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algabor writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2019: Al Gabor
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Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2019. Our next list is from Volunteer Al Gabor.
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#1 Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten (Jagjaguwar) |
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#2 Jimmy Lee by Raphael Saadiq (Columbia) |
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#3 On the LIne by Jenny Lewis (Warner Brothers) |
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#4 Chastity Belt by Chastity Belt (Hardly Art) |
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#5 Norman F****** Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey (Polydor/Interscope) |
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#6 Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? by Bleached (Dead Oceans) |
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#7 LEGACY! LEGACY! by Jamila Woods (Jagjaguwar/Closed Sessions) |
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#8 This Mess is a Place by Tacocat (Sub Pop) |
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#9 Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka (Interscope) |
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#10 Cuz I Love You by LIzzo (Nice Life/Atlantic) |
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And Lotsa Love For
Palehound Black Friday |
Sharon Van Etten’s first four albums successively honed her introspective milieu. She blows that up on Remind Me Tomorrow, with its synth laden atmospherics and booming percussion. For all of those Van Etten admirers who love her vocals and melodies, but wish she’d just rock out more, this is the album for you.
In his most ambitious album, Raphael Saadiq grapples with the legacy of his older brother who died of a heroin overdose. The songs range from R&B, to gospel, to funk and even spoken word. A searing artistic triumph.
Jenny Lewis is one of the best storytellers working in pop right now. I loved Voyager when it was released in 2014, and every listen since has revealed more strengths. On the Line has the same staying/growing power
Chastity Belt’s 2013 debut album was full of sly jokes and cheerful raunch. On their eponymous fourth album, the mood is so subdued, the songs seemed to fade away. But repeated listens brought out the low-key melancholic beauty of the songs. A perfect soundtrack for November.
Even with the sun sparkling on the water’s surface, sometimes there’s murk in those Malibu pools. A gorgeous, enigmatic album.
The Clavin sisters find sobriety and say goodbye to all the bad times with some toothsome power-pop.
Jamila Woods creates a musical autobiography of sorts by examining the artists—visual, musical, and literary—that influenced her. Sometimes what she admires about these artists is their moral courage and persistence. The whole effort could have come off as a contrived exercise, but because of Woods’ inventiveness and warmth LEGACY! LEGACY! is one of 2019’s crucial albums.
Tacocat has a plan to survive in these turbulent times: Cut through the crap with hook-laden pop-punk, attitude and wit. Works like a charm.
The restlessness so prevalent in the lyrics (which repeatedly reference some kind of searching) is mirrored by the music, which ranges across a spectrum of genres: garage rock, R&B, spirituals, piano ballads, freak folk, and psychedelia. All of this is held together with Kiwanuka’s gorgeous, evocative vocals. A moving album.
Cuz we all need some juice.
Next entry: CHIRP Radio Best of 2019: Tyler Clark
Previous entry: CHIRP Radio Best of 2019: Mike Bennett