{"id":2122,"date":"2019-12-26T17:09:47","date_gmt":"2019-12-26T22:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/?p=2122"},"modified":"2019-12-26T17:09:47","modified_gmt":"2019-12-26T22:09:47","slug":"favorite-music-of-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/2019\/12\/26\/favorite-music-of-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"favorite music of 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This year marks the first time that some end-of-year favorite albums were enjoyed on streaming platforms only. That probably tells you all you need to know about my old-man embrace of the contemporary listening experience.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Cate Le Bon<\/b> \u2013 <i>Reward<\/i><\/p>\n<p>The daffy &#8220;it girl&#8221; from Wales finally recorded an album with deep emotional resonance, and the effect was as impressive as I could have hoped for.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Miami\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PZjtKQRrTYQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Helado Negro<\/b> \u2013 <i>This is How You Smile<\/i><\/p>\n<p>In the brutal year of 2019, it was very, very hard to resist the easy-listening charms of this 1.5-gen musician.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Helado Negro - Running\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u4mof-W6ggI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Waste of Space Orchestra<\/b> \u2013 <i>Syntheosis<\/i><\/p>\n<p>This Tampere, Finland supergroup created an album that teases a musical future that, in its finest moments, extreme metal has always promised.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Waste of Space Orchestra: Wake Up The Possessor (Official Music Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nCR-OrN41E0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Hand Habits<\/b> \u2013 <i>Placeholder<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Lonesome, country-flecked indie rock need never die.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Hand Habits  - placeholder [Official Music Video]\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QYXwR9FFMVs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>The Dream Syndicate<\/b> \u2013 <i>These Times<\/i><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m stunned that this is the best album these Paisley Underground legends have recorded since 1985.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Dream Syndicate - &quot;Black Light&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wGaXfuTWx4k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Sturgill Simpson<\/b> \u2013 <i>Sound &amp; Fury<\/i><\/p>\n<p>The sound of 1970s boogie-rockers exploring 1980s synth-and-gated-drums production values has always intrigued me. Throw in Simpson\u2019s thick drawl and <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/HvT0rzUo4zc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">album-length anime video<\/a>, and I\u2019m in.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sturgill Simpson - Sing Along (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SpSMoBp8awM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Raphael Saadiq<\/b> \u2013 <i>Jimmy Lee<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Another fantastic solo album from the former Tony! Toni! Ton\u00e9! Frontman. (Now reunite Lucy Pearl!)<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Raphael Saadiq - So Ready (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OcK5JLyPLM0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Big \u2021 Brave<\/b> \u2013 <i>A Gaze Among Them<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Montreal always holds the flag for dramatic, goth-y rock. This minimalist trio upholds the city&#8217;s tradition with a pounding, cavernous sound.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"BIG|BRAVE - Holding Pattern (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j1S-xH_3-qQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Purple Mountains<\/b> \u2013 <i>Purple Mountains<\/i><\/p>\n<p>R.I.P. David Berman.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtu.be\/SGCJ_aUHdu4<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Steve Gunn<\/b> \u2013 <i>The Unseen In Between<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Because I&#8217;m a sad dad, right?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Steve Gunn - &quot;Vagabond&quot; (Official Music Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/h6-dwxvTQd0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Blacks\u2019 Myths<\/b> \u2013 <i>II<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Scratched an itch I didn&#8217;t know I had. Experimental album of the year.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/atlanticrhythms.bandcamp.com\/album\/blacks-myths-ii\">Blacks&#8217; Myths II by Blacks&#8217; Myths<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Kim Gordon<\/b> \u2013 <i>No Home Record<\/i><\/p>\n<p>But of course, we should&#8217;ve known she&#8217;d turn out the best post-Sonic Youth album.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kim Gordon - &quot;Air BnB&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_Jhhzy7vr8A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Lizzo<\/b> \u2013 <i>Cuz I Love You<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, I gave in.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lizzo - Juice (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XaCrQL_8eMY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Weyes Blood<\/b> \u2013 <i>Titanic Rising<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Far her left-field beginnings, Natalie Mering finally honed her soft-rock aesthetic to perfection.