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Luca Caruso-Moro

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Westmount High School teachers wear black in mourning during back-to-school

Teachers at Westmount High wore black to the first day of highschool on Monday. 

They say they’re mourning. 

For quote, “the inevitable deaths” that will come as a result of student’s resuming in-person classes. 

Earlier in January, Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced new measures in schools to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to protect the mental health of students otherwise out of school.

In a statement, the teachers say they “fail to understand how the challenges their students face could be given priority over the lives of Quebecers.”

Eye strain on the rise in young Quebecers

Meanwhile, for students taking their courses at home, there’s a new problem in sight. 

Eye issues are on the rise, according to a recent report in CTV News.
The Quebec Association of Optometrists says more time in front of screens is causing young people to develop problems. 

Problems, they say, that are expected in adults with office jobs, where it’s more common to spend long periods of time at a computer. 

“For me, (punk) is doing what you want to do unabashedly,” TV Freaks frontman Dave O’Connor said in a 2014 interview with The Silhouette. It is this same attitude that has carried the Hamilton band through a decade of feverish and brazen garage punk records. Their latest, People, comes five years after the release of their previous full-length album, 2015’s Bad Luck Charms. Despite this hiatus, TV Freaks have not lost their footing. People is both a welcome return and a new beginning for the punk rockers, carrying the same frenetic energy that has come to define their sound, while simultaneously refining it. Clocking in at just over 30 minutes, People is a concise, albeit short record. It uses that time very wisely, however, not wasting a single moment of its brief run time. Here, TV Freaks give us ten tracks of pure, unadulterated garage punk that blaze along with a fervent intensity. It is an album jam-packed with catchy hooks, crunchy guitar riffs and hollering vocals.

The album opens with the track “Destined for Stardom”, a facetious ode to the band’s quest for fame. O’Connor sings of how he has “always known” that he is “destined for stardom”, despite detractors telling him otherwise. If he could “just have that hair”, or “do that dance”, then he’d be closer to the top. Although tongue-in-cheek, it is a tad ironic that People is easily the band’s most accessible album to date. Still, fans will be happy to know that the grit and veracity of previous records is not lost. “Souvenir” carries things along at a breakneck pace, led by an incredibly powerful guitar and bass riff that will have you tapping your toes and longing for the days of live shows. Tracks like “Heart of Gold” and “Capital Eye” showcase the band’s ability for writing memorable choruses, while “Grain of Sand” flexes the band’s melodic muscles. People’s greatest strength, though, is its simplicity. There is something delightfully refreshing about a record that is so direct and overt in its presentation yet still manages to remain captivating until the end. For the punk or garage rock enthusiast, People is one not to be missed. 

So... 2020 was a thing.

Allison is CJLO's Program Director and hosts Transistor Sister, every Tuesday @ 6 p.m. 

Best Albums of 2020

1. Sweeping Promises - Hunger for a Way Out
2. Touche Amore - Lament
3. Yves Tumor - Gospel for a New Century
4. Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
5. Jeff Rosenstock - No Dream
6. Nap Eyes - Snapshot of a Beginner
7. Hum - Inlet
8. Touch Age - Which Way Am I?
9. Destroyer - Have We Met
10. Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now

Top 10 TV Shows That Helped Me Survive Quarantine

1. PEN15 Season 2
2. Normal People
3. The Queen's Gambit
4. I May Destroy You
5. I'll Be Gone In The Dark
6. The Crown Season 4
7. Never Have I Ever
8. RuPaul's Drag Race (All Stars 5, Season 12, and Canada Drag Race)
9. Selling Sunset (Yes, I know...)
10. Emily in Paris (I never said my taste was good, okay?!)

Angelica hosts BVST every Wednesday @ 7 p.m.

As much as 2020 was a shitshow overall, it did bear some of the sweetest musical fruit I've heard in some time. It seemed to me like many bands decided to release records designed to appeal specifically to my tastes, and narrowing my list down to ten records was tougher this year than it has been in a while. Check out the playlist of (almost) all my favourite tracks from these records here! 

