Category: Best Albums of 2019

Rock is the New Roll: The Top 100 Albums of 2019 (100-91)

Here it is, the long-awaited list of the best albums of 2019. It has been a really great year for music. We heard from a couple of deceased legends in Harry Nilsson and Leonard Cohen, were treated with new records from Texas Honky Tonk legends Jack Ingram, Corb Lund, and Dale Watson, and bright lights shone for the first time with a bevy of new artists to discover including the one name wonders Lizzo and Yola.

Rock is not dead with White Reaper, Drugdealer and Balck Country Communion all inviting us to a party like it’s 1979. And of course, the singer-songwriter is back. The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, is back and better than ever and Rock is the New Roll favorite Tom Russell gave us a history lesson in 11 songs with October in the Railroad Earth.

This year we will be releasing our top 100 list 10 tasty gems at a time, so sit back, grab your favorite beverage, and enjoy the ear-pleasing top 100 records of the year.

100. Pip Blom – Boat

Fervent fans of the Indie Rock scene of the ’90s, the Dutch band Pip Blom has released their most fully realized effort to date. Sonically excellent lead singer Pip Blom sounds a bit liked an escaped Runaway. The guitar pop on this one is the next level. If you are looking for a rambunctious romp through a 90’s Post Punk garden this is your jam.

99. Liz Brasher – Painted Image

This one is likely to be on the list of best debut albums of the year. With vintage Dusty Springfield, old school grooves mixed with contemporary Blues swirling throughout there is a definite new age feel to the record to complement the vintage sounds. “Cold Baby” sounds like Otis Redding’s long lost sister.

98. The Steel Woods – Old News

This Americana and Outlaw Country by way of Southern Rock band is the real deal. The opening couple of riffs on the lead-off song, “All of These Years” will have you digging out your old Lynyrd Skynyrd records, and if that’s not enough, their cover versions of “Whipping Post” along with Petty’s ” Southern Accents” will direct your attention to the music that these guys discovered when they were growing up.

97. Justin Townes Earle – The Saint of Lost Causes

Steve Earles’s Son Justin Townes Earle is back with another solid set of introspective songs. This time, turning to more expansive road themes instead of the deeply person familial portraits he shared on his last two records, the results are equally impressive.

96. Joan Shelley – Like The River Loves The Sea

This record is a slow burn. After one listen you will go, ok, Joni Mitchell for the new millennium. After a second listen you will think there is something a bit deep going on here. And, after a third listen, you will be putting this record on your own personal best of the year lists. This record is sensual, provocative and alarming all at the same time.

95. Madison Cunningham – Who Are They Now

It seems appropriate that Madison Cunningham would eventually land on the Verve record label. Her nuanced and sophisticated guitar playing, as well as her vocal delivery, will remind you of Joni Mitchell in her prime. The songwriting and pop sensibilities are pure Karla Bonoff.

94. Garrett T. Capps – All Right, All Night

If Townes Van Zant was just a little less screwed up and depressed, he might have been Garrett T. Capps. All killer, no filler the title track is great, and songs like “Sunday Sun” and “Babe, I’ve Got To Go” are quite possibly even better.

93. Samantha Fish – Kill or Be Kind

Six albums in, and her first on Rounder Records, Samantha Fish is still somewhat of an unknown quantity. Whether she is laying down a greasy blues riff or belting out a Soul screamer, Samantha is a Swiss Army knife of talent. And, and if there is a musical God, her new record should land her on the music radar right alongside Beth Hart and Bonnie Raitt.

92. Elles Bailey – Road I Call Home

Finally, Elles Baily has a proper release under her belt. Part Blues, some Country, all very cool, Elles Bailey is on the verge of stardom. After touring with Eric Gales and garnering high billing on several festival circuits this one just might be the breakthrough she so richly deserves.

91. Daddy Long Legs – Lowdown Ways

If Little Walter was in the Stray Cats you might get Daddy Long Legs. Just listen to “Mornin’ Noon & Night” and tell me I’m wrong. This record is a smasher from “Pink Lemonade” all the way to “Ding Dong Dang.” Old-School meets New-School in all the best of ways on this one.

 

 

Best Albums of 2019: The Reconstructed – Great North Wind

 

Whoever said that the only good music comes out of Austin, the left coast, or New York, has obviously never heard of The Reconstructed, the best thing to come out of Southern Maine since the lobster. Their latest record, Great North Wind, is a melodic stunner of an album with delicious hooks, sweet vocals, and enough of a Power Pop sensibility to make Alex Chilton jealous.

