2018 was a lousy year for music. As a chart-obsessed musical optimist, I didn't really broadcast that sentiment. But truth be told, when it came time for last year's annual recap, I was hard pressed to find ten records I liked enough to merit inclusion in a best-of list. Thankfully, 2018 was a fluke. This past year busted loose with musical greatness all over the place. Here's ten of the best to check out:
10. Red Hearse - Red Hearse - Less a band and more a meeting of musical genius, Red Hearse is the Fun (pun intended) new collaboration of super-producer Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lorde, and his own bands, Fun and Bleachers) with beatmaker Sounwave (who was responsible for much of Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN!") and singer Sam Dew, who's written for Rihanna and Zayn Malik among others. Together, they've crafted a sleek minimal album of modern R&B led by Antonoff's future-retro synths, Sounwave's pulsing percussion, and Dew's impressive falsetto. It's a short record of relentless urgency and confidence from three players at the top of their game.
9. Morrissey - California Son - No artist is more polarizing to his fans these days than Morrissey, former vocalist of the Smiths and the once morose messiah for an entire generation of misunderstood, maladjusted youth. Decades on, Morrissey keeps damaging his legacy through his support of extreme right-wing UK politicians and a series of controversial statements some have labelled xenophobic at best. It's a shame, too, because "California Son," his first ever album of all covers, is a charming and solid collection. Perhaps the most shocking thing about 2019 Morrissey is that he finally sounds like he's in a good mood.
8. White Reaper - You Deserve Love - Kentucky's White Reaper jokingly called their last album "The World's Best American Band," but they weren't too far off the mark. Shrugging off modern rock trends and focusing instead on harmonized guitars and power hooks, White Reaper owe more to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick than the current radio sound. Landing a major label deal this year with Elektra Records this year, "You Deserve Love" is a slightly more polished affair, but still full of the same headstrong snottiness, killer tunes, and absolute lack of pretention that makes them one of the most vital bands on the planet.
7. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - HOW could an album this striking, confident, and professional come from a 17-year-old noodling around with her brother in their bedroom studio? Did they have any idea they'd be redefining the pop landscape? "Moody" doesn't begin to describe this record -- it's downright dark and haunting, with Eilish's barely-above-a-whisper ASMR croons flowing loosely over her brother's minimal musical landscapes. It's emotional, affecting, and holds a gravitas that defies her age yet resonates with a new generation of pop fans. Billie Eilish is the hero our radios needed in 2019.
6. Sekai No Owari - Eye/Lip - The charts may have been owned this year by Lizzo, Billie, and Ariana, but the grandest pop music being made right now comes from a band who are massive superstars in most of the world but virtual unknowns in America. Japan's Sekai No Owari are SO prolific that in 2019, they released TWO full-length albums on the same day, "Eye" and "Lip." Both are spectacles of sing-along pop sunshine even if you don't speak the language. Despite running the gamut from dancefloor techno to wistful ballads to New Orleans jazz and big band swing, "Eye" and "Lip" are still strangely cohesive and utterly enjoyable. Just try it. It won't leave your headphones for a long time, trust me.
5. Deep Cut - Different Planet - I've reached the age where I'm starting to repeat the sort of cringe-worthy things my parents once said to me: "Today's kids just don't understand what good music is." But hey, it's not MY fault the greatest music of all time ever just happened to come out when I was in college. Deep Cut is the family project of Mat Flint, who once fronted one of my favorite bands of that era, Revolver. Together with his wife, brother, and brother-in-law, they sporadically release albums that harken back to that magical era of psychedelic swirls, fuzzy guitars, and magnetic melodic jangle-pop that makes me yearn for the days of mixtapes and midterms.
4. Sault - 5 - Not much is known about the mysterious outfit Sault, who arrived in 2019 with not one but TWO albums, "5" and "7." Based on what limited information has been made public, the loose collective may rotate around producer Inflo and is rumored to also involve British rapper Little Simz and Kanye West protege Kid Sister. One thing we DO know, though - the results are magic. Both records ("5" is a little more striking than "7") are groove-heavy experiments that melt R&B, funk, dub, and tribal rhythms into the best vibe of the year. There's no better soundtrack to drive around town and lose yourself in.
3. Susto - Ever Since I Lost My Mind - South Carolina's Susto have become an annual crowd favorite at Maquoketa's Codfish Hollow, and it's easy to see why. Leader Justin Osborne's hook-filled, no-pretenses songwriting is refreshing in an era where every acclaimed tunesmith seems to compete for who has the longest beard, highest falsetto, and most obtuse lyrics. Known for songs about rebellion, substance abuse, and the celebration of youth, "Ever Since I Lost My Mind" finds Osborne coming to terms with adulthood, a new wife, and a baby on the way. None of this has settled or compromised Osborne musically, and his newfound maturity hasn't affected his ability to craft emotional barnstormers that tackle weighty subjects with honesty and an unspoken optimism.
2. Ride - This Is Not A Safe Place - When 90s Brit shoegazers Ride announced their reunion back in 2014, it was a dream come true for yours truly. I've spent most of my life championing the band to anyone who would listen, and when they announced their first US comeback show, we packed up the car and drove to NYC to be in that crowd. But no one, not even me, could have anticipated their post-reunion output to be as good as it's been. "This is Not a Safe Place" is their second album since the comeback. Rather than retread their vintage psychedelic sound for the nostalgia circuit, Ride continue to challenge and expand their sonic palette while giving bands a clinic in what a second go-around should sound like. "It's funny, people hate you to change," they sing on "Repetition." "They want you just to repeat and stay the same." No worries here, lads. We're still along for the Ride.
1. Tripmaster Monkey - My East Is Your West - Here's where I have to convince you that of all the kajillion records released in 2019, the best one of all comes from a Quad Cities band. But it DOES. Well, technically they're not all from the QC anymore. After a noteworthy career in the 90s, half of Tripmaster Monkey moved out west, but this year they reunited for little more than the love of four friends making music together. For a record conceived and mostly recorded via the internet, it's shockingly the most cohesive record of Tripmaster's career and expands their patented alt-rock sound with decades of influences. It's not just a welcome reminder of the things that make the Quad Cities special. It's not just a feelgood story for a hometown newspaper. It's the best album of the year - period.
No comments:
Post a Comment