Best albums of 2019 (Spotify playlists in 1st post) (3 Viewers)

[Eephus]

My daughter's friend from back in grade school just released her second album.  Georgia English - Learn to Drive  I can remember watching her in talent shows when she was a kid just learning to play guitar.  Since then she's graduated from Berklee and moved to Nashville to write songs and play music. 

Give her a spin and turn down the sound if you don't care for her understated brand of Americana so she can get her $0.00002 from Spotify.

 

[Eephus]

On a more serious note, I like the debut album from Dublin band The Murder Capital.  They hit a lot of familiar post-punk touch points: rolling toms, Hooksey basslines and jagged guitars.  The singer occasionally sounds like Joy Division and IDLES if that makes any sense.  It was produced by Flood who's worked with Cave, Harvey and U2 so it has a big professional sound that's clean except where it needs to be dirty.

The Murder Capital - More Is Less

The Murder Capital - Green & Blue

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

My daughter's friend from back in grade school just released her second album.  Georgia English - Learn to Drive  I can remember watching her in talent shows when she was a kid just learning to play guitar.  Since then she's graduated from Berklee and moved to Nashville to write songs and play music. 

Give her a spin and turn down the sound if you don't care for her understated brand of Americana so she can get her $0.00002 from Spotify.

I'll give a very similar plug.  

My daughter's friend is in a band called Lula Wiles that recently released their 2nd album.  It's receiving some pretty good reviews and they are touring more nationally now. They play bluegrass/folk and sing some beautiful harmonies. Although not totally in my wheelhouse I'm liking the album quite a bit---and it did receive @simey's seal of approval  

Her friend also graduated from Berklee CoM (in 2016) and has moved to Nashville with her band mates.  When did your daughter's friend graduate from Berklee?

 

[Eephus]

Her friend also graduated from Berklee CoM (in 2016) and has moved to Nashville with her band mates.  When did your daughter's friend graduate from Berklee?

If she graduated on schedule, Georgia would be class of 2014.

 

[El Floppo]

On a more serious note, I like the debut album from Dublin band The Murder Capital.  They hit a lot of familiar post-punk touch points: rolling toms, Hooksey basslines and jagged guitars.  The singer occasionally sounds like Joy Division and IDLES if that makes any sense.  It was produced by Flood who's worked with Cave, Harvey and U2 so it has a big professional sound that's clean except where it needs to be dirty.

The Murder Capital - More Is Less

The Murder Capital - Green & Blue

These guys were spotified to me last week or so.. Completely enjoy them.

 

[El Floppo]

and I was having drinks with an Irish friend last night who also likes music- we were raving about Fontaines DC, and I was trying to remember the name of these guys as another Dublin band but couldn't. 

 

[El Floppo]

new Battles single, Titanium 2 step is annoying as hell. I love it.

 

[El Floppo]

dandy warhols? really?

tune popped up on my dw playlist today- makes me want to listen to the rest of the album, which was released this year. 

eta: followed up by a new shonen knife album?! well ok then. 

 

[Long Ball Larry]

My daughter's friend from back in grade school just released her second album.  Georgia English - Learn to Drive  I can remember watching her in talent shows when she was a kid just learning to play guitar.  Since then she's graduated from Berklee and moved to Nashville to write songs and play music. 

Give her a spin and turn down the sound if you don't care for her understated brand of Americana so she can get her $0.00002 from Spotify.

I will listen, but just to comment on the Spotify thing (which may or may not be a dig at Spotify) to be fair, Spotify really does open a better door to a middle class (or lower middle class/lower class) musician lifestyle than would have existed 10, 20, 30 years ago, assuming independent.

 

[Eephus]

I will listen, but just to comment on the Spotify thing (which may or may not be a dig at Spotify) to be fair, Spotify really does open a better door to a middle class (or lower middle class/lower class) musician lifestyle than would have existed 10, 20, 30 years ago, assuming independent.

Fair point.  It's much easier today for an artist to make his or her music available to their audience.  Production and distribution of physical media for indies has always been a sketchy business.  The streaming services don't make it easy to make money but there's reduced downside risk of an artist losing big if a rack jobber or record store cheats them on their CDs.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

I'll give a very similar plug.  

