So remember yesterday, when I told you that the reason I went with 30 songs for my Top Songs of the Decade list was because I came up with 32 songs and rounded down? Good times, good times. Except it turns out I was out of my mind. I got my songs list mixed up with my albums list, where I came up with 23 albums and rounded down.
In my defense, the reason this was so hazy to me is that I actually put most of this list together back in September during the infamous "I Was Kidnapped" Connecticut trip. (You've got to have something to occupy your mind on that ferry trip back and forth). I finalized the list sometime after that, but my point is that I basically compiled my two Best of the Decade lists a while ago, but I had to wait until I had finished my 2019 lists before posting them, since posting the Decade lists first would have spoiled the 2019 lists. And at this point in my life, I get confused about anything past yesterday. (And sometimes about yesterday, too. Also, today isn't all that clear either.)
OK, now that we've got that settled, a few things about this list. I basically put it together by going back to each of my yearly lists and re-listening to all of the songs at the top of each. I obviously like all of these songs a whole lot, but my top two songs of the decade I particularly love.
What I'm going to do is this. I'll be giving you my Top 30 Songs of the 2010s in three parts, in reverse order (of course), broken down so that Part 1 will include #'s 30-21, Part 2 #'s 20-11, and Part 1 #'s 10-1. Rather than give you individual links to each song, at the end of the Part 1 list, I'll give you a link to a YouTube playlist that includes all 30 songs. Does that work for you? Good, good.
So let's go.
30. Snail Mail - "Pristine"
Snail Mail is actually 20-year-old indie folk rocker Lindsey Jordan of Maryland. The song is an oddly structured bit of lo-fi grrl rock. My daughter always makes fun of me for listening to so many albums of "chicks singing about their feelings." Guilty.
29. Dot Hacker - "Beseech"
Dot Hacker is an experimental alt rock band from Los Angeles. This track is kind of a slow-to-mid tempo burn with some interesting percussion and occasional pleasing psychedelic effects coming in after each verse.
28. Charly Bliss - "Hard to Believe"
I've been singing the praises of this energetic Brooklyn indie rock quartet and their Young Enough LP all year. This is a lively track about hanging onto a decaying relationship.
27. Blondie - "A Rose By Any Name"
Deborah Harry shares the vocals with Beth Ditto of Gossip on this ode to gender fluidity that was a few years ahead of its time.
26. Candy Hearts - "Top of Our Lungs"
I have a thing for bands with female vocalists in general, and bands with unusual-sounding female vocalists in particular. Candy Hearts (now known as Best Ex) is a good example of this. This one's about a night of drinking that turns into friends exchanging benefits.
25. Candy Hearts - "Lighter Than the Air"
Two Candy Hearts songs in a row! Imagine that. (This will happen with another band somewhere a little higher in the count later). Another relationship song that starts with the ups then gives us the downs. Love can be so disappointing.
24. Linkin Park - "One More Light"
This album got hammered by critics and fans alike, and rightly so. This is a great song, though. It's a slow ballad about a friend of the band who died of cancer and the importance of one person's life, made all the more poignant by singer Chester Bennington's subsequent suicide.
23. Leslie Mendelson - "Jericho"
I described this song in 2017 as a "wistful and touching folk ballad " that found Long Island songstress Mendelson trying to "find her way back home". At the time, for some reason, I thought she had moved to Los Angeles. I heard from her afterwards that she was still in New York, living in Brooklyn. Oopsie. So maybe I have no idea what the track is about. Regardless, it's still a song of quiet beauty.
22. Glenn Hansard - "Brother's Keeper"
Gruff-voiced Irishman Glenn Hansard is one-half of the writing team that created the TONY Award winning musical Once. This track starts out about a protective love between brothers, then seems to morph into a song about the love between lovers. I'm pretty sure it's pro the patriarchy, but he probably doesn't want you to know that.
21. Foals - "Sunday"
Foals is a British alternative rock band, and this was my favorite song of 2019. I especially identify with lyrics of the chorus: "Time away from me is what I need". I know what they mean.
OK, I think we're off to a good start here. I'll be back in a day or so with Part 2 of this list, as we continue counting off the top songs of the decade.
Friday, January 10, 2020
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Top 20 Albums of the 2010s, Part 2
OK, let's just get right back into it.
10. Chvrches - Love Is Dead (2018)
This Scottish synthpop trio spent the better part of the decade building towards this LP, showing flashes of brilliance on 2013's The Bones of What You Believe and 2015's Every Open Eye. This one, though, is the one that brought it all together. It's a fully realized album from start to finish, which is why I picked it as my Top LP of 2018. Best tracks: "Grafitti", "Never Say Die".
9. Kesha - Animal (2010)
I don't listen to a lot of pure pop. I find most of it pretty bland. But Kesha has something that I don't find in the Ariana's and Taylor's of the world - there's something compelling about her. She's probably done more mature work than this -- I know a lot of people admired her 2017 Rainbow LP, for example -- but this was the one that brought her to the public consciousness, and it's still my favorite album of hers. Best tracks: "Your Love Is My Drug", "Tik Tok".
8. The Sounds - Something to Die For (2011)
We haven't heard much from this Swedish indie rock band since their 2013 Weekend LP, and that's a shame. This album, their best, is chock full of strong, yet often danceable, alt rock. Best tracks: "Dance With the Devil", "Something to Die For".
7. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir (2017)
I'll be honest - I was a little nervous on Stephin Merritt's behalf when I first heard he was planning another project of this magnitude (which included 5 discs and 50 songs total, one for each year of his life). I considered much of his work post-1999's magnificent 69 Love Songs released under the Magnetic Fields moniker to be a little sub-par, and I just wasn't sure he was still up to this huge a project. But he proved me wrong, and issued the best Magnetic Fields LP of the last two decades. There are too many winners here to list them all. However, Best Tracks: "Have You Seen It in the Snow?", "A Cat Called Dionysus", "A Serious Mistake".
6. Future Bible Heroes - Partygoing (2013)
What's even better than Stephin Merritt releasing a top-flight new Magnetic Fields album? Stephin Merritt releasing a top-flight new Future Bible Heroes album. As is usual for FBH, this one brings Claudia Gonson back to the forefront as lead vocalist and adds the electronic antics of Chris Ewen, to create a tasty brew of Merritt's humorous material. Best tracks: "Living, Loving, Partygoing", "Keep Your Children in a Coma".
5. Tang - Blood & Sand (2015)
New York's Bonnie Parker and Denny Colt have been playing together for decades now, sometimes as the cover band She-Wolff, and sometimes as the original music trio Tang. They really brought it all together on this excellent 2015 post-apocalyptic metal album. This music will put a hurtin' on ya! Best Tracks: "The 11th Hour", "Holy Terror".
4. Bayside - Vacancy (2016)
Of the four LPs that Bayside released this decade, this one was my favorite. It features all of the things I love about this band -- the driving pop punk guitars, the strong, emotive vocals, and the high-quality songwriting of frontman Anthony Raneri. These guys never disappoint. Best Tracks: "Mary", "Two Letters".
