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2021: Time Is An Abstract

There used to be a time when I would prep for a "Best Of ______" list by searching and researching, documenting and revising, and remembering and forgetting. I spent a lot of time listening to music and watching movies and series, to be sure, but this year I just couldn't muster the time or concentration to remind myself that 2021 had some serious high points in cultural artifacts. It did, of course, but still.

What follows is less a rank order than a document of feeling and preoccupation. Some preoccupations and feelings were stronger than others, of course, and if the past is any indication, I'll find some cool 2021 shit in 2022. But for now, a moment in time:

ALBUMS

Shame – Drunk Tank Pink / The Weather Station – Ignorance / Mogwai – As The Love Continues / Black Country, New Road – For the First Time / Jane Weaver – Flock / Robert Plant & Allison Krauss – Raise The Roof / Lindsey Buckingham – Lindsey Buckingham / Hard Feelings – Hard Feelings / Duran Duran – Future Past / Cassandra Jenkins – An Overview on Phenomenal Nature / Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra – Promises / Hedvig Mollestad Trio – Ding Dong. You’re Dead. / Del Amitri – Fatal Mistakes / Halsey – I Don’t Want Love, I Want Power / CHVRCHES – Screen Violence 

William Doyle – Great Spans Of Muddy Time / Steven Wilson – The Future Bites / The Mastelottos – A Romantic’s Guide to King Crimson / Anika – Change / Deafheaven – Infinite Granite / Olivia Rodrigo – Sour / Information Society – ODDfellows / Lonelady – Former Things / Lucy Dacus – Home Video / Clinic – Fine Dining / Spread Joy – Spread Joy / The Anchoress – The Art of Losing / Goat Girl – On All Fours / Miss Grit – Imposter EP / Leanne Betasamosake Simpson – Theory of Ice / Sault – Nine / Field Music – Flat White Moon / Dry Cleaning – New Long Leg / Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting / Allison Russell – Outside Child / John Grant – Boy From Michigan / Pink Pantheress – To Hell With It / Emma Ruth Rundle – Engine Of Hell / Vanishing Twin – Ookii Gekkou / Anna Fox Rochinski – Cherry / Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha 

SINGLES

Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” / Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen – “Like I Used To” / Caroline Loveglow – “Patience Etc.” / Pet Shop Boys – “Cricket Wife” / Caroline Polachek – “Bunny Is A Rider” / Peggy Gou – “I Go” 

FILMS

The Power Of The Dog / The Sparks Brothers / Titane / Annette / Monday / Shiva Baby / Pig / The Green Knight / The Worst Person In The World / Mass / Bad Trip / The Suicide Squad

Zola / The Father / I Care A Lot / Red Rocket / Dune / Bergman Island / We Need To Do Something / The Killing of Two Lovers / The Night House / The Card Counter / No Time To Die / Swan Song / Passing / On The Count of Three / Pleasure / Some Kind of Heaven / The Eyes of Tammy Faye / Censor / We’re All Going to the World’s Fair / Vacation Friends / North Hollywood / Last Night In Soho / Belfast / Summer Of Soul / The French Dispatch Of The Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun / Come True / The Dig / Judas And The Black Messiah / Together Together / Sator / The Velvet Underground / Old Henry / Lamb / Saint Maud / Spencer / The Humans / Candyman / My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To 

SERIES

What We Do In The Shadows S3 / It’s A Sin / Exterminate All The Brutes / Starstruck S1 / You S3 / Reservation Dogs S1 / Pretend It’s A City / The Underground Railroad / Can’t Get You Out Of My Head 

Midnight Mass / Invincible S1 / Scenes From A Marriage / Ted Lasso S2 / The North Water / Loki S1 / The Nevers / Made For Love S1 / Sweet Tooth S1 / Mythic Quest S2 / Girls5Eva / Brand New Cherry Flavor / We Are Lady Parts / WandaVision / Hacks S1 / Feel Good S2 / The Beatles: Get Back / Mare of Easttown / Only Murders In The Building S1 / Succession S3 / Atypical S4 / Sex Education S3 / Squid Game / The Great S2 / The White Lotus / Ghosts UK S3 / Ghosts US S1 / The Cleaner / I Think You Should Leave S2 / Pui Pui Molcar / This Time With Alan Partridge S2 / MacGruber

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