Best Records of 2019

[tinnitus photography]

Shakespeare, thanks for the thoughtful and insightful writeups.

didn't expect to see a list w/ some of the top 10 being Jenny Lewis, Bill Frisell, Darkthrone and Vampire Weekend!

also, i didn't realize that Thurston's new one is so long. i mean, damn!

[KcGhostToMost]

My list (in no particular order)
Justin Townes Earle- The Saint of Lost Causes
The Felice Brothers- Undress
Will Johnson- Wire Mountain
John Calvin Abney- Safe Passage
Robert Ellis- Texas Piano Man
Wilco- Ode to Joy
Aaron Lee Tasjan- Karma For Cheap Reincarnated

Overall I loved all of these albums and they are constant spins for me but if I had to pick one out it would be JTE’s album. I feel it was the best of 2019.

[Mundane Mayhem]

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Bandana

Relatedly, this might be the best Tiny Desk I’ve ever seen.

[Shakespeare]

Shakespeare, thanks for the thoughtful and insightful writeups.

didn't expect to see a list w/ some of the top 10 being Jenny Lewis, Bill Frisell, Darkthrone and Vampire Weekend!

also, i didn't realize that Thurston's new one is so long. i mean, damn!

depends if you consider it a proper album or a compilation of 60/60/30 minute works. i lean towards compilation and ive only ever played it as distinctly separate discs. doubt i could do the full 2.5 hours straight.

alright i think im comfortable enough with this batch of 25 to call it a year...

11 | abdullah ibrahim | the balance

one of the great benefits of jazz fandom is theres rarely any valid reason to abandon an artist due to age or number of albums. elite players will pretty much never lose the ability to make recordings that are at the very least comfortable and easy to listen to, and as ive said many times, thats often enough for my ears. beyond the simple pleasures, the possibility of a late career gem seems so much higher than in pop and rock. i cant say anything about his bandmates here but ibrahim himself is in his mid 80s, and heavily looking backwards through his own catalog, but he sounds as full of life as his earliest recordings.

Appreciate the thoughtful write-ups. And thanks for the Abdulla Ibrahim tip--love his playing and didn't know this was out there.

hes great. got into him a few years ago through africa tears and laughter, then his early south african releases and some other odds and ends, then this one came out. theres still a ton of his catalog i dont know at all but hes a unique player for sure.

[Clams]

5 | the regrettes | how do you love?

i had their debut insanely high on that years list, then they followed it with an EP that was a minor placeholder release in the grand scheme of things but still added two more knockout tracks to their catalog. now theres finally a proper follow up that may be an improvement on everything to date. i just love this band so much. ive never seen them but i have been watching their local tour dates and it seems theyre inching up on the food chain but i cant quite understand why so slow. its a real shame because they do so much more with the garage/pop punk template than so many of the acts that have. i think its because they approach that sound with a much more open mind than a lot of acts. in fact one of the big thigns that sold me on the debut was the obvious girl group influence, and generally vast knowledge of pop music in general. they know exactly which eras and reference points to play with, and its the perfect musical setting for their lyrical themes. as you might guess this one concerns love, and she really captures the feelings of first love so well, with a surprisingly sharp sense of self awareness. its a band of teenagers singing about teenage love, warts and all, and they so perfectly nail it with this vibe of "yeah im young and this may sound stupid if youre not but its how it is and also fuck you" that i find incredible captivating. the only catch ive found in following this band since they started is its just a bit hard to listen to them without shaking the feeling that it has solo project reinvention written all over it. whether that means maintaining the sound or not, its very clear theres a star in the making. they are a truly great band (there are so many incredible guitar parts on here) but lydia has undeniable charisma that may be hard to contain in a band environment, and who ever knows how long before that boils over. in the meantime i am enjoying the heck out of their progression.