3. Blondie - Ghosts of Download (2014)
Considering that Blondie had their heyday during the late 1970s and early 1980s, I had no idea they had an album this strong left in them for the 2010s. But Ghosts of Download is brilliant. It includes some quality guest stars (such as Beth Ditto of Gossip), some hip-hop and Latin influences, and a track or two that shows that even though lead singer Deborah Harry was almost 70 when this released, she's still a randy little devil. An excellent album by a legendary band. Best Tracks: "A Rose By Any Name", "Sugar on the Side".
2. Foster the People - Torches (2011)
This was the first LP by Los Angeles indie rockers Foster the People, and while they released a pair of quality albums after this one, this is still, to date, their high watermark. This was no mean feat, considering the band was flying high on the release of the single "Pumped Up Kicks", and had to cobble an album together quickly to take advantage of the opportunity. It worked out for them, as Torches turned out to be my top alt rock album of the decade. Best Tracks: "Pumped Up Kicks", "Helena Beat".
1. Nightwish - Endless Songs Most Beautiful (2015)
This album was a revelation for me, as it taught this old dog a new trick - to love the genre of what I like to call epic metal, but is probably more often referred to as symphonic metal. The LP combines operatic female vocals, metal, progressive rock, Celtic influences and epic fantasy imagery into a dramatic and exciting whole. I didn't know music like this was out there, but apparently it is, at least in certain parts of Europe. (These guys are Finnish, but there are other bands out there from Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, etc. who are working in the same genre). Best Tracks: "The Greatest Show on Earth", "Edema Ruh", "Elan".
So there you have it, my Top 20 Albums of the 2010's. Will I still be around, and somewhat coherent in 2030 to make another one of these lists? (Was I somewhat coherent when I made this one?) Who knows. But it was fun to sort this list together.
My work is not yet done, though, as I've told you my favorite albums of the decade, but we haven't talked about songs yet. So give me a day or two, and I'll be back with the first of three lists to tell you about my Top 30 Songs of the 2010s. (Why 30? Because I worked out my best songs list, and it came to about 32. And it was easier to round down than come up with eight more and round up, that's why. OK? Geez, get off my back, you guys.
Anyway, see you in a day or two.
10. Chvrches - Love Is Dead (2018)
This Scottish synthpop trio spent the better part of the decade building towards this LP, showing flashes of brilliance on 2013's The Bones of What You Believe and 2015's Every Open Eye. This one, though, is the one that brought it all together. It's a fully realized album from start to finish, which is why I picked it as my Top LP of 2018. Best tracks: "Grafitti", "Never Say Die".
9. Kesha - Animal (2010)
I don't listen to a lot of pure pop. I find most of it pretty bland. But Kesha has something that I don't find in the Ariana's and Taylor's of the world - there's something compelling about her. She's probably done more mature work than this -- I know a lot of people admired her 2017 Rainbow LP, for example -- but this was the one that brought her to the public consciousness, and it's still my favorite album of hers. Best tracks: "Your Love Is My Drug", "Tik Tok".
8. The Sounds - Something to Die For (2011)
We haven't heard much from this Swedish indie rock band since their 2013 Weekend LP, and that's a shame. This album, their best, is chock full of strong, yet often danceable, alt rock. Best tracks: "Dance With the Devil", "Something to Die For".
7. The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir (2017)
I'll be honest - I was a little nervous on Stephin Merritt's behalf when I first heard he was planning another project of this magnitude (which included 5 discs and 50 songs total, one for each year of his life). I considered much of his work post-1999's magnificent 69 Love Songs released under the Magnetic Fields moniker to be a little sub-par, and I just wasn't sure he was still up to this huge a project. But he proved me wrong, and issued the best Magnetic Fields LP of the last two decades. There are too many winners here to list them all. However, Best Tracks: "Have You Seen It in the Snow?", "A Cat Called Dionysus", "A Serious Mistake".
6. Future Bible Heroes - Partygoing (2013)
What's even better than Stephin Merritt releasing a top-flight new Magnetic Fields album? Stephin Merritt releasing a top-flight new Future Bible Heroes album. As is usual for FBH, this one brings Claudia Gonson back to the forefront as lead vocalist and adds the electronic antics of Chris Ewen, to create a tasty brew of Merritt's humorous material. Best tracks: "Living, Loving, Partygoing", "Keep Your Children in a Coma".
5. Tang - Blood & Sand (2015)
New York's Bonnie Parker and Denny Colt have been playing together for decades now, sometimes as the cover band She-Wolff, and sometimes as the original music trio Tang. They really brought it all together on this excellent 2015 post-apocalyptic metal album. This music will put a hurtin' on ya! Best Tracks: "The 11th Hour", "Holy Terror".
4. Bayside - Vacancy (2016)
Of the four LPs that Bayside released this decade, this one was my favorite. It features all of the things I love about this band -- the driving pop punk guitars, the strong, emotive vocals, and the high-quality songwriting of frontman Anthony Raneri. These guys never disappoint. Best Tracks: "Mary", "Two Letters".
3. Blondie - Ghosts of Download (2014)
Considering that Blondie had their heyday during the late 1970s and early 1980s, I had no idea they had an album this strong left in them for the 2010s. But Ghosts of Download is brilliant. It includes some quality guest stars (such as Beth Ditto of Gossip), some hip-hop and Latin influences, and a track or two that shows that even though lead singer Deborah Harry was almost 70 when this released, she's still a randy little devil. An excellent album by a legendary band. Best Tracks: "A Rose By Any Name", "Sugar on the Side".
2. Foster the People - Torches (2011)
This was the first LP by Los Angeles indie rockers Foster the People, and while they released a pair of quality albums after this one, this is still, to date, their high watermark. This was no mean feat, considering the band was flying high on the release of the single "Pumped Up Kicks", and had to cobble an album together quickly to take advantage of the opportunity. It worked out for them, as Torches turned out to be my top alt rock album of the decade. Best Tracks: "Pumped Up Kicks", "Helena Beat".
1. Nightwish - Endless Songs Most Beautiful (2015)
This album was a revelation for me, as it taught this old dog a new trick - to love the genre of what I like to call epic metal, but is probably more often referred to as symphonic metal. The LP combines operatic female vocals, metal, progressive rock, Celtic influences and epic fantasy imagery into a dramatic and exciting whole. I didn't know music like this was out there, but apparently it is, at least in certain parts of Europe. (These guys are Finnish, but there are other bands out there from Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, etc. who are working in the same genre). Best Tracks: "The Greatest Show on Earth", "Edema Ruh", "Elan".
So there you have it, my Top 20 Albums of the 2010's. Will I still be around, and somewhat coherent in 2030 to make another one of these lists? (Was I somewhat coherent when I made this one?) Who knows. But it was fun to sort this list together.
My work is not yet done, though, as I've told you my favorite albums of the decade, but we haven't talked about songs yet. So give me a day or two, and I'll be back with the first of three lists to tell you about my Top 30 Songs of the 2010s. (Why 30? Because I worked out my best songs list, and it came to about 32. And it was easier to round down than come up with eight more and round up, that's why. OK? Geez, get off my back, you guys.
Anyway, see you in a day or two.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Top 20 Albums of the 2010s, Part 1
Well, New Year's Day this year put an end to the decade of the 2010's. For an old coot like me who lived through the sixties, seventies and eighties, it doesn't feel like it was the greatest decade of music, although I know that people who went through their teens then will probably remember it as the best decade ever. And I'll admit that I did still find plenty of worthwhile stuff to listen to, which I'll tell you about here.
