Best New Albums of 2019

I am not normally a Springsteen fan but I really like "Western Stars". I especially like the album's big, orchestral arrangements ("The Wayfarer", "Sundown", the title track), and the impression of an awesome expanse that they evoke. It sounds epic. I also really liked Springsteen's singing on the album. He sounds older, and it fits the music so well.

 

Amina Figarova's "Road to the Sun" is an absolute delight of a jazz album. The ensemble on it is large; it starts out with a ten-piece band with strings for the first half of the album, and transitions to a leaner, more straightforward six-piece for the second half. But the arrangements are judicious enough that it doesn't have an overwhelming "big" or cluttered sound so much as a more comfortable and engaging one with a wide instrumental palette, especially in the first half with the larger group. I hadn't heard of the artist until the jazz music-choice channel on my cable system played a track from the album--I've forgotten which one--and I liked it so much I had to get the record right away. (The vinyl sounds very good on my limited system.) It's very warm, friendly, and accessible, not a "cool" or detached or formidable record at all. Sometimes it's sweeping, and often it's pretty.

Amina Figarova, "All We Dance"


Also--don't let the "easy listening" album title and cover art fool you! It is easy to listen to, but it isn't a warm bath of film soundtrack music. This is immediate, stimulating jazz music!

 

Purple Mountains

 

Taylor Swift's a tool imho. There was a time when Pitchfork had scene ethics, and now they seem to embrace whatever sells more. In the old days, they'd be more likely to feature five consecutive reviews of Mirah albums or Talib Kwelli/Blackstar, but now they're just about making a swift profit. YMMV.

 

Came across "Daydream" recently and loved it. Is the whole album like that?

 

The new Shura is really good.

Exactly the kind of pop music that I like - 'sophisticated', as they call it.

 

Probably too early to tell as the album is not out yet (out in September), but Jamie Drake's new album 'Everything Fine' could be from judging from the singles, just as lush as Weyes Blood's Titanic Rising:

Great production and songwriting on the songs I've heard.

 

New Oh Sees, "Face Stabber" is wild and weird. Digging it.

 

I got the vinyl a few weeks back. Great record indeed.

 

If you are hankerin' for some old style crunchy guitar rock n roll that leans towards the Kings X sound I think this album is like a long lost Kings X album.

Very cool..cant imagine the rick dudes not liking this one:

Puppy-The Goat - YouTube

 

Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood. Great and wonderful album from start to end.

 

Welcome to the 2019 Albums Thread. Anybody heard of this Weyes Blood group? Are they hipity hoppers?

 

I'm liking Stef Chura's Moonlight at the moment.

 

The should say Stef Chura's Midnight...

 

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm quite enjoying this.

 

That should be "rock" dudes lol

 

King Thrashzard and the Lizard Blizzard



There is no planet b , open your eyes

 

My top two are:
1. Purple Mountains: s/t
2. Hand Habits: Placeholder

I also like:
3. Big Thief: U.F.O.F
4. Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising

 

It is much 'poppier' than their previous albums. Here's another track:

 

King Gizzard - Infest The Rats Nest I love the way they hop from one genre to the other with their albums.

 

Kacey Musgraves-Golden Hour

 

2018

 

I mentioned it in a different thread but since I just heard it's been cut to vinyl I'll give this sweet jazz date a mention here abouts:

Very impressed w new album from new-to-me tenorist Melissa Aldana, "visions".

The band is on fire throughout Aldana's unique songs. The way her lines bubble up then cascade over the music reminds me of Mark Turner but she is a more interesting writer imo. Very edge of your seat playing on this album.
w
Tommy Crane drums
Joel Ross vibraphone
Sam Harris piano
Pablo Menares bass

Listen to "acceptance" from the album

 

For any fans of Haken or progressive-metal to any degree, Richard Henshall - multi-instrumentalist and principal songwriter/guitarist for the band - released his debut solo album called The Cocoon on August 9th and it is superb.

If you have been searching for something innovative in the prog world for some time, your day has arrived. Here's "Twisted Shadows," but you should really check out the whole thing:

 

Beatles White Album