Music in Motion Columbus - 2020 Complete Article List (Updated 12/31)

All of our work can be found at the Music in Motion - Columbus website.



These are my contributions.
From the archives... 

2017 articles

2018 articles 

2019 articles




January


 The Intrigue of Mystical Indie Pop Rock from Faye
The first article of the year, profiling up-and-coming singer/songwriter Faye and her new material. She has a ton of potential and is definitely someone to keep an eye on in 2020.


 SoHi Set the Tone on Debut EP
I met up with an old musical friend of mine, Steve Abele, and was able to do a review of his new group's newest effort. Even after all these years, Steve is still cranking out catchy headbangers.


 ALBUM REVIEW – Hello Emerson – How to Cook Everything
Perhaps the coolest thing to happen to me in 2020 - we got an e-mail from Hello Emerson's PR agency about covering their new record. Featured in their material were quotes from the review I did for them a few years ago. Obviously, I jumped at the opportunity to do another piece with them.


 label me lecter Embraces the Madness Within
I like an interview with a good story - I met up with the guys from lml during the NFC playoff game between the Saints and Vikings, and so our interview was half that, half us talking about music. It was a great time. These are two great dudes.


February

The Triumphant Return of label me lecter 
 So, of course, I had to do a show review with them. lml packed the house and really had the crowd feeding off of their energy. I'm kind of disappointed that the global pandemic has put a damper on bands like this playing out, because they had really hit their stride.


March

New Age Connect (with Atimera) Fosters Connections and Networking Relationships at First Group Event 
I went to this show specifically just to enjoy a night out and see what New Age Connect was all about. I was blown away at the level of dedication they have for the music scene in Ohio, and am super excited to help them build that brand.


The Raquels Premiere New Single and Talk About Plans for New Record
Right before everything was shut down due to COVID-19, I was able to meet up with my old friends, The Raquels, to talk about the new music they're making and what they hope to achieve this year.


Sifting Through The Musical Mind of Mudbrain
A friend of mine referred me to Mudbrain, and I was caught off guard by the humility and love for music that their lead singer has. It was an instant mesh, and this is another one where I'm stoked to see where the band goes.

April

Getting Level with Cleveland’s Lilieae
As usual, I was browsing through PromoWest's Local Discover Spotify list and found the badass sound of Lilieae. I had been wanting to dig deeper into the Cleveland scene, and their openness to chatting made it quite easy.


Ghost Train Rolls Through Ohio
Usually when I reach out to bands about Q+A sessions, I get smaller responses than what Ghost Train afforded me.  It made for a longer read, but you can tell these dudes are serious about their craft as well as their stories.


TRVSS Finding Ways To Reach Fans During Current Quarantine
From one Cleveland act to another, TRVSS actually reached out to me after my Lilieae article. As it turns out, they're also good friends with Grumpy Plum. Circle of life, right? I'm glad Cleveland has just as many badass artists as I hoped they would.

Don Drapery Promises Hope With New Single “Incredible Creatures”
Don Drapery is the solo project of Jason Turner from Fashion Week. This song is beautiful, and I'm glad I had the chance to review it.


May

New Age Connect Doing Their Part To Help Save Local Venues
NAC had just hit its roll when the stay-at-home was signed. Multiple shows were cancelled, but they are doing their best to help venues and bands survive in these trying times.


Corduroy Brown Brightens Your Day with “To My Younger Self”
This one was exceptionally cool to do. Corduroy Brown started out as just a musician whose music intrigued me, but in meeting the man I found so much more than meets the ear.  I definitely hope to be doing more with this guy in the future.

June

The Villaintinos Pack Fifty Pounds of Rock Into Ten Pound Sack on Debut Album
Although you don't hear it much on the radio anymore, the punk side of Columbus never ceases. Nevermind the cheesy title, just check out the music!


Thomas and the Work-Men Bring Sunshine To Your Summer
Thomas and the Work-Men were a band referred to me quite some time ago by my friends in The Broken Relics, so I relished the opportunity to be able to do an interview with them. Great dudes! Another one I can't wait to see live once everything passes.


July

Then Falls The Sky – Evolving From Unconventional Origins
Then Falls The Sky were one I picked up on through Atimera and New Age Connect. It feels nice to get back into metal after being somewhat platooned in alt-rock.

Ohyoholos ~ Funny Name or Serious Music? We Search For The Answer…
Another church link-up - seeing as how I can't actually see any of these people in person, it was really nice to do an itnerview with someone I actually KNEW! lol this one also featured one of my favourite quotes from banjoist Ben Stepp about "the Lindsay machine".

Taking A Look Inside The Manatee Room
The six degrees of separation chain link just keeps rolling. I found Grumpy Plum at a Broken Relics show, and they brought me Lilieae, who got me to TRVSS, who told me I had to check out The Manatee Room. We legitimately laughed through this entire conversation - one of my favourite interviews for the year.


August

Groove U Capstone Project 2020 – The C-BUS Sessions: Remixed and Live!
This was an interesting one that came to me - Groove U was actually where Forever Unknown got their big break, winning their Instaband contest. For this article I spoke with one of their seniors about their special project that they had put together for the year, and how they adapted it due to COVID.

Blend Get Introspective with Me, Myself & I
With the absence of concerts, this year has been heavy on music reviews and interviews. For this one I did a single review for a Columbus act who has slowly been building steam.

REVIEW – Digging Deep with Lisa Gain & the Rusty Silos Debut LP
Lisa Gain is one of my favourite Columbus singers, so I jumped at the opportunity to to an album review for her, having previously covered one of her solo singles for the site. It was pretty cool listening to this one, at it was a collection of songs she had written over the last 20 years and finally recorded.

The Perfect Summer Anthem Arrives on Thomas and the Work-Men’s New EP “Good Company”
The TWM boys were so impressed by my interview that they allowed me the opportunity to review their 3rd EP. With each album, their sound matures and they show why they were recently signed and will hopefully be moving up in the world.


September

Atimera Spread Their Wings With New Singer & New Single
In between the last show I covered in March and September, Atimera found a new single and I was there to help preview their newest single.

Playlists in the Time of Coronavirus, Volume 4: The Jester’s Local COVID Sonic Survival Guide
We had a meeting to try and pitch new ideas on what to do without show reviews, and it came up to do playlists that got us writers through the pandemic. This is my edition.

October

Former We Are The Movies Guitarist Mike O’Leary Set to Release Debut Single “Exhausted”
Although not the title I would have given this article, A Tiger Made of Lightning is the new project of O'Leary, and we had the chance to talk about mental health in 2020 and his newest musical effort.

Tuned Up’s Annual Steadfast Festival Adds Friends and Goes Virtual
COVID literally shut the city down 2 days before the actual Steadfast Festival, so T/U came up with the idea to do a fun virtual fest!

