best of Ewan Chaos's Best of 2021! | Albums 5-1 + Songs 10-1

[kiiwii]

men i trust true, their previous album was pretty long. this one was cute too tho, and sugar was by far my fav track 

 

if it ain't me + little by little. hoping to see the The Marías album chart high 

[Lazuli]

30  i love my little love but it gets painful to listen to sometimes cuz of how raw those voice clips are. but i LOVE the chorus, the way her voice sweeps you up is just

bleachers can do no right  jack gives all his best ideas to other artists but his own music is just mediocre central

YOU DID NOT JUST SAY TWOD DISAPPOINTED YOU  the 80s cosplay on IDLHA is just TOO GOOD

you are right that dua should've gotten rid of the 2 stains on the album  

[Ewan Chaos]

I promise to get to yalls Best Ofs this weekend, works been busy as shit and I know I have to keep updating this as much as I have the energy to or I'll never finish  On we go!

 

Best Albums of 2021 | 45 - 41

 

45.) Remi Wolf - Juno

Some of these lyrics are funny as FUCK. This is still a pretty new album, so I'm still finding more to fall in love with (for example my favorite songs seem to keep changing with each new listen), but this such a fun and sassy record I have to include it. Some of the more... how do I put this... Doja Cat-like vocals parts of the album made me have to ding it just a touch.

Yass: Street You Live On, Quiet On Set, Front Tooth, Anthony Keidis

Naur: Sally

 

44.) Arca - KicK iii

Any order is correct imo, but MY personal order would be i > iii > iiiii > ii > iiii. My name doesn't have chaos in it for no reason. The fact this is the most chaotic of all the 2021 Kicks is probably the main reason it's my favorite.

Yass: Bruja, Joya, Señorita, Incendio

Naur: n/a

 

43.) Aaron Frazer - Introducing...

I always love a bit of blue-eyed soul, and this was I think the only album that gave me that love this year. It was nice to get it so early in the year too. I figured this would fall toward the more 75 out of 150 section of albums, but it held up! Also didn't realize he was part of a different band... who may also be on this list...?

Yass: If I Got It (Your Love Brought It), Bad News, Ride With Me, You Don't Wanna Be My Baby

Naur: Have Mercy

 

42.) Cassandra Jenkins - An Overview on Phenomenal Nature

As annoying as the beginning of 2021 felt musically (yes every year has a dry spell in the beginning, but NOT LIKE THIS), I think the alt-country girls snapped a bit. This is another album where the shorter length definitely lends itself for many, many plays in the same session and doesn't feel as drawn out as other albums that are as concise as this. Most people know The Weather Station more than Cassandra, so if you liked that album, give this one a chance too!

Yass: Michelangelo, New Bikini, Hailey, The Ramble

Naur: n/a

 

41.) Aly & AJ - A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun

First of all, if the album title had just been "A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet" then it would have been album title of the year. I get that it's the whole chorus of that song but eugh, it's just a touch too long. You're no Fiona Apple, ladies! Anyway, I listened to their EP a few years ago and was stanning (and obviously know the Breakup Song), so I was quite keen on this and actually pleasantly surprised it wasn't as... pop? I guess? As I was expecting? Not that I mean any shade by that, but this album is quite great!

Yass: Pretty Places, Personal Cathedral, Break Yourself, Lose Cause

Naur: n/a

 

Best Songs of 2021 | 90 - 81

 

90.) Men I Trust - Sugar

Oh wow, they're already back! Yet another funkyyyyyy song that you should totally check out.

 

89.) Lorde - Mood Ring

I LOVE that this is a copy/paste of that Natalie Umbrigada or whatever's song (which is SO good). If you're gonna shout out the early 2000s and revolve your album around the acoustic guitar, I mean what other song are you gonna emulate? Cute attempt at social commentary too. I can't believe people legitimately got mad at her about the song lmao.

 

88.) Molly Burch, Wild Nothing - Emotion

I like the whole album because it's basically a mini Tennis album (they produced all the songs besides this one), but this song is the clear highlight. It came out I think in the first week of the year and it just stuck since then. I also got to enjoy her do this live since she opened for Tennis when I saw them in October.

