21 Albums for 2019
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1. Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared. The lowlight of the year was the tragic passing of my buddy Joe, who suffered a heart attack while out for a run. Joe and I bonded over music and baseball in these 24-odd years since we graduated from Fairfield University. Many of my favorite NYC memories were with Joe. Just a small sample of the amazing shows we enjoyed together over the past two decades: Sugar, Ambulance LTD, Modest Mouse, Spoon, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Preston School of Industry, Wilco, Metric, Interpol, The Go! Team, Yo La Tengo, IMA Robot, British Sea Power, Built to Spill, The Virgins, and one epic Deerhunter show at Webster Hall. Joe LOVED Deerhunter and he loved this album.
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2. Various Artists – Tiny Changes, A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit’s “The Midnight Organ Fight.” Originally conceived as a 10-year album anniversary compilation, this album turned into a weightier tribute following singer Scott Hutchison’s suicide in 2018. I listened to this more than any other album in 2019.
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3. The Hold Steady – Thrashing Thru the Passion. A sure sign that you’re getting older and that your music tastes are straying further from both the mainstream pop kids and the indie hipsters is when one of your favorite bands makes one of their best albums and it goes largely unnoticed.
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4. Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender. Led by earnest folk singer-songwriter MC Taylor, this album oozes decency as this narrator navigates life today in the American South with these upbeat ditties.
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5. Raconteurs – Help Us Stranger. I’ve been a big Brendan Benson fan ever since his stellar 2002 album Lapalco. His songwriting talents obviously bring out the best in Jack White. This really rocks.
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6. Van Morrison – Three Chords and the Truth. There’s a case to be made that this is Van the Man’s best album in 45+ years.
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7. Ride – This is not a Safe Place. Shoegaze pioneers show they can still make larger-than-life soundscapes, nearly 30 years after their debut Nowhere.
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8. Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow. What an uber-talented singer-songwriter.
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9. Ex Hex – It’s Real. Mary Timony at her finest; garage rock that evokes the Runaways.
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10. The Regrettes – How Do You Love. Led by 19-year-old Lydia Night, the Regrettes combine punk music and 1960’s doo-wop girl group pop.
11. Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet. I’ve always enjoyed the whistling, hipster violinist. It might not be his “finest work yet” – see 2005’s Mysterious Production of Eggs and 2007’s Armchair Apocrypha instead – but it’s darn good.
12. Various Artists – Too Late to Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots. This compilation marks the 25th anniversary of Bloodshot Records, the record label that established “Insurgent County” or “Cowpunk” as a vibrant scene in Chicago. It features Bloodshot’s usual wide range of talented anti-establishment folk, bluegrass, honky tonk, and country musicians.
13. David Byrne — American Utopia on Broadway. The best live music experience of my year happened at the very end of 2019, when I got to see David Byrne’s American Utopia. The 11-person band assembled by Byrne brilliantly recreated his solo work and Talking Heads’ classics.
Honorable Mention:
Aldous Harding – Designer
Beirut – Gallipolli
Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock
Calexico / Iron & Wine – Years to Burn
Karen O + Danger Mouse – Lux Prima
Lumineers – III
New Pornographers – In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
Dan Wilmer, Jersey City, NJ