Defy Gravity

Death Cab for Cutie

Susto

Susto

When you attempt to mix genres it either goes really well or really poorly. Lucky for us, Susto nails it on their debut album, Susto. We bucketed this one into folk but really I'd call it country, folk, and rock all rolled into one. As we sprint into spring there's no denying that this one is best enjoyed with open windows and an Arnold Palmer in hand. In their debut album, Susto's lead singer Justin Osborne is able to sing honestly about his experiences growing up in the southern US all the while managing to speak more intelligently than the overplayed cliches that most pop-country stars can't escape. For the most part, however, it's just a feel-good album talking about dropping acid with friends, drinking, and loving. 

BONUS CONTENT: The word "susto" is a Spanish word that "an intense fear understood as a condition of the soul". The fact that the band name is a Spanish word makes sense as the main architect behind the group, Justin, founded the group while he was living in Cuba. You can check out the group's website and find their latest releases by following the link!

Heard It In A Past Life

Maggie Rogers

If you haven't had the pleasure of hearing this album yet I do legitimately feel sorry for you. Maggie Rogers is one of the best, and most authentic, pop stars that have come out of the past few years. Maggie has serious songwriting abilities, killer vocals, and perhaps best of all, her production is impeccable. All of these factors come together seamlessly on her debut album. If you're looking for an album to conquer the world to, Maggie's got you. 

BONUS CONTENT: There's a fairly infamous video of Maggie introducing her song Alaska to the world one of the first times in her class at the Clive David Institute of Recorded Music for the first time and Pharrell happens to be there as part of his Masterclass in music production. The video of his reaction to her breakthrough song is pretty priceless. 

Solace

Rufus Du Sol

If you're new to electronic music, this album is for you. Solace features a magical blend of house, ambient, and traditional electronic sound, pairing it with catchy lyrics and memorable hooks. It's delicate and approachable, yet still threads in deeper electronic elements that leave the listener yearning for more. This sophisticated production proved to be such a masterpiece it was even nominated for Best Electronic Album at the 2020 Grammys. 

Bonus Content: One of the unexpected highlights of 2020 was the number of online concerts, especially those set in exotic locations. Rufus sunrise set at Joshua Tree National Park helped kick off this trend and is simply epic.

Asia

Asia

This debut album from Asia, a "supergroup" created from members of other progressive rock bands. Keyboardist Geoff Downes has the distinction of being one of the first artists shown on MTV as a member of the Buggles. Lead singer and bass guitarist John Wetton's distinctive, dreamy voice features on all tracks. Steve Howe has been listed among the best guitarists in rock history and drummer Carl Palmer was one-third of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. 

BONUS CONTENT. This recommendation comes to us from subscriber @rareed0219. Listen to this story about what this album means... "This was the first cassette I ever listened to in my Sony Walkman and after hundreds of listens, it broke in my Walkman. Also, the lead track, Heat of the Moment was a track I chose to play for a presentation slide show made when I was celebrating my 15th work anniversary. As a result, my wife-to-be noticed me and the rest is history."

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