Anybody else think that 2019 was a really good year for new album releases?
In fact it was so good that I’ve struggled to condense everything that spun my wheels into a top 10.

My overall thought is that it was a great year for women songwriters and musicians with some truly inspirational music especially coming from FKA Twigs, Sharon Van Etten, Weyes Blood, Brittany Howard, and Lana Del Rey.

So here’s my top 10. Be great to hear yours.

1. FKA Twigs – Magdalene. An astounding dreamy follow up to her debut from 5 years ago. At times it sounded like she was beaming in from another planet altogether. Anyone who ever liked Kate Bush or Bjork should have a listen.

2. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow. Totally catchy indie pop/rock that reminded me of Patti Smith at times. What a show she put on at Glasto this year.

3. Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka. His last album was great enough but he managed to top it with some heart-warming rock and soul music that at times veered down psychedelic avenues.

4. Angel Olsen – All Mirrors. A sharp left turn for former lo-fi artist Angel who has created a cinematic soundscape for her songs complete with 14-piece orchestra.

5. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising. Another album of outstanding and goosebump inducing orchestral pop and achingly beautiful songs. Songwriter and singer Natalie Mering, who is behind the Weyes Blood project, is going to be a superstar very soon.

6. Beck – Hyperspace. Fabulous return to form for Mr Hansen who has conjured up an album taking all the best components of his 25 year long career. You can hear elements of Mellow Gold, Odelay, Mutations, Midnite Vultures and Sea Change right across it.

7. Britanny Howard – Jaime. The singer, bass player and driving force behind roots rock band Alabama Shakes has created a unique hybrid of nu-soul, spacey modern jazz and hip-hop with a set of very personal and affecting songs.

8. Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury. This year’s biggest musical surprise was hearing how Sturgill had abandoned his contemporary country sound to release this album of ZZ Top inspired hard-hitting electro-rock. It really does need to be heard to be believed.

9. Magpie Salute - High Water II. The most Stones sounding new album released this year. Think of a cross between Exile, Humble Pie and the Faces and the best work of The Black Crowes and you've got a good idea of what it sounds like.

10. Lana Del Rey – Norman @#$%& Rockwell. Confrontational as ever and how did she get away with an album title like that? More great melancholic pop from Lizzie Grant and on the epic nine-minute long Venice Bitch she veers off into a hypnotic prog rock opus. Bizarre but entertaining all the way through.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-05 12:31 by Silver Dagger.

Great List Silver Dagger.
I would add Raphael Saddiq's new album; Bastille's latest; Mark Lanegan; Nick Cave; Ra Ra Riot; Peter Perrett; Purple Mountains; Big Thief; Liam Gallagher; Starcrawler.
But I agree with all your titles. Don't know all of them, but most.

The Who - WHO

I really enjoyed Tool's Fear Inoculum. It was a long 13-year wait after 2006's 10,000 Days, but it was mostly worth it. It's not an all-time classic, but a great album nonetheless. Danny Carey is an inhuman percussionist.

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Palace Revolution 2000
Great List Silver Dagger.
I would add Raphael Saddiq's new album; Bastille's latest; Mark Lanegan; Nick Cave; Ra Ra Riot; Peter Perrett; Purple Mountains; Big Thief; Liam Gallagher; Starcrawler.
But I agree with all your titles. Don't know all of them, but most.

I have the Nick Cave and love it but didn't include it in my top 10 because it's such as heavy duty listen and can't imagine me playing it too much. Also have the Peter Perrett, Purple Mountains and Liam Gallagher. All really enjoyable.

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peoplewitheyes
The Who - WHO

Can't wait to hear it.

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peoplewitheyes
The Who - WHO

Absolutely amazing!

Real Rolling Stones fans will of course anwser: NONE! -since there's no new album

Who - The Who
Why Me? Why Not. - Liam Gallagher
Mad Lad - Woody

That's about it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-05 20:15 by CJFP.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Colorado

And waiting for the new WHO to arrive.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

My top albums for 2019:

1) Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
2) Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet
3) Yola - Walk Through Fire
4) Gary Clark, Jr. - This Land
5) Calexico/Iron & Wine - Years to Burn
6) Elbow - Giants of All Sizes
7) Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
8) Brittany Howard - Jamie

I've never listened to FKA Twigs. Thanks Silver Dagger, I'll give it a listen.

