PSF's 2019 Writers' Poll
Our favorite things
left to right: Mavis Staples, Purple Mountains, Ebony Hillbillies, Post-Haste Reed Duo, Lee Scratch Perry
With the Village Voice's Pazz and Jop poll gone again, where will we find a consensus about 2019's best music? Not here! We asked our writers to name their 20 favorite albums, songs, reissues of 2019 and with a few exceptions, they came up with a nice bunch of varied lists.
We hope you find something you agree about, disagree about or something that you discover. And we all say here 'don't listen to anyone who says that there's no good music coming out anymore.'
Daniel Barbiero
- Santi Costanzo Autocracy of Deception Vol. 1
- Eli Wallace Barriers
- Quatuor Bozzini/Simon Martin Musique d'art
- Post-Haste Reed Duo Donut Robot!
- Lori Freedman Excess
- João Pedro Viegas, Luiz Rocha, Silvia Corda & Adriano Orru Unknown Shores
- Alvin Lucier Orpheus Variations
- Isaac Schankler/Sakura Tsai "Mobile I" (from the album Because Patterns)
- Marco Colonna Metamorphosis of the Moment
- patrick brennan & Abdul Moimeme terraphonia
- Simon Nabatov/Barry Guy/Gerry Hemingway Luminous
- Bobby Naughton/Leo Smith/Perry Robinson The Haunt
- Musicians from soundSCAPE After the End
- Setola di Maiale Unit & Evan Parker Live at Angelica 2018
- Ben Melsky/Ensemble Dal Niente Ben Melsky/Ensemble Dal Niente
- David Bowlin Bird as Prophet
- Osvaldo Coluccino Interni
- Daniel Lippel Mirrored Spaces
- Kyle Motl In Search of a Certain Bird
Cat Celebrezze
- Cosey Fanni Tutti TUTTI
- PJ Harvey All About Eve soundtrack
- Bill Callahan Shepard in a Sheepskin Vest
- NVDES High Frequency Vibrations
- June Tyson Saturnian Queen of the Sun Ra Orchestra
- Sneaks Highway Hypsosis
- The Highwomen The Highwomen
- Joan as Policewoman Joanology
- T Bone Burnett, Jay Bellerose, Keefus Ciancia The Invisible Light Acoustic Space: Instrumentals
- Lorelle Meets The Obsolete De Facto
- Billie Eilish When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- Jenny Williams On the Line
- Chromatics Closer to Grey
- Mike Patton & Jean-Claude Vannier Corpse Flower
Brian Cousins
- Tool Fear Inoculum
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Ghosteen
- FKA Twigs Magdalene
- Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
- Bill Callahan Shepard in Sheepskin Vest
- Deerhunter Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
- Solange When I Get Home
- Nilufer Yanya Miss Universe
- Tom Yorke Anima
- Thurston Moore Spirit Counsel
Alan CrandallThe measure here is – how much of any given new album made it into one of my (too-numerous) Spotify playlists? The more tracks made it, the stronger I rate the album.
I'll cheat a bit and start with my biggest disappointment – The Who's Who. I am, I freely admit, one of the few who actually enjoyed Endless Wire. But Who, outside of the two (decent) singles, is one forgettable, tired affair.
Some people who did get more than one track from their new releases on the playlists for me include Stella Donelly, The Mekons, Bruce Springsteen, Gary Clark Jr., Todd Snider and Ex Hex. And a shout out to Pere Ubu and Iggy Pop who only placed one track each – just because I'm glad they're still around.
Moving up the scale, Alice Cooper's Breadcrumbs isn't the greatest Coop release ever, but it's good hearing him tear up a set of Detroit garage rock covers (very respectable version of the MC5's "Sister Anne").
Finally, two that made the top shelf – i.e. every cut made the list, were Mavis Staples We Get By, which is just a very, very fine gospel-soul album, and Jason Ringenberg's Stand Tall, which is the most consistent, cut-for-cut, album he's done, solo or with the Scorchers, since the '80's. The usual mix of country, folk, historical themes (Civil War), religion, politics, southern identity, obscure Dylan cover and a nod to his punk roots – "God Bless the Ramones," which brought a BIG smile to my face.
Peter Crigler
- Imperial Teen Now We Are Timeless
Best album of the year, hands down no question! This is what real pop music should sound like.
- Slipknot We Are Not Your Kind
A strong metal record and still as angry as ever. Take that Tool!
- Sebadoh Act Surprised
Wasn't expecting much from this but was a nice pleasant surprise
- The Specials Encore
One of the best bands there ever was returns with their first real record in 20 years and knocks it out of the park.
- Huffamoose ....And That's When the Golf Ball Hit Me in the Head
Great lost '90's rock band slowing things down and creating some nice rock that the Goo Goo Dolls would envy!
- Sean Nelson Nelson Sings Nilsson
The singer from Harvey Danger singing a bunch of cool Nilsson tracks. This cat's voice is still phenomenal.
