Guest List: Biff is Back!

Biff Swenson of Yawn Mower, Earth Telephone, Grasser

Decade's End (Alphabetical)

By Biff Swenson

[Biff returns with a run-down of his favorite albums of the 2010s.]

This past decade has been a wild one. For me, for you, for this country, for the entire planet. Lots of things have changed and are still changing rapidly. Needing music to be an escape is one thing that will never change. Having art to score the soundtrack of our lives is essential to coping with the hard times, and even more important to elevate the good times. There are a lot changes sonically every decade, so it's fun to look back at how musical shifts happen. The artists that define a generation, the albums that pivot where music is heading, the songs that capture what's essential for the time in which they exist.

I'm not a musician because I chose to be. Being a musician is all-consuming. It's my church, my aggression. It's my best friend, and it can be humbling. There would be no me without music. It defines me. The below list is just a small fraction of what has overtaken my being on a daily basis for the past ten years. I'm aware that I might be missing some key albums from the past decade, but this a list of the shit that I connected with more so than anything. If you happen to read through my list and find something new to you that you dig, I'd love to hear about it. If you read through and find that I missed something that clearly fits into this list, PLEASE send me a link so I can dive in. I appreciate anyone of you who reads this! We are part of a dwindling group of aging people who are constantly on the hunt for new and exciting music, and I'm always grateful for the platform Jim gives to our local scene to continue growing and evolving as listeners and participators of audible art. Happy new year! Happy new decade! Keep up the search


Algernon Cadwallader, Parrot Flies

alt-J, An Awesome Wave

Anderson .Paak, Malibu

Anderson .Paak, Oxnard

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs

Bad Books, II

Big Sean, Finally Famous

Blood Orange, Cupid Deluxe

Blood Orange, Negro Swan

Bon Iver, 22, A Million

Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver, i,i

Born Ruffians, Birthmarks

BROCKHAMPTON, GINGER

BROCKHAMPTON, iridescence

BROCKHAMPTON, Saturation Trilogy

Bruno Mars, Unorthodox Jukebox

Childish Gambino, "Awaken, My Love!"

Childish Gambino, Because the Internet

Daft Punk, Random Access Memory

D’Angelo, Black Messiah

David Bazan, Strange Negotiations

Death Cab For Cutie, Codes and Keys

Death From Above 1979, The Physical World

Dentist, Night Swimming

Dirty Projectors, Dirty Projectors

Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose

Dogs On Acid, Dogs On Acid

Drake, Nothing Was The Same

Drake, Take Care

Drug Church, Cheer

Father John Misty, Fear Fun

Father John Misty, I Love You, Honeybear

Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues

Foster The People, Torches

Foxing, Nearer My God

Frank Ocean, Blonde

Frank Ocean, channel ORANGE

The Front Bottoms, Back On Top

The Front Bottoms, Talon Of The Hawk

Future Isalnds, Singles

Girls, Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Goldlink, And After That, We Didn’t Talk

Hop Along, Bark Your Head Off, Dog

Hop Along, Get Disowned

Hop Along, Painted Shut

IDLES, Joy as an Act of Resistance.

Jay Som, Everybody Works

Jay Som, Anak Ko

Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience

Kanye West, The Life Of Pablo

Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.

Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d. city

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly

LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening

Local Natives, Gorilla Manor

Mac Miller, Swimming

Maps & Atlases, Beware And Be Grateful

Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s, Rot Gut, Domestic

mewithoutYou, Pale Horses

mewithoutYou, Ten Stories

mewithoutYou, [untitled]

Mike Krol, I Hate Jazz

Mike Krol, Power Chords

Modern Baseball, Holy Ghost

Ovens, Ovens

Owen, Ghost Town

Pedro The Lion, Phoenix

Pharrell Williams, G I R L

Pusha T, DAYTONA

Real Estate, Atlas

Real Estate, In Mind

Sheer Mag, Compilation (I,II,&III)

