2019 has been an interesting year in music. For the first few months, it looked to be a bit of a dud, punctuated by the odd great release, but as we got deeper in the year, more and more unexpected gems began to surface. It even ended up being a struggle for me to narrow it down to 20 records for this list, so before we kick off, I just want to briefly give a shout-out to some honorable mentions:
- Knocked Loose - A Different Shade Of Blue: Hardcore's new biggest export delivers an improvement on their debut in every way, and I'm staggered it hasn't made it onto my top 20.
- Gender Roles - Prang: Some of the best pop choruses of the year nestled amongst creative instrumentation and just a jolly good time. Original review here.
- SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Songs For The Firing Squad and Year Of The Knife - Ultimate Aggression: Both omitted from the list on the grounds that they are compilation records as opposed to actual albums, but both outstanding and exciting nonetheless. Original review of the former here.
- Injury Reserve - Injury Reserve: Experimental hip-hop of the highest order, and a good alternative to actually-slightly-disappointing 2019 releases from JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown. Original review here.
- Venom Prison - Samsara: My favourite death metal release of the year, and a brilliant follow-up to Venom Prison's iconic debut, Animus. Original review here.
And now onto the top 20 proper. Enjoy!
Number 20: Otoboke Beaver - Itekoma Hits
Otoboke Beaver are a band from Kyoto, Japan, who seem to exist to drop jaws... and trust me; after Itekoma Hits finishes, you'll have to scrape yours off the floor. This is an utterly unique album, powered by boundless chaotic energy and taking influence from all corners of punk (huge nods to riot grrrl especially), noise rock, and indie. Otoboke Beaver have no regard for your preconceptions of what they should sound like, just as they have no regard for typical song structure or conventional time signatures; Itekoma Hits is a hyperactive, off-the-wall extravaganza which really is nothing short of amazing.You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 19: clipping. - There Existed An Addiction To Blood
One of my favourite hip-hop records of 2019 came out of absolutely nowhere. I hadn't listened to clipping. before the release of There Existed An Addiction To Blood, and the more I found out about the group and read up on the themes of this particular project, the more I was prompted to keep going back to it. This "horrorcore" epic is the work of two incredible producers and one outstanding rapper; William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes create immersive and unnerving industrial-influenced soundscapes for Daveed Diggs to shine on top of. Diggs made his name starring in the broadway phenomenon Hamilton, but this is a far superior use of his talents. The man is a lyrical genius, and the fact that he utilises this fact to produce some horrific, gory, evocative imagery on this album makes me very happy. To top it all off, the final track - called 'Piano Burning' - is an 18-minute recording of... a piano burning. Nice.Number 18: Endon - Boy Meets Girl
With 2019 being a big year for me really getting into harsher noise and experimental stuff, Japanese trailblazers Endon heralded the charge. Boy Meets Girl is a nightmarish trip that was apparently created as the soundtrack to a non-existent film, the narrative of which primarily focuses on a teenage love story... though you'd be forgiven for missing out that aspect of the record upon first listen, as really it feels more like the soundtrack to a cyborg snuff movie. Still, my favourite thing about Boy Meets Girl is that the further you fall down the rabbit hole, the more everything starts to somehow make fucked-up sense. The second half of the record pulls clarity from the jaws of chaos, with the riffs and undeniably bouncy sections of 'Final Acting Out' and 'Not For You' putting everything into focus.You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 17: Pkew Pkew Pkew - Optimal Lifestyles
The best Menzingers/PUP-esque album not released by The Menzingers or PUP this year, Pkew Pkew Pkew's Optimal Lifestyles radiates nostalgic joy upon each and every listen. It's a marginally more grown-up effort than the band's first, self-titled LP, but they're still having so much fun here reveling in the limbo of their late 20s/early 30s. Songs like '65 Nickels' and 'The Polynesian' work so well because they're so simple; just heart-on-sleeve punk bangers with big choruses that exist to make the listener smile. Some of the best shout-along moments of the year can be found here, alongside some of the best lead guitar lines and funniest lyrics (see 'I Wanna See A Wolf'). And I challenge you to find a better saxophone solo in 2019 than the one in 'Point Break'. Joyous.
