Best of 2021

Music, coffee, and food!  Maybe I'll add more later - what are you curious about?  What floated your boat in 2021?  Leave a comment.     

Music 

Based on the number of 4 and 5 rated songs per album these were my top 20 albums released in 2021.  Once I got to around 15 many albums tied and there is another 10 that could be interchanged with the last five.   

The linked videos are not necessarily the best songs from each album or EP.  Mostly, they were the first one I found when looking for a vid from the album.  Leave a comment on loves, hates, and any I missed that should have been here.  

1. Pearl & The Oysters - Flowerland (2021) I loved the psychedelic sound of Flowerland and the not-take-yourself-seriously feel to the songs.  Musicianship is high with outstanding vocals and harmonies.  This album grew on me and I loved the playfulness and joy found in this music.   
   
   
2. Rochelle Jordan - Play With The Changes (2021) Modern R&B/Hiphop with consistent catchy beats and hooks.  Rochelle is at the top of that genre for me.  And, her vocals are not overly processed, vocodered, autotuned to the point of distraction which is a no-go for me anymore.   
   
   
3. Kacey Musgraves - star-crossed (2021) Kacey's country-rock-pop breakup album that I didn't really want to like because well - it is a cliché now.  Her songwriting, singing and backing musicians won me over easily.  I guess there is a movie that is out or coming out to go with the songs.  I don't really know or care that much.  This video gives a good feel for the music and how she easily elicits emotion in the viewer/listener.    
   
   
   
   
4. Dlina Volny - Dazed (2021) This alternative/synthpop/post-punk album really rocks hard.  Check out the whole thing on Bandcamp.  
   
   
5. Eiji Taniguchi & Norio Sato - Heisei no oto: Japanese Left-Field Pop From the CD Age, 1989​-​1996 (2021) This was an album I thought had no chance with me.  Described as Japanese left-field pop from the late 80's and early 90's my first reaction was, "who cares?".  The vibe is very cool and sounds like a cross of jazz, pop, and new age with synthpop thrown in for good measure.  A unique sound!  There are a couple other videos available on Youtube from this album.  Do a search if you like this one.   
   
   
6. Alessia Cara - In The Meantime (2021) This is easy listening Pop/R&B music that I ended up enjoying more than others in this genre.  It stood up to repeated listening.  
   
   
7. Lone - Always Inside Your Head (2021) Lone puts out some of the most intriguing ambient electronic music.  A previous album from a few years ago was really strong so this got my attention upon release.  He has taken his music to another level.  Great stuff to space out to after some Indica.   
   
   
8. Morcheeba - Blackest Blue (2021) She was early on the trip-hop scene working with Massive Attack, did some solo stuff, and then faded away from putting out any substantive music for years.  This has great production and songwriting and if you like her voice this is a wonderful listen.    
   
   
9. London Grammar - Californian Soil (2021) Hannah Reid can sing!  Great synthpop collection of syncopated beats, cool synths and beautiful singing.   This is easy listening and not trying to change the world.  Life is challenging enough - my music doesn't have to be.  
   
   
10. Various Artists - Chillhop Essentials Summer 2021 (2021) Feel transported to the beaches of Ibiza or Mallorca with this collection of similar sounding chillhop from various artists.  Get your favorite summer drink and feel groovy and cool (man).  Haha.    
    
    
    
    
11. Django Django - Glowing in the Dark (2021) This PopMatters review summed it up nicely.... "Much of Glowing in the Dark is a mixtape of 1980s to 2020s pop music, all of which has been streamed through a buzzy, crackling pop filter. The hooks are indelible, and the sound is plump, shiny, and thick with gloss. It also features some virtuoso percussion and dazzling guitar work, along with soft, sweet vocals."  Give it a listen or two - you might be surprised!   
    
    
12. UNKLE - Rōnin I (2021) Supposedly this album is how UNKLE sounds live.  I wouldn't know because I've never seen them in concert.  This tech-house/art-pop music is a bit hard to categorize.  The album was labeled as a mixtape and supposedly the set list for a canceled tour due to the pandemic.  
    
    
13. Phaeleh - Soma (2021) Beautiful ambient electronic music.  Check out the whole thing here on Bandcamp. 
    
    
14. Elder Island - Swimming Static (2021) Three amazing musicians starting with cellist-vocalist Katy Sargent.  Modern pop at its best.  Good interview on afterglowatx.  
    
    
15. Munya - Voyage to Mars (2021) Indie Pop-rock with a super-strange theme that some called Space Opera.  I don't know about that - just liked the music and hooks. Josianne Boivin is a talented Canadian-born singer releasing good music.
    
    
16. Flying Lotus - Yasuke (2021) A sound track for an anime movie.  Haunting melodies evoking an Asian wonderland fantasy world.  Mesmerizing to these ears.   
    
17. Pond - 9 (2021) I'd call this Stadium Rock at its finest.  Great song but I think this video is annoying.     
18. Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend (2021) The video below is a live version of the album song.  This shows how amazing the band members can sing and play their instruments.  These are not easy vocals to do live and they pull it off.  
    
    
19. Delilah Holliday - Collective Consciousness (2021) Fun dance focused music with Pop/R&B roots.   The music labels used on Bandcamp are quite different.   I say it's GGOOOODD.   
20. Hana Vu - Public Storage (2021) I guess this is post-punk synthpop or some such thing.  High energy earworm music.  Good Pitchfork write-up on this first album length release from a rising star.    
    
    

Coffee Beans

This year I bought beans from roasters all over the US and had a subscription to La Cabra in Denmark. This included Gesha beans from Columbia roasted by Sightglass and many other high-end beans using different fermentation processes and various washing methods. 

 The winner was my local roastery, Northbound Coffee Roasters and their Fall Tour blend which was also what they called the winner of their Spring Tour lineup. This was their description: Fall Tour 2021 is a blend of three different origins, each roasted to different roast levels, and then blended. The result is a cup that is bright, sweet, rich, and bold. 45% Ethiopia Nano Challa (light roast), 45% Mexico oaxaca Mixteca (medium roast), 10% Guatemala Huehuetenango (dark roast).  

This was fabulous as espresso, espresso milk drinks and as drip coffee.  Lots of complexity, great body mouthfeel, and a little acidity to make it interesting.  Bean-blend of the Year!

Recipe Discovery of the Year

Simple - I used my standard sourdough recipe and just put it in a bread pan. There are tons of sourdough loaf recipes using special ingredients, greasing pans, and all kinds of extra steps.  Not me - just put the dough in a bread tin, proofed it in the tin, and shoved the whole thing in a cast iron dutch oven.  Worked great every time!