Bob GersztynThis is a list of six artists in the "Blues Rock" genre that released albums in 2019 that were included in the top 20 list of the best blues rock albums released published by www.bluesrockreview.com and one that wasn't. I witnessed at least one performances of all of the artists included and included links to my published reviews of some of those shows in "Blues Rock Review, which in some cases highlighted their new 2019 release.
- Beth Hart War In My Mind
- Samantha Fish Kill or Be Kind
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band The Traveler
- Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Kingfish
- Walter Trout Survivor Blues
- The Black Keys Let's Rock
Jason Gross
- Billie Eilish When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- Various Artists This Is Toolroom 2019
- Jason Ringenberg Stand Tall
- Little Simz Grey Area
- Haviah Mighty 13th Floor
- Lizzo Cuz I Love You
- Deep State The Path to Fast Oblivion
- Megan Thee Stallion Fever
- Teeth of the Sea Wraith
- Business Of Dreams Ripe For Anarchy
- Czarface & Ghostface Killah Czarface Meets Ghostface
- Durand Jones & The Indications American Love Call
- Mdou Moctar Ilana (The Creator)
- Ali Barter Hey, I'm Doing My Best
- Sego Sego Sucks
- Dave Psychodrama
- Tool Fear Inocolum
- Otoboke Beaver ITEKOMA HITS
- Surfbort You Don't Exist
- Gang Starr One of the Best Yet
Just gotta say what an amazing year it was for singles. I hear over 250 of them, with lots of 'em on this Spotify playlist. My full list of all my 2019 faves are here, including all the rest of the albums I liked, plus reissues, music-related films, etc..
Jim Hayes
- Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
- Royal Trux/Aerial Pink Pink Stuff (especially "Get Used To This" with Kool Keith)
- Broken Bells "Good Luck"
- The Chats "identity Theft"
- Dylan "Travelin Through"
- Go Fund Me naming Marietta, Georgia as the most generous city per capita in USA
- Marietta High School: State Football champs
left to right: Pup, Yola, Sebadoh, Lightning Bolt, Sherman BrothersRobert Jaz
- Brix & The Extricated Super Blood Wolf Moon
- Budos Band Budos Band V
- Alice Cooper Dirty Diamonds
- Alice Cooper Breadcrumbs 10"
- Dogmatics She's the One
- Bob Dylan Blood On The Tracks -- Original New York Test Pressing
- Bob Dylan The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings
- The Fleshtones "Layin' Pipe" b/w "Lady Nightshade" 7"
- Jittery Jack with Amy Griffin on Guitar Gonna Have A Time With Jittery Jack & Amy Griffin on Guitar
- Lenny Kaye with The Fleshtones - "Lost On Xandu" b/w "Lost on Xandu" (Version) 7"
- Peter Laughner Peter Laughner Box Set
- Mekons Deserted
- Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, Bobby Kapp Ineffable Joy
- Lee Scratch Perry Rainford
- Lee Scratch Perry Heavy Rain
- Ramones It's Alive (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
- Ramones Rock and Roll High School
- William Shatner / The Cramps ?Garbageman 10"
- Sherman Brothers Simply Sherman Disney Hits From the Sherman Brothers
- Keith Streng "I'm A Boy, I'm A Girl" b/w Keith Streng meets Stupidity "Distracted By Rock N Roll" 7"
- Tindersticks No Treasure But Hope
- The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra Songs From The Sun Ra Cosmos
- Frank Zappa Halloween 73 (4 CD Box with Frank mask and gloves)
- Peter Zaremba "Le Comte Psychedelique Frappe À Nouveau" 7"
Kortney Jmaeff
2019 was another landmark year for music. Again it was almost impossible to narrow down 20, so I threw in a bonus release. The amount of creative and diverse influences and the return of TOOL after 13 years made this a very special year. Some honorable mentions include the L7 album "Scatter the Rats, the last Muffs album ever "No Holiday due to the recent untimely death of founder Kim Shattuck. Also Bob Moulds "sunshine Rock"- a smoking platter of energetic rock, Xiu XIus ultra weird "Girl with a basket of fruit" and Matmos very creative all plastic produced "Plastic Anniversary." I wish I could do a top 50. Thanks!
- Tool Fear Inoculum
It was worth the wait.- Meat Puppets Dusty Notes
- Headstones PEOPLESKILLSv
- Pup Morbid Thoughts
- Orville Peck Pony
- Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
- Neil Young & Crazy Horse Colorado
Crazy Horse is back!- King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizzard Infest the Rats Nest (and Fishing for Fishies)
I don't know how these guys are so consistently awesome after releasing so many genres of music!- The Murder Capital When I have Fears
WOW, what a debut album!- Pixies Beneath the Eyrie
Best thing they've released since the original breakup.- Glass Beach The First Glass Beach Album
- Elbow Giants Of All Sizes
- Comets Gain Fireraisers Forever!
