Ola all. It’s that time again for me when I like to share what I consider to be my favourite 10 albums of the year. Before we get to that, what a year! The biggest highlight of 2019 was the new addition of Pippin into our lives. Below is him chilling on his new memory foam bed! He’s such a sweet dude! Other highlights included: I recorded an album, started the build of Nova’s huge “she-shed” in our backyard, and went to Adobe Max in LA with Nova (what a wild, awesome time!). Not to mention I love my job at the university and am really settling into my teaching (and have even begun a few adventures in research!). All in all, it’s been a really great year!
But all that aside, let’s get to what we’re here for…my top 10 albums of 2019 with, of course, a few honourable mentions first; Honourable mentions (in no particular order, limited to 5)
- Rheostatics, Here Come the Wolves
- Billie Eilish, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
- Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride
- Matt Andersen, Halfway Home by Morning
- Wintersleep, In the Land Of
One of Canada’s finest musical collaborations. I simply love these folks and this album is top-notch goodness! Favs include: Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile, The Surprise Knock, Leather on the Seat. Higher Beams, and You’ll Need A Backseat Driver.
Every so often these folks release an album and every time they do they don’t disappoint! These folks are near and dear to my heart as they still, to this day, remain the best live act I have ever seen. If you ever get a chance to see them live, do not delay! Favs on this album include: Auslander, Radio, Deutschland, Sex, Was Ich Liebe, and Tattoo. Hell, it’s all really great!
What musical talent! I first heard Sharon’s music in 2014 on her album “Are We There.” Simply fantastic, full of wonderful harmonies and all-around good tunes. Favs include: Seventeen, No One’s Easy To Love, I Told You Everything, Comeback Kid, Jupiter 4
What a good ol’rockin’ album! Such good grooves and that guitar tone is next-level great! Great inspiration for picking up the electric and writing my own groovy tunes. Favs on this excellent album include: Fire Walk With Me, Lo/Hi, Shine a Little Light, Tell Me Lies, Go, actually, all tunes are excellent!
This is an epic 32 song album! …and it doesn’t disappoint right from song #1, Good Morning Sir. A really great rock album indeed. I actually only just found out about these folks on this album but they’ve been around since the 1980s (on and off in later years). Favs include: The Rally Boys, Blurring the Contacts, Carapace, Step of the Wave…it’s really hard to narrow down the great tunes on this album. Just give ‘er a listen!
I was super stoked to hear about this new album from one of my all-time fav punk rockers. Getting you right from the first track, Chaos From Within, classic Bad Religion! This album has been in constant rotation since its release. Favs include, all really, but picking a few: My Sanity. Chaos From Within, The Approach, Candidate, and Old Regime. What a fucking great album!
Now this album here, wow do I ever love it. Lead singer Corey Taylor is just such a cool dude (when folks complained about his mask in the video below being too ugly he said, good…I’m never taking it off now…ha! I love this attitude and my motto going into 2020 is going to be similar, just “rock what I got”). On this album, I love how they mix crushing metals riffs intermixed between beautiful vocal harmonies. Favs include: Unsainted, Nero Forte, Critical Darling, Orphan, Solway Firth, and Spiders
Oh do I ever love Ron Hawkins and Co. And every song on this album is good ol’ classic Canadiana. Right from the opening track this album hooks you in. Don’t delay, give it a good listen. You won’t be disappointed. Favs include every damn song, but picking a few: Bottle Rockets, The Ballad of Late-Era Capitalism, Bonnie & Clyde, The Barricade, Midnight Maryanne, …this is pointless, just listen to it all!
These fine folks, what can I say about them. They are just soooo good! When they played the RFF a few years back; it is still one of my finest musical memories #dave. As with many in my top 5, scratch that, my top 10, all songs are great on this album but this album, in particular, holds a special place in my heart and makes me so damn happy. Picking a few is what I like to do #rhymes…ha, so: I’ll Wait, Salvation, We All Need Someone, One Hand Up. Again, just listen to the whole thing. You will not be disappointed (you’re going to get two vids below #sogood)
And here we are with this super fine, super-fun album full of nerdy and classic metal riffs; a constant at the gym and at work and at home. I simply love this album. All songs inspired by the Dwarves, aka The Hobbit/LOTR. There is not one song I dislike on this album. So fun, so good – from the opening Of Iron and Gold to the epic closer We Were Warriors. All favs indeed (You’re going to get more than a few vids below…ha!)
There you have it folks! Have a great 2020! -tMAc
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