16 - Dream Squasher
Easily one of the most audaciously, unrepentantly heavy bands out there, 16 returned with an absolute stomper this year, possibly their strongest release thus far (and they've had almost thirty years of solid albums, including some that have been on this list in the past). Every song seethes and heaves, and even the more melodic or introspective moments never let up in intensity. A masterwork of creative misanthropy, and my soundtrack to an unforgettable, unforgivable year.
Track to taste: Agora (Killed By a Mountain Lion)

Muffler Crunch - Proof Is In The Pudding
This Gatineau outfit does with two people what most bands can't muster with four or more, which is make heavy rock that's high on bluesy stomp and experimental moments while also being low on bullshit. This early 2020 release takes risks in all the right places, and sounds unlike anything else you like.
Track to taste: Namaste 

Midnight Gallows - Attack Warning Red
Regina is bringing the heat with this debut, whose A side pummels through at breakneck speed, sounding like the screeched cajolings of the devil himself, while the B side slides into more atmospheric and seductive territory without ever fully spacing out. An absolutely stellar entry in the already rich pantheon of 2020 stoner doom records.
Track to taste: Burning Bones  

Horseneck - Fever Dream
On paper, a lot of what Horseneck has going on shouldn't come together. Metalcore, trumpet and saxophone, duets, organ, cello, chunky stoner riffs? What should be a hot mess is woven together expertly in a way that's both familiar and entirely fresh. Truly genre-bending, a full listen of this record is a trip, ever unfolding with surprises, while remaining a cohesive, solid slab of heavy rock.
Track to taste: Porcelain Ass

Junkowl - Making Out With My Death
Tapping into that Southern hardcore-tinged sound that I never get tired of, this Montreal four-piece screams, stompsn and grooves through 10 songs that bring the energy of their fiery live shows right to your living room. No snoozers or losers here, just one big, mean song after another.
Track to taste: Crawling Up My Feet

Yeah Right Records - Black Lives Matter
This summer saw lots of people and organizations mobilizing for social justice in their own ways, and this contribution, from Canada's Yeah Right Records, really hit the spot. Not only does it include tons of never-released tracks from iconic homegrown rockers like Ian Blurton, Danko Jones, The Black Halos, and many more, but these 30+ rock and punk tracks all came together to financially support an important cause.
Track to taste: All of them!

Ruff Majik - The Devil's Cattle
Unhinged and uninhibited, South African "rot'n'rollers" Ruff Majik screeched into late 2020 with a sleazy, grimy gem of a record. This is stoner rock for those who prefer speed hits to bong hits, a rock'n'roll freakout perfect for dancing the Frug down at the local biker bar.
Track to taste: Shrug of the Year  

The Heavy Eyes - Love Like Machines
You can hear the Memphis blues influence all over this generous helping of groovy, insidious heavy psych. None of the songs overstay their welcome, and there is nothing self-indulgent or revisionist about this record. Meaty, but with a clean finish, there are some seriously forward-thinking moments that elevate this album into its own category.
Track to taste: Bright Light 

Backxwash - God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out of It
I spent months sleeping on this record, but there's no question that every accolade it has garnered has been totally merited. Aggressive and ethereal in equal measure, this is the sound of destruction and rebirth stitched together with intelligent, risk-taking production.
Track to taste: Black Magic

Zeal & Ardor - Wake of a Nation EP
Defying genre and expectations with every release, Manuel Gagneux continues to showcase his incredible virtuosity and daring with a six-song cri de coeur born from a summer of protest and pain around racially-motivated injustice, abuse, and murder. The lead song "Vigil" is both an incredibly beautiful track, and one of the most difficult songs I've listened to all year.
Track to taste: Vigil

Erin Walker co-hosts The Waiting Room every Tuesday @ 2 p.m.

1. Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind 
2. Fleet Foxes - Shore 
3. Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans 
4. Cindy Lee - What's Tonight to Eternity?
5. The Soft Pink Truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?

1. Yves Tumor - "Kerosene!"
2. Amaarae - "Fancy"
3. Megan Thee Stallion - " Savage Remix (ft. Beyonce)"
4. Dean Blunt - "as long as ropes unravel fake rolex will travel "
5. Eartheater - "Below the Clavicle"
6. keiyaA - "I! Gits! Weary!"
7. Flo Milli - "In The Party"
8. Against All Logic - "If Loving You is Wrong"
9. Jessy Lanza - "Anyone Around"
10. Kelly Lee Owens - "Melt!"

1. Lucidvox - "Sever"
2. Arca - "Time"
3. Charli XCX - "claws" 
4. 100 gecs - "came to my show"
5. Moses Sumney - "Polly"
6. Bladee - "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"
7. Perfume Genius - "Describe"
8. Helena Deland - "Someone New"
9. Shamir - "On My Own"
10. Soccer Mommy - "Circle the Drain"
11. Deftones, Robert Smith - "Teenager (Robert Smith Remix)"
12. Katie Dey - "Happiness"
13. Zoee - "Rio's"
14. The Weather Station - "Tried to Tell You"
15. Backxwash, Devi McCallion - "Spells" 
16. Sega Bodega - "Salv Goes to Hollywood"
17. Squirrel Flower - "Red Shoulder"
18. Planet 1999 - "Party"
19. Okay Kaya - "Mother Nature's B*tch"
20. Tinashe - "Save Room for Us"

Calvin Cashen is CJLO’s Music Director and co-hosts The Waiting Room every Tuesday @ 2 p.m.

Best Songs of 2020

1. Jessy Lanza - “Anyone Around”
2. Megan Thee Stallion - “Savage Remix (feat. Beyoncé)”
3. Bad Bunny (feat. Jowell & Randy and Ñengo Flow) - “Safaera”
4. Special Interest - “Street Pulse Beat”
5. Charli XCX - “anthems”
6. Perfume Genius - “On the Floor”
7. The Weather Station - “Tried to Tell You”
8. Mehdi Bahmad - “Rouge à Lèvres - Olof Dreijer Remix”
9. Jess Williamson - “Wind on Tin”
10. Carl Stone - “Au Jus”
11. Waxahatchee - “Hell”
12. Swan Meat - “SUCKLING”
13. HAIM - “The Steps”
14. Kelly Lee Owens - “Melt!”
15. Craven Faults - “Vacca Wall”
16. Nídia - “Capacidades” 
17. Oliver Coates - “Butoh baby”
18. Fireboy DML - “ELI”
19. DORA - “Oxena” 
20. Buy Eco - “Innerlife” 

Best Albums of 2020 

1. Andrea - Ritorno
2. Dogleg - Melee
3. Swan Meat - FLESHWORLD
4. Bad Bunny - YHLQMDLG
5. Actress - 88
6. HAIM - Women In Music Pt. III
7. Jessy Lanza - All The Time
8. JOYFULTALK - A Separation Of Being 
9. Katie Gately - Loom 
10. Various Artists - Consequences 

DJ Mister Vee hosts Beats From The East every Thursday @ 9 p.m.

Best Singles of 2020

1. Raymix, Paulina Rubio - "Tú Y Yo"
2. Veronica Castro - "Mi Cumbia" (2020 Version)

Best Albums of 2020

1. Bao - Perpetual Heartbreak
2. Lex The Lexicon Artist - Alter Ego
3. Public Enemy -  What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?
4. Carlos Vives - Cumbiana

Best Movies of 2020

1. Hubie Halloween (2020)
2. Vampires vs. The Bronx (2020)
3. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Best TV Shows of 2020

1. Warrior (2019 -)
2. On My Block (2018 -)
3. Gentefied (2020 -)
4. Súbete a mi moto (2020 -)
5. Hunters (2020 -)

Chris the Frog hosts Sewer Spewer every Monday at 12pm.

