From: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org (ecto-digest) To: ecto-digest@smoe.org Subject: ecto-digest V16 #2695 Reply-To: ecto@smoe.org Sender: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Thursday, January 16 2020 Volume 16 : Number 2695 To unsubscribe: e-mail ecto-digest-request@smoe.org and put the word unsubscribe in the message body. Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? [Tim Jones-Yelvington] Re: Best Albums of 2019 [Neile Graham ] What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? [Jon Wesley Huff ] Re: Best Albums of 2019 [Doug ] Re: Best Albums of 2019 [Doug ] Re: Best Albums of 2019 [Jon Wesley Huff ] New (to me) Happy Rhodes [Doug ] Re: What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? [Jon Wesley Huff ] Today's your birthday, friends... [Mike Matthews ] More Best of 2019's [Paul Jensen ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:58:20 -0600 From: Tim Jones-Yelvington Subject: Re: What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? Myopia is going to be one of the best records of the decade, not just year. I am sure of it. I haven't paid that much attention to what else is forthcoming. I kind of can't tolerate Grimes w/ the Elon Musk connection, her values just seem warped and it colors my ear against her work. In terms of things that have already come out in these few short weeks of 2020, I quite like Georgia's Seeking Thrills (though not as much as I liked her debut which was a favorite of the 2010s), and the track STARTED OUT is worth hearing just to see how she works a sample from Kate Bush's 50 Words for Snow into a track that is influenced by classic Chicago house music yet is fully her own. And Susanne Sundfor released a lovely EP of her soundtrack for the documentary Self Portrait. ~Tim On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 2:47 PM Jon Wesley Huff wrote: > For me, so far I'm most-anticipating: > > *Agnes Obel - Myopia* > I loved Island of Doom and Broken Sleep, the first two singles released. > Definite Happy Rhodes vibes going on. I'm so excited to see what the full > album is like. > > *Miss Anthropocene - Grimes* > I haven't really listened to much Grimes, but the first couple songs from > this release have really intrigued me. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 07:08:19 -0800 From: Neile Graham Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 Sorry so late. I feel like I must have forgotten something, but here's what I have. Another year where music wasn't my main focus--but I still found some favourites. The albums I obsessed with most: Tusks - Avalanche https://tusksofficial.bandcamp.com/album/avalanche-2 Sudan Archives - Athena https://sudanarchives.bandcamp.com/album/athena Nullifier Yanya - Miss Universe https://niluferyanya.bandcamp.com/album/miss-universe Lemolo - Swansong https://lemolomusic.bandcamp.com/album/swansea Psapp - Tourists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj8EpLe4xmM Dominique Fils-AimC) - Stay Tuned! https://singwithmi.bandcamp.com/album/stay-tuned Also: Jim Moray - The Outlander Beirut - Gallipoli some of Lana Del Rey's new one (surprise! I've never liked her before) some of Courtney Swain's Between Blood and Ocean https://courtneyswain.bandcamp.com/album/between-blood-and-ocean Chelsea Wolfe - Birth of Violence What surprisingly didn't work for me: Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't like the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for me, so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous albums Now I need to go back and check out everyone else's listings. Cheers! - --Neile > On Jan 2, 2020, at 9:38 AM, Tim Jones-Yelvington wrote: > > I also thought this year was slow while it was happening, but by the eended > up having quite a few things I likedb > > ~STONECHILD, Jesca Hoop (Shoulder Charge was my favorite song of the year) > ~there is no other, Rhiannon Giddens (the collaboration w/ francesco > turrisi brought an appealing haunted quality to her work) > ~Blood, Kelsey Lu (this is incredible, maybe the best record of the year > for me) > ~MAGDALENE, fka twigs (she finally let her voice sound as weird and wild as > the production choices) > ~Lost Girls, Bat for Lashes (you can find my thoughts in a previous email > to the group) > ~In the End, The Cranberries > ~Pearl, Heather Nova (these two were both welcome throwbacks to their 90s > sounds that still offered more than just nostalgia) > ~While My Father Sleeps, Oh Rose (she's a full throated, big voiced, > singer-songwritery, slightly punky type in the PJ Harvey vein) > ~Anak Jo, Jay Som (she brought a lot of new