Briefly, when I say "album", I'm talking about a full-length studio LP cut by a single artist, released between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019.
Some of them I've written about here before. Others will be new to you. Because this list covers a full decade, there's probably less diversity of genre here than there is in my yearly lists -- these days, I tend to listen to a lot of alternative rock, electro-pop, folk rock and prog rock, and that will be reflected in these choices.
So without further ado, here are my numbers 20-11 of the 2010s.
20. Candy Hearts - Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy (2011)
Candy Hearts was a female-fronted pop punk band from Long Island. They have since moved to Jersey (or at least lead singer Mariel Loveland has) and morphed into the band Best Ex. But this is their top album to date. Best tracks: "Tongue Tied" and "Lighter Than the Air".
19. All Hail the Silence - Daggers (2019)
Daggers is a double-length LP by the British/American synth-pop duo All Hail the Silence. The music here is very '80's influenced, unsurprisingly, since these guys are protege's of Erasure's Vince Clarke. Their sound seems to be very influenced by Depeche Mode. Best track: "Stand Together".
18. Blackmore's Night - Dancer and the Moon (2013)
I've made no bones about the fact that this has been one of my favorite bands of the last twenty years. I love the folksy, medieval style of their music, and singer Candace Knight has one of the most lovely voices out there. They only put out three new studio albums in the 2010's, though, and of the three, this one was my favorite. Best track: "Dancer and the Moon".
17. Priory - Need to Know (2015)
I think that this Portland, Oregon-based electro-pop duo has broken up, and if so, that's a shame. This is a smart, well-crafted alt rock album with a heart. Best tracks: "Weekend" and "Lost Gold".
16. I Am the Avalanche - Wolverines (2014)
This Brooklyn/Long Island punk/pop punk band features tight, smart songs that are half-sung, half-screamed by gravelly-voiced vocalist Vinny Caruana. Wolverines, their most recent album, was also their best. Best track: "Anna Lee".
15. Sleigh Bells - Treats (2010)
Sleigh Bells is a female noise rock duo from Brooklyn. Treats, their first LP, is still by far their best. It manages to be abrasive, but still somehow melodic. Best track: "Rill Rill".
14. Frankie Cosmos - Vessel (2018)
Frankie Cosmos is the main musical project of Greta Kline, daughter of actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. This album (and the band in general) is known for wispy, loosely structured songs that manage to deconstruct themselves and come back together in a pleasing manner. Best tracks: "Duet", "Being Alive".
13. Andy Black - The Shadow Side (2016)
Andy Black is one of a number of pseudonyms of Andrew Biersack, the lead vocalist for the metal band Black Veil Brides. This, his first solo album, finds him mining the ores of alt rock with quite a bit of success. Best tracks: "Stay Alive", "Ribcage".
12. Bayside - Interrobang (2019)
This is another of my favorite bands of the last two decades, and they ended this one by releasing a banger of an album right near the close of 2019. As always, I'm as impressed with their consistency as I am with lead singer/songwriter Anthony Raneri's kickass voice and biting lyrics. Best tracks: "Interrobang", Walk It Off".
11. Charly Bliss - Young Enough (2019)
This Brooklyn quartet capped off their 2019 by winning my Album of the Year nod. They feature well-constructed power pop rhythms, breathy female vocals and that hard-to-define likability factor. I'm hoping we'll be hearing a lot more from them in the 2020s. Best tracks: "Hard to Believe", "Camera".
OK. Ten down and ten to go. I'll be back in a day or so to finish off this list before we start talking about my Top Songs of the 2010s.
Briefly, when I say "album", I'm talking about a full-length studio LP cut by a single artist, released between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019.
Some of them I've written about here before. Others will be new to you. Because this list covers a full decade, there's probably less diversity of genre here than there is in my yearly lists -- these days, I tend to listen to a lot of alternative rock, electro-pop, folk rock and prog rock, and that will be reflected in these choices.
So without further ado, here are my numbers 20-11 of the 2010s.
20. Candy Hearts - Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy (2011)
Candy Hearts was a female-fronted pop punk band from Long Island. They have since moved to Jersey (or at least lead singer Mariel Loveland has) and morphed into the band Best Ex. But this is their top album to date. Best tracks: "Tongue Tied" and "Lighter Than the Air".
19. All Hail the Silence - Daggers (2019)
Daggers is a double-length LP by the British/American synth-pop duo All Hail the Silence. The music here is very '80's influenced, unsurprisingly, since these guys are protege's of Erasure's Vince Clarke. Their sound seems to be very influenced by Depeche Mode. Best track: "Stand Together".
18. Blackmore's Night - Dancer and the Moon (2013)
I've made no bones about the fact that this has been one of my favorite bands of the last twenty years. I love the folksy, medieval style of their music, and singer Candace Knight has one of the most lovely voices out there. They only put out three new studio albums in the 2010's, though, and of the three, this one was my favorite. Best track: "Dancer and the Moon".
17. Priory - Need to Know (2015)
I think that this Portland, Oregon-based electro-pop duo has broken up, and if so, that's a shame. This is a smart, well-crafted alt rock album with a heart. Best tracks: "Weekend" and "Lost Gold".
16. I Am the Avalanche - Wolverines (2014)
This Brooklyn/Long Island punk/pop punk band features tight, smart songs that are half-sung, half-screamed by gravelly-voiced vocalist Vinny Caruana. Wolverines, their most recent album, was also their best. Best track: "Anna Lee".
15. Sleigh Bells - Treats (2010)
Sleigh Bells is a female noise rock duo from Brooklyn. Treats, their first LP, is still by far their best. It manages to be abrasive, but still somehow melodic. Best track: "Rill Rill".
14. Frankie Cosmos - Vessel (2018)
Frankie Cosmos is the main musical project of Greta Kline, daughter of actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates. This album (and the band in general) is known for wispy, loosely structured songs that manage to deconstruct themselves and come back together in a pleasing manner. Best tracks: "Duet", "Being Alive".
13. Andy Black - The Shadow Side (2016)
Andy Black is one of a number of pseudonyms of Andrew Biersack, the lead vocalist for the metal band Black Veil Brides. This, his first solo album, finds him mining the ores of alt rock with quite a bit of success. Best tracks: "Stay Alive", "Ribcage".
12. Bayside - Interrobang (2019)
This is another of my favorite bands of the last two decades, and they ended this one by releasing a banger of an album right near the close of 2019. As always, I'm as impressed with their consistency as I am with lead singer/songwriter Anthony Raneri's kickass voice and biting lyrics. Best tracks: "Interrobang", Walk It Off".
11. Charly Bliss - Young Enough (2019)
This Brooklyn quartet capped off their 2019 by winning my Album of the Year nod. They feature well-constructed power pop rhythms, breathy female vocals and that hard-to-define likability factor. I'm hoping we'll be hearing a lot more from them in the 2020s. Best tracks: "Hard to Believe", "Camera".
