(Sandy) Alex G, House of Sugar (Exclaim review blurb: “House of Sugar steps into volatile, subterranean moods not quite grounded in reality, flitting towards soupy daydreams and murky fantasy worlds. It’s young, wistful, a little sad but for no particular reason, and it pairs perfectly with the crisp, unpredictable look of 8mm film, which is what was used to shoot the song’s music video.”) Its sound is saturated in a heavy bubblegum tinge and it has a glittery layering of pop and melodrama that speaks to your former self. Mallrat, Driving Music (Grimy Goods review blurb: “Single “Charlie,” named after the artist’s pet labrador retriever, is the most upbeat tune out of the bunch and is a heartfelt ode to good dogs and good love everywhere. Two Hands asks what responsibility each of us have going into the next era, offering no clear answers.”)

(Under the Radar review blurb: “The band has flipped the script and turned the focus inwards, reflecting on the unfathomable that pervades our every moment and delivering a performance of masterfully honed restraint that perfectly encapsulates their invitation to discover the vast and alien within the seemingly familiar.”)īig Thief, Two Hands (Consequence of Sound review blurb: “Capping one of the strongest years a rock band has had in a while, this stands as a crowning achievement, the perfect record to close out a tumultuous decade and lead into one where the damage may be irreversible. It’s difficult to listen to Vagabon and not feel at home.” “The result is an ambitious album overflowing with generosity and empathy, warm in production and rich in theme.”)īig Thief, U.F.O.F. Vagabon, Vagabon (The 405 and Paste Magazine review blurbs: “Vagabon is clearly searching, and she’s managed to create something of a shelter for all of us within her new work. This is deep prog-rock as only Tool can create it.”) Its accessibility comes in the form of its vastness and eerie psychedelia, not through hooks or common pop structures. TOOL, Fear Inoculum (Consequence of Sound review blurb: “Fear Inoculum lives up to its daunting expectations with songs that showcase Tool in peak performance as musicians and compositional arrangers. Here are 20 of my fave albums from 2019 in loose order of impact:

T pain epiphany chopped not slopped