2019 in music. • Page 2

1. Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
2. PUP - Morbid Stuff
3. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center

ALSO
The Menzingers - Hello Exile
Oso Oso - basking in the glow
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
Young Thug - So Much Fun
Denzel Curry - ZUU
JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes Are Cornballs
Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell
Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
blink-182 - Nine
Bayside - Interrobang
Origami Angel - Somewhere City
The Dangerous Summer - Mother Nature
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
Aaron West & The Roaring Twenties - Routine Maintenance
Alex G - House of Sugar
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats' Nest
Copeland - Blushing
Mikey Erg - Waxbuilt Castles
Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks
BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER
The Get Up Kids - Problems
Bon Iver - i,i
Lagwagon - Railer
Clario - Immunity
The Maine - You Are Ok
Little Simz - GREY Area
Telethon - Hard Pop
Grayscale - Nella Vita
Charli XCX - Charli
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana
Kevin Abstract - ARIZONA BABY
Fury - Failed Entertainment
Knocked Loose - A Different Shade of Blue
Counterparts - Nothing Left to Love
Whitney - Forever Turned Around
Juice WRLD - Death Race For Love
American Football - American Football (LP3)
Sum 41 - Order in Decline
Danny Brown - uknowhatimsaying?
FKA Twigs - MAGDALENE
Injury Reserve - Injury Reserve

 

my best friend died this year, a few days before we were going to see better oblivion together. i ended up going with some other friends the day of his funeral. balled my eyes out. we were vibing hard on the new album, so it will always hold a super special place in my heart.

1. better oblivion community center - better oblivion community center
2. origami angel - somewhere city
3. wicca phase - suffer on

knocked loose - a different shade of blue
great grandpa - four of arrows
100 gecs - 1000 gecs
oso oso - basking in the glow
claud - sideline star
malibu ken - malibu ken
state faults - clairvoyant
rosie tucker - never not never not never not
cherry glazer - stuffed and ready
strange ranger - remembering the rockets
jay som - anak ko
charly bliss - young enough
denzel curry - zuu
la dispute - panorama
julia jacklin - crushing
microwave - death is a warm blanket
for your health/shin guard - death of spring

 

1. Wild-Side - Who The Hell Is Wild Side?

best hardcore record in years

 

1. Josh Ritter - Fever Breaks
2. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
3. Tyler Childers - Country Squire

4. Ian Noe - Between the Country
5. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center
6. Jade Bird - Jade Bird
7. Shovels & Rope - By Blood
8. Katie Toupin - Magnetic Moves
9. Alex Lahey - The Best of Luck Club
10. Taylor Swift - Lover
11. Yola - Walk Through Fire
12. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
13. The Highwomen - The Highwomen
14. Kyle Craft - Showboat Honey
15. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated

 

1. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
2. Orville Peck - Pony
3. Maggie Rogers - Heard It in a Past Life

 

I listened to soooooooooooo much this year all because of rec's from everyone on here.

Top 3:
Dirty Heads – Super Moon
Taylor Swift – Lover
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving

The Rest:
Roosevelt - Young Romance
Parachute – S/T
The Band CAMINO – "tryhard"
Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
The Regrettes – How Do You Love?
Alice Merton – Mint
Maggie Rogers – Heard It in a Past Life
Mike Posner – A Real Good Kid
Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust?
Julia Michaels – Inner Monologue Part 1
Weezer – Weezer (Teal Album)
Backstreet Boys – DNA
Ariana Grande – Thank U, Next
Betty Who – Betty
Gary Clark Jr. – This Land
Lil Pump – Harverd Dropout
Weezer – Weezer (Black Album)
Juice Wrld – Death Race for Love
Maren Morris – Girl
Greyson Chance – Portraits
Wallows – Nothing Happens
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
The Maine – You Are Ok
Khalid – Free Spirit
PUP – Morbid Stuff
Beyonce – Homecoming: The Live Album
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
The Damned Things – High Crimes
Aly & AJ – Sanctuary
Tyler, the Creator – Igor
Jonas Brothers – Happiness Begins
Prince – Originals
Lil Nas X – 7
Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding
Kanye West – Jesus is King
blackbear – "ANONYMOUS"
Anderson .Paak – "Ventura"
Lee Fields & The Expressions - "It Rains Love"
I Prevail - "TRAUMA"
Laura Stevenson - "The Big Freeze"
Bad Suns - "Mystic Truth"
Jenny Lewis - "On The Line"
Hold Close - "Time"
Tom Walker - "What a Time to Be Alive"
The Japanese House - "Good At Falling"
Girlpool - "What Chaos Is Imaginary"
The Dandy Warhols - "Why You so Crazy"
Young Culture - "(This is) Heaven"
Frances Cone - "Late Riser"
The Twilight Sad - "IT WON/T BE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME"
Guster - "Look Alive"
Steve Gunn - "The Unseen In Between"
Pedro The Lion - "Phoenix"
Switchfoot - "NATIVE TONGUE"
FEVER 333 - "STRENGTH IN NUMB333RS"
Sharon Van Etten - "Remind Me Tomorrow "
James Blake - "Assume Form"
Out of Service – "Burden"
Brian Fallon – "Painkillers"
Doja Cat – Hot Pink