Excellent

[Shakespeare]

first got the rec from you on this board in fact

[beantownbubba]

I guess my timing's a little off but still have to ask whether clams paid you to write that regrette's review, shakespeare LOL.

So you're telling me I'm actually going to have to listen to that Vampire Weekend album? I doubt even your excellent write up can move me to check out Conor Oberst, but who knows, stranger things have happened.

Super job, Shakes, really enjoyed reading that even though I haven't heard most of the albums.

[tinnitus photography]

So you're telling me I'm actually going to have to listen to that Vampire Weekend album?

i did and i didn't like it at all.

[beantownbubba]

So you're telling me I'm actually going to have to listen to that Vampire Weekend album?

i did and i didn't like it at all.

That's been my general impression but as the year end lists come out I've seen more favorable reviews than I expected to, capped off by Shakespeare's stellar review. I guess we'll see how inspiring he is, lol.

[Shakespeare]

So you're telling me I'm actually going to have to listen to that Vampire Weekend album?

7 months and counting of steady listening and im not sure i even properly grasp why i love that album so much, so i think i have to chalk it up as a perfect storm that cant be replicated. the band inspires strong feelings, and i get that. i never hated them, so "won me over" might be slightly inaccurate in my case but it still feels like they did. im always up for reevaluating anything ive ever felt so the fact that my defining album of the year provoked that has been a lot of fun.

one of the surprises for me was the country flavor on a few of its tracks. never would have guessed any of three VW/haim country duets would be a steady earworm i dont mind in 2019 but here we are.

harmony hall is my favorite song of the year, if you wanted one taste to decide on.

I doubt even you're excellent write up can move me to check out Conor Oberst, but who knows, stranger things have happened.

all i'll say here is this time around he splits vocal duties. but also his vocals in general have lost a lot of what could be grating in his younger days. he hasnt grown into roy orbison or anything but the tryhard whines are mostly a thing of the past.

[Shakespeare]

not at all saying this should win anyone over on its own, but i did see that isbell recently played one of the FOTB songs with ezra at a show, so theres some sort of co-sign for you

[Iowan]

So you're telling me I'm actually going to have to listen to that Vampire Weekend album?

7 months and counting of steady listening and im not sure i even properly grasp why i love that album so much, so i think i have to chalk it up as a perfect storm that cant be replicated. the band inspires strong feelings, and i get that. i never hated them, so "won me over" might be slightly inaccurate in my case but it still feels like they did. im always up for reevaluating anything ive ever felt so the fact that my defining album of the year provoked that has been a lot of fun.

one of the surprises for me was the country flavor on a few of its tracks. never would have guessed any of three VW/haim country duets would be a steady earworm i dont mind in 2019 but here we are.

harmony hall is my favorite song of the year, if you wanted one taste to decide on.

I doubt even you're excellent write up can move me to check out Conor Oberst, but who knows, stranger things have happened.

all i'll say here is this time around he splits vocal duties. but also his vocals in general have lost a lot of what could be grating in his younger days. he hasnt grown into roy orbison or anything but the tryhard whines are mostly a thing of the past.

I became briefly obsessed with "Harmony Hall" when it came out, and I randomly heard it on Sirius. I was in the "Vampire Weekend sucks!" camp, but dug that. I didn't really spend a lot of time with the album as a whole though. Might have to rectify that.

[Clams]

Aquarium Drunkard:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/12/18 ... in-review/

Always one of the best end-of-year lists

[cortez the killer]

Aquarium Drunkard:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/12/18 ... in-review/

Always one of the best end-of-year lists

Some good stuff on there. Like this nugget on SoO's Eraserland:
Timothy Showalter’s Eraserland lp, featuring directly anthemic songs and bolstered by powerful contributions from members of My Morning Jacket, found him exploring what it’s like to find yourself at the end of edge of where you ever imagined you could end up, channeling elements of heartland rock, shoegaze, country music, and psychedelia.

This is the crossroads that I find myself hangin' at recently.

