us that endurance through hard times often produces the most significant art and understanding that humans can achieve.
Sharptooth – Transitional Forms (Pure Noise)
Transitional Forms is about more than music scenes and whatever stupid rules people try to enforce within it. Much like Sharptooth’s catalog, the album aims at numerous political and societal issues. It touches on economic strife, sexual assault, vulnerability, and how far too many people never practice what they preach. It captures the struggle and anger experienced by oppressed people from different walks of life and lays bare that things must change. It’s a call to action as much as it is a razor-sharp criticism of those who continue to walk through life, turning a blind eye to the realities of existence. Over the last decade, the group’s travels have shown them that most people want things to change, but few are willing to get off their asses and do the work necessary. Sharptooth is already doing their part, so why can’t you?
Best Ex – Good At Feeling Bad (No Sleep)
Not one to fall into the tropes of Bukowski or Salinger that entangle many of her musical peers, Mariel Loveland’s style of storytelling is one of wide-eyed optimism presented in the face of uncertainty with unabashed honesty. She’s neither the hero nor the villain in her journey. Her perspective is that of a world traveler that has felt the overwhelming joy of mass acceptance and the cold chill of failure. Good At Feeling Bad, the latest work from Best Ex, is about what comes after all that, where the real adventure begins. Loveland knows anything is possible, and she’s open to whatever the next chapter entails. [Full review]
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – Reunions (Southeastern)
Reunions examines the role we play in the world around us. Jason Isbell and his band, The 400 Unit, leave no rock unturned in their search for answers to life’s biggest questions regarding purpose and grief. The album provides few solutions on either front but finds comfort in acknowledging that we are on this journey through the chaos of existence. If we can learn to love one another and shed the weight of stress and mistakes from our past, Isbell believes we can find a lasting sense of peace amidst the turmoil of our daily lives. It’s a big idea that some will think impossible, and he understands that. Rather than giving listeners an optimistic ear-beating, he focuses on crafting undeniably soulful songs in hopes people will reconsider our limitless potential for change. [Full review]
Trivium – What The Dead Men Say (Roadrunner)
What The Dead Men Say, Trivium’s ninth studio album, reflects on the past in hopes of saving the future. The band – Matt Heafy, Corey Beaulieu, Paolo Gregoletto, and Alex Bent – pull from everything they’ve done to deliver an album that serves as a thesis statement for Trivium’s career. It’s a relentlessly heavy yet undeniably melodic exploration of existence that pulls from philosophy and mythology in equal measure to paint an elaborately-detailed portrait of what makes us human. Fans will hear hints of the youthful confidence that fueled Ember To Inferno and Ascendency, alongside the grit of In Waves and melancholy of Silence In The Snow. How Trivium combines these seemingly conflicting ideas gel is one of the record’s many wonders. That said, the real mastery lies in their ability to do so while also creating incredibly accessible music for new listeners. [Full review]
Fit For A King – The Path (Solid State)
Growing up is never easy. Fit For A King has been the go-to breakdown band of modern metalcore fans for the last decade, but The Path marked a clear attempt at evolution unlike anything found on the group’s previous releases. The band didn’t abandon their roots as much as they continued to develop their signature combination of riffs, thunderous drums, emotional catharsis, and high-gloss production. The result is The Path, an undeniable sonic leap forward that is as catchy as it is empowering. It’s the kind of record that makes you believe anything is possible while motivating you to work harder toward becoming your best self. It’s what all great music you should be, and we cannot wait to hear where the band goes from here.
The records highlighted here represent a tiny fraction of the many great releases promoted through Haulix in 2020. We want to thank all of our clients for their continuing effort to bring great music to the masses. Let’s work together to make 2021 the best it can become.