The Shins, Port Of Marrow

Snowing, I Could Do Whatever I Wanted If I Wanted

Spoon, They Want My Soul

The Strokes, Angles

The Strokes, Comedown Machine

St. Vincent, Strange Mercy

Tame Impala, Currents

Tame Impala, Lonerism

Thin Lips, Riff Hard

Thundercat, Drunk

Tierra Whack, Whack World

Tokyo Police Club, Champ

Tony Molina, Dissed and Dismissed

Toro Y Moi, Causers of This

TV On The Radio, Seeds

Tyler, The Creator, Flower Boy

Tyler, The Creator, IGOR

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, II

Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Multi-Love

Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

Warm Soda, Symbolic Dream

The Weeknd, Trilogy

Weezer, Everything Will Be Alright In The End

Weezer, Weezer (White Album)

Well Wisher, This is Fine

Various Artists, Telegraph Hill Records Vol. 02, 2019

Track by Track

By Brian Erickson

In what I hope becomes an annual tradition, Telegraph Records releases a compilation of new music from its current and prospective artists, and I write a track-by-track review. The rules are simple: I listen to the song once, come up with a couple things to say, and wrap it up by the time the song is over. No pauses or repeats. I cheated a little bit. But with a collection this good, it's hard not to want to press "repeat."

Levy & the Oaks , "You'll Fly" -- What a way to kick things off! Levy & the Oaks continue their run with this harmony-soaked ode to self-preservation. Pitch-perfect vocals hover above white-hot guitar lines and a chugging rhythm section to produce one of Levy & the Oaks' most memorable songs; no short order considering their catalogue is fast filling up with them!

Bobby Mahoney & the Seventh Son, "Nothing for Nothing" -- Mahoney & Co produce another rafter-shaking anthem. But this time, they add a contemplative lyrical twist: "When it all falls apart / What will be left in your heart?" It's a question we could all benefit from asking ourselves once in a while and The Seventh Son wrap theirs inside an "arms-around-the-arena" sing along.

Jarod Clemons & the Late Nights, "On the Waves" -- Newcomer Jarod Clemons adds a classic rock feel to the comp with a pummeling guitar riff that sounds like the grandson of "Them Changes" by Jimi Hendrix & the Band of Gypsies. Move past the famous last name; Jarod is both his own man and his own musician. And "On the Waves" proves it right out of the gate. If he keeps this up, Little Big Man will have a big, big future.

The Foes of Fern, "Out of Out Heads Vol. 2" -- The Foes' first new music since the split of The Burns, and it's evident they haven't taken this newfound autonomy lying down. While the lyrics touch on Matt Fernicola's well-worn themes of aging, nostalgia, and relationships, the music is positively uplifting, creating a beautiful contrast of sound and feeling. Pay attention to the 2:49 mark. The song flips, adding a mantra: "There was no reason to leave." Just as Fern's voice gets desperate, powerhouse backing singer Jessie McCormick steps in to take us home…wow!

Malibu, "Never Ending May" -- Malibu sings of their "best heartbreak" over a post-punk beat and pleading lyrics. But it's the small things buried just beneath the surface that make "Never Ending May" worth spinning over again. Small orchestral flourishes in the intro and bridge and the ticking clock as the song ends feel like the band added just a dash of Hans Zimmer to their rock and roll.

Airacuda, "Pals" -- I love this comp for lots of reasons, not least of which being Airacuda gets back together for a new song. Ten years from now, we're going to end up with the most stealthily-released Airacuda full-length. "Pals" adds another highlight to the band's slowly-expanding songbook, this time including a midtempo groove and a sentimental ode to that which brought this band together in the first place -- friendship.

Leah Voysey, "Phoenix" -- If Voysey's last single, "Keep it To Yourself," chronicles a stressed and distressed breakup, the follow up is straight-up redemption. 2017's "Poison" might be Voysey's most popular song. But "Phoenix" is her best.

