RVA Playlist’s Favorite Albums of 2021

Hello and welcome to my favorite time of the year!

Now’s the time when I go through all the stuff I’ve listened over the past year and try and come up with a list of my favorite albums – which is never an easy task. It’s usually a big ordeal for me to compile everything I’ve enjoyed over the year and narrow it down to a set list of releases because I always listen to so much stuff. Normally, I’m going off memory and then once I’ve finished the list, I end up remembering that there was a random album that I loved months back that I had forgotten about and have to start over again.

But thanks to this newsletter, I have an accurate record of what I’ve been listening to this year, which I thought would make things a lot easier. But you guys, this was still very hard to determine which ones were at the top of my list because so much good stuff came out this year.

I was debating making a separate list dedicated to Richmond releases this year but as I was putting this list together, many of the those albums were listened to and enjoyed more than ones on the “main list,” and I didn’t want it to look like they weren’t worthy of that, so they’re all together on the same list. But a good third of this list is from Richmond artists.

So here they are, presented in no particular order, RVA Playlist’s Favorite Albums of 2021!

Wild Pink – A Billion Little Lights
I discovered this record at the beginning of the year and it’s stayed with me the whole time. Every song on this record is like a wave of euphoric sounds crashing on me, like the soundtrack to a long car ride across the country. “Oversharers Anonymous” and “The Shining But Tropical” are definite standouts.

Quinn XCII – Change of Scenery II
“Hey, Goodbye” from Detroit singer Quinn XCII (that’s Quinn 92) was on repeat for the longest time because it’s so damn catchy. But every song on this record from “SOS” to “Feel Something” to “Stay Next to Me,” which ranged from hip hop, pop, reggae, electronic and soul all got stuck in my head.

PJ Sykes – Fuzz
Music photographer, musician, DJ, cat dad, political activist, and independent record label owner PJ Sykes is constantly busy working on one thing or another. Fuzz is his first solo album in more than 20 years and his first since his band Hoax Hunters went on indefinite hiatus. Fuzz is exactly what you want from a rock album. It’s heavy and knocks you out of your chair but makes you get right back up to hear more – just what I needed for 2021.

Mountainess – Soundtrack
The creation of songwriter Emily Goldstein, Soundtrack, came out of the blue and caught my attention this year with its songs that are widely cinematic and deeply lyrical. “Attention” starts the record off strong with an anthem of fully stepping into the spotlight and showing the world that you’re here, while “Soundtrack” laments the dangers of sharing music with future exes. As I have shared so many playlists and mixtapes in past failed relationships and former friends, the lyrics “With your box of compact discs / You drove off to our greatest hits / Peddling that playlist to some other fool,” stuck with me.

Jeff Waters – Place & Time
With his latest release, Jeff Waters takes a more ambient tone and it works really well here. The very catchy “Young Blood,” which focuses on moving on and making yourself better after a bad relationship, had been my favorite track, but “July Flame” and “Alien” quickly came in and made me love every song on here. Each of the songs on this record has a different feel but they all effortlessly go together when collected like this.

Pale Waves – Who Am I?
In contrast to its dark and melodic sound from earlier works, indie pop group Pale Waves took a brighter and optimistic turn on Who Am I?, and it absolutely works. The songs on here remind me a lot of that upbeat-but-still-angsty pop rock of the early 2000s. I recommend “She’s My Religion” and “You Don’t Own Me.”

Prabir Trio – Haanji
Prabir Mehta makes music that’s fun rock and roll mixed with notes from his Indian heritage. Haanji is a collection of songs written as Prabir explored the many lessons he’s had to learn through as an immigrant leaving India and settling down in Richmond, Virginia. On Haanji, Prabir is working with the incredible talents of Kelli Strawbridge, Russell Lacy and Kenneka Cook and together they just knock it out of the park. “Light Up in Name of Love” and “America” are some of the best songs I’ve ever heard from him. Plus, the limited-edition screen-printed vinyl is beautifully designed.

The Offspring – Let the Bad Times Roll
SoCal pop punk outfit the Offspring gave 16-year-old me just what I needed this year. I was obsessed with this band in high school and have been enjoying everything the band has released ever since. It’s one part radio friendly rock and another no frills punk reminiscent of the band’s early days. The band does what it does well and delivers on it. Plus, this piano orchestral version of their 1997 hit “Gone Away” is so soothing.

Dead Billionaires
Richmond rockers Dead Billionaires dominated my ears this year with an EP that’s straight up rambunctious rock and roll. It may only be three songs, but you are enjoying every minute of them. I can’t even count the number of times I listened to “Engines” this year.

Islands – Islomania
Five years after they went dormant, indie synth rock group Islands returned with a new record earlier this year and Islomania delivered with amazing songs like “(We Like To) Do It With The Lights On,” “Closed Captioning,” and “Set the Fairlight” that were on repeat all year.

Bright Light Bright Light – So Gay. So Dramatic.
Since discovering Welsh pop artist Bright Light Bright Light in 2018 with his Tough Love EP, his music has been on my rotation for years and I’ve been loving his unreleased tracks from his concerts, Instagram Live shows and demos. His “new” record So Gay. So Dramatic. features all the non-album tracks he’s created over his career (plus a brand new song). This isn’t just a collection of b-sides. It’s a thought out well-crafted album that can stand on its own and fits very well within his discography.

Lucy Dacus – Home Video
On her newest release Home Video, indie rock star Lucy Dacus’ autobiographical songs go through processing faith, young love, and nostalgia in such a way that’s upbeat and fun, yet poignant and somber when it has to be. “Hot & Heavy” is just a beautiful song and “Thumbs” is as wonderful and devastating as ever.

Big Fundamental – HYPERBEAM
Big Fundamental’s “Haze” came at me like a ton of bricks and I fell in love with the song’s heavy and raw rock energy. HYPERBEAM is not afraid to be heavy and loud out and the rest of the tracks on there are just as entertaining. Other standout songs include “Remnant” and “Where Do Cities Go When They Die?”

WKNDR – Rising
The new record from Richmond’s ‘alternafolkrock’ band invokes a fun, light tone with songs where everyone is having a good time. Rising features some brand new stuff that I’m digging and solid updates on some classics they’ve been playing for years. And who knew that mixing classical flute with modern folk rock and heavy guitar riffs could work so well? The title track is extremely catchy and would not get out of my head for weeks.

Jonathan Facka – The Tarmac
You’re going to go on a melancholic musical journey through The Tarmac, but you’re going to come out the other side better because of it. Jonathan Facka’s songs go from angsty and powerful with “Back With a Vengeance/Academy Award” to somber and beautiful with “The Terminal.”

Passenger – Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted
Look, anyone who knows me well also knows about my love for British singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, aka Passenger, who I’ve been following for more than a decade. So of course I was going to love his 13th release Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted upon pre-ordering it last year. Those who know me knew full well this album was going on this list, so you can all just shut up right now. Rosenberg continues his trend of simple, heartfelt songs wallowing in despair with their intricate lyrics that make you feel amazing and sad at the same time. Don’t mind me, I’m just listening to everything from “Suzanne” to “Remember to Forget” to every version of “Sword from the Stone” (the original, the Ed Sheeran-produced remix, and the BBC Orchestral version) for the hundredth time over here.