The writers of Redbrick Music collectively sell their favourite album to be released in 2019
Album of the Year
Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell
Lana Del Rey’s music has never been unassured. From the beginning of her career, she has aestheticized her world with Americana, desire, and isolation. But the songs that make up her 2019 album, Norman Fucking Rockwell, create scenes so heartrending that they occupy new space entirely. Her music has been built around a powerful lyricism and her once in a lifetime voice – with NFR she takes these same aspects to dizzying new heights. The album is truly her opus.
NFR brims with feeling, and Lana’s songwriting is the kind that leaves you breathless, utterly suspended in her portraiture. The opening track begins with an instrumental that feels reminiscent of 1940s cinema, only to be interrupted by solemn piano chords, and eventually begins Lana’s unmistakable voice: “Goddamn, man-child.” She begins the album with these words, half-spoken, half-sung, and time stands still. NFR is filled with these moments of sublimity, from the lustrous and winding ‘Venice Bitch’ to the deeply intimate remorse of ‘California’. Every emotion is palpable, every loss tangible.
What makes NFR stand out in Lana’s discography is how she presents herself. Instead of the detached loner we hear in earlier projects, Lana reveals herself as a vulnerable romantic, more gentle and multi-faceted. Nowhere on the album is this clearer than on ‘Mariner’s Apartment Complex’. A track that can only be described as one of the few, truly perfect songs of our generation. Rarely does an artist so flawlessly crystallise their own vision. In the track’s 4 minutes, Lana achieves profound poignancy, an emotional portrait of herself, and a statement of intent in these trying political times. She stands tall against the chaos, sanctified. In an increasingly confusing world, Lana offers herself as our guide.
The Shortlist
Tyler, The Creator – IGOR
When compared to his dismal 2011 debut album, Goblin, IGOR feels like an album Tyler, the Creator could never have created. Each Tyler album has been better than the last, as if he’s been thematically building to finally release his masterpiece. IGOR is that masterpiece. It’s slick, soulful and expertly produced from beginning to end; most importantly IGOR is a mature album which fully embraces themes of romance and sexuality, a theme Tyler had been far more apprehensive of on prior releases.
Opening with the booming rhythms of ‘IGOR’S THEME’, the record sets a tone akin to the soul elements incorporated on Tyler’s 2017 release, Flower Boy. IGOR is also notably less of a hip-hop record than its predecessors. ‘I THINK’ is dance-funk banger with an unforgettable hook and tracks such as ‘EARFQUAKE’ and ‘GONE, GONE/THANK YOU’ are much more defined by their pitch shifted vocals than they are by their rap verses
However, Tyler has not abandoned rapping entirely and where it is still utilised it is done so with some of the greatest beats and flows of Tyler’s entire career. ‘WHAT’S GOOD?’ is a notable highlight in managing to be one of the hardest tracks Tyler has released to date, yet still fitting thematically with the tracks surrounding it and Kanye West’s low-fi verse on ‘PUPPET’ is an album highlight also.
Essentially, IGOR is the album which makes doubters of the now decade old Bastard tape eat their words about what the young rapper would eventually achieve.
Little Simz – Grey Area
2019 was the year of Little Simz. A role in Netflix’s hit reboot of Top Boy, knockout performances at Glastonbury and on Jools Holland, and the masterpiece that was Grey Area. Following the solid and massively underappreciated Stillness in Wonderland, Grey Area instantly landed with critics and fans alike. Whilst her previous albums were undeniably strong, Grey Area feels like Simz coming into her own with a record that fully encompasses her as an artist.
The tracks on this album feel full and confident. From the opening bass and drums of ‘Offence’ to the psychedelic horns and strings of the ending of ‘Flowers’ each track feels distinct and fully formed, painting a picture of Simz’ influences and musical loves. There are hints of Gil Scott Heron, Lauryn Hill, Dizzee Rascal and a whole host of other important artists here, weaved together by producer, Inflo, into a sound which perfectly complements Simz.
Lyrically, the album moves between gun violence (Pressure), self-empowerment (Boss) and London life (101 FM) with ease. The skill and technicality with which Simz raps is undeniable, yet she never puts this above the lyrical content of the tracks. Not one verse feels forced or disingenuous; offering a sense of insight and meaning that few other rappers can match.
Having also caught her live show on the album tour, the way the album translates live is nothing short of stunning. Go catch her live if you get the chance
Forget the established names of UK rap, Little Simz is the best and she’s here to stay.