 

87.) Adele - My Little Love

I suppose given the effect this song has on me, I could have ranked this higher. But I hate ranking songs and I'm not gonna revisit it, so oh well! Incredible way of interpolating intensely personal voice notes in a way that is much more common in rap albums. WHEW why am I a sympathy crier  And that FUCKING chorus!!!!

 

86.) Aly & AJ - Pretty Places

Okay, pretty places, beautiful places.

 

85.) Aaron Frazer - If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)

Perfect blue-eyed soul song that I played the entire year.

 

84.) Dayglow - Close To You

So bright and fun, but not OTT which is rare in an indie pop song like this.

 

83.) Blue DeTiger - Toast with the Butter

Okay, ignore the slightly silly song title. But at the same time... it's a great song title to touch on how buttery smooth her BASS RIPS ARE IN THIS SONG HOLY SHIT. The cheeky "ladies... I'm taking a ~lover~" line in the opening. If you're one to really notice bass in songs, check out this song and WHOLE EP.

 

82.) Hayley Williams - First Thing To Go

The lyrics  The outro  I can't!  Get out. Oh my God! I've got to do that thing for Nickelodeon  GAAAASP BYE I LOVE YOU FOR COMMENTING BYE 

 

81.) Brockhampton, Danny Brown - BUZZCUT

Couldn't decide between this or Chain On, but I went with this since it's a little more chaotic (see?! I told ya) and fun. Their album was okay.

[Ewan Chaos]

Comments under the spoiler~

Spoiler

 

22 hours ago, TheWayWeWere said:

30 is pretty good, but Idk, it was the first time I didn't like her record from the first listen tbh, I think it serves one of her best vocals and lyrics ever, but it's still a bit underwhelming. My Little Love is one of her all-time bests though

Second Line  amazing record, but I think I loved previous ones better, she's still so freaking underrated  

 

No Gods No Masters  

It Ain't Me  I loved this since the leak, and yeah, I didn't mind Normani absence too  

Interesting, you must be into the bops/power ballads her other albums provided.

22 hours ago, dangerousalex said:

Frida Kahlo and If It Ain’t Me 

Two BOPS

22 hours ago, Tinashegrande6 said:

I think the Normani absence only annoys people because they were so used to hearing the leak. I got whiplash at first but eventually I got used to it. Normani sounds really similar to Dua on it anyway.

Oh nnn fair I guess but when will people learn to just stop listening to leaks over and over until they know FOR SURE the song won't be released in some capacity! I still haven't heard the original Love is Religion leak.

19 hours ago, dreamofyou said:

don't shut me down if it aint me

BOPS

19 hours ago, Insanity said:

They're centered on mobile 

omg I won, ignore that comment

19 hours ago, JGibson said:

I Don't Live Here Anymore 

A rock SONG

17 hours ago, TalkThatRihanna said:

I enjoyed 30 as well, surprised so many others hated it. 
 

I was SO hyped for If It Ain’t Me but tbh the solo version just lacked so much. I really missed Normani’s ad-libs in the final chorus 

I think they just wanted the big bops/more pop-like ballads that her other albums gave. Which is funny when people say that they want Adele to change and when she does even a little people cry about it

16 hours ago, Pink Matter said:

The Dawn Richard album was okay for me. Only listened to it once but it wasn't my speed.

While I like Frida Khalo quite a bit, it was much weaker than their previous albums singles so I already figured Rainbow Child wasn't going to be that good  

If It Ain't Me was just okay (honestly none of the bonus tracks were that good; and I doubt the Normani version would've been that much better). I had a feeling the gays massively overrated it.

 

Not mad at anything leaving so far  

 

This is such a true statement  

Yeah good on you to just leaving Rainbow Child out. It's... fine. Certainly not as good as their last album. nnn and the last statement, I mean I must say my man has been great thankfully. Mostly meant men in music. And politics... and, yeah you know

14 hours ago, BlackoutZone said:

My Little Love is so excellent the album should be a bit higher just for that! I agree it's her best album too probably

I also agree that Voyage as a whole was a bit disappointing, but DSMD alone was a dream come true ABBA song in 2021, all I wanted from them and even if it's just one satisfying song, it met all my expectations! 

