Top of 2020 By Hayden Goodridge

Looking over the stacks of records released throughout this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime year, it’s surprising to be reminded of the drastic lifestyle changes none of us could seem to avoid. I’ve been compiling year-end lists for quite a few years, but this year in review carries greater emotional attachment than I’ve experienced years prior. For each album I recall hearing, I’m also given a snapshot of the level of fear, grief, numbness, etc. I felt in reaction to the state of the outside world on first listen. Music—and any form of art for that matter—has been a necessary coping mechanism in this period of tremendous uncertainty. To the artists that made it into this personal list of favorites, I extend gratitude for the comfort, distraction, and jams they provided us at the shaky start of a new decade.

Honorable Mentions

Ummon – Slift ​ A muscular alien man stands on the barren surface of an unknown planet in space holding a gigantic sword behind him—ready to attack. The cover art of Ummon perfectly captures what Slift is all about. ​ ​ This cosmic psych rock trio buries the listener in huge swells of reverberating riffs which drive their sci-fi level of imagination forward into the final frontier. Favorite Song: “It’s Coming…”

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never – Oneohtrix Point Never ​ Tuning into a Oneohtrix Point Never record feels like falling asleep in front of the late-night glow of your television. Familiar musical themes quickly float in and out of consciousness like a meandering dream. Just as you become accustomed to the strange logic of one motif, you’re thrown into an entirely new soundscape to orient yourself with. Daniel Lopatin—the mind behind OPN—arranges, samples, and tampers with sound on his own bizarre terms, leaving us to dissect these sonic collages—which defy any sort of sensical explanation—with wonder. Favorite Song: “Long Road Home”

Alfredo – & ​ Freddie Gibbs cemented his place in the contemporary hip-hop canon when he teamed up with the legendary producer for their projects Piñata and Bandana, and while nothing can touch ​ ​ ​ ​ Madlib’s beat making prowess, Freddie’s latest collab with The Alchemist holds its own. Freddie’s customary wit over The Alchemist’s, resonant, grimy production proves to be a two-man equation fully deserving of its Grammy nomination. Favorite Song: “God Is Perfect”

Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs – Colter Wall ​ Who would have predicted one of the leading figures reviving the outlaw country tradition would be from Saskatchewan, Canada? Even more surprising is that the gravelly, whiskey-torn voice coming out of Colter Wall is only aged 25 years. The collection of simple -led ballads across Western ​ Swing… bleeds pure cowboy nostalgia—a perfect soundtrack for gallivanting among the tumbleweed. ​ Favorite Song: “Cowpoke”

Serpentine Prison – ​

The National frontman Matt Berninger carries himself with a certain disheveled confidence that seems to suit only himself. The deep timbre of his waltzing voice brings self-assured warmth no matter the experimentation his bandmates channel around him. On his solo debut, the simplified, intimate direction Berninger takes his collection of ballads provides a welcome reprieve from The National’s expansive sound. Alone, Berninger is at his most tender, his most vulnerable. Favorite Song: “Silver Springs”

Top 10 Albums

10. Lianne La Havas – Lianne La Havas ​ ​ Natural talent seems to flow endlessly out of Lianne La Havas’ self-titled record. As effortlessly as the neo-soul musician weaves her way around the grooves laid down on her tracks, music of the caliber she performs at is far from simple. On any given song, you can expect to hear complex fingerpicked guitar melodies, multi-part harmonies, and rolling drum patterns falling into a laid-back pocket. Even so, the focus stays on La Havas’ tender ruminations on the complexities of love. While her smoky vibrato beams pure confidence, her lyrical themes tell a different story—meditating on the trials of romantic relationships. Though she searches throughout the record for answers, one thing is certain: La Havas is a modern treasure to . Favorite Song: “Please Don’t Make Me Cry”