[RolanK]

Aquarium Drunkard:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/12/18 ... in-review/

Always one of the best end-of-year lists

There is a handfull of albums on that list that are some of my favorites this year. Most of the rest are complete unkowns to me. Would take me months to get through all of it. Where to start?

[Zip City]

The Felice Brothers must have the worst publicist in the world. They put out a great record in 2019, and it appears on no lists anywhere (because it was barely reviewed). It's the reason they continue to play in front of 100 people a night after 8 albums

[tinnitus photography]

i thought i was done but just learned of this record today... it smokes. that final track... damn.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0mFl0ZHr ... EbTeZ0UW8g

[scotto]

Aquarium Drunkard:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2019/12/18 ... in-review/

Always one of the best end-of-year lists

Lots of great stuff that I either forgot about or haven't spent near enough time with. Kim Gordon. Terry Allen. I need to buy more music, pronto.

[WarHenRecords]

The AD list is far & away the best. Tons of great stuff I was privy to already, but always a lot of surprises and new-to-me goodies. Takes forever to work though, which I love. I listened to a handful of stuff yesterday. The Ernest Hood "Neighborhoods" release is incred.
New Commute typically has a good one too.
Mine probably comes in at #3 after those

[Zip City]

Aggregate list: https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2019/

[RolanK]

It's been a pretty good year in music

[cortez the killer]

It's been a pretty good year in music

Indeed.

[StevieRay]

Alphabetical by album title:

As Far As I Can See - Phil Cook
Country Squire - Tyler Childers
Dirty Power - Girls on Grass
Eponymous - The Highwomen
Forever - Vandoliers
Goes West - William Tyler
Growing Ignites - Bruce Cockburn
Human Question - The Yawpers
In The Morse Code of Break lights - The New Pornographers
Jaime - Brittany Howard
Live The Love Beautiful - Drivin N Cryin
No Holiday - The Muffs
Oklahoma - Keb 'Mo'
On The Line - Jenny Lewis
Signs - Tedeschi Trucks Band
Solstice - Luther Dickinson
Sound & Fury - Sturgill Simpson
Terms of Surrender - Hiss Golden Messenger
The Imperial - The Delines
This Land - Gary Clark Jr.
Thrashing Thru The Passion - The Hold Steady
Turn On, Tune In (Live) - NRBQ
Two Hands - Big Thief
We Get By - Mavis Staples
Years to Burn - Calexico + Iron & Wine

[bellevillemusic]

The ones I reached for most in 2019:

Purple Mountains  |  Purple Mountains
Weyes Blood  |  Titanic Rising
Fontaines D.C. | Dogrel
Pernice Brothers | Spread The Feeling
The Delines | The Imperial

Some others I enjoyed as well:

Aldous Harding  |  Designer
Bruce Springsteen  |  Western Stars
Deerhunter  |  Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared
Durand Jones & The Indications  |  American Love Call
Guided by Voices | Zeppelin Over China
Jessica Pratt  |  Quiet Signs
Joe Henry | The Gospel According to Water
Juliana Hatfield  |  Weird
Julie Jacklin |  Crushing
Le SuperHomard  |  Meadow Lane Park
Lee Fields & the Expressions  |  It Rains Love
Nick Waterhouse  |  Nick Waterhouse
Peter Bruntnell  |  King of Madrid
Son Volt | Union
Steve Gunn  |  The Unseen in Between
The Cactus Blossoms | Easy Way
The Rubinoos | From Home
Tim Bluhm  |  Sorta Surviving
White Lies  |  Five
Wilco | Ode To Joy

[Bill in CT]

Here's my 2019 list as it now stands...subject to revision as I catch up with last year's releases.

