At year's end, Alex Lahey will be in the running for my favorite album

I don't use sneak preview what my year-end "best of" music lists will be, but as Saddam Hussein said in the South Park movie, "I can change."

Alex Lahey has been one of my favorite musical artists of the past decade, and the Australian's third album, The Answer is Always Yes, released early in the year, may be her best yet.

At the moment, she has albums by Geese, The Lemon Twigs, and Lil Yachty to contend with at the top.

Lahey debuted in my lists in 2017 with her first album, I Love You Like a Brother, at a moderate spot of #101. Knowing what I know now, I think I better revist that release.

In 2019, she took a great leap, finishing fourth on my list. The Best of Luck Club, I noted, was "post-Courtney Barnett awesome rock doing better than Courtney Barnett at Courtney Barnett." The same can be said about her latest. If you love Barnett, definitely check this out.

For more about Lahey, here are some interesting tidbits:

• She started playing guitar and saxophone when she was 13 years old.
• She studied art and jazz in college, but dropped out to release her debut EP, B-Grade University, in 2016, which I actually haven't heard yet and which includes a song called "Wes Anderson."
• She has toured with artists such as The 1975, The Killers, and Chvrches.
• She has been nominated for several awards, including Australian Album of the Year.
• She is known for her witty lyrics and her energetic live performances.
• She is a self-described "slacker" and has said that she doesn't like to take herself too seriously.
• She is a fan of 90s alternative rock and has said that her musical influences include bands like Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Garbage.
• She is also a visual artist and has said that she enjoys using her music to explore themes of gender and identity.
• She is a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken out about her own experiences with anxiety and depression.