Singles I loved:
"Postal Lady" - Atmosphere
"Breaking Me" - Topic, A7S
"Highest in the Room" - Travis Scott
“See Through” – The Band Camino
“Star Maps” – Aly & AJ
“Move on” – Mike Posner
“Hurricane” – I Prevail
“Kids” – PUP
“Sucker” – Jonas Brothers
“Cross Me” – Ed Sheeran
“Last Day Under The Sun” – Volbeat
“Good Things Fall Apart” – Illenium
“The London” – Young Thug
“1999” & “Gone” – Charli XCX
“Body” – Loud Luxury, Brando
“ZEZE” – Kodak Black
“Baila Baila Baila” – Ozuna

 

Oh shit. I didn't even realize Pang was this year. Probably the album I've listened to the most over the last three years. Don't feel like changing my list tho lol

edit: I was close

 

my ranking of this year has changed a lot in the last 2.5 years. I still play Greet Death and PUP very regularly so they jumped to the top. Although that artwork to the left is still my favorite

1. Greet Death - New Hell
2. PUP - Morbid Stuff
3. Baroness - Gold & Grey

4. Sturgill Simpson - SOUND & FURY
5. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
6. Bad Books - III
7. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
8. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center
9. American Football - LP3
10. Bon Iver - i,i

11. Mannequin Pussy - Patience
12. Tyler, the Creator - IGOR
13. Oso Oso - basking in the glow
14. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind
15. Mandolin Orange - Tides of a Teardrop

 

1. The Maine - You are OK
2. All Time Low - Its Still Nothing Personal
3. Flatland Cavalry - Homeland Insecurity

Very tough cuts:
Grayscale - Nella Vita
The Dangerous Summer - Mother Nature
Turnover - Altogether
Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
Jon Pardi - Heartache Medication

Really good year of music.

 

Pulling from a post I made on a good friend's site (some you will know him as the infamous ACA from the AP.net days haha):

(Part 1)

40) WEEZER – Weezer (Black Album)



Weezer’s biggest moments of 2019 will forever be that SNL skit with Matt Damon proclaiming he is “ride or die” for their discography and the irritating cover of Toto’s “Africa” but in between those they put out a neat little record that finished their California trilogy. Weezer (The Black Album) delineates from their previous lush power-pop of 2016’s Weezer (The White Album) and 2017’s Pacific Daydream to focus on 2019-style pop. Wisely realizing that trying to mimic the 90’s would give them pats on the back from their old fanbase while not yet breaking new ground, The Black Album is a fun, exuberant listen of Rivers Cuomo unafraid to do exactly what he wants with his songwriting while also continuing to embrace his underappreciated sense of humor. The power-pop crunch of distortion Weezer fans are used to is almost all but absent here as Cuomo drops goofy lingo amongst bleeping synths and lush strings and piano work. Fans of 90’s Weezer will continue to pout but records like this are what keeps Weezer significantly more interesting than other 90’s relics.



39) BIG DATA – 3.0



Producer Alan Wilkis was able to piece together an excellent debut in 2015 led by the hit single “Dangerous” which made some minor inroads at modern rock radio. In between other projects, he’s taken about 4 years to come back with 3.0 which continues to build on the excellent dystopian pop of the previous relief. 3.0features less overall guest vocals and, as such, feels like a much more cohesive project as Wilkis is able to showcase his excellent production skills creating a skittish, psych-influenced take on modern pop. Given that this record has received literally zero promotion, I have a feeling this will likely be the last Big Data project which is a loss and Wilkis has a genuine gift for song arrangement and big lavish production values.



38) TOVE LO – Sunshine Kitty



Leading up to the release of her 3rd full length, Sunshine Kitty, Tove Lo promised it would be more upbeat than the previous two-part Lady Wood which, while also great, often sacrificed bright melodies in favor of dark club beats. Sunshine Kitty splits the difference between Lady Wood and her sparkling 2014 debut, Queen Of The Clouds. While pulling back on the overt focus on late nights, Sunshine Kitty is her most self-assured release to date, focusing on slick R&B beats and bringing her shiny hooks to the front, highlighting her extremely personable delivery. While she delves into some dark areas, Sunshine Kittyis always a welcoming listen highlighted by Tove Lo’s large and attention-demanding personality. Increased attention to songwriting makes this another fine collection in her catalog.