Jack's album was meh, but I guess HDYWM was one of the better songs. 

If It Ain't Me a bop I'll admit, bit I find it a bit overrated and I'm glad it wasn't on FN OG. The LIR comment 100% true tho!

 

I have a very strong feeling she's higher on your list! Yeah I don't even care that I don't care for the ABBA album as a whole. I got a handful of cute ABBA songs to go back to at least for the next few months and it doesn't mess with their old songs at all. Jack's album was awful nnn.

 

You know, I feel like IIAM immediately stopped being overrated when it was released  I was very surprised, but the fickle gays on here do not surprise me anymore.

12 hours ago, Sunderland 4ever said:

We have these two ranked almost in the same set.

 

My fave off the songs ranking so far.

omg our TASTE. 

12 hours ago, theblackestday said:

Dawn queen. don't really care for any of the songs so far hehe 

Well it is the bottom portion!!!!

12 hours ago, Wicked said:

New Dawn was your Dawn introduction? You have to listen to Redemption/Blackheart. 

 

Adele really is not good but 30 is less bad than her other albums, so I agree. 

 

Heaux Tales isn't an Ep by RIAA standards (for it to be a EP in the US it has to be either 5-8 tracks or it can't exceed 30 minutes... It doesn't fall into either category) but it's a good project. Like other said Reality Show & her Debut are better for me. 

Added to my list  I get the specific RIAA standards for stuff like that (I think Omar Apollo's record from last year was basically exactly the same "issue"), but calling something a project always just felt like a cop-out to me. Like you're not confident enough to call it a full album but you don't want to seem too nervous about the music to call it an EP. Albums can be "short" loves! Ah well.

11 hours ago, Remmy said:

30  Whew our favorites are quite different (except ANP I). Cry Your Heart Out is kinda ugly nnn and there's like 2 other tracks that are just fine but don't wow me in any way - including the newest single. Can I Get It is fun! Just needed less whistling, maybe even none at all. I cried at My Little Love as well  || Despite being a Rollercoaster stan, HYDWM needed a little time to grow on me. Mainly because the "Still my mother, still my wheel, yeah" part turned me off for some reason? I enjoy the 2 singles more than it atm. Little by Little  Heights + If It Ain't Me are really great  "This should have replaced Good in Bed and the Love is Religion remix should have replaced Boys Will Be Boys" I enjoy all of FN but this is a great concept! Throw in That Kind of Woman too since that's the best new track.

I think Oh My God is cute, her Rebecca Ferguson moment (which I would have expected her to have had more of in the past as a Paul Epworth commonplace artist). God I HATE that whistling kndlshdshklds. I'm listening to Adele not FLO RIDA. 

5 hours ago, Legend E said:

30  but I disagree with it being Adele's best album.

 

Don't Shut Me Down  NGNM and IIAM  

Most seem to disagree with that sentiment!

5 hours ago, luckystrike said:

only know If It Ain't Me  

Well it's a bop!

4 hours ago, worldwide angel said:

all of these serves

YOUR TASTE

3 hours ago, kiiwii said:

men i trust true, their previous album was pretty long. this one was cute too tho, and sugar was by far my fav track 

 

if it ain't me + little by little. hoping to see the The Marías album chart high 

You may be happy to see where it ended up  If they end up on the list I don't knowwwwww

1 hour ago, Lazuli said:

30  i love my little love but it gets painful to listen to sometimes cuz of how raw those voice clips are. but i LOVE the chorus, the way her voice sweeps you up is just

bleachers can do no right  jack gives all his best ideas to other artists but his own music is just mediocre central

YOU DID NOT JUST SAY TWOD DISAPPOINTED YOU  the 80s cosplay on IDLHA is just TOO GOOD

you are right that dua should've gotten rid of the 2 stains on the album  

You nailed it with My Little Love. Literally a SWEEPING chorus to lift you into space for the voice notes to put iron boots on your feet and bring you BACK down to Earth. We hate Bleachers in this house! Well his debut was cute. But even Choli washed him on his own song with Rollercoaster jdflkhdklfhdklhf

 

Sorry babes, TWOD just didn't give what they needed to give after the 2017 excellence! 