49. The Magpie Salute - High Water II
48. Ian Brown - Ripples
47. Hollywood Vampires - Rise
46. Madonna - Madame X
45. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
44. Ryan Bingham - American Love Song
43. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
42. Kanye West - Jesus Is King
41. Tyler, The Creator - Igor
40. Kalie Shorr - Open Book
39. Mabel - High Expectations
38. Gary Clark Jr - This Land
37. Maren Morris - Girl
36. Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury
35. Common - Let Love
34. Hayes Carll - What It Is
33. Ronnie Wood - Mad Lad
32. Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real - Turn off The News (Build A Garden)
31. Vince Gill - Okie
30. Anderson .Paak - Ventura
29. Luke Combs - What You See Is What You Get
28. Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Servants of The Sun
27. Midland - Let It Roll
26. Tyler Childers - Country Squire
25. Black Pumas - Black Pumas
24. Sampa The Great - The Return
23. Paul Cauthen - Room 41
22. Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not
21. Norah Jones - Begin Again
20. George Strait - Honky Tonk Time Machine
19. Gang Starr - One of The Best Yet
18. Samantha Fish - Kill or Be Kind
17. Quaker City Night Hawks - QCNH
16. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Signs
15. Yola - Walk Though Fire
14. Jamila Woods - Legacy! Legacy!
13. Taylor Swift - Lover
12. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
11. Lauren Jenkins - No Saint
10. Runaway June - Blue Roses
9. The Highwomen - The Highwomen
8. Mike and The Moonpies - Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold
7. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin
6. Charli XCX - Charli
5. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
4. Denzel Curry - Zuu
3. Rhiannon Giddens - There Is No Other
2. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
1. Our Native Daughters - Songs of Our Native Daughters

It has been Rhiannon Giddens' year. Oh yes. Also in concert, she's absolutely brilliant.

Magpie Salute & Ian Brown are painfully bad albums from artists I usually adore. Although it's the third Magpie Salute album in a row that proves they can't write songs. I blame the singer, but the riffs aren't memorable either. Poor, really poor stuff.


Also enjoyed archive releases from CCR, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye & The Rolling Stones. And EP's from Hailey Whitters, Maddie & Tae, Fairground Saints, Ashley Monroe, Lainey Wilson.

(Still listening to Carly Rae Jepsen; also belongs somewhere in my top 15.)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-05 22:28 by BowieStone.

Top 5:

Solange - When I Get Home
Big Thief - UFOF
JPEGMAFIA - All My Heroes Are Cornballs
Pond - Tasmania
Toro Y Moi - Outer Peace

In no particular order:

Deerhunter - Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
James Blake - Assume Form
Kelsey Lu - Blood
Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe
Blood Orange - Angel’s Pulse
Hot Chip - A Bathful of Ecstasy
Thom Yorke - ANIMA
Barker - Utility
Chemical Brothers - No Geography
W.H. Lung - Incident Music
Brockhampton - Ginger
Kevin Abstract - Arizona Baby
Denzel Curry - ZUU
Rhye - Spirit
Tyler, The Creator - IGOR
Weval - The Weight
Aldous Harding - Designer
Brittany Howard - Jaime
Animistic Beliefs - Mindset:Reset
Injury Reserve - Injury Reserve
Bon Iver - i,i
Tourist - Everyday
Flying Lotus - Flamagra
Kindness - Something Like a War
Four Tet - Live at Alexandra Palace (went to this gig; utterly mesmerising)
Danny Brown - uknowwhatimsayin¿
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Skepta - Ignorance is Bliss
Big Thief - Two Hands
Black Marble - Bigger Than Life
Kim Gordon - No Home Record
Steve Gunn - The Unseen in Between
(Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
Earl Sweatshirt - FEET OF CLAY
Desert Sessions - Vols. 11 & 12
Gabriel Birnbaum - Not Alone
Hand Habits - Placeholder
Tycho - Weather
Pond - Sessions (Live)
Vegyn - Only Diamonds Cut Diamonds



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-06 16:09 by Bastion.

Silver Dagger - the latest Weyes Blood album does nothing for me. What makes it great for you?

danish string quartet - prism ii (schittke, beethoven, bach)
gene clark - no other (reissue)
beatles - abbey road (50th anniv reissue)
nick cave - ghosteen
stan getz - getz at the gate (live)
sunn o))) - life metal
william tyler - goes west
beirut - gallipoli
coltrane - blue world
andrew norman - sustain (la phil/dudamel)

“Favourite Albums of 2019”

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LazarusSmith
beatles - abbey road

lol wat

….. In that case Laz ….

Its the Let It Bleed reissue for me …



ROCKMAN

For some reason, Turd on the Run comes to mind.... So it has to be EOMS.

For me it’s a soundtrack to the film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, absolutely stellar release.

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

HONK!

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NilsHolgersson
HONK!

Bhahahahahaha haha haha!


