{"id":5787,"date":"2024-01-01T21:03:22","date_gmt":"2024-01-02T03:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/?p=5787"},"modified":"2024-01-03T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T20:01:45","slug":"my-albums-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"My Albums of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>By Sadie Almgren, all album art courtesy of rateyourmusic.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the year comes to a close, I reflect on what album release(s) have defined my year, and similar to the answer to any \u201cwhat\u2019s your favorite..\u201d question, there are too many to choose from. Instead of sharing just one, or two, or three, here is my yellow flannel style top 10 albums of 2023 list, as well as honorable mentions, both in no particular order\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>10,000 gecs<\/em> &#8211; 100 gecs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5788\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-40-06-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?fit=1206%2C1198&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1206,1198\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?fit=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?fit=640%2C636&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?resize=376%2C374&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5788\" width=\"376\" height=\"374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1017&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?resize=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?resize=768%2C763&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.40.06-PM.png?w=1206&amp;ssl=1 1206w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 376px) 100vw, 376px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A truly glorious melting pot of genre-defining hyperpop and flavors such as ska or nu metal or pop punk or whatever you want to call the strange amalgamation of influences that find their way into this record. I will proudly admit, I listened to over 2,000 minutes of 100 gecs this year, thanks to this release. There are simply no skips. \u201cThe Most Wanted Person In The United States\u201d has a groove that scratches an itch deep in my brain and I still don\u2019t really understand why, \u201cDoritos &amp; Fritos\u201d has a killer bassline, and \u201cOne Million Dollars\u201d is a masterpiece of all that is hyperpop and electronic. Once again, Dylan and Laura outdid themselves with creative and nuanced production, allowing for my ears to pick out new juicy moments in every listen, of which there have been many. It\u2019s heavy (see the end of \u201cBilly Knows Jamie\u201d, probably my favorite moment of the record), it\u2019s rambunctious (\u201cFrog On The Floor\u201d), it\u2019s 100 gecs so it\u2019s kind of like eating sugary sour candy that hurts your teeth (\u201cmememe\u201d), and, most of all, it\u2019s just really cool music. In combination with its 2000s era influences and references, the genius of <em>10,000 gecs<\/em> feels, to me, extremely definitive: perhaps of the state of forward thinking music now, or where music is going, or maybe just the year 2023 because it is, in fact, the album of the year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: all of them \ud83d\ude42&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Girl with Fish<\/em> &#8211; feeble little horse<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5789\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-41-38-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?fit=1196%2C1198&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1196,1198\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?fit=640%2C641&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=383%2C384&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5789\" width=\"383\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=1022%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1022w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=768%2C769&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.41.38-PM.png?w=1196&amp;ssl=1 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 383px) 100vw, 383px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This album is fuzzy, dirty, textural, clever, easy, and a nice balance between noise and pop. It feels like a sunny summer day: sundresses, bitter lemonade, and scraped knees. The vocals are deliciously nonchalant and is overall a really pleasant follow-up to feeble little horse\u2019s debut, <em>Hayday<\/em>. This record is short, oh so sweet, and, most of all, addicting. From when this record slithered its way into my spotify after it was released in June, I have found myself constantly going back to it every few days; checking in with the 26 minutes of what sounds like the result of Frankie Cosmos getting really stoked on the fuzziest shoegaze out there, then dabbling in electronics. I would be remiss to not mention, what to me, is the standout track of the album, \u201cPocket\u201d takes a huge 180, and it works so darn well. Starting out as an adorable indie hook with clever string flourishments, \u201cPocket\u201d breaks down with sarcastic lyrics and groove, goes silent for a moment, and then explodes with noise and shrieks, then finally returns to where it started. This record is just so easy to listen to and afterwards, it becomes even easier to queue up \u201cFreak\u201d right after listening to \u201cHeavy Water\u201d. Easy, however, does not mean something I just play in the background and kind of tune out, the teensy production and tiny instrumental intricacies of the record are such a treat and are always worth paying attention to. As a whole, <em>Girl with Fish<\/em> is the epitome of a treat of a record.