texture and mood to her work > that made this much more appealing to me than her previous record) > ~The Center Won't Hold, Sleater Kinney (getting the St Vincent synth pop > treatment made this band whose existence I have always appreciated in the > abstract much more palatable to me) > ~Crush on Me, Sir Babygirl (DIY pop with a lot of personality, very queer) > ~Out of the Moment, Emily Bezar (DUH) > ~No Words Left, Lucy Rose > ~Quiet Signs, Jessica Pratt (these last two sometimes felt like they > were singing to me in different yet compatible voices and mournful open > tunings from opposite sides of Laurel Canyon, Jessica in a whisper) > ~Birth of Violence, Chelsea Wolfe (someone else herebwas it Neile?b > agreed that like me, they've had trouble penetrating her "gothy noise," so > this dark folk record was a wonderful way to finally connect with her work. > It sounds a lot like Emma Ruth Rundle's SOME DEEP OCEAN, which was one of > my favorites of the decade > ~Between Blood and Ocean, Courtney Swain (still one of my favorite lesser > known, very ecto friendly and relevant indie artists) > ~Sonocardiogram, DaymC) Arocena (she's an amazing afrocubana vocalist, and > this record really worked well as a record) > ~Jaime, Brittany Howard (I was surprised by how much I got into this > because I didnt think her voice + rootsy vibe was really my thing) > ~12 Little Spells, Esperanza Spalding (I thought this one might be *too* > avant garde to connect w/ when it first came out... but Ive since > connected, a lot, lol) > ~Athena, Sudan Archives (builds on and expands the promise of earlier EP, > definitely one of the most talented/interesting people in left of center R > & B) > ~Mystery, Alice Smith (this is a maxi-EP ... 7 tracks, I think? and about > 30 minutes ... that I almost missed and am so glad I found. One her > previous records she was more of a classic soul revivalist, but this is > something else entirely, really intense + haunting, can't say enough good > things about it). > ~Fanm d'Ayiti, Natalie Joachim (this is an amazing 'new music / > contemporary classical' project where Natalie who is an immensely talented > flautist/vocalist/composer created new settings w/ the string ensemble > SPEKTRAL for haitian women's music and resistance narratives) > ~MASTER, Mariah the Scientist (the sound here is more straight up > mainstream/pop-aspirant R & B, albeit indie, but I like her voice a lot > more than some of the folks getting more attention) > > HM: > ~All Mirrors, Angel Olsen > ~Remind me Tomorrow, Sharon Van Etten (w/ both these artists, I found > more to connect w/ than I have previously in their choice to use more > electronic and less rock oriented settings that feel like they more heavily > feature their voices) > ~Nicole Kidman/Anne Hathaway, Hana Vu > ~Envejeciendo, Maria Usbeck > > > > On Tue, Dec 31, 2019 at 10:53 AM Jeffrey Hanson > wrote: > >> This was a pretty slow year for music for me - having bought much fewer >> albums than in previous years. However, my favorites of the year: >> >> Ghosteen - Nick Cave and the Bad Seed >> Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep >> Yazoo - 3 Pieces - great remasters + the sublime remix of Winter Kills by >> Minute Taker >> Half-a-Shipwreck - Covers >> The Highwomen - The Hiighwomen >> Mari Boine - See the Woman >> Camille Ob Sullivan - Camille Sings Cave Live >> Joseph - Good Luck, Kid >> Berlin - Transcendence >> Bananarama - In Stereo >> Shakespeareb s Sister - Singles Party (Remastered single collection with a >> few new songs) >> Lucius - Nudes (Came out in 2018) >> >> >> Albums looking forward to in 2020 >> Maria McKee - La Vita Nuova >> Jewel - not sure if its titled yet, but will be her first album of all new >> material since Pieces of You ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:45:36 -0600 From: Jon Wesley Huff Subject: What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? For me, so far I'm most-anticipating: *Agnes Obel - Myopia* I loved Island of Doom and Broken Sleep, the first two singles released. Definite Happy Rhodes vibes going on. I'm so excited to see what the full album is like. *Miss Anthropocene - Grimes* I haven't really listened to much Grimes, but the first couple songs from this release have really intrigued me. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 09:35:17 -0600 From: Tim Jones-Yelvington Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 If we're doing "what didn't work for me," I feel compelled to admit that my biggest disappointment of the year was Designer by Aldous Harding. I appreciate that she's versatile, but the reason I got into her was the crazy extended vocal techniques and melodramatic delivery, not mellow british folk vibes. (....I could never get into Belle and Sebastian either, lol). ~Tim On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 9:11 AM Neile Graham wrote: > Sorry so late. I feel like I must have forgotten something, but here's > what I have. Another year where music wasn't my main focus--but I still > found some favourites. > > The albums I obsessed with most: > > Tusks - Avalanche > https://tusksofficial.bandcamp.com/album/avalanche-2 > > Sudan Archives - Athena > https://sudanarchives.bandcamp.com/album/athena > > Nullifier Yanya - Miss Universe > https://niluferyanya.bandcamp.com/album/miss-universe > > Lemolo - Swansong > https://lemolomusic.bandcamp.com/album/swansea > > Psapp - Tourists > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj8EpLe4xmM > > Dominique Fils-AimC) - Stay Tuned! > https://singwithmi.bandcamp.com/album/stay-tuned > > Also: > > Jim Moray - The Outlander > Beirut - Gallipoli > some of Lana Del Rey's new one (surprise! I've never liked her before) > some of Courtney Swain's Between Blood and Ocean > https://courtneyswain.bandcamp.com/album/between-blood-and-ocean > Chelsea Wolfe - Birth of Violence > > What surprisingly didn't work for me: > > Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't like > the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for me, > so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous albums > > Now I need to go back and check out everyone else's listings. > > Cheers! > > --Neile > > > On Jan 2, 2020, at 9:38 AM, Tim Jones-Yelvington > wrote: > > > > I also thought this year was slow while it was happening, but by the > eended > > up having quite a few things I likedb > > > > ~STONECHILD, Jesca Hoop (Shoulder Charge was my favorite song of the > year) > > ~there is no other, Rhiannon Giddens (the collaboration w/ francesco > > turrisi brought an appealing haunted quality to her work) > > ~Blood, Kelsey Lu (this is incredible, maybe the best record of the year > > for me) > > ~MAGDALENE, fka twigs (she finally let her voice sound as weird and wild > as > > the production choices) > > ~Lost Girls, Bat for Lashes (you can find my thoughts in a previous email > > to the group) > > ~In the End, The Cranberries > > ~Pearl, Heather Nova (these two were both welcome throwbacks to their > 90s > > sounds that still offered more than just nostalgia) > > ~While My Father Sleeps, Oh Rose (she's a full throated, big voiced, > > singer-songwritery, slightly punky type in the PJ Harvey vein) > > ~Anak Jo, Jay Som (she brought a lot of new texture and mood to her > work > > that made this much more appealing to me than her previous record) > > ~The Center Won't Hold, Sleater Kinney (getting the St Vincent synth pop > > treatment made this band whose existence I have always appreciated in the > > abstract much more palatable to me) > > ~Crush on Me, Sir Babygirl (DIY pop with a lot of personality, very > queer) > > ~Out of the Moment, Emily Bezar (DUH) > > ~No Words Left, Lucy Rose > > ~Quiet Signs, Jessica Pratt (these last two sometimes felt like they > > were singing to me in different yet compatible voices and mournful open > > tunings from opposite sides of Laurel Canyon, Jessica in a whisper) > > ~Birth of Violence, Chelsea Wolfe (someone else hereb was it Neile?b > > agreed that like me, they've had trouble penetrating her "gothy noise," > so > > this dark folk record was a wonderful way to finally connect with her > work. > > It sounds a lot like Emma Ruth Rundle's SOME DEEP OCEAN, which was one of > > my favorites of the decade > > ~Between Blood and Ocean, Courtney Swain (still one of my favorite > lesser > > known, very ecto friendly and relevant indie artists) > > ~Sonocardiogram, DaymC) Arocena (she's an amazing afrocubana vocalist, > and > > this record really worked well as a record) > > ~Jaime, Brittany Howard (I was surprised by how much I got into this > > because I didnt think her voice + rootsy vibe was really my thing) > > ~12 Little Spells, Esperanza Spalding (I thought this one might be *too* > > avant garde to connect w/ when it first came out... but Ive since > > connected, a lot, lol) > > ~Athena, Sudan Archives (builds on and expands the promise of earlier > EP, > > definitely one of the most talented/interesting people in left of center > R > > & B) > > ~Mystery, Alice Smith (this is a maxi-EP ... 