Join us as we talk about the 16 best albums of the year in our third annual album of the year GAUNTLET where we duke it out (superfluously and humorously) over the best music of the year. This episode discusses the semi-finals and finals.

Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas (8) vs. Run the Jewels 4 by Run the Jewels (12)

Miles by Blu / Exile (6) vs. Pass Like Pollen by Cartalk (15)

In-progress ranking:

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The Baby by Samia (1)

Armour by Boneflower (3)

No Pressure by Logic (10)

Visions of Bodies Being Burned by clipping. (13)

Melee by Dogleg (2)

Chewing Cotton Wool EP by The Japanese House (4)

Monsters by The Midnight (5)

Drag Me Down by Cabal (7)

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers (9)

Hannah by Lomelda (11)

Lament by Touche Amore (14)

Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress by Gulch (16)

Join us as we talk about the 16 best albums of the year in our third annual album of the year GAUNTLET where we duke it out (superfluously and humorously) over the best music of the year. This episode discusses the first and second rounds.

The Baby by Samia (1) vs. Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress by Gulch (16)

Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas (8) vs. Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers (9)

Chewing Cotton Wool EP by The Japanese House (4) vs. Visions of Bodies Being Burned by clipping. (13)

Monsters by The Midnight (5) vs. Run the Jewels 4 by Run the Jewels (12)

Melee by Dogleg (2) vs. Pass Like Pollen by Cartalk (15)

Drag Me Down by Cabal (7) vs. No Pressure by Logic (10)

Armour by Boneflower (3) vs. Lament by Touche Amore (14)

Miles by Blu / Exile (6) vs. Hannah by Lomelda (11)

The best possible way to end the year (both the calendar year and our normal podcasting schedule) is to sit down and just belt out a good cry. We're talking the ugliest cry you can imagine: sniffles, groans, blankets, ice cream, the terrible new Lifetime movie featuring Colonel Sanders; you know, the good stuff. Some other good stuff: Japanese Metalcore, tripping balls, and S A D music.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3pDuXee

Highlighted Singles

Jahari Massamba Unit - "La Closerie (Pour Provost)

glaive - "eyesore"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Yukon Blonde - "Vindicator"

Amelie Siba - "Dye My Hair"

AOTWs

Aesop Rock - "Spirit World Field Guide"

Graupel - "Fade Away" / "Bereavement" (2018)

We're not saying "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls is one of the greatest songs of all time but we're not not saying that. What we are saying, however, is covering the Goo Goo Dolls seminal hit "Iris" is a surefire way to get us all hot and bothered. Some other things to get us hot and bothered: winding down the year, dark & sexy house/pop, and zipper fuzz.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/32Tqb2F

Highlighted Singles

Phoebe Bridgers / Maggie Rogers - "Iris (Goo Goo Dolls Cover)"

N. Kerbin - "A Boy and a Man and a Satellite"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol - "Burger Babes...FROM OUTER SPACE!"

tiny deaths - "If I'm Dreaming"

AOTWs

tricot - "10"

Ela Minus - "acts of rebellion"

Hachiku - "I'll Probably Be Asleep"

Look: it's not the job we would've wanted, but it's probably the job we deserve. What job is that, you say? It's writing the theme music for the end of the world, silly! Duh! And don't ask what it sounds like; we're not done yet. Some other things that may not be done yet: disappointing quarantine collabs, singer songwriters flexing, and trading some snoozers.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3ekq98w

Highlighted Singles

Shelly - "Steeeam"

Sydney Sprague - "steve"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Honorary Astronaut - "EP 001"

Riley Pearce - "Maybe I Can Sleep It Off"

AOTWs

Sinai Vessel - "Ground Aswim"

Ishan - "If I Never Hit Land"

Say it with us: S-L-O-P-P-Y. Does that sound weird to you? Like weird in the way that questions all your thoughts of how things are pronounced and spelled? Just us? Okay, fine then. Keep your secrets. Some other secrets: strange instrumentals, surprise System of a Down talk, and solving the Lonely Island problem.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2I2EnP9

Highlighted Singles

System of a Down - "Protect the Land" / "Genocidal Humanoidz"

Arlo Parks - "Green Eyes"

James Ivy - "Sick"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Adrianne Lenker - "songs" / "instrumentals"

Souvenirs - "Love for the Lack of It"

AOTWs

clipping. - "Visions of Bodies Being Burned"

Petey - "Checkin' Up On Buds"

If there's really anything left in 2020 to be surprising, we surmise it might be Phoebe ruling over her serfs with an iron fist. We're not sure it could possible be true, but ... what if it was though? What could you possibly do against a talent like that making you get her coffee faster? Some other things that might be true: a super secret surprise from Paul, an excellent Claud single, and post-hardcore bliss.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/2FKsFbf

Highlighted Singles

Claud - "Gold"

girl in red - "Kate's Not Here (Day Wave & Lawrence Rothman Remix)"

The Mountain Goats - "Picture of My Dress"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Machinedrum - "A View of U"

Matt Berninger - "Serpentine Prison"

Beabadoobee - "Fake It Flowers"

AOTWs

Touche Amore - "Lament"

Slow Pulp - "Moveys"

Molassess - "Through the Hollow"

Step right up, and feast your eyes! A man with the highest-pitched laugh you've ever heard will attempt to laugh and rap at the same time! Danny Brown's carnival ride has arrived; join in on the fun or reap the FOMO. Some other things to reap: nursery rhymes, a cool synthetic songwriter duo, and bare-bones punk.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/34gtj8H

Highlighted Singles

Jimmy Edgar - "GET UP (feat. Danny Brown)"

Middle Part - "& Cry!"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Laura Jane Grace - "Stay Alive"

Jonsi - "Shiver"

Sylvan Esso - "Free Love"

AOTWs

Idles - "ULTRA MONO"

Hannah Georgas - "All That Emotion"

Though I've only been with her for a few years now, it feels like my girlfriend, Daisy Ridley (you know the one, the girl from Star Wars) might be immortal. She keeps bringing up things that she never could have experienced when she looks as old as she does. Like for example, over dinner the other night, she was comparing the 1854 London cholera outbreak to the Coronavirus pandemic, and I just looked at her and was like, "What?" and she just smiled and laughed and went back to eating. Some other things to ignore while laughing: beautiful autumnal EMO SEASON IS BACK, some on-brand country and synthwave, and a surprising Billy pick.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3l4Hlkv

Highlighted Singles

Chris Stapleton - "Starting Over"

Immortal Girlfriend - "Friday Night"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Spillage Village - "Spilligion"

A$AP Ferg - "Floor Seats II"

AOTWs

Into It. Over It. - "Figure"

Cartalk - "Pass Like Pollen"

Emo Billy is not the fondest of the emotion most of us know as joy. You could say he might describe it as poison or death. Though, in light of the dread around us, the man might be on to something. Some other things to which Billy might be on: RIP EVH, disappointing pop punk, and beautifully unanimous indie pop folk.

Full Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3kwmGFC

Highlighted Singles

Pelican Motel - "Like a Ghost"

Slow Pulp - "As It Is"

Highlighted Shout-outs

Movements - "No Good Left to Give"

Knuckle Puck - "20/20"

AOTWs

Lomelda - "Hannah"