Keith Egan, "What's Wrong" -- Keith Egan is all about that slow swagger. Keyboards on delay, slow synth swells that evoke The Weeknd, and Egan's desperate vocal turn. The only thing wrong is that Egan doesn't make more than one song a year!

MaYay0, "Stay" -- With a minimalist's production, MaYay0 has offered up a flawless club jam. The single artwork tells you everything you need. Two tasseled ropes in a heart shape over a red background. This is "lights down low" music done really, really well! Oh…and it's pronounced "muh-YAY-oh."

Des & the Swagmatics, "This MoFo Right Here" -- This skittering, electric piano-driven call-out is a compilation highlight. Des Spinks's voice is among the most powerful in the entire New Jersey scene and "This MoFo" puts it (and her band's brilliant interplay) on full, glorious display!

Taylor Tote, "One Night" -- Tote's voice snakes its way around the song's question of "will they/won't they," with a dark, almost-sinister tone. And "One Night" rides a slow build that ends quicker than you can flip the light switch from on to off. Question answered?

Luke Dowler, "Get the Job Done" -- Overdriven guitar, and Hammond organ adorn this riff-propelled slice of apple-sweet Americana. Meanwhile, Dowler's voice is grittier than the dirt under your fingernails. And because of all this, "Get the Job Done" never feels like it's trying too hard. It just does what it's got do to -- well -- you know.

Marc Tappan & the Dirty Shine, "Love on Trial" -- Tappan, a scene veteran, has a beautiful story that saw him come back from homelessness earlier in his life. But "Love on Trial" is no 'just happy to be here' tune. It's an impassioned, horn-drenched lover's plea that showcases all that Tappan & Co have to offer: memorable songwriting, expert performance, and a whole lot of heart.

Natalie Farrell, "Glowing" -- This is the perfect windows-down singalong! Featuring lilting strings, a tight weave of acoustic-and-electric guitar, and of course, Farrell's mighty alto, "Glowing" is both a standout on the compilation as well as in Natalie's impressive, ever-growing catalogue.

Lowlight, "NYE" -- Capturing the sweet sadness of the holiday season, Lowlight has imbued "NYE" with the insightful sentimentality that's always sat just below the band's surface. And in singing of string lights, empty glasses, and fireworks out on the lawn, Lowlight hasn't slapped together some holiday novelty, they've built themselves a stone-classic!

Ashley McKinley, "The Truth Is" -- Countrypolitan singer Ashley McKinley's voice sits front-and-center on this lonesome piano ballad. "Believe me, I tried to keep it together / Truth is that we don't belong / The truth is, we always felt wrong." As red and raw as those conversations can be, rare is the song that captures them so well. On "The Truth Is," McKinley succeeds.

Patty C, "Hey Mama" -- Patty C serves up a beer-soaked, gospel-tinged apology to yet another flamed-out relationship. The heartbreak is strong with this one and it hurts to hit the ground so hard. But goddamn it we don't just keep coming back for more!

Abbey Road All Stars, "Come Together" -- This is what happens when the scene collaborates! Members of Levy & the Oaks, The Extensions, The Viewers Like You, Des & the Swagmatics, The Foes of Fern, Dave & Tom, and Handsome Looks all took the stage on September 28, 2019 for an Asbury Park Music Foundation benefit and a tribute to the Abbey Road album. This live take on a Beatles classic is the triumphant result!

Telegraph Hill Records Vol. 02 is available to stream now.

Guest List: Lawrence La Raia

Sharon Van Etten at that Stone Pony thing in 2014. Van Etten turned up on several of our lists for 2019.

Top Whatevers of 2019

by Lawrence La Raia

[Lists are still rolling in. There are no rules here at CoolDad Music (other than NO SMART QUOTES, with which Lawrence complied), so we post 'em as we get 'em. Lawrence is another friend and cooldad who I've been seeing at shows for a few years now. Apparently, we were even at the same Sharon Van Etten thing on a cold February afternoon in 2014 before we ever met.