9. Color Theory – ​ ​ Sophie Allison’s sophomore release on the heels of her 2018 breakout Clean gracefully avoided any ​ ​ sort of slump. Rather, the young slacker pop heroine stood up straight and fine-tuned her sound on Color Theory to something more polished and expansive. While she’s turned a new page in her sonic ​ approach, Allison’s songwriting remains as crushing as ever. Across Color Theory her lyrics confront ​ ​ depressive episodes on “Circle the Drain,” emotional isolation on “Nightswimming,” and her mother’s terminal illness on “Yellow is the Color of Her Eyes.” Allison has proven herself adept at not only finding ways to cope through music, but making her grief universal. Favorite Song: “Circle the Drain”

8. K.G. – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard ​ ​ The wildly prolific Aussie psych-rock outfit may have only released one studio record this year—as opposed to 5 in 2017—but it stands out in their enormous catalog as one of their most fully realized concepts. While King Gizzard often looks to push their sonic envelope forward, K.G. instead revisits ​ ​ their exploration into microtonal tuning—first heard in 2017’s acclaimed Flying Microtonal Banana. ​ This time around, the group leans further into eastern influence with hypnotic riffs fit to charm any snake. The seamless collection highlights Gizz’s signature guitar-heavy garage jamming with a couple off-the-wall curveballs mixed in—like the Turkish house-inspired “Intrasport'' and Sabbath-esque shredder “The Hungry Wolf of Fate''—to keep things interesting. With such intrepid exploration there’s a lot that can go wrong, but King Gizzard bends genre with such batshit crazy confidence, it’s hard not to be impressed. Favorite Song: “Minimum Brain Size”

7. – ​ ​ When a 's first album makes history, often they become cursed to never reach that first exciting musical high again in subsequent releases. The simple slacker bliss of —the 2001 record that ​ ​ put the strokes on the map and brought into a new millennium—seemed to be unattainable in each Strokes follow-up… That is until two decades later with the release of The New ​ Abnormal. The record is rife with the angular guitar rhythms and cool apathy the group is beloved ​ for. Even the riskier parts of The New Abnormal pay off, like the synth-heavy tracks “ Bridge ​ ​

to Chorus” and “Eternal Summer,” which both groove something fierce. The record closes with one of ​ ​ the most earnest tracks they’ve laid to tape, “Ode to the Mets." If you’re looking for one song to show the passion behind a group that’s built a career off revealing none, it's right there in a ballad to New York and the Strokes’ many years as a band. Favorite Song: “Ode to the Mets”

6. Makkuro – Tricot ​ ​ I have to confess I’m not that versed in the genre of Japanese math rock, but the all-female quartet Tricot emits such an impressive combination of talent and endearing charm, I found myself becoming an immediate fan. The Kyoto group’s fourth album is brimming with brutal guitar riffs and strange time signatures that will make your head spin. The rhythmic clockwork they’ve built across the record is so layered and intricately pieced together, it feels there’s something new to discover with each listen. At the same time, lead singer Ikumi Nakajima's gorgeous vocal leads shimmer above the frenetic riffs. The aggression and complexity of Tricot’s instrumentation pieced with the whimsical singing make for a truly singular musical math equation. Favorite Song: “あふれる (Overflowing)”

5. Punisher – ​ ​ What makes Phoebe Bridgers such an exceptionally beloved ? Is it the way her subdued melodies become ingrained into your head, hummed repeatedly throughout the year? Is it the clever quips peppered through her lyrics, like “I’ve been playing dead my whole life” on “ICU”? Maybe it’s the ​ ​ iconic, Donnie Darko-worshiping skeleton onesie she’s taken to wearing this album cycle. No matter what draws us to Phoebe, the masterfully crafted Punisher has made it clear that her music is far ​ ​ greater than depression-fodder for college goths. Earning her four Grammy nominations, live appearances on all the late shows, and a spot in almost every music publication’s year-end list—Punisher contains something universal. Whatever the magic touch Phoebe brings to ​ ​ contemporary music is, it’s clear her melancholic influence will last decades. Favorite Song: “”