Making The Best Of A Bad Year With Meryl Creep
I reached out to Meryl Creep frontman Matthew Jones because, duh, the band is called Meryl Creep. What I found underneath was a deep individual with a passion for battling mental illness and making great music. Truly a fantastic find near the end of the year.

November

Breaking Through with Dayton’s Echobreak
Echobreak have a promising sound and are a super excited group of dudes looking to change the way music is done. Add them to the list of bands I'd definitely like to see in 2021.

December

Returning Home with Silver Cave
The last interview I did in 2020 was with a guy who was very passionate about his band and very willing to talk at length about them. It always makes my job easier when they are able to fill in the details for me!

Stay tuned, and as always... Support Local!  Ohio Rocks!

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #1

 #1. Lilieae - Level

Once again, we have reached the top spot in our Countdown. As luck would have it this year, we have another local entry, this time being Cleveland's Lilieae. This would be the third time in four years that a female-fronted act has topped the chart, and the second time it was a local group, with Morning Theft winning it all in 2017. Lilieae is certainly unlike any other top entrant in the 12 year history of the Countdown, with a hearty pop-punk flair and in-your-face attitude. I actually found them through the Promowest Local Discover channel on Spotify, which used to be updated quite regularly before the pandemic happened. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to see the band live, but I did get to do an interview with them way back in April. The band put out their debut EP late last year, with four hard hitting songs capped by the title track. 

The band told me that they wanted to record an EP to introduce themselves to the world, and chose the 4 best songs they had written so far to do so.  It is definitely a solid list - from the emotion of "Drained, Drown" to the sheer aggression of "My Pretty Rainboots" and the full package of power in "Pound". Lead singer Lydia Puccini even told me that at the end of their set, she likes to go out into the crowd to mosh along. The band unfortunately hasn't been able to do a ton during the pandemic, but they said they have a full album worth of song that they've been tightening up, and I'm willing to bet it'll be out soon in 2021. After rocking out to this EP all of 2020, I know I'll be first in line to rock out with them live once they can play again.

"Level" is the opening track on the EP, and you're immediately greeted with Puccini's aggression and a jumping guitar riff that quickly re-arranges your eardrums. The song is about a difficult relationship and how the singer feels as though she has given more than the antagonist deserves, although she loves them just the same. The guitars drive the song through and through as Puccini continues her tale about wanting that difficult love. It's the type of song that I loved to listen to while out on a run, with speed and power coursing through my veins as I sang along. And sing did I ever! This song had the most scrobbles (via last.fm) of any other song on the Countdown, solidifying it's claim for the top spot. Not that I needed any further convincing; throughout most of the summer I was fairly sure this song would take the title. The battle between Purity Ring and White Reaper was strong, but there was one song that I just couldn't skip from the moment I found it until today.

So, here is the fun part. No video. Not even a Tunecore/Distrokid placeholder. I'm not even sure how you do that... so instead you get a Bandcamp player! And since I have the platform to say it, go out there and buy the single/EP! Support local music! If you want to stream on your chosen platform, you can click here as well.

And... that's it! The end! 20 up, 20 down. Another great year of music! I'll have a recap post up next week, and then at the beginning of the new we'll have our 2020 Year End Lists! Stay tuned!


Favorite Line: "I can't deal with inconsistency, I'm telling you it's killing me. I wanna reach the end of this, and all its fucked up specialness!"


 

 

Title: Level
Artist: Lilieae
Album: Level EP



Previous #1s
2019: VNV Nation - Only Satellites
2018: Florence + The Machine - Sky Full Of Song
2017: Morning Theft - Skeleton Twins
2016: DMA's - Lay Down
2015: Purity Ring - Heartsigh
2014: Cadets - A Drop In The Ocean
2013: Surfer Blood - Demon Dance
2012: Fun. - Some Nights
2011: Young The Giant - My Body
2010: Hockey - Song Away
2009: Morrissey - I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #2

 #2. Purity Ring - stardew

As usual, the top of the Countdown a battleground, where heavily streamed songs with potent hooks and choruses battle for supremacy. This year's #2 is a returning artist from 2015 in Purity Ring, who took the top spot with "Heartsigh" that year. The band almost cracked in 2017 with standalone single "Asido", and had I known of their existence in 2012 their song "Crawlersout" would've cracked the top 5 as well. They're essentially Countdown legends at this point, with a #1 and #2 under their belt.  In fact, of all the bands on this year's list, I'd say I've listened to PR more than any of the others combined in the last decade. Their debut album Shrines was one that I listened to almost daily after I found it, while their second disc "Another Eternity" catapulted them into the national spotlight, reaching #1 on the top US Dance/Electronic chart and #26 on the Billboard 200. While Womb was able to climb to the top of the Dance/Electronic charts again, the album only scraped in the Billboard 200, debuting at 195 before falling out.

I can understand the fall off with this record, however. I remember eagerly spinning the record the day it was released, only to find myself scratching my head at the new sound that the band was trying to capture. For the past 8 years they've swayed between sparkling synths and dance beats, never really establishing a true identity but still subscribing to a mostly DIY sound, despite the amount of polish placed on the final product. The band revolves around producer Corin Riddick's synths and Megan James' impossibly high-pitched tiny voice, and the two always worked in tandem with James' quirky lyrics. It almost felt like that with Womb, the band was trying too hard to layer and polish the synths and sprinkles on top, rather than letting James do her thing. It almost felt like they were forcing it, and I honestly could not find another song to latch on to, or even spend any time with. It just feels weird to have a song that I love so much, from a band I adore, on a record that I couldn't stand.

But, all things considered, the band was brilliant in their release tactics for the album. They created a click puzzle on their website in mid-February, where if you made it through the levels you'd find a new track, "Pink Lightning". A few days later, February 18th to be exact, "Stardew" was released and I listened to it 11 times in just one afternoon. Obsession is an amazing thing, and sure enough I told myself "here's another Purity Ring" song that's going to ascend to the top of the charts. The song has a soft piano opening that is followed by a jangly music box sound effect that leads into the synths and to James. The song has a cute little poppy "da-da, da da" on the chorus that catches you off guard, but otherwise it's a pretty simple synth track that doesn't burst at you like a lot of their previous works. It's just a solid, fun song that follows the old Purity Ring method of success. The video is... terrifying? How is it that a lot of the songs on this year's Countdown have utterly bizarre and creepy videos? I don't even know how to describe it, you'll just have to watch for yourself.

The song amassed just 4.6m streams on Spotify while the video added another 400k views to the hit list for the group. The group had planned a tour over the spring/summer months, and I had definitely considered going having seen their live performances before. I think a lot of Purity Ring's identity is tied into that live aesthetic, but like everyone else on the planet they were unable to tour. As for our Countdown, it was actually a pretty pitched battle between White Reaper, Purity Ring, and our #1 which will be revealed tomorrow! See you then!