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cFreak\u201d, \u201cPocket\u201d, \u201cSteamroller\u201d, \u201cHeaven\u201d, \u201cSlide\u201d, \u201cHeavy Water\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>We Buy Diabetic Test Strips<\/em> &#8211; Armand Hammer (billy woods and E L U C I D)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5790\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-42-16-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?fit=1194%2C1192&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1192\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?resize=380%2C378&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5790\" width=\"380\" height=\"378\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.42.16-PM.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The nature of the duo\u2019s experimentalism is evolving and perhaps best explored in their sixth studio record, <em>We Buy Diabetic Test Strips<\/em>. The whole record feels absurd and enigmatic &#8211; I sincerely have not heard anything like it. billy woods and Elucid rap like fortune tellers or soothsayers, as they weave elaborate but sometimes indecipherable epics. This record isn\u2019t catchy, it\u2019s wickedly abstract\u2026 but, it never feels too abstract. And because of all of this, I cannot recommend it enough. An ambient fever dream, Armand Hammer\u2019s production choices are really, for lack of a better word, cool. I love the inclusions of woodwinds, making the record have somewhat of a mystical nature at times, but also the excerpts and sounds of phone calls, which ground it back to reality. Despite all that is absurd and abstract, this record is extremely real. billy woods and Elucid, as well as all of the features (Junglepussy, Pink Siifu, JPEGMAFIA, to name a few), provide a poignant commentary and paint a grim picture of experiences of a modern industrial, economically disadvantaged landscape. A careful balance between the general unsettling and almost dystopian feeling, and the very real experiences of the world we all live in; perhaps this record sits directly on the line that divides the present and what might be worse in the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cThe Gods Must Be Crazy\u201d, \u201cThe Flexible Unreliability Of Time &amp; Memory\u201d, \u201cI Keep A Mirror In My Pocket\u201d, \u201cTrauma Mic\u201d, \u201cY\u2019all Can\u2019t Stand Right Here\u201d, \u201cEmpire BLVD\u201d, \u201cThe Key Is Under The Mat\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>All Bad<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Nick Shoulders&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5791\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-43-04-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?fit=1198%2C1190&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1198,1190\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?fit=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?fit=640%2C636&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?resize=355%2C353&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5791\" width=\"355\" height=\"353\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1017&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?resize=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?resize=768%2C763&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.04-PM.png?w=1198&amp;ssl=1 1198w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a time where country music is a divisive term that really doesn\u2019t mean much anymore, as some associate it with a horrible reputation (especially when it comes to radio country artists like Morgan Wallen), simultaneously while artists like Zach Bryan find their way into basically everyone\u2019s playlists these days making country cool again; Nick Shoulders\u2019 <em>All Bad<\/em> redefines where country and western music has been and where it is going. Shoulders yodels, whistles, sings high, sings lonesome, features his full band (The Okay Crawdad) for the first time, explores a wide variety of string instruments (from arguably the oldest string instrument, the mouth bow, to electric guitars), and, most of all, tells us exactly what is on his mind. Calling upon the often recycled nature of country music, Shoulders features his own spin on covers of songs like \u201cWon\u2019t Fence Us In\u201d (a play on Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher\u2019s 1934 \u201cDon\u2019t Fence Me in\u201d), the heartbreaking \u201cToast First\u201d (originally written by Louisiana based songwriter, Chris Acker, who is absolutely excellent), and \u201cBlue Endless Highway\u201d (a tune about living in fear of law enforcement, originally written by J.R. Cheatham in 1963). In the opening track, \u201cHoarse Whisperer\u201d, we hear a voice say, \u201cso this is truly a conversation? Well, I say, let the conversation begin\u201d. Shoulders is putting the punk and honesty back into country music, not shying away from the problematic history of the genre. In <em>All Bad<\/em>, Shoulders gives an astounding vocal performance in his best produced and most musically full album to date, which all goes to remind us that our world isn\u2019t all bad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cBlue Endless Highway\u201d, \u201cArkansaw Troubler\u201d, \u201cUp the Ouachita\u201d, \u201cLong Spring\u201d, \u201cWon\u2019t Fence Us In\u201d, \u201cWhooped If You Will\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Irish Rock N Roll<\/em> &#8211; The Mary Wallopers &nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5793\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-43-40-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?fit=1200%2C1192&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,1192\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C636&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?resize=371%2C367&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5793\" width=\"371\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1017&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=371%2C367&amp;ssl=1 742w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.43.40-PM-1.png?zoom=3&amp;resize=371%2C367&amp;ssl=1 1113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 371px) 100vw, 371px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My greatest discovery