Hahaha, WHOOPS. We wanted to post the results for our annual Best of Springfield Music Poll this year a little bit after the print-version was published in the January issue of Activator Magazine. Here we are in the middle of February and we are finally getting around to it! (Because we are snowed in). You can still pick up copies of this for free at Dumb Records, where all of the results and write-ups are printed. Today we are going to kick off posting the series online starting with your best voted SONGS that Springfield bands and artists put out in 2020. We only have write-ups for some of these listings, and we are also going to try to embed songs for each listing when we can! Alright, check it all out below.
- Kxynggami feat. Kid Ziggy & 6randon: “Lifestyle”
In the midst of a pandemic, 217 artist Kxynggami still manages to work, proof being his single “Lifestyle”. With solid production quality, catchy vocal melodies, and flow for days, Lifestyle stands up to any modern day radio hit. The track also features 2 other midwest rappers, Kid Ziggy (of Zippir Collective) and 6randon to put the icing on the cake. Kid Ziggy’s verse is a perfect fit for the vibe of track, and delivers killer melodies as usual, then 6randon comes in to offer a chill vibe before coming back into the fantastic chorus that’s just so catchy! This track is at home in any playlist that’s got any form of hip-hop in it. -Paul Wilby
- Kid Ziggy / Papa Luke / JunioR Pasaré: “Monster”
Zippir Collective hasn’t let the pandemic effect their ability to release quality material and connect with their fans. Released in April 2020 amid the spike of Covid 19, Kid Ziggy, Papa Luke, and Junior Pasare connect to enlighten listeners to their internal demons. The melodic hook and powerful verses make “Monster” one of the many great 2020 releases from this iconic central Illinois clique! -Deion Brown (DB Entertainment)
3. Sensai Doog: “Battle Cry”
(from the album Sincerely Yourz)
4. Satisfy feat ANoyd: “This Is How I’m Comin'”
5. Satisfy: “To The Max”
6. Blushe: “Tantrum”
“Close the door cuz this ain’t pretty.” With that opening salvo, Blushe is off and running with this five song EP that ranks near the very top of any local music released in 2020. With solid musicianship and songwriting while navigating a punkish garage rock with startling economy, Blushe demands your attention and doesn’t let you go for the next fourteen minutes. The key to great songs is whether the band, specifically, the singer, can get the listener to buy in to the story being told. Blushe draws you in with provocative lyrics and music that often takes an unexpected hard left. I cannot wait to see this band in a live setting. -Jason Perry (The Seething Coast, Epsom)
7. Bottom Bracket: “Failures”
Bottom Bracket’s first track “Failures” on their new album I Don’t Care Enough to Stay packs a powerful punch from the very first chord. Singer and guitarist Mario Cannamela begins his melancholic journey through past regrets before the music falls into dizzying guitar licks held down by BJ Pearce’s heavy and steady drum beats. This album opener showcases Bottom Bracket’s growth as a group, yet retains all of the components of their previous work that made us all fall in love with them in the first place. This is a band that has gained confidence in themselves and rightfully so. They effortlessly move from section to section with perfectly timed off-beat hits to accent the differences. This is a track that draws the listener in and promises an emo record filled with tracks each begging to be visited. Brandon Carne’s recordings of this excellent Springfield band showcase how this trio can fill up the sound space without clutter. Each instrument has room to showcase the players’ talent. The small gaps between the bands perfectly syncopated hits allow this song to breathe in ways that expand Bottom Bracket’s sound further than ever before. This is a band that can (and will) go anywhere sonically. With a clever and well shot music video (that involves some serious spaghetti tossing), this band proves that DIY is an artform unto itself. The song is titled “Failures”, but this track is certainly anything but. – Jacob Armbrecht (The Telephone Junkies)
8. Stick People: “Somewhere, Somehow”
Stick Peoples Somewhere, Somehow, you know it’s a hit as soon it starts. The melodic guitars in the beginning brings me back to the late 90s early 2000s and just that carefree time. As the song progresses to the chorus it begins hit heavier and bring out those heartbreak emotions. The drums and bass really carry the song by taking you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I hear heavy influences from Jimmy Eat World, Dinosaur Jr., and Midnight Reruns. This song is great and so is their whole album. You guys should be extremely proud and I cant wait to see them live again someday. – Michael LaFrance (Imaginary Colours, Balki Bros)
10. Foot: “Straight From The Sea”
This song rips from start to finish, kicking off immediately with fast riffs and wild layered vocals. Foot keeps it fast with some truly fantastic guitar work that shines through swells and solos, eventually coming down into a thrashy mid-tempo section with more repetitive vocals driving home the mental distress that comes from humanity’s impact on the planet and our plates. The song caps off with a nasty breakdown that will have you moshing alone in your room remembering what it was like to be at places. Straight from seeeeeea will be stuck in your head, guaranteed. -Drew Kodrich (Prevention)
Dumb Records 