My Top 5 Albums Of 2019

2019 was great for music. As it comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on some of the best projects that were released throughout the past year. Today, I will be ranking and explaining my top 5 favorite albums released in the past year. Let’s get down to business.

Honorable mentions: thank u, next by Ariana Grande, Charli by Charli XCX, All My Heroes Are Cornballs by JPEGMAFIA, MAGDALENE by FKA twigs, Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey

5. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish: A breakout star whose popularity spread so rampantly that many thought of her as an industry plant, Billie Eilish is starting to cement herself as one of the best alternative pop artists making music today. The blood, sweat, and tears that she and her brother put into creating this wonderfully creative, dark, and revealing album becomes quickly apparent upon listening, and the replay-ability of this project is undeniable. I cannot wait to see which direction Billie takes musically moving forward, because her debut album was one of the best of 2019.

4. The Highwomen by The Highwomen: I never thought I would like a “country” album as much as I enjoyed this one. The four delightfully talented women who have assembled this blues supergroup released one of the most compelling albums of the year in their self-titled debut project. I found myself humming the choruses to these songs repeatedly and constantly reflecting on the heartfelt lyricism offered here. That lyricism is supported by astounding vocal performances throughout, and this album is jam-packed with very uplifting and positive themes while still heart-wrenching at times. Great stuff here.

3. Assume Form by James Blake: This album was one of my most-listened-to in 2019, and for good reason. James Blake is realizing his full potential as an artist, and the refined nature of Assume Form proves that he’s ready to take the next step in his musical career. Relatable themes, tasteful features, and incredible vocals make this project an incredibly enjoyable listen. Plus, he was great live when my girlfriend saw him locally in February.

2. GINGER by BROCKHAMPTON: While not as explosively braggadocios as the group’s SATURATION trilogy or their uniquely aggressive IRIDESCENCE, GINGER is just of compelling of a project for me as their others, if not more so. This project finally unpacks the departure of former member Ameer Vann, not holding back from sharing the emotional impact that his removal had on the rest of the group. This is as introspective as the boy band has gotten yet, and I’m here for it. Plus, this project is still full of the classic bangers that put these guys on the map in the first place. Again, they are great live and I highly suggest checking them out.

1. IGOR by Tyler, The Creator: They grow up so fast. All jokes aside, Tyler’s evolution as an artist and a person over the past few years is nothing short of awe-inspiring. He prefaced this album making sure his fans knew that this project would be nothing like any of his previous work, which was entirely accurate to say the least. This project is experimental yet immediately familiar, and Tyler’s unabashed emotional vulnerability and honesty adds to this album’s narrative beautifully and compellingly. He put on an incredible show when I was able to see him in October, and the production accompanied by the wonderful story-telling of this project makes it difficult to not call it a 10/10. It’s definitively my favorite album of the year.

The subjectivity of music and of art in general is what makes it so appealing to me. Virtually everyone’s opinions and tastes are different at least slightly, which is why I like to hear the rationale behind others’ favorite pieces of music, art, film, or any other medium. What were your top 5 albums of the year? Do you agree with my reasoning? Let me know. More coming soon.

Tyler, The Creator IGOR Tour Concert Review

Following the releases of his two most recent and fantastic albums Flower Boy and IGOR, I knew that I had to go see Tyler, The Creator live in concert. While some view Tyler as controversial (he was banned from the UK in 2015), I see him as the always-maturing artist that he is and enjoy his music very much. I’m happy to say that seeing him live in concert was worth every penny.

The opening acts at this show, Goldlink and Blood Orange, were decent. I think that if they switched the order in which they performed, the energy in State Farm Arena would’ve been a lot better throughout the whole night. Goldlink hyped everyone just for Blood Orange to mellow everyone out again. That’s okay, though - the following act was spectacular.

Tyler’s signature opening on this tour of slowly walking into and then soaking up the spotlight is just awesome. There’s also something cool about his rotation of loudly colored suits that makes the color reveal fun at every show. “IGOR’S THEME” works just as well in a concert setting as it did on the album, and I immediately knew that I was in for a treat when the beat hit and Tyler’s amazingly spastic dance moves hit the stage.

There was a good balance struck between performing songs off the new project and pulling out old classics like “Tamale” and “Yonkers” which made him famous in the first place. The crowd seemed to know every song, as did I, and the energy was fantastic during the entirety of Tyler’s set. The lighting and effects during the show fit in very well with the theme of the night, and I’m glad to have been able to take some decent pictures and videos. Ending things with “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” was the perfect way to cap off a great night.

I feel like even if you aren’t familiar with Tyler’s entire discography, it’s worth seeing him live in concert. Also, take someone you love like how I took my girlfriend. IGOR was a fantastic album, and I’ll be proudly repping the merch I got at the show while listening to the album. Great, great show.