 
 

Favorite Line: "I know it seems far, but just be where you are"









Title: stardew
Artist: Purity Ring
Album: WOMB


Previous #2s
2019: The Broken Relics - Where The Creatures Roam
2018: The War On Drugs - Pain
2017: Future Islands - Ran
2016: Broods - Free
2015: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Cecilia and the Satellite
2014: Morning Parade - Alienation
2013: Aeon Zen - Warning
2012: Meshuggah - Do Not Look Down
2011: Owl City - Galaxies
2010: Periphery - Icarus Lives!
2009: August Burns Red - Rationalist

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #3

#3. White Reaper - Real Long Time

 

It seems as though every year a song comes along that just takes over the entirety of my summer. It's always an upbeat song that I'll be singing while dancing down the hallways and grocery stores of my life. Interestingly, a lot of times it's from a band that I never really paid much attention to before. Such is the case with our #3 this year from White Reaper. The band is a refreshingly straight-forward garage rock band that doesn't mess around with any frills or foolishness in their music. Singer Tony Esposito has a great punk rock voice that makes every track accessible and enjoyable. Even though You Deserve Love isn't a record I spent a ton of time with this year, any time I listened to it I never really felt the need to skip ahead of any of the tracks.

The band has been kicking it for six years now, and their last record The World's Best American Band crept all the way up to #7 on the US Heatseekers chart, prompting Elektra Records to reach out and sign the band. You Deserve Love definitely shows the fruit of this signing, with much more polish on the tracks and a cleaner feel on the vocals. The first single "Might Be Right" made it up to #1 on the Alternative Rock Airplay weekly list earlier in the year, and #2 on the Rock Airplay weekly lists. It's definitely nice to see some real rock music kicking around the charts these days.

"Real Long Time" followed up by hitting #19 on the Alternative Airplay chart, but it was a song that immediately crawled into my ear when I first heard it. I still spend a decent amount of time listening to music on the radio when I can, and it was nice to be able to hear this song whenever I'd flip to our local alternative station. The song has a thumping bass guitar opening that transitions into screaming guitars and a whole lot of bounciness. It's a song that just sounds fun and happy. It was easy to put the problems of the world behind me and crank up the volume knob any time this one came along. There was a hot minute where I thought this might end up at the #1 song for the year, and it bounced back and forth between 1 and 2 for a while before settling here at #3.

The video for the song features the band rocking out on old-style 8mm film, and it racked up over 250k views to go along with the 2.8m streams the song got on Spotify. I can only hope that, along with bands like The Struts, Black Honey and Royal Blood, White Reaper is one of those groups bringing rock music back to the airwaves.


Favorite Line: "How come what you want and what you get always seem to be two different things?"

Title: Real Long Time
Artist: White Reaper
Album:  You Deserve Love



Previous #3s
2019: Smith & Thell - Forgive Me Friend
2018: Vesperteen - Medicine
2017: The Naked and Famous - Higher
2016: POP ETC - What Am I Becoming?
2015: Slipknot - (A) Skeptic; (B) The Devil in I
2014: Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)
2013: The Airborne Toxic Event - Timeless
2012: Walk the Moon - Anna Sun
2011: Matt and Kim - Good for Great
2010: Fear Factory - Final Exit
2009: Owl City - Fireflies

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #4

 #4. Forever Unknown - Bury Me

When last we saw Forever Unknown, they had quickly achieved the #32 spot for my Top Local Songs of the Decade list. As I was writing the list, I pondered how much to weigh the recency bias in some of the songs, especially one that was literally released in November of 2019. But at the last two months of the year unfolded, I found myself playing the album (and specifically this track) over and over again. I can't remember the last time I put a single album on repeat like I had with Study Hall. That definitely carried into the first month or two of 2020 before things settled down. It is still one of my absolute favourite albums of the year, and like I said a few years back about fellow high school rockers Threat Level Midnight, I cannot wait for the chance to hear them record music in a more professional setting that can truly bring out their musical talents. Even with that being said, Study Hall  still has several tracks that were on heavy rotation for me this year, including "Wonder Emporium", "Six (acoustic)", and "Home".

The amazing thing about Forever Unknown is that the band is still exceptionally young. They were all in high school when the EP was released, showcasing skill and wit that was far beyond their combined years. When I sat down with them last November I was truly shocked at the grace and poise in which singer Micah Stromsoe-DeLorenzo and guitarist Jacob Hutmire answered the majority of the questions I threw at them. You might have thought they were veterans of the music scene, not a group of teenagers who might be more interested in what type of coffee they were ordering than what questions I asked. Stromsoe-Delorenzo in particular has given me several great quips about how she deals with anxiety in their music. That connection is easily found in "Bury Me".

The song is about wanting to put all of your energy and emotions into a singular thing, knowing that it might even destroy you in the end, but not caring because you love it so much. It could be a person or another type of passion, but the idea behind it is just the same. The opening line of "am I a dead man walking?" immediately spells things out in easily understood terms. The opening riff of the song is one of my favourites in the last several years, not just in 2020 alone. The bass jumps around, the drums push forward, and the song is equal parts foot-tapper and head-banger. I think the band might have had big plans for 2020, but they've since replaced two members and are looking ahead to next year to capitalize on their successful debut EP.

So the question that begs to be asked is - how did a song that was that big last year (and equally big this year) only end up at #4? I probably said aloud in January that there was no way anyone could ever catch this song, but as usual new music has its ways to captivate. I will say that I am pleased that this is the 5th consecutive year with a local artist in the top 5 (2016 had #4, '17 #1, '18 #3 and #4, and last year had The Broken Relics place runner up). Who will take the top 3 spots this year? Only one way to find out! Stay tuned!

Favorite Line: "Tell me that you love me, even if you never will, and always keep in mind that sometimes looks can kill"

 

(album version) 

(live performance)






Title: Bury Me
Artist: Forever Unknown
Album: Study Hall EP





Previous #4s
2019: VHS Collection - Sign
2018: Curse of Cassandra - Re-Bind (Retro Binding Mix)
2017: The Birthday Massacre - All of Nothing
2016: Graceful Closure - Choices
2015: Jason Derulo - Want To Want Me
2014: Eye of the Enemy - The Shift
2013: New Politics - a) Harlem; b) Goodbye Copenhagen
2012: Garbage - Beloved Freak
2011: Matt Nathanson - Kiss Quick
2010: The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
2009: Alice in Chains - Check My Brain

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #5

 #5. Empathy Test - Monsters


Empathy Test is one of those bands who had percolated around my radar before this year but never really did anything to jump out and smack me in the face. The band started six years ago in London as a two piece, with singer Isaac Howlett handling the writing duties and producer Adam Relf handling the technical sides of everything else. Over time they've evolved and added live drums and synths to flesh out their sound. You can definitely feel the progress on their newest album, showing the writing abilities of their two newest members, drummer Christina Lopez and keyboardist Oliver Marson, who was already a successful solo artist before joining the outfit. 

