25. Bright Eyes - Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was (Dead Oceans)

On “Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was,” Bright Eyes takes many sonic cues, including mid-2000s rock, the orchestral flourishes of power-pop, ragtime, and a hint of glam rock to top off the indie ballads for which the band is known. The result is a reflective album that feels both mature and fresh. There’s a nihilistic mention of some of the worst parts of life delivered through infectious melodies, yet there’s rarely a brooding moment. Instead there's often a determination to meet the challenges head on despite the cruelty of it all. This is perhaps best embodied in tracks like “Dance and Sing” and lead single “Mariana Trench." Overall this is a rather bombastic album from the veteran group with a Phil-Spector-like quality to it that often manages to be frivolous and fun to listen to despite the weight of its themes and lyricism. - Mason Lee

We continue our series in records from 2020 that made an unbearable year slightly less so, featuring a group from North Carolina, a rising voice in pop music, and music that frames internet toxicity. 

30. Wednesday - I Tried Describing You to Someone (Ordinal Records)

If you are a long-time listener of U92, you will likely have some familiarity with the station's long-running on-again-off-again mini-zine, Wireless.