Best Montreal Albums of 2020

1. Gorlvsh - New City Vibe
2. Backxwash - God Has Nothing To Do With It Leave Him Out Of It
3. Junkowl - Making Out With My Death
4. MOOCH - Hounds
5. Précipices- L’entéléchie du malheur
6. Anonymus - La Bestia
7. UUBBUURRUU- UUBBUURRUU
8. The Devil Legba - The Devil Legba
9. Boids - Quel Drag
10. Red Mass - A Hopeless Noise

Best Canadian Albums of 2020:

1. Vile Creature - Glory! Glory! Apathy Took Helm!
2. Fuck the Facts - Pleine Noirceur
3. Lilim - Weighted Ghosts
4. Respire - Black Line
5. Muffler Crunch - Proof Is In The Pudding
6. Metz - Atlas Vending
7. Wake - Devouring Ruin
8. Dead Quiet - Truth and Ruin
9. The OBGMs - The End
10. Ahna - Crimson Dawn

Best International Albums of 2020

1. Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville
2. Code Orange - Underneath
3. Boris - NO
4. Mrs. Piss - Self-Surgery
5. Special Interest - The Passion Of
6. Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine - Tea Party Revenge Porn
7. clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned
8. Poppy - I Disagree
9. Sharptooth - Transitional Forms
10. IDLES - Ultra Mono

Best Live-Streamed Concert
Code Orange put on some wonderful intricate live-streamed concerts, and I'm really happy for them, but Vile Creature had the best online concert. They collaborated with Two Minutes to Late Night to create a simulator of an actual live show, with options of different camera angles of the stage: stage left, stage right, standing behind a tall person, or you could visit the merch table, take a smoke break, or watch a montage of people's pets while the music played.

My favourite quarantine moment:
Being able to host a spooky trivia for CJLO's Funding drive. Also, I had the chance to talk to some of my favourite filmmakers this year, like Bruce McDonald (Dreamland), Lloyd Kaufman (#ShakespearesShitstorm), and newcomer Ryan Kruger (Fried Barry).

Alex hosts Ashes to Ashes every Tuesday @ 8 p.m.

Favourite Albums of 2020

​1. TOPS - I Feel Alive
Four albums in, TOPS made the best album of their career, one that already sounds like a front-to-back classic. This was my go-to record in this crazy year of 2020, particularly when I would try to break the first wave COVID-19 blues by walking around my 'hood, discovering the new in the familiar.

2. Caveboy - Night in the Park, Kiss in the Dark
Another album from a Montreal band that sounds like a lost classic, Caveboy seemingly knows only how to write anthems - even the record's quietest moments reach for the nosebleed sections. It's a shame the trio never got much of a chance to perform these songs live.

3. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Reunions
I admit I don't really listen to music for the lyrics, but Jason Isbell is one of the very few artists whose words draw me in even more to the music. While songs like "It Gets Easier" (followed by the line "but it never gets easy") might be about Isbell's past alcoholism, it's a song everyone can relate to after this year of often being away from the ones we care about most.

4. Le Couleur - Concorde
There's no sophomore slump here for the Montreal trio, with an album that's not only tighter than their already great debut, but that manages to make space for both psychedelic flourishes and Abba-esque grooves.

5. Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now
What was arguably the first quarantine album of the COVID-19 era is also the best one. Not even a year after her last record, Charli proves once again that nothing can stop her reign as the queen of pop, with a collection of her most personal and relatable songs yet.

6. Chloe x Halle - Ungodly Hour
I came into 2020 having no idea who the Bailey sisters were, but now I can't wait to hear what the Beyoncé protégés come up with next!

7. Hayley Williams - Petals for Armor
Yes, the album is too long. And yes, its roll-out strategy of essentially releasing every song before the album's release sapped momentum out of the record. But, it's hard to fault Williams on either point when every track here is a gem.