Having additional musicians definitely helped Monsters feature a much heavier focus on drums and synth layering. Rather than just using pedestrian drum machine beats, many of the tracks feature elaborate fills and cymbal crashes. Of course, the main feature of the group has always been Howlett's mournful voice and higher register, not entirely unlike his boyhood idol Robert Smith of The Cure. If nothing else, the album focuses on depth, playing out like a collection of electrically charged singles, like "Incubation Song" and "Empty Handed, the latter of which I thought might be featured on this Countdown. However, as time passed by, it seemed that several months of this summer simply rotated around me singing "Baby, I've got the monsters again".

That of course is the chorus line of the title track. The band says it was the first song written by all four of them, and that an early recording of it gave them the direction they needed to write the new record. The crashing drums at the beginning definitely drive the song forward, while the double-edged synth sword slices to and fro throughout, equally lifting your ears up before driving them back down. Once you hear Howlett's higher-than-high pitch, it's already too late, and you're hooked into the entire song. It really is one of those perfect songs, from start to finish that shows no weakness. The video for the song is quite unsettling, featuring an arguing couple who is confronted (in their car) by a blue clad dancing monster which evokes emotional responses from their past. I'm also going to include the lyric video in this post, as the official video should be labeled with a seizure warning as well.

All things considered, the song has over 200k streams on Spotify, with the album as a whole racking up over 630k. I definitely enjoy the sound of this album more than their prior works, and am looking forward to seeing what a COVID-free slate will do for the quartet.





Favorite Line: "Baby, I've got the monsters again - They're creeping up again"

(official video)

(lyric video)

 

Title: Monsters
Artist: Empathy Test
Album: Monsters


Previous #5s
2019: Within Temptation - In Vain
2018: Andrew WK - Music Is Worth Living For
2017: Chris Cornell - The Promise
2016: blink-182 - Built This Pool
2015: August Burns Red - Identity
2014: Chvrches - The Mother We Share
2013: Born of Osiris - M∆chine
2012: The Shins - Simple Song
2011: Cold - The Break
2010: Matt and Kim - Cameras
2009: Michael Bublé - Just Haven't Met You Yet

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #6

 #6. TRVSS - All The Bugs (Live)



Arguably my favourite interview I did in 2020 was my first Zoom excursion, with the Cleveland-based quartet TRVSS. It was early on during the first Ohio lockdown, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a band that was both hilariously clever personally and fiercely talented musically. The unfortunate downside of 2020 is that I haven't actually had the chance to meet most of the bands I've interviewed, or even see them live. All I have are these interviews and whatever recorded music the band has to offer. Fortunately for TRVSS, they released their first EP at the end of last year and I caught that wave early on.

Without being told explicitly, you might not even realize that the EP was recorded live, albeit in a music studio. The band told me that each song was essentially done in a single take, which is a fantastic feat considering they had only ever recorded 1 song prior to the excursion. There's a good amount of polish and finish on each song, but the band felt it accurately captured what they "should" sound like by recording it as such. All told, it's 4 originals and a cover of "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol. All four of the originals are solid, and I spent a lot of time jamming to "Reset My Head" as well.

As for "All The Bugs", the band said it was the final song they wrote for the EP. The song starts off with a light guitar riff that coaxes the listener into a false sense of security. Singer Hannah Crandall says she was in a Rage Against The Machine phase when she wrote the song, and it shows in the lyrical content. The song is about finding your individuality, not being brainwashed by the world around you, and not getting lost in the flow of nothingness. It turned into a protest anthem for me in the late spring months, with punching cymbals a shrieking guitar solo late in the song. It was one of those songs where every time it popped up on my Spotify, I turned the volume knob up a few notches. It's definitely a showcase track for the band - where they can say "this is our best offering". Cleverly, the group also recorded a video for the song with each member recording live in their own personal quarantine areas. The video is slightly different from the recorded version of the song, due to each member recording their part separately before editing.

If this album is a sign for what is to come, then I truly believe 2021 with be a huge year for the band, pandemic-willing. They are one of the reasons that I love what I do!


Favorite line: "Go and put your mind to rest again - clear your dispositions"

 (official video)

(album recording)

Title: All The Bugs (Live)
Artist: TRVSS
Album: Live at Weird Music Studios


Previous #6s
2019: Rammstein - Radio
2018: Turnspit - Walk Away
2017: Assemblage 23 - Bravery
2016: Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown - Loaded Dice and Buried Money
2015: Lamb of God - 512
2014: Lo-Fang - When We're Fire
2013: Tegan and Sara - Closer
2012: Lamb of God - King Me
2011: Nine Lashes - Anthem of the Lonely
2010: Them Crooked Vultures - Mind Eraser, No Chaser
2009: Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #7

 #7. King Princess - Ohio

Ah, we've reached the portion of the Countdown where we hit songs that could have potentially landed in the top spot. The songs that have definite "OMG" moments, where I sit and listen to them on repeat and go "wow, this could be the one". To her credit, there really wasn't much King Princess did wrong for me this year. She is definitely a fascinating specimen, and I admire the heck out of the fact that she plays a lot of the instruments and wrote all of the songs on her debut record, Cheap Queen. It's always enjoyable to find popstars doing things like that, although to just peg KP as "pop" would be underselling her music. The record has jazz, R&B and even elements of funk mixed throughout, almost like a late-blooming version of Amy Winehouse without the soulful voice. The initial release record made it to #88 on the Billboard 100 and #18 on the US Alternative, despite not charting any singles. I honestly never would have listened to the record if it hadn't been re-released as a deluxe edition with six bonus tracks, including our #7.

And, of course, how else would I have found the song if I wasn't just looking for songs about, you know, Ohio. It's almost silly how many great songs center around my home state (Neil Young, Bowling for Soup, and Pretenders immediately spring to mind), but I was just mulling through Spotify when I found this one. I suppose it was a lucky find, but our local alternative station picked it up a little bit later and I was able to jam out to it on the radio as well. Double score!

"Ohio" is easily the most unique song on the record, and it's not even close. In fact, it is deceptively unique in that absolutely none of the other 17 songs sound anything like it. Even her voice has a totally different feel to it, which I like a lot more than on the rest of the record. There's a rattly, detuned guitar opening that leads into KP singing about a female lover who is far away from her. It's a two parter song - the unplugged opening 1:48, and then the greasy, grimy, distorted madness that follows. Easily the best 30 seconds of music all year for me when the guitars kick in. Lyrically the song is decent, but man, that drop is where it's at. Musically, the entire song kicks butt, and that's all I needed to carry me through the difficult early months of the pandemic. With 3.4m streams on Spotify and another 600k views on the video, I can definitely say I am not alone. The video is split into two parts - the opening half is her in black and white singing to a microphone, the 2nd is her in color playing live and shredding. It's awesome.