OK. Ten down and ten to go. I'll be back in a day or so to finish off this list before we start talking about my Top Songs of the 2010s.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Top 20 Songs of 2019, Part 2
OK, down to the nitty gritty. Here, in reverse order, are my Top 10 Songs of 2019:
10. John Boswell - "Frost"
John Boswell is a new age/classical pianist from Los Angeles, California. I first became aware of him a couple of decades ago when my wife introduced me to his exquisite holiday album, Festival of the Heart. I don't even remember how I found out he put out a new LP in 2019, as he's not at all well known. But Night Magic is a lovely album, and this track in particular is top notch. (It's also a well named song, as the music definitely evokes a wintry feel.) Sadly, this is also the track I have no link for. You'll have to either buy the album, or track this song down for yourself. (If you want a taste of what Boswell sounds like, though, here's a link to the song "Festival of the Heart": John Boswell - Festival of the Heart.)
9. All Hail the Silence - "Stand Together" All Hail the Silence - Stand Together
This British/American electronic pop duo was one of the revelations of 2019. They have a retro-'80s sound to them, sort of like a two-man Depeche Mode. This is the first track from their delightful double LP Daggers. (Well, actually, some people call it "Daggers", and some just call it All Hail the Silence, just like some people call Led Zeppelin IV "Zoso", or Prince used to be known as Squiggle.)
8. Santana - "Do You Remember Me" Santana - Do You Remember Me
Ah, Santana! I really got back in touch this year with just how much I love Santana. I even saw Carlos and the guys live for the first time. They put out a new LP in 2019 called Africa Speaks. It had some great stuff on it, but was kind of inconsistent. This tasty little track comes from an EP they put out earlier in the year, though, entitled In Search of Mona Lisa. It grew from an experience that Carlos Santana had while viewing the actual Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre. He went on this whole vision quest thing where Mona Lisa reminded him they used to be lovers in a former life. Whatever, he's a kind of a weird dude. But he plays a great guitar, and this slow track features some of his most elegant (yet restrained) work, as he shows himself once again to be the Da Vinci of the electric guitar.
7. Screaming Orphans - "Shine" Screaming Orphans - Shine
Screaming Orphans is an Irish Celtic pop band comprising the four Diver sisters, and this lovely track comes from their latest LP, Life as a Carnival. This is one of those tracks that's got kind of delicate verses, but a more expansive chorus. For me, at least, it's all about the piano and the oh-so-graceful vocals. I'm not even sure which sister is singing lead here, but they all get in on the action anyway. It's one of those songs that brought a smile to my face from the first time I heard it.
6. Adrian Belew - "Athough" Adrian Belew - Although
In this very Beatlesque track from Adrian Belew's (of King Crimson fame) new LP Pop-Sided, Belew tries to look at the bright side after a weekend gone wrong with a prospective new lover. We're not exactly sure what happened that weekend, but let's just say that things did not go well. (At one point, he describes it as a "train wreck". My sympathies, pal.) Luckily, this song went a lot better.
5. Mree - "In the Kitchen" Mree - In the Kitchen
Marie Hsiao (aka "Mree") is an indie folk singer-songwriter from New Jersey. Her EP In the Middle was one of the first albums I heard in 2019, and this was the first track on the EP. 2019 came and 2019 went, but this delectable and rather elegant song stuck with me all year.
4. Lily & Madeleine - "Pachinko Song" Lily & Madeleine - Pachinko Song
Lily & Madeleine are an American folk pop duo from Indianapolis. Their album Canterbury Girls was released early in 2019, and this track immediately became one of my favorites. It's a tale of a love relationship gone sour after a big jackpot win at a Tokyo Pachinko parlor. (Or maybe it was already going sour, and the jackpot just pushed it over the brink. Whatever.) There's also some stalking involved here, as our heroine runs amok throughout Japan, relentlessly pursued by her lucky-jackpot-winning lover. Good song.
3. Charly Bliss - "Hard to Believe" Charly Bliss - Hard to Believe
This Brooklyn-based indie band ruled the year with their excellent new LP Young Enough, and this high-energy love-gone-wrong song was my favorite track from that album. It's a really well structured pop rock song, with some nice driving guitar and a very relatable vocal performance from Eva Hendricks. I just like the way song moves.
2. Glen Hansard - "Brother's Keeper" Glen Hansard - Brother's Keeper
Glen Hansard is probably best known as one-half of the songwriting team that wrote the TONY-Award-winning Broadway musical Once. His folksy solo album This Wild Willing gathered much acclaim in 2019, and this was far-and-away the most memorable track from that album. It's a warm, feel-good track about both brotherly love and love between lovers. (Or maybe it's about incestuous love between transgender brothers, I'm not sure. But I think it's the first one.)
1. Foals - "Sunday" Foals - Sunday
This year was my first exposure to the British alternative rock band Foals. They released two LPs over the course of 2019, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Parts 1 and 2. I found them both to be inconsistent, but there were some great tracks on each, including "The Runner" on Part 2, and particularly this one on Part 1. I especially like the lyrics for the chorus, which begin "Time away from me is what I need". Amen, brother.
So there you have it -- my Top 20 Songs of 2019.
Normally, I'd sit back and sigh now, in satisfaction of having finished writing my year-end list. This year, however, we've only just begun, as we've also just come to the end of another decade.
SO, coming up next, my Top 20 Albums of the Decade, Part 1. Maybe tomorrow? Who knows.
10. John Boswell - "Frost"
John Boswell is a new age/classical pianist from Los Angeles, California. I first became aware of him a couple of decades ago when my wife introduced me to his exquisite holiday album, Festival of the Heart. I don't even remember how I found out he put out a new LP in 2019, as he's not at all well known. But Night Magic is a lovely album, and this track in particular is top notch. (It's also a well named song, as the music definitely evokes a wintry feel.) Sadly, this is also the track I have no link for. You'll have to either buy the album, or track this song down for yourself. (If you want a taste of what Boswell sounds like, though, here's a link to the song "Festival of the Heart": John Boswell - Festival of the Heart.)
9. All Hail the Silence - "Stand Together" All Hail the Silence - Stand Together
This British/American electronic pop duo was one of the revelations of 2019. They have a retro-'80s sound to them, sort of like a two-man Depeche Mode. This is the first track from their delightful double LP Daggers. (Well, actually, some people call it "Daggers", and some just call it All Hail the Silence, just like some people call Led Zeppelin IV "Zoso", or Prince used to be known as Squiggle.)
8. Santana - "Do You Remember Me" Santana - Do You Remember Me
Ah, Santana! I really got back in touch this year with just how much I love Santana. I even saw Carlos and the guys live for the first time. They put out a new LP in 2019 called Africa Speaks. It had some great stuff on it, but was kind of inconsistent. This tasty little track comes from an EP they put out earlier in the year, though, entitled In Search of Mona Lisa. It grew from an experience that Carlos Santana had while viewing the actual Mona Lisa painting at the Louvre. He went on this whole vision quest thing where Mona Lisa reminded him they used to be lovers in a former life. Whatever, he's a kind of a weird dude. But he plays a great guitar, and this slow track features some of his most elegant (yet restrained) work, as he shows himself once again to be the Da Vinci of the electric guitar.