The best Menzingers/PUP-esque album not released by The Menzingers or PUP this year, Pkew Pkew Pkew's Optimal Lifestyles radiates nostalgic joy upon each and every listen. It's a marginally more grown-up effort than the band's first, self-titled LP, but they're still having so much fun here reveling in the limbo of their late 20s/early 30s. Songs like '65 Nickels' and 'The Polynesian' work so well because they're so simple; just heart-on-sleeve punk bangers with big choruses that exist to make the listener smile. Some of the best shout-along moments of the year can be found here, alongside some of the best lead guitar lines and funniest lyrics (see 'I Wanna See A Wolf'). And I challenge you to find a better saxophone solo in 2019 than the one in 'Point Break'. Joyous.You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 16: Car Bomb - Mordial
When was the last time you heard someone make a brand-new sound with a guitar? If you can't quite recall, maybe you should give the latest Car Bomb record a go, and have your mind obliterated. This fourth full-length release from the New York experimentalists sounds like what would happen if the Matrix glitched whilst Meshuggah were recording a new album. There's incredible creativity and incomprehensible heaviness at every turn, including a couple moments which made me go "phwwooaarr" out loud upon first listen (see 'Scattered Sprites' and 'Xoxoy'). Mordial is an acheivement: technically flawless, pioneering, and loud as fuck. Car Bomb have produced one of the finest metal records of the year here. Oh, and on Dissect Yourself, the guitars sound like laser guns, so...
Number 15: Thy Art Is Murder - Human Target
Those who know me (and those who have read this blog before) will be well aware that I'm a huge sucker for a meat-headed mosh-call breakdown. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that Thy Art Is Murder find themselves so high up in my AOTY ranking - despite pretty much doing the same thing they've been doing for the past ten years. It might not break much new ground, but on Human Target, the Aussie deathcore godfathers sound more ferocious than ever, and their technical side is arguably more impressive to witness than on their previous efforts. CJ McMahon once again proves his worth as the best vocalist in the genre, delivering a demonic performance and commanding the instrumental thunderstorm around him like the underworld's answer to Thor. Human Target is utter brutality at its best.You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 14: Slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain
My highest-ranking hip-hop album of the past 12 months comes from one of 2019's biggest breakout stars; Slowthai has kicked up more of a fuss on a mainstream level than just about any other artist on this list, and for good reason. The Brit-Award-nominated Northampton upstart released perhaps the most politically-pertinent record of the year in the form of Nothing Great About Britain: a furious debut which melds grime and UK hip-hop with real punk spirit. The title is self-explanatory, with brilliantly sardonic lyrics tearing through the many flaws of British society, tradition, and politics, and making no apologies for crudeness or taboo along the way. It's an album which is fiercely proud of its working-class roots and is happy to spit at those who look down on it; Slowthai ends the title track of this record with the line "I will treat you with the utmost respect / Only if you respect me a little bit, Elizabeth... you cunt". That alone is enough to earn a spot on this list.Number 13: Norma Jean - All Hail
Now on their eighth studio album, Norma Jean remain quite possibly the most underrated band of the century. All Hail is a strong continuation of the unstoppably dominant streak they've been on since (at the very least) 2013's Wrongdoers; the group don't have a bad album, in truth, but recently it seems they've been at the peak of their powers. All Hail opens with maybe the strongest 1-2-3 punch of ragers on any record this year, and doesn't slow down from there. It's just as pummelingly heavy as their last full-length, with '[Mind Over Mind]' and 'Trace Levels of Dystopia' being particularly compelling reasons to bang your head, but it's also more melodic and progressive at other points. Cory Brandan gives perhaps his greatest vocal performance yet on this LP, and is backed up by some weighty instrumentation throughout. Good shit.