Favorite Line: "so what's good, is it me or is it you?"

Title: Ohio
Artist: King Princess
Album: Cheap Queen (Deluxe Edition)



Previous #7s
2019. Cold - Shine
2018: Jukebox the Ghost - Everybody's Lonely
2017: Cold War Kids - Can We Hang On ?
2016: Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling!
2015: Matty Mullins - More of You
2014: Impending Doom - Hellhole
2013: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - If You Didn't See Me (Then You Weren't On The Dancefloor)
2012: One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
2011: The Airborne Toxic Event - All I Ever Wanted
2010: Iyaz - Replay
2009: This Ending - Machinery

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #8

 #8. Ships In The Night - Lost Times


In the history of the Countdown, #8 has featured Billie Eilish, Ellie Goulding, Jordin Sparks, and Jess Lamb. I'd say it's a pretty solid spot for female pop musicians, although to call Ships In The Night strictly "pop" would be a gross understatement. Alethea Leventhal is the sole member of the outfit, which she describes as "witch house/vaporwave". It's an intriguing combo of things that I have been getting a lot more into in the last few years, although I cannot tell you specifically where I found this project. Either way, the band is built around beautiful ambient swirls of electric current and Leventhal's wispy, floating voice. I guess I could see comparisons to my favourite local act Curse of Cassandra here, minus the edgy club beats. 

Leventhal released "Lost Times" at Halloween last year after releasing a remix album to her 2017 debut Myriologues. The song hauntingly opens with the chorus line being sang backwards (and heavily distorted) before her real voice comes in and tells a story that seems to be centered either around the end of a life or another plane of existence. "There is a place that time stands still" is one of my favourite chorus lines of the entire year, and it is right at the chorus that the synths really pulse and drive their way into your eardrums. The video for the song almost seems purposefully low budget, with old style visualizations as if it were shot during an acid trip in the 90s. Interestingly, the video has over 17k views while the song only has 15k streams on Spotify. 

This is a band that I hope continues down their unique musical path - I think I'd enjoy falling in love with her music. Until then, we have "Lost Times", a song that I legitimately have not been able to shake from my mind since the first time I heard it. And it's only #8!


Favorite Line: "I’ll live in the shadow of your memory -  I’ll be the hideout for your history "






Title: Lost Times
Artist: Ships In The Night
Album: Lost Times single



Previous #8s
2019: Billie Eilish - You Should See Me In A Crown
2018: Miller and the Hunks - Gravity
2017: Circle of Dust - Machines of our Disgrace
2016: Jess Lamb and The Factory - End of the Line
2015: Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do
2014: Sleeper Agent - Waves
2013: Paper Route - Letting You Let Go
2012: Demon Hunter - Dead Flowers
2011: Emmure - Children of Cybertron
2010: 30 Seconds to Mars - Kings and Queens
2009: Jordin Sparks - Battlefield

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #9

 #9. Apollo LTD - You

 

Apollo LTD are a Nashville based duo who were recently nominated and performed at the 2020 Dove Awards. They are one of the more popular bands on local Christian rock station 88.7 "Radio U", stemming back to their 2018 hit single "Gold". The band has been kicking around since 2015 and have released a steady stream of singles this year. Their upbeat alt-pop kind of falls in line with other bands on the countdown, like Little Alaska and Sir Sly. The only knock I have against the band is that a lot of their music sounds just like the other songs - a little piano, a little guitar, a little drums, and a heavy focus on singer Jordan Phillips and his impeccable sense of style.

"You" is one of the more interesting songs to be featured this high on the Countdown. There was never a time where I was playing it on repeat, but I just kept hearing it over and over again on Radio U and thinking it was a great song. It was a song that I could never skip, despite not actually going out of my way to listen to it a lot. Sometimes the legacy of a song on the Top 20 isn't what it did that year, but the impact it has going forward. At the end of the day, it's a fantastically uplifting track about loving yourself and knowing that God loves you no matter what you're going through. The song opens with a minimal bit of piano before the drums softly join in. It's an easy song to listen to that definitely helped me cut through the craziness that was 2020.  

The song has scored just over 3m streams on Spotify, and between the videos they released for it they had over 200k views. The official video has the duo playing the song mixed with a handful of people being interviewed about themselves, their insecurities and their lives. The two parts really mix well together. In fact, I think it's my favourite video of the year.

(official video)

(lyric video)

Favorite Line: "Every story, every scar, you are loved the way you are; there's nothing you need to prove"







Title: You
Artist: Apollo LTD
Album: You single



Previous #9s
2019: Sleeping With Sirens - Leave It All Behind
2018: mind.in.a.box - Attack
2017: Bebe Rexha - The Way I Are (Dance With Somebody)
2016: Bleached - Wednesday Night Melody
2015: TV On The Radio - Careful You
2014: Aurelio Voltaire - Captains All
2013: Deadlock - The Arsonist
2012: Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks
2011: The Limousines - Internet Killed The Video Star
2010: Dan Black - Symphonies
2009: The Killer and the Star - Living With Musicians

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #10

 #10. Loathe - Two-Way Mirror

In a year where I listened to harder music and metal less than ever before, it's almost surprising that two of my favourite albums came from harder artists (along with August Burns Red, of course). From the moment I Let It in and It Took Everything kicks off with screaming riffs on "Aggressive Evolution", you know you're in for something special. To date, Loathe has released two records and are signed to SharpTone records, who have an impressive stable of heavier bands including Miss May I, Don Broco and We Came As Romans. For their sophomore record, they deviated from the more metalcore sound of their debut album The Cold Sun and mixed in palm-mute techniques, post-rock ambiance, traditional heavy riffs and even shoegaze to make for a wonderfully unique and refreshing take on modern metal. "Heavy Is the Head That Falls with the Weight of a Thousand Thoughts", "Gored", "Red Room" and "Aggresive Evolution" are my other two favourite tracks that got good rotation this year.

"Two-Way Mirror" is a unique song on the record in that it does not feature any unclean vocals, despite being as musically crushing as its fellows on the record. Of all of the songs on I Let It in, it is certainly the most shoe-gaze influences, and I think that's what initially caught my ears. Vocalist Kadeem France, who primarily sings unclean actually handled the verses on this song, while guitarist and vocalist Erik Bickerstaffe sings on the chorus. The song has a rather slow tempo considering some of the other frantic songs on the record, but is unrelenting of power and punch. The video for the song has the band playing in both slow motion and real time, and garnered over 500k views to go with the 1.7m streams the song captured on Spotify. 

 Of all the bands featured on the Countdown so far this year, this is one that I would most expect to see return, after The Broken Relics, of course.  It only gets better from here as we breach the top 10!