7. Screaming Orphans - "Shine" Screaming Orphans - Shine
Screaming Orphans is an Irish Celtic pop band comprising the four Diver sisters, and this lovely track comes from their latest LP, Life as a Carnival. This is one of those tracks that's got kind of delicate verses, but a more expansive chorus. For me, at least, it's all about the piano and the oh-so-graceful vocals. I'm not even sure which sister is singing lead here, but they all get in on the action anyway. It's one of those songs that brought a smile to my face from the first time I heard it.
6. Adrian Belew - "Athough" Adrian Belew - Although
In this very Beatlesque track from Adrian Belew's (of King Crimson fame) new LP Pop-Sided, Belew tries to look at the bright side after a weekend gone wrong with a prospective new lover. We're not exactly sure what happened that weekend, but let's just say that things did not go well. (At one point, he describes it as a "train wreck". My sympathies, pal.) Luckily, this song went a lot better.
5. Mree - "In the Kitchen" Mree - In the Kitchen
Marie Hsiao (aka "Mree") is an indie folk singer-songwriter from New Jersey. Her EP In the Middle was one of the first albums I heard in 2019, and this was the first track on the EP. 2019 came and 2019 went, but this delectable and rather elegant song stuck with me all year.
4. Lily & Madeleine - "Pachinko Song" Lily & Madeleine - Pachinko Song
Lily & Madeleine are an American folk pop duo from Indianapolis. Their album Canterbury Girls was released early in 2019, and this track immediately became one of my favorites. It's a tale of a love relationship gone sour after a big jackpot win at a Tokyo Pachinko parlor. (Or maybe it was already going sour, and the jackpot just pushed it over the brink. Whatever.) There's also some stalking involved here, as our heroine runs amok throughout Japan, relentlessly pursued by her lucky-jackpot-winning lover. Good song.
3. Charly Bliss - "Hard to Believe" Charly Bliss - Hard to Believe
This Brooklyn-based indie band ruled the year with their excellent new LP Young Enough, and this high-energy love-gone-wrong song was my favorite track from that album. It's a really well structured pop rock song, with some nice driving guitar and a very relatable vocal performance from Eva Hendricks. I just like the way song moves.
2. Glen Hansard - "Brother's Keeper" Glen Hansard - Brother's Keeper
Glen Hansard is probably best known as one-half of the songwriting team that wrote the TONY-Award-winning Broadway musical Once. His folksy solo album This Wild Willing gathered much acclaim in 2019, and this was far-and-away the most memorable track from that album. It's a warm, feel-good track about both brotherly love and love between lovers. (Or maybe it's about incestuous love between transgender brothers, I'm not sure. But I think it's the first one.)
1. Foals - "Sunday" Foals - Sunday
This year was my first exposure to the British alternative rock band Foals. They released two LPs over the course of 2019, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Parts 1 and 2. I found them both to be inconsistent, but there were some great tracks on each, including "The Runner" on Part 2, and particularly this one on Part 1. I especially like the lyrics for the chorus, which begin "Time away from me is what I need". Amen, brother.
So there you have it -- my Top 20 Songs of 2019.
Normally, I'd sit back and sigh now, in satisfaction of having finished writing my year-end list. This year, however, we've only just begun, as we've also just come to the end of another decade.
SO, coming up next, my Top 20 Albums of the Decade, Part 1. Maybe tomorrow? Who knows.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
December 2019 Song of the Day
I'm simplifying the format of these from the charts I've been doing every month, because 1. My reader stats show that these posts have a fairly small, targeted audience, and 2. They're a lot of work to compile, given the small amount of interest from my readers.
Also, December's Song of the Day list on Sputnik Music was screwed up this month. The guy who was hosting it ditched it halfway through the month (Grrr!), and the person who followed up to try to complete it got buried in the holiday season and didn't finish it either. (But he gets more of a pass, because he wasn't scheduled to do it in the first place, and he just finished doing a nice job with last month.) So we wound up having songs for the first twenty-five days of the month, and then had a Christmas hiatus. (Thankfully, the SOTD is up and running again for the January 2020.)
So, I'm just going to give you the abbreviated version here.
1. The theme for the month was songs that introduced you to and/or made you fall in love with their respective genres.
2. I had the opportunity to give two recs this month. My first was "Within You Without You" by The Beatles, which was my first exposure to Indian sitar music. While it's not a large part of my musical diet (I think because I really like songs with vocals, and most classic sitar music tends to be all instrumental), it is a kind of music that I still enjoy to this day. My second rec was Nightwish's "The Greatest Show I Love", a fairly recent track, which was the song that really made me love and start to seek out symphonic metal (or as I like to think of it, epic metal).
3. My highest rated pick of the month was someone's rec of Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a track that I've obviously been familiar with for many years. My favorite rec that I hadn't been previously familiar with was the Polish metal band Batushka's "Yekteniya 1", which mixes metal with Catholic orthodox chants. (There's a whole fascinating story about this band, which was originally a solo project by one guy, but then the record label and the vocalist stole the band and put out their own album. This track is from the first album, though, before any of this happened.)
4. However, the group's highest rated track for the month was "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by The Talking Heads, not my favorite Talking Heads song ever, but certainly not a bad one.
So there you have it. I suspect I'll be sticking with this format from now on.
Also, December's Song of the Day list on Sputnik Music was screwed up this month. The guy who was hosting it ditched it halfway through the month (Grrr!), and the person who followed up to try to complete it got buried in the holiday season and didn't finish it either. (But he gets more of a pass, because he wasn't scheduled to do it in the first place, and he just finished doing a nice job with last month.) So we wound up having songs for the first twenty-five days of the month, and then had a Christmas hiatus. (Thankfully, the SOTD is up and running again for the January 2020.)
So, I'm just going to give you the abbreviated version here.
1. The theme for the month was songs that introduced you to and/or made you fall in love with their respective genres.
2. I had the opportunity to give two recs this month. My first was "Within You Without You" by The Beatles, which was my first exposure to Indian sitar music. While it's not a large part of my musical diet (I think because I really like songs with vocals, and most classic sitar music tends to be all instrumental), it is a kind of music that I still enjoy to this day. My second rec was Nightwish's "The Greatest Show I Love", a fairly recent track, which was the song that really made me love and start to seek out symphonic metal (or as I like to think of it, epic metal).
3. My highest rated pick of the month was someone's rec of Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a track that I've obviously been familiar with for many years. My favorite rec that I hadn't been previously familiar with was the Polish metal band Batushka's "Yekteniya 1", which mixes metal with Catholic orthodox chants. (There's a whole fascinating story about this band, which was originally a solo project by one guy, but then the record label and the vocalist stole the band and put out their own album. This track is from the first album, though, before any of this happened.)
4. However, the group's highest rated track for the month was "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by The Talking Heads, not my favorite Talking Heads song ever, but certainly not a bad one.
So there you have it. I suspect I'll be sticking with this format from now on.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Top 20 Songs of 2019, Part 1
For some reason, as much as I enjoy my Top 10 Albums lists, I feel as though my Top 20 Song lists every year have become my favorite lists to do. Maybe it's because I allow myself 20 songs instead of just 10, or maybe it's because the album is a longer format, and how much I like one is a little ambiguous -- even my favorite albums have slow spots, and often, my favorite songs of the year are the high spots on otherwise weak or mediocre album. I don't know.
