No need for a super long intro this year, so let’s get to it. For 2019, I really desired immediacy in my music. Life’s busy, and with more access to music than ever before, if something didn’t capture me right away, I kind’ve moved on. So this year’s list won’t feature as much of the introspective R&B, hip-hop, or atmospheric/experimental stuff that might usually interest me even if critics told me it should. (Sorry FKA Twigs, Solange, Nick Cave, etc….not this year.) I listened to 150 albums released in 2019, 141 of which are eligible for my list (as always EP’s, soundtracks, holiday album, b-sides, or reissues are not eligible). So as always, if an album you like isn’t listed here, it’s cause I didn’t hear it, or just plain didn’t like it as much as you. And away we go:
50) Alex Cameron – Miami Memory
49) Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won’t Hold
48) Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender
47) Inter Arma – Sulphur English
46) Vagabon – Vagabon
45) Baroness – Gold & Grey
44) Faye Webster – Atlanta Millionaires Club
43) PUP – Morbid Stuff
42) American Football – LP3
41) Helado Negro – This is How You Smile
40) Jenny Lewis – On The Line
39) Pedro the Lion – Phoenix
38) Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated
37) Cherry Glazerr – Stuffed & Ready
36) Caroline Polaochek – Pang
35) Nilüfer Yanya – Miss Universe
34) The Yawpers – Human Question
33) Oso Oso – Basking in the Glow
32) Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
31) Mannequin Pussy – Patience
30) Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs
29) Hand Habits – Placeholder
28) Spielbergs – This Is Not The End
27) Girlpool – What Chaos is Imaginary
26) William Tyler – Goes West
25) Spellling – Mazy Fly
24) Great Grandpa – Four of Arrows
23) The Hold Steady – Thrashing Through the Passion
22) Alex Lahey – The Best of Luck Club
21) Ariana Grande – thank u, next
20) Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
19) Sir Babygirl – Crush On Me
18) The National – I Am Easy To Find
17) Bon Iver – i,i
16) The Menzingers – Hello Exile
15) Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
14) Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury
13) Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
12) Julia Jacklin – Crushing
11) Jay Som – Anak Ko
———-
10) Lana Del Rey – Norman F***ing Rockwell!
[Interscope; released 8/30/2019]
Lana Del Rey’s 6th album is easily her strongest yet, a gorgeous, heartfelt, and mature collection of baroque pop songs from someone whose songwriting and talent is now fully realized.
———-
9) Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
[Drag City; released 7/12/2019]
The devastating final release from the late David Berman serves as a suicide note of sorts, a look into the psyche of an artist who returned after a 10-year hiatus only to leave us again.
———-
8) Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel
[PTKF; released 4/12/2019]
Eleven rousing anthems from the Irish punk band wearing numerous influences on their sleeve is my favorite debut album of 2019. (I’m not counting one of my higher ranked albums as a “debut”.)
———-
7) Big Thief – U.F.O.F.
[4AD; released 5/3/2019]
The first of two full-length albums Big Thief released in 2019, U.F.O.F is like nothing the rock group has done before, expanding their folk influences to alien-like soundscapes worthy of the album’s title.
———-
6) Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow
[Jagjaguwar; released 1/18/2019]
Van Etten continues her impeccable run, expanding her sound in her most grandiose release yet, while maintaining the tenderness that defines her earnest folk-rock songs.
———-
5) Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
[Dead Oceans; released 2/22/2019]
Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst team up to release perhaps the most listenable album of 2019. Anything Bridgers touches turns to gold these days and paired with Oberst’s patented vulnerability, with these 10 folks songs, the duo created the best surprise release of the year. (Not calling it a debut though.)
———-
4) Charly Bliss – Young Enough
[Barsuk; released 5/10/2019]
Perhaps the album I listened to the most in 2019, the second album from Charly Bliss is an ultra confident collection of exquisitely written infectious pop-rock songs from a group still hitting their stride.
———-
3) Big Thief – Two Hands
[4AD; released 10/11/2019]
The second full-length release of the year from Brooklyn’s Big Thief is their 4th album overall and the more traditional release compared to its predecessor, but does just as much to cement the group as the best band working today, best exemplified on the powerful “Not”, my favorite song of 2019.
———-
2) (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar
[Domino; released 9/13/2019]
I suppose (Sandy) Alex G is the flag-bearer of DIY bedroom pop these days, but that’s truly limiting the songwriting prowess of the Philadelphia artist, as he’s fully emerged as one of our most dependable auteurs.
———-
1) Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
[Jagjaguwar; released 10/4/2018]
It’s truly remarkable how far Angel Olsen has come from the folk roots of her first two albums, to the rock gem of 2016’s My Woman, and finally to the absolutely stunning, ornate & expansive All Mirrors, my top album of 2019.
A Round of Sound 
Great writeup Brian