8. Marie-Pierre Arthur - Des feux pour voir
Five years after her last album, Arthur crams in as much stylistic territory as she can cover throughout her excellent Polaris Music Prize-longlisted comeback. The record jumps from slashing post-punk to Peter Gabriel-esque pop to hushed ballads and back again.

9. Marie-Gold - Règle d'or
For the last few years now, I've been listening to more franco hip-hop from la belle province than anglo rap in general. On the Montreal MC’s terrific debut album, Marie-Gold shows that she’s more than ready to snatch the “Best Quebec Rapper” crown.

10. Marie Davidson & L'Oeil Nu - Renegade Breakdown
I never thought I would want to hear Marie Davidson, queen of the club scene, attempt 70's-style folk songs, but Davidson and her band prove that they can tackle any genre they want with success on their first record together. If Davidson does retire from the wild DJ life of her past, then we’ll still have a lot to look forward to in the future.

Honourable Mentions
beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers
It can be risky to lead off an album with the best song on the record, as it can make everything that follows pale in comparison. But, even after starting off her debut LP with the head-banging sugary crunch of “Care,” beabadoobee keeps bringing the goods until the very last song.

Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia
One of the great ironies of 2020 is that this album, tailor-made for the clubs and summer parties, came out just as we couldn’t enjoy it in the way it was meant to be consumed. It doesn’t change the fact that it’s chock-full of bangers though that are fun to listen to in any setting.

Kali Uchis - Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞
If I had paid attention more in my high-school Spanish classes, I might have been able to understand more of the lyrics on Kali Uchis’ latest record. Though, don’t let lack of fluency in the Latin language prevent you from listening to a worthy follow-up to her classic debut album, Isolation.

Favourite Discoveries of 2020

1. Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
I may be a college radio DJ, but that doesn't mean I don't have my own musical blind spots, perhaps none more glaring than Prince's masterpiece (especially since I already have a few of the Purple One's albums). All I can say is, if there ever is a perfect album, this might be the one.

2. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? (1992)
Honestly, the only flaw in what's otherwise a flawless debut album is the absolutely terrible skit that opens the album. The day that artists no longer ruin the momentum of albums with painfully dull skits will be a wonderful day.

3. Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986)
If "West End Girls" was the only notable song on the album, it would still be a minor classic. But, when you have as many fantastic bops as the Pet Shop Boys do on Please, you have a straight-up synth-pop masterwork on your hands.

4. Blink-182 - Enema of the State (1999)
It might often be dumb fun, but it’s fun nonetheless, with songs full of adrenaline and hooks layered on hooks. And despite the irreverent humour from the album title on down, Blink also display a genuinely sweet side on the record that makes them hard to resist.

5. Céline Dion - Unison (1990)
Confession: Despite being a born-and-raised Quebecer, I was late to the game with two of our province's treasures, poutine and Céline Dion. While I had my first poutine a few years ago (and haven't looked back since), I remained almost entirely unaware of Céline's actual musical output until last summer. As I learned, a great place to dive into Céline's vast repertoire is her first English language album, filled with the right mix of dance-pop anthems and ballads that show off her iconic pipes.

6. Mariah Carey - Daydream (1995)
I admit I was a bit disappointed at first that Daydream wasn't just 12 variations of "Fantasy," but I very quickly got over that. Some of the best songs on the album are actually ones where Mimi reins in her famous falsetto for a more soulful croon (that said, the vocal gymnastics of Boyz II Men duet "One Sweet Day" is ridiculously over-the-top yet all the more glorious for it).

7. Maren Morris - Girl (2019)
Before the pandemic hit, Morris was scheduled to bring her blend of country, pop, rock, and soul to Montreal. I hope she eventually gets the chance to come to the city. After seeing the rapturous reception Kacey Musgraves got a couple of years from Montrealers, I highly doubt Morris wouldn’t receive the same enthusiastic response.