I'm not going to do honorable mentions this year, although there were certainly some other songs that I considered strongly. But over the course of the year, these were the guys that really stuck with me, so I'm sticking with them.
As is usual for me, I'm going to give my list over the course of two posts. In this one, Part 1, I'll give you numbers 20 through 11. Then tomorrow (or maybe Sunday, as tomorrow is looking pretty busy), I'll give you numbers 10 through 1.
One thing to note is song links. This year, I've given you links to YouTube playlists for my two Albums lists. I can't do that here, because it would be incomplete -- this year, annoyingly enough, there is one song on my that isn't posted on YouTube (or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter. I bought the CD for the album.) I actually tried to convert it and post it in a private section of YouTube myself so I could link you to it here. But that's probably not all that legal, so it's maybe just as well that I'm enough of a techno-clunk that I couldn't figure out how to do it. (Grrr!)
I have to say, I'm really pleased with this year's list. There are a lot of different styles of music here, and I feel that overall, it represents my 2019 in music pretty well.
Anyway, here's Part 1 of my Top 20 list, in reverse order:
20. Kaiser Chiefs - "Wait" Kaiser Chiefs - Wait
I've been a big fan of this band from Leeds, England for the last 15 years, and this song is a good example of why. Although the lyrics aren't explicitly funny, the music itself is playful and a little bit frisky. I thought the Duck album from which this track was drawn was just an average effort for them, but something about the song itself just made me keep coming back to it. Might be the wispy synth between verses, or the frenzied pace of the chorus, or just the contradiction of energy of the track juxtaposed against the imperative of the title - "Wait!" In any event, why analyze when you can just enjoy.
19. Cassadee Pope - "Take You Home" Cassadee Pope - Take You Home
Now I admit, that there's not a lot of country music that tends to make my lists (although certainly more than jazz or hip-hop), but I do at least listen to a few country artists every year. Cassadee Pope has a special in with me, because while most people know her mostly from the godawful TV show The Voice, I always give her a listen because I loved her a decade or so ago when she was the lead singer of the alternative rock band Hey Monday. (And back then, I thought she was the number one up-and-coming alt rock songstress behind Paramore's Hayley Williams). And Pope's 2019 album Stages is first rate. This track (the first on the LP) in particular grabbed me, although there were quite a few others I liked as well. It finds her baring her soul to a guy she's just met (but feels a connection to), and fantasizing about bringing him home to meet her parents. I especially like the part about the little church "that helped me when I got lost".
18. The Gloaming - "Athas (Joy)" The Gloaming - Athas (Joy)
This track is from an Irish band that consists of both Irish and American musicians. It's sung in Gaelic, and is well named, in that the music is particularly joyful. I especially love the piano here, but that's not to discount any of the other elements. The style of the song is a mixture of traditional Celtic music, new age and classical, with maybe even the lightest sprinkling of jazz. It's an exceptionally beautiful song.
17. Jon Anderson - "Makes Me Happy" Jon Anderson - Makes Me Happy
Regular readers of this blog certainly know this guy. Jon Anderson of Yes fame released an excellent solo album this year that was decades in the works, 1000 Hands: Chapter One. (Kind of makes me crazy that he left the comma out of "1,000", but OK, I'm coping with it.) As you'd expect, it's a very upbeat, poppy album, and this song in particular is just a happy little ditty. God bless this guy! He's been a priceless musical jewel over the years.
16. New Years Day - "My Monsters" New Year Day - My Monsters
New Years Day is a California-based female-fronted alternative hard rock band whose music also has a light goth vibe to it. I've liked them for years, but they can be a little inconsistent. They nailed it on this track, though, which finds singer Ash Costello battling the monsters she's created for herself, psychological and otherwise.
15. Seahawks - "Emergence" Seahawks - Emergence
This track is by the British new age duo Seahawks, from their latest LP Eyes of the Moon. Their music has been characterized as "Psychedelic yacht rock", "deck shoegaze", "hazy beach pop" and "marina drone", all good descriptions. The song is light, bouncy synth with a slurred, almost subliminal voice speaking in the background. It's kind of like a gentle dream that's just carrying you along to pleasant places.
14. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - "Black Star Dancing" Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Black Star Dancing
Noel Gallagher, the saner of the two brothers from Oasis, formed this unit in 2011. Since then, they've put together a pretty solid body of work, including three full-length LPs and a host of extended plays. This track comes from an EP he put out this last summer. It's a jaunty, dancy little number that makes you want to move. Gallagher himself says there's a Bowie influence to the track, which I can certainly hear, and I'm sure the whole "Black Star" thing is a reference to Bowie's last album.
13. Tiny Ruins - "Holograms" Tiny Ruins - Holograms
Tiny Ruins are a musical ensemble from Auckland, New Zealand, put together by singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook. This is a slow, kind of dreamy track, that finds Fullbrook describing to her partner how the two of them will live on after their lives are over as dancing beams of light. Nice.
12. Soen - "Martyrs" Soen - Martyrs
Soen is a Swedish progressive metal supergroup whose latest album, Lotus, is first-rate. This track is a great example of melodic metal, with a memorable vocal by Joel Ekelof. The song goes hard, then soft, then hard again. The video is pretty striking, too -- it features all of the band members in various forms of drag, but with beards, five o'clock shadow, etc. It's a striking track from one of the best metal LPs I heard all year (along with Batushka's Hospodi).
11. Kakkmaddafakka - "Sin" Kakkmaddafakka - Sin
Alright, I'm just gonna start by admitting that this is the stupidest band name ever. Don't hold that against them, though. This is a Norwegian indie rock band whose music combines eighties new wave with sixties funk and r&b. This particular track reminds me of an updated version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up". The rest of the band's latest album, Diplomacy, is pretty good, too.
So that's Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs of 2019 list. How are you liking it so far? (I know, you can't answer -- I've got the comments turned off again after the tidal waves my Wonderous Stories review caused a few weeks back, heh heh.) But as good as this has been, it just gets better and better. Come back in a few days, and we'll move on to my Top Ten songs of the year.
I'm not going to do honorable mentions this year, although there were certainly some other songs that I considered strongly. But over the course of the year, these were the guys that really stuck with me, so I'm sticking with them.
As is usual for me, I'm going to give my list over the course of two posts. In this one, Part 1, I'll give you numbers 20 through 11. Then tomorrow (or maybe Sunday, as tomorrow is looking pretty busy), I'll give you numbers 10 through 1.
One thing to note is song links. This year, I've given you links to YouTube playlists for my two Albums lists. I can't do that here, because it would be incomplete -- this year, annoyingly enough, there is one song on my that isn't posted on YouTube (or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter. I bought the CD for the album.) I actually tried to convert it and post it in a private section of YouTube myself so I could link you to it here. But that's probably not all that legal, so it's maybe just as well that I'm enough of a techno-clunk that I couldn't figure out how to do it. (Grrr!)
I have to say, I'm really pleased with this year's list. There are a lot of different styles of music here, and I feel that overall, it represents my 2019 in music pretty well.
