Family Entertainer SaulPaul Takes Top Honors In Phil’s Picks’ List Of 2021’s Top New EPs

Courtesy: Sugar Mountain PR

It’s hard to believe but 2021 is officially only four weeks from its big finale.  One can only hope that moving forward from here into 2022, that sooner rather than later, we’ll finally be rid of this COVID-19 crap and life can finally go back to what it was.  Time will tell.  In the meantime, this critic has checked over his calendar for the year’s waning weeks, and surprisingly, there are no more new EPs to go through for the year.  That means it is finally time to start in on this year’s “best of” year-ender lists.  Of course, as in every year past, the very first of those lists comes in the form of the smallest of the music releases noted.

This year’s list of new EPs features new releases from at least one relatively well-known figure and a number of others who are either up-and-coming or semi-established.  They run the gamut from family music to pop to rock and metal to even some southern rock/country.  These lists are never easy to finalize because even among the EPs there is so much to appreciate musically and lyrically.  That was taken into full consideration with this list, too.  Those who have followed this critic’s ramblings for years on end, know how the lists work.  For everyone else, they work as such:  Instead of just 10 new offerings, this list is composed of 15 titles.  The top 10 are the best of the best while the following five are honorable mention titles.  This is not a stab at those releases or the acts that released them, either.  Far from it.  The whole purpose is to give those extras their due credit, too.

So without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks Top 10 New EPs of 2021.

PHIL’S PICKS 2021 TOP 10 NEW EPS

1. SaulPaul – OK To Be Different
2. Gabriel & The Apocalypse – Alpha Transcendence
3. Decent Criminal – Decent Criminal
4. The Mercy Kills – New Rule
5. Dirkschneider & The Old Gang – Arising
6. Repentance – Volume 1 – Reborn
7. All Hail The Yeti – Within The Hollow Earth
8. Kulick – Sitting in a Quiet Coffeehouse
9. Blue Eyed Christ – World on Fire Remixes
10. Zero Theorum – The Killing II
11. Sydney Sherwood – Headspace
12. Christopher Shayne – Ten High
13. 20 Watt Tombstone – Year of the Jackalope
14. Post Death Soundtrack – Pathless Land
15. Black TarPoon – The Thad

That’s it for this year’s top new EPs.  Thanks goes out to all of the firms that sent out this great music and so much more.  No offense is meant to any act left out.  For instance  Of Mice & Men released a trio of new EPs this year, but they ended up as the new album, Echo, so that album is up for consideration among this critic’s top new hard rock/metal albums of the year.  Even more year-enders are on their way as the last days of the year start to wind down, so stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.  

Rock Super Group Takes Top Honors In Phil’s Picks’ 2020 Best New EPs

Courtesy: Wiretap Records

Another year has come and another year is almost gone.  Only a handful of weeks remain in this year, which means many record companies have already turned their focus to 2021.  Even with the record labels turning their attention to the new year, there is still work to be done this year.  The work in question is a look back at the best of the year’s new music.  For this critic, that look back starts at the smallest level, EPs.  Those who have followed this critic’s daily ramblings year in and year out know that the year-enders have always started with the smallest records, the EPs, and this year is no different.  This year has seen a variety of interesting EPs released from across the musical universe.  They include records released by labels and independently by the acts in question. 

Featured in this critic’s list of this year’s are new offerings from Hell or Highwater (which is fronted by Atreyu’s Brandon Saller), Another Day Dawns, and even independent artist Vast Caldera among others.  Topping this year’s list is an offering from the “super group” In Parallel.

As with every year past, this critic’s list features not 10, but 15 titles.  The top 10 titles are the primary titles, while the next five are honorable mention titles.  With everything noted, here with out any further ado, is Phil’s Picks Top 10 New EPs of 2020.

PHIL’S PICKS 2020 TOP 10 NEW EPs

1. In Parallel – Fashioner
2. Mark Morton – Ether
3. Killswitch Engage – Atonement II: B-Sides For Charity
4. Vast Caldera – Vast Caldera I
5. Another Day Dawns – Stranger
6. Hell or Highwater – Lost at Sonic Ranch
7. Stabbing Westward – Dead and Gone
8. Lord—Chaos Raining
9. KB & The Idyllwilde – I Just Wanna Love You, I Just Wanna Let You
10. The Run Around – Bombs Away
11. Morgan Rose – Controlled Chaos
12. Zero Theorum – The Killing: Part I
13. Hold On Hollywood – Love Stories
14. South of Eden – Talk
15. The Jacks – Remember You

Next up from Phil’s Picks is the list of the year’s top new independent albums.  This year has produced some impressive new independent albums.  Stay tuned for that.

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.