8. Catatonia - Way Beyond Blue (1996)
If you’re like me and you’re a fan of bands like Lush, Blur, and Pulp, then I’m pretty certain you’ll enjoy the alt-rock stylings of Wales’ Catatonia, one of the more underrated acts from Britpop’s heyday.

9. Madonna - True Blue (1986)
The album as a whole is strong, but come on, you come here for the hits. “Papa Don’t Preach.” “Open Your Heart.” “Live to Tell.” “True Blue.” “La Isla Bonita.” Need I say more?

10. Denzel Curry - ZUU (2019)
Clocking in at just under half an hour, Curry brings a nearly punk-like intensity to ZUU’s 12 tracks. That is, if any punk album also happened to feature an absorbing mix of smooth melodies and trunk-rattling bass.

Hunter is one of CJLO's Content Editors and co-hosts The Iron Club every Sunday @ 9 p.m.

Top 10 Albums of 2020

1. Eternal Champion - Ravening Iron
2. Black Curse - Endless Wound
3. Malokarpatan - Krupinské Ohne
4. Hellripper - The Affair of the Poisons
5. Cirith Ungol - Forever Black
6. Solicitor - Spectral Devastation
7. Midnight - Rebirth by Blasphemy
8. Sodom - Genesis XIX
9. Ulthar - Providence
10. Siege Column - Darkside Legions

Stephen co-hosts The Pressure Drop every Monday @ 5 p.m. 

Top 10 Albums of 2020

1. Caleb Landry Jones - The Mother Stone
2. Melenas - Dias Raros
3. Andy Bell - The View From Halfway Down
4. Juniore - Un Deux Trois
5. Cindy Lee - What's Tonight To Eternity
6. Thibault - Or Not Thibault
7. Fontaines D.C. - A Hero's Death
8. Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out
9. Andy Shauf - The Neon Skyline
10. Public Eye - Music For Leisure

Top 10 Songs of 2020

1. Arab Strap - "The Turning Of Our Bones"
2. Andrew Carroll - "Here/Now"
3. Andy Bell - "The Commune"
4. Roisin Murphy - "Something More"
5. Billy Nomates - "Happy Misery"
6. Swamp Dogg ft. John Prine - "Memories"
7. Mush - "Existential Dread"
8. Hollow Ship - "Magic Mountain"
9. Goat Girl - "Sad Cowboy"
10. Profligate - "No Clear Way"

DJ Slurp co-hosts Mouse Party every Wednesday @ 3 p.m.

10 Favorite Albums

1. Dogleg - Melee
2. Dorian Electra - My Agenda
3. Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics
4. Yves Tumor - Heaven To A Tortured Mind
5. IDLES- Ultra Mono 
6. Dehd - Flower of Devotion
7. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher
8. Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now 
9. King Krule - Man Alive!
10. The OBGMs - The Ends

15 Favorite Songs

1. Dogleg - "Kawasaki Backflip"
2.  KennyHoopla ft. Travis Barker - "Estella"
3. Dehd - "Loner"
4. Dorian Electra ft. Rebecca Black - "Edgelord" 
5. Crack Cloud - "Ouster Stew"
6. Gum Country - "Somewhere" 
7. Yves Tumor - "Medicine Burn" 
8.  Kenny Hoopla - "how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?"
9. King Krule - "Stoned Again" 
10. PUP - "Anaphylaxis"
11. Run The Jewels ft. Greg Nice & DJ Premier - "ooh LA LA"
12. IDLES - "Ne Touche Pas Moi"
13. The OBGMs - "Cash"
14. Charli XCX - "claws"
15. Joyce Manor - "Constant Nothing" (Demo) 

Some Favorite Lyrics

“SHE’S GONNA CUT MY HEAD OFF, BUT I DON’T CARE, I DON’T CARE,” -KennyHoopla

“YOUR BODY IS YOUR BODY AND IT BELONGS TO NOBODY BUT YOU” -IDLES

“I do not need my body” -Crack Cloud

“I may be covered in cat hair, but I still smell good” -Thundercat

Andrew Wieler, aka Andrew Wixq, is CJLO's Metal Music Director and hosts Grade A Explosives every Sunday @ 4 p.m.