Anyway, here's Part 1 of my Top 20 list, in reverse order:
20. Kaiser Chiefs - "Wait" Kaiser Chiefs - Wait
I've been a big fan of this band from Leeds, England for the last 15 years, and this song is a good example of why. Although the lyrics aren't explicitly funny, the music itself is playful and a little bit frisky. I thought the Duck album from which this track was drawn was just an average effort for them, but something about the song itself just made me keep coming back to it. Might be the wispy synth between verses, or the frenzied pace of the chorus, or just the contradiction of energy of the track juxtaposed against the imperative of the title - "Wait!" In any event, why analyze when you can just enjoy.
19. Cassadee Pope - "Take You Home" Cassadee Pope - Take You Home
Now I admit, that there's not a lot of country music that tends to make my lists (although certainly more than jazz or hip-hop), but I do at least listen to a few country artists every year. Cassadee Pope has a special in with me, because while most people know her mostly from the godawful TV show The Voice, I always give her a listen because I loved her a decade or so ago when she was the lead singer of the alternative rock band Hey Monday. (And back then, I thought she was the number one up-and-coming alt rock songstress behind Paramore's Hayley Williams). And Pope's 2019 album Stages is first rate. This track (the first on the LP) in particular grabbed me, although there were quite a few others I liked as well. It finds her baring her soul to a guy she's just met (but feels a connection to), and fantasizing about bringing him home to meet her parents. I especially like the part about the little church "that helped me when I got lost".
18. The Gloaming - "Athas (Joy)" The Gloaming - Athas (Joy)
This track is from an Irish band that consists of both Irish and American musicians. It's sung in Gaelic, and is well named, in that the music is particularly joyful. I especially love the piano here, but that's not to discount any of the other elements. The style of the song is a mixture of traditional Celtic music, new age and classical, with maybe even the lightest sprinkling of jazz. It's an exceptionally beautiful song.
17. Jon Anderson - "Makes Me Happy" Jon Anderson - Makes Me Happy
Regular readers of this blog certainly know this guy. Jon Anderson of Yes fame released an excellent solo album this year that was decades in the works, 1000 Hands: Chapter One. (Kind of makes me crazy that he left the comma out of "1,000", but OK, I'm coping with it.) As you'd expect, it's a very upbeat, poppy album, and this song in particular is just a happy little ditty. God bless this guy! He's been a priceless musical jewel over the years.
16. New Years Day - "My Monsters" New Year Day - My Monsters
New Years Day is a California-based female-fronted alternative hard rock band whose music also has a light goth vibe to it. I've liked them for years, but they can be a little inconsistent. They nailed it on this track, though, which finds singer Ash Costello battling the monsters she's created for herself, psychological and otherwise.
15. Seahawks - "Emergence" Seahawks - Emergence
This track is by the British new age duo Seahawks, from their latest LP Eyes of the Moon. Their music has been characterized as "Psychedelic yacht rock", "deck shoegaze", "hazy beach pop" and "marina drone", all good descriptions. The song is light, bouncy synth with a slurred, almost subliminal voice speaking in the background. It's kind of like a gentle dream that's just carrying you along to pleasant places.
14. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - "Black Star Dancing" Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Black Star Dancing
Noel Gallagher, the saner of the two brothers from Oasis, formed this unit in 2011. Since then, they've put together a pretty solid body of work, including three full-length LPs and a host of extended plays. This track comes from an EP he put out this last summer. It's a jaunty, dancy little number that makes you want to move. Gallagher himself says there's a Bowie influence to the track, which I can certainly hear, and I'm sure the whole "Black Star" thing is a reference to Bowie's last album.
13. Tiny Ruins - "Holograms" Tiny Ruins - Holograms
Tiny Ruins are a musical ensemble from Auckland, New Zealand, put together by singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook. This is a slow, kind of dreamy track, that finds Fullbrook describing to her partner how the two of them will live on after their lives are over as dancing beams of light. Nice.
12. Soen - "Martyrs" Soen - Martyrs
Soen is a Swedish progressive metal supergroup whose latest album, Lotus, is first-rate. This track is a great example of melodic metal, with a memorable vocal by Joel Ekelof. The song goes hard, then soft, then hard again. The video is pretty striking, too -- it features all of the band members in various forms of drag, but with beards, five o'clock shadow, etc. It's a striking track from one of the best metal LPs I heard all year (along with Batushka's Hospodi).
11. Kakkmaddafakka - "Sin" Kakkmaddafakka - Sin
Alright, I'm just gonna start by admitting that this is the stupidest band name ever. Don't hold that against them, though. This is a Norwegian indie rock band whose music combines eighties new wave with sixties funk and r&b. This particular track reminds me of an updated version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up". The rest of the band's latest album, Diplomacy, is pretty good, too.
So that's Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs of 2019 list. How are you liking it so far? (I know, you can't answer -- I've got the comments turned off again after the tidal waves my Wonderous Stories review caused a few weeks back, heh heh.) But as good as this has been, it just gets better and better. Come back in a few days, and we'll move on to my Top Ten songs of the year.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Top 10 Albums of 2019
SO, as promised last week, I start the new year by giving you my Top 10 Albums of 2019. I feel like I kind of rushed this a little -- there are a few LPs I've just started absorbing -- but a list is only a snapshot in time anyway. (But for the record, I'll say that so far, the new albums by The Who and Meg & Dia are both sounding mighty strong to me. And the this is the second time that Barns Courtney just got narrowly nudged out for a Top 10 Albums list.)
As to what constitutes an "album", my rules haven't changed here. It has to be a full-lengther, which has either 7 or more songs, or runs at least 30 minutes. It also has to be all by one artist -- no multi-artist compilations allowed. As has become my practice in a reluctant nod to the times, digital-only releases now qualify. (Especially because, given the limited amount of room in my house, and the ridiculous number of CDs my wife and I own, I'm probably going to have to go mostly digital this year.) And although I don't think I've ever explicitly pointed this out before, I really only consider studio albums for this -- no live or best-of comp albums.
Without further ado, here, in reverse order, are this year's picks.
Top 10 Albums of 2019:
10. Deep Cut - Different Planet
This is the latest effort by this female-fronted alternative rock band from London, which features Matt Flint, the former guitarist of Revolver. To my ears, they've managed to build an LP around songs that sound musically like variations, in different speeds, on the old Byrds song "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" and still make it interesting. It's no mean feat, let me tell you. This is good. Give it a listen.
9. Joe Jackson - Fool
I was pretty shocked by this one, I don't mind telling you. I had no idea that Joe Jackson had an album this good still left in him. Yeah, he was terrific in the eighties, and while I didn't love the Look Sharp album as much as everybody else, I loved the shit out of I'm the Man and Night and Day. But then he left us for awhile, went shuckin' and divin', went full on jazz, and even fancied himself a classical composer, all before finding his way back to what he does best -- well-written pop rock. If you're a fan of Jackson't old stuff but haven't paid him any mind in decades, you'll be amazed at how good this is.
8. The Cranberries - In the End
One of my friends from the Sputnik Music website says simply that this album was a gift. I couldn't have put it any better. We lost a jewel when Dolores O'Riordan passed away suddenly two years ago in the middle of recording a new Cranberries album. And much credit is owed to her often-overlooked bandmates for grieving as they needed to, and then getting to work and editing this LP together. It's a beautiful goodbye to a much-loved artist.