7 tracks, I think? and > about > > 30 minutes ... that I almost missed and am so glad I found. One her > > previous records she was more of a classic soul revivalist, but this is > > something else entirely, really intense + haunting, can't say enough good > > things about it). > > ~Fanm d'Ayiti, Natalie Joachim (this is an amazing 'new music / > > contemporary classical' project where Natalie who is an immensely > talented > > flautist/vocalist/composer created new settings w/ the string ensemble > > SPEKTRAL for haitian women's music and resistance narratives) > > ~MASTER, Mariah the Scientist (the sound here is more straight up > > mainstream/pop-aspirant R & B, albeit indie, but I like her voice a lot > > more than some of the folks getting more attention) > > > > HM: > > ~All Mirrors, Angel Olsen > > ~Remind me Tomorrow, Sharon Van Etten (w/ both these artists, I found > > more to connect w/ than I have previously in their choice to use more > > electronic and less rock oriented settings that feel like they more > heavily > > feature their voices) > > ~Nicole Kidman/Anne Hathaway, Hana Vu > > ~Envejeciendo, Maria Usbeck > > > > > > > > On Tue, Dec 31, 2019 at 10:53 AM Jeffrey Hanson > > wrote: > > > >> This was a pretty slow year for music for me - having bought much fewer > >> albums than in previous years. However, my favorites of the year: > >> > >> Ghosteen - Nick Cave and the Bad Seed > >> Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep > >> Yazoo - 3 Pieces - great remasters + the sublime remix of Winter Kills > by > >> Minute Taker > >> Half-a-Shipwreck - Covers > >> The Highwomen - The Hiighwomen > >> Mari Boine - See the Woman > >> Camille Ob Sullivan - Camille Sings Cave Live > >> Joseph - Good Luck, Kid > >> Berlin - Transcendence > >> Bananarama - In Stereo > >> Shakespeareb s Sister - Singles Party (Remastered single collection > with a > >> few new songs) > >> Lucius - Nudes (Came out in 2018) > >> > >> > >> Albums looking forward to in 2020 > >> Maria McKee - La Vita Nuova > >> Jewel - not sure if its titled yet, but will be her first album of all > new > >> material since Pieces of You ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:09:50 -0500 From: Doug Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 Try listening to their One Beat release. It's a lot more pop-styled, less punky. IMO their song "Oh" is pretty listenable, as is their oldie, "(You're No) Rock N Roll Fun". But IMO their best, most listenable song is "Get Up". Doug On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 12:35 PM Tim Jones-Yelvington wrote: > That makes sense. > > I love the song Quarter to Three from the Hot Rock but otherwise most of > pure SK is just a little too punk rock for my weak constitution, lol. > > ~Tim > > On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 11:19 AM Doug wrote: > >> Sleater-Vincent is what purist SK fans like myself call this new iteration >> of the group. Seeing as they've effectively dumped Janet and replaced her >> with Annie, I think it fits. Me, I like the music but it's not SK to me. >> It's SV. >> >> --Doug >> >> >> > What surprisingly didn't work for me: >> > >> > Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't like >> > the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for >> me, >> > so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous >> albums ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 12:14:45 -0500 From: Doug Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 Sleater-Vincent is what purist SK fans like myself call this new iteration of the group. Seeing as they've effectively dumped Janet and replaced her with Annie, I think it fits. Me, I like the music but it's not SK to me. It's SV. - --Doug > What surprisingly didn't work for me: > > Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't like > the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for me, > so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous albums ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 14:37:12 -0600 From: Jon Wesley Huff Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 I just realized I hadn't listened to the new Aldous Harding. I loved Party so much. I thought the first few singles were interesting. But the album somehow passed me by. My favorite 10, in no particular order, of the year would be: On the Line - Jenny Lewis Thalassa - Ioanna Gik Pang - Caroline Polachek Invitation - Heather Woods Broderick Remember The Future - Ionnalee Norman Fucking Rockwell - Lana Del Ray Immanent Fire - Emily Jane White Birth of Violence - Chelsea Wolfe Ghosteen - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds forevher - Shura Almost Made it: Still on My Mind - Dido In The End - Cranberries There Will Be No Intermission - Amanda Palmer Everything You're Searching For is on the Other Side of Fear - BT Need to listen to them