Here lies the Bacon Review’s Top 31 albums from years past.
2023
Subscribe to the 2023 album playlist: Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube Music
Subscribe to the 2023 radio station playlist: Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube Music
- the record by boygenius
- First Two Pages of Frankenstein / Laugh Track by The National
- Strange Disciple by Nation of Language
- Desire, I Want to Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek
- PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation and The Silver Cord by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
- Live at Bush Hall by Black Country, New Road
- Volcano by Jungle
- Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
- The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski
- Radical Romantics by Fever Ray
- Heavy Heavy by Young Fathers
- Blondshell by Blondshell
- All of This Will End by Indigo De Souza
- My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross by Anohni and the Johnsons
- Sundial by Noname
- 10,000 gecs by 100 gecs
- For That Beautiful Feeling by The Chemical Brothers
- ÁTTA by Sigur Rós
- Chronicles of a Diamond by Black Pumas
- The Art of Forgetting by Caroline Rose
- Bewilderment by Pale Jay
- The Window by Ratboys
- Action Adventure by DJ Shadow
- Let’s Start Here. by Lil Yachty
- Pollen by Tennis
- Greg Mendez by Greg Mendez
- Teenage Sequence by Teenage Sequence
- everything is alive by Slowdive
- My Soft Machine by Arlo Parks
- I/O by Peter Gabriel
- Los Angeles by Jacknife Lee, Budgie & Lol Tolhurst
2022
Subscribe to the 2022 album playlist: Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube Music
Subscribe to the 2022 radio station playlist: Apple Music / Spotify / YouTube Music
- Air, 11, AIIR, X (Angel) EP, Earth, Today & Tomorrow, and Untitled (God) by SAULT
- RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé
- This Is a Photograph by Kevin Morby
- Lucifer On the Sofa by Spoon
- Palomino by First Aid Kit
- We've Been Going About This All Wrong by Sharon Van Etten
- SOS by SZA
- Wet Leg by Wet Leg
- Chloë and the Next 20th Century by Father John Misty
- Big Time by Angel Olsen
- Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road
- Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To the Sky by Porridge Radio
- I Walked with You a Ways by Plains
- The Last Goodbye by Odesza
- A Light for Attracting Attention by The Smile
- Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
- Inside Problems by Andrew Bird
- Laurel Hell by Mitski
- Full Moon Project by Phosphorescent
- Skinty Fia by Fontaines D.C.
- I Love You Jennifer B by Jockstrap
- Too Much to Ask by Cheekface
- Dripfield by Goose
- Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief
- And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow by Weyes Blood
- NOT TiGHT by DOMi & JD BECK
- Preacher’s Daughter by Ethel Cain
- Live at KEXP, vol. 10 by Various Artists
- All You Need Is Time by Daisy the Great
- Cool It Down by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- CAPRISONGS by FKA twigs
2021
Subscribe to the 2021 album playlist: Apple Music / Spotify
Subscribe to the 2021 radio station playlist: Apple Music / Spotify
- Changephobia by Rostam
- I Don’t Live Here Anymore by The War on Drugs
- How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? by Big Red Machine
- Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast
- A Way Forward by Nation of Language
- Things Take Time, Take Time by Courtney Barnett
- Little Oblivions by Julien Baker
- Valentine by Snail Mail
- sketchy. by tUnE-yArDs
- A Very Lonely Solstice by Fleet Foxes
- Hey What by Low
- Local Valley by José González
- Head of Roses by Flock of Dimes
- The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows by Damon Albarn
- Collapsed in Sunbeams by Arlo Parks
- Loving In Stereo by Jungle
- Flying Dream 1 by Elbow
- Screen Violence by Chvrches
- Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice
- Mainly Gestalt Pornography by Pearly Gate Music
- Peace Or Love by Kings of Convenience
- These 13 by Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird
- Mr. Corman: Season 1 by Nathan Johnson
- Home Video by Lucy Dacus
- I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico by Various Artists
- Siamese Dream by Fruit Bats
- NINE by Sault
- Observatory by Aeon Station
- The Monster Who Hated Pennsylvania by Damien Jurado
- A Beginner’s Mind by Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine
- Where the End Begins by Knathan Ryan
- Private Space by Durand Jones & The Indications
2020
Subscribe to the 2020 playlist: Apple Music / Spotify
- Saint Cloud by Waxahatchee
- Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
- Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
- folklore + evermore by Taylor Swift
- Untitled (Black Is) + Untitled (Rise) by Sault
- RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
- Shore by Fleet Foxes
- Serpentine Prison by Matt Berninger
- The Ascension by Sufjan Stevens
- Making a Door Less Open by Car Seat Headrest
- Dreamland by Glass Animals
- A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C.
- Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez by Gorillaz
- Mordechai + Texas Sun EP by Khruangbin
- Introduction, Presence by Nation of Language
- Free Love by Sylvan Esso
- Miss Anthropocene by Grimes
- 3.15.20 by Childish Gambino
- Women In Music Pt. III by HAIM
- The Third Mind by The Third Mind
- Superstar by Caroline Rose
- Impossible Weight by Deep Sea Diver
- We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches
- Ultra Mono by IDLES
- Visions of Bodies Being Burned by clipping.
- Thin Mind by Wolf Parade
- The Loves of Your Life by Hamilton Leithauser
- Palo Alto (Live) by Thelonious Monk
- color theory by Soccer Mommy
- Fall to Pieces by Tricky
- Quarantine Casanova by Chromeo
2019
Subscribe to the 2019 playlist
- Cuz I Love You by Lizzo
- Fear Inoculum by Tool
- Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend
- Two Hands + U.F.O.F. by Big Thief
- Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten
- I Am Easy to Find by The National
- 5 + 7 by Sault
- Giants of All Sizes by Elbow
- i,i by Bon Iver
- Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka
- The Destroyer (Parts 1 + 2) by TR/ST
- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish
- Cheap Queen by King Princess
- Anima by Thom Yorke
- Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Parts 1 + 2 by Foals
- Gallipoli by Beirut
- My Finest Work Yet by Andrew Bird
- Four of Arrows by Great Grandpa
- Designer by Aldous Harding
- Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey
- Our Pathetic Age by DJ Shadow
- Juice B Crypts by Battles
- Pony by Orville Peck
- Hyperspace by Beck
- Eraserland by Strand of Oaks
- Dogrel by Fontaines DC
- You’re the Man by Marvin Gaye
- Big Wows by Stealing Sheep
- 1000 gecs by 100 gecs
- In the Morse Code of Brake Lights by The New Pornographers
- Radiant Dawn by Operators
2018
Subscribe to the 2018 playlist
- C’est La Vie by Phosphorescent
- Love Is Dead by Chvrches
- Twin Fantasy (Face to Face) by Car Seat Headrest
- Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe
- The Horizon Just Laughed by Damien Jurado
- Chris by Christine and the Queens
- Wanderer by Cat Power
- Tell Me How You Really Feel by Courtney Barnett
- The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs by Wye Oak
- Ruins by First Aid Kit
- Cocoa Sugar by Young Fathers
- Loner by Caroline Rose
- Big Red Machine by Big Red Machine
- I’ll Be Your Girl by The Decemberists
- The More I Sleep the Less I Dream by We Were Promised Jetpacks
- Joy as an Act of Resistance by IDLES
- Hell-On by Neko Case
- Superorganism by Superorganism
- Living in Extraordinary Times by James
- Thank You for Today by Death Cab for Cutie
- Black Panther: The Album by Kendrick Lamar
- Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film) by Thom Yorke
- Merrie Land by The Good, the Bad & the Queen
- Room 25 by Noname
- WARM by Jeff Tweedy
- God's Favorite Customer by Father John Misty
- Vessel by Frankie Cosmos
- For Ever by Jungle
- Twerp Verse by Speedy Ortiz
- Remain in Light by Angélique Kidjo
- This One’s for the Dancer & This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet by Moonface
2017
Subscribe to the 2017 playlist
- Little Fictions by Elbow
- Half-Light by Rostam
- Everything Now by Arcade Fire
- Sleep Well Beast by The National
- Soul of a Woman by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- Relaxer by Alt-J
- Hot Thoughts by Spoon
- Colors by Beck
- Mental Illness by Aimee Mann
- The Wild by The Rural Alberta Advantage
- american dream by LCD Soundsystem
- Crack-Up by Fleet Foxes
- Famous Last Words by The True Loves
- Cry Cry Cry by Wolf Parade
- Pure Comedy by Father John Misty
- Shake the Shudder by !!!