37) BLINK-182 – Nine



I’ve always had a bit of a complicated relationship with Blink-182. They were enjoyable in my youth but over time grew slightly irritating not so much due to their music but do their excessive juvenile humor and, at least to me, a bit of over-praise in terms of influence on other bands. As years have passed and with some more mature records under their belt, I’ve begun to appreciate them a bit more. To the masses, they will always be tied to youth culture even as the members inch close to 50 (!) but underneath a lot of their pop-punk sheen have always been darker and more interesting elements. Nine is their second full length with Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio who replaced the nasal-sounding Tom Delonge in 2015. Whereas their 2016 release California felt like maintaining the brand in order to play amphitheaters, Ninemelds together Blink 182’s pop-punk history with bassist/vocalists Mark Hoppus’ love of goth-inspired 80’s pop. With the band gelling better with Skiba after 4 years on the road, Nine is their best full length since 2003’s self-titled.



36) BISHOP BRIGGS – Champion



It’s a story as old as 2012. Famous female solo artist and lead singer of band fall in love, showcase their relationship via various social media platforms and then breakup. Bishop Briggs is clearly very wounded from her split from the lead singer of Sir Sly and has channeled that heartbreak into a passionate gospel-influenced modern pop album. Champion showcases her increasing confidence and skillset as a vocalist while injecting arena-sized bombast into her music. Full of huge choruses, big hooks and heartbreak, Champion is an excellent, concise sophomore effort from the rising star.



35) THE REGRETTES – How Do You Love?



On their second record, The Regrettes maintain their pop-punk sensibility and continue to take cues from 90’s-era riot grrrl inspired rock. How Do You Love is a logical improvement overall, sharpening the hooks from their earlier release while the band displays an improved chemistry which is what two years on the road will do to a young band. Lead singer Lydia Night has shifted her focus slightly from overall emotional maintenance to deal with a new and growing love as the theme of a new relationships plays out throughout the entire record. As always, it’s exciting to see young bands continue to grow and even with guitar-driven music on the backburner these days, also nice to see new bands keeping the flame alive.



34) CITY & COLOUR – A Pill For Loneliness



Dallas Green of City and Colour has now reached the stage of his career where he’s started taking a more reflective stance in his songwriting. Rather than craft another great singer-songwriter record, he’s beefed up his sound adding additional instrumentation and even brief spurts of psychedelic-tinged guitar lines (I swear one of the guitar lines in here ripped off “Up The Beach” by Jane’s Addiction). None of this would work without his confessional lyrics and deeply rich voice creating music that is usually somber and morose without being TOO much of a downer. Nearly two decades into his career and his solo project remains strong.



33) JADE BIRD – Jade Bird



For some inexplicable reason, Brits have always had a strange obsession with Americana-styled music. There’s a reason why acts like Kings Of Leon and other “rootsy”-type acts broke first in the UK and, at this point, the U.K. is now creating their own singer-songwriters in the style of pseudo country acts. Jade Bird’s crackling debut is a collection of whip-smart country-tinged rock songs displaying a healthy level of sass and vulnerability. While many of the songs deal with the usual tropes of relationships gone wrong and untrustworthy men, Bird is able to sell the songs more than her peers with a canny sense of playfulness while never giving the impression she’s lost control. It’s a great start from a promising new talent.



32) BECK – Hyperspace



Like his fellow 90’s alt-rock survivors Weezer, Beck has been able to stay consistently relevant over his nearly 3-decade career. Perhaps due to the fact that there isn’t one signature Beck sound his fanbase is attached to, he’s able to experiment with his sound without losing his fanbase which also means he gets to avoid doing the “back to basics” records that many of his peers eventually end up succumbing to. Hyperspaceis a small step back from 2017’s Colorsin that it’s not quite as peppy while still maintaining a focus of shifty beats and tight instrumentation. Even with bouncy rhythms, there are more signs of darkness, potentially due to his recent divorce, which allows for a more human side of Beck to come through.



31) SAM FENDER – Hypersonic Missiles



While America has largely moved on from guitar-based music, at least in terms of cultural ubiquity, the U.K. remains a firm believer and continues to crank out a steady stream of polite chaps armed with a guitar and a dream. Sam Fender rose to prominence via BBC Sound of 2018 short list and quickly drew comparisons to both Bruce Springsteen and Jeff Buckley. Hypersonic Missiles affirms those claims yet also affirms what an accomplished songwriter Fender is in his own right, tackling big themes such as the working-class struggle, small town loneliness, suicide and white privilege. Fender’s soothing croon brings an element of Americana to an otherwise exceptional singer-songwriter record.



30) THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS – In The Morse Code Of Break Lights



Similar to fellow indie rock veterans such as Spoon, The New Pornographers have been so consistent throughout their career it’s hard to really build a narrative around each release. Being that they’re an aging band of white people crafting polite and canny indie pop, they also don’t get the benefit of the press fawning over their every move, so they simply continue doing what they’re doing for those who still care. In The Morse Code Of Break Lights differs slightly from their previous records in that all the songs save for one were written by one of their lead singers A.C. Newman, so the collaborative spirit is slightly missed here but it’s hard to complain when they offer another record of 11 power-pop gems.