- Lightning Bolt Electric Citadel
- Baroness Gold & Gold
- Bad Religion Age of Unreason
- Black Midi Schlagenheim
- Titus Andronicus An Obelisk
- The Comet is Coming Trust is the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (and The Afterlife)
- Weatherday Come In
- Richard Dawson 2020
T.K. NcNeil
- Lingua Ignota Caligula
A sonic challenge in the tradition of the purest Black Metal, while taking a much lower tempo approach, this album records the pain and rage of the victimized in a visceral way. One reviewer calling it "an appealing trip into Hell." Not for the faint of heart but a fascinating experience if you can get through it.- Blackbriar Our Mortal Remains
With all the dark allure of a Grimm's fairy tale, the Dutch band offers five tracks of frightening beauty. Of particular note is the final track. All all orchestral arrangement of "Until Eternity. "- Sunn Pyroclasts
- Carolina Polachek Pang
- Liturgy H.A.Q.Q.
Traditional Black Metal that makes you glad to be alive or wish you were dead depending on the track and your disposition.- Pup Morbid Stuff
- Brock Hampton Ginger
- Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Infest the Rat's Nest
- Weyes Blood Titanic Rising
Robert Pally
- Weyes BloodTitanic Rising
- Soybomb Jonglage
- Ulysses On Safari
- Genuine Fakes Issues
- Punishment of Luxury Puppet Life-The Complete Recordings (reissue)
- Anny Celsi Kaleidoscope Heart: 12 Golden Hits
- Datura 4 Blessed Is The Boogie
- Anton Barbeau Berliner Grotesk
- Richard X. Heymann Pop Circles
- Come Join My Orchestra The British Baroque Pop Sound 1967-73 (reissue)
- Jim Basnight Not Changing
Marc Phillips
- Tool Fear Inoculum
- Deline Briscoe Wawu
- J. Graves Marathon
- Moken Missing Chapters
- Stax Record's Soul Explosion (Reissue)
- Rachid Taha Je Suis Africain
- Lyn Stanley London Calling, Live at Bernies: London with a Twist and The Challenge LP
- Fitted First Fits
- Negroni's Trio Acustico
- Carlos Cipa Retronyms
- Sunny War Shell of a Girl
- Alex Cuba Sublime
- Angel Olsen All Mirrors
- Sofia Ribeiro Lunga
- The Ebony Hillbillies 5 Miles from Town
Bart Plantenga
- Adrian Sherwood, Lee Scratch Perry, Eno "Here Come The Warm Dreads" [single]
- KEDA (Mathias Delplanque & Geomungo) Hwal
- Charlie Morrow Toot! Too
- Zzzzra Vive La Lenteur
- EarWurms "Sex in de Maisveld" [single]
- Steve Dalachinsky & Matthew Shipp Phenomena of Interference
- Lee Scratch Perry & Adrian Sherwood Rainford
- Keith Leblanc, Adrian Sherwood & Steve Barker Major Malfunction Reimagined
- Mark Stewart & the Maffia Lost Tapes
- Burial & Four Tet "Unknown [single]
- Björk "Desired Constellation [single]
- Jules Deelder & Benjamin Herman Deelder 65
- Amadou & Mariam 1990-1995: L'intégrale des Années Maliennes
- Anna Karina & Serge Gainsbourg "Roller Girl" [single]
- Fink Fresh Produce
- Xaviera! Xaviera Hollander
- Kevin Morby "Harlem River" [single]
- Bvdub (Brock Van Wey) At the Altar
- Docetism Askesis
- Run The Jewels RTJ3
- The Beta Band The Regal Years (1997-2004)
- So Percussion & Matmos Treasure State
My listening does not abide by release dates. I was blown away & enchanted by whatever sounds I first came to hear in 2019, regardless of when they were released. Sometimes an older track will suddenly pop up & I will wonder how I so totally missed it upon its release. I continue to be amazed by how much great sound is put out to very little attention. The music industry more & more seems to mirror post-capitalist society in that it is ALL for 1% of musicians & some crumbs for the rest of the 99% when it comes to attention & remuneration. It also seems to reflect the old consumerist adage: the less interesting the music, the more it sells...
Illes Plompen
- Daphni Sizzling EP
- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Bandana
- Tyler, The Creator Igor
- Ross From Friends Epiphany EP
- Danny Brown unknowhatimsayin?
- black midi Schlagenheim
- JPEGMAFIA All My Heroes Are Cornballs
- PUP Morbid Stuff
- The Comet Is Coming Trust in the Lifeforcce of the Deep Mystery
- slowthai Nothing Great About Britain
Tim Riley
- Yola Walk Through Fire
- Karen O & Danger Mouse Lux Prima
- Beck Hyperspace
- Lizzo Cuz I Love You
- Kim Gordon No Home Record
- Sharon Van Etten Remind Me Tomorrow
- Solange When I Get Home
- Mavis Staples We Get By
- Miranda Lambert Wildcard
- Rachid Taha Je Suis Africain
- Jenny Lewis On the Line
- Tropical Fuck Storm Braindrops
- Deerhunter Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
- Purple Mountains Purple Mountains
- Leonard Cohen Thanks for the Dance
- Raphael Saadiq Jimmy Lee
left to right: Chromatics, Bill Callahan, Royal Trux/Ariel Pink, Anny Celsi, Walter Trout
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