more: Lost Girls - Bat For Lashes FKA Twigs - Magdalene On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 1:17 PM Doug wrote: > Try listening to their One Beat release. It's a lot more pop-styled, less > punky. IMO their song "Oh" is pretty listenable, as is their oldie, > "(You're No) Rock N Roll Fun". But IMO their best, most listenable song is > "Get Up". > > Doug > > On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 12:35 PM Tim Jones-Yelvington > > wrote: > > > That makes sense. > > > > I love the song Quarter to Three from the Hot Rock but otherwise most of > > pure SK is just a little too punk rock for my weak constitution, lol. > > > > ~Tim > > > > On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 11:19 AM Doug wrote: > > > >> Sleater-Vincent is what purist SK fans like myself call this new > iteration > >> of the group. Seeing as they've effectively dumped Janet and replaced > her > >> with Annie, I think it fits. Me, I like the music but it's not SK to > me. > >> It's SV. > >> > >> --Doug > >> > >> > >> > What surprisingly didn't work for me: > >> > > >> > Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't > like > >> > the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for > >> me, > >> > so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous > >> albums ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 07:48:12 -0500 From: Doug Subject: New (to me) Happy Rhodes Listening to Happy on Spotify, a song came up that I'd not heard before. It's "Before We Left All This Behind" by Will Ackerman and Happy Rhodes. It's on the album "Heart of Innocence", billed as "A Collection of Women's Songs for Everybody Everywhere". It features 13 songs, all by different women artists. Though it was released in 2004, it's new to me. I liked it. Always good to hear a Happy song I haven't heard before. - --Doug ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:46:37 -0600 From: Jon Wesley Huff Subject: Re: What Albums Are You Looking Forward to in 2020? I'm very much enjoying Georgia's album. I do like some songs more than others, but overall I think I might like it a bit more than her last one? Agreed on the Sundfor EP. Really lovely. On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 2:58 PM Tim Jones-Yelvington wrote: > Myopia is going to be one of the best records of the decade, not just > year. I am sure of it. > > I haven't paid that much attention to what else is forthcoming. I kind of > can't tolerate Grimes w/ the Elon Musk connection, her values just seem > warped and it colors my ear against her work. > > In terms of things that have already come out in these few short weeks of > 2020, I quite like Georgia's Seeking Thrills (though not as much as I liked > her debut which was a favorite of the 2010s), and the track STARTED OUT is > worth hearing just to see how she works a sample from Kate Bush's 50 Words > for Snow into a track that is influenced by classic Chicago house music yet > is fully her own. > > And Susanne Sundfor released a lovely EP of her soundtrack for the > documentary Self Portrait. > > ~Tim > > On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 2:47 PM Jon Wesley Huff > wrote: > >> For me, so far I'm most-anticipating: >> >> *Agnes Obel - Myopia* >> I loved Island of Doom and Broken Sleep, the first two singles released. >> Definite Happy Rhodes vibes going on. I'm so excited to see what the full >> album is like. >> >> *Miss Anthropocene - Grimes* >> I haven't really listened to much Grimes, but the first couple songs from >> this release have really intrigued me. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 11:35:36 -0600 From: Tim Jones-Yelvington Subject: Re: Best Albums of 2019 That makes sense. I love the song Quarter to Three from the Hot Rock but otherwise most of pure SK is just a little too punk rock for my weak constitution, lol. ~Tim On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 11:19 AM Doug wrote: > Sleater-Vincent is what purist SK fans like myself call this new iteration > of the group. Seeing as they've effectively dumped Janet and replaced her > with Annie, I think it fits. Me, I like the music but it's not SK to me. > It's SV. > > --Doug > > > > What surprisingly didn't work for me: > > > > Sweater-Kinney I had the opposite experience to Tim. I just didn't like > > the St. Vincent influence on their sound. St Vincent doesn't work for me, > > so I'm not surprised, just sad, as I have liked all of S-K's previous > albums ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 03:00:01 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Matthews Subject: Today's your birthday, friends... i*i*i*i*i*i