2019: My 25 Favorite Albums
Amyl And The Sniffers - s/t
Debut full-length from Australian sleaze-punk royalty.
Hélène Barbier - Have You Met Elliott?
Sometimes one extra click can lead to a fruitful discovery. I sorta randomly stumbled upon this minimal, experimental psychedelic post-punk gem and I'm glad I did! Barbier was born in France but now calls Montreal home, as I wish I did.
black midi - Schlagenheim
These four kids met at a prestigious arts school in the UK and burst onto the scene with their wild imagination and put out an album of unpredictable and experimental noise rock. /runonsentence
Blues Lawyer - Something Different
There's just something about this album that keeps me coming back. I can't explain it other than it's a fun and catchy poppy, punky romp. Oops, guess I just did.
The Cowboys - The Bottom Of A Rotten Flower
Good ol' fashioned Midwestern RnR with soul and excellent songwriting. This one took a little longer to rope me in than their previous releases but now I'm back in the saddle. I just hope their original guitarist Mark hasn't ridden off into the sunset because he doesn't like touring.
DEHD - Water
Twangy post-punk breakup album written and performed by the very couple who broke up with each other, sigh.
Earache - Last
Australian duo's debut album that's part dream pop, part shoegaze. It's sweet but not too sweet!
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - All In Good Time
The world rejoices, for He hath risen from the dead. Eddy Current is back to save us from this mad, mad world. Musically, this falls somewhere in-between their first and second albums but lyrically it's more mature than anything they've done. Not their best album by any stretch but good enough, after repeated listens, to make this exclusive list. Can I get an amen?!
Erik Nervous And The Beta Blockers - s/t
The bespectacled nervous one himself is back with another album of jittery punk, this time with The Beta Blockers in tow. This album has a much fuller and varied sound than his previous output and I'm here for it. Don't be nervous, smash that play button!
Good Morning - The Option
Aussie guitar pop duo's most upbeat and diverse album yet. It's also kinda silly in a good way and let's face it, we could all use some silliness right now.
The Hecks - My Star
Chicago art punk heroes return with a new set of bouncy, off-kilter new wave jams. Has anyone used the word "rubbery" to describe the sound of guitars? These guitars sound rubbery.
Hierophants - Spitting Out Moonlight
This album's got the classic Australian weirdness and coolness but with a funky beat! Featuring Jake Robertson of every cool punk band and Paris of P.P. Rebel and Parsnip, cool bands in their own right.
Institute - Readjusting The Locks
Brooding, sinister post-punk. That's it. That's the description.
J. McFarlane's Reality Guest - TA DA
Julia of Twerps fame branches out on her own with some oddball minimal electronic ditties.
Le Villejuif Underground - When Will The Flies In Deauville Drop?
Cool Australian bloke moves to France, forms a cool band with some cool locals. This is what cool sounds like.
Neutrals - Kebab Disco
Here we have the debut album from a bouncy post-punk band based in the Bay Area and fronted by a Scottish lad. "This album is fun!" - My friend Jennifer
Penny - s/t
Fuzzy, thrashy punk that sounds like it could fall apart at any moment. Featuring members of bands with ridiculous names like Fleaspoon, Rock Paper Stupid, and Rude Mechanical Orchestra! Awesome!
Purple Mountains - s/t
David Berman's beautiful and heart-wrenching suicide note set to music for all of us to enjoy (read: cry along to).
Scrap Brain - A Journey Into Madness
Noisy, scathing HC punk for these dark and violent times. It'll make you wanna punch nazis, or at least tories.
Sensual World - Feeling Wild
You know Florence of the Florence and the Machine band? Julie, Sensual World's vocalist, sounds like her. This dark, melodic post-punk album rips and slaps and smacks (did I just invent a new punk rock descriptive verb?) and I'm not just saying that because I know the bassist's cousin.
Skiftande Enheter - s/t
Garagey egg punk (yes, egg punk -- look it up) from a Swedish band that employs an organ! Side note: more punk rock organs, please. One song sounds like it was recorded under water but no, it's not named Swedish Fish. Seems like a missed opportunity to me.