4. Shore – ​ ​ Autumn is a season I—and many others—habitually tie to Fleet Foxes. As the leaves begin turning and the first chill in the air hits my face, I hit play on the Foxes’ discography and welcome the world’s annual change. Therefore, it only makes sense that frontman would choose the autumn equinox on Sept. 22 to release Shore. While our country raged with a rampant virus and a ​ ​ bitter election season, Shore was a welcome vacation into optimistic bliss. Compared to the divisive, ​ ​ avant-garde direction of Fleet Foxes’ last album Crack-Up, this project instead focused on crafting ​ ​ easily enjoyable tunes. Shore dreamily coasts along with songs like “Sunblind” and “Can I Believe You” ​ ​ brimming with multi-part harmonies and smooth, washy textures. Shore didn’t quite match the ​ ​ timeless grandeur of Fleet Foxes’ famous first records, but its straightforward joyousness has remained a welcome resource of escape from an increasingly uncertain world. Favorite Song: Jara

3. Mordechai – ​ ​ Turning on a Khruangbin record carries the same feeling as dipping your body into a steaming hot tub. The sensation of warmth is overwhelming at first but once you settle in, pure relaxation envelops you. The Texas trio uses a simple combination—guitar, bass, drums—but their Latin American-flared approach to mood music bleeds with sexually charged energy. Singer Laura Lee’s thumping sink into the relaxed pocket set by drummer DJ Johnson, while ’s snakelike guitar work weaves through mesmerizing melodies. Tracks hardly stand out from one another, but instead move along as a collage of grooving atmospheres—bringing life to any environment they’re played in.

Khruangbin doesn’t attempt to make any bold artistic statements with their music, but the enjoyability of their cross-cultural take on psychedelia made it a record I was happy to leave on repeat throughout the summer. Favorite Song: First Class

2. Purple Moonlight Pages – R.A.P. Ferreira ​ ​ With the first release under his birth name, Rory Allen Philip (R.A.P.) Ferreira—the rapper formerly known as Milo—goes into bolder territories with a focus on unique sampling and a hyper-intelligent delivery. Tracks like “Greens” make use of grooving bass and keys from the Jefferson Park Boys to give a jazzy backdrop to Ferreira’s laid-back delivery. Sometimes it feels more like spoken-word read from a personal diary than rap, but that’s what makes Rory memorable. It seems like everything Ferreira spits is profound or hilarious or both. He can spend an entire song on the chore of laundry, but his absurd insight keeps you following the cadence of each line closely. For Ferreira, the art of rap is a spiritual experience, something he conveys on his closer “Masterplan,” in which he pays homage to the great musician Pharaoh Sanders, singing the triumphant line “The creator has a master plan." In a hip-hop market that’s saturated with digital production and aggressive beats, it’s refreshing to listen to an artist who builds off organic sampling and instrumentation. Ferreira’s music is brimming with richness and absurdity all at once—one of hip-hop’s best kept secrets. Favorite Song: “Leaving Hell”

1. Fetch the Bolt Cutters – ​ ​ Each time Fiona Apple releases a new album every 8 years or so, the music world goes ballistic with praise—and for good reason. When The Idler Wheel… came out in 2012 I was just beginning to explore ​ ​ different styles of music outside of the classic rock I grew up on. Apple’s odd approach to folk opened my eyes to the weird corners of the musical —artists crafting unconventional styles belonging entirely to themselves. While Apple’s expressive voice may be jarring to first-time listeners, her quirks quickly become the whole appeal. Fetch the Bolt Cutters is full of quirks, but ​ ​ beneath the surface lies Apple’s rawest exploration of suffering to date.

What this album captures so well is the disjointed path Apple’s taken toward discovering a genuine identity. Whether it be in “Shameika," where a middle-school Apple is told of her potential despite being bullied, or “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” which tells of setting her own uncompromising path… these were lessons Apple has had to wrestle with for years before bringing them to the public eye through song. One of these learned lessons speaks of women’s solidarity in the face of abusive men. There’s a one-two punch in the middle of the album with “Newspaper” and “Ladies”—both personally addressing women who have been roped into her suffering.

Apple’s voice is percussive, and the cadence of her lyrics is sometimes as interesting as the lyrics themselves. The rhythmic delivery of “Relay” quickly becomes a mantra warning against the natural spread of evil. Speaking of cadence, Apple’s inventive approach to percussion with claps or whacking household objects creates a fantastic DIY collage of sound across the record. Most charming about her approach is the imperfection it doesn’t try to mask. It’s refreshing to hear voice cracks, barking dogs, and even slip-ups like in “On I Go” where Apple curses after messing up lyrics. Leaving in these blemishes allows the music to become more genuine, vulnerable, and proudly flawed.

