While 2019 offered up a multitude of mediocre and disappointing albums, a few gems shone through the rough. Here are our best albums of 2019!
Honorable Mentions
- blink-182 – NINE
- The Dangerous Summer – Mother Nature
- The Maine – You Are OK
- Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated
- Grayscale – Nella Vita
- MILKK – HEADRUSH
- Emarosa – Peach Club
- Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life
- FRENSHIP – Vacation
- Wallows – Nothing Happens
Let’s get into it…
3. Local Natives – Violet Street
Local Natives is one of my top three favorite bands of all time, so of course I might be a bit biased here. The California band has yet to disappoint me; all of their albums have a special spot on my shelf and I love each one so, so dearly. Their previous record Sunlit Youth, released in 2016, displayed a more experimental approach to their indie rock orientation by introducing synths and programmed percussion, as well as some politically-charged lyricism. For some fans, this style was a turn-off, but for me, I enjoyed the hell out of that LP. So how does Violet Street shape up? Local Natives dial their tone back to a more organic sound, fairly reminiscent of their debut album Gorilla Manor. Piano melodies, lively drumming, and twangy guitars constitute Violet Street, strengthening the authenticity of the album’s libretto. Heartstring-tugging subjects and impassioned vocal performances (those harmonies!) show no mercy for a weathered soul—the band never fails to deliver a captivating, affective listening experience. Violet Street is without a doubt another home run in Local Natives’ discography.
Favorite tracks: “Café Amarillo,” “Someday Now,” “Gulf Shores,” “Vogue,” “When Am I Gonna Lose You”
2. Bastille – Doom Days
Trust me, I’m as surprised as you are. Back in 2016, I named Bastille’s Wild World one of the most overrated albums of the year. Since gaining mainstream success back in 2013 with their debut Bad Blood, Bastille had yet to impress me in any way. There weren’t many songs on that debut that left me in awe, and their sophomore effort didn’t fulfill me either. But with their latest release Doom Days, I don’t hate it. In fact, I think it’s pretty darn good. I’m not sure if this is because I’m shocked that Bastille is actually winning me over for once or because it’s genuinely decent, but either way, Doom Days is a welcomed improvement in their discography. Lead singer Dan Smith has greatly refined his vocals, although there is a handful of moments on this record where the vocals feel a bit overproduced. The production overall, however, is certainly superior to the album’s predecessors, and the instrumentation sounds fresh and lively. The lyrical content displays recurring motifs of late night adventures and sober contemplation, and the tunes themselves are relatively catchy. The band described Doom Days as a concept record and I’m on board with that idea. Doom Days gets the stamp of approval from yours truly, and that really says something considering my negative history with Bastille.
Favorite tracks: “Quarter Past Midnight,” “Joy,” “Bad Decisions,” “Nocturnal Creatures,” “The Waves”
1. Greyson Chance – portraits
Greyson Chance recrudesces with his real debut album, portraits. After gaining popularity back in 2010 from YouTube and Ellen, Greyson was shoved into the industry spotlight at a young age and released his original debut album in 2011. However, since Greyson has grown over the years, he’s dubbing portraits as his genuine artist debut. And genuine it is indeed. Greyson’s lyrical writing is emotive and captivating—he wears his heart on his sleeve. But while the subject matter may be pensive and thoughtful, he doesn’t hold back the fun you would expect from a pop record. From the bouncy single “shut up” to the booming percussion of “west texas,” from the exuberant vocal harmonies of “white roses” to the spirited synths of “lakeshore,” portraits is a refreshing listen from start to finish, coupling heartfelt emotion with upbeat musicality and charismatic vocal delivery. You don’t want to miss this outstanding LP. While you may not consider this alternative, I couldn’t keep it off this list considering I haven’t been able to keep it off my mind and stereo.
Favorite tracks: “west texas,” “yours,” “lakeshore,” “timekeeper,” “black on black”
Let us know your favorite albums of the year in the comments below!