 

[TheWayWeWere]

A Touch of the Beat is f*cking great  I love their pop bops, but this is such a serve and TALENT
 

Mood Ring  summer vibes

My Little Love is heartbreaking  so haunting

Pretty Places  

[JGibson]

Pretty Places + Close To You + Mood Ring 

[dreamofyou]

mood ring praise in literally every thread, the taste

 

my little love

 

[theblackestday]

KicK iii is too low especially considering it's your favorite but I'll take it

Introducting... was very nice but a Q1 fad for me. Juno and Cassandra yup yup  

First Thing to Go

[Alldeezy]

Pretty places, mood ring 

[Lee!!]

Remi Wolf, Close To You, Toast With the Butter

[Sunderland 4ever]

12 hours ago, Ewan Chaos said:

43.) Aaron Frazer - Introducing...

Heeey don't spoil my Top 10.

 

Fantastic set of songs. Sugar   I didn't know Wild Nothing featured a song this year. Other highlights are If I Got It and My Little Love (my fave off her album) and Close To You.

[Tinashegrande6]

14 hours ago, Ewan Chaos said:

Natalie Umbrigada

 

Mood Ring is great though!

[kiiwii]

oh wow, aly & aj are so low.  v cute tho! but tea, the title is too much nnn

 

some of these songs >>> sugar + pretty places + toast with the butter

 

emotion + close to you these two are so damn good!

[Legend E]

Mood Ring

 

 

My Little Love is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING

[luckystrike]

yas at Aly & AJ  also loooove that Flowers for vases pick 

[Brandon]

???? ℝ??? 

[witness1.3]

A touch of the beat  definitely one of my favorites from this year

Mood Ring, Pretty Places

[Ewan Chaos]

Let me try and get this update out before the booster sleepiness knocks me on my ASS

 

Best Albums of 2021 | 40 - 36

 

40.) Indigo De Souza - Any Shape You Take

Had no idea who this chick was before and I liked this album! Probably one of the more engaging lo-fi/warbly albums I've listened to this year. The way I know everyone's favorite song is gonna be that screaming one tho lmao.

Yass: Hold U, Kill Me, 17, Pretty Pictures

Naur: Bad Dream

 

39.) Yola - Stand For Myself

Yeah I probably could have ranked this higher. I actually initially had this higher earlier in the year and I have no clue why I lowered it. Maybe because it's a touch frontloaded (minus the title track), but it's even better than her debut! So glad people are getting into her music this year.

Yass: Barely Alive, Dancing Away In Tears, Diamond Studded Shoes, Stand For Myself, Now You're Here

Naur: n/a

 

38.) Dayglow - Harmony House

Just a very pretty indie pop release. Maybe men didn't disappoint as much as I thought this year in music! Even with songs that are quite basic like December (at least lyrically), gosh they're just so fun and put me in a good mood that I can't be mad at it.

Yass: Close to You, Crying on the Dancefloor, Medicine, December, Moving Out

Naur: Woah Man

 

37.) Hayden Casey - Calamities

Maybe men didn't disappoint that much [2]. This was another one I had ranked higher but lowered a bit because I don't revisit the entire album too often. But gosh, this whole album is super pretty and very well-written.

Yass: Feel Something, Everything is Changing, Windows, It is Happening Again

Naur: n/a

 

36.) Jane Weaver - Flock

My dad of all people was the one to recommend this to me when it came out  He knew my taste tho, because I really enjoyed this! Great little pop album.

Yass: Sunset Dreams, The Revolution of Super Visions, Solarised, Stages of Phases

Naur: n/a

 

Best Songs of 2021 | 80 - 71

 

80.) Paul Cauthen - Country as Fuck

Country (both mainstream and not) was just foul this year. Thankfully, my dear Paul Cauthen (singer of another banger Cocaine Country Dancing) released this beauty of a song recently.