 

Favorite Line: "Hoping to find faith, miming dissolving grace, just say I know it's all in our heads"

Title: Two-Way Mirror
Artist: Loathe
Album: I Let It in and It Took Everything
 



Previous #10s
2019: Fit For A King - When Everything Means Nothing
2018: The Night Game - The Outfield
2017: The National - Carin at the Liquor Store
2016: Miike Snow - Genghis Khan
2015: The Wombats - Give Me A Try
2014: Cut Copy - We Are Explorers
2013: The 1975 - The City
2012: Animal Kingdom - Strange Attractor
2011: FM Static - F.M.S.T.A.T.I.C
2010: Muse - Resistance
2009: Five Finger Death Punch - Bad Company

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #11

 #11. Nightwish - Harvest


First of all, I have to say, I love me some Scandanavian symphonic metal. Thank goodness that Europe is still making music like this. Finnish veterans Nightwish are quite unique in the fact that they incorporate traditional instruments such as the Uillean pipes, bouzouki, tin whistle and bodhran. Matched with their keyboards, it creatres a unique, ethereal sound that does not compromise on the rocking side either. After a 5 year hiatus (due to singer Floor Jansen's pregnancy), they released their epic, 17 track Human. :II: Nature. this spring. The album is split into two parts - the human side (disc 1) and "All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World" (disc 2). "Music", "Tribal"  and "Pan" are solid rockers from the first half, while the second half is all instrumental soundscapes. Both seem to pair well together, and the group is led by Jansen's soprano range as well as their carefully crafted blend of guitars and other instruments. The album reached #1 in Finland and Switzerland, and #5 on the Billboard Top Album Sales list.  All told, it made it into the top 5 on countdowns in over a dozen different countries, showing Nightwish's worldwide popularity has not dwindled despite their hiatus.

"Harvest" itself is a curiosity among the Nightwish catalogue, as Jansen does not sing lead on the song. Rather, it is multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, with Jansen providing backing vocals on the chorus. It is definitely the most surprising song for me to make the Countdown. I remember first hearing it on Spotify's Release Radar and almost skipping over it due to the slow building percussion and piano that opened the song. I was also slightly confused by the lack of female vocals, as that is what the group is easily best known for. However, about two and a half minutes in, the guitars drop and the song kicks to another level, giving yet another reason to love it.  The instrumental solo part lasts over a minute and definitely gets your legs tapping.  As for a video, the band chose a lyrical interpretation, which has gained over 2m views to go with the 4m+ that the song has on Spotify.

Favorite Line: "Water the field, surrender to the earth"






Title: Harvest
Artist: Nightwish
Album: Human. :II: Nature.




Previous #11s
2019: Demon Hunter - The Negative
2018: Power Quest - No More Heroes
2017: Haim - Want You Back
2016: Circle of Dust - Contagion
2015: Catfish and the Bottlemen: Cocoon
2014: Meg Myers - Desire
2013: Vampire Weekend - Diane Young
2012: Swimming With Dolphins - Sleep To Dream
2011: Power Quest - Glorious
2010: Taio Cruz - Dynamite
2009: Kings of Leon - Use Somebody

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #12

 #12. Alright Years - Something I Can Dance To


Alright Years is a great that came together early this year with former Philmont and current Disciple guitarist Josiah Prince teaming up with LOYALS singer Dane Allen. The project definitely has its own pop-punky feel to it - much more Capital Lights or New Found Glory than either of the projects that the duo are currently in. Their album Show Me Something has an upbeat, summer tinged vibe that feels like an updated version of the high school bands that all of the preppy kids loved. It's not a bad thing at all. Other songs I enjoyed were "Say Yeah" and "Long Lost Words". The band is somewhat of an enigma, with little to no social media presence, and outside of the album dropping and a few interviews, there isn't much else you can find on them.

"Something I Can Dance To" is dripping with nostalgia and fun emotions, straight from the get go with its happy little guitar opening. The song is about finding music that brings those happy emotions from the past back to you. The entire song is upbeat and feels like it should be playing at the beach or a club somewhere. It's just a track that embodies happiness and escaping the madness of everything around you. Unfortunately, I can't give you a ton more on the band as both members seem to be busy in their respective projects, and honestly haven't given much else away about this group. In spite of that, the song has over 10k streams on Spotify just the same.



Favorite Line: "So grab your iPod from 2007, set it to shuffle, baby take me to heaven!"








Title: Something I Can Dance To
Artist: Alright Years
Album: Show Me Something






Previous 12s
2019: Bloody Hammers - From Beyond The Grave
2018: Fashion Week - Tell Me Something
2017: Incubus - No Fun
2016: 3 Doors Down - The Broken
2015: Fear Factory - Expiration Date
2014: Walk the Moon - Shut Up And Dance
2013: Shining - I Won't Forget
2012: (tie) Florence and the Machine - What the Water Gave Me; Shake It Out
2011: Fitz and the Tantrums - Don't Gotta Work it Out
2010: Mumford and Sons - Little Lion Man
2009: Breathe Carolina - Show Me Yours

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #13

 #13. Slimfit - Pineapple Pizza

Another local act to grace this years Countdown, Slimfit are a 3 piece, upbeat pop punk act from Columbus who I knew I was going to love when I saw song titles like "Captain Insane-O", "Homer Simpson, Smiling Politely" and "I'm Scuba Sam, Scuba Steve's Father". One of my writers did a review for their newest album and it's a fast-paced, grimy rocker that'll kick out any bad feelings you have. Their sound is comparable to FIDLAR, Reptar and local "bbq-rock" outfit Courtney From Work. Thank goodness for rock'n'roll, right? Fun music is exactly what we needed in this crazy pandemic-ridden year. There's no way that I could write a blurb that is as exciting or in-depth as Peter's initial interview with the band, but I'll definitely try my best for this specific song.

Somewhere along the internet age, it became a bad thing to have pineapple on pizza. I grew up eating Hawaiian pizza, and everyone I knew liked it as well. There was never any controversy; any time pizza was ordered anywhere I was, there was always Hawaiian. As the internet often does, a bunch of people collectively decide something is right or wrong and tons of people just fall in line. I honestly believe that most people who don't like it have never actually tried it. As it stands, I've ordered pineapple with a wide variety of other ingredients on pizza, my favorite being with bacon and black olives. Call it "the Jester", I guess? Well, Slimfit's singer Josh Davis agrees with me (although his bandmates disagree), and centered their last song on their newest EP There's Never A Reason Not To Party around that idea. Truthfully, it's a song about getting along with each other and getting through this life... and liking pineapple on pizza. Why not, right? The pace is torrid and the song is over before you even knew what hit you. It also has an amusing breakdown moment where Davis jumps in too early, clears his throat and screams.


