{"id":7243,"date":"2021-12-31T19:46:20","date_gmt":"2021-12-31T19:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=7243"},"modified":"2021-12-31T19:46:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-31T19:46:22","slug":"from-antagonizers-atl-to-zero-tolerance-my-top-40-albums-of-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=7243","title":{"rendered":"From Antagonizers ATL to Zero Tolerance: My Top 40 albums of 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2021 has been a rollercoaster year for most people. Starting in lockdown, eventually being allowed out to meet friends, go to the pub and even attend gigs again, only to find ourselves heading into familiar territory again as the year ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

I appreciated like never before the six months of the year where we could meet friends old and new, and enjoy seeing some of my favourite bands – and discovering new ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music has, once again, proved a beacon of light and hope in a mostly dark year, and again bands have come up with wonderful music, of all shapes and genres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, my first year doing this website, I produced a list of my top 20 albums, (which you can read here<\/a><\/strong>), and last year expanded that to a Top 30 (read that rundown here<\/a><\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021 has produced so much good music that I’ve been unable to narrow it down that far, so I’ve settled for a Top 40. Some are self-released, others are on small indie labels, and one or two on majors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to anyone who has sent me music to listen to this year, whether they’re bands, labels, PR people or fellow music fans. I try to listen to everything a few times and give it a fair review. I also buy far, far more music than I should…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As in previous years, any of the top half a dozen or so could have been my No 1, so I\u2019ve tried to rank them by the wow factor they had when I first heard them, and how often I\u2019ve gone back to them over the course of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven\u2019t included compilations, live albums or reissues, while others (The Wildhearts, Neville Staple, The Stranglers, The Last Resort, Los Fastidios, The Defects, The Derellas, and plenty more) are missing simply because I haven\u2019t got round to hearing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are plenty of other good albums I’d thoroughly recommend, who just missed out on a slot in my Top 40. Take a bow, and in no particular order (\u2026deep breath\u2026) Turnstile, The Offspring, Culture Shock, Ferocious Dog, The Fauves, Captain Rico and the Ghost Band, System Of Hate, Milk Lizards, Carol Hodge, Come Closer, Jim Lindberg, The Copyrights, The Courettes, Belvedere, Chaser, Grippers, Face To Face, Ruts DC, Rise Against, Public Service Broadcasting, and Skids. All are 7\/10 albums or more, so well worth your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So without further ado, and in reverse order, here\u2019s my Top 40 albums of 2021. All but one or two are reviewed elsewhere on this website, so click away, and I hope you find something new to your ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ship
40. Ship Thieves – Irruption (Chunksaah Records).<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"cato
39. Cato Street Conspiracy by Cato Street Conspiracy (Dammit Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
38. The Inklings \u2013 Bring Out Your Dead (self-released) <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"jim
37. Jim Bob – Who Do We Hate Today (Cherry Red Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
36. Plizzken – …And Their Paradise Is Full Of Snakes (Pirates Press Records).<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
35. Del Amitri – Fatal Mistakes (Cooking Vinyl)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
34. Nervous Twitch – Nervous Twitch (Reckless Yes) <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
33. Pet Needs – Fractured Party Music (Xtra Mile Recordings)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
32. Maximo Park – Nature Always Wins (Prolifica Inc)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
31. DeeCracks – Serious Issues (Pirates Press Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"dead
30. Dead Men Walking – Freedom \u2013 It Ain\u2019t On The Rise (Eastersnow Recordings)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
29. The Mighty Mighty BossToneS – When God Was Great (Hellcat Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
28. The Rumjacks – Hestia (Four Four)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"chubby
27. Chubby and the Gang – The Mutt\u2019s Nuts (Partisan Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"descendents\"
26. Descendents – 9th And Walnut (Epitaph Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
25. The Specials – Protest Songs 1924-2012 (Island Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"burning
24. Burning Flag – Matador (Hell Hath No Fury Records\/Phobia Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"mad
23. Mad Daddy – Mad Daddy (self-released)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"skinny
22. Skinny Lister – A Matter Of Life & Love (Xtra Mile Recordings)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"naked
21. Naked Raygun – Over the Overlords (Audio Platter)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
20. NOFX – Single Album (Fat Wreck Chords)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
19. Dropkick Murphys – Turn Up That Dial (Born & Bred Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
18. The Other Ones – The Other Ones (Reckless Yes)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
17. The Rejected SF – The Rejected SF (Punkboot Promotions)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"hummer\"
16. Hummer – How Did I Get Here (Horn & Hoof Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"grand
15. Grand Collapse – Empty Plinths (TNSRecords)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
14. Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs (Rough Trade Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
13. IDLES – Crawler (Partisan Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
12. Zero Tolerance – Too Young To Die (self-released)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"scott
11. Scott Lavene – Milk City Sweethearts (Nothing Fancy)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
10. Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg (4AD)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"teenage
9. Teenage Bottlerocket – Sick Sesh! (Fat Wreck Chords)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"frank
8. Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes – Sticky (International Death Cult)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
7. The Professionals – S.N.A.F.U. (JTP Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
6. The Mistakes – A Head Full Of Damage (NBQ Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
5. Antagonizers ATL – Kings (Pirates Press Records)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
4. Amyl And The Sniffers – Comfort To Me (Rough Trade)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"The
3<\/strong>. The Bronx – Bronx VI (Cooking Vinyl)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"incisions
2.<\/strong> Incisions – Bliss (TNSRecords)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"slalom
1. Slalom D – Happy Skies (self-released)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2021 has been a rollercoaster year for most people. Starting in lockdown, eventually being allowed out to meet friends, go to the pub <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7249,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_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,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3,9,987,78,2174,79,8,574,2068,307,7,120,1756,363],"tags":[2285,2284,2286],"class_list":["post-7243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-album-review","category-alternative","category-celtic-punk","category-folk-punk","category-garage-rock-3","category-hardcore","category-indie","category-new-wave","category-pop-punk","category-post-punk","category-punk","category-ska","category-skatepunk","category-streetpunk-oi","tag-2285","tag-review-of-the-year","tag-top-40-albums"],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Antagonizers ATL to Zero Tolerance: My Top 40 albums of 2021 |<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"2021 has produced so much good music that I've had to do a Top 40 albums of the year. 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