Good one

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

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LazarusSmith
danish string quartet - prism ii (schittke, beethoven, bach)
gene clark - no other (reissue)
beatles - abbey road (50th anniv reissue)
nick cave - ghosteen
stan getz - getz at the gate (live)
sunn o))) - life metal
william tyler - goes west
beirut - gallipoli
coltrane - blue world
andrew norman - sustain (la phil/dudamel)

I forgot to add the Beirut album to my list. Great release. And Bastion mentions Deerhunter, which I also overlooked.

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BowieStone
49. The Magpie Salute - High Water II
48. Ian Brown - Ripples
47. Hollywood Vampires - Rise
46. Madonna - Madame X
45. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
44. Ryan Bingham - American Love Song
43. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
42. Kanye West - Jesus Is King
41. Tyler, The Creator - Igor
40. Kalie Shorr - Open Book
39. Mabel - High Expectations
38. Gary Clark Jr - This Land
37. Maren Morris - Girl
36. Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury
35. Common - Let Love
34. Hayes Carll - What It Is
33. Ronnie Wood - Mad Lad
32. Lukas Nelson & The Promise of The Real - Turn off The News (Build A Garden)
31. Vince Gill - Okie
30. Anderson .Paak - Ventura
29. Luke Combs - What You See Is What You Get
28. Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Servants of The Sun
27. Midland - Let It Roll
26. Tyler Childers - Country Squire
25. Black Pumas - Black Pumas
24. Sampa The Great - The Return
23. Paul Cauthen - Room 41
22. Liam Gallagher - Why Me? Why Not
21. Norah Jones - Begin Again
20. George Strait - Honky Tonk Time Machine
19. Gang Starr - One of The Best Yet
18. Samantha Fish - Kill or Be Kind
17. Quaker City Night Hawks - QCNH
16. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Signs
15. Yola - Walk Though Fire
14. Jamila Woods - Legacy! Legacy!
13. Taylor Swift - Lover
12. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
11. Lauren Jenkins - No Saint
10. Runaway June - Blue Roses
9. The Highwomen - The Highwomen
8. Mike and The Moonpies - Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold
7. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin
6. Charli XCX - Charli
5. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
4. Denzel Curry - Zuu
3. Rhiannon Giddens - There Is No Other
2. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
1. Our Native Daughters - Songs of Our Native Daughters

It has been Rhiannon Giddens' year. Oh yes. Also in concert, she's absolutely brilliant.

Magpie Salute & Ian Brown are painfully bad albums from artists I usually adore. Although it's the third Magpie Salute album in a row that proves they can't write songs. I blame the singer, but the riffs aren't memorable either. Poor, really poor stuff.


Also enjoyed archive releases from CCR, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye & The Rolling Stones. And EP's from Hailey Whitters, Maddie & Tae, Fairground Saints, Ashley Monroe, Lainey Wilson.

(Still listening to Carly Rae Jepsen; also belongs somewhere in my top 15.)

Always love reading your lists BS. The man with the most eclectic music taste on IORR. Very refreshing not to be stuck in the past!

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Bastion
Silver Dagger - the latest Weyes Blood album does nothing for me. What makes it great for you?

I just like her voice and the songs. It's low key but I have a moment for that kind of sound. She's an interesting character. Adores Moby Grape and Love which is heart-warming.

Exile On Main Street

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Bastion
“Favourite Albums of 2019”

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LazarusSmith
beatles - abbey road

lol wat

LOL you lissen to all the new sh*t that was on that 50th anniv release? it’s not a let it bleed 50th ripoff — it adds vital info to the understanding of rock’s most important band at the time of their breakup.

"Lost Under Heaven" second album. Bastion and SilverDagger, if you havent heard it, check it out. Can't believe I did not mention it sooner.

Quote
LazarusSmith

Quote
Bastion
“Favourite Albums of 2019”

Quote
LazarusSmith
beatles - abbey road

lol wat

LOL you lissen to all the new sh*t that was on that 50th anniv release? it’s not a let it bleed 50th ripoff — it adds vital info to the understanding of rock’s most important band at the time of their breakup.

We’re talking about albums released in 2019. You know, new material. Relevant music.

Twin Peaks: Lookout Low
Neil Young: Colorado
Lee Scratch Perry: Rainford
Lee Scratch Perry: Heavy Rain
Kinks: Arthur 50th deluxe
Bob Dylan: Rolling Thunder
Iggy Pop: Free



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-12-07 15:58 by Maindefender.

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Palace Revolution 2000
"Lost Under Heaven" second album. Bastion and SilverDagger, if you havent heard it, check it out. Can't believe I did not mention it sooner.

Certainly will - thank you.