Skydeck - Eureka Moment
The four lamest words in music are "bedroom dream pop project." Thankfully, this album by Australian duo Skydeck is more dynamic and interesting than your typical run-of-the-mill you-know-whats.
The Snakes - s/t
All you need to know about this punk band is that their drummer showed up to Maggot Fest stinking drunk and ruined the set. It should come as no surprise once you hear the album.
The Staches - This Lake Is Pointless
Weird and cool nu wave post-punk from Germany by way of Switzerland (or is it Switzerland by way of Germany? Whatever, the band's originally from Geneva but is now based in Leipzig).
YĪN YĪN - The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers
Funky fresh psychedelic dance jams with a Far Eastern flavor. Comes with extra MSG!
The best of the rest
Ausmuteants - ...Present The World In Handcuffs
Cereal Killer - The Beginning & End Of Cereal Killer
Comet Gain - Fireraisers Forever!
Dots - s/t
Dr Sure's Unusual Practice - The West
Dragnet - All Rise For Dragnet
Drahla - Useless Coordinates
Droids Blood - LP
Empath - Active Listening: Night On Earth
Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel
The Funs - Don't Get Put Out By The Drool
Gauche - A People's History Of Gauche
Hash Redactor - Drecksound
Hyperculte - Massif Occidental
Knife Wife - Family Party
Mike Krol - Power Chords
L'Eclair - Sauropoda
Low Life - Downer Edn
Lunch Lady - Angel
The Mind - Edge Of The Planet
The Natural Man Band - Living In A Chemical World
New Berlin - Magnet
Nice Apple - This Time Nice Apple Is Auto-Cathecting
P.P. Rebel - P.P. Is... Peeping Piebald Past The Night!
Patio - Essentials
Pinch Points - Moving Parts
Possible Humans - Everybody Split
Powerplant - People In The Sun
Program - Show Me
Pscience - s/t
Romantic States - Ballerina
The Stroppies - Whoosh
Uranium Club - The Cosmo Cleaners
URSA - L'Esprit De La Teuf
Vaguess - When I Was Young & Useless
Valley Gals - Real Rock
Vivian Girls - Memory
Warp - Traffic Control
Hélène Barbier - Have You Met Elliott?
Sometimes one extra click can lead to a fruitful discovery. I sorta randomly stumbled upon this minimal, experimental psychedelic post-punk gem and I'm glad I did! Barbier was born in France but now calls Montreal home, as I wish I did.
black midi - Schlagenheim
These four kids met at a prestigious arts school in the UK and burst onto the scene with their wild imagination and put out an album of unpredictable and experimental noise rock. /runonsentence
Blues Lawyer - Something Different
There's just something about this album that keeps me coming back. I can't explain it other than it's a fun and catchy poppy, punky romp. Oops, guess I just did.
The Cowboys - The Bottom Of A Rotten Flower
Good ol' fashioned Midwestern RnR with soul and excellent songwriting. This one took a little longer to rope me in than their previous releases but now I'm back in the saddle. I just hope their original guitarist Mark hasn't ridden off into the sunset because he doesn't like touring.
DEHD - Water
Twangy post-punk breakup album written and performed by the very couple who broke up with each other, sigh.
Earache - Last
Australian duo's debut album that's part dream pop, part shoegaze. It's sweet but not too sweet!
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - All In Good Time
The world rejoices, for He hath risen from the dead. Eddy Current is back to save us from this mad, mad world. Musically, this falls somewhere in-between their first and second albums but lyrically it's more mature than anything they've done. Not their best album by any stretch but good enough, after repeated listens, to make this exclusive list. Can I get an amen?!
Erik Nervous And The Beta Blockers - s/t
The bespectacled nervous one himself is back with another album of jittery punk, this time with The Beta Blockers in tow. This album has a much fuller and varied sound than his previous output and I'm here for it. Don't be nervous, smash that play button!
Good Morning - The Option
Aussie guitar pop duo's most upbeat and diverse album yet. It's also kinda silly in a good way and let's face it, we could all use some silliness right now.
The Hecks - My Star
Chicago art punk heroes return with a new set of bouncy, off-kilter new wave jams. Has anyone used the word "rubbery" to describe the sound of guitars? These guitars sound rubbery.