Best Albums of 2020

1. 16 - Dream Squasher
16 has been putting out crushing records for damn near 27 years, this is another great release from these guys. Every track fits with one another. Really they're on a colossal roll with the last four records and if you aren't on the train, you should buy your ticket now.

2. clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned
This is basically a hip-hop horror movie theme, much like There Existed an Addiction to Blood, which came out a year beforehand. Glitchy, industrial influenced, and endlessly dark, this record is some of the best expansion of hip-hop I've heard in recent years and pairs pretty well with the also excellent Backxwash record, God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It. If you're a metal person as I am, there's really no better ways to start travelling into hiphop than this.

3. Protest the Hero - Palimpsest
Really pulling out a full set of instrumentation, this album feels the most cohesive since Fortress. It's lush, and has some great storytelling. Definitely their best work in quite some time.

4. Zebadiah Crowe - Host Rider
Since Kveletak made it a popular sub-genre, "black n' roll" has been kicking around from a lot of bands, but until this record I had not heard one putting in the industrial undertones that make this band worth taking notice of. Plus, how can one resist a hot pink neon album cover? And if that wasn't enough, they also released an EP of remixes of some of their tracks. It wins all around.

5. Nite - Darkness Silence Mirror Flame
Speaking of blackened versions of metal, here's a San Fransisco group that is mixing classic heavy metal with those black metal vocals to make a pretty intriguing mix. If you like your classic heavy metal but are interested to have someone play around with the formula, you should listen to this.

6. Bones UK - Unplugged
Probably one of the best "unplugged" versions of tracks that came out this year, Bones UK not only was one of the last shows I saw when they opened for Korn of all people, but one of the things I was most looking forward to in the cancelled SXSW. If you want some pretty moving rearranging and re-rendering of rock tracks, this is as good as it gets.

7. Muffler Crunch - Proof is in the Pudding
This Hull, Quebec duo has been rocking out for 20 years, and have released this quite enjoyable number at the beginning of this year. Plus they were one of the last bands to perform live at CJLO, and hands down if the record doesn't convince you, then seeing them in the flesh is enough to make you a true believer.

8. Melted Bodies - Enjoy Yourself
Somewhere between System of a Down and Dillinger Escape Plan comes the weirdness of Los Angeles' Melted Bodies. It's definitely not something everyone can get into, but if you like spaztic rock / metal this is a record that you will thouroughly enjoy.

9. Dead Quiet - Truth and Ruin
Long since dissolving Barn Burner, Dead Quiet has been making burning hot tracks, and this record is no exception. Awesome riffs amid some stellar songwriting makes this record well worth your time if you're down for some stonery rock.

10. Ghostkid - Ghostkid
Former Eskimo Callboy lead singer Sebastian "Sushi" Biesler puts out a metalcore record that isn't too far removed from his former group, but does have a bite to it that was lacking. Featuring guests appearances from Marcus Bischoff and Mille Petroza from Kreator, this record is not for everyone, but it is for me, and that's all I care about, so shut up.

Honourable Mentions
Zeal and Ardor - Wake of a Nation
Backxwash - God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It
The Ocean - Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic / Cenozoic
Cavern - Powdered
Veio - Vitruvian
Horsewhip - Laid to Waste
Heavy Eyes - Love Like Machines
Paradise - Paradise
Endless Forms Most Gruesome - Endless Forms Most Gruesome
holy fawn - The Black Moon
Unholy Vampyric Slaughter sect - The World Trapped in Vampyric Sway (Darker and Darker)
Familiars - All in Good Time
Eye Flys - Tub of Lard
Junkowl - Making Out With My Death
Junko Daydream - We Make an Idol of Our Fears

Lisa and Jess host Last Stop: This Song every Wednesday @ 11 a.m.

Nadia hosts Seoul Sister, airing every Friday @ 3 p.m.