My daughter's friend is in a band called Lula Wiles that recently released their 2nd album.  It's receiving some pretty good reviews and they are touring more nationally now. They play bluegrass/folk and sing some beautiful harmonies. Although not totally in my wheelhouse I'm liking the album quite a bit---and it did receive @simey's seal of approval  

Her friend also graduated from Berklee CoM (in 2016) and has moved to Nashville with her band mates.  When did your daughter's friend graduate from Berklee?

I think That good to you song really has something.  I think that could maybe have a little change to the arrangement and production, and it could be a huge hit (at least with the demographic of me)

 

[Long Ball Larry]

My daughter's friend from back in grade school just released her second album.  Georgia English - Learn to Drive  I can remember watching her in talent shows when she was a kid just learning to play guitar.  Since then she's graduated from Berklee and moved to Nashville to write songs and play music. 

Give her a spin and turn down the sound if you don't care for her understated brand of Americana so she can get her $0.00002 from Spotify.

Oops, that was supposed to go to eephus.  

I think That good to you song really has something.  I think that could maybe have a little change to the arrangement and production, and it could be a huge hit (at least with the demographic of me)

Now I have to go back and listen to marco’splug....

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Sheer Mag!

 

[wazoo11]

Maya Hawke released a single and she is uber talented 

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Will be posting my full report in the new Taylor Swift album later 

 

[rockaction]

Will be posting my full report in the new Taylor Swift album later 

Breath...

bated. 

I wonder what she does for an audience these days. So many strippers...I mean, performing solo pop female artists, have to re-invent themselves in some way. I'm not sure how she's going to do it. 

 

[JZilla]

Kickin it with the new Jay Som 

 

[Northern Voice]

I wonder what she does for an audience these days. So many strippers...I mean, performing solo pop female artists, have to re-invent themselves in some way. I'm not sure how she's going to do it. 

I like 'You Need to Calm Down' (and Taylor Swift in general).  

 

[Eephus]

Some people commented they liked the Modern Nature song I picked in the mid-year draft.  Their debut album is out today and delivers the same sort of off-kilter sound that bounces between experrimental and pastoral.

 

[rockaction]

I like 'You Need to Calm Down' (and Taylor Swift in general).  

Yeah, I don't disagree and was being cheeky. I think I picked her for a draft once. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, for the one where words in song title > six.

 

[Eephus]

Will be posting my full report in the new Taylor Swift album later 

I've made through all 18 tracks.  I understand the economics behind lots of songs on pop albums in the streaming era but there are a bunch that probably should remained outtakes.

There's a lot of craft on display here with musical and lyrical hooks and bright instrumental flourishes.  But you don't have to listen very long or very hard to hear the wheels of the machine turning.  The meter of her verse is simple and predictable and the melodies have the same bag of tricks on repeat. 

I liked Lover, Death by a Thousand Cuts, Soon You'll Get Better and You Need to Calm Down as three minute singles.  If you can't stand her, give London Boy a spin.  It's awful.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Breath...

bated. 

I wonder what she does for an audience these days. So many strippers...I mean, performing solo pop female artists, have to re-invent themselves in some way. I'm not sure how she's going to do it. 

Her audience is mostly teen/tween girls. I'll ask my wife, she took the kid last time around.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

People - The 1975

where the hell did this come from?  Does the 1975 have some super-secret In-N-Out menu of amazing songs somewhere?

 

[D_House]

Not really feeling the new Chance the Rapper album. Twenty two tracks with skits and not enough obvious singles. On first listen I liked the En Vogue feature and “We Go High”.

 

[El Floppo]

I was away Friday, so just getting to my RR... and it looks promising:

the districts

metz

bat for lashes

twin peaks (!)

city calm down

amen dunes

pile

tropical #### storm (new album!)

elbow

gong gong gong III (!)

anna meredith

OMD (?)

DIIV

sheer mag

jay som

lower dens

surfer blood

iguana death cult

sigur ros.... wait a sec... #### you and your sleep, sigur ros.

