01) BLACK KEYS – ‘Let’s Rock’
In a world where nobody rocks out anymore, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney absolutely still do. Individually, they both managed to produce outstanding albums for other artists this year (Auerbach produced Yola, Carney produced Jessy Wilson), but seemingly held back enough of their own material to top even themselves in 2019. Their love for vintage-sounding rock music continues unabated, and if a 4-year hiatus is what it takes to deliver the goods, I’m inclined to allow it without complaint.
HIGH POINTS: Shine a Little Light, Lo/Hi, Get Yourself
Together, Go, Fire Walk with Me, Eagle Birds
02) CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD – Servants of the Sun
It’s a shame it took CRB so many years to record and release
an album that lived up to the promise of their first (Big Moon Ritual, 2012),
and especially so that there’s unlikely to be another, with the untimely death
of guitarist Neal Casal (d. 8/26/19). In
the press materials which accompanied the release, Chris Robinson admitted
that, unlike previous albums, “Every one of these songs will fall into the live
repertoire.” Bravo, and why did you wait
so long?
HIGH POINTS: Let It Fall, Venus in Chrome, A Smiling
Epitaph, Stars Fell on California,
Some Earthly Delights
03) YOLA – Walk Through Fire
Nominated for Best New Artist at the upcoming Grammy Awards
– and deservedly so – British singer Yolanda Quartey wraps her velvety voice
around some stunningly memorable songs.
It certainly didn’t hurt that she hired Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys)
to produce, but this is an auspicious and alarmingly confident debut album any
way you slice it.
HIGH POINTS: Love All Night (Work All Day), Rock Me Gently,
Faraway Look, It Ain’t Easier, Ride Out in the Country
04) CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM – South of Reality
This is a step up from CLD’s 2016 debut, “Monolith of
Phobos,” with the namesake craftsmen working harder to bring out melodies and
harmonies from their brilliant psychedelic stew. Given Les’ past history with side projects,
I’m a little shocked they made a second album, but I’m glad they did.
HIGH POINTS: Blood and Rockets, Easily Charmed by Fools,
Amethyst Realm, Cricket Chronicles Revisited, Little Fishes
05) INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS – Rise Sun
While it is notoriously difficult for even the greatest of
jambands to “catch lightning in a bottle” when recording a studio album, the
‘Dusters come very close to conveying the powerful surge of their live shows on
this album. I saw them live four times
this year, and they never cease to amaze me.
HIGH POINTS: Rise Sun, Somewhere In Between, Cloud Valley,
Last of the Lucky Ones, Carry Me Away
06) JENNY LEWIS – On the Line
With a stellar roster of guests helping out (Ryan Adams,
Beck, Ringo Starr, Don Was, and Benmont Tench among them), Lewis cobbles
together a disparate yet intriguing set which showcases her indie chanteuse
persona while implying she may not have needed all that help in the first place.
HIGH POINTS: Rabbit Hole, Heads Gonna Roll, Party Clown, Red
Bull & Hennessy
07) BUDOS BAND – V
I once read someone describing these guys as “doom rock,”
and it’s fair to say that flavor is in the mix.
However, I think of them as more of a soundtrack to my favorite 70s
action films which never existed. This
is probably as “in your face” as instrumental jazz-funk-rock can get.
HIGH POINTS: Arcane
Rambler, Old Engine Oil, Maelstrom, Ghost Talk
08) MICHAEL KIWANUKA – Kiwanuka
At once a throwback yet intensely modern, Kiwanuka is easily
one of the most talented recording artists on the planet. Danger Mouse again lends a subdued texture to
the production, and seems to have no trouble coaxing Kiwanuka’s inherent
musical heroism to the forefront.
HIGH POINTS: Hero, You Ain’t the Problem, Hard to Say
Goodbye, Rolling
09) GHOST LIGHT – Best Kept Secrets
Admittedly generated in an “acid haze,” Tom Hamilton and
Raina Mullen work incredibly well together.
Along with Holly Bowling, Steve Lyons and Scotty Zwang, the total is far
greater than the sum of its parts.
Cinematic and introspective, but with a bold swagger.
HIGH POINTS: Don’t
Come Apart Just Yet, My Dear; Best Kept Secret; Keep Your Hands to Yourself;
Isosceles
10) STURGILL SIMPSON – Sound & Fury
Simpson has proven to be the country music iconoclast by
releasing this album with an accompanying anime-style long-form video on
Netflix. Also by not kowtowing to
anyone’s preconceived notions of “what country music is supposed to be,” least
of all his own.
HIGH POINTS: Ronin,
Best Clockmaker on Mars, Remember to Breathe, Sing Along
-TOAST’S FAVORITE LIVE ALBUMS of 2019-
GOV’T MULE – Bring on the Music – Live at the Capitol Theatre
-BEST LIVE STUNT-
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND w/ TREY ANASTASIO and DOYLE BRAMHALL II – Performing Derek & the Dominos classic album “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,” 8/24/19 Lockn’ Festival, Arrington, VA
-TOAST’S FAVORITE SINGLES
of 2019-
01) LIZZO – Juice
02) JADE BIRD – I Get No Joy
03) BLACK PUMAS – Colors
04) X AMBASSADORS – Boom
05) TAME IMPALA - Borderline
06) CAAMP – Peach Fuzz
07) MADISON CUNNINGHAM – Pin It Down
08) FANTASTIC NEGRITO – A Boy Named Andrew
09) NUDE PARTY – Chevrolet Van
10) IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE – Wanna Come Down
-LOCAL SINGLES-
DUST CITY OPERA – Heaven
HIGH VIBES – Smile
HOTH BROTHERS – Dreamin’ and Workin’
-COVERS-
LETTUCE – Everybody Wants to Rule the World
GUSTER – Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying
RODRIGO y GABRIELA – Echoes
-FOLK-
BILLY STRINGS – Home
-AMERICANA-
JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE – The Saint of Lost Causes
-INDIE-
BETTER OBLIVION COMMUNITY CENTER
– Better Oblivion Community Center
-ELECTRONIC-
FLYING LOTUS – Flamagra
-FUNK-
KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE – Gnomes & Badgers
-REGGAE-
the MOVEMENT – Ways of the World
-WORLD-
RODRIGO y GABRIELA - Mettavolution
-BLUES-
CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM - Kingfish
-JAZZ-
JAMES CARTER ORGAN TRIO – Live from Newport Jazz
-TOUR DIARY HIGHLIGHTS-
FRUITION – 2/6/19 Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM
ORGŌNE – 2/9/19 Taos Mesa Brewing, El
Prado, NM
KURT VILE – 3/6/19 Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM
WIDESPREAD PANIC – 6/29/19 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison,
CO
GHOST LIGHT – 7/18/19 Northwest String Summit,
North Plains, OR
PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG – 7/19/19 Northwest String Summit, North
Plains, OR
STING – 9/2/19 Kit Carson Park,
Taos, NM
CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM – 10/20/19 Tumbleroot, Santa Fe, NM
SPAFFORD – 10/29/19 Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM
LETTUCE – 12/7/19 Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO
-MORE, PLEASE!-
BEDOUINE
the COMMONHEART
HANDMADE MOMENTS
KITCHEN DWELLERS
MOLLY TUTTLE
NEAL FRANCIS
OMICRON J TRAUMA
SPACE TALKER
TWIN
PEAKS
WHITE DENIM
# # #
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