 

79.) Olivia Rodrigo - Good 4 U

Really did not care for Olivia's album outside of the rock-tinged songs. Good 4 U is easily the best of them, and WOW we love that it was the song of the summer. I don't always fall into the "it's catchy so that means it's good!" trap, but fucking hell, that chorus is just an insane earworm. And where the use of "fuck" in Driver's License I found so cringy and eye-rolling (like when Natalia Kills or Melanie Martinez tried it), in Good 4 U... it just works so well! The good sis is pissed!

 

 

78.) Cardi B - Up

It's obviously no WAP, but idk I just seem to love everything Cardi's been putting out since 2017. Now release an album!

 

77.) Katy B - Daydreaming on a Tuesday

Well this was an unexpected slay. This and In My Room certainly seem to evoke "old Katy with some new tendencies" the most from the EP, so of course I'm going to be drawn to them the most. C'mon UK garage queen!

 

76.) Durand Jones & The Indications - Witchoo

Oh hey, drone bomber I mean Obama just put this band and this artist on his list of favorite songs earlier today! Well, the good ex-president sis has taste, since this is the most fun and upbeat song from the Durand Jones record this year and it's just delightful.

 

75.) Mr Twin Sister - Expressions

It's probably because we've had this song for MONTHS before the album came out, but this is still my clear highlight from the really good Mr Twin Sister album last month. The synth and fucking BASS when she starts singing. Chef's kiss.

 

74.) Indigo De Souza - Hold U

Oh we just saw you earlier, girl! I thought for a while people would be like "wow the most accessible song is your fave of course" but thankfully seems like this is the top pick on everyone eles's lists too? It's sooooo pretty esp when the beat comes in.

 

73.) Kishi Bashi - Town of Pray

I'd say this is quite closely tied with Wait for Springtime as my favorite from the EP, but Kishi Bashi has proven (since his last album) that, like Taylor Swift, his best songs are the ones where he's telling some fictional tale and painting the picture in detail. Six minutes, specifically!

 

72.) Benny Sings, Emily King, Peter CottonTale - Miracle

I loooooove Emily King, so she was gonna find a way on my list somehow, but I actually quite liked the Benny Sings album! Very spring-like and jaunty. Emily sounds as good as ever and the "multi-vocalist" chorus is really nice.

 

71.) Silk City, Ellie Goulding - New Love

Certainly no Electricity, but whew this blew EVERYTHING from Dullest Poo out of the water. I sing the second part of the chorus where Ellie sings quickly as "I got you lovin me" oopsies. Really fun bop that I spun the whole year, so it definitely deserves it place on my list.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Ewan Chaos

[JGibson]

good 4 u + New Love 

[theblackestday]

Not Naur at Bad Dream... you are cancelled

 

Calamities best male album oty maybe so

Your dad recommending you Flock what  he has taste though

Edited December 18, 2021 by theblackestday

[Lazuli]

Quote

Well his debut was cute. But even Choli washed him on his own song with Rollercoaster jdflkhdklfhdklhf

the only way i listen to his debut is terrible thrills  he was outperformed in literally every song  i think his music just fits the ladies better and he needs to stop singing

 

indigo yas her album was a great discovery this year! but why did you put bad dream in your naur list SIS it's literally an album highlight

good 4 u, up and hold u  

[TheWayWeWere]

G4U is such a rock banger, you just can't deny it  

omg so nice to see some love for New Love  Ellie is so good on dance bops tbh  

Daydreaming is heavenly  

[BlackoutZone]

VERY nice picks, so let me ingore are still in like bottom parts of your lists  

Especially gagged at My Little Love, Pretty Places, Katy B etc as you can expect. You are right that miss Kathleen Brien still has some UK garage tendencies I don't mind her evoking here and there  Also love to see little Silk City praise, they need to release more frequently, cause it's more or less a bop every time. Dullest Poo still has me rolling a bit, I guess it earns the title as a whole, but Flux or New Heights are gorgous!

 

[Sanguine]

Indigo, Yola, Jane  not the Bad Dream hate though. The dramatic wail in the bridge is everything!

Good 4 U, Up, Expressions, Hold U (Real Pain > )  hmm maybe I’ll bother with the Katy B EP afterall

 

[Alex]

Up and New Love