of the year has been, no question, The Mary Wallopers&nbsp; (thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zkz7va3e9pk\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">GemsOnVHS\u2019 mini documentary<\/span><\/a>), just in time for the release of their second LP, <em>Irish Rock N Roll<\/em>. A project started by brothers Charles and Andrew Hendy, in collaboration with friend Sean McKenna, has now exploded into a seven piece band based in Dundalk, Ireland. The whole band can be heard hooping and hollering together, as well as ripping on their respective instruments. This album has everything: tin whistle, rhymes, banjo, a harrowing christmas song, accordion, punk rock attitude, bodhr\u00e1n (traditional Irish frame drum), a cheeky nod to the infamous Blarney Stone, and about anything in between. As rowdy and jig-inducing this record is, it\u2019s equally personal and a protest, deeply rooted in Irish identity and economic injustice. Each song is a story and vocals are passed around the band, with multiple band members often jumping in, you can hear the sense of community and camaraderie amongst these lads and lass (their bassist, Roisin Barrett, is the coolest). The whole project is massively and violently honest, critical, real, and wicked, as well as beautifully instrumentally varied. If <em>Irish Rock N Roll<\/em> does anything, it proves that Irish folk music is alive and well with The Mary Wallopers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cThe Holy Ground\u201d, \u201cRakes of Poverty\u201d, \u201cRich Man and The Poor Man\u201d, \u201cMadam I\u2019m A Darlin\u2019\u201d, \u201cThe Blarney Stone\u201d, \u201cGates of Heaven\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>O Monolith<\/em> &#8211; Squid&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5794\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-44-25-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?fit=1196%2C1192&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1196,1192\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?fit=640%2C638&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=386%2C385&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5794\" width=\"386\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1021&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=768%2C765&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.44.25-PM.png?w=1196&amp;ssl=1 1196w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 386px) 100vw, 386px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Squid got weird on this one, and I\u2019m a fan. While none of the songs on this record have quite reached banger levels of \u201cGSK\u201d or \u201cPeel St.\u201d or \u201cHouseplants\u201d, this album is best enjoyed when your brain has the capacity for a sci-fi art rock slow burn. But don\u2019t fear, it still features classic Squid brass instruments, yelps and shouts, distortion, and unadulterated anxiety. This is a concept album, I think, and it takes place in the countryside on a planet in a different solar system. In addition to that, there is almost a folk aspect to this record, but it\u2019s hard to put a finger on, similar to the attempt to decipher a distinct genre or feel on this record, it\u2019s hard to put a finger on. Often compared to Black Country, New Road and black midi (all of them originally coming out of the Brixton Windmill scene), Squid meanders away from these comparisons as <em>O Monolith<\/em> feels more like it\u2019s floating amidst the plankton in the photic zone, grooving to oblique rhythms, rather than the narrower, angsty post punk these bands started with. Simultaneously, it could be paranoid robot alien music, sometimes it\u2019s vocoded, sometimes it\u2019s just strange, and most of the time, it ends up freaking out. Nevertheless, this complex collection of temper tantrum songs is a spellbinding project that is much more spacey and interesting to simply be considered a <em>Bright Green Field<\/em> 2.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cGreen Light\u201d, \u201cUndergrowth\u201d, \u201cIf You Had Seen The Bull\u2019s Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away\u201d, \u201cThe Blades\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>When Horses Would Run<\/em> &#8211; Being Dead&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5796\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-45-00-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?fit=1188%2C1134&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1188,1134\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C286&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C611&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?resize=394%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5796\" width=\"394\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C977&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C286&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C733&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.00-PM-1.png?w=1188&amp;ssl=1 1188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 394px) 100vw, 394px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon first listen of this album, you can tell, this band has fun making music. Wacky surf rock out of Austin, TX, it sounds exactly like what it is. Hopscotching from moments of super surf-y guitar riffs to guttural screams about killing a buffalo (or perhaps a sweetly sung story about a gal named Muriel to jazzy moments that kind of make me think of the synths in the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack) in the blink of an eye, Being Dead keeps you on your toes. The vocals throughout the record are timeless, reminiscent of the 60s, replete with sweet sweet harmonies, and just super charming, making the simplest and silliest of songs, such as their superhero theme song, \u201cWe Are Being Dead\u201d, a great listen. The masterful way in which Being Dead stirs together all of the old school sounds and vintage aesthetics makes this record sound astonishingly fresh, a testament to their imagination as a band. While some songs take a more ominous tone (\u201cMisery Lane\u201d), others sound as classic and happy as a hamburger and french fries (\u201cCome On\u201d), others sound like pure dream pop (\u201cDaydream\u201d, hence the name). After a listen of this record, it feels like it is close to overflowing with a dynamic, never boring collection of goofball songs that are sandwiched by an excellent opener (\u201cGreat American Picnic\u201d) and equally as excellent closer (\u201cOklahoma Nova Scotia\u201d). Being Dead filled this album so close to its brim with fun and far out tunes, if you nudge it, it will spill all over the place.