29) ALICE MERTON – Mint



Hailing from Germany, Canada and a short stint in Connecticut, Alice Merton made a splash with “No Roots”, a hook-filled synth rocker driven by a rubbery bass line. Mintbuilds off the pleasures of that single and delivers a whole record of modern pop run through both an 80’s retro filter as well as with tinges of Americana. Merton herself sounds like a tried true road warrior even at her young age given her penchant for relocation over the course of her life. Mint is an excellent snap in time of a young woman figuring out adulthood while tackling larger personal themes. There are a ton of pleasant-sounding young pop acts rising but Alice Merton’s portrayal of actual life experience coupled with her winning personality make her stand out from the pack.



28) WHITE REAPER – You Deserve Love



When White Reaper signed to Elektra Records for their 3rd release, the band made a big point to say that any failure would be due to them, not due to any changes the record label potentially forced on them. Even with a new logo on the side, You Deserve Love sounds just like another great White Reaper record blending 50’s rock and roll swagger with some R&B keyboards and infectious melodies topped with punk energy. It’s great to see a young band hitting their stride and even though new acts aren’t really encouraged to be guitar-based anymore, I’m always happy to find more bands like White Reaper each year.



27) JENNY LEWIS – On The Line



For some reason, Jenny Lewis has mostly evaded me up until this year. It was never that I had anything against her, in fact I enjoyed her vocals spots with The Postal Service, but I just never fully dug into her catalog. On The Line is an excellent introduction and, even after going through her entire release history, stands as a career best. Using an A-list team of collaborators, On The Line plays like a great Laurel Canyon songwriter record of the 70’s, where Lewis uses her music to make sense of her reason breakup and other difficult life situations. Her vocal delivery so on point that her songs play almost like having a chat with a longtime friend which makes this lovely record even more charming.



26) BAD RELIGION – Age Of Unreason



Approaching their 40th (!) anniversary as a band, Bad Religion simply refuse to phone in a record. Sonically, not much has changed as they still favor razor sharp lyrics, three-part harmonies and undeniably catchy hooks. Age Of Unreason lightens up a bit on the speed and presents a more somber, reflective mood which is in stark contrast to 2013’s True North. While they have often been placed into the “political punk” category, their approach is often more around questioning the science, thought-process while trying to find a way to survive in the current troubled political landscape than that of outright anger. Age Of Unreason, as most punk records nowadays are, definitely touches on life in the Trump era while not outright naming him. There are references to “fake news”, the “alt-right” and “Alternative facts” but as them embers of Bad Religion get closer to 60, their attitude has turned to survival which suits them much better than constant rage.



25) HOT CHIP – A Bathful Of Ecstasy



The lines between indie pop, electro pop and straight up pop are pretty much nonexistent in 2019. London’s Hot Chip has been kicking around pumping out electro-pop jams since 2000 and when they were tapped to collaborate with Katy Perry in 2017, no one batted idea. While they came up in the indie rock circles, Hot Chip has always been about slick electronic beats, organic instrumentation and sticky melodies. A Bathful of Ecstasy comes after a fairly long break but demonstrates how the band hasn’t lost any of their craft, pumping out on electronic-tinged indie pop gem after another with enough dynamics to keep the listener interested. Overall warmer than 2015’s Why Make Sense? this record is also all around more colorful and brighter even if the general lyrical themes of sadness permeate the record. While they may no longer be the focus of any sort of scene, Hot Chip continues on with another excellent record.



24) MUNA – Saves The World



Building on their dark pop 2017 debut, Muna brings in more emotional depth and big-issue topics such as addiction, love, and trying to make it in the world as a woman with fluid sexuality. The LA trio knows its way around a hook but also peppers their delicious synth-pop with a bit more conviction than the rest of the acts playing in the genre to give them something a little extra. Saves The World is everything one would want from a sophomore release in that the sound is richer, larger and more textured while also displaying growth in songwriting.



23) TEGAN AND SARA – Hey, I’m Just Like You



Upon hearing that Tegan and Sara were revisiting unreleased demo recordings from their teenage years, I was a bit skeptical. Songs written by teenagers, while often heartfelt, can lead to some cringe-worthy moments most would likely not want to be re-communicating in their late 30’s. Any doubts were dropped once I listened as Tegan and Sara maintain their impeccable songcraft on Hey, I’m Just Like You. After two excellent records of 80’s-inspired, synthpop, this release dials back a bit on the shiny synths in order to make room for jagged guitar lines propped up by new wave beats. This isn’t a full-on retreat to their folk-rock past and, instead, is another slight reinvention by the duo adding to their excellent catalog.