The opener, “Cross Talk” is what the stork would have delivered if the parents were the Bands Crazy Horse and The Bodeans, and the title track shares some DNA with Jason Isbell and the 400 unit. “Wrapped” sounds like it could have been a R.E.M. B-side, “50 Minute Records” features next-level songwriting, and “Talking With Your Ghost” rhythmically carries a bit of a John Mellencamp torch. In “Something Came Over Me” your mind’s ear will be able to detect a bit of pre-Phil Genesis on a song that vitally demonstrates the intricate songcraft and Prince level musicianship delivered on this album.

In short, while bits, pieces, and resemblances of other great bands might be salted here and there on this record, don’t be mistaken, this album and this band is a wholly unique unicorn that should be reaching more ears.

Five Cool Ones: Five New Records Released This Week (November 15, 2019)

Yes, we are definitely in the dog days of music releases. More Christmas records are starting to pollute our atmosphere, and there is a limited palette for artists to release a record with limited time to crank up the marketing machine to get the word out before the holiday lost in the shuffle scramble kicks in. But don’t panic, we have done the work so you don’t have to and cherry-picked a couple of fine listens for you to enjoy. Editors note, we contractually obligated to let you know that the cue tip on a stick, as Elton calls her, Celine Dion, has a new record out. Unless you are a fan of Cher, stay clear of this one.

Lady Antebellum – Ocean

Not sure why, but Lady Antebellum is somewhat of a guilty pleasure band in the halls of Rock is the New Roll. Every time we listen to them most of us, Bernie Sparrow, is somewhat of an old-school purist, but the rest of us will wonder why we don’t listen to them more. On this record, sure there are some soul-shattering bro-country, cookie-cutter tunes, but, mixed in are some downright semi-rockers like “You Can Do You.” The buttery vocal interplay with all of the band members jumping in is still as cool as when our ears first experienced the band courtesy of their mega-hit “Need You Now.” There is no splitting of the atom going on here but on songs Like “Boots,” there is even a bit of Rock in their Roll. All this being said, they should be forgiven if at times here they sound like a combination of Hall and Oates and The Little River Band.

Joe Henry – The Gospel According To Water

Working through this set of songs as he was battling his treatments for prostate cancer, the tightly woven set of songs was recorded in his home studio over the course of two days. As expected the record has a definite DIY feel to it which is exactly what was intended. Originally approached as a project to gather a series of demos for use in a more fully fleshed out record,  Henry rightfully decided to release these close to the bone recordings as a cathartic experience for himself more than anything else.

Milky Chance – Mind The Moon

The duo that brought you “Stolen Dance,” the absolute monster earworm of a song that was pretty much the soundtrack of 2014, is back with their third long-player, and it is pretty strong. The opener “Fado” is a multi-textured affair that carries a bit of a Santana feel with it, and “Eden’s House” with Ladysmith Black Mambazo sounds like it could have been a lost Graceland demo. Overall, this one won’t have you at hello but the diverse soundscapes that are created with varied textures as you stroll through the tracks will reward your ears with frequent visits. “Scarlet Paintings” is pretty much an aural stunner.

Juliana Hatfield – Juliana Hatfield Sings The Police

If Juliana Hatfield likes a band you can be sure that we are going to hear about it. As a quick follow-up to her 2018 record, Juliana Hatfield sings Olivia Newton-John, Hatfield memorializes another influential band from her teens with the appropriately named Juliana Hatfield Sins The Police. Thankfully, she keeps things interesting and offers unique, almost Go-Go’s worthy arrangements for most of the songs. Not sticking to the hits, a couple of deep cuts are covered including the splendid up-tempo tunes “Landlord” and “Murder By Numbers” cranking up the guitars to 11.  Throwing everything she’s got into each number, even if you are not a big Police fan the energy that zips from song to song makes this one a real winner. “Canary In A Coal Mine” is worth the price of admission alone and Juliana does the impossible and makes “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” listenable.

Jack Broadbent – Moonshine Blue

Pay close ear-tention here. You will be hearing much more from this dude in 2020 and for years to come. Already hailed as the new master of the slide guitar by the folks that run the Montreaux Jazz Festival Broadbent offers up a unique blend of virtuosic acoustic guitar playing to accompany his from The Crossroads slide work. Having recently opened for Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Robben Ford, Moonshine Blue, his fourth album, should put this guy on the map.  The title track “Moonshine Blue” is one of the better songs of 2019, and “If” has Duane Allman rolling over his grave reaching for his guitar to challenge Jack to a slide guitar duel. “Wishing Well” is a jaw-dropper. Editors Note: After five listens the Rock is the New Roll review team as moved this record into the top 10 for 2019.