Exposed and uncompromising, Fetch the Bolt Cutters is Apple’s most thematic album to date. She’s ​ ​ gathered enough emotional wisdom through isolated pain to create a finished product that comforts and inspires… a strong incentive arriving smack in the middle of a year which required us to do just that. Favorite Song: “I Want You to Love Me

Consider the Classics: Film #2: Tigertail Garrett Boling

“‘…and the winner is a movie from South Korea.’ What the hell was that all about?” The former President bashed the Academy Awards in front of a ever-agreeing crowd for their decision in awarding the year’s best picture with the award for best picture. Red caps and faces nodded and shouted to the call and response of “Can we like get Gone With The Wind back please?” I am still not ​ ​ sure what getting the 1939 drama “back” means, but the ex-leader’s message was clear: anything from beyond the borders is not worthy. No longer were foreign trade deals, plastics, cars, clothes or beer the only low quality products from outside the country - but now art and stories from around the world do not pass the great American-standards test. This particular slew of wrong takes I found to be one of his most damaging. The Xenophobia was at some of its most blatant and unmasked here, signaling an acceptance to the United States to close off their minds and hearts to anything that wasn’t made or told by one its own 5% of the world population. To what extent could the blinders be applied? Is Shakespeare not suitable reading because it came from England? Should the very Greek Homer be thrown away with the Frida Kahlo paintings?

Alan Yang’s Tigertail (2020) recounts the life of a Taiwanese-American man through his memories of childhood, lost love, immigration to America, and his family. The film is a lush reminiscent reminder that the struggles of human life have no borders. The pain and conflict we all face with our time, culture, and ourselves are as universal as breath. Tigertail is possibly the most visually stunning release from Netflix I have seen, with uses of color that could swell the hearts of Wong Kar-Wai and Gaspar Noé alike. All the beauty in the flashbacks is captured on good-ole 16 mm film (the format has been making a reassurance in the most beautiful of ways recently - see Khalik Allah’s Black Mother for more proof). Without giving too much away about this easily-accessible and streamable movie: get ready to cry.

This American-made film expresses the exact compassion and sentiment that our former president tried to squash as an authoritative technique. Storytelling is not and will never be exclusive to one group of people. The further out we reach and listen, the more we learn and the closer we grow. 2020 has not been a walk in the park for anyone, but as we march into 2021 armed with votes and vaccines as our weapons, we can collectively work toward a more open and less fearful future.

“Once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.” - Bong Joon Ho

Zach’s Picks #002 8/24/1972 Berkeley Community Theater, Berkeley,

Hello again!

Welcome back to another installment of Zach’s Picks. I’m super excited to delve into our first show. We’re gonna roll back to what’s considered to be one of ’s most legendary years, 1972. , percussionist and half of the sacred (along with drummer ) took a break from the group due to a combination of drug use and the fact that his father conned out of $70,000 as their “manager,” In addition, husband and wife duo Donna and Keith Godchaux join the band with Keith on keys and Donna on backing vocals.

These changes were certainly unique to the group, considering their lineup had remained mostly the same since its inception (minus the addition of Mickey). This did not, however, deter their ability to sell out a four-night run at the Berkeley Community Theater. The shows were promoted by , who essentially created the Haight-Ashbury live music scene and legitimized the business model of concert promotion. Night three, August 24th, offers what many consider to be a perfect show. The setlist offers a unique blend of classic rock-oriented tunes, covers, and long experimental jams. You could consider sets like this to be the charcuterie board of Dead shows. There’s a little something for everyone.