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cThe Great American Picnic\u201d, \u201cLast Living Buffalo\u201d, \u201cGod vs. Bible\u201d, \u201cTreeland\u201d, \u201cWhen Horses Would Run\u201d, \u201cMisery Lane\u201d, \u201cOklahoma Nova Scotia\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>SAVED!<\/em> &#8211; Reverend Kristin Micheal Hayter&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5798\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-45-43-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?fit=1190%2C1254&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1190,1254\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?fit=285%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C674&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?resize=398%2C419&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5798\" width=\"398\" height=\"419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?resize=972%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 972w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?resize=285%2C300&amp;ssl=1 285w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C809&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.45.43-PM-1.png?w=1190&amp;ssl=1 1190w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This album is haunting, almost to a fault. Retiring the Lingua Ignota name, Reverend Kristin Micheal Hayter\u2019s vocal delivery is insanely moving, it\u2019s almost painful to listen to. The goosebumps never cease. Based in religious trauma, Reverend Kristin Micheal Hayter attempts healing and some sort of reconnection with religion, as she puts her own extremely challenging spin on traditional Christian hymns. Even as someone who has little experience with religion, I find this record to be ridiculously raw and affecting. Beginning with an excerpt of speaking in tongues, Hayter\u2019s seven minute \u201cTHE POOR WAYFARING STRANGER\u201d sees her plead, whimper, and moan over a cacophony of piano befit with bells, it\u2019s astounding. Hayter\u2019s vocal delivery as she repeats, \u201cI was sick and I couldn\u2019t get well\u201d, from somewhere deep in her soul makes \u201cI KNOW HIS BLOOD CAN MAKE ME WHOLE\u201d an intense listen, neither thesaurus.com or I can come up with a word fitting to describe this vocal delivery. The production is beyond evocative, <em>SAVED!<\/em> sounds like a beat up cassette you would find in the dirt outside an abandoned church deep in Appalachia. The soundscape is crackly, of a different time, eerie, and almost makes you want to believe in a higher place as you listen. A nonetheless gorgeous and exceptionally profound piece of avant-garde gospel music, or perhaps recorded performance art, I finish listening and want to scream.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cI\u2019M GETTING OUT WHILE I CAN\u201d, \u201cIDUMEA\u201d, \u201cPRECIOUS LORD TAKE MY HAND\u201d, \u201cMAY THIS COMFORT AND PROTECT YOU\u201d, \u201cTHE POOR WAYFARING STRANGER\u201d, \u201cHOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>i\u2019ve seen a way<\/strong> <\/em>&#8211; <strong>Mandy, Indiana&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5800\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-46-22-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?fit=1190%2C1188&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1190,1188\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?resize=406%2C403&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5800\" width=\"406\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.46.22-PM-1.png?zoom=2&amp;resize=406%2C403&amp;ssl=1 812w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 406px) 100vw, 406px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This album makes me want to boogie and dance, but boogie and dance in a sewer or abandoned parking garage. <em>i\u2019ve seen a way<\/em> is a big liminal space (just look at the album cover), and as I listen, I don\u2019t know where I\u2019m going or where I\u2019ve been; this record beautifully captures the unsettling existence of not knowing. Each song varies in industrial aesthetics, bewildering synths, and surreal percussion (both electronic and not). While there are moments of sonic attack on your ears, that does not consume the whole record, as there are moments devoid of noise, most notably \u201c(\u200b\u30ce\u200b&gt;\u200b\u03c9\u200b&lt;\u200b)\u200b\u30ce :\u200b\u3002\u200b\u30fb\u200b:\u200b*\u200b:\u200b\u30fb\u200b\u309a\u200b\u2019\u200b\u2605\u200b,\u200b\u3002\u200b\u30fb\u200b:\u200b*\u200b:\u200b\u266a\u200b\u30fb\u200b\u309a\u200b\u2019\u200b\u2606 &#8211; Crystal Aura Redux\u201d, an eerie, underwater, wandering soundscape where the French vocals whisper and breath in your ear, perhaps the most liminal of all the tracks. I think what I appreciate most about this record is simply the sounds Mandy, Indiana was able to achieve, the whole project feels violently meticulous. It is so damn creative, but very far from overcomplicated. As severe as it is at points, <em>i\u2019ve seen a way<\/em> still feels accessible, as we all have nightmares and, fortunately, this record is the perfect weird\/industrial\/post punk\/techno soundtrack to our bad dreams.