Number 12: Brutus - Nest
Off the back of their explosive debut album, Burst, Belgian three-piece Brutus have slowly but surely been honing their craft and pinning down their distinctive sound since 2017, and it has all lead up to this: Nest. I'm usually loathe to use the word "ethereal" in reviews, but it's hard to describe this record as much else - it sounds almost transcedental a lot of the time, largely due to a combination of the production job, guitarwork, and Stefanie Mannaerts' stunning vocals. With the drumming and chunky bass thrown in for good measure, it's clear that there's a real, aggressive punk spirit underpinning the expansive world of Nest, which can most obviously be heard at the end 'Techno', and all the way through 'Cemetary'. It makes the soaring, emotive moments much more powerful in contrast. What an acheivement this is.
Number 11: Dinosaur Pile-Up - Celebrity Mansions
I've been following the trajectory of Dinosaur Pile-Up since the release of their second album, and this year it has been an absolute pleasure to watch them explode off the back of Celebrity Mansions; unarguably their creative high-point thus far. Released back in June and subsequently becoming the record of the summer for everyone who heard it, this is simply ten tracks worth of big, dumb fun. It's a shit-eating grin of an album, sporting a lairy attitude and more tongue-in-cheek swagger than you can conceivably imagine. Each riff, bassline, turn of phrase, and drum fill is aware of how good (and cheesy) it is, and it absolutely rules. There are too many moments to individually single out as highlights, but off the top of my head: 'Back Foot' is the riff of the year, the title track is like Weezer's 'Beverly Hills' but ten times better, and 'Round The Bend' is the best driving song of 2019. If you don't like Celebrity Mansions, you don't like fun.You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 10: The St. Pierre Snake Invasion - Caprice Enchanté
Mr. Damien Sayell, frontman of The St. Pierre Snake Invasion, described his band's second album - Caprice Enchanté - as "a modern hardcore classic" on stage at 2000 Trees this year. Whilst clearly the man brags with a healthy dose of irony, he's not necessarily lying either... though maybe the addition of the word "cult" would make it more accurate.After living with this record for half the year, I've come to really appreciate it for what it is: a much-needed shot in the arm of British punk. At first listen, it may just seem like a really good, creative noisy hardcore album - especially with the first three tracks being so utterly furious - but the further you go into Caprice Enchanté, the more interesting twists and turns present themselves. There's a lot of influence from British noise rock bands like Mclusky and Future of the Left, but you can also hear bits of post-metal, math-rock, and just straight up rock n' roll here and there. It's eclectic, exciting, and full of distinct personality.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 9: Press Club - Wasted Energy
Punk youngbloods Press Club have really made their presence felt in 2019. Their debut full-length, Late Teens, was an unmissable statement of intent, and made waves upon its release (outside of their home country) earlier in the year. Then, almost without taking a breath, they bashed out another, even better world-class album in the form of Wasted Energy.Recorded in the space of a single week, Wasted Energy really feels like a straight-up, zero-fucks-given outburst of passion and... well, energy. That's not to say it's not well-thought-out or unfocused - quite the opposite. Centred around Natalie Foster's charismatic, invigorating, no-frills vocal chops and motorised by a punchy rhythm section, each song on this record finds its target perfectly. Greg Rietwyk's hooky guitar leads stand out, too, even though they're almost always gone as soon as they spring up. Whether it's through a shotgun blast like 'New Year's Eve' or a more anthemic track such as 'Thinking About You', the message is clear: Press Club are a force to be reckoned with. And I, for one, welcome our new Aussie overlords.
You can read my initial review of this album on Already Heard here.