Dogrel – Fontaines D.C.
Dogrel wastes no time, its eleven tracks are succinct and political, it is an homage to the band’s native Ireland and a potent criticism of the world they bear witness to. The album thunders open with ‘Big’, frontman Grian Chatten declaring ‘Dublin in the rain is mine / A pregnant city with a Catholic mind’ amidst a haze of post-punk guitar riffs and drums, and doesn’t loose its momentum until the closing ballad ‘Dublin City Sky’ ten tracks later. Discordant slide guitar accompanies ‘Too Real’, and the fantastically muddy riffs on ‘Hurricane Laughter’ demonstrate Fontaines D.C. as masters of their craft, despite Dogrel being their debut LP.
On ‘Chequeless Reckless’ the band launches at first into a polemic against sell outs and phonies before taking the track in a more sinister direction, ‘Well the suits are running, and it wont be long / Until the blues cop, what’s really going on’. The album here as elsewhere demonstrates its scope as both a personal reflection on growing up in Dublin and a pointed depiction of modern life. ‘Roy’s Tune’ stands out too, a nonchalant delivery of menacing lyrics: ‘There is no warning and there is no future / I like the way they treat me but I hate the way they use her’.
The record stands out further for its polish in light of its recording process, live to tape in four-track blocks. Dogrel’s excellence is bare-faced; it’s a honed collection of post-punk tracks, and absolutely worth listening to.
FKA Twigs – Magdalene
On her first full-length outing since 2014’s impressive LP1, FKA Twigs has crafted a superb record that surpasses the former in every department. Strong hooks, emotive lyrics, and otherworldly production combine on Magdalene to culminate in one of the albums of the year – a moving ode to loneliness, isolation, and disenchantment that is apt to soundtrack the cold winter months ahead of us. In terms of its songwriting, Magdalene is more traditional than 2015’s fantastically experimental EP M3LL155X, but don’t expect anything too obvious on this project – this is Twigs, after all. Opening the record in quietly menacing fashion is the brooding ‘Thousand Eyes’, its darkly religious intensity reflecting Twigs’ fanatical devotion to the dissolving relationship depicted in the song’s lyrics. Later in the tracklist, the Future-assisted ‘Holy Terrain’ is a welcome venture into more straightforward trap territory, albeit marked with Twigs’ unmistakable sonic thumbprint. Then there’s the haunting, depressive stasis of ‘Daybed’, where Twigs seems to sing from the cage of her own mental purgatory, repeating the same vocal line ad infinitum atop a swirling, achingly beautiful electronic soundscape. And the theme of heartbreak bleeds into many of the tracks on Magdalene, most notably on ‘Mirrored Heart’ and ‘Cellophane’, the latter which confronts the feeling of not being enough for a former lover (‘Didn’t I do it for you?’). On Magdalene, painfully vulnerable lyrics marry together with sombre, alien production to result in what is unquestionably Twigs’ most emotionally affecting record to date.
Flume – Hi This is Flume
On his first release since 2016’s Skin, Australian music producer Harley Streten (aka Flume) was given carte blanche to lay out his sprawling vision for the future of electronic music and he has delivered with much aplomb.
From EDM, to wonky, and even industrial, Streten has pulled strands from all manner of genres and masterfully woven them into a complex tapestry where they co-exist in perfect harmony. This seamless blending of disparate influences is exemplified by the album being a continuous body of work with each track segueing into the next – a perfect metaphor for the stream of consciousness that the album represents.
As well as its avant-garde musical style, the record also features collaborations with an eclectic mix of the world’s most exciting and innovative artists such as rappers Slowthai and JPEGMAFIA, and producers SOPHIE, KUČKA, and Eprom. It’s these moments that Streten showcases himself as a true master of the musical form – sketching out outlines with auteur-like precision that work to accentuate the nuances of his guests and bring out the most in their performances.
Running in at just under 40 minutes, the mixtape’s pacing is spot-on as it manages to not feel rushed whilst never lingering on a moment for a second too long. At times this record is as challenging and confronting as it is rewarding, but this is what makes it such an enthralling listen and, in my opinion, the album of the year.
Runner Ups
Matt Maeson – Bank on the Funeral
Bank On The Funeral has been, as my Spotify Wrapped proved, my most played album of the year. As Matt Maeson’s first full length album, it’s one that I’d been personally excited for since discovering his EP Who Killed Matt Maeson in 2017, and I was anything but disappointed.