- La La Land (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by La La Land
- The Underside of Power by Algiers
- What Now by Sylvan Esso
- 50 Song Memoir by The Magnetic Fields
- Plunge by Fever Ray
- DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
- Capacity by Big Thief
- The Tourist by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- CCFX EP by CCFX
- Woodstock by Portugal. The Man
- MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
- On the Spot by Hot 8 Brass Band
- A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs
- Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister
- A Moment Apart by Odesza
2016
Subscribe to the 2016 playlist
- 22, A Million by Bon Iver
- Visions of Us On the Land by Damien Jurado
- A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead
- Blonde by Frank Ocean
- Are You Serious by Andrew Bird
- Lemonade by Beyoncé
- Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest
- Goodness by The Hotelier
- The Mountain Will Fall by DJ Shadow
- Junun by Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood & The Rajasthan Express
- The Hope Six Demolition Project by PJ Harvey
- Amen & Goodbye by Yeasayer
- Sea of Noise by St. Paul & The Broken Bones
- You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen
- Painting Of A Panic Attack by Frightened Rabbit
- Why Are You OK by Band Of Horses
- Not To Disappear by Daughter
- Sunlit Youth by Local Natives
- I Had a Dream That You Were Mine by Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
- ★ by David Bowie
- Farewell, Starlite! by Francis and the Lights
- This Unruly Mess I’ve Made by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- LNZNDRF by LNZNDRF
- Puberty 2 by Mitski
- Light Upon the Lake by Whitney
- A Corpse Wired for Sound by Merchandise
- Away by Okkervil River
- case/lang/veirs by case/lang/veirs
- Love Letter for Fire by Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop
- Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future by Underworld
- Preoccupations by Preoccupations
2015
Subscribe to the 2015 playlist
- Every Open Eye by Chvrches
- Coming Home by Leon Bridges
- My Love Is Cool by Wolf Alice
- Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
- Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett
- I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty
- Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes
- Another Eternity by Purity Ring
- Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance by Belle and Sebastian
- Return to the Moon by El Vy
- Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) by Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Art Angels by Grimes
- The Horse Comanche by Chadwick Stokes
- Grace Love & the True Loves by Grace Love & the True Loves
- Shake Shook Shaken by The dø
- La Di Da Di by Battles
- Sky City by Amason
- What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World by The Decemberists
- Untethered Moon by Built to Spill
- Viet Cong by Viet Cong
- The Magic Whip by Blur
- Savage Hills Ballroom by Youth Lagoon
- Not Real by Stealing Sheep
- Beat the Champ by The Mountain Goats
- Gliss Riffer by Dan Deacon
- Dark Bird is Home by The Tallest Man on Earth
- Gunnera by Pfarmers
- Swimmer to a Liquid Armchair by Ricked Wickey
- To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
- Live in Seattle by Moufang / Czamanski
- High by Royal Headache
- Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Sun by Damien Jurado
- Mended With Gold by The Rural Alberta Advantage
- The Take Off and Landing of Everything by Elbow
- They Want My Soul by Spoon
- Are We There by Sharon Van Etten
- And The War Came by Shakey Graves
- Nicky Nack by tUnE-yArDs
- Not Art by Big Scary
- The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett by Eels
- Owl John by Owl John
- LP1 by FKA Twigs
- Black Hours by Hamilton Leithauser
- Give the People What They Want by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
- Lost in the Dream by The War On Drugs
- Warpaint by Warpaint
- Heal by Strand of Oaks
- Stay Gold by First Aid Kit
- This is All Yours by Alt-J
- Brill Bruisers by The New Pornographers
- Only Run by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- Augustines by Augustines
- El Pintor by Interpol
- I Never Learn by Lykke Li
- Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes by Thom Yorke
- The Voyager by Jenny Lewis
- Voices by Phantogram
- Morning Phase by Beck
- Hungry Ghosts by OK Go
- Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels
- Cosmos by Yellow Ostrich
- Teeth Dreams by The Hold Steady
- With Light & With Love by Woods
2013
Subscribe to the 2013 playlist
- Muchacho by Phosphorescent
- Trouble Will Find Me by The National
- Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend
- The Bones Of What You Believe by Chvrches
- The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You by Neko Case
- In Focus? by Shugo Tokumaru
- Psychic by Darkside
- AMOK by Atoms for Peace
- White Lighter by Typhoon
- Hummingbird by Local Natives
- If You Leave by Daughter
- Pedestrian Verse by Frightened Rabbit
- The Silver Gymnasium by Okkervil River
- The Next Day by David Bowie
- Reflektor by Arcade Fire
- We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic by Foxygen
- Lanterns by Son Lux
- Howlin’ by Jagwar Ma
- Impersonator by Majical Cloudz
- Dream Cave by Cloud Control
- Mole City by Quasi
- Phantogram by Phantogram
- Julia With Blue Jeans On by Moonface
- Uncanney Valley by The Dismemberment Plan
- Event II by Deltron 3030
- Wise Up Ghost by Elvis Costello and The Roots
- Us Alone by Hayden
- Pure Heroine by Lorde
- Shaking the Habitual by The Knife
- False Idols by Tricky
- Let’s Be Still by The Head and the Heart
2012
Subscribe to the 2012 playlist
- The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw & Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do by Fiona Apple
- An Awesome Wave by Alt-J
- Gossamer by Passion Pit
- Lion’s Roar by First Aid Kit
- Maraqopa by Damien Jurado
- Shallow Bed by Dry The River
- Valtari by Sigur Rós
- The Heist by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
- Heaven by The Walkmen
- State Hospital EP by Frightened Rabbit
- A Thing Called Divine Fits by Divine Fits
- Some Nights by fun.
