ILM's Top 77 Albums of 2019

https://i.imgur.com/0bu78ww.jpg
#77 – Cate le Bon – Reward (181 points, 6 votes)

Cate Le Bon - classic or dud

https://thequietus.com/articles/26656-cate-le-bon-reward-review

TOO GOTH

woooo

let it be known I adopted this DN before NV started with all that

here's to enduring crazytimes

I could never really get into this one, but love that Cate le Bon is getting more attention

love this record, feels like the prettiest possible descendant of early scritti politti at points

too lowwwwwww

https://i.imgur.com/i70kXf3.jpg
#76 – Laurel Halo – DJ Kicks (182 points, 5 votes)

Laurel Halo

laurel halo albums/eps poll

https://www.popmatters.com/laurel-halo-dj-kicks-review-2631752690.html

could’ve sworn this was older than 2019

i'm here and ready to post

I think I voted for the Cate Le Bon but I'm not sure

It's a great art-pop record

great start

5/6 votes needed to be in this is a nice threshold. Bring it on!

wasn't too keen on the Cate Le Bon song that placed in tracks but the Gorky's connection is interesting? Is it similar throughout?

https://i.imgur.com/VGz3Xz2.jpg
#75 – Better Oblivion Community Center – s/t (182 points, 6 votes)

Better Oblivion Community Center

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/better-oblivion-community-center-better-oblivion-community-center/

The Cate Le Bon did very little for me, I'm afraid (too much self-affected quirkiness?), but it's always nice to see Laurel Halo in a 77 (except when she's 'singing', of course).

how many ballots were there, out of curiosity?

never heard of this

Better Oblivion CC was the first 2019 album I liked. "Dylan Thomas" still the best tune.

The album's too nice to have made my ballot.

Oberst "side projects" continue to be more reliable than the main event.

Spotify has been insisting for months I should be into this BOCC album.

xp, on ballot numbers: you'd need to ask seanandalai

Oh, I thought I hadn't heard of this one but I had heard that Oberst was doing something new, so I guess I'd sort of semi-heard of it? Not sure how much I care about actually listening to it, though.

Simon, how could you! New Bright Eyes this year and we all can’t wait.

Never got around to giving this a proper listen, but I liked some of what I did hear.

Is that *the* Conor Oberst? I think I'll pass.

prettiest possible descendant of early scritti politti at points

Now this hadn't occurred to me! I think I dig it.

I voted for the CLB record. I really didn't think I liked her before this point. "Daylight Matters" prolly is kinda indicative, yeah.

I'm more interested in BOCC as a Phoebe Bridgers side project than a Conor Oberst side project.

Did any other DJ Kicks place in previous years? I know some are 'higher concept' than others

Didn't vote for the Laurel Halo DJ Kicks but it is a great mix. The run of "Lachowa" -> "Koraimer Bro" -> "Temptation" in the middle is fire.

Also, 2017-Stranger in the Alps, 2018-boygenius, 2019-BOCC is impressive.

better oblivion community center is... an ok record

Reward was the first Cate Le Bon album I really got into. It was on my long list.

There are a couple of nice moments on the Better Oblivion Community Center album, but it needed a lot less Conor Oberst.

Decent record, Dylan Thomas towers over the rest

Mug Museum still the best imo, but Reward comes pretty close. See also, in 2019: Deerhunter as produced by Le Bon, plus her album with Bradford Cox -- both very good!

Jibes with my experience of all Bridgers-related projects—one knockout song per record

Nice enough album I never returned to after two or three spins.

for youtube - would it be too contentious to have a "sampler" playlist - like one track per album?

https://i.imgur.com/THye0EA.jpg
#74 – Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow (183 points, 6 votes)

Sharon Van Etten

https://variety.com/2019/music/reviews/album-review-sharon-van-ettens-remind-me-tomorrow-1203111170/

not as good as are we there but still very good

Distance between the album's placement and 'Seventeen's on the tracks poll seems about right.

Sharon got the bad congleton, angel got the good congleton

Almost forgot this was happening today. Very excited that Cate Le Bon and Laurel Halo managed to sneak in, those are two if my favorites. The Halo mix deserves a lot more attention, one of the best I've heard in a long time.

Nowhere near as good as 'Are We There Yet', but still pretty good.

The rest of the album is not as stunning as "Seventeen" but solid.

I should have voted for BOCC's Little Trouble in the tracks poll, love that song. I think of it as a great Phoebe Bridgers song. The album never clicked. Nor did Remind Me Tomorrow.

I thought RMT was SVE's best record by far. The others all blurred together for me by the fourth or fifth track.