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wild Time\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zjw17szxD7c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Oceans of the Moon<\/b> \u2013 <i>Oceans of the Moon<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Dude from Six Finger Satellite formed a new group and successfully revived their deathless synth-punk sound.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;Blowing My Mind&quot; by Oceans of The Moon (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/agPJYv0xO9U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Unloved<\/b> \u2013 <i>Heartbreak<\/i><\/p>\n<p>90s electronica that swipes that Swinging London vibe need never die.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Danger\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9yFCSQ9U6ro?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Black Mountain<\/b> \u2013 <i>Destroyer<\/i><\/p>\n<p>I miss Amber Webber and Joshua Wells (whose latest album as <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/trxtBkbWXUw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lightning Dust<\/a> was quite worthy), but the reconstituted Black Mountain hardly missed a sinister boogie-rock beat.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Black Mountain - Licensed To Drive (Official Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bZ0XcOJFAY4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">BONUS METAL<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>At age 51, I listened to more metal than ever before. Some world, huh? I&#8217;d sound ridiculous if I tried to parse all the sub-genre classifications here.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Blut Aus Nord<\/b> \u2013 <i>Hallucinogen<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Blut Aus Nord - Hallucinogen (Full album)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QXFjBvn8LZA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Dreadnought<\/b> \u2013 <i>Emergence<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DREADNOUGHT - Besieged (official audio)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bHm1zQkdhEs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Gygax<\/b> \u2013 <i>High Fantasy<\/i><\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtu.be\/weS2w3nFUu4<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>High Command<\/b> \u2013 <i>Beyond the Wall of Desolation<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"High Command - Beyond The Wall of Desolation FULL ALBUM\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9281UtJJ2CA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Obsequiae<\/b> \u2013 <i>The Palms of Sorrowed Kings<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"OBSEQUIAE - L&#039;autrier m\u2019en aloie + Ceres in Emerald Streams\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KJ0VQ77XPGc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>SUNN 0)))<\/b> \u2013 <i>Life Metal<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"SUNN O))) - Life Metal (Full Album)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jVOWnojv_jQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Teitanblood<\/b> \u2013 <i>The Baneful Choir<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Teitanblood - &quot;The Baneful Choir&quot; (Full Album)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nQdhB9crijU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Toxic Holocaust<\/b> \u2013 <i>Primal Future: 2019<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Toxic Holocaust - Chemical Warlords (Lyric Video)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cIht0MPZk9g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Zaum<\/b> \u2013 <i>Divination<\/i><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Zaum - Divination (2019) Full Album\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qnGj_cJ1OqE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This year marks the first time that some end-of-year favorite albums were enjoyed on streaming platforms only. That probably tells you all you need to know about my old-man embrace of the contemporary listening experience. &nbsp; Cate Le Bon \u2013 Reward The daffy &#8220;it girl&#8221; from Wales finally recorded an album with deep emotional resonance, and the effect was as impressive as I could have hoped for. &nbsp; Helado Negro \u2013 This is How You Smile In the brutal year of 2019, it was very, very hard to resist the easy-listening charms of this 1.5-gen musician. &nbsp; Waste of Space Orchestra \u2013 Syntheosis This Tampere, Finland supergroup created an album that teases a musical future that, in its finest moments, extreme metal has always promised. &nbsp; Hand Habits \u2013 Placeholder Lonesome, country-flecked indie rock need never die. &nbsp; The Dream Syndicate \u2013 These Times I&#8217;m stunned that this is the best album these Paisley Underground legends have recorded since 1985. &nbsp; Sturgill Simpson \u2013 Sound &amp; Fury The sound of 1970s boogie-rockers exploring 1980s synth-and-gated-drums production values has always intrigued me. Throw in Simpson\u2019s thick drawl and album-length anime video, and I\u2019m in. &nbsp; Raphael Saadiq \u2013 Jimmy Lee Another [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":308,"featured_media":2123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[43659],"class_list":["post-2122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-music-criticism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/308"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2124,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2122\/revisions\/2124"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/musicalurbanism\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}