Best of 2019

The Un-Herd Music Top 50 of 2019

1. White Reaper You Deserve Love

Early fans may complain about the added sheen, space, and (gasp) maturity in the mix, but any initial resistance will be steamrollered by the boatloads of hooks. Prepare to fall in love immediately.

 2. The Sweet Things In Borrowed Shoes, On Borrowed Time

I was recently lamenting the dearth of bona fide sleazoid Exile-On-Main-Street worship in modern music, and then this album shows up to kick my ass around the block and teach us all how it's done.





 

 3. The Delta Riggs Modern Pressure

An album difficult to adequately describe, using elements of classic rock in its melody and disco in its bottom end, some punk here and indie there, all of which is topped by Elliot Hammond's oddly charismatic (or charismatically odd) drawl.



 

 4. Imani Coppola The Protagonist

A seemingly personal statement that ties together some of the various strands of Mr. Coppola's immense talent, ranging from R&B cool to indie rock to a cuttingly sardonic folk complaint. 





 

 5. Twin Peaks Lookout Low

At this point existing perfectly out-of-time, Twin Peaks continue to follow their own obscure muse, making a loosely structured version of (uh, let's call it) classic rock that requires some patience and - most importantly - richly rewards that patience.




 

 6. Natalie Sweet Oh By The Way... It's Natalie Sweet

Bouncy, hook-filled rock 'n' roll that splits the difference between the most bubblegum Ramones tunes and most bubblegum of the 60s girl groups, with welcome help from the estimable Morten Henriksen of the Yum Yums.

 7. Jordan Jones Jordan Jones

The song "Rumors Girls" might be the best pure power pop song of the year, and the rest don't land too far off that lofty target.

 8. Attic Lights Love in the Time of Shark Attacks

Scottish group reappears after a 6 year lay-off with their absolute mastery of hooks, harmonies, and crunchy melancholy wholly intact.

 9. Pat Todd & the RankOutsiders The Past Came Callin'

From his days with the Lazy Cowgirls to the present, Pat Todd has married Johnny Cash to Johnny Thunders in ways that'll either have you crying in your beer or moshing in a frenzy.

 10. Starcrawler Devour You

While still trafficking in big riffs and chaos, the band has opened the door to honest-to-god hooks and (swear to god) subtlety, as evidenced most notably on the Stonesy "No More Pennies."







11. Sheer Mag A Distant Call
12. Ryan Hamilton & the Harlequin Ghosts This Is The Sound
13. The Brothers Steve #1
14. Ulysses On Safari
15. Charlie Faye & the Fayettes The Whole Shebang
16. The Dip The Dip Delivers
17. Josie Cotton Everything Is Oh Yeah
18. Terry and Louie ...A Thousand Guitars
19. Olivia Jean Night Owl
20. Velveteen Rabbit Velveteen Rabbit

21. More Kicks More Kicks
22. Ten Tonnes Ten Tonnes
23. Nick Waterhouse Nick Waterhouse
24. The Successful Failures Saratoga
25. Diamond Dogs Recall Rock 'n' Roll and the Magic Soul
26. Alex Lahey The Best of Luck Club
27. Pale Lips After Dark
28. The Whiffs Another Whiff
29. Asa Lucid
30. Ex Hex It's Real

31. Amyl & the Sniffers Amyl & the Sniffers
32. Reese McHenry No Dados
33. The Regrettes How Do You Love?
34. Extra Arms Up To Here
35. Rusty Dogs of Canada
36. Pernice Bros. Spread the Feeling
37. Geoff Palmer Pulling Out All The Stops
38. The Rallies Upside Down
39. Råttanson I'd Much Rather Be With the Noise
40. Hollerado Retaliation Vacation

41. Brad Marino Extra Credit
42. New Swears Night Mirror
43. Papernut Cambridge Outstairs Instairs
44. Long Ryders Psychedelic Country Soul
45. Rheostatics Here Come The Wolves
46. Lisa Prank Perfect Love Song
47. Foxygen Seeing Other People
48. Bloodboy Punk Adjacent
49. Redd Kross Beyond the Door
50. Baby Shakes Cause a Scene

Man, This Is What I Call An Epidemic

1. Imani Coppo1a Blackteria
2. The Br0thers Steve We Got The Hits
3. New Swears Concrete Cowboy
4. The Sweet Things Drained
5. Terry & Louie (I'm) Looking For A Heart
6. Attic Lights Ruby's Song
7. The De1ta Riggs Fake That 
8. O1ivia Jean The Hunt
9. Ryan Hami1ton & the Har1equin Ghosts Mamacita
10. Pat T0dd If Only I Could Fly Backwards in Time
11. Jordan J0nes No Makeup
12. White Reeper Might Be Right 
13. The Whiffs My Vision of Love
14. Diamond D0gs Somebody Have Mercy
15. M0re Kicks What a Mess You Make
16. Successfu1 Fai1ures Love You So
17. Pa1e Lips Some Sort of Rock 'n' Roll
18. U1ysses Piper's Chest
19. Nata1ie Sweet Pizza Man
20. Asa Good Thing
21. Twin Peaks Better Than Stoned
22. Nick Waterh0use Undedicated
23. Ve1veteen Rabbit Mind-Numbing Entertainment
24. Sheer Mag Blood from a Stone
25. Starcraw1er Hollywood Ending