Best K-Pop Songs of 2020 (Group)

1. "I Can’t Stop Me" by Twice
2. "Oh My God" by (G)I-DLE
3. "Given-Taken" by Enhypen
4. "Mago" by GFRIEND
5. "La Di Da" by Everglow
6. "Home; Run" by Seventeen
7. "Lovesick Girls" by Blackpink
8. "Don’t Touch Me" by Refund Sisters
9. "Inception" by Ateez
10. "Can’t You See Me" by Tomorrow x Together
11. "Witch" by Jamie, Jang Ye Eun, Jeon Ji Woo, Cheetah, Hyoyeon
12. "Gunshot" by Kard
13. "Middle of the Night" by Monsta X
14. "Black Mamba" by aespa
15. "Happening" by AKMU
16. "Wannabe" by Itzy
17. "Puma" by Tomorrow x Together
18. "How You Like That' by Blackpink
19. "Star" by Loona
20. "God’s Menu" by Stray Kids

Best K-Pop Songs of 2020 (Solo)

1. "HWA" by CL
2. "eight" by IU ft. Suga
3. "Paradise" by Eric Nam
4.  "Maria" by Hwa Sa
5.  "Winter Flower" by Younha ft. RM
6.  "Nunu Nana" by Jessi
7.  "Accident" by Woodz
8.  "With My Tears" by Wheein
9.  "Losing You" by Wonho
10.  "Colors of You" by Shin Hae Gyeong
11.  "Eclipse" by Moonbyul
12.  "What You Waiting For" by Somi
13.  "Who U Are" by Kang Daniel
14.  "Apollo 11" by Jamie ft. Jay Park
15.  "Alien" by Lee Suhyun

Best BTS Songs of 2020

1.  "Black Swan" by BTS
2.  "ON" by BTS
3.  "Daechwita" by Agust D
4.  "Ugh!" by BTS
5.  "Your Eyes Tell" by BTS
6.  "Life Goes On" by BTS
7.  "Still With You" by Jungkook
8.  "Blue & Grey" by BTS
9.  "Dis-Ease" by BTS
10.  "Interlude: Shadow" by BTS
11.  "Stay" by BTS
12.  "My Time" by BTS
13.  "Sweet Night" by V
14.  "Filter" by BTS
15.  "We are Bulletproof: the Eternal" by BTS
16.  "Abyss" by Jin
17.  "Outro: Ego" by BTS
18.  "Moon" by BTS
19.  "People" by Agust D
20.  "Dynamite: by BTS

Best Albums of 2020

1.  Manic by Halsey
2.  Map of the Soul: 7 by BTS
3.  D-2 by Agust D
4.  Sawayama by Rina Sawayama
5.  The Dream Chapter: Eternity by Tomorrow X Together
6.  les failles cachées by Pomme
7.  BE by BTS
8.  After Hours by The Weeknd
9.  Chromatica by Lady Gaga
10.  Punisher by Phobebe Bridgers
11.  Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle
12.  folklore by Taylor Swift

Best Online Concert of 2020
Map of the Soul ON:E, BTS, Oct. 10-11th
    
Best TV shows of 2020

1.  The Great
2.  The Umbrella Academy
3.  Never Have I Ever
4.  I May Destroy You
5.  The Boys
6.  Schitt’s Creek
7.  Bojack Horseman
8.  I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
9.  Cheer
10.  The Good Place
11.  Rupaul’s Drag Race
12.  I-LAND  

10 Best Albums of 2020 (in no particular order)
Destroyer - Have We Met
The Strokes - The New Abnormal 
Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters 
Grimes - Miss Anthropocene 
Owen Pallett - Island 
Childish Gambino - 3.15.20 
Run the Jewels - RTJ4 
Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately 
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher 
Bright Eyes - Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was

10 Best Visual Media Scores and Soundtracks of 2020 (in no particular order)

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Jean-Philippe is the co-host of The Iron Club, airing every Sunday @ 9 p.m. 

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