Hierophants - Spitting Out Moonlight
This album's got the classic Australian weirdness and coolness but with a funky beat! Featuring Jake Robertson of every cool punk band and Paris of P.P. Rebel and Parsnip, cool bands in their own right.
Institute - Readjusting The Locks
Brooding, sinister post-punk. That's it. That's the description.
J. McFarlane's Reality Guest - TA DA
Julia of Twerps fame branches out on her own with some oddball minimal electronic ditties.
Le Villejuif Underground - When Will The Flies In Deauville Drop?
Cool Australian bloke moves to France, forms a cool band with some cool locals. This is what cool sounds like.
Neutrals - Kebab Disco
Here we have the debut album from a bouncy post-punk band based in the Bay Area and fronted by a Scottish lad. "This album is fun!" - My friend Jennifer
Penny - s/t
Fuzzy, thrashy punk that sounds like it could fall apart at any moment. Featuring members of bands with ridiculous names like Fleaspoon, Rock Paper Stupid, and Rude Mechanical Orchestra! Awesome!
Purple Mountains - s/t
David Berman's beautiful and heart-wrenching suicide note set to music for all of us to enjoy (read: cry along to).
Scrap Brain - A Journey Into Madness
Noisy, scathing HC punk for these dark and violent times. It'll make you wanna punch nazis, or at least tories.
Sensual World - Feeling Wild
You know Florence of the Florence and the Machine band? Julie, Sensual World's vocalist, sounds like her. This dark, melodic post-punk album rips and slaps and smacks (did I just invent a new punk rock descriptive verb?) and I'm not just saying that because I know the bassist's cousin.
Skiftande Enheter - s/t
Garagey egg punk (yes, egg punk -- look it up) from a Swedish band that employs an organ! Side note: more punk rock organs, please. One song sounds like it was recorded under water but no, it's not named Swedish Fish. Seems like a missed opportunity to me.
Skydeck - Eureka Moment
The four lamest words in music are "bedroom dream pop project." Thankfully, this album by Australian duo Skydeck is more dynamic and interesting than your typical run-of-the-mill you-know-whats.
The Snakes - s/t
All you need to know about this punk band is that their drummer showed up to Maggot Fest stinking drunk and ruined the set. It should come as no surprise once you hear the album.
The Staches - This Lake Is Pointless
Weird and cool nu wave post-punk from Germany by way of Switzerland (or is it Switzerland by way of Germany? Whatever, the band's originally from Geneva but is now based in Leipzig).
YĪN YĪN - The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers
Funky fresh psychedelic dance jams with a Far Eastern flavor. Comes with extra MSG!
The best of the rest
Ausmuteants - ...Present The World In Handcuffs
Cereal Killer - The Beginning & End Of Cereal Killer
Comet Gain - Fireraisers Forever!
Dots - s/t
Dr Sure's Unusual Practice - The West
Dragnet - All Rise For Dragnet
Drahla - Useless Coordinates
Droids Blood - LP
Empath - Active Listening: Night On Earth
Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel
The Funs - Don't Get Put Out By The Drool
Gauche - A People's History Of Gauche
Hash Redactor - Drecksound
Hyperculte - Massif Occidental
Knife Wife - Family Party
Mike Krol - Power Chords
L'Eclair - Sauropoda
Low Life - Downer Edn
Lunch Lady - Angel
The Mind - Edge Of The Planet
The Natural Man Band - Living In A Chemical World
New Berlin - Magnet
Nice Apple - This Time Nice Apple Is Auto-Cathecting
P.P. Rebel - P.P. Is... Peeping Piebald Past The Night!
Patio - Essentials
Pinch Points - Moving Parts
Possible Humans - Everybody Split
Powerplant - People In The Sun
Program - Show Me
Pscience - s/t
Romantic States - Ballerina
The Stroppies - Whoosh
Uranium Club - The Cosmo Cleaners
URSA - L'Esprit De La Teuf
Vaguess - When I Was Young & Useless
Valley Gals - Real Rock
Vivian Girls - Memory
Warp - Traffic Control
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