So much great music released this year, especially a lot of pop artists (see end), and after a 12-year hiatus, a release from my favourite Australian band of all-time, Art of Fighting.

Enjoy my list in alphabetical order below.

 

SEE MORE OF MY MUSIC BLOGS.

So much great music released this year, especially a lot of pop artists (see end), and after a 12-year hiatus, a release from my favourite Australian band of all-time, Art of Fighting.

Enjoy my list in alphabetical order below.

 

SEE MORE OF MY MUSIC BLOGS.

Allday: Starry Night Over the Phone

Latest lbum from one of my favourite Australian rappers, who now resides in Los Angeles.

My fave songs are Don't Wanna Push You Away No More ft Japanese Wallpaper, What Do You Think?, and Wonder Drug. 

Listen/Purchase.

Art of Fighting: Luna Low

Art of Fighting are my FAVOURITE Australian band of all-time, with Bluebottle Kiss a very close second. Every now and then I have dreams about some of my favourite bands re-forming, releasing a new album or something that isn't very realistic. This time one of my dreams/premonitions came true: after 12 years, a new album release AND accompanying tour! I never thought I would see AOF perform live again, but had an exceptional time seeing them perform old faves (Misty as the Morning, Heart Translation, Reasons are All I have Left) of mine again. I was transported back to time and places years ago. On the bus to Indooroopilly listening to Wires on my minidisc player. Seeing Heart Translation performed at the Zoo before Second Storey was released. Who I was and my loves...

There were some great write-ups from the music press too, including The Saturday Paper, LNWY, and this from X-Press Mag:

In an era where people consume music one song at a time, Art Of Fighting are still masters of crafting a full-length album. Luna Low sits comfortably amongst the high points of Art Of Fighting’s releases to date.

My fave song is the exeptional album closer, Your Love.

Listen/Purchase on Bandcamp. Plus ALL their previous albums!

Better Oblivion Community Center: (self-titled)

 

Phoebe Bridgers and Coner Oberst (Bright Eyes) make up BOCC, and the lyrics are incredible. It was so great to see Phoebe live in Brisbane in February, she played her solo songs, BOCC songs, and her wonderful Me & My Dog song from boygenius.

My fave songs are Didn't Know What I Was in For, and Service Road.

Listen/Purchase on Bandcamp. WATCH their NPR Tiny Desk Concert. 

Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated

 

Pop queen brings the goods.

Fave songs: Too Much, and Feels Right (feat. Electric Guest).

Listen/Purchase.

Chon: (self-titled)

 

Prog-rock band I discovered originally on an Audiotree live sessions from 2016 - when they were billed as "math-core" a term I'd never heard then. Looking forward to seeing them perform live in February in Brisbane.

Here's the music videos for a teaser: Petal, and Pitch Dark.

Listen/Purchase.

Kate Tempest: The Book of Traps and Lessons

It's wonderful to hear people speak the things you think and feel especially about the state of our world. This album is a masterpiece, especially for political uprising, empathy, and of course, poetry and spoken word, AND produced by Rick Rubin.

This from a live review in the Guardian:

The performance poet absorbs all of the uncertainty and anger of our times, and pours it into ferocious, apocalyptic music that both wounds and heals

Favourite songs are Hold Your Own and Holy Elixir.

Listen/Purchase. WATCH her recent KEXP live session.

Maggie Rogers: Heard It In A Past Life

Unique sound from new artist. Missed tickets for her show in Brisbane this year, which worked out well as I had an exam that night anyway.

My favourite songs are The Knife and Light On.

Listen/Purchase.

Middle Kids: New Songs for Old Problems

 

Have seen Middle Kids live a heap of times, and they are magnificent, even though this is an extended play (EP), I'm still including it on my list.

My fave song is Real Thing - oh, the amount of times I've listened to this song this year!

Listen/Purchase on Bandcamp.

Strand Of Oaks: Eraserland

 

Members of My Morning Jacket helped Tim Showalter to put this album together after he had no plans of ever playing music again.

These ten songs are about existing and continuing on, a testament to the hope that even if we feel like we are disappearing, there is that glimmer of light.

You may not come out the same person you started as, but that's okay. - Tim

Fave song: Forever Chords, and Weird Ways.

Listen/Purchase on Bandcamp. WATCH their KEXP live session.

 

What have YOU been listening too?

Some Other Faves:

• Ali Barter: Hello, I'm Doing My Best
• Charli XCX: Charli
• Hatchie: Keepsake
• Jamie Hutchings: King Hits and Goldfish Memories (live)
• Jimmy Eat World: Surviving
• J.Lamotta: Suzume
• Jonas Brothers: Finding Happiness
• Little Simz: Grey Area
• Pinegrove: Skylight II (live version of Skylight for those who pre-ordered)
• Sigrid: Sucker Punch
• Silversun Pickups: Widow's Weeds
• Taylor Swift: Lover
• 30/70 Collective: Fluid Motion

 

As always, I get my music from Bandcamp, AudioTree, and FluxBlog. Also love NRP's TIny Desk sessions and KEXP sessions.

Here are a few of my favourite music writers you can follow on Twitter:

• Amanda Petruchich - her Best Music of 2019 and the Best Music of the Decade
• Matthew Perpetua - his 2019 Survey Mix (over 1000 songs released this year)
• Steven Hyden - his Favorite Albums of 2019 (quite a few unknown artists)

 

My Fave Songs for the year coming next week!

SEE MORE OF MY MUSIC BLOGS.