Favorite Line: "Just wanna rock, I wanna live - don't want my friends to live in fear. Just want a place where I can meet ya, and put pineapples on my pizza"






Title: Pineapple Pizza
Artist: Slimfit
Album: There's Never A Reason Not To Party




Previous 13s
2019: Vesperteen - Operate
2018: Marshmello & Bastille - Happier
2017: Greeley Estates - Calling All The Hopeless
2016: Mad Anthony - Sad Songs (ft Steve Wethington)
2015: Passion Pit - Lifted Up (1985)
2014: Beartooth - Beaten In Lips
2013: The Mowgli's - San Francisco
2012: Veil of Maya - Punisher
2011: Red - Feed the Machine
2010: Haste the Day - White as Snow
2009: Gorilla Zoe - Echo

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #14

 #14. The Anix - Renegade

The Anix are a solo project of Los Angeles' Brandon Smith, and are currently signed to FiXT, which is Klayton from Circle of Dust's label. They are one of the headliner groups on the industrial/electronic label, and have released two albums in the past year - Hologram coming out at the end of 2019, and Graphite during the summer of 2020. Although the latter did not spawn any hits on the Countdown, it was nice being able to listen to full albums from an artist, as opposed to just singles. Smith and the project remind me of a less whiny, harder, more electrified version of 30 Seconds to Mars. 

"Renegade" was a song that immediately stuck to me, and for a while in 2020 I thought it might be a top 10 hit. There are some bizarre timing signatures in the drums and the downtuned guitars and vocals definitely bring an extra edge to the song. Plus the synths at the beginning let you know that you're about to get throttled, which I always appreciate from an industrial artist. I was kind of hoping for more of the same on the record, but it is much heavier on the electronic elements as opposed to being edgier. Still, it's always nice to get some decent variety here on the Countdown. The song has 1.3m streams on Spotify to go with a visual video that has 50k views as well.

Favorite Line: "Maybe I could fly away - float out to nowhere, to nowhere again"






Title: Renegade
Artist: The Anix
Album: Hologram


Previous 14s
2019: Rome - Uropia O Morte
2018: Solar Fake - The Pain That Kills You Too
2017: DREAMCAR - Kill for Candy
2016: Chvrches - Leave a Trace
2015: Spoon - New York Kiss
2014: Weird Al Yankovic - A) Foil; B) Handy
2013: Atlas Genius - If So
2012: Metric - Clone
2011: Crystal Castles - Not In Love (ft Robert Smith)
2010: Nevermore - Moonrise (Through Mirrors of Death)
2009: Red - Out From Under 

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #15

 #15. The Unlikely Candidates - High Low


I always find it interesting thinking about how many bands out there exist that I've never really listened to. Such is the case the The Unlikely Candidates, who scored a US Alternative #1 last year with their hit "Novocaine" and carried that success into 2020 with a stream of singles. As it stands, the Texas quintet have been putting out albums since 2013 and were even signed to Atlantic Records for a spell. The group is currently working on a full length record and have a solid alt-rock sound that the scene sorely needs. Plus, how great of a band name is that??

"High Low" is the ultimate earwig, with a sing-a-long chorus that is guaranteed to be stuck in your head. For the first uttering of "sometimes I get so high, get so low, where did all my good friends go?", you know you're in for a song about 2020. Aren't they all about how crazy this year is, anyways? The song has an easy chord progression and isn't full of unnecessary fluff. Just a good rock song about how life is crazy and we're all just trying to get through it. The video for the song features singer Kyle Morris acting out different parts of the song in a bedroom. The song has just over 2.1m streams on Spotify.

 

Favorite Line: "Billions of people, but there's no one like me. I'm left, I'm right, I'm out of my mind, I trust myself, but I don't know why..."

Title: High Low
Artist: The Unlikely Candidates
Album: High Low single


Previous 15s
2019: Syrian - We Are Stars
2018: Plushgun - Lukewarm
2017: Ex-Nihilo - Enemy
2016: Brian Fallon - A Wonderful Life
2015: Foo Fighters - Something from Nothing
2014: Five Iron Frenzy - I Am Jack's Smirking Revenge
2013: The Features - This Disorder
2012: A Plea for Purging - Heart of a Child
2011: Texas in July - Magnolia
2010: Day of Fire - Lately
2009: Silversun Pickups - It's Nice To Know You Work Alone

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #16

 #16. Sir Sly - Material Boy

As is the case with a lot of "popular" bands these days, Sir Sly is another one that I've heard people go absolutely gaga over without a lot of material proof to back it up. I even had a co-worker name his cat Sir Sly, and I asked him why he chose that particular band. He replied "well.... they have that one song... what's it called again?" I mean, it's a great name for a cat, but, you know. Trendy, hipster fandom is what it is. Bands are out there making millions simply off of the familiarity of their name. Just the same, the band had two top 5 US Alternative hits off of their last album and have released two new singles in 2020, once of which immediately caught my ear and ended up being the latest entrant into this years Countdown. 

Not to be confused in any way with Madonna or Millencolin, "Material Boy" has a buzzy, electronic opening and sings about the difficulty of struggling through the year that has passed. Finding different things to fill different holes in your life has been an overwhelming theme in 2020, and Sir Sly found a way to weave a warbling earwig that is currently all over alternative radio. While the song has only been out for three months, it has gained almost a million streams on Spotify, and the video has another 200k to boot. In said video, singer Landon Jacobs plays a spoiled rich man trying to find different ways to "spiritually" satisfy himself.

Favorite Line: "It bears repeating that I'm sick and I can't quit - no longer Christian, but I'm still afraid of judgement"








Title: Material Boy
Artist: Sir Sly
Album: Material Boy single

Previous 16s
2019: Blindside - Gravedigger
2018: Good Charlotte - Shadowboxer
2017: Demon Hunter - Raining Down
2016: van Canto - Time and Time Again
2015: Ghost Ship Octavius - Silence
2014: Winds of Plague - Say Hello To The Undertaker
2013: Colossus - Beacons
2012: Imagine Dragons - It's Time
2011: Amaranthe - Hunger
2010: Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish
2009: Chris Isaak - We Let Her Down

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #17

 #17. Corduroy Brown - To My Younger Self

Finding Corduroy Brown was probably the happiest of happy accidents that could've happened musically to me in 2020.  Brown had submitted his song to a local page that was compiling a playlist for a local artist showcase they were doing at the beginning of the pandemic. The majority of the submissions were from local metal acts, and the majority were from bands I either already knew or weren't interested in. But "To My Younger Self" immediately caught my ear and I knew I had to reach out and chat with this gentleman. What I wasn't expecting was an hour and a half long Zoom call where we basically just talked about combating depression and other mental health topics. It was a fantastically serendipitous occasion that is one of my fondest memories of the year. You can find that interview here.