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cDrag (Crashed)\u201d, \u201cPinking Shears\u201d, \u201c2 Stripe\u201d, \u201cIron Maiden\u201d, \u201cSensitivity Training\u201d, \u201cPeach Fuzz\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The Lamb as Effigy<\/em> &#8211; Sprain&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5802\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-47-00-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?fit=1200%2C1196&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,1196\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C638&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=398%2C397&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5802\" width=\"398\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1021&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C765&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.47.00-PM-1.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Kind of a horror movie of a record, complete with prolonged suspense accompanied by jump scares (see \u201cPrivilege of Being\u201d), but at the same time it\u2019s some sort of indie art film where time feels infinite while watching it, whether that\u2019s a good or bad thing is up to you. When it comes to length and droney post rock fermented soundscapes, <em>The Lamb as Effigy<\/em> feels like the crunchy peanut butter to Godspeed You! Black Emperor&#8217;s jelly. This record is extreme in every capacity. Sprain is eager to commit to pure noise, extended moments of drone, silence, orchestral gestures, prog, electronica, and all that is unpleasant. Vocalist, Alexander Kent, rages and falls deep down Alice in Wonderland rabbit holes that are filled with misery, anger, paranoia, contempt, and anguish, rather than hookah smoking caterpillars and smiling cats. As Sprain unfortunately broke up just after the release of this record, the finality of <em>The Lamb as Effigy<\/em> makes it feel even more like a masterpiece, or a deranged swan song. This is a distinctively challenging record in its extremity, severe emotional distress, and cinematic nature, but in this regard, it is just, dare I say, perfectly executed. I\u2019m bummed that, for now, Sprain won\u2019t be releasing any more music for the foreseeable future, but I\u2019ll be working my way through and meditating on <em>The Lamb as Effigy <\/em>forever, probably.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Favorite tracks you should listen to: \u201cMan Proposes, God Disposes\u201d, \u201cPrivilege of Being\u201d, \u201cMargin For Error\u201d, \u201cGod, or Whatever You Call It\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>HONORABLE MENTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5806\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-48-11-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?fit=1194%2C1182&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1182\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C297&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C634&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=72%2C71&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5806\" width=\"72\" height=\"71\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1014&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C297&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C760&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.48.11-PM-1.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 72px) 100vw, 72px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Petrodragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation<\/em> &#8211; King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Badass. Catchy, heavy, quintessentially Gizz, maybe a bit rushed in its creation, but still badass.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5808\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-49-00-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?fit=1188%2C1186&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1188,1186\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=72%2C72&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5808\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C767&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.49.00-PM-1.png?w=1188&amp;ssl=1 1188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 72px) 100vw, 72px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Mind Palace Music<\/em> &#8211; @&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh me oh my, this is a splendid album. Kind of sounds like if a singer songwriter from the 60s\/70s went through a time machine and made bedroom folk, a really pleasant sound throughout an especially well-rounded record .&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5809\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-50-23-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?fit=448%2C446&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"448,446\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?fit=448%2C446&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?resize=75%2C75&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5809\" width=\"75\" height=\"75\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?w=448&amp;ssl=1 448w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.23-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 75px) 100vw, 75px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Dogsbody<\/strong> <\/em><strong>&#8211; Model\/Actriz&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The lead singer, Cole Haden, croaks and moans into your ear hedonistically over a musical backdrop that is creative, industrial, crunchy, dancy, metallic, and searingly dissonant. It\u2019s dark, but really fun because of that.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5811\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-50-57-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?fit=1194%2C1192&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1192\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=76%2C75&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5811\" width=\"76\" height=\"75\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C767&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.50.57-PM-1.