22) BASTILLE – Doom Days



Bastille, at least to me, has always been The 1975 without the pretension and flamboyant tendencies. This often gets them placed firmly in the “basic” category but their emphasis on crafting theme-driven records focusing on coping with the end of the world has always been admirable. Doom Days is a bit of a pallet cleanser after 2016’s “Wild World” allowing the band to take a more organic approach on their end-of-the-world style pop. Bastille are clearly avid chart watchers as they’ve been steadily incorporating EDM and R&B beats into their big stadium pop for a while, but Doom Days really allows them to shine in that area, particularly on album highlight “A Million Pieces”. Dan Smith’s earnest vocal delivery is still the highlight has he’s able to sell each of these great songs with a great combination of humility and imagination.



21) THE RACONTEURS – Help Us Stranger



For as talented as Jack White is, he can sometimes succumb to his worst impulses when left unsupervised as evident by his run of solo records this decade. Hooking back up with fellow prominent singer-songwriter Brendan Benson allows for his vision to be brought back down to earth as he and Benson trade off in garage-rocks rave-ups that are able to highlight their rock and roll swagger without sacrificing on hooks. Help Me Stranger is the first release by this supergroup in 11 years and its welcome return to more visceral and focused songs coming from White. Benson more than pulls his weight as well offering a nice everyman counter-balance to Jack White’s star power making Help Us Stranger a strong rock outing in 2019.

 

(Part 2)



20) CAGE THE ELEPHANT – Social Cues



While they don’t get much in the way of big media coverage, Cage The Elephant have quietly become one of the biggest rock bands in the last 10 years. They’ve notched several #1 rock/alternative radio hits since 2008 and are able to play B-level arenas and/or play before the main headliner at your local festival. With every big rock band, there usually is a time period where they make their “Exhausted” record and Social Cues shows the wear and tear on the band. Frontman Matt Schulz who is often known for his wild stage antics is at his most somber here due to his recent divorce while his bands take the emphasis off their whiskey-soaked garage rock approach and color their sound with shades of gray. Even without listening to a single note, the track list itself will give you all the evidence needed for the theme of the record (“Broken Boy”, “Ready To Let Go”, “Goodbye’, etc.) It may not be their most immediate but Social Cues demonstrates a rock band going through a time of turmoil, pondering the meaning of it all and coming out with an elegant piece of work to show for their tough times.



19) X AMBASSADORS – Orion



After touring steadily supporting 2015’s VHS, the X Ambassadors began releasing a string of new singles in 2017 that were, supposedly, coming from their new record to be released in 2018. That never ended up happening as the band apparently found new inspiration and went into an entirely new direction. Orion is the result of a young band turning into a veteran band. Loosely billed as “Alternative Rock”, X Ambassadors pick up on the Imagine Dragons/Fall Out Boy 2.0 sounds and add in bluesy and jazzy elements, highlighted by lead vocalist Sam Harris. Along with a few other records on this list, one could easily classify this as a “basic dude” record but there’s a reason basic is shorthand for common, it works.



18) HOZIER – Wasteland, Baby!



Hozier took his time crafting the follow-up to his international 2014 self-titled debut and megahit “Take Me To Church”. Whereas some acts would go to great lengths to re-create the magic to give themselves another hit, Hozier never seemed that interested in mainstream success preferring that the world come to him vs. the him chasing success. Wasteland, Baby! amps up his gospel-like approach on his debut, focusing more on lush arrangements, somber instrumentation while also showcasing his new comfort with creating music for large rooms. There isn’t a TON of difference really from his majestic 2014 debut but that doesn’t matter when he has such a knack for crafting delicate, personal songs highlighting his incredible voice. He may not have another global hit in him, but Hozier is content to continue being the artist he wants to be.



17) BILLIE EILISH – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?



Poised to breakout since her dramatic “Ocean Eyes” was first posted on Soundcloud, no one quite owner 2019 like Billie Eilish did. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go is her first proper full-length, but she had been slowly building up to it for nearly 2 years with a variety of singles and one EP. On her debut, her sound is now fully formed creating her own branded version of 2019 pop, complete with trap beats, whisper-style vocals and eerie instrumentation that works as a full statement as well as part of various streaming playlists. Throughout the record, Eilish never comes across as unlikeable, pretentious or reaching beyond her grasp which is due to her writing and recording all her own material with her equally talented brother Finneas and not succumbing to the usual trope of outside songwriters. Whether or not she can keep this momentum in the next decade remains to be seen but, for now, the world is for her to take.



16) FRIENDLY FIRES – Inflorescent



In a recent interview, Friendly Fires front man noted that his band needed to record in a place with miserable weather in order for the band to create music that provides an element of escape. In the eight years between the last Friendly Fires record, Inflorescentaccomplishes that element of escape and incorporates everything to be loved about their first two records. Sunny snyths continue to share space with island-type beats and warm infections melodies. If this record was a struggle to make, it doesn’t sound like it as the band rolls out one infection electro-pop gem after another. Indie pop has long since morphed into actual regular pop at this point, but Friendly Fires offer a nice alternative to the mono-pop genre of today.



