I think my favourite aspect of the album is that it doesn't have any low points. ATP had higher highs and lower lows (particularly in the middle) whereas HE is probably their most consistent album. Time will tell if any tracks become absolute top-tier Menzingers classics -- I could imagine Anna, Strain Your Memory and Farewell Youth reaching that level. But I agree they need to change producers. Not only have they pushed the current sound about as far as it can go without diminishing returns, but Yip's production got worse from ATP to HE. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!
Oso Oso, Pup, JEW, The Maine, The Dangerous Summer...I agree with a lot of the choices on this list. NF being on this list is pretty surprising. I agree with everyone above me.
Loved lots of these records! As always, when The National releases new music, it’s a shoe in for my number one. 2019 was a weird music year for me. For some reason I was super anxious that every record I was anticipating would let me down, and almost none of them did. Noah Gundersen floored me, BOCC was exactly what I wanted, dug the Menzingers record enough. Blink-182 was the only record that I anticipated but just couldn’t find anything to like about it. That’s just me probably being over whatever that formula is now, cause it’s not like Tom did anything impressive either.
I like the worst of ATP more than the best of HE though, so that’s why I have arrived where I am about it.
I'm always surprised this place isn't more into FKA twigs Not surprised about the lack of hip-hop though lol
Wow. Shocked there is no foals, american football, wallows, andrew bird, local natives, bad books, bon iver, the national, vancouver sleep clinic, FKA twigs, or Brittany howard. Happy to see Copeland and Sturgil though. Also, if you are going to do one hip hop record, why not make it the the obvious choice of Freddie Gibbs and Madlib'd bandana over NF? Regardless, good job making the list.
I think it was kind've a weird year for hip hop. I felt like I was in a completely other world than the majority of the HH thread, and it hasn't been like that in a while. That's probably why the Wiki album seemed to come out of nowhere as a "favorite" when people posted their lists in there. Not necessarily surprised to not see a consensus album on there. NF is a dork, tho
Clairo - Immunity Noah Gundersen - Lover Both Big Thief albums Really liked "Sound & Fury" and "Pony" but kinda forgot about them when making my list.
Always kind of baffled at the things people are surprised NOT to see on our lists. Like, have Foals ever made a Chorus.fm/Absolutepunk list? Makes sense. I mean, I've only got an overlap of 7 or 8, but my top four are all on here, and my top two and the staff's top two are the same.
I enjoyed Tyler, Danny Brown, Madlib, and MIKE this year, but forgot to include the latter two on my list. Also felt less in-tune with hip-hop this year than most previous, but I'm sure there's releases I missed.
Also, I think if this list was comprised of every single release every person in this forum expected to be there (obviously impossible), it would be a boring list. The unexpected picks that turn people onto something new are what keep our lists fresh, imho
Was this a bad year for country/pop or did the contributors change? Just wondering because I agree with this list more than prior ones.
Having seen them in Toronto repeatedly over the years, their recent show was the biggest and most enthusiastic I've seen, so I think it must be pretty variable.
Wait so calling this list bad is a bannable offense now?! well then go ahead and ban me I guess because this list honestly IS embarrassing for more than one reason but go off