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 76px) 100vw, 76px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>SPEED RUN<\/em><\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Frost Children&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some good ol\u2019 American glitchy, electronic, screamy hyperpop by a duo coming out of St.Louis, Missouri. Classic. I very much preferred <em>SPEED RUN<\/em> over their more understated 2023 release, <em>Hearth Room<\/em>, but both are lovely electronic projects.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5812\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-51-50-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?fit=1194%2C1190&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1190\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?fit=640%2C638&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=77%2C77&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5812\" width=\"77\" height=\"77\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1021&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=768%2C765&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.51.50-PM.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 77px) 100vw, 77px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Sundae Painters<\/em><\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Sundae Painters&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So imagine if the Velvet Underground was a supergroup of members of notable 90s and 00s indie outfits of New Zealand. A raw, but tasty record, where each song brings its own unique tones and sounds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5813\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-52-28-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?fit=1188%2C1190&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1188,1190\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?fit=640%2C641&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=76%2C76&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5813\" width=\"76\" height=\"76\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=1022%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1022w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=768%2C769&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.52.28-PM.png?w=1188&amp;ssl=1 1188w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 76px) 100vw, 76px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Live At Bush Hall<\/em> &#8211; Black Country, New Road<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am a huge fan of <em>For the first time<\/em> (as well as <em>Ants From Up There<\/em>, obviously), and the tracks off of <em>Live At Bush Hall<\/em> feel like a really distant departure from their Slint-y, Isaac Wood spoken word beginnings; nevertheless, it is really quite good. The delicately beautiful slow burns that slowly metamorphose into catharsis are, in a word, wow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5815\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-53-03-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?fit=1194%2C1200&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1200\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C643&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=79%2C80&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5815\" width=\"79\" height=\"80\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=1019%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1019w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C772&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.03-PM-1.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 79px) 100vw, 79px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Wallsocket<\/strong> <\/em><strong>&#8211; underscores<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This record has a girlboss je ne sais quoi to it, at some points it\u2019s punk, other times it\u2019s hyperpop or even folk. But all the time, it\u2019s intelligent, digital, spicy, glitchy, and lyrically, it screams 1 centimeter away from your face.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5816\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-53-59-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?fit=1194%2C1194&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1194\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?fit=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=82%2C82&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5816\" width=\"82\" height=\"82\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.53.59-PM.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 82px) 100vw, 82px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Today My Friend You Drunk the Venom<\/em> &#8211; The Drin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kind of the platonic ideal of a post-punk album, or the platonic ideal of what you would find on Spotify\u2019s \u201cOblique\u201d playlist, or whatever. The guitar tones are sinister and the vocals sneer and whisper through the mix, an entirely satisfying record concocted in someone\u2019s evil garage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5817\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-54-45-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?fit=1200%2C1192&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,1192\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?fit=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?fit=640%2C636&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=85%2C84&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5817\" width=\"85\" height=\"84\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=1024%2C1017&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=300%2C298&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=768%2C763&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.54.45-PM.png?