I didn't know what people were talking about when they talked about 'Congleton' but I looked him up and saw his production credits and was like 'Ah, I seeee'

it is wild to me that the guy from The Paper Chase is now one of the most sought-after producers around

I voted for 'seventeen' in tracks. I've barely listened to this album though. I probably should.

https://i.imgur.com/RfjqeiR.jpg
#73 – Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter 4: Memphis (184 points, 6 votes)

matana roberts: 'coin coin' and other things

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/matana-roberts-coin-coin-chapter-four-memphis/

I own Coin Coin 2 but haven't really dug into it yet. I oughta get on that.

He has a track about that

I like Burial a lot but I couldn't with a clear conscience vote for a compilation w/ tracks I've known for years already.

xp lol

Belated thanks to the pollrunners, and a shout out to Moka for the lovely images.

Seconded!

And congratulations to Marissa for winning the poll

lol

A+

What's she up to these days, other than hanging out with LDR and releasing ILM's AOTY?

I had hoped she's in a better place now, but stumbling on this, I fear that that is not the case. She hasn't gone off the net because of us after all :(

:(

Playlist is fully updated and put to bed. This year, Spotify got everything on the 77 album and singles lists except JME.

ILM’s Top Albums of 2019 Countdown

#01 - Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising (1158 points, 33 votes, 4 number 1 votes)
#02 - Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell (961 points, 29 votes, 2 number 1 votes)
#03 - Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains (952 points, 27 votes, 5 number 1 votes)
#04 - Big Thief - U.F.O.F. (918 points, 27 votes, 4 number 1 votes)
#05 - Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated (687 points, 21 votes)
#06 - Octo Octa - Resonant Body (685 points, 22 votes)
#07 - Tinashe - Songs For You (626 points, 19 votes, 4 number 1 votes)
#08 - Ariana Grande- Thank U, Next (551 points, 17 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#09 - Big Thief - Two Hands (544 points, 15 votes)
#10 - Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (524 points, 18 votes)
#11 - Taylor Swift - Lover (504 points, 16 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#12 - Jamila Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY! (501 points, 16 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#13 - FKA Twigs - Magdalene (493 points, 18 votes)
#14 - Burna Boy - African Giant (492 points, 15 votes, 4 number 1 votes)
#15 - Caroline Polachek - Pang (488 points, 16 votes)
#16 - Dawn Richard - New Breed (486 points, 15 votes)
#17 - Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love (484 points, 18 votes, 2 number 1 votes)
#18 - 100 Gecs - 1000 Gecs (479 points, 15 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#19 - These New Puritans - Inside the Rose (462 points, 15 votes)
#20 - Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride (442 points, 11 votes, 2 number 1 votes)
#21 – Charli XCX - Charli (423 points, 13 votes, 2 #1 votes)
#22 – Holly Herndon - Proto (420 points (nice), 15 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#23 – Charly Bliss – Young Enough (414 points, 16 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#24 – Underworld – Drift Series 1 (391 points, 12 votes, 3 #1 votes)
#25 – Nilüfer Yanya – Miss Universe (378 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#26 – CFCF – Liquid Colors (365 points, 12 votes)
#27 – Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee (364 points, 13 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#28 – SAULT - 5 (354 points, 17 votes)
#29 – The Comet Is Coming – Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (354 points, 17 votes)
#30 – Richard Dawson - 2020 (352 points, 14 votes)
#31 – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Ancestral Recall (344 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#32 – Little Simz – Grey Area (330 points, 13 votes)
#33 – The Highwomen – s/t (326 points, 11 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#34 – Arthur Russell – Iowa Dream (323 points, 10 votes)
#35 – Danny Brown – uknowhatimsayin¿ (317 points, 13 votes)
#36 – Men I Trust - Oncle Jazz (316 points, 11 votes)
#37 – Lingua Ignota - Caligula (311 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#38 – Erika De Casier – Essentials (306 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#39 – Kelsey Lu - Blood (301 points, 11 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#40 – Sunn O))) – Life Metal (293 points, 10 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#41 (TIE) - Kim Gordon - No Home Record (288 points, 10 votes)
#41 (TIE) - SAULT - 7 (288 points, 10 votes)
#43 – Angel Olsen - All Mirrors (284 points, 10 votes)
#44 – Shura - Forevher (278 points, 9 votes)
#45 – Kali Malone - The Sacrificial Code (278 points, 8 votes)
#46 – Solange - When I Get Home (277 points, 12 votes)
#47 – Liturgy - H.A.Q.Q. (268 points, 9 votes)
#48 – Hatchie - Keepsake (266 points, 11 votes)
#49 – Chemical Brothers - No Geography (244 points, 7 votes)
#50 – Glass Beach - The First Glass Beach Album (242 points, 8 votes)
#51 – Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you) (234 points, 8 votes)
#52 – Carla dal Forno - Look Up Sharp (228 points, 8 votes)
#53 – Koffee – Rapture (224 points, 7 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#54 – Clairo – Immunity (223 points, 9 votes)
#55 – American Football – American Football (223 points, 7 votes, 2 number 1 votes)
#56 – Various Artists – 環境音楽 Kankyō Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980–1990 (222 points, 8 votes)
#57 – Samthing Soweto – Isphithiphithi (220 points, 7 votes)
#58 – Thom Yorke – Anima (216 points, 8 votes)
#59 – Moodymann – Sinner (216 points, 6 votes, 1 number 1 vote)
#60 – Andy Stott – It Should Be Us (214 points, 9 votes)
#61 – Sacred Paws – Run Around the Sun (212 points, 8 votes)
#62 – Rapsody – Eve (211 points, 8 votes)
#63 – Barker – Utility (210 points, 8 votes)
#64 – Miranda Lambert – Wildcard (208 points, 8 votes)
#65 – Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel (204 points, 7 votes)
#66 – Tyler, the Creator – IGOR (202 points, 8 votes)
#67 – Caterina Barbieri – Ecstatic Computation (200 points, 7 votes)
#68 – The National – I Am Easy to Find (195 points, 8 votes)
#69 – Sampa the Great – The Return (194 points, 7 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#70 – Blanck Mass – Animated Violence Mild (189 points, 6 votes)
#71 – clipping. – There Existed an Addiction to Blood (188 points, 7 votes, 1 #1 vote)
#72 – Jme – Grime MC (187 points, 7 votes)
#73 – Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter 4: Memphis (184 points, 6 votes)
#74 – Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow (183 points, 6 votes)
#75 – Better Oblivion Community Center – s/t (182 points, 6 votes)
#76 – Laurel Halo – DJ Kicks (182 points, 5 votes)
#77 – Cate le Bon – Reward (181 points, 6 votes)

