The Top 10 Albums of 2019

After sorting through  the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I compiled them into this list. o. Next month I am making the top 10 lists for the decade, though to be blunt this is the decade's weakest year for music; Especially when it comes to new artists. There are only 2 on this one. I am; giving a brief explanation as to why these albums stand over their peers in lower positions on the list. The very fact these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more.

After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However I listen to five new albums a day so yes I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it.;I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list. There are  links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10  albums of 2019

10-Cold in Berlin -"Rituals of Surrender"


I had to go back and listen to their 2012 album "And Yet" to see if I was totally off base as remembering them as more of a post punk bank who is now  a doom band band. Almost  like a darker version of Devils Blood with more post punk influence. Their singer's pleading wail works against the crushing fuzzed out groove you can not help but head bang to. This one was really close . Here emotion crushes you even at it's most introspective, which puts it at number one for doom and 10th place overall.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/gothtober-cold-in-berlin-rituals-of.html

9- Pulchra Morte : "Divina Autem et Aniles" t


This album is focused and doesn't get carried away with atmosphere. The vocals seem very intentional and not just an after thought as does the addition of strings that seems to increase the deeper into the album you get . You would think it would be common sense for the focus to be on the songs rather than just beating you into submission. This album came out earlier in the year so it makes sense, I listened to it more since I had the time to simmer on it. Listened to it more since and there was time to simmer on it.This was the number one album for the death metal list and the over all metal list, so it beat out Cold In Berlin .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/02/pulchra-morte-divina-autem-et-aniles.html

8 Miley Cyrus- "She is Coming" 

The only draw back to this album is the fact the Ashley O  song was not on this. This was supposed to be one of three mini albums that was coming out.The "Slide Away single dropped then her music got hi jacked by the drama of her personal life. This could be the last token of what a song writer she is. Her role on "Black Mirror" gave a slight glimpse of what she might look like as a serious when showing the other side to her alter ego. These songs are dark and introspective questions regarding the fall out of Hollywood partings which is her at her most honest. This combined with the infectious nature of these songs elevates her to this place.  The song's "Mother's Daughter", "Unholy" and "D.R.E.A.M"  prove this point. She was the top pop album and finds her place here.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/06/report-to-dance-floor-miley-cyrus-she.html

7- Low Dose -'s/t" 

 The guys from Fight Amp have formed a new band with singer , guitarist Itarya Rosenberg, that owes more to 90s alternative than pumped up noise rock. Not that some of the more pounding angular bit are not there, along with punk influences, but they have more in common with rawer more punk influenced moments of 90s grunge. The reason this album is in the number one spot on the punk, is due to the range of their song writing and how dynamic it is.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/03/low-dose-st.html

6- Lana Del Rey- "Norman Fucking Rockwell" 

This might be a step away from retro pop and closer to folk owing more to Joni Mitchell than Amy Winehouse. For her to beat out Chelsea Wolfe for the top spot means two things. "the Birth of Violence" is not Wolfe's most finely tuned a-game and Lana is on her's . Her songwriting is absolutely dialed in for this. This deservedly elevated her into an even brighter spot light , while being true to who she is.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/09/lana-del-ray-norman-fucking-rockwell.html

5- Sturgill  Simpson - "Sound & Fury"


 If you think this is just a country album you are wrong. It owes as much to ZZ Top as it does Pink Floyd. The vocals are really the only thing that is constantly country. The drums might sound like they are from 90s Alt Rock radio before you are hit with a  funky bass line from out of nowhere. Futuristic and retro at the same time, the songwriting is the glue. This gave him the number one spot on the rock list, but falls behind four albums that clocked in more time.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/10/sturgill-simpson-sound-fury.html

 4- My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult- "the House of Strange Affairs" 

 I am very happy to hear the first song on their 14th album is a return to darkness rather than the disco they dipped into with "Sex on Wheels". When I interviewed Groovy Mann, he said this album was made pretending that "Sexplosion" did not exist and they were picking up where they left off, and that feels very true. Darker is always better , when you pair it with their song writing skills how could they not take the number one spot.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-life-with-thrill-kill-kult-in-house.html

3-Pleasure Leftists - 'the Gate"


 This album became the years best post-punk album by not trying to be post-punk. There is a more rock n roll touch, but the odd quirky tension is just a part of who they . The singer has greatly improved at crafted hooky melodies. There are still rough rough edges . They made no attempt top shine this up for public consumption and that add to the charm. The album grew on me with each listen. It took the number one spot for post-punk this year and  and I found it competing on best of the year lists i was for other sites.

2- Bon Iver- "i,i:

I knew this album was great when I first heard it but it gets better with each listen. Hey Ma" might be the strongest song on here, but it has some competition. There are  organic instruments intermingling with the electronic elements similar to what Peter Gabriel has done in the past. If this album is being compared to Peter Gabriel then there should be no question why it took the number one spot on the electronic list. It gave the number one album a close race. .

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/08/bon-iver-ii.html

 1- Morrissey - "California Son" 

 Only in 2019 can a gay man cover Dionne Warwick with a Latino band and get called a racist. You can't cancel Morrissey . He doesn't give up and then shoves the fact the is still the best in your face. His voice sounds great and he made these songs his own. He is the god father of indie rock and , no one is capable of taking this crown.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2019/05/morrissey-california-son.html