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 85px) 100vw, 85px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Super Sn\u00f5\u00f5per<\/strong> <\/em><strong>&#8211; Sn\u00f5\u00f5per<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This album is 22 minutes long and has 14 tracks &#8211; do the math. Egg punk is what some call it, but for those of us who can\u2019t keep track of all the goofy subgenres out there, it\u2019s fast, synthy, and a whole lot of fun &#8211; perfect music to soundtrack, perhaps, a time lapse video of someone jumping on a trampoline, I think.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5818\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-55-36-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?fit=1194%2C1204&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1204\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?fit=298%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?fit=640%2C646&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=86%2C86&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5818\" width=\"86\" height=\"86\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=1015%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1015w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=298%2C300&amp;ssl=1 298w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=768%2C774&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.55.36-PM.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 86px) 100vw, 86px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>fantasy<\/em><\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Lots Of Hands&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A freaky little shoegaze adjacent album that sounds like it was made by indie trolls and slacker rock goblins in the basement of their mushroom houses. It\u2019s mellow, but fascinating.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5820\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-56-35-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?fit=1198%2C1196&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1198,1196\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C639&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=91%2C91&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5820\" width=\"91\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C767&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.56.35-PM-1.png?w=1198&amp;ssl=1 1198w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 91px) 100vw, 91px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>SCARING THE HOES<\/em> &#8211; JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This one felt huge upon release, and for good reason. I really admire Peggy\u2019s production throughout the record, the layers in the mixes are interestingly proportioned for a never boring combination of nuanced flavors, a perfect sonic sandwich, this record is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5822\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-57-14-pm-1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?fit=1194%2C1194&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1194,1194\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?fit=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=95%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5822\" width=\"95\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.57.14-PM-1.png?w=1194&amp;ssl=1 1194w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>I\u2019ve Got Me<\/em><\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Joanna Sternberg&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This record makes me smile every time, no fail, because it reminds me that we are not alone in our feelings, even when they are yucky, or hopeful, or angry, or forlorn, or whatever. Joanna\u2019s voice is kind and their instruments are friendly. What a wonderful collection of wonderful songs about the challenging, but wonderful human experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"5823\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2024\/01\/01\/my-albums-of-the-year\/screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6-58-25-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?fit=894%2C890&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"894,890\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?fit=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?fit=640%2C637&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=95%2C94&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5823\" width=\"95\" height=\"94\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?w=894&amp;ssl=1 894w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=768%2C765&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=700%2C700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Screenshot-2024-01-01-at-6.58.25-PM.png?resize=500%2C500&amp;ssl=1 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>I&lt;3UQTINVU<\/em><\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Jockstrap&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Somehow Jockstrap outdid themselves; melting, molding, cutting up, and gluing back together the bangers of <em>I Love You Jennifer B<\/em> into even bangier bangers. All the tracks are superb, but \u201cGood Girl\u201d might be one of my favorite songs of the year. Jockstrap is unstoppable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Sadie Almgren, all album art courtesy of rateyourmusic.com As the year comes to a close, I reflect on what album release(s) have defined my year, and similar to the answer to any \u201cwhat\u2019s your favorite..\u201d question, there are too many to choose from. Instead of sharing just one, or two, or three, here is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1659,"featured_media":5824,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[155],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-reviews"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/files\/2024\/01\/Untitled-design-3.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa7fJU-1vl","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5787"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5847,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5787\/revisions\/5847"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}