Best Albums of 2019…. So Far!
It’s summertime and it’s hot! Cool down with these refreshing sounds from some of WSCA’s amazing DJs. Here’s a little taste of what some of our DJs have picked for the best album of 2019, so far… We know we’re only half way through the year, but it’s a great time to stop and reflect, take a look back at the last six months of music and see what stands out the most, so far. Enjoy the list!
Lorna Simes, host of Global Heartbeat
Buddy & Julie Miller, Breakdown on 20th Avenue South (New West Records)
Julie’s songwriting capabilities are otherworldly and when they sing together, there’s alchemy. They turn stone into gold.
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Mark Lefebvre, co-host of Pirate Fridays
Stiff Richards, Dig (Strangeworld Records)
It’s been a banner year for the Australian punk rock scene with Amyl & The Sniffers, The Chats, and my personal favorites, Stiff Richards, all getting frequent airplay on the college radio circuit. Dig is Stiff Richards’ second release and combines the ferocity of The Hives, the angst of Bonn Scott and the obnoxious snot-nosed arrogance of the Sex Pistols. There isn’t a bad cut on the album, but my favorites include Bad Disease, Ostentatious and No Fun on the Beaches.
Heard frequently on Pirate Fridays with Scurvy Dog.
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Rick Dirck, co-host of Pirate Fridays
Martha, Love Keeps Kicking (Dirtnap Records)
This four piece DIY band from England plays an all inclusive style of pop punk that is infectious. Their songs acknowledge the troubles of everyday while reminding the listener that we are all in this together. So grab someone you love, smile, sing, dance, and celebrate life in all its variations. This album is the band’s third full-length release in the U.S. and reveals a band that plays from the heart and just keeps getting better. In an era of turmoil and anxiety, Martha has crafted an album that reminds us all that we are part of something bigger. One listen of this record will send you running for more Martha! A must have for anyone’s music collection.
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Craig Mosher, host of The Graveyard Shift
Ape the Grim & Bugout, GRIMFLUENCE (Trapjaw Affiliates)
It’s fifteen years of timeless hip-hop from two of the best MCs in New Hampshire. Mixed by DJ Myth.
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Dave Costa, host of The Black Box
Weezer, Black Album (Crush/Atlantic)
I liked their cover album Teal, which drew my attention to the Black album, released at almost the same time. I found it to be their most honest recording to date, lyrically. It was also a bit of a departure from the crunchy guitar driven sound of past albums, and I found that refreshing.
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Jason Brown, host of The Kitchen Sink
Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One, All Are Welcome (Pirates Press Records)
The title cut off All Are Welcome, the latest release from Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One, makes it clear where Lenny Lashley, longtime Boston-based musician and songwriter, stands on the subject of immigration in 2019. Borrowing from Martin Luther King Jr. – quite literally (MLK is sampled in the song) – Lashley opens the doors to the world’s poor, tired, and hungry masses while questioning the current the political climate: “Have we totally lost our minds?”. It’s a powerful and catchy song, something Lashley has long been known to deliver. The album opens with a heart-wrenching, confessional rocker about past conflictions called “Truth and Blood” – perhaps the strongest song on the record. From there, Lashley sings about casualties of the opioid crisis (“Betty’s”), confronting and overcoming his own addictions (“Lonesome“), and balancing the fragilities of life in a capitalistic world (“Tomorrow May Never Come”). “Doesn’t something about it just feel so wrong?”, Lashley asks about always chasing the dollar. Lashley harkens back the country-western shuffle of Lenny and the Piss Poor Boys on “Double Miner” and explores new ground with great success on “Judy”, a slow-build, saxophone-centered number that wouldn’t be out of place in a dark, smoky soul nightclub. The wonderful “Live Like Lions”, a 2015 European-only 7” release, is also included on the record. The album closes with “Weakness”, a motivational number of sorts that reminds listeners that everyone has vulnerability t0 not to be defined by your troubles, and to “stay strong, be brave, live life, and never stop trying.” Sound advise that we all could stand to hear from time to time.
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Megan Campbell, host of Redo The Stacks
Lizzo, Cuz I Love You ( Nice Life / Atlantic)
I want every woman in the world to listen to this record. I mean, how can it not make you feel good with lyrics like “I am my own soulmate, now I’m never lonely, I know I’m a queen but I don’t need no crown?” Or “If I’m shinin’ everybody gonna shine, I was born like this don’t even gotta try, I’m like Chardonnay get better over time, Heard you say I’m not the baddest bitch, you lied.” Also, I saw her play in New Orleans last summer and she busted down on an epic flute solo. Also also, MISSY ELLIOT.
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Jason Boucher, host of Nocturnal Radio
Deadbeat & Camara, Trinity Thirty (Constellation Records)
Has it really been thirty years since The Cowboy Junkies released The Trinity Session? This interpretation released by Deadbeat & Camara on the 30th anniversary of the original album’s release in simply beautiful. This semi-experimental album is a unique collaboration between Scott Monteith (Deadbeat) and Fatima Camara, both Canadians currently based in Berlin, Germany. Creating this album was 2-year process and it was well worth the wait, as each track was created very meticulously and has an ethereal, haunting feel on each track. It’s best heard on vinyl, or with headphones, but it is an album not to be missed.
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Jason Landry, host of Blues Power
Karen O and Danger Mouse, Lux Prima (BMG)
This experimental pairing of Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs singer Karen O and producer Danger Mouse is a groovy, ambient and catchy album from start to finish. Heavy use of synths and great beats pull you into this one. Don’t miss it!
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Chris Hislop, host of Granite Rodeo
The Reconstructed, Great North Wind (self-released)
“Great North Wind” is an absolute marvel. The Reconstructed have a knack for writing anthemic jams that have the power to rule a stadium. Case-in-point – the album’s actual opening number, “Crosstalk.” And, while we’re talking exemplary favorites here, “50 Minute Records” also falls into the “stadium thumper” category. Absolute monsters of songs. The beauty of “Great North Wind,” is it can be celebrated in a raucous group setting, or soaked up in seclusion with equally cathartic effects. Go ahead, take their hand. The ride is fine.
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