The set begins with “Promised Land,” a song widely popularized by the Dead. It’s immediately followed by “.” This starts to immerse the crowd into the band’s catalog, however, the floodgates open into “Jack Straw.” The vocal harmonies on this performance paired with guitar exchanges between and really make it special. “” (arguably one of the Dead’s most popular songs) and “” take the energy to a new level. The exchanges between Jerry and embellish the improvised sections. Some fans might want more experimentation out of this duo of songs, myself included, as it seems a bit lacking this time around. The pace trickles into the next cover featured on the setlist, “” by . The vocal power from Bob Weir is unreal on this one. In a flash, the band takes the form of country-western greats. Diving into their first deep jam, the Dead slow things down with “Bird Song.” This is an all-time favorite of mine and this performance really delivers. The Wall of Sound lends itself to this track in ways I can’t even explain. The sound of Phil Lesh panning left-to-right and right back again is remarkable. It’s a sonic experience that rarely finds its way into . Not to mention the vocal harmonies taking absolute flight into the chorus. In my opinion, this is the first time Jerry comes into his own in this show in particular. His soloing and guidance through jams bring it all together on this performance.

After quite the escapade, the band takes the cover route once again with “Beat it on Down the Line,” another cover originally by Jesse Fuller. This serves as a tribute to Bob and Jerry’s love for jug-band music. Moving right along with a song for the southeast, “Tennessee Jed” takes the stage. A bluesy jam with an exceptional vocal performance from Jerry. Grateful Dead then cap off the first set with a gigantic sequence including “” and their biggest hit “Casey Jones.” This is our first track with Donna Jean on backing vocals and “Playing in the Band” gives us a taste of the space that would come to fruition later in the show with an absolutely mesmerizing jam. It’s one of my all-time favorite performances of this one. I’m a sucker for a “Casey Jones,” like any other Dead fan—specifically for the closing of the first set. The classic tune starts off moderate and finishes in its

typical “trainwreck speed up” fashion. Keith slams the keys with a ragtime feel at the end to lead us to the set break.

Welcome back. Got your water? Nice and hydrated? Cool--let’s keep it movin’. Set two starts nice and easy with a “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo,” a track that’s fashioned with more bluesy passages. While this track may seem sort of stock in comparison to some of the more elaborate psychedelic passages, it’s about as cool as it gets in my opinion. “Mexicali ” is a Bob Weir song that’s found its way into many Grateful Dead shows. It’s another classic tune to keep things moving and people dancing. “Brown Eyed Women,” a fan favorite, moves right in seamlessly. The band allows the space for improvisation to open up throughout this whole tune. Phil and Jerry play off of one another a ton in this version. As the final passages trail off, a 2/4 blues eruption engulfs the entire room. This is none other than a Grateful Dead signature tune, “Truckin’.” There’s an element of unity that always seems to shine in the performance of this song in particular. The band gets so locked in with one another and Bob Weir drives the band with his bluesy vocal cadences. Complimented by Jerry’s leads and bolstering drums from Bill, this starts one of the greatest runs of tracks in the set.

As it begins to sort of “undo” itself, the Dead explore some incredibly unique soundscapes with “Dark Star,” the most obscure song of their catalog. Every single one is different, with extreme deviation from its “original” form. This one takes up a massive chunk of the set, clocking in at just under a half-hour. This performance is one of my favorites. From here the set continues into one of the best ballads Grateful Dead has ever written, “Morning Dew.” A poetic homage to love and loss, Phil Lesh brings the group back together. It’s as if the perfect solar eclipse happened. We wait for these special moments and as they happen we become so engulfed in their presence we almost forget what we’re even doing. This “Dark Star”/”Morning Dew” combo is exactly that to me. We anticipate moments like these in every live performance from all of our favorite artists. Everything is just alright in the world, even for just a stint of time, though we carry it forever.