 

[El Floppo]

I was away Friday, so just getting to my RR... and it looks promising:

the districts- ok

metz- good cover

bat for lashes- already forgotten, but am a fan

twin peaks (!)- seemed like a new direction... a bit pavement-ish blues- interested to hear the next stuff coming

city calm down- new stuff has been really not turning my crank

amen dunes- remix (and when I type that, I immediately think of this)

pile- good

tropical #### storm (new album!)- love this. songs are all pretty consistent, and maybe a bit one-note... but dammit, I love the note.

elbow- liked it

gong gong gong III (!)- might be running its course for me, but still enjoyable

anna meredith- really dug it

OMD (?)- I was a huge fan as a kid, so soft spots aside... meh.

DIIV

sheer mag

jay som

lower dens

surfer blood

iguana death cult

sigur ros.... wait a sec... #### you and your sleep, sigur ros. "i do not like this song"

 

[JZilla]

Yes on Metz’ G Numan cover and Pile’s rework of “My Employer” 

I like the new tune by Mike Pace and there are a couple good ones by Jay Som. Also I think my favorite on Trop FS is the last song but overall it’s pretty raw for our tastes around here

 

[El Floppo]

Yes on Metz’ G Numan cover and Pile’s rework of “My Employer” 

I like the new tune by Mike Pace and there are a couple good ones by Jay Som. Also I think my favorite on Trop FS is the last song but overall it’s pretty raw for our tastes around here

I knew the cover, but couldn't place it- thanks.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Like that Modern Nature album and the Gerbils reissue. 

 

[El Floppo]

I've been watching these new south whales "rockumentary" series on aussie comedy central (available online), which is an ok laugh.

but their newish single has been growing on me on every listen- nerve 2 reverse

 

[Good Posting Judge]

New Little Brother sounds tremendous so far.

 

[TripleThreat]

anyone listening to the new TOOL?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Jay Som's latest is hitting the right spot for me.  

 

[rockaction]

New Little Brother sounds tremendous so far.

Lovin' this so far.

 

[-arcK-]

anyone listening to the new TOOL?

Soon as I get the chance. Dang work. Can't wait!!

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Soon as I get the chance. Dang work. Can't wait!!

You might have to quit your job.  Those tracks are lengthy!

 

[-arcK-]

You might have to quit your job.  Those tracks are lengthy!

Ha! I wouldn't expect anything less.

 

[JZilla]

anyone listening to the new TOOL?

I am.  It's Tooly af

 

[TripleThreat]

it's a headphones immersion experience 

 

[Jaysus]

anyone listening to the new TOOL?

I just finished it... honestly, it was a bit of a chore. Loved the last song though.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I just finished it... honestly, it was a bit of a chore. Loved the last song though.

I find them exhausting but for a song or two they’re good. 

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Anybody ever listened to Major Stars? These are guitars of size. 

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Whitney is good if you like Whitney. Love their guitarist’s tone. 

 

[rockaction]

Whitney is good if you like Whitney. Love their guitarist’s tone. 

I'm so old I thought you meant Ms. Houston, rest her soul. 

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I'm so old I thought you meant Ms. Houston, rest her soul. 

RIP

 

[Fiddles]

knocked loose is my new jam at the gym

 

[Jaysus]

I'm getting impatient waiting for Hello Exile to drop so I can update the top of my AoTY list

 

[ericttspikes]

anyone listening to the new TOOL?

I love it. 

Saw that it got a 5.4 from Pitchfork which is like "Best New Music" in their Tool album rating system.

Still love their 1.9 review for Lateralus.

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8104-lateralus/

People either hate or love Tool. I appreciate everything they put out and dig the sound that group of musicians make. They may be derivative of themselves, but they still developed a completely unique style of music the makes me feel good played very loud. Chocolate Chip Trip is like Danny Carey's Moby ****, both are dumb "songs" that sonically blow me away and make appreciate the greatness of both rock drummers.

 

[Eephus]

Young Guv!

New single out today.

I'm late to the party on the GUV I album but GUV II comes out next month.  Top two Big Star albums of the year 2019.

 

[El Floppo]

just getting to RR... another fun one, pre-listen:

metronomy

foals

fever ray, bjork (?!)

spielbergs (!)

ex hex

teh growlers

chastity belt

brand new heavies (?!)

grimes, i_o

matt bianco (whoa... RR putting me in a way-back machine for the late 80s- bnh and matt bianco?!)

squid (full album)

lower dens

TVAM

billy brag

mikal cronin

blood orange

young guv