Number 8: Raketkanon - RKTKN #3
Ghent four-piece Raketkanon set out to make themselves the bane of every music writer's existence by being as indescribable as humanly possible. Their first two records (released in 2012 and 2015 respectively) were experimental, punky, heavy, and absolutely fantastic. Now, after nearly a decade of surrealist underground domination, Belgium's finest weirdos go out with their biggest bang yet on RKTKN #3.That's right - this is the final album from Raketkanon, and whilst it's a shame to see them go, I can think of no better parting gift for them to leave us before they return to their home planet. Upping the focus on those throbbing synths and other electronic elements this time around has made the band sound even more otherworldly, and the fictional language of the lyrics only serves to confound the listener further. RKTKN #3 is the band's best record so far; a fusion of noise-rock, post-punk, indie, experimental, and electronica that turns so many sharp sonic corners in the space of 32 minutes that it's a wonder they fit everything in (and still make it feel so seamless). There is literally no other band who have ever sounded like this. I doubt there ever will be again.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 7: La Dispute - Panorama
A band who I've appreciated from afar for a long time, La Dispute really clicked for me this year following the release of Panorama. It's an incredibly powerful record with a lot to say, and the way it's presented is in the form of a strikingly effective (and surprisingly addictive) slow-burn.The narrative of Panorama is central to its greatness. Jordan Dreyer's lyricism explores grief through existentialism in an extremely poignant way, and no matter how he delivers each line (be it whispered or yelled), every single one will stay with you. The record is musically understated, but mid-range guitars working alongside subtle horns, tambourine, and spacious effects build a potent and transportive atmosphere. The world that this piece of art inhabits is gorgeously melancholic (as proven by the video below - my favourite of the year). It's utterly irresistable, no matter how sad it often makes me.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 6: The Menzingers - Hello Exile
There's something about the way that The Menzingers write songs that will always give me goosebumps and make me cry. 2017's After The Party was the first album from the Philadelphia four-piece that made me realise this (and subsequently was my album of the year), and Hello Exile is no different.This record is built around an undeniable group of singles; absolutely world-class tracks which lay claim to three of the best choruses of the year in the form of 'Anna', 'America (You're Freaking Me Out)', and 'Strangers Forever'. True to form for the Menzos, there's storytelling to make Springsteen jealous to be found all over the place, mostly centred around wistful nostalgia and heartache. Greg Barnett in particular (who shares vocal duties with the fantastic Tom May) manages to touch upon a number of specific situations that most of the band's fans will able to relate to, and he does it really effectively; after all, who hasn't found themselves "getting fucked up with a high school friend, wondering where all the good times went"? Other songs like 'Last To Know' and closer 'Farewell Youth' are carried by lyrics as weighty as these, and they all hit with maximum emotional impact because of the way they're performed. It's another home-run here from The Menzingers.
Number 5: Employed To Serve - Eternal Forward Motion
If 2016's The Warmth of a Dying Sun made Woking wrecking crew Employed To Serve one of the most thrilling bands in the UK, Eternal Forward Motion makes them one of the most exciting heavy prospects in the world.
This record is a menagerie of unstoppable riffs; each is a furious beast, fighting its way out of your speakers. From the insurmountable groove of 'Force Fed' to the chaos of 'Dull Ache Behind My Eyes', nobody is as good at bang-your-fucking-head instrumentation as ETS are. They often sound like the lovechild of Converge and Pantera, so have pretty much nailed the best possible sound any band can ever make. Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin's dual vocal attack on this record is brilliantly done, with the latter playing a more crucial role than on their previous work (though Justine is still the ferocious focal point) - it often sounds like the two are battling it out over the insanely heavy backdrop. It's also worth noting that the production job here is possibly Lewis Johns' best work yet.
So yes - Employed To Serve are still the gnarliest band in Britain, and Eternal Forward Motion is just another step toward their eventual domination.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
If 2016's The Warmth of a Dying Sun made Woking wrecking crew Employed To Serve one of the most thrilling bands in the UK, Eternal Forward Motion makes them one of the most exciting heavy prospects in the world.This record is a menagerie of unstoppable riffs; each is a furious beast, fighting its way out of your speakers. From the insurmountable groove of 'Force Fed' to the chaos of 'Dull Ache Behind My Eyes', nobody is as good at bang-your-fucking-head instrumentation as ETS are. They often sound like the lovechild of Converge and Pantera, so have pretty much nailed the best possible sound any band can ever make. Justine Jones and Sammy Urwin's dual vocal attack on this record is brilliantly done, with the latter playing a more crucial role than on their previous work (though Justine is still the ferocious focal point) - it often sounds like the two are battling it out over the insanely heavy backdrop. It's also worth noting that the production job here is possibly Lewis Johns' best work yet.
So yes - Employed To Serve are still the gnarliest band in Britain, and Eternal Forward Motion is just another step toward their eventual domination.
Number 4: Her Name Is Calla - Animal Choir
My discovery of my fourth favourite record of the year (and the band that created it) was incredibly bittersweet. With Animal Choir, the now-defunct Leeds post-rock outfit Her Name Is Calla have produced an incredible piece of art, and the greatest swan song since The Dillinger Escape Plan's Dissociation.Two important things about this record: firstly, it's a real grower - give it time and it'll bloom like a beautiful prog-folk flower. Secondly, you cannot just pick one of these songs at random and stick it on. When you listen to Animal Choir, you listen to ALL of Animal Choir, or you sacrifice the unparalleled journey it takes you on. There really is something for everybody here; whether it be the crushingly gargantuan 'Swan', or the beautifully evocative 'Frontier', or 'Kaleidoscoping', which could be a bonus track from Radiohead's In Rainbows. With everything but the kitchen sink thrown in (instrumentally, tonally, vocally, and structurally), this album could've easily been a bit of a mess of ideas - but it works so unbelievably well as one long, flowing, winding epic. It creates its own world in the truest sense, and I feel so privileged to be able to live in it occasionally.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 3: Lingua Ignota - Caligula
I can count on one hand the albums I've heard in my life which have made me legitimately scared. I can count on one finger the albums that have chilled me to the bone, and almost made me reluctant to listen to them again. And here it is.
Caligula is almost too raw; too confrontational; too naked. Kristin Hayter, the woman behind Lingua Ignota, draws from her own experiences with sexual and domestic violence to paint a harrowing self-portrait over the course of the record, both in her lyricism and stylistic choices. It borders on unbearable, at points, to hear her near-hysterical with such vitriolic anger. Hayter is a classically trained vocalist, and uses everything from delicate, operatic intonation to utterly unhinged, almost demonic shrieking to instill a tangible sense of dread. Such contrast between beauty and horror can be seen in the musical canvas, too, with traditional baroque instrumentation often giving way to industrial walls of noise from which there is no escape. It's a sonic exorcism of the highest order, and often terribly difficult to listen to. Outstanding.
Number 2: Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
If you would've told me when I first listened to it that Weyes Blood's Titanic Rising would be in my top 20, I wouldn't have believed you. If you told me it'd be in my top two, I would've laughed. And yet here we are; the man who will repeatedly tell you that The Chariot are the perfect band has placed an atmospheric, glossy, shimmering chamber-pop album at the top of his AOTY list.This record really is special, and every time I come back to it I find something else to love. There are songs to capture you immediately alongside the slow-burners: the most instantaneous track being '70s-baroque-pop-worshipping 'Everyday', followed swiftly by gorgeous ballads 'Andromeda' and 'Something To Believe'. 'Movies' is an incredible feat, and the thematic centrepiece here; it anchors the record in an underwater world of blissful psychadelia. The second half of the album (being 'Mirror Forever', 'Wild Time', and 'Picture Me Better') continues to reward more upon each repeat listen - and it doesn't hurt that each of the three tracks are even more beautiful in a live environment. Every song simply serves to highlight Natalie Mering's artistry and talent; every time her vocals cut through, it's in order to offer up some shining lyrical poetry and remind us of her vision. Titanic Rising is pretty much perfect, and I am inexplicably, wholeheartedly in love with it.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
Number 1: PUP - Morbid Stuff
There's not a single skippable song on this record. Almost any track (bar maybe 'City' and 'Full Blown Meltdown') could have been the lead single, with each boasting multiple brilliant hooks, deceptively complex instrumentation, and unapologetically pessimistic lyricism from Stefan Babcock. The ability of the band to balance such (appropriately) morbid themes with such an outright fun, up-beat, shout-along punk vibe means that the album has a real sense of duality in terms of tone; a huge part of what makes it so special. There's so much charisma and personality here, and it's all generated by each member's individual role. Alongside Babock's unmistakable vocals, guitarist Steve Sladkowski shines - his virtuoso licks acting as hooks almost as often as the anthemic choruses - and PUP's rhythm section is simply one of the best in rock music today.
Not only is Morbid Stuff PUP's most ambitious, artistically complete, and exciting record yet, it's also the best album of 2019. Long may they reign.
You can read my initial review of this album here.
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