The home stretch of the show hits with “”, one of the biggest hits from the band’s 1972 classic, American Beauty. This performance revs the energy to eleven with upbeat Americana and classic rock fusion—a perfect follow up to the last 40 minutes of jamming and ballads. The explosive nature of this performance with the “” reprise at the end is pure gold. Jerry then takes the lead with “Ramble on Rose,” an especially groovy tune with lots of bluesy guitar passages. Jerry’s vocals on this performance are about as good as they get. “Greatest Story Ever Told” is yet another Bob Weir tune, featuring an especially energetic performance from Weir. This particular performance, however, is laced with some guitar leads from Jerry that don’t often find their way into this track. A great twist on an incredible song. This version also features a wonderful jam sesh about halfway through. The Dead tend to slow things down right near the end of the set. “Sing Me Back Home,” originally by , still serves as one of the band’s most unique covers. They ceased playing it in 1973, bringing new material in. This one always reigns as one of their coolest covers, especially due to its exclusivity, so to speak. To close off the main setlist, Bob Weir leads the group into “One More Saturday Night.” This track is another one of his, with tons of dueling and unique percussion passages. Phil holds down the bass on this one as well. The band would eventually go on to window this track for Saturday shows only, so a Thursday performance of this is rare for sure. For their encore, the Dead bust out a major jam from “Workingman’s Dead,” the almighty “Uncle John’s Band.” While this song seems pretty stock at the beginning, the territory that gets explored later makes it a gem for any setlist. Once Bill starts picking things up behind the kit, all bets are off. Jerry and Phil go all in for this one. This performance has some of the best bass lines I’ve heard.

That’s all she wrote for this one, folks! I really hope you enjoy this show as much as I do. Catch ya next time.

Peace on Earth, N.F.A,

Zach

S1 Promised Land (Chuck Berry) Sugaree Jack Straw China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider Me and My Uncle (John Phillips) Bird Song Beat it On Down the Line (Jesse Fuller) Tennessee Jed Playing in the Band > Casey Jones

S2 Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo Mexicali Blues Brown Eyed Women Truckin’ Dark Star > Morning Dew Sugar Magnolia Ramble On Rose Greatest Story Ever Told Sing Me Back Home (Merle Haggard) One More Saturday Night

E Uncle John’s Band

Consider the Classics: Art #1: Artist: Essential Morgan Westerbeck

Was your job deemed “essential” this past year? Or are you an artist? (Major applause if you’re both.)

Naturally, I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for our healthcare workers, grocery store employees, and even the Postmates drivers that frequented my doorstep often in 2020. But I can’t help but think that the role of the artist was undermined during this pandemic, if not completely discredited. So many artists found themselves without gigs, commissions, clients or even their side hustles (because, you know, most artists have 5 jobs at any given point), despite their incredibly important role during a global pandemic and social revolution.

You might think art is non-essential, but I don’t think I need to remind you how you spent your time during quarantine: reading books written by authors and decorated by graphic designers or photographers, playing video games created by animators, and watching films and documentaries put together by teams of artists. Not to mention sharing infographics, illustrations, comics, and even memes that helped push for education and change. So why does a society that depends so much on the arts to entertain and revolt, seem to think artists don’t have valuable careers? How did artists go from being revered contributors of political and intellectual communities, to being completely devalued by most?

The people that can keep you alive in dire times are absolutely crucial to our world. But so are the people that give you a reason to stay alive. That’s why we care so much about this zine and about you guys. The arts are absolutely vital to our livelihood. Artists have the important role of challenging our biases, reminding us of our history and humanity, and pushing us to become fuller versions of ourselves. Refusing to acknowledge the importance of art, is refusing to acknowledge the importance of nuance, compassion, storytelling, and universal truth.

These qualities may just seem like icing on the cake, but maybe I can convince you they have considerable sustenance on their own. Nuance is something that attunes our minds and palettes to detail. It helps us understand context and gives us intuition. Without attention to nuance, the most beautiful parts of life go unsensed. From the faint smell of grass being mowed that lets you know spring has come again, to the unmistakable way a loved one writes the words “happy birthday” in your card every year. These nuances mean so much to us. Without compassion, everything we have ever achieved is useless. Our lives are connected. Compassion is what keeps the body of humanity whole. Without storytelling, cultures would be fractured, genealogies discarded, and wisdom lost from generations ago. Storytelling makes us human. Without universal truths like love, justice, and equality, there is no change. The oppressed stay oppressed, the abandoned are never found, and no door is ever opened for the disenfranchised. Truth keeps us fighting the good fight. Art is a necessary gift to give and receive.

Cheers the artists in our lives that we love so much. Encourage them. Support them. Remind them they’re essential.