 

 

 

 

Best Albums of 2019: Walker Lukens – Adult

With Adult, Walker Lukens has released his most fully formed record to date. Produced by Spoon’s Jim Eno, the album has an underlying contemporary feel to it while still maintaining its singer songwriter soul. Secret weapon and member of his band The Sidearms, Mckenzie Griffin, really shines on several tracks, most notably on “Frankie & Bella” and “Black Matter.” Vocally, Walker can go from  a Harry Nilsson croon to honeyed voice Marvin Gaye at the turn of a tonsil, and he does so often here with the ease of a seasoned professional. The production value on Adult is first rate and there is a lot of nuance and texture for your ears to enjoy as they travel from song to song. There is a lot discover with repeated listens of this record.

Best Albums of 2019: North Mississippi All Stars – Up And Rolling

Cody and Luther Dickinson, sons of the late Jim Dickinson, have opened up their musical Mississippi home to the rest of us with their brilliant Blues Boogie L.P. Up and Rolling.

Their debut record for New West, working for a semi-major label hasn’t slowed these Cats one bit, and while the production does seem a bit more glossy and less ramshackle than their previous affairs, the result is no less appealing and their boogie till the break of dawn spirit flag is still waiving proudly.

Calling on a gaggle of talented friends to lend a hand in the making of this record in their family studio in the hill country of Mississippi, there is never a dull moment, and every track has a live feel to it especially on their reading of Little Walter Johnson’s “Mean Old World” featuring Duane Betts and Jason Isbell on guitar with Isbell also handling lead vocal duties.

Mavis Staples complements the band perfectly on her own Staples Singers cover of “What You Gonna Do,” and keeping up the family tradition, Cedric Burnside choogles up the joint on his uncle R.L.’s tune “Out on the Road.”

The core group, Luther and Cody Dickinson, Thomas A. Dorsey, Carl Dufrene, and Sharisse Norman are a well seasoned outfit that has played together for many years and the many guests that appear here have jammed with the band all over the Mississippi Delta in one form or another. The fits like a glove partnerships on this record should serve to push this record to the front of many year end best-of lists, genre be damned.

Best Albums of 2019: The Limboos – Baia

The Limboos – Baia (Rating 5 out of 5)

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The Limboos are pretty much the very definition of a genre defying band. A bit soul, retro in all the coolest of ways fusing together Soul, Rumba, Jazz, Blues, Funk, and a bunch of others we are probably skipping. On songs like “Till The End Of Town” you would bet your last dollar this was a Stax single from the 60’s.

When the sax kicks in on “Where Did She Go,” the first single from the album, there is a sense that you should be in some sort of Jetsons hipster go-go bar. The vocals are front and center and the production value is first rate with no single instrument overpowering another. And yes, they have a female drummer, as if they needed anything else to add to their coolness.

“Big Shot” the second single to be released as well as the opening track, sticks the groove and never let’s up. Swinging organ, silky sax, hip vocals all are the order of the day. This one is a timeless classic

limboos

Operating out of Madrid, most of the media about the band is in Spanish, which is somewhat perplexing since all of the songs are in English. There is not a bad tune to be had on this record. It is a great party record with ebbs and flows that make it a textured masterpiece.

 

Best Albums of 2019: The New Roses – Nothing But Wild

This one might be the Rock and Roll record of the year. And, if this were thirty years ago most of the songs on this scorcher of a record would be in the top 10 with a bullet. “The Bullet” would have made a perfect Night Ranger ballad, “Can’t Stop Rock and Roll” sounds a bit like Bon Jovi on steroids.

The choruses are huge, the hooks are everywhere and with songs that extoll the virtues of a six pack and a radio down by the river you won’t even need throwback Thursday to bring back the good old days.

Part Def Leppard part Brian Adams, if you are of a certain age this album would have been the soundtrack of your 20’s. As it is, let this be the soundtrack of a waning summer.

Best Albums of 2019: Shana Cleveland – Night of the Worm Moon

Known mostly for her work with the Surf-Noir Band La Luz, Shana Cleveland doesn’t stray too far from the vintage guitar, psychedelic haze ambience on Night of the Worm Moon, her second proper full length record as a solo artist.

The cool, laconic, mostly psychedelic under current that wafts through the entire proceedings like an early era Leonard Cohen poetry reading will instantly take you back to a time when television came in both colors. Black, and white.