7. Tegan and Sara - Hey, I'm Just Like You
These two Canadian sisters constitute another one of these bands who are just amazingly consistent. I think their last five albums have made my Top 10 Albums list. It's right up my alley -- melodic, slightly alternative, pop rock.
6. Lily & Madeleine - Canterbury Girls
These guys are a folk-pop duo from Indianapolis. A lot of the music is vaguely sad, maybe even a little despairing. Which works for me. Apparently they've been singing together since they were in high school, and it shows -- they've definitely got a chemistry.
5. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Again, color me shocked. Not that The Boss hasn't written anything worthwhile in the last few decades -- just give "The Wrestler" a listen, for instance. But this is the best, and most consistent album Springsteen has put out in probably thirty-five years. This one finds him exploring cowboys and the great American West, and for once, it's not all social injustice and despair. The LP is low-key, but top notch.
4. The Gloaming - The Gloaming 3
The Gloaming is an Irish/American musical conglomeration who mostly perform in Ireland. Their music is part folk, part classical, a little jazzy and very Celtic. This band is the real deal, not just the "Danny Boy" tripe the Irish trot out for the tourists. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and some are sung by a traditional male singer in the "sean-nos" style.
3. All Hail the Silence - Daggers
This is an electronic music duo comprising American electronic musician BT and British singer-songwriter Christian Burns. They're another one of those eighties-loving proteges of Vince Clarke of Erasure, and their music seems heavily influenced by Depeche Mode. They're noted for their use of analog synths.
2. Bayside - Interrobang
What can I say? You know I love these guys. The driving guitars, the biting lyrics, and Anthony Raneri's instantly-recognizable vocals. Every album of theirs has been a winner, and this one is no exception. The track I linked you to on the Top 10 Local Albums list is the LP's biggest banger. The song on the playlist below is the one with the most penetrating lyrics.
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
So this Brooklyn-based band made a clean sweep of my top album awards this year. I'm not sure this one broke them fully into the national consciousness, but it certainly deserved to. I saw them on tour this summer opening for Chvrches, and that band is a good role model for these guys. Just as Chvrches started out as an acclaimed "cult" band a few years ago and worked their way into being a top-level alternative band, that's the path I hope to see Charly Bliss take. Their music and songwriting is already there.
So an interesting year overall. I feel like in many ways, this is an old man's list -- there are a lot of older, or retro artists on here -- but I guess that's kind of understandable, given the author. Here's the link for a playlist giving you a sample from each of these ten albums. Hope you enjoy it. Note that just like this list, the playlist is in reverse order. Top 10 Albums of 2019
Anyway, I'll be back in a few days with Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs list of 2019. Expect to see a few these artists on that list as well.
As to what constitutes an "album", my rules haven't changed here. It has to be a full-lengther, which has either 7 or more songs, or runs at least 30 minutes. It also has to be all by one artist -- no multi-artist compilations allowed. As has become my practice in a reluctant nod to the times, digital-only releases now qualify. (Especially because, given the limited amount of room in my house, and the ridiculous number of CDs my wife and I own, I'm probably going to have to go mostly digital this year.) And although I don't think I've ever explicitly pointed this out before, I really only consider studio albums for this -- no live or best-of comp albums.
Without further ado, here, in reverse order, are this year's picks.
Top 10 Albums of 2019:
10. Deep Cut - Different Planet
This is the latest effort by this female-fronted alternative rock band from London, which features Matt Flint, the former guitarist of Revolver. To my ears, they've managed to build an LP around songs that sound musically like variations, in different speeds, on the old Byrds song "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" and still make it interesting. It's no mean feat, let me tell you. This is good. Give it a listen.
9. Joe Jackson - Fool
I was pretty shocked by this one, I don't mind telling you. I had no idea that Joe Jackson had an album this good still left in him. Yeah, he was terrific in the eighties, and while I didn't love the Look Sharp album as much as everybody else, I loved the shit out of I'm the Man and Night and Day. But then he left us for awhile, went shuckin' and divin', went full on jazz, and even fancied himself a classical composer, all before finding his way back to what he does best -- well-written pop rock. If you're a fan of Jackson't old stuff but haven't paid him any mind in decades, you'll be amazed at how good this is.
8. The Cranberries - In the End
One of my friends from the Sputnik Music website says simply that this album was a gift. I couldn't have put it any better. We lost a jewel when Dolores O'Riordan passed away suddenly two years ago in the middle of recording a new Cranberries album. And much credit is owed to her often-overlooked bandmates for grieving as they needed to, and then getting to work and editing this LP together. It's a beautiful goodbye to a much-loved artist.
7. Tegan and Sara - Hey, I'm Just Like You
These two Canadian sisters constitute another one of these bands who are just amazingly consistent. I think their last five albums have made my Top 10 Albums list. It's right up my alley -- melodic, slightly alternative, pop rock.
6. Lily & Madeleine - Canterbury Girls
These guys are a folk-pop duo from Indianapolis. A lot of the music is vaguely sad, maybe even a little despairing. Which works for me. Apparently they've been singing together since they were in high school, and it shows -- they've definitely got a chemistry.
5. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Again, color me shocked. Not that The Boss hasn't written anything worthwhile in the last few decades -- just give "The Wrestler" a listen, for instance. But this is the best, and most consistent album Springsteen has put out in probably thirty-five years. This one finds him exploring cowboys and the great American West, and for once, it's not all social injustice and despair. The LP is low-key, but top notch.
4. The Gloaming - The Gloaming 3
The Gloaming is an Irish/American musical conglomeration who mostly perform in Ireland. Their music is part folk, part classical, a little jazzy and very Celtic. This band is the real deal, not just the "Danny Boy" tripe the Irish trot out for the tourists. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and some are sung by a traditional male singer in the "sean-nos" style.
3. All Hail the Silence - Daggers
This is an electronic music duo comprising American electronic musician BT and British singer-songwriter Christian Burns. They're another one of those eighties-loving proteges of Vince Clarke of Erasure, and their music seems heavily influenced by Depeche Mode. They're noted for their use of analog synths.
2. Bayside - Interrobang
What can I say? You know I love these guys. The driving guitars, the biting lyrics, and Anthony Raneri's instantly-recognizable vocals. Every album of theirs has been a winner, and this one is no exception. The track I linked you to on the Top 10 Local Albums list is the LP's biggest banger. The song on the playlist below is the one with the most penetrating lyrics.
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
So this Brooklyn-based band made a clean sweep of my top album awards this year. I'm not sure this one broke them fully into the national consciousness, but it certainly deserved to. I saw them on tour this summer opening for Chvrches, and that band is a good role model for these guys. Just as Chvrches started out as an acclaimed "cult" band a few years ago and worked their way into being a top-level alternative band, that's the path I hope to see Charly Bliss take. Their music and songwriting is already there.
So an interesting year overall. I feel like in many ways, this is an old man's list -- there are a lot of older, or retro artists on here -- but I guess that's kind of understandable, given the author. Here's the link for a playlist giving you a sample from each of these ten albums. Hope you enjoy it. Note that just like this list, the playlist is in reverse order. Top 10 Albums of 2019
Anyway, I'll be back in a few days with Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs list of 2019. Expect to see a few these artists on that list as well.
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