Brown told me that one of his biggest goals in writing was finding a way through difficult times. He said that all of the songs he's written for his upcoming record are "basically just me calling myself out on dumb things I've done". "To My Younger Self", as the title dictates, as a letter to the teenaged Brown, about not being sure but knowing that you can get through those times. Knowing that you're good for something in the future. It's a fun and upbeat song with bouncy guitars that is easy on the ears and makes your heart feel joyful. The chorus line of "I'm feeling satisfactory, like they made this feeling in a factory" is one of my absolute favourite lines of the entire year. All in all, it's just a song that always makes me feel great.

Favorite Line: "cuz I'm feeling satisfactory, like they made this feeling in a factory"





Title: To My Younger Self
Artist: Corduroy Brown
Album: To My Younger Self single


 Previous #17s
2019: SYML - Clean Eyes
2018: Superorganism - Everybody Wants To Be Famous
2017: Tinashe - Flame
2016: Trivium - Until The World Goes Cold
2015: Big Data - The Business of Emotion (ft White Sea)
2014: Foster The People - Coming of Age
2013: Sevendust - Decay
2012: Morning Parade - Headlights
2011: Lonely Island - Jack Sparrow (Ft Michael Bolton)
2010: Slash - Baby Can't Drive (ft Alice Cooper + Nicole Scherzinger)  
2009: DevilDriver - Another Night In London

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #18

#18. Little Hurt - Alaska


Little Hurt is the solo project of former The Mowgli's singer Colin Dieden. You might remember The Mowgli's landing at #13 way back in 2013 with their hit "San Francisco", which ended up easily being the biggest hit of their career. Last year Dieden took up the moniker "Little Hurt" as an old nickname; an homage to Frank Thomas, aka the "Big Hurt". He's released 5 songs so far under the new solo project, most of which revolve around mental health challenges. "My Head Hurts", "It's Ok Not To Be Ok", etc. It seems to be the trend in popular music, but honestly that's what life is doing right now, right? For what its worth, all of the songs are pretty good, if not overwhelmingly cheesy. But then, that's what The Mowgli's did well, so we shouldn't be surprised.

I have to say - "Alaska" is the most Vampire Weekend song I've ever heard that Ezra Koenig didn't record. Silly, poignant lyrics, silly little guitar, hand claps and keys. The lyrics speak of someone who is just trying to get away from everything, and even though he hates the snow, he has to get as far away from everything as possible. I'm pretty sure we can all relate, right? The video is amusing, with a little cardboard cutout of Dieden dancing around his new city. For only being released midway through the year, the song has cobbled together over 3m streams.



Favorite Line: "Eating ice cream in my bed, I guess the problem is I don't really give a shit"








Title: Alaska
Artist: Little Hurt
Album: Alaska single

Previous #18s
2019: James Truslow - Overwhelmed
2018: The Raquels - Just A Txt
2017: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Fire Escape
2016: House of Heroes - In The End
2015: New Found Glory - Selfless
2014: Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better
2013: Biffy Clyro - Black Chandelier
2012: Santigold - Disparate Youth
2011: House of Heroes - Galveston
2010: Rammstein - Fruhling in Paris
2009: Sick Puppies - I Hate You

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #19

 #19. The Broken Relics - Goodbye Tennessee


It's always nice to welcome a band back to the Top 20 Countdown, I just didn't expect it to be a band that was featured last year, at #2 no less! The Broken Relics are out first local entry, with the band hailing equally from Columbus and Youngstown. After putting out their debut EP last spring, they immediately got back to writing and had had multiple new songs popping up at their shows at the end of the year. I've followed them closely since we first met, and have heard at least 5 or 6 of the new songs they're putting together for a TBD released debut LP. I'm not just saying this as a fan of the band, but I absolutely know that this LP will be even bigger than their first effort, and cannot wait until the band shares the music with the rest of the world.

"Goodbye Tennessee" marked the end of their time recording the EP, which they put together while in Nashville. I've often heard the band speak fondly about their time there, and the song embodies the country-rock feel of the area. It is unique in its slower tempo but also in the fact that lead guitarist Zach Warmouth sings lead on the 2nd verse. It was that part that caught me when I first listened to the track, but the entire song just has a wonderfully melancholy feel to it. It definitely doesn't fit with the previous EP or the newer material I've heard, but it still stands as a solid song showing expert musicianship between the quartet. The song also has a respectable 4k streams on Spotify.


Favorite Line: "I hope you'll understand, I'm just a man, you know"











Title: Goodbye Tennessee
Artist: The Broken Relics
Album: Goodbye Tennessee single



Previous #19s
2019: Sigrid - Sucker Punch
2018: Rick Springfield - In The Land of the Blind
2017: The Head and the Heart - Rhythm & Blues
2016: Metric - The Shade
2015: The Frozen Ocean - Kerosene
2014: Destiny Potato - Take A Picture
2013: Relient K - PTL
2012: Silversun Pickups - Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)
2011: The Knux - Razorblade
2010: Demon Hunter - Collapsing (ft Bjorn Strid)
2009: Parachute - She Is Love

The 2020 Jester One Music Top 20 Countdown - #20

 #20. Seether - Dangerous

Seether has been kicking around the modern rock charts for the past 18 years, pumping out hit single after hit single, and remaining fairly consistent in sound and lyrical ability. To their credit, they've had a #1 US Mainstream Rock hit on each of their albums, and although they're 13 years removed from their last gold record, they  manage to stay relevant in a genre that has been overtaken by an entirely different sound and style. Much of what they do is centered around the angsty voice of lead singer Shaun Morgan, which has always had a gritty feel to it that matches their sound. Indeed, their record new Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum has had an even edgier sound than their last release Poison the Parish and hearkens back to their glory days of Disclaimer and Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. Other jams I enjoyed from this record include "Beg" and "Bruised and Bloodied".

In spite of the fact that they've never graced the Countdown (or really gotten terribly close), they've always been a band I enjoyed. "Dangerous" is an intriguing track due to the fact that it opens with a bass guitar line, rather than their usual crunchy guitar sound. The song ramps up quickly once the chorus drops, and although it doesn't feel like a typical Seether song, it worms its way into your mind and takes root. It seemed like any time I scrolled past our local rock station, this song would come on within a few minutes and I'd be nodding along. The video is an animated take on Little Red Riding Hood, where the protagonist ends up being a vampire. They actually shot a couple of animated videos for the record - pretty cool stuff. "Dangerous" racked up over 5.5m streams on Spotify, while the video has an additional 2m views.

Favorite Line: "We all must subdue and suspend belief that this gets better"






Title: Dangerous
 Artist: Seether
Album: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum



Previous #20s
2019: Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
2018: Ghost - Dance Macabre
2017: Liam Gallagher - Wall of Glass
2016: Safemode - Hold On
2015: Florence and the Machine - Ship to Wreck
2014: I, The Breather - Swine:Cult (ft Ricky Armellino)
2013: Grouplove - Ways To Go
2012: Reptar - Stuck in My Id
2011: Avril Lavigne - What The Hell
2010: Dark Tranquility - The Fatalist
2009: Collective Soul - Staring Down