“The Fireball” is a shoegaze-y mellow-tron of a tune and “Solar Creep” is a night time chill-out experience. Don’t expect the jams to be kicked out anywhere on this record, just a fine, understated, spectral beauty of a listening journey.

Best Albums of 2019: The Quireboys – Amazing Disgrace

The formula of The Small Faces filtered through a prism of The Rolling Stones and ZZ Top hasn’t changed much in 35 years for The Quireboys, but that’s not really the point. These guys can still write a killer hook and their new songs can stand ear to ear with tunes they may have written decades ago. Are you listening Rolling Stones? And, we’re not letting you off the hook Billy Joel. Their scorching opener “Original Black Eyed Son” swings the barroom doors open in the best of ‘let’s get ready to rumble’ ways. With the drum beat introduction and the horns kicking in, once the organ joins the party early on in the song you can almost see lead singer Spike Gray swashbuckling into the room with a bottle of Jack Daniels under one arm and a busty blond under the other.

Two songs in with “Singer Serenader” you are left wondering if these guys are really in their sixties or just might be a bunch of millennials with a garage band who grew up listening to their grand parents Classic Rock record collection.

And yes, Spike Gray, with a voice that sounds like he gargles with sandpaper, cigarettes and whiskey can take things lower and even slower and deliver a ballad with the best of them like he does on “This is It.” It is here where there is a spit take moment towards the end of the song when the ghost of Papa John Creach seemingly joins the party with a fiddle outro. It’s subtle, but it’s there. And it’s delicious.

There literally is not a bad song on this record. The entire proceedings are so cool that the guys can almost be forgiven for going all Bryan Adams on our ears with “Dancing In Paris.” Well, almost. They tried to hide it by sneaking it in as the second to the last song on the album. The spot that is typically reserved for songs that are added at the last minute for filler purposes. We are on to your little reindeer games Quireboys. Shine on you crazy diamonds!

The Top 10 Albums of 2019 (so far)

There has been a truck load of great records out this year and before the new Bruce Springsteen comes out this Friday, everything else is just a placeholder, here are our top ten favorites.

10. J.S. Ondara – Tales of America

This Minnesota by way of Kenya Americana Folk singer is this years Leon Bridges. An inspiring new find , Ondara fully absorbs himself in any song he sings.

09. Austin Meade – Waves

This denizen of the Texas hill country lays down a template of 70’s outlaw inspired country influenced songwriting with more of than a touch of Rock as well as Roll.

08. Yola – Walk Through The Fire

You won’t need to to much past the first song on this record, “Faraway Look”, for this one to grab you. With pipes that would make Dusty Springfield blush along with the production fairy dust from Dan Auerbach and his Easy Eye team, this is one could have been released in 1968.

07. Guida E.V.A

An extremely rambunctious listen, E.V.A., the latest from Italian Glam Rock titans Guida combines Glam, 70’s Rock, and a tinge of disco that will mood-set your day at first listen.

06. Jack Ingram – Ridin’ High … Again

Ingram’s tribute in spirit to Jerry Jeff Walker and the rest of the hill country troubadours. Another record that could have been made in 70’s era Nashville. His take on “Desperados Waiting on a Train” is worth the price of admission alone.

05. Nightbeats – Myth of a Man

There is a real and pronounced outlaw-groove Tarantino-Noir vibe that permeates every pore of this album.

04. Kenny Wayne Sheppard – The Traveller

Kenny Wayne Sheppard with each release seems to be more and more comfortable with his place in the pantheon of guitar slingers. His latest, a Classic Rock concoction of Blues, Boogie, and Rock is a powerhouse. Singer Noah Hunt is in fine grizzled form still sounding like Warren Zevon’s less drug addled brother, and Stevie Ray’s old stick man Chris Layton pushes the band down the rails like a runaway train. Including eight originals and two covers, the best of the lot being a scorched earth version of Neil’s Mr. Soul, this one might be the bands best record to date.

03. Jenny Lewis – On the Line

Firmly entrenched in Laurel Canyon California Lounge-Rock of the 70’s. Any record that features Benmont Tench, Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Beck, and Don Was has to be the coolest. And this one is.

02. Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center

This one came out of nowhere, also way back in January. A collaboration between Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers, both site favorites, this one is a tight Folk- Rock record that brings out the best in both artists.

01. The Delines – The Imperial

Brooding and vulnerable Country Soul from the side-piece band for Richmond Fontaine head honcho. Every song is a Raymond Carver short story.