sigh - fixed that for you:

#57 – Samthing Soweto – Isphithiphithi (220 points, 7 votes)

give him a break, it’s a hard word to spell

it's not "the ASDA"

...and yet so remarkably easy to copy and paste

idk i struggled with it

that’s a phithi

Big Phith?

Re: Dawn Richard, Blackheart is sounding pretty good so far.

fixed in that list, thanks for the edit note... and for the pronunciation!
Iss-peety-peety, yeah?

thanx!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKoDZZvuH8

check the chorus, from 1:00-1:20

My takeaway from the Jenny Hval album is that I would maybe enjoy a Jenny Hval instrumental album

Full version of BASQUIAT massively superior to the edit that made the tracks poll

Is there any poll that you could vote for that in, imago?

Jamila Woods?

Not is v much the only EOY representation Two Hands required. Talk about an album with a highlight

"shoulders," "the toy" > "not"

Lol fine.

I liked the Woods album! Good #1 choice

it's not "the ASDA"

― dogs,

who let the dogs in?

Not is maybe my fourth, fifth favourite song on Two Hands

I mean, it's good and that, but I get the impression it stands out because it's their most hard-rockingest song since the Capacity album after the relatively sedate UFOF record. guitar solo is cool but I've heard guitar solos before and will again

The dog let himself in apparently

that's a pretty accurate ranking. though i wouldn't call it a song. it's more like two separate parts which are in themselves no songs and together neither. it's not called not for nothing.

Maybe I expected (and wanted) a whole album like that

i think not is a far-and-away highlight, but mainly because of live versions, which are almost unbearably intense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKmD6-piK2A

ah there's me thinking Not was a song. things are so very confusing these days

Fooled by that old verse-chorus structure

Full version of BASQUIAT massively superior to the edit that made the tracks poll

pretty sure there wasn’t, the YouTube link in the rollout linked to the full length video.

full-length *track

lol

maybe I just liked it way more this time and never noticed it was 7 minutes long

oops

I've had the albums list playing on shuffle a lot since the rollout ended, and it's pretty much non-stop good vibes. It makes a strangely consistent listening experience despite the variety of the list itself. The only things I can't completely go with are the couple of country records, and that's very much my own personal biases at play.

Time is running out and we need YOU to vote in ILM's 2019 metal & heavy music poll:

2019 Metal ’n’ Heavy Rock Poll: VOTING & CAMPAIGNING thread (open until the 21st of February)

God, Ancestral Recall is so fucking beautiful. The end.