As the year comes to an end, there’s no better time to reflect on the last 12 months of great music releases.
As us music fans contemplate, list and rank our favourite albums of the year (I recently posted my best albums of 2021 list on my Blinded by the Floodlights blog) I thought it’d be fun to take a different angle for the purposes of this blog.
Instead of listing the same old songs from my favourites, I thought it’d be interesting to take a look at underrated album tracks from this year’s best records.
It’s time to spread the love around and give some to songs that weren’t released as singles. As these numbers are often neglected, here’s 10 of the best album tracks that may have gone under the radar this year.
10. Shame – Station Wagon (from Drunk Tank Pink)
“I need a new solution / I need a new resolution and it’s not even the end of the year” despairs Shame frontman Charlie Steen on Drunk Tank Pink closer ‘Station Wagon’. The tension builds and builds half way through this epic finale, claustrophobia slowly begins to settle before hitting an explosion of incoherent noise. Get the final two minutes played LOUD.
9. The Vaccines – El Paso (from Back In Love City)
Back In Love City was in my top five albums of the year, the West London band proving the ability to still produce excellent indie bangers ten years after their iconic 2011 debut What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? There was just something about midway track ‘El Paso’ that kept drawing us in, especially the repeated “Who wants to live like this?” hook. More subtle and dreamier than the singles from their fifth studio album, yet it was so much more impactful.
8. Lana Del Rey – Yosemite (From Chemtrails Under the Country Club)
Ok, a confession to make. My original pick here was Chemtrails Under the Country Club opener ‘White Dress’. And whilst it still remains my favourite track of Lana Del Rey’s this year, having seen it on several end of year publication lists I’ve opted to select a more under the radar track. I could easily have gone for any number of tracks from her more stripped-down record, but I’ve settled on ‘Yosemite’. Folky, elegant and autumnal, ‘Yosemite’ is Lana Del Rey’s comment on long lasting relationships.
7. The War On Drugs – I Don’t Wanna Wait
When the fourth track from The War On Drug’s I Don’t Live Here Anymore began, I had to double check my Spotify to make sure it was the same band playing! The intro had me convinced the album had randomly skipped to Phil Collins ‘In The Air Tonight’. There’s an obvious comparison to be made before it evolves into more familiar territory, though the song is so smooth and longing that I really didn’t mind the similarity. Aside from the title track (which was released as a single and, playing by the rules, can’t be included…) this was my favourite on the Philadelphia band’s fourth album. Filled with desire and a luscious groove, Adam Granduciel has knocked it out the park here.
6. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Catching Smoke
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (try saying that name in a hurry…) released their eighteenth studio album this year (since 2012, no less), the Melbourne band proving to be the hardest working band around. No singles were released from Butterfly 3000 so I had free reign to pick as I pleased. Sixth track ‘Catching Smoke’ is an absolute delight, 6 and a half minutes of colour and irresistible psychedelia.
5. The Snuts – Sing For Your Supper
The West Lothian band’s debut W.L. is one of the best guitar records released this year and behind only The Lathums’ How Beautiful Life Can Be for me as the best guitar debut of the year. With the hype that surrounded The Snuts earlier in the year I felt I had to include them. The only difficulty was the fact that so much of the album had already been released prior to its release! Thankfully, I can include final track ‘Sing For Your Supper’ here. A blissful six minute pint raising singalong turned sprawling rock classic. It’s so unique from the rest of the album.
4. Wolf Alice – Play the Greatest Hits
With four singles released from Blue Weekend and ‘Delicious Things’ recently receiving radio play on 6 Music and Radio 1, half the album has been ruled out of contention. But fear not, the London band’s third studio album is stacked with so many wonderful album tracks, the punchiest being ‘Play the Greatest Hits’. Alongside second preview single ‘Smile’, it’s the heaviest on the record. The sound of the band losing themselves to a night of debauchery. “It isn’t loud enough!” screams Ellie Rowsell in the chorus. Quite the wonderful racket.
3. IDLES – When the Lights Come On
Continuing the theme of debauchery from before, the third track from IDLES fourth album CRAWLER is more confessional in tone. Over a pounding bassline, this track is one of the darkest sounding the band has produced with similarities to that of New York band Interpol. “It’s 3AM, I wanna dance ’til the sun comes / I wanna fight your cousin / I wanna tear through the night like an angel flare” admits frontman Joe Talbot, confessing the late-night activities of an addict who can’t bring himself to go home. One of best tracks on the Bristol punk’s reflective new album.
2. Sam Fender – Getting Started
The Geordie singer’s second album Seventeen Going Under is a stunning collection of songs from an artist who has acted out the potential we saw on flawed debut Hypersonic Missiles. The title track has seen so much love and acclaim, but it was the song immediately following that deserved as much love. “Eighteen, failed dream” sings Sam Fender on the opening words of ‘Getting Started’, carrying on the autobiographical theme of Sam Fender’s tough upbringing. The tale of a young man trying to make sense of the world around him, dealing with his mother’s illness, poverty and the temptation of a life of crime.
1. The Lathums – Circles of Faith
“Circles of faith in an undisputed land / I’ve taken up my refuge / I’m sticking to my plan” chants frontman Alex Moore within in the bridge of ‘Circles of Faith’, easily the most intense and hair raising moment on their debut record. Known for their Marr-inspired guitar tunes both twee and hopeful, the opener to How Beautiful Life Can Be revealed a darker side to the young jangle-poppers. It had the ball rolling on an excellent guitar record that delivered on the hype to become many people’s favourite of 2021.