This year’s Best Overlooked Albums list shows just how much great music is being made in the margins of the music scene. Trying to narrow this list to 10 albums overall was a major challenge. Suffice it to say, quite a few excellent albums didn’t make the cut for this list in what was a strong year for power pop, Americana and roots rock. So here are my best overlooked albums of 2020. Your music year won’t be complete without hearing at least some of these titles.
Mothboxer: Accelerator
This British band—it’s essentially Dave Ody’s solo project—has been turning out albums since 2007, and Accelerator is filled with creative pop-rock songs that strike a nice balance between heft (with a little grit) and striking melodies. Quite a few songs also have some element that really makes the listener take notice, such as the organ part that frames the vocal melody on “Long Time Coming,” the quick-picked guitar part in “Under Water” and the descending melody lines of “Can I Go Now” and “Morning News.” Despite his consistent excellence over a catalog that numbers more than a dozen albums and EPs, Ody remains a largely undiscovered treasure. Maybe this latest stellar effort will kick his career into a higher gear.
Diamond Hands: III
This duo may not be all that creative so far with album titles (III follows II in this trilogy of albums). But there’s no shortage of imagination (and talent) when it comes to the music Jon Flynn and Joel Wall are making as Diamond Hands. Centering in on themes related to failed relationships, escaping loneliness and self-confidence, III retains the ‘60s-rooted pop/garage rock elements of its predecessors and is excellent from start to finish, nicely blending rockers with softer selections.
Steffen Morrison: Soul Revolution
An old-school soul album, Soul Revolution covers a pretty full range of styles. There’s rousing uptempo tracks like “Hold On Lovers,” “Handful” and the title song, a few strong mid-tempo tunes (“You’ve Been Hit By a Butterfly,” “Where I Wanna Be” and “True To Myself”), a pair of killer ballads in “Let Us Not Wait Too Long” and “Positivity.” There actually isn’t anything revolutionary to Morrison’s music. But there aren’t many artists doing ‘60s-rooted soul any better than he does on Soul Revolution.
Rick Hromadka: Better Days
Hromadka’s second solo album, Better Days, features a sophisticated level of popcraft, with a collection of multi-faceted and unerringly catchy songs. Several tunes, including “Drive On,” “Pinwheel” and the title track, are fairly muscular, with steady-but-not-fast tempos and plenty of melody, while there’s driving pop-rock in “Full Blown Freak Out,” and “Searchlight.” Possibly the most unique cut is “I’m Here to Entertain,” which has a loping circus-ish feel and a song title that promises what Better Days delivers—a collection of sharply crafted and highly entertaining power pop songs.
John Fusco: John the Revelator
Fusco is well known as a screenwriter of such notable movies as Crossroads, Thunderheart, Young Guns and Young Guns II. But he also knows his blues and how to write that music. The 20 songs on John the Revelator cover plenty of blues-rooted ground. He gets down and dirty on the standout slow burner “Bad Dog,” gets slinky and smoky on “Hottest Part of the Flame” and strips things back on “Snake Oil Man” (a broadside aimed at President Donald Trump), “Moonstone Lady” and “Song for Peter.” John the Revelator is a rich and timeless gem of a blues album, and Fusco is quite the revelation for blues and roots music fans.
The Empty Hearts: The Second Album
If you don’t know the band Empty Hearts, you’ve probably heard of the band members—guitarist Elliott Easton from the Cars, drummer Clem Burke from Blondie, singer Wally Palmer from the Romantics and bassist Andy Babiuk from the Chesterfield Kings. Drawing from ‘60s rock and 70’s power pop, but frequently with more edge, The Second Album is a fairly diverse collection full of excellent songs that lives up to the resumes of the Empty Hearts’ band members.
Nick Piunti & the Complicated Men: Downtime
Piunti has a new band here, but on Downtime he continues to turn out songs share the same virtues as on his previous albums -- bright and memorable vocal melodies, hooky guitar lines and smart lyrics. He also nicely mixes up intensities, as Downtime ranges from the rocking, full-bodied songs to strong ballads. This is nothing new for Piunti, who is one of power pop’s most reliably excellent artists.
Keith Slettedahl: You Know You Know
During a decade-plus run that ended in 2016, Slettedahl was the singer/songwriter of the 88, one of the best pop bands of that—or any other—era. Now comes Slettedahl’s solo debut, You Know You Know, which finds him continuing to craft richly melodic songs with next-level creative arrangements. The 88 is missed, but hopefully Slettedahl will gain some traction as a solo artist. His songs remain too good not to be enjoyed by a much larger audience.
Rike: Green Eyed and Bitter
Green Eyed and Bitter sounds like the work of seasoned songwriters, not a duo from Sweden on their first album. Nike Sellmar is a standout vocalist and the songs make great use of her talents. Musically, the album ranges from the rootsy, banjo-inflected “Don’t Make Me Shout” to the bluesy, fuzzed-up rock of “November,” with some fine mid-tempo material and ballads in between. There’s not a weak track here, making “Green Eyed and Bitter” one of 2020’s best debut albums.
Pike and Sutton: Heart is a Compass
Patrice Pike and Wayne Sutton were in the bands Little Sister and Sister 7, and Heart is a Compass suggests they still share a strong creative chemistry. Heart is a Compass covers a good deal of rootsy musical ground, including blues-infused rock (“Hands Up” and the title song), while rock fans will be drawn to the hearty feel of “No Great Mystery” and “Take a Stand” on this well rounded and enjoyable album.