Matt Maeson had a complicated relationship with both his parents and music from early life. He was banned from listening to contemporary, traditional Rock music due to his strongly Christian parents, but originally got unlikely performing experience by playing in prisons and biker rallies alongside their religious heavy-metal bands. From start to finish, Bank On The Funeral is rich with emotion, and Maeson’s voice exudes his anguish. He has used music to explore the juxtapositions of his life in a raw and beautiful way; it’s clear from the first lines heard on the album, ‘My teeth are rotting away / I’ve leathered all my skin and my blood is getting thin / and my whole f***ing character’s changed,’ that this listening experience is going to be packed.
Time Magazine described the artist as “never afraid to investigate his past and his demons, resulting in songs that are clear-eyed in their honesty and raw around the edges”, something I would agree with whole-heartedly. Tracks like ‘Cringe’, ‘Legacy’ and ‘I Just Don’t Care That Much’ are examples of incredibly sobering lyrics enveloped by a warm, shout-it-from-the-rooftops melody, whilst those like ‘Beggar’s Song’ and ‘Hallucinogenics’ offer the slowed down, feel good, sitting-in-the-park-at-night-with-a-Strongbow vibe. It’s an album about struggle and acceptance, and from the first to the last each track projects a new sunbeam onto Maeson’s journey.
Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
Six years in the making, the anticipated release of Vampire Weekend’s fourth album Father of the Bride marks a new wave for the post-punk band, whose indie-rock loving fans will have morphed from angsty sophomores into fully functioning adults, since the band’s first outing in 2008. It proved to be my soundtrack of the Summer, it’s 18 tracks accompanying me on my travels, ringing with poignancy. The band has not lost the tone of their Afro-Pop inspired early music, but there is something less self-conscious about this latest release. “I take myself too serious / It’s not that serious”, main man Ezra Koenig murmurs in the opening of Sympathy, midway through the album. And maybe it really isn’t that deep. Yet after multiple listens, this complexly woven patchwork of easy tunes proves to be a surprisingly heavy, emotional journey.
A narrative is followed throughout; one of a relationship seemingly broken and put back together. Warm, country duets between Koenig and guest artist Danielle Haim appear as mini interludes, framing what is an album about the passing of time as much as it is about living in the moment. From the bouncing Van Morrison like rhythm of This Life, to the melodious guitar motif of Harmony Hall (which nods to VW’s early influence of Paul Simon), we meander into slow electro jams. Soft synths whisper in 2021, a relatable ballad about the projection of time. The album raises political discussion too; ‘How long till we sink to the bottom of the sea?’ Koenig asks in How Long? a reminder of the climate emergency. A masterclass in versatility and creative collaboration, Father of the Bride is a glorious breeze, shifting the band into exciting new territory.
Julia Jacklin – Crushing
Julia Jacklin first appeared on the scene in 2016 with her debut album Don’t Let the Kids Win which marked her as one of a number of exciting artists blooming from Australia’s burgeoning music scene over the past decade. From the likes of Tame Impala, Courtney Barnett, Pond, DMAs and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Julia Jacklin is one of the latest in a series of fresh Australian talent. Like Courtney Barnett and Kevin Parker she has a proficiency for writing personal and often narrative focused lyrics, wrapping them up in beautiful melodies. She was inspired by the New Zealand folk scene and has training in classical singing; the combination of which gives her vocals an effortless beauty.
The themes on her sophomore album ‘Crushing’, released in February, deals with her past relationships and trying to heal from them, especially in relation to her body. A highlight of the album is ‘Head Alone’ which features Jacklin confessing “I don’t want to be touched all the time/ I raised my body up to be mine,” the honesty and defiance of which combined with her pristine voice is both soft and powerful. Any other instruments seem like they are there only to support the delicate ease of her hypnotic vocals, holding it on course, so it can sail over the sometimes gentle sometimes tumultuous chords of her telecaster.
The album concludes with the song aptly named ‘comfort’ that is a melancholic yet soothing closer where she delicately sings “You’ll be ok/ You’ll be alright/ You’ll get well soon/ Sleep through the night/ You’ll go outside/ Enjoy the sun/ Soon you’ll feel fine to see everyone”. It is an album that confides in you, that nestles against you while you are curled up in bed. A raw, beautiful and comforting work, Jacklin has overcome the difficult task of equalling if not surpassing the quality of her debut.
