![]() ![]() ![]() Scott Russellĭescribing Philadelphia trio Another Michael as an indie-pop act is accurate, but it’s also a serious oversimplification. “ Dear Nora” is a passionate, overwhelmingly earnest expression of affection and gratitude: A melodic lead riff surfs waves of whammied shoegaze fuzz, only receding to make space for Weber’s lovesick vocals: “You’re everything, you’re everything,” she sings, gushing, “I adore you so, you adore me in the way I always wanted.” Alien Boy wield these emotions with an urgency that emanates through your speakers, like on opener “ The Way I Feel,” when Weber sings, “The way you love me hurts too much / The way I feel / The way you make me feel, won’t come around again.” The intensity of feeling on Don’t Know What I Am would be almost too much to bear if Alien Boy weren’t so adept at shredding through the heartache. Their debut album Don’t Know What I Am is riddled with “Dreams and Queer Feeling,” the motto the band spray-painted on a banner they hung onstage during a series of defining 2018 shows. Portland, Oregon’s Alien Boy-guitarist and songwriter Sonia Weber, drummer Derek McNeil, and a rotating cast of PDX scene mainstays-make punchy West Coast guitar rock aglow with a sense of yearning that will make your heart ache, in a good way. Listen to Paste ’s Best Debut Albums of 2021 playlist on Spotify here. There’s rock, pop, R&B, hip-hop and even “dariacore.” There’s something for you, whoever you are. Many of the albums below were much-anticipated, while others were pleasant surprises-some of these artists flew under the radar in 2021, while others were inescapable. It’s a thrill to recognize a vital new voice making a compelling introductory statement-an artist announcing not only that they’re here, but also that they’re here to stay. ![]() Music contains so many multitudes that sweeping generalizations about it rarely ring true, but this one still does: There are few things more exciting than an excellent debut album. ![]()
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