I find I typically have something halfway interesting to say about almost all of the couple hundred albums I listen to every year. There are so many bands making so many good albums every year that instead of making futile attempt at creating a "best of" list, I’m just gonna talk a little bit about every damn album I like. I'll be using the never tried and absolute untrue Chaotic Neutral sorting method of "the order I actually listened to them". Hooray?
PLEASE SUPPORT MUSICIANS. Every album I can find on Bandcamp will include a Bandcamp embed you can click through to buy the album from the band or label. Please buy music or merch or go to shows and sing along! Without our support, these wonderful musicians can't continue to exist, y'all. Your dozen or two plays on Spotify unfortunately don't mean shit when ends need to meet.
(I know we don't all have the means to do it, so if you like something here and can't afford it, message me and I'll buy it for you! Seriously!)
This marks two years in a row that one of the best albums of the year was dropped on January 1st. (Last year was Jeff Rosenstock's POST-) There are a LOT of bands in the "jangly indie math rock" arena these days but not a single damn one of them do it as well as Forests. They're fun, impossibly catchy, can effortlessly jump between being serious or tongue-in-cheek, and more than anything: they sound like they absolutely love playing these songs. This album can make you happy on the darkest winter days. One of my biggest dreams right now is getting to see these dudes play a show. Someone please get them on Fest or a short west coast run or something, please!
You may know Yvette from her excellent post/math-rock band Covet or just generally being one of the best guitarists, uh, maybe ever? (Seriously, wtf!) But what you might not know is that the reason she plays guitar like she does is in large part because she has a classical piano background and she puts all that to use on this EP. Every one of these songs has so much intensity and emotion. She's able to pour her heart out on those keys without a single spoken word. It's a beautiful, exciting journey and a joy to listen to and I love every second of it.
In case you're unaware, Radar State is "that side project from all the dudes in The Get Up Kids and The Anniversary". It might’ve been overshadowed a bit by TGUK releasing an actual full-length a few months later but this album is a total jam. Each vocalist has his own style but they manage to come together and form a cohesive whole when all's said and done. Really fun album and a huge win for Wiretap Records who had a hell of year in 2019.
Their description on Bandcamp really says it all: "3 nice boys playing fast hooky pop punk ala Husker Du, Snuff, and Stiff Little Fingers." It's melodic, it's full of hooks, and none of the songs overstay their welcome. Such a fun EP! They dropped an LP recently, too, and it’s just as good. I’ll get to that review eventually! (h/t to Lukas for posting about them!)
I don't know what's in the water in Chicago that allows it produce so many good bands but I'd sure like some. The comparisons to Gaslight Anthem are a little impossible to avoid but the good news is if you love TGA, you'll very easily love AM Taxi! "Movie About Your Life", "Fighting In Cars", "Minute Alone", and "L’Patron" are a small sample of songs that are gonna get stuck in your head for the rest of your damn life because those choruses are so well-crafted and sing-along-able. Shiver By Me is just a pleasure to listen to.
These dudes from Baltimore would fit right in on Dying Scene Records (which is a little apropos since I found out about them via Dying Scene). Much like Dying Scene alum Yankee Brutal and Dying Regime, The Stifled play fast, angry, and heavy melodic punk similar to bands like Good Riddance or early Rise Against. And they do it extremely well, to boot! I'm certainly looking forward to hearing more from 'em in the future!
It's hopefully no secret that I love the hell out of this band. They're one of my favorites to see live and this album really exudes the feel of their live shows with the fast-paced sing-alongs and overwhelming energy that pumps through every song. "What’s Up With This Getting Old Thing?" is absolutely one of my favorite songs of the year. The vocal melodies and that Western-style tempo always slay me. I’m not sure I can really think of another band that utilizes all their vocalists together as well as Black Dots do! If you dig that classic Denver punk sound of being literally and musically halfway between the gruffer Midwest punk bands and the melodic California punk bands, you will love the hell out of Black Dots like I do!
A side project from folks in Caspian and Defeater, it... actually sounds a lot like a project between those two bands would probably sound like. These folks dropped an LP over 5 years ago and kinda disappeared for awhile and I'm glad to see 'em back in action. They play that kinda atmospheric emo/post-hardcore-y music you'd find on Deep Elm or Jade Tree back in the day, or somewhat similar to the direction Pianos Become the Teeth have taken recently. Highly recommend their LP if you like what you hear!
Spain's political skate punk masters play that super fast, metal-influenced technical melodic skate punk that's fallen a little out of favor in the States (but sure as hell still exists in Europe). Every song on this album absolutely shreds from start to finish and the vocals are full of whoas and harmonies and well-timed gang shouts. If you're a fan of bands like Belvedere, Propagandhi, This is a Standoff, The Human Project, Atlas Losing Grip, Satanic Surfers, etc, etc, I can't recommend Adrenalized enough.
I'm just gonna mention this 'cause the remix and remaster sounds pretty damn good and this is one of my all-timers. Back on the Streets of those seminal melodic hardcore records that shaped and continues to shape the sound of a lot of bands in the genre. And yeah, it still holds up incredibly well. I don't know about you, but for me, nothing can set a mood quite like hearing the words, "We're getting the band back together..."