Thanks for laboring over this one, Lawrence. You reminded me of some things I forgot about like the album from Ceremony.]

FIDLAR, "Flake"

I've listened to FIDLAR before. Not a whole ton. Then that Gary Glitter swagger/stomp beat came on, and that changed. For this track anyway. I listened to this a ton when I first heard it. Then I started whistling that melody with the sheer intent of annoying those around me. (Not actually true. My fingers just keep typing sometimes while my brain tries to keep up and fact check. Multitasking is hard.) But this was an earworm, and its prominent placement in my "Your Top Songs 2019" Spotify playlist confirmed it.



The Steve Adamyk Band, "In Death"

You ever like something immediately? Like before the song is over? Like before the chorus? Like before the lyrics even come in? Like at the first note? Yeah. Happens to me all the time. And sometimes it gets better as it goes, and then the song sticks the landing. And you rewatch the instant replay (Is that what it's called? I actually forget.) But you watch it, but you don't have to wait to see the judges' scores. Because that doesn't matter. You’re already awarding the medal yourself. Yeah this was like that. I was fortunate enough to catch The Steve Adamyk Band at APYC a few years back when I heard they were playing with Sonic Avenues. Maybe you did, too. I think Night Birds might have been involved with that booking, or maybe I just found out about the gig from their social media.



Ghost King, "Slither"

Psych surf garage. That's what I call it. I thought of King Gizzard after hearing it. But, to date, I've still listened to this track more than any King Gizzard song. (To be fair, King Gizzard probably just dropped two more full lengths and an EP during the time it took me to curate this list.) Sit still during this track. Try it. You'll fail.



Dark Thoughts, "Do You Dream / It's Too Late"

Do you dream? Do you like rock n' roll? Do you like the Ramones? This is the closest my kids will get in their lifetime to seeing the Ramones. (Change my mind.) They (Dark Thoughts, not my kids) unabashedly love the Ramones, and they get their guitar sound based on a photograph of Johnny Ramone's amp settings. Yeah. They pull it off by writing songs that are catchy as fuck. Or at least catchy as a virus in a pre-school classroom. You might have seen them open for Night Birds in 2018. You might have seen them somewhere else nearby. (They're from Philly.) They'll be back this week at In The West, and they have upcoming shows in Asbury Park and Philadelphia in February. My word count is up here because I don't have as much to say about other things. But let's be real, you're looking at band names, song titles, and clicking the YouTube links. At best, you are skimming over the prose. (And yes I cheated by listing both songs of the single.)



(Hmmm...pink lettering...familiar font...yep, smells like "Rocket to Russia")

Sharon Van Etten, "No One's Easy to Love" or "Seventeen"

I agree with everybody that loved Sharon Van Etten's 2019 record and put it on year end lists. She's a talent. I'm glad she’s still making music and not just studying to be a psychologist or therapist and casting music completely aside. But if she isn't already doing that I hope she continues with it. A lot of us deal with mental health issues, and she's gonna help some people more directly and not just through song. I met her briefly after a Stone Pony performance and gave her a sand dollar I found on the beach that day. It was the first time I ever found a sand dollar. And I found at least 15. There were more, too. It was crazy. It was cold. It was February. I don't know what year. (Jim? Do you? CD: I believe it was 2014.) "No One's Easy to Love" reveals that Sharon can do what she's always done, but over more electronic sounds. Her voice pulls you in, and she sometimes holds notes longer than you thought she would. Not as a marathon thing, mind you; but you know. It's just her way, and it works. I've always thought her timing and placement of vocals was something that made her interesting. "Seventeen" is also a standout on a solid record. There's something very New Jersey about the track too. But that’s neither an excuse to get behind it nor a reason to reject it. It's just in there. I gotta go to bed. I'll finish this soon. (Wow! i just counted. I wrote about 10 songs already. That was my goal.)





