This was a strange year, in the sense that without even planning it I ended up listening to more new releases than any past year. I think it was a subconscious thing, being in the middle of a "oh yeah I'll just build my own house and it will go perfectly with no hiccups whatsoever" type of situation. I was looking for something new and perfect to replace the new home which has yet to arrive. Luckily all this listening paid off as there were some really excellent albums this year. It started off slowly, only for some of the best output to come out towards the end. Killer climax, man.
This year I have not put together a playlist, but instead included a song or video for each review as a taste for the rest. And even though these are numbered as you can see, they are not in any order whatsoever. Except for #1 - that one truly rises above all else this year.
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
2019
2
Brickbat
PIROSHKA
This album is a potpourri in a few ways. First it's - well it's NOT a supergroup - but it IS a super group of many British musical talents, with Miki Berenyi of Lush on vocals/guitar, KJ McKillop of Moose on guitar, Mick Conroy of Modern English on bass, and Justin Welch of Elastica on drums. With such varying influences, their sound is a potpourri as well: post punk, pop, new wave, even dashes of shoegaze and Motown sprinkled here and there. If you're into the former bands of any of this new outfit's members, you're sure to find at least something here to grab your attention. It doesn't always 100% hit the mark, but the album's eclecticism makes it a rich and rewarding listen, especially for those with a keen ear for the best of British indie rock.
Tracklist
This Must Be Bedlam
Village Of The Damned
Never Enough
Blameless
What's Next?
Hated By The Powers That Be
Run For Your Life
Heartbeats
Everlastingly Yours
She's Unreal
Label
Bella Union Records
Released
19 February
Running time
44:00