i*i*i*i*i*i *************** *****HAPPY********* **************BIRTHDAY********* *************************************************** *************************************************************************** ****************** Chris Sampson (chris@neuron.uchc.edu) ****************** ******************** Alex Bertran (alex@bertran.info) ********************* *************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Chris Sampson Wed January 15 1964 Void where prohibited Alex Bertran Fri January 15 1971 Capricorn Denis G Parslow Fri January 17 1964 ...of the Saint Ross Alford Thu January 17 1957 Positive Sarah Morayati Tue January 17 1989 Capricorn Nancy Whitney Mon January 19 1959 slippery when wet Sarah Noelle Pratt Ferguson Tue January 20 1970 Seanympf-Aquarius David Beery Tue January 20 1976 drum Terry Partis Sun January 22 1933 Rocker Steve Hughes Thu January 24 1963 Aquarius Sarah McLachlan Sun January 28 1968 Aquarius Ilka Heber Mon February 01 1965 Mermaid Bob Lovejoy Sun February 02 1947 Aquarius Diane Burke Sat February 02 1963 slow children Timothy S. Devine Tue February 03 1970 Aquarius Stephen Thomas Fri February 04 1966 Aquarius Doug Burks Tue February 14 1956 Blank - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 16:06:36 -0600 From: Paul Jensen Subject: More Best of 2019's Thanks to those who have posted their best-of lists for 2019! I love sampling the albums I haven't heard of. Neile - I am enjoying Lemolo and Psapp and looking forward to spending more time with them! I think the crowning achievement of 2019 had to be Nick Cave's "Ghosteen" - an album both heavy with grief yet also shining with light. The poetic lyrics and beautiful synths/backing instruments marry together so well to create a cohesive journey. I am a relatively amateurish Nick Cave fan - I loved 2001's "No More Shall We Part", and didn't jump back on board until 2013's striking "Push the Sky Away". I think he's at his strongest in his quietest moments, and "Ghosteen" is filled with them. So, depending on your history or preconceived notions of the man, "Ghosteen" may be a journey worth taking. Other albums I loved this year: Belle & Sebastian: "Days of Bagnold Summer" I haven't really LOVED a Belle & Sebastian album since 2000's "Fold Your Hands..." So this was such a pleasant surprise. Stuart is back to singing in his softer, more delicate voice, reminiscent of those first few albums. (I never liked his more forceful, confident tone which appeared with "Dear Catastrophe Waitress") Black Marble: "Bigger than Life" Dreary, emo synth pop. Lana Del Rey: "Norman Fucking Rockwell!" Musically it's a bit dull or simple. But I'm a sucker for her lyrics and the whole drama of her persona. I've listened to this more than any other album of hers. Madder Rose: "To be Beautiful" It's a damn shame this hasn't received more attention. THIS is how a band from the 90's makes a comeback album. Accomplished musicians making sophisticated, beautiful, thoughtful songs. Mary Lorson's voice has never sounded better. Her fragile, weary, reflective tone adds so much meaning to the songs. Cashmere Cat: "Princess Catgirl" This is bizarre, fun, electronic pop. Mercury Rev: "Bobbie Gentry's: The Delta Sweete Revisited" Featuring: Susanne Sundfor, Norah Jones, Phoebe Bridgers, Marissa Nadler, Hope Sandoval, Beth Orton, Lucinda Williams, and more... you kidding me?! Maria Taylor (self-titled) I believe this is Maria's 7th solo album post Azure Ray. She has been consistently putting out lovely dreamy pop/folk, much of which ends up in my "best of" lists. I've enjoyed this one a great deal since its November release. Heather Woods Broderick: "Invitation" Third solo album by "Sharon Van Etten's backup singer" (I hate that descriptor, but it's what you'll commonly see in reviews, and it does give one a sense of her style). Heather has a breathy, whispery voice that's ethereal and intimate. Not sure this one is as successful as 2015's "Glider", but I enjoy it every time I listen. I'd say the disappointments of 2019 were... Ex Hex: "It's Real" Their 2014 debut album "Rips" was filled with punchy 2-3 minute rock anthems. "It's Real" suffers the sophomore slump - songs are too long, too polished, and not enough hooks. That Dog: "Old LP" Dammit, I waited so long.. so many years.. for the new albums by Belly and That Dog. And both of them have disappointed. Similar to Ex Hex's album, the songs are too long, too polished, and nothing is too memorable. I miss the honest, clever, aching lyrics of their old albums. This just left me cold. ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V16 #2695 ****************************