The albums of 2021 were likely some of the first full pieces of art created and completed while in the midst of a global pandemic. The year's best releases saw artists grapple with prolonged bouts of interiority, grief, a deteriorating and polarizing socio-political climate, and the desperate need for connection. Despite that not all of these albums are complete bummers if you can believe it!

Over the next three days, we'll be updating this post with our best of 2021, starting with our honorable mention and our 25th through 17th ranked albums. 

Okay, cards on the table, we’re putting this out late. We were supposed to put this out originally 

in time for Halloween proper- but our entire staff is made up of students, most of whom are unpaid, so cut us some slack. In any case, we here at the Moose believe there’s never a bad time to get into the spooky mood! So, from the zany, to the macabre, to the downright terrifying, these are U92 The Moose’s Halloween favorites! 

Aggression, emotion, and community: an interview with Dogleg

Just before performing their final song, Retirement Party lead Avery Springer teases the next band with a cheeky warning. “We’ve got Dogleg coming up next,” she says through a grin “so y’all better be prepared to mosh.” Dressed uniformly in t-shirts and jeans, the band takes the stage around 10 PM on a Monday night, bleeding a raw energy deserving of that disclaimer and then some. 

1. Brockhampton - Buzzcut (ft. Danny Brown)

The lead single for the Internet-Era boyband’s newest record ROADRUNNER, "Buzzcut" is a track that is dripping wall-to-wall with the confidence and undaunted energy of the early 2000’s Southern Hip-Hop bangers from which it takes much of its influence. Comprising largely of two equally hard-hitting verses from frontman Kevin Abstract and guest vocalist Danny Brown and ending with a lush group oriented outro, the song perfectly displays the kind of colorful genre-bending craftwork that made this group so special when they first hit the scene. The song is far and away one of the most aggressive tracks the band has ever released, especially notable following their previous album GINGER in which some of their softest and most downtrodden tracks were put on full display. Following a string of controversies, vast sonic changes, interband turmoil, and mixed critical reception, “BUZZCUT” proves to be nothing short of exactly the comeback single that BROCKHAMPTON needed.

This week I’m changing things up a bit, so instead of reviewing a singular film that I highly recommend as a must watch. I’m instead going to write a reflection of sorts on a film trilogy. This particular trilogy has eluded me for a couple of years since I learned about it’s existence a while back. I’ve read many people sing its praises to the high heavens yet I never felt compelled enough to sink my mind into it. However, recently I finally experienced the cinematic world of Satyajit Ray’s, masterfully intimate,  Apu Trilogy. 

The trilogy follows the life of a boy named Apu. We witness his emotional, mental, and physical growth toil in grief, tragedy, happiness, selfishness, ambition, and love. However, as much as the films are about him they are also about the dynamics of parental relationships and responsibilities. These elements play a vital part in this symphony wherein it seems that Satyajit Ray is actively searching for the epiphany of life’s purpose. This ultimate purpose is, quite obviously, difficult to comprehend but in his effort I find solace that the search for unadulterated joy is the closest answer he could get to. 

Questioning reality is a seldom thought that pops up in one’s head very sparsely throughout life. From experiencing deja vu to experiencing extremely vivid dreams, or seeing things that you think you saw to genuine psychosis. The surreal nature of blurring the lines between reality and illusion is often a concept that is tackled in film, usually by absurd or imaginative means. However, in the case of Satoshi Kon’s directorial debut, Perfect Blue, this concept is conjured up in an atmosphere of terrified paranoia. 

On the surface level, Perfect Blue, serves to be a damning critique on the entertainment industry and its treatment of its stars. However, beyond that, the eye-opening commentary on the inherently misogynistic structure of media and entertainment seem to stand center stage. Blurred by deceit, confusion, and sinister motives; each meticulous cut grants us a terrifying entryway into the psychotic downfall of crisis in identity. This crisis is implicitly compounded by the patriarchal pressures and expectations that come along with the various “celebritized” roles famous women fulfill. Whether that be sexually motivated or monetarily motivated. Although, in the case for this film, it’s abundantly clear that sexual projections made from societal expectations create a bubble of uncertainty and downright maliciousness. 

The NCAA selection committee revealed the West Virginia Mountaineers as a number three seed on Selection Sunday. As always, ups and downs filled the regular season for West Virginia. The Mountaineers at one point won six-consecutive road games in the Big 12, but, on the other hand, the Mountaineers haven’t won against a ranked opponent in almost a month. U92 the Moose's Sports Staff picks how deep the team will go in the tourney, the MVP of the team, and more.

Before we jump into tournament talk, what was your favorite moment of the season?

Adolescent angst, misguided happiness, and faux maturity; these are just a few phrases that adequately detail this nostalgia driven coming of age monument from the wonderful Sofia Coppola. In her directorial debut, Coppola, establishes her mesmeric knack for storytelling through weaving perspectives, fitting needle drops, enchanting sequences, and by ultimately creating an aura of mystery and solace. It’s with these elements that set the stage for the plight of the five idelic daughters of the Lisbon family. As the title suggests, they all commit suicide, for reasons not entirely unknown yet not entirely too sure. Some could point to the set of rigid circumstances, enforced by their old fashioned, extremely strict religious parents. Or the pent up frustrations of hormone-fueled anxieties. Or possibly, it's the lack of understanding from their peers. Regardless of the source of their tragic and sudden end, The Virgin Suicides continues to prove to be a refreshing take on the “high school teen drama” flick twenty-two years later, nostalgia and all. 

1. St. Vincent - Pay Your Way in Pain

In one of St. Vincent’s most enthralling tracks yet, a spaghetti-western style piano riff leads off what quickly becomes an eclectic blend of 70’s funk and Bowie-esque glam. On this lead single to her upcoming record Daddy’s Home, Vincent (real name: Annie Clark) revisits much of the quirky electropop influence heard on her most recent record Masseduction; here mixing it with classic retro funk instrumentation and plenty of Prince-isms to boot. While Clark very much owns this track, delivering a powerful and layered vocal performance throughout, it is also a major standout for producer to the stars Jack Antonoff. Here Antonoff puts together one of his busiest, most complex,  and fully realized efforts yet. Proudly wearing her influences on her sleeve, on “Pay Your Way in Pain,” St. Vincent looks into rocks past to continue carving out it’s future. 

“The dual substance of Christ—the yearning, so human, so superhuman, of man to attain God... has always been a deep inscrutable mystery to me. My principle anguish and source of all my joys and sorrows from my youth onward has been the incessant, merciless battle between the spirit and the flesh... and my soul is the arena where these two armies have clashed and met.” - Nikos Kazantzakis. 

Christianity is a difficult trudge through the bog of tribulations, sin, temptation, hope, love, faith. It’s a personal imposition that is placed at either the hands of one self or at the hands of others. The mental and spiritual mechanisms are in constant motion, demanding attention, requiring a constant state of upkeep. Whenever one falters in its task, the path alters. However, this is true of living a life, regardless of whether or not one is religious, in this case a Christian, or not.