Marika Hackman – Any Human Friend
Marika Hackman’s Any Human Friend is an explicitly sexual exploration of queer romance. At times angry and tinged with obsession, Hackman’s personal and blunt lyrics describe sexual encounters, relationships and heartbreak with extreme clarity. Female and queer sexual perspectives are repeatedly excluded from the contemporary music scene, and Hackman cuts through this with an album filled with songs that address female sexual desire and the male gaze head on. She grapples between desiring attention and pushing it away, singing whimsically in ‘send my love’: ‘did you love me tonight / or any night of our lives?’ A song about pining for love from someone when you know the relationship is ending, this lands its spot as the most heart wrenching and poignant on the album. The transition between ‘send my love’ and ‘hand solo’ is seamless, the repetition of ‘creased sheets / leave my right hand free / it’s hard to be alone’ at first using saddening distortion and then morphing into an upbeat mantra captures the shift from the ending relationship to the freedom of being alone flawlessly. At its core, this is an album about desiring meaningful relationships, it’s title being taken from a documentary about four-year-olds interacting with dementia patients. Through its direct lyrics, Hackman searches for ‘any human friend’, lamenting in the title track ‘everybody’s looking at me / like I’m made of stone’. ‘any human friend’ is therefore both deeply personal and powerfully sensual, and does something few albums have done before: gives a voice to female and queer sexuality.
Bastille – Doom Days
Although everyone knows Bastille as the band that wrote the 2013 smash hit Pompeii and collaborations with Marshmello and Craig David, their latest album Doom Days has received relatively little chart attention – and in my opinion, it deserves far more. It swaps the political focus of the band’s second album Wild World for desperate escapism, charting the course of a night out and eloquently describing the universality of drunken experiences and next day regrets. Each track has a distinct part to play in telling the story, with the album’s clear journey giving it a coherent feel while the band’s experimentation with layered synths and gospel vocals give every song, no matter how dark the lyrics, an anthemic power rarely seen so consistently across a whole album. Frontman Dan Smith’s songwriting also regularly impresses, combining astute observations about modern life, on ‘Quarter Past Midnight’. This is combined with apocalyptic love songs like ‘Divide’ and tales of escapism that echo how many of us feel in the current global climate like ‘Million Pieces’. For its powerful lyricism, catchy melodies and sonic coherence despite genre-meshing production, Doom Days is my album of the year – after all, what more do you need in an album?
Steve Hackett – At the Edge of Light
In January, ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett released his 25th studio album At the Edge of Light. Building on the themes of peace and world music that had accompanied his previous album (The Night Siren), Hackett explores new territory in music through including instruments from across the world, including the duduk and the dobro. Accompanied by long time writer Roger King and his wife Jo, Hackett released 10 new songs which sound as good as much of his early material, with up-tempo rock songs like ‘Under the Eye of the Sun’ being a particular favourite, ‘Underground Railroad’. A sentimental piece about slaves escaping from the south of America to the north in the 1830’s , and the eleven minute epic ‘These Golden Wings’, an ode to his wife.
With such a diverse range of styles in this album, it stands up well to his earlier achievements as proof that he is not resting on his laurels. It is reassuring to find Hackett playing homage in some areas to his earlier work, such as the recruitment of his brother John for the flute as seen on many previous albums, but also making each song sound different to his previous work, with his improved vocal confidence. In other words a continuation of form from one of the great masters of progressive rock, but with an equal weighting of old and new influences.
Finneas – Blood Harmony
FINNEAS has created a beautiful collection of songs that take a journey through all the confusion, pain and joy of human relationships. ‘I Lost My Friend’ opens the EP by telling the story of regret that comes with losing a close friend. The lyrics combined with the emotion in his voice make this song a heartbreakingly relatable one, especially when it comes to the chorus where he admits, ‘I know I’ll be alright / But I’m not tonight’. The music video is simple but brilliantly directed as well, showing FINNEAS walking through an empty field, wondering what went wrong and how long it will take to get over this loss. Another highlight from the EP is ‘Partners in Crime’, with the opening and closing riff being one of the catchiest parts of Blood Harmony. ‘Lost My Mind’ is another favourite, capturing the thoughts of a new relationship, all the questions and doubts and hopes that run through your mind constantly when you’re wondering whether the other person thinks about you just as much as you think of them. Altogether, this EP is a tightly packed collection of deeply personal songs, each one capturing a facet of love or loss. FINNEAS explores emotions universal enough that you are bound to find something in there you can relate to. Although he is better known as the producer for his sister Billie Eilish, Blood Harmony proves that FINNEAS has much to offer as a solo artist too.