Ceremony, "In the Spirit World Now"

Don't know much about Ceremony. (Don't know much biology. Sorry. It happens.) But I get that they started out as a hardcore band. And evolved into what you hear now. Currently, their sound has more of a darkwave vibe. I'm not super-versed in either genre. But the interplay between the guitar and the dark synths in here kept me coming back in 2019. 



Ekulu, "Emulation"

Ok. Gonna preface this with this being the year I took my kid to see Iron Maiden and saw them for the first time myself. And this was a year after taking him to see Metallica. Metal has returned to my life. And, with it, other heavier sounds and some delving into hardcore. This Ekulu track hit me like the time I was running an obstacle race on a decommissioned airforce runway and lost my balance descending a ramp, with my fall cushioned by a face full of asphalt. There was shock. There was awe. There was blood. But I also had a huge surge of adrenaline and finished the second half of the race. And hung out a bit in Gravesend afterward (That neighborhood name is so metal. Like this track.). This track is drenched in the sweat and fury of early Metallica. And, by the end, I caught some Motörhead feels. (Apologies for the race recap, and for any overdone wording that may have seeped in from reading reviews. Hopefully you checked out the track by now.)



Charles Bradley, "Lonely As You Are"

Charles Bradley was not on my radar until about two years ago, and now sadly he is gone. Bradley was deep into chemotherapy for stomach cancer when he recorded this. I was going to use the word posthumously somewhere in one of these sentences. But it seemed forced. Maybe because you still hear the life in Bradley even though this was released after his death. I suppose he knew what was coming and I'm sure put everything into his final recordings. His vocal performance is everything here. If you've ever been lonely, you'll feel it here. Go talk to someone after listening. Visit a friend. Connect somewhere. Look out for each other.

Also, no one ever really dies if they've been captured on vinyl.



Vacation, "Capitol Drive"

Ugh. I really don't want to write anymore. It's lazy, I realize. And it's really not the time for me to get into personal frustrations about not finishing things. Sure, I could give myself credit for at least starting stuff. Is this LiveJournal or is this someone's blog? I forget. Oh shit! It's for CoolDad's site. Something Something Vacation. Something something Capitol Drive.Vacation deserve better than this. And I am going to move on to writing about some other song (Fun fact: I didn't write this in the order the songs are listed.) But listen to this track. I know I listened to it a bunch of times. At least one listen won't kill you. It's loud, noisy, catchy, melodic. It's got one of those melodic guitar riffs it returns to that you welcome possibly more than a chorus. What more do you want?



IDLES, "Danny Nedelko (Live at Le Bataclan)"

I don't care if I'm cheating. This album wasn't released until December of 2019. So it's game even if the performance was in 2018. It's here so I remind myself that I missed the recent IDLES U.S. tour. And clearly that was a mistake. I mean you could even watch their tiny desk NPR concert and tell. "1049 Gotho" blew me away, and "Mother" made sure I paid attention. Then "Danny Nedelko" came out later, and I eventually rose from the sonic assault that knocked me on my ass and realized they had things to say. This live record was an excuse to add them to this list. Though I see they did float a couple new singles online in 2019. I just haven't spent any time yet with "Mercedes Marxist" and "I Dream Guillotine".



IDLES NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Honorable Mention (a.k.a. I wrote less):

Zig Zags, "Killer of Killers" or "Punk Fucking Metal" or "They'll Never Take Us Alive"

C'mon. Do I need to write anything if "Punk Fucking Metal" is a song title? Like Ekulu, Zig Zags also vibe on early Metallica. It was only last year that I heard their earlier song "Magic" for the first time and kept an ear in their direction.







Makthaverskan, "Demands"

Swedish band. I've seen them described as indie-pop or post-punk. So use a genre with a hyphen to describe them I guess. They're a bit jangly, a bit dreamy, at times a tad dark. I think Cool Dad will dig this one.



