Skip to main content

2019 (Before I forget)


2019 (Before I forget)


2019

Records I Like the Most  Released in 2019:
Wives - So Removed @@
Fontaines DC - Dogrel %%
Kate Tempest - The Book of Traps and Lessons ##
Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs ##
Peter Perrett - Human World @@
Mattiel - Satis Factory @@
Tough Shits - Burning in Paradise @@
Felice Brothers - Undress @@
Robert Forster - Inferno ##
Danny Brown -uknowhatimsayin %%



%%
Records I Like that Lots of Other Know-it-Alls Like:
Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs
FKA  Twigs - Magdalene
Charly Bliss - Young Enough
Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
Refused - War Music
Aldous Harding - Designer
Better Oblivion Community Center - s/t
Black Midi - Schlagenheim
Cate LeBon - Reward
Raconteurs - Help Me, Stranger
Sturgill Simpson - Sound and Fury
Rhiannon Giddens - There is No Other
Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars





##
Records I Like That A few Know-it-Alls Like:
Mick Trouble - Here’s The Mick Trouble Lp
Titus Andronicus - An Obelisk
75 Dollar Bill - I was Real
Tacocat - This Mess is a Place
Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)
Joan Shelley - Like the River by the Sea
Du Blonde - Lung Bread for Daddy
Sam Fender - Hypersonic Missiles
Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
Adia Victoria - Silences
Lillo - Because I Love You
Nick Cave - Ghosteen
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Bandana




@@
Records I like that were by and large ignored by know-it-alls:
Chastity - Homemade Satan
Who - The Who
Chuck Mead - Close to Home
Denzel Curry - Zuu
Toby Hay - New Music for the 12 String Guitar
Kel Assouf – Black Tenere
Fleshtones – Budget Buster
Bellows – the Rose Gardener
Offset – Father of 4
Mystery lights – Too Much Tension
NOX Boys – out of Touch
Sebadoh – Act Surprised
21 Savage I am > I was
Emerson Snowe – That’s Rock n Roll
Andrew Wasylyk – Paralian
Mike – Tears of Joy
Thea Gilmore – Small World Turning
Summer Cannibals – Can’t Tell Me No
Westside Gunn – Flygod is an Awesome God
Catenary Wires – To the Morning
Nicole Yun – Paper Suit
Josienne Clark - In All Weather
Comet Gain - Fireraisers, Forever!
Kyle Craft - Showboat Honey
Deerhunter - Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?
Ruby Fields - Permanent Hermit
Ezra Furman - Twelve Nudes
Future - Save Me
Cavemen - Night After Night
Jesse Malin - Sunset Kids
Lankum - The LiveLong Day
Flesheaters - I Used to be Pretty 
Headland - What Rough Beast
Murder City Capital - When I Have Fears
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes - Catfish Blues
Cass McCombs - Tip of the Sphere
J.S. Ondara - Tales of America
Redd Kross - Beyond the Door
Mavis Staples - We Got by
Emerson Snowe - That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
Vandoliers - Forever
Yawpers - Human Question
Whiffs - Another Whiff
Chelsea Wolfe - The History of Violence
Queen of Jeans - If You’re Not Afraid, I’m Not Afraid
Kacy & Clayton - Carrying On
Joseph - Good Luck, Kid
Willie Farmer - Man from the Hill
Mekons - Deserted
Patty Griffin - s/t
Mavi - The the Sun Talk
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
Young Thug - So Much Fun
JPEGMAFIA - All of My Heroes are Cornballs
Guided by Voices - Zeppelin Over China -AND- Warp & Woof -AND- Sweating The Plague by Guided by Voices


Comments

The people have spoken.

It wasn't all Covid-19 and American decline: The Year in Music - 2020!

• My favorite records of 2020. In arbitrary clusters of 10. • 1-10 • Bonny Light Horseman – s/t  • Bruce Springsteen – Letter to You • BLACKSTARKIDS – Whatever, Man • A Swayze and the Ghosts – Paid Salvation • Laura Marling – Song for our Daughter • Luke Haines and Peter Buck – Beat Poetry for Survivalists • RVG – Feral • Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher • Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways • X – Alphabetland • 11-20 • Stephen Malkmus – Traditional Techniques • Run the Jewels – RTJ4 • Sports Team – Deep Down Happy • Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? • Chuck Prophet – The Land That Time Forgot • Fontaines D.C. – a Hero’s Death • Bobby Lees – Skin Suit • Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters • Guided by Voices – Styles We Paid For • 21 Savage and Metro Boomin – Savage Mode II • 21-30 • Maria McKee – La Vita Nuova • Wire – Hive Mind • Morlocks – ...

Robert Pollard and Richard Davies were COSMOS. At least in 2009. I like to keep up to date.

I’ve been such a good lad. Writing almost like a responsible journalist. That’s not a bad thing, but I promised myself (and you) that SPEW would be a place for more dashed off bits.   Well, here’s one.   Cosmos. Ever heard of them? Unless you’re a Robert Pollard completist, probably not. Their sole release, Jar of Jam Ton of Bricks was released in 2009 (one of Pollard’s 100+ issues, only about a 1/4 of which are Guided by Voices titles). Cosmos was a collaboration with Richard Davies, Australian pop oddball and auteur behind the cult faves the Moles. The two of them share a certain aesthetic, a vision that embraces early John Cale, the first two Brian Eno records, Pete Townshend’s Scoop demos, bits and pieces of the Beatles, and a dash of early Syd Barrett.   Some of the songs on J ar of Jam are based on little more than acoustic guitar and percussion, especially woodblock, others are full band janglers. Because of the duo’s shared sensibility it all hangs...

2019 - Six months in. These records don't suck.

In the first six months of 2019, these sixty-six recordings impressed me favorably. Some of them I'll rarely listen to again. Some will become old friends. The ten in bold stand out a bit from the rest of the pack. I haven't been of a mind to write record reviews for some time now. However, if you want my spontaneous two cent's worth on any of these titles, I'll be happy to give you a quick take to affirm, bolster my support. In no particular order: 21 Savage – I am > I was Kel Assouf – Black Tenere Deerhunter – Why Hasn’t Everything Disappeared Divine Comedy – Office Politics Stella Donnelly – Beware of the Dogs Dream Syndicate – These Times Du Blonde – Lung Bread for Daddy Willie Farmer – The Man from the Hill Felice Brothers – Undress Flesheaters – I Used to be Pretty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vppn_T5b_Lo Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel Fleshtones – Budget Buster Robert Forster – Inferno Better Oblivion Community Center – s/t B...