The Maine – You Are OK
Albums are at their best when they fly under the radar, when they cater to fans rather than an audience of millions, when they aren’t Billboard toppers. My album of the year goes to The Maine, for the masterpiece that is You Are OK for all of these reasons, and more.
This band has been my favourite for years, and I don’t think it’s hard when you look at their latest album. ‘Slip The Noose’ is the ultimate love anthem of 2019, and ‘Flowers on the Grave’ is guaranteed to make you sob. This album is perfection, from beginning to end, not a song out of place. It’s baffling to me how so many people still don’t know of the band’s existence.
You Are OK preaches such an important message, too. It’s a message from The Maine to their listeners, to anyone who has ever felt alone. You’ll be okay, this album is here to show you that, every song sings to your soul. That’s why you should see this as the album of the year – yes, it’s no chart hit, it had little press coverage in the UK, but that is ultimately what makes it so special.
The Maine pour their heart into everything they put out, and You Are OK is no exception. It’s their most heartfelt production yet, with the power to win over the masses, if they would just listen. It is my album of the year.
Anderson .Paak – Ventura
Ventura may have only been released in April, but it feels like I’ve had it with me for a lifetime. It is a masterclass in the fusion of R&B, soul and funk and it’s no surprise that it has gone on to become Anderson .Paak’s first top 10 US album. With first single ‘King James’ at the helm, no topic is off limits as he comes to discuss political activism, his ever-expanding success and how to keep the romance alive. The coming of this album brings with it the perfection of a smooth and mature sound. Features from Smokey Robinson In ‘Make It Better’ and André 3000 in ‘Come Home’ are expertly utilised to maintain his reputation for producing absolute bangers in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the listener —— Paak’s easygoing mastery is on full display for the world to see. The attention to detail in this record surpasses any and all expectation. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a brand new listener, Ventura is sure to satisfy all of your R&B cravings. With Grammy nominations under his belt and no signs of slowing down, this record has undeniably solidified itself as one of the best albums of 2019.
Anteros – When We Land
Anteros always seem to slip under the radar when it comes to indie pop excellence – this is a band which needs to be celebrated. When We Land is the literal embodiment of a funky 80’s beat, bursting with energy at the seams. It’s definitely an unapologetically confident record if I ever saw one. The debut album stars some of the band’s older and more popular tracks, such as ‘Ring Ring’, ‘Breakfast’ and ‘Anteros’ which have been interestingly rerecorded, which afford the songs a punchier execution. I half expected Anteros to fall into the trap of every track sounding similar, since I knew lots of their songs were very upbeat. I’m proud to say I was proved wrong. There are bouncy and vivacious tunes like ‘Wrong Side’ and ‘Honey’ which are bound to instantly throw you into a better mood, but When We Land also features slower and more intimate songs. ‘Let It Out’ and ‘Ordinary Girl’ take it down a notch, brilliantly showcase lead singer Laura Hayden’s unique and powerful vocals in a calmer and mellower atmosphere. The opening track ‘Call Your Mother’ resonates with many of us as we reach our twenties I believe, being stuck in a post-adolescent haze before we actually have to decide what we want to do with our lives. This album encourages you to leave the monotony of the day behind for a mere 39 minutes of freedom and explosion of energy.
Catfish and the Bottlemen – Balance
It is rare that an album is released where you like every single song and don’t feel the need to skip the inevitable clanger. Indie rock band, Catfish and the Bottlemen, managed just that on their album The Balance which was released in April this year with no clangers in sight.
Although ‘Longshot’ was the lead single from this album, it is ‘Encore’ that has stood the critic’s test of time with the song still circulating in Radio 1 playlists. The song is typical Catfish at their best so you can understand its success.
This being said, ‘Fluctuate’ is the standout track of this album with the chorus being my favourite of all recent releases by any band. The laid-back drums and McCann’s offbeat vocals give the song an added edge that makes it different to what has come before.
The material from this album fits in seamlessly with their already extensive live repertoire. When the band graced Arena Birmingham in November of this year, the new tracks were received just as triumphantly as seasoned hits such as ‘Kathleen’.
The Balance is an album that has cemented Catfish’s status as modern indie legends and could earn them potential headline slots in 2020’s summer festival scene.
Comments