 School Drugs, "Nothing Grows" or "Joyless" or "Destined Days"

I wanted to say more but I already wrote more about 10 songs. See them live. They do not disappoint. So I guess they totally do appoint. Funny how language doesn't always work both ways. Say hi to Josh.







Control Top, "Covert Contracts"

Everything everyone said about this band that liked them means I don't need to write more, besides telling you I missed their local shows, and that makes me a little sad.



Mal Blum, "I Don't Want To" or "Things Still Left to Say"

Opened for the live "Welcome to Nightvale" show at NJPAC. (It’s a podcast, and a good one, sort of like if Twin Peaks had its own personal NPR station.) I kept listening afterward. Plus banter for days. Like good banter. Entertaining banter. But don't worry that's not in the songs.





Mannequin Pussy, "Who You Are"

This is a very late addition, as it was an early omission. Good album, too, with a variety of sounds. They can go from kinda dreamy to definitively snarly (and all points between). This one leans closer to the former.



girl in red, "bad idea!"

Despite the song title I think this song is a good idea. And this is a bad dad joke.



American Trappist, "Other Other Reasons"

Second local act in the short stack recap section (See School Drugs above for the first). Could have chosen some other tracks probs. Could have probably wrote out probs as probably.



beabadoobee, "I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus"

With an artist name like that you would be expecting to find this track under "beats to relax/study to", but no anime image here. This was not on a Chilled Cow playlist. Had me at the title.



Better Oblivion Community Center, "Little Trouble"

Writing is hard.



Mike Krol, "Little Drama"

Writing takes time.



Skull Cult, "Who Are You"

Writers need to go to sleep.



So sleepy. Oh Monday, why can't you wait? What's the rush?

Oh yeah, just adding these.

Thee Oh Sees, "The Daily Heavy"

If you are going to build a song around a squeaky toy, anything less than an honorable mention is an insult.



Tryer, "Hunter S. Nixon"

Ok, this Finnish band had to be listened to once I saw that they took the logo from the 80's Christian hair metal band, Stryper, and got rid of the "S" and the "P", squeezed it together and made a brand new logo. Kind of like sampling maybe. (No they don't sing in English.) Don't ask how I found them, I don't remember. Also they are not hair metal. Melodic hardcore punk metal maybe?



Not included: Any modern classical stuff from the last year. None of the meditation music I've listened to lately. Ambient stuff left off, including Marconi Union. Video game soundtracks not included. Was Persona 5 in 2019? I can't get over those bass lines. Amiright? And Amon Tobin released a few game soundtracks in 2019. It was the year for Lizzo. I realize this. And the scores from The Mandalorian episodes are quite good, but left that off too. I skipped those re-releases and remasters from Bowie and The Kinks that kept cropping up on Spotify. And I left off any of those Screaming Females tracks that were on "Singles Too" because I wasn't sure when those songs appeared on singles previously. None of those lo-fi study jams are on here. And though there were plenty of covers that came up, none of those are on here. So let me just say there are clearly omissions of very deserving tracks. And I need to stop listening to those as I write this, because now I just feel bad. And obviously no place here for all the 1960s rock steady that I streamed a lot of in October. 

I put this together by haphazardly going through my monthly Spotify playlists and checked what was released in 2019 that passed through my ears. That left me with a list of 754 songs. Some filter huh? Not sure if it was a labor of love or a labor of self-loathing to go through this. Then, I just scrolled through and hoped for the best. Because I didn't have the time to relisten to all of it. But I am sure, over the next month, I will find 10 more songs I wished I'd have mentioned. Also it's not 10 albums because I don't believe I connected with 10 albums. I could blame streaming for that as much as I could blame the ever-eroding attention spans of modern living.

Also not included: Dustin singing "Never Ending Story" from the Stranger Things Season 3 soundtrack. (CD: Oh, it's included)

Guest List: Jerry Lardieri of The Brixton Riot

Jerry