Here's my list from 2019, in no particular order per usual:
YYNOT
Resonance
From their beginnings as an top-notch Rush cover band, YYNOT (cheekily named after Rush's signature instrumental "YYZ"), released their second album of originals in two years, and it's great, progressive but also unabashedly commercial sounding. The musicianship and complexity of time signatures assures that these songs won't bore the listener:
THE WHO
Who
What, a new album from one of the greatest rock bands of all-time (don't argue with me, it's just true), and it's not only pretty okay, but it's really great? Yes! This was probably the biggest, happiest surprise for me musically all year. Lyrics, music and vocals still have a mighty wallop. Rage on, punks!
TREY ANASTASIO
Ghosts of the Forest
Guitar slinger extraordinaire from legendary jam band Phish, Trey really comes into his own as a solo artist on this new offering. This album has it all: Dreamy soundscapes, a groove you can drift off to, lyrics that make you think, but not too hard; tasteful soloing, and continually improved singing. Plus, there's a more spiritual side to his music now, which I love.
SLEAFORD MODS
Eton Alive
The only rappers I listen to, I've liked every album these guys have made so far. When this guy raps, I gotta listen. Serious but not self-serious. And that Talking Heads synth vibe, whoa!
RIDE
This Is Not A Safe Place
Possibly my favorite album of the year, this would've fit in nicely in the heady days of 1990-1994, when Ride was at the top of the shoegaze mountain. (Well, if they weren't on top, they were nearing the summit.) Ride was a band I loved the first second I heard them, because they had such a great sound, and then there were the hooks. A very welcome comeback for these guys who are really hitting their stride.
PIROSHKA
Brickbat
Speaking of great shoegaze bands, Miki Berenyi from 80s/90s amazing Lush, after 20-plus years out of the music business has reentered the fray with style. Her new band (named after a Hungarian comfort food that her family used to make), also features members of English bands Moose, Modern English, and Elastica. They carry on the spirit of shoegaze but with a style wholly present in the current age. Welcome back!
THE PARANOID STYLE
A Goddamn Impossible Way of Life
The most literate, and historically and politically informed songwriter I'm aware of today, Elizabeth Nelson sure has a way with words (and a catchy tune). Love this stuff. Please support this amazing indie rocker!
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights
Actually, THIS is my favorite album of the last year. Consistently releasing great album after great album since 2000, this is another winner, with sumptuous tracks like this one:
MORTON VALENCE
Bob And Veronica's Great Escape
Formerly from London, now based in Barcelona, this little band that could captured my heart with the 2009 song "Chandelier." In spite of little to no label support (mostly by choice), they've soldiered on, releasing little gems over the last 10 years. But this newest release is my favorite so far. And this song is just...perfect.
MEAT PUPPETS
Dusty Notes
Speaking of comebacks, these guys don't really qualify, because they've released a few albums in the 2000's already, but this one really is a return to form. Every song on the album is just great. Quirky but always tuneful.
MARTHA
Love Keeps Kicking
This is so adorable and old school and so so indie, and I love it. I wish this kind of music were being made all the time and we were rushing out to record stores to buy it immediately on a weekly basis. We were there somewhere in the the 90s but alas no more. We must nurture these darling little bands and their good vibes!
JULIANA HATFIELD
Weird
Speaking of indie darlings, Ms. Hatfield is still doing it in style and sounds better than ever. (And if you want more, check out her recent covers albums, one of The Police and one of Olivia Newton-John. They are beautiful tributes played in Juliana's lovely indie-rock style.)
IGGY POP
Free
Most fans thought that James Osterberg had given it up for good after his masterful last album, Post Pop Depression with Queens of the Stone Age mastermind Josh Homme, but then he surprised us with this, a very different type of record for Iggy. It doesn't rock out, but it is intense, and beautiful, and very welcome. I would love to see him perform this with a small band in a club setting.
GUSTER
Look Alive
Boston darlings Guster just keep making one great album after another. On this track, they pretend they're from England, with charming results:
CLAYPOOL-LENNON DELIRIUM
South Of Reality
They're at it again, Primus bandleader and bass-player supreme, and Sean Lennon (perhaps the last name is familiar?), with this wonderfully weird and accomplished offering:
BOB MOULD
Sunshine Rock
Simultaneously funny, heavy and serious, Bob nails it on this somewhat ironically titled new album, one of his best in a long line of great, great works.
BLACK STAR RIDERS
Another State of Grace
Do you miss Thin Lizzy? Well, I do, a lot, still. Well, Scott Gorham, former guitar-slinger from the classic Lizzy lineup formed Black Star Riders, and they are fully channeling the spirit of Phil Lynott here, in the best way. Classic rock, very powerful, without feeling like a cheap re-tread. Well done boys!
Well, that's it for my favorites. Honorable mentions:
Ty Segall, rockin' onward with First Taste.
Thoughts Detecting Machines (ongoing solo project from Rick Valentin of the ever-awesome Poster Children) newest offering Sound, Noise & You.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela jam on with the excellent Mettavolution.
The Pixies, with better-than-expected Beneath The Eyrie.
The Pernice Brothers with a very welcome comeback album Spread The Feeling.
No-Man (one of Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson's many side projects) released the almost dancable and very good Love You To Bits.
Yes's vocalist Jon Anderson keeps the beautiful vibes coming with 1000 Hands, Chapter One. Beatiful, positive stuff.
Gruff Rhys, of the most wonderful and legendary Super Furry Animals, released another album, Pang! and it was good. What is about Gruff's voice that I love so much?
Gang of Four soldier on with the ironically titled Happy Now.
The Faint (who are fantastic live, by the way, go see the if you can) released the very strong Egowerk.
The Earth, from Wales and also including a member of the Super Furry Animals, released the soulful Lost Property to almost no fanfare (they even forgot to mention it on their Facebook page for about a week), but it's a winner.
Alan Parsons (no longer a Project, without original founder & chief songwriter Eric Woolfson who sadly passed away), carries the torch with the warm-hearted and beautiful-sounding The Secret. Better than I'd hoped for and best thing he's done since the heady APP days.
And finally, punk/rock stalwarts Bad Religion continue to preach with The Age Of Unreason. Go, BR, go!
When I started writing this year-end post, I thought it hadn't been a very memorable year in music, but that's the beauty of writing these things. As the evidence above shows, it was a very good year! And even more astounding is the fact that I've seen almost NONE of these albums on other music website lists. There's that much great music happening today. Enjoy!
