Top 25 Albums Of 2021

Here are my Top 25 Albums of 2021. Enjoy.

25) Taylor Swift – Fearless (Taylor’s Version) / Red (Taylor’s Version) / Evermore

To be honest, I’m pretty much using the 25 spot here as an honorary mention for Taylor Swift. I don’t usually include reissues in my year-end lists, but I listened to both Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) quite a bit. Furthermore, they’re only semi-reissues, I suppose? Also, Evermore came out so late last year that it missed my 2020 list, but it definitely would have made it. Here’s to Tay.

24) Mono – Pilgrimage Of The Soul

Another year, another fantastic post-rock effort from Mono.

23) Low – Hey What

Low’s latest isn’t exactly accessible, but it does have a ton of damn good songs on it.

22) Crumb – Ice Melt

Crumb continues to make some of the best subtly trippy tracks.

21) Parquet Courts – Sympathy For Life

This is a really fun, accessible effort from Parquet Courts.

20) Bachelor – Doomin’ Sun

Melina Duterte (Jay Som) and Ellen Kempner (Palehound) make for a great team.

19) Sun June – Somewhere

Austin’s own Sun June really came into their own on this album.

18) St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home

This is St. Vincent’s weirdest album, but I sure do dig it.

17) Middle Kids – Today We’re The Greatest

Quality indie rock from Middle Kids.

16) TV Priest – Uppers

TV Priest with one of my favorite albums to blast while driving. Where do you sit on the big curve?

15) The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore

Another ear-pleasing effort from The War On Drugs.

14) Claud – Super Monster

This is such a personable (and catchy) album from Claud.

13) Alexalone – Alexaloneworld

My favorite album out of Austin in 2021 was this one from Alexalone.

12) Snail Mail – Valentine

Heck of a sophomore effort from Snail Mail.

11) Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha

Faye Webster’s voice is so damn enticing.

10) Big Red Machine – How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

Big Red Machine with one of the best produced albums of the year.

09) Shame – Drunk Tank Pink

A post-punk gem from Shame.

08) Amyl And The Sniffers – Comfort To Me

Amyl And The Sniffers‘ latest is such a blast.

07) Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee

What a stylish affair from Japanese Breakfast.

06) Squid – Bright Green Field

This sonic whirlwind from Squid never once failed to make me want to get up and move.

05) Illuminati Hotties – Let Me Do One More

The songwriting couldn’t be sharper on this Illuminati Hotties’ album.

04) Lucy Dacus – Home Video

Lucy Dacus with a whole set of very easy to listen to sad, crushing songs.

03) Deafheaven – Infinite Granite

The best shoegaze album of 2021. Thanks, Deafheaven!

02) Indigo De Souza – Any Shape You Take

This is such an engaging effort from Indigo De Souza. What a voice.

01) Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg

This is one of those years where I could endlessly shuffle my top 10 and be happy with the results every time. So, I figured here at the top I should slot in the album that I revisited the most in 2021, and it was this one from Dry Cleaning. It’s a weird affair, but it’s also a casual, fun, and smart album that always perks me up a bit. Additionally, Florence Shaw’s vocal style is just delightful.