- Tramp by Sharon van Etten
- Fear Fun by Father John Misty
- Love This Giant by David Byrne and St. Vincent
- To The Treetops! by Team Me
- The Master: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Jonny Greenwood
- There’s No Leaving Now by The Tallest Man On Earth
- Transcendental Youth by The Mountain Goats
- A Church That Fits Our Needs by Lost In The Trees
- Hospitality by Hospitality
- Free Dimensional by Diamond Rings
- History Speaks by Deep Sea Diver
- A Different Ship by Here We Go Magic
- Negotiations by the Helio Sequence
- Moms by Menomena
- The Sound of the Life of the Mind by Ben Folds Five
- Shields by Grizzly Bear
- Every Child A Daughter, Every Moon A Sun by The Wooden Sky
- Fragrant World by Yeasayer
- Reign of Terror by Sleigh Bells
2011
Subscribe to the 2011 playlist
- Myths (+2) by Pickwick
- Departing by The Rural Alberta Advantage
- The King is Dead by The Decemberists
- W H O K I L L by tUnE-yArDs
- Build A Rocket Boys! by Elbow
- Bon Iver by Bon Iver
- The King of Limbs by Radiohead
- Bad As Me by Tom Waits
- Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
- The Youth Die Young by Mad Rad
- Last Night On Earth by Noah and the Whale
- Codes and Keys by Death Cab For Cutie
- Valley of the Headless Men by Ravenna Woods
- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two by Beastie Boys
- James Blake by James Blake
- Hysterical by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- An Argument with Myself by Jens Lekman
- The Whole Love by Wilco
- My Goodness by My Goodness
- My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men
- Gloss Drop by Battles
- Showroom of Compassion by CAKE
- A New Kind of House EP by Typhoon
- EP by Grouplove
- Fan Chosen Covers (Best of) by Eef Barzelay
- TKOL RMX 1234567 by Radiohead
- Organ Music Not Virbraphone Like I’d Hoped by Moonface
- Heavy Boots & Underwoods by Ben Fisher
- The Rip Tide by Beirut
- Collapse Into Now by R.E.M.
- I Am Very Far by Okkervil River
2010
Subscribe to the 2010 playlist
- High Violet by The National
- The Winter of Mixed Drinks by Frightened Rabbit
- The Age of Adz by Sufjan Stevens
- Odd Blood by Yeasayer
- Mines by Menomena
- Contra by Vampire Weekend
- Go by Jónsi
- The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
- Gorilla Manor by the Local Natives
- The Head and the Heart by the Head and the Heart
- Special Affections by Diamond Rings
- Treats by Sleigh Bells
- Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian
- Wild Smile by Suckers
- Learning by Perfume Genius
- Forgiveness Rock Record by Broken Social Scene
- Expo 86 by Wolf Parade
- One Life Stand by Hot Chip
- Big Echo by The Morning Benders
- Here’s To Taking It Easy by Phosphorescent
- This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
- The Mistress by Yellow Ostrich
- Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter
- Been Listening by Johnny Flynn
- The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man on Earth
- Lisbon by The Walkmen
- Scratch My Back by Peter Gabriel
- All Day by Girl Talk
- A Storm – A Tree – My Mother’s Head by Bobby Bare Jr.
- 03 to TEN by Knathan Ryan
- In This Light On This Evening by Editors
2009
Subscribe to the 2009 playlist
- Manners by Passion Pit
- The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists
- Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective
- The First Days of Spring by Noah and the Whale
- These Four Walls by We Were Promised Jetpacks
- Hometowns by the Rural Alberta Advantage
- Velvet Underground & Nico: “Record Club” by Beck
- March of the Zapotec/Holland by Beirut
- There is no Enemy by Built to Spill
- Dark Was The Night, a Red Hot Compilation
- The Mountain by the Heartless Bastards
- Creaturesque by Throw Me The Statue
- Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band by Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
- Horehound by The Dead Weather
- Promenade by Grand Hallway
- Grand by Matt & Kim
- Blood Bank EP by Bon Iver
- Fever Ray by Fever Ray
- Tell ’Em What Your Name Is by Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
- Mo Beauty by Alec Ounsworth
- Here Comes Science by They Might Be Giants
- Noble Beast by Andrew Bird
- Hungry Bird by Clem Snide
- Actor by St. Vincent
- Elvis Perkins in Dearland by Elvis Perkins in Dearland
- XX by the XX
- Grrr… by Bishop Allen
- Keep It Hid by Dan Auerbach
- It’s Blitz! by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Beware by Bonnie “Prince” Billie
- Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear