Best Albums of 2020

 10. CocoRosie - Put The Shine On

9. The Front Bottoms - In Sickness And In Flames

8. Grouplove - The Healer

7. Wolf Parade - Thin Mind

6. Bahamas - Sad Hunk

5. Tennis - Swimmer

4. Surfer Blood - Carefree Theatre

3. Plants And Animals - The Jungle

2. The Killers - Imploding the Mirage 

1. Future Islands - As Long As You Are

2019

1. Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet

2. Metronomy - Metronomy Forever

3. The National - I Am Easy To Find

4. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

5. Tegan & Sarah - Hey, I'm Just Like You

6. Generationals - Reader As Detective

7. The Head and the Heart - Living Mirage

8. Mumford and Sons - Delta

9. Silversun Pickups - Widow's Weeds

10. Two Door Cinema Club - False Alarm

2018

1. Matt & Kim - Almost Everyday
2. Chvurches - Love Is Dead
3. Death Cab for Cutie - Thank You For Today
4. Metric - Art of Doubt
5. Moon Taxi - Let The Record Play
6. The Decemberists - I'll Be Your Girl
7. Pale Waves - My Mind Makes Noises
8. The Rural Alberta Advantage - The Wild
9. Okkerville River - In The Rainbow Rain
10. Belle and Sabastian - How to Solve Our Human Problems

2017
1. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface
2. Future Islands - The Far Field
3. Mew - Visuals
4. Alt-J - Relaxer
5. The Shins - Heartworms
6. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock
7. Foster the People - The Sacred Hearts Club
8. The National - Sleep Well Beasts
9. Shout Out Louds - Ease My Mind
10. Arcade Fire - Everything Now

2016
1. Radical Face - The Leaves
2. Cloud Cult - The Seeker
3. Islands - Taste
4. The Strumbellas - Hope
5. Tegan and Sara - Love You To Death
6. The Head And The Heart - Signs Of Light
7. The Avett Brothers - True Sadness
8. The Lumineers - Cleopatra
9. Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack
10. Empire of the Sun - Two Vines

2015
1. Mowgli's - Kids In Love
2. Twenty One Pilots - Blurry Face
3. Matt And Kim - New Glow
4. Metric - Pagans In Vegas
5. Death Cab For Cutie - Kintsugi 
6. Belle And Sabastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance
7. Walk Off The Earth - Sing It All Away
8. Mew - + - 
9. Decemberists - What A Terrible World, What A Wonderful World
10. Chvurches - Every Open Eye

2014
1. Future Islands - Singles
2. Passenger - Whispers
3. Bishop Allen - Lights Out
4. Tokyo Police Club - Forcefield
5. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Mended With Gold
6. Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow
7. Spoon - The Want My Soul
8. Foster the People - Supermodel
9. Broken Bells - After the Disco
10. Manchester Orchestra - Cope

2013
1. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
2. Radical Face - Family Tree: The Branches
3. Twenty One Pilots - Vessel
4. The National - Trouble Will Find Me
5. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
6. Shout Out Louds - Optica
7. Crystal Fighters - Cave Rave
8. The Sounds - Weekend
9. Tegan & Sara - Heartthrob
10. Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero

2012

1. Radical Face – The Family Tree: The Roots
2. Passion Pit - Gossamer
3. Mumford And Son – Babel
4. Miike Snow – Happy To You
5. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions

6. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
7. Metric – Sythetica
8. Dr. Dog – Be The Void
9. Of Monsters And Men – My Head Is An Animal
10. The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter

2011
1. Death Cab For Cutie – Codes And Keys
2. The Sounds – Something To Die For
3. Architecture In Helsinki – Moment Bends
4. Decemberists – The King Is Dead
5. The Strokes – Angles
6. The Head And The Heart – The Head And The Heart
7. Brett Dennen – Loverboy
8. Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math
9. I’m From Barcelona – Forever Today
10. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing

2010
1. The National – High Violet
2. Vampire Weekend – Contra
3. Shout Out Louds – Work
4. Mumford And Sons – Sigh No More
5. Mates Of State – Crushes
6. Dr. Dog – Shame Shame
7. Rogue Wave – Permalight
8. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
9. Matt & Kim – Sidewalks
10. Tokyo Police Club – Champ

2009
1. The Sounds – Crossing The Rubicon
2. Passion Pit – Manners
3. Metric – Fantasies
4. Animal Collective – Merryweather Post Pavilion
5. Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream
6. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns
7. Silversun Pickups – Swoon
8. We Were Promised Jetpacks – These Four Walls
9. Islands – Vapours
10. Mew – No More Stories Are Told…

My Favorite TV Shows I Watched In 2020

I had more than enough time to catch up on some television this year. Given my extra hours at home, Netflix was constantly asking, "Are you still watching?" Of course I am still watching, Netflix. Of course I am. So, without further ado, I give you my 20 favorite shows I watched from 20 to 1, with a few honorable mentions worth watching.

My Top 20 TV Shows I Watched in 2020

Honorable Mentions:
Sanctuary (Season 1) - DVD Catch-22 (Season 1) - DVD The Crown (Season 4) - Netflix Evil (Season 1) - Netflix Ratched (Season 1) - Netflix The Good Place (Season 4) - DVD The Haunting of Bly Manor (Anthology Series 2) - Netflix I Am Not Okay With This (Season 1) - Netflix |Schitt’s Creek (Season 6) - Netfli Call the Midwife (Season 9) - Netflix The Mandelorian (Season 2) - Disney + (I could only watch a couple episodes before we dropped Disney +, or I think this would have ended a lot higher)

20. Messiah (Season 1) - Netflix - A few I have seen have called this show "sacreligious." I don't think so. It's fine on the sacrelig front. It will make you think about religion and your own beliefs and the beliefs of society. Plus, it's just downright captivating.

19. Tales From the Loop (Season 1) - Amazon Prime  - If Black Mirror was a series. Sometimes confusing, more often compelling, all in all, a pretty insane ride.

18. Unorthodox (Season 1) - Netflix - The story of a young, orthodox Jewish girl trying to find herself and where she belongs in the world. Her story is forcible and gripping.

17. The English Game (Season 1) - Netflix - A movie made by soccer lovers for soccer lovers. But more than that, it's a drama that captures its timeframe perfectly. 

16. The Umbrella Academy (Season 2) - Netflix - Far better than the first season and the first season was different. The stakes and the writing and storytelling were at a higher level this season.

15. Shameless (Season 10) - Netflix - I am only a bit ashamed to admit I like Shameless. Season ten is just as cringeworthy, grimy and edgy as every other season. Plus, it's been fun seeing the kids on this show grow up. Sad to see Season 11 will be the last. 

14. Succession (Season 2) - DVD - I really didn't quite like season one of this show, but decided to stay on the bandwagon and give it another try. Although there is not a single likable character in this show, they all are interestingly evil and the interaction between them all is even more interestingly evil. Be advised, there are so many swears in this show. (Also, see above with Shameless.)

13. Waco (Season 1) - Netflix -  A perfect and seemingly accurate retelling of the David Koresh story. It will make you look at the account of this incident from a different perspective. 

12. Undone (Season 1) - Netflix - Brilliantly animated in a new and interesting way. An entrapping story the ebs and flows with intrigue. Great to see something so original done so well.

11. The Politician (Season 2) - Netflix - I'm a Ben Platt fan and he shines in this show. I was hoping the story would take him to new and interesting places in season 2 and it did not disappoint. 

10. Killing Eve (Season 3) - DVD - The interplay between the two characters is a joy and it is not getting stale with each passing season. If anything, it's getting more heated.

9. Unbelievable (Season 1) - Netflix - I had this ranked #1 on my list for much of the year. This show was so powerful, so well done and it will capture your every sense. It will also anger you as the plot is likely not too far off of many women's real life experience reporting rape.

8. Upload (Season 1) - Amazon Prime - Not Greg Daniel's most anticipated release of 2020 (that was the terrible Space Force) but definitely his best. This was the funniest show on TV in 2020 and perhaps also the most revolutionary.

7. The Sinner (Seasons 1-2) - Netflix - There is nothing unique about the premise and they're not breaking any new ground here. But what they do do is write incredible story arcs so gripping you can't stop watching.

6. Ozark (Season 3) - Netflix - Jason Bateman proves he is the man. Both funny and great at drama. This show reminds me more of Breaking Bad than the awesome "Better Call Saul." More on that later...

5. Bloodline (Seasons 1-3) - Netflix - Not sure what took me so long to discover this show, but I am certainly glad I did. I binged it in a week and was left gasping for more. Unfortunately, there is no more to be found.

4. Mr. Robot (Season 4) - DVD - One of my all time favorite shows did NOT have a disappointing final season. No one can complain about the finale of this great show.

3. After Life (Season 2) - Netflix - I cried. I cried a few times. This show is funny and moving. I'll admit I cried more than once during season 2. I don't cry easy, but this show makes me cry.

2. The Queen's Gambit (Season 1) - Netflix - I went back and forward between #1 and #2 about which one deserved to be #1. I believe this was the best show Netflix has ever produced. It just was not quite as good as...

1. Better Call Saul (Season 5) - DVD - I am starting to think that I may end up loving this show even more than Breaking Bad. It's funnier, more clever and its lighter feel makes it for even better viewing. I believe this season was the best so far!