Top 5 Q1 albums 2019

Music
1

So, I hope Im not stepping on anyone’s toes by starting this…feel free to shut me down, but I find these round ups useful for catching up on things I may have missed:

  1. Twilight Sad
  2. Sharon Van Etten
  3. Beirut
  4. Better Oblivion Community Centre
  5. Girlpool

So far a year of few “classics” but loads of very listenable albums. For me, Beirut’s best, most melodic album. Better Oblivion… is pretty great bar a few middling numbers (would have been a killer EP - boygenius style) Never heard Girlpool but that really grabbed me. Sharon V E is decent, second half is amazing, first is pretty basic, picks up from comeback kid onwards (and Seventeen is track of the year so far) twilight sad is the only real classic so far, never gave them much time before but i love the keyboard sounds

What has everyone else got? Any hidden gems tucked away on Bandcamp/small labels that need more attention?

1 Like
2

Don’t think you are. @BMS1 does one based on the top voted albums from the monthly threads (I think, could be wrong though)

3

apart from the ones you’ve mentioned Spielbergs and the delines

2 Likes
4

It’s fine with me.

I do the monthly vote and a six monthly vote from the albums that ranked in the top 10 from the first six months.

My choices:

  1. Desperate Journalist
    2 .Sharon Van Etten
  2. Jenny Lewis
  3. Yola
  4. Bob Mould
5

I have no idea how to rank them (if we’re voting I’ll try), but my top 5 at the moment are:

  • Twilight Sad
  • Sharon Van Etten
  • Pedro the Lion - I’d only been familiar with It’s Hard to Find a Friend before I tried this, but this is great. Definitely not a throwaway comeback album whatsoever, it sounds like a band operating at its peak. I’m surprised this isn’t being rated more highly.
  • Spielbergs - Kind of like a fusion between good Japandroids and good TWIABP. It’s packed with hooks and creates that feeling that whatever you’re doing is important.
  • Sasami - Downbeat, melodic, sad, with a light shoegaze touch. Every moment contributes. It’s getting pretty good reviews but I think it’s much better than that. Fantastic debut.

Two other great full lengths are MONO and Better Oblivion Community Center.

Hollow Comet (Strange Ranger side project) has a great EP. For fans of Strange Ranger and lo-fi sad Isaac Brock material.

2 Likes
6

No idea what happened to my ranking after typing but they’re my top five.

7

Hhmm this is tough! Lots of good in Jan and March - not sure I found anything I liked in Feb though

8

Here goes.

  1. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
  2. Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile
  3. Tiny Ruins - Olympic Girls
  4. Angelo de Augustine - Tomb
  5. Max Gowan - Bygones

Also really enjoyed Beirut, Lomelda, Hand Habits, Julia Jacklin and the It Keeps Snowing EP.

In terms of smaller albums, the Lonestar compilation on Peach Records, Bellows, Thelma, Shady Bug, Leggy and Dave Harrington Group albums have all been great.

9
  1. Press Club
  2. Dawn Richard
  3. Little Simz
  4. Twilight Sad
  5. Self Esteem

I…think

3 Likes
10
  1. The Twilight Sad
  2. Press Club
  3. These New Puritans
  4. Desperate Journalist
  5. Fews
11
  1. Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile
  2. Malik Djoudi - Malik
  3. Beirut - Gallipoli
  4. Yann Tiersen - All
  5. Emily Wells - This World Is Too _____ for You
12

Good start everyone, cheers!

13

Need to try the Helado Negrado again…found it a bit sleepy when i gave it a cursory

14

Spielbergs!! Forgot that one. Love it! Will give Pedro a spin

2 Likes
15
  1. Nivhek - After its own death/walking in a spiral towards the house
  2. Mary Lattimore & Mac McCaughan - New Rain Duets
  3. Pye Corner Audio - Hollow Earth
  4. Not Waving - Futuro
  5. Julia Kent - Temporal

I’m rubbish at ranking. Generally I just have a bunch of records I like and by the end of the year maybe 3 or 4 rise to the top and after that it’s all a bit arbitrary. Top 2 here definitely feel like my favourites so far this year though.

1 Like
16
  1. Ithaca - The Language of Injury
  2. Teeth Of The Sea - Wraith
  3. A A Williams - A A Williams EP
  4. Minors - Abject Bodies
  5. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - Yn Ol I Annwyn

Number 1 is out in front by some distance and the others could probably shift around a little.

2 Likes
17

THE COMET IS COMING!

plus some other stuff idk

18
  1. Sharon Van Etten
  2. American Football
  3. Ladytron
  4. Dawn
  5. Sasami
1 Like
19

I’m having a bit of a slow start to the year I think. Not much has really grabbed me so far sadly.

Think these have probs been my favourite so far:

  1. Croatian Amor - Isa
  2. Health - Vol. 4 Slaves of Fear
  3. Twilight Sad - It Won’t Be a Like This All the Time
  4. Foals - Everything Not Saved… Vol. 1
  5. Malibu Ken - Malibu Ken
2 Likes
20

=1 press club
=1 better oblivion community center
3 the comet is coming
4 James Blake

Then the rest…

1 Like