Atlantean Kodex - The Course Of Empire
Black Pumas - s/t
Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
Bill Callahan - Shepherd In a Sheepskin Vest
Crypt Sermon - The Ruins of Fading Light
Darkthrone - Old Star
The Delines - The Imperial
Drivin’ N Cryin’ - Live the Love Beautiful
Elder - Gold & Silver Sessions
The Honey Pot - Bewildered Jane
Inter Arma - Sulphur English
Itasca - Spring
Kadavar - For the Dead Travel Fast
Lankum - The Livelong Day
Magic Circle - Departed Souls
Meat Puppets - Dusty Notes
Nebula - Holy Shit
Opeth - In Cauda Venenum
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Smoulder - Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring
Spirit Adrift - Divided By Darkness
Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Tool - Fear Inoculum
Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Wolcensmen - Fire In The White Stone

[tinnitus photography]

Nick from Elder picks some:
https://theheavychronicles.com/2019/12/ ... 0/?lang=en

[Flying Rabbit]

Top 50 for me.

1. Mike Baggeta / Jim Keltner / Mike Watt - Wall of Flowers
2. Bon Iver - i,i
3. Josh Garrels - Chrysaline
4. Seba Kaapstad - Thina
5. Frank Hurricane - Life is Spiritual
6. Matt Andersen - Halfway Home By Morning
7. Yola - Walk
8. Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet
9. Bill Orcutt - Odds Against Tomorrow
10. Sufjan Stevens - Decalogue
11. Nick Cave + the Bad Seeds - Ghosteen
12. Sunwatchers - Illegal Moves
13. Andrea Von Kampen - Old Country
14. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
15. Sturgill Simpson - Sound + Fury
16. Paul Cauthen - Room 41
17. Bryce Dessner/Katia and Marielle Labèqu - El Chan
18. Molly Tuttle - When Your Ready
19. Our Native Daughters - Songs of Our Native Daughters
20. Kim Gordon - No Home Record
21. Jim James - The Order of Nature
22. Golden Fable - Alchemy
23. Night Beats - Myth of A Man
24. Flying Lotus - Flamagra
25. Wilco - Ode to Joy
26. Robert Ellis - TX Piano Man
27. Greensky Bluegrass - All for the Money
28. Ionna Gika - Thalassa
29. Rhiannon Giddens - There is no other
30. Rob Burger - The Grid
31. Mike + The Moonpies - Cheap Silver and Solid Gold Country
32. Glenn Branca - Third Ascension
33. Quaker City Night Hawks- QCNH
34. Earth - Full Upon Her Burning Lips
35. Aesop Rock + Tobacco - Malibu Ken
36. Mega Bog - Dolphine
37. Avey Tare - Cows On Hourglass Pond
38. Sebadoh - Act Surprised
39. Lightning Bolt - Sonic Citadel
40. Lillie Mae - Other Girls
41. G&D - Black Love + War
42. Modern Nature - How To Live
43. Efrim Menuck and Kevin Doria - Are Sing Sinck Sing
44. Atlin Gun - Gece
45. Gruff Rhys - Pang!
46. Hemlock Ernst and Kenny Segal - Back at the House
47. Tijuana Panthers - Carpet Denim
48. Pye Corner Audio - Hollow Earth
49. Mdou Moctar - Ilana
50. Lorelle Meets the Obsolete - DeFacto

[beantownbubba]

The ones I reached for most in 2019:

Top 50 for me.

Damn, we should have the end of the year more often. Is this is pre-hibernation thing in the great white north? Great to see you guys and glad to have your thoughts on the year in music.

Wait. What? The Rubinoos have a new album???!!! I had no idea and must check this out immediately. TTYL

[bellevillemusic]

Wait. What? The Rubinoos have a new album???!!! I had no idea and must check this out immediately. TTYL

Indeed! From Home produced by my ol' pal, Chuck Prophet.

[scotto]

Wait. What? The Rubinoos have a new album???!!! I had no idea and must check this out immediately. TTYL

Indeed! From Home produced by my ol' pal, Chuck Prophet.

I didn't know either. That's a day-brightener.