15) BEAR HANDS – Fake Tunes



Hailing from Brooklyn, Bear Hands never quite fit into the indie-art-rock scene nor did they fit into the garage revivalists and post-punk bands formed across the river in Manhattan. Instead, they formed their own sound of lo-fi indie rock which dabbles in elements of hip hop, r&b and glitchy electronics. The star of the show continues to be Dylan Rau whose monotone-like delivery still packs an emotional punch as the band leaves behind the youth-oriented topics of previous releases and tackles on bigger-picture adult life issues. They likely won’t ever be as big as bands such as Twenty One Pilots, who they recently opened for, but Bear Hands has continued to carve out their own small niche in the indie rock world.



14) MAGGIE ROGERS – Heard It In A Past Life



3 years after she first came to fame via a viral video of her song “Alaska” impression Pharrel in an NYU songwriting class, Maggie Rogers finally unleashed her full-length debut. It’s actually a bit unfair to call this her proper debut as she self-released a folk album in 2014 but, for all purposes, Heard It In A Past Lifeis meant as a proper introduction to the world for Maggie Rogers. Building off of her SoundCloud-style pop and inclusive of some of her previously released gems (including the aforementioned “Alaska”), Heard It In Past Life is an A-list sounding debut carefully balancing electronic elements with the foundation of Rogers’ folk-inspired pop from earlier. It sounds remarkably self-assured for such a young artist and, most importantly, provides one excellent liquid pop gem after another held together by Rogers’s self-assured charm and vocal delivery.



13) BON IVER – i,i



Unlike many of his peers who came about in the late 00’s writing hushed, sparse, folksy acoustic music, Bon Iver has always been more interested in expanding his palette than playing to expectations. This year’s i,i streamlines his 2016 sonic freak out of a record (22, A Million) into more listenable songs while still maintaining a spirit of adventure. Clearly influenced by the variety of R&B, hip-hop and pop artists he’s collaborated with as well as his side projects, i,i is one of those rare records that are made for intense headphone listening and also made well for arenas which is fitting since he launched his first arena tour in 2019. Bon Iver spent the entire 2010’s undoing himself from his previous identity and with i,ihe has succeeded in the best way.



12) JIMMY EAT WORLD – Surviving



Many people probably remember Jimmy Eat World for their peppy 2002 hit “The Middle” which entered the cultural zeitgeist again in the past few years due to Taylor Swift’s praise. Outside of this song, most people probably forgot they existed and haven’t realized the band has been consistently cranking out dense, multi-layered rock records for over 2 decades now. Survivingwon’t necessarily bring the band back into the mainstream light but it’s another excellent entry in the band’s catalog stripping their sound down to its bare essentials and focusing on their aggressive power-pop nature. While the band has always been categorized as “emo” due to their unabashed earnestness and tendency towards high school dramatics, Surviving is the first record that really feels personal for front man Jim Adkins as he tries to keep things together entering middle age. In direct contrast to their last few records, Surviving features very little in the way of ballads and instead prioritizes crunchy guitars and delicious melodies. While they may not get a ton of press coverage, Surviving is more evidence that Jimmy Eat World has quietly put together one of the best discographies in modern rock.



11) CHARLY BLISS – Young Enough



Whenever a young rock band makes a point of “embracing pop”, that’s usually code for placing a higher emphasis on melody and hooks. Aspiring fuzzy rock grunge call-backs Charly Bliss showed a ton of promise on their 2017 debut but with this year’s Young Enough they were fully able to deliver on that promise, bashing out 11 hook-filled bubble-grunge tracks led by charming vocalist Eva Hendricks. In the press leading up to the record, the band spoke of a tighter focus on songwriting and chronicling the lives of 20-somethings which brings an additional emotional sheen outside of the glossy guitar-driven hooks, allowing them to stand out from other similar acts churning out this kind of music. Fuzzy-guitar 90’s style rock will probably never capture the cultural zeitgeist again but I’m always happy there are still bands out there like Charly Bliss.



10) FOALS – Everything Not Saved Will Be Deleted Pts 1 & 2



Technically, these are two separate records since they were released about 8 months apart but since I enjoy listening to them together and since they flow so well together, I’m counting them as one. Foals have not yet been able to achieve the same level of fame her in the U.S. as they do in their native England where they pack arenas, but they’ve been a consistent band since day 1. Everything Not Saved Will Be Deleted Pts 1 & 2 is meant to be their magnum opus, highlighting everything they do well along with stretching out their sound a bit to allow for more majestic and sweeping moments. There are still plenty of catch-and-release bangers to be had throughout but those are complimented by more melodic and reflective moments which make for a cohesive hour and 20 min listen that never overstays its welcome.



09) JAMES BLAKE – Assume Form



While he remains an “alternative” artist bubbling under the mainstream, James Blake has several high-profile collaborations under his belt, including with Beyonce in 2016. Assume Form dials back some of the sprawling templates from his previous release and presents the listener with a slightly more upbeat sound given assistance with some modern hip-hop and R&B flourishes. While Blake himself is an excellent vocalist, it’s his willingness to collaborate on Assume Form that makes it his best release yet, highlighted by appearances from Moses Sumney, Rosalia and even Andre 3000 who add some extra character to these dark electronic-laced indie pop jams.



08) COLDPLAY – Everyday Life



Somewhere around 2005 Coldplay became an easy punch line for boring people to make fun of. This was mainly due to being fun of in the 40-Year Old Virgin and a bad New York Times review which communicated the broad idea that Coldplay made wussy, non-fussy soft rock for simpletons. While an argument could have been made to support that with their first three (still great records), the band has been going the distance on every release since making the effort to expand their sound and not fall into the traps of simply being Coldplay. Everyday Life is their most sonically adventurous yet incorporating a wide selection of different sounds while not sacrificing their gift for melody. Even though it’s officially a double album, the whole thing is over than less than an hour which means it’s even shorter than some of their proper single albums and it flies by a lot quicker given all the sonic experimentation. Everyday Life may not include any surefire anthems or hit singles but it’s a daring move by one of the world’s biggest bands.



07) KING PRINCESS – Cheap Queen



The woman who goes by the name King Princess is actually named Mikaela Mullaney Strauss whose parents have strong ties to the music industry. Reading that alone will potentially cause an eyeroll for many of you and, yes, that’s likely what got her foot in the door to build a buzz as she steadily released singles and an EP over the past few years. Delivering her full length in 2019, Cheap Queen shows she has pop chops as she elegantly bounces from dreamy R&B, big pop and even electronic trip-hop type elements that harken back to the late 90’s. Cheap Queen functions as, in her own words, a “lesbian breakup album” and takes the listener through the initial phases of heartbreak, frustration and, in the end, acceptance. It’s the sound of a young confident artist not being afraid to put multiple influences in a blender and come up with a sound that’s her own.



06) THE BLACK KEYS – “Let’s Rock”



Like most people, I scoffed at the title of this record and rolled my eyes until I realized it was named after the last words of a man before he was executed. That aside, “Let’s Rock” is a fun, slick, groove-focused tight 180 from the Black Keys’ 2014 release, Turn Blue. Whereas Turn Blue was an open, spacey and meant for headphones, “Let’s Rock” gets the ‘Keys back to doing what they do best: writing slick, focused rock and roll with minimal fuss. While not entirely a “back to basics” record, “Let’s Rock” is an aggregate of 2010’s R&B-styled Brothers and 2011’s riff-roaring El Camino. Stacked with hooks and relentlessly tight, this record is another excellent addition to the Black Keys catalog.



05) LANA DEL REY – Norman Fucking Rockwell



Most acts don’t survive the amount of critical hype and then subsequent backlash that Lana Del Rey has. After early praise was poured on her for beautiful lush early singles like “Video Games”, she delivered a patchy debut, Born To Die in 2012 which made everyone believe she was yet another product of record company creation and overhyped delivery. Since then, she’s put out one stunning release after another which has even allowed for Born To Die to retrospectively become acclaimed. Norman Fucking Rockwell is a career best cementing her as a millennial American songstress creating her magnum opus full of dark moody ballads with elements of trip-hop, dream pop and gorgeous arrangements. It also continues her run as one of the most unlikely pop stars to emerge this decade.



04) SIGRID – Sucker Punch



While ever female pop star is out trying to define to their brand, shock and provoke, Alice Merton is fine simply being “basic”, which has become a negative term for anyone not aggressively attempting to differentiate themselves from the “normies” of the world. Sigrid’s full-length debut builds off of her previously successful EP’s and expands her sound slightly to show off a larger vocal range and sense of sonic exploration. All the usual big themes are here but most consistent is that of young love, namely what “love” means to someone in their early 20’s and how they navigate the field. Sigrid makes no bones about being a normal girl as she incorporates sounds from the 80’s, 90’s as well as today’s top 40 into an excellent dynamic collection of songs.



03) THE NATIONAL – I Am Easy To Find



When you’re a band for nearly 20 years and you’re going into make your 8th record, it’s good to shake things up. I Am Easy To Find is The National’s most collaborative effort yet tapping into various female singers potentially as an effort to adjust the dude-centric focus that The National’s sad sack brooding indie rock is often saddled with (enjoyable as it usually is!). I Am Easy To Find is a potential career-best for the band, boasting gorgeous, lush arrangements with the guest vocalists complimenting singer Matt Berninger’s whiskey-soaked baritone. It’s not common for a band to sound so exciting 8 records in but The National have continued their winning streak in 2019.



