Jesse Sendejas' 2020 Favorites:
1. The Difference Between Thieves and Crooks - Chatterbox and the Latter Day Satanists
Chatterbox & the LDS fuckin' killed it with their latest release. Thirteen beautiful, often driving, compositions slathered in the artfully crafted, poignant, lyrics I've come to expect from this roster of folk punk colossi.
Favorite track: "Hands in your pockets"
2. Ugly Is Beautiful - Oliver Tree
I've only recently stumbled across the otherworldly pop rap enigma that is Oliver Tree, but I am here for it. Irreverent, energetic, fuckin' brilliant shit.
Favorite track: "Bury Me Alive"
3. West Coast vs. Wessex - NOFX/Frank Turner
Two kickass artists covering each others' kickass songs? What's not to like? I grew up with NOFX tunes. I found Frank Turner's "Get Better" while traversin' a pretty rocky road a while back.
Honestly, I didn't see this one comin', but I'm glad it's here.
Favorite track (NOFX side): "Glory Hallelujah"
Favorite track (Frank Turner side): "Bob"
4. Not lost - GoldWolf
Haunting tunes, thoughtful lyrics, and brutal vocals from some of the sweetest folks I've ever had the privilege of callin' friends. They even let me yell some stuff on track three!!
Favorite track: "Six Sick Sips"
5. Silver linings - Less Than Jake
2020's been fuckin' dark. Thanks so much to Less Than Jake for a perfectly timed dose of catchy ska-punk introspection!! Relatable lyrics and that signature LTJ sound helps to inject some much needed ebullience into the final days of a somber 12 months. The whole album makes me feel like I'm a kid again. Makes the air in the mornin' smell fresher.
6. Burn It All! - Rent Strike
Rent Strike's May 1st release is only comprised of three tracks, but they pack more "Holy shit, that's rad." into nine minutes and forty-two seconds than alot of bands can pepper into an entire LP. The clever placement of instruments staves off any sense of stagnancy in the songs, and it certainly doesn't hurt that everything is recorded and mixed incredibly well. Burn It All! would be a great EP if it were just John and a guitar, but when all the other instruments and vocals kick in as they do in the closing swell of the titular track, perfectly panned in your headphones, it's just fuckin' killer.
7. Solar Opposites
A couple months into being quarantined in Texas Solar Opposites, from Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, released and it was the perfect distraction. I wouldn't say it's quiiiiite as clever as the aforementioned animated cultural phenomenon, but sometimes I just wanna shut my brain off and laugh at the antics of some cartoon aliens, ya know?
8. The Umbrella Academy season 2
Based on the comics of the same name created and written by Gerard Way (Yeah!! That one. The My Chemical Romance dude) the second season of The Umbrella Academy somehow improved on the already fantastic first 10 episodes. Great cast and an absolutely bangin' soundtrack!!
9. Lovecraft Country
Lovecraft Country's a wild fuckin' ride with more twists n turns than Lombard and it's definitely worth your time. I don't really wanna say anymore because I'd hate to spoil anything, but trust me it's great. Again, phenomenal cast and soundtrack.
10. Demon's Souls remake
This is a bit of an expectant entry on this list as at the time of typing this I've not yet had the chance to actually try out the Demon's Souls remake for myself, but I've played the original and I fuckin' adore it so I can't see how some updated graphics, new items, and the PS5's new DualSense controller wouldn't only serve to improve upon an already impeccable experience.
2020 has been pretty shitty, and havin' to buy a new calendar isn't gonna magically fix everything, but we'll be fine so long as we try our best to look out for one another, keep pushin' forward, and keep our eyes peeled for all those diamonds in the rough. Hope 2021 treats ya well!!