02) VAMPIRE WEEKEND – Father Of The Bride



After the tour supporting 2013’s Modern Vampires Of The City wrapped in late 2014 them members of Vampire Weekend took a long break, started families and lost a crucial member with multi-instrumentalist and producer Rostam Batmanglij leaving the band. Many other bands would have likely crumbled or turned in a quick sub-par record but bandleader Ezra Koenig rallied his band with a group of A-list collaborators into a lovely, concise and crisp double record that never feels overwhelming or bloated. Continuing to build off of their initial afro-pop foundation, Vampire Weekend created their magnum opus full of excellent guest stars, intricate melodies and gorgeous songs. While the first three Vampire Weekend records were a trilogy about growing up and living through your 20’s, Father Of The Bride is a full-on adult record with Ezra Koenig grappling with the realities of being a father, husband and moving into middle age. It may not all be rosy material, but Vampire Weekend make it sound so effortless and continue to make the case for why they are indie rock A-listers. Bonus points also awarded for the excellent support cast of Danille Haim, Steve Lacy and even Sting (!!) showing up on the bonus track version.



01) TOOL – Fear Inoculum



It’s been 13 years since Tool’s 10,000 Days and the title of THAT record would actually make more sense when discussing the rumination of Fear Inoculum. Various delays, side projects, legal hold-ups and general life have taken precedent over Tool since they wound down promotion for 10,000 Days though they never fully stepped out of the limelight since they toured fairly consistently in the past decade. With all that in mind, Fear Inoculum has on business being this good and, by all means, I should be more self-conscious about making such a stereotypical mid-30’s white guy choice for my #1 record but, damnit, this record rules. Sure, there isn’t anything entirely new here but even at 80 minutes this record never outstays its welcome. All the usual elements of Tool are here: machine-gun riffing, tricky time signatures, drawn out eerie passages building up into crunching guitar and bass battles, Maynard James Keenan delivering his delicate tenor throughout it all and long LONG songs that continue to grow on you with every listen. This is one of those rare records that both satisfies the loyal fanbase but also rewards newcomers. Tool have always been challenging but they’ve never actually been difficult to listen to which is really why they’ve continued to stay relevant long after most bands of their era. It’s hard to imagine them putting out another record if 10 years will be the time frame so Fear Inoculum marks a (potential) welcome final bow for them and my favorite release of 2019.

 

1. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
2. Oso Oso - Basking In The Glow
3. American Football - LP3

4. Dave - Psychodrama
5. PUP - Morbid Stuff
6. Bon Iver - i,i
7. Proper. - I Spent the Winter Writing Songs About Getting Better
8. The Dangerous Summer - Mother Nature
9. Little Simz - Grey Area
10. Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center

fun year

 

hold the phone, ACA has his own site?!?!?!

 

i know, right

 

What is the site?

 

I think the link is dead now otherwise I would have shared (thus why I had to pull from an old FB link).

 

Back when we were doing 2017 I was kicking myself for forgetting about The National's Sleep Well Beast. Loved that album and cant believe I forgot to include it. But then it got me thinking "wow it's been 5 years since we got an album from these guys"......until I realized they came out with I'm Easy to Find in 2019! Seriously how the hell did this album fly under my radar. I'm listening now and it's pretty great.

 

there’s definitely some hate for it here as evidenced by its thread, but I’ve always felt like IAETF is just a slightly more bloated SWB counterpart. The great stuff, which is plentiful, is as good or better imo

 

2019
1. Jimmy Eat World - Surviving
2. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
3. 311 - Voyager

4. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - WATCHMEN (Vols 1-3)
5. Tool - Fear Inoculum
6. Blink 182 - NINE
7. Coldplay - Everyday Life
8. Alexandre Desplat - Little Women (Original Score)
9. Cursive - Get Fixed
10. 100 gecs - 1000 gecs
11. Thom Yorke - ANIMA
12. Third Eye Blind - Screamer
13. Karen O, Danger Mouse - Lux Prima
14. Thomas Newman - 1917 (Original Score)
15. The Black Keys - "Let's Rock"
16. Weezer (The Black Album)
17. Flying Lotus - Flamagra
18. Weezer (The Teal Album)
19. Logic - Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind

EPs
Simple Creatures - Everything Opposite
Simple Creatures - Strange Love
Death Cab For Cutie - The Blue

Favorite songs from other 2019 releases
Bring Me The Horizon, Grimes - "nihilist blues"
Gerard Way, Ray Toro - "Hazy Shade Of Winter"
Matt Bellamy - "Pray (High Valyrian)"
2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar - "Momma I Hit A Lick"
Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus - "Old Town Road"
Cookiee Kawaii - "Vibe (If I Back It Up)"
Beyonce - "Diva - Homecoming Live"
Nicki Minaj - "MEGATRON"
Chance The Rapper - "Zanies And Fools"

 

it's a close one and bound to be our lowest winner since the 90s

 

I already have my 2020 list done and ready to go!!!

 

Vampire Weekend's Father of the Bride wins with 17. Charli XCX's Charli had 16 and The National's I Am Easy to Find had 15.

 

Weird year, weird list of winners.

 

Not the winners I expected, but at the same time not terribly surprised either. Diverse year looking back through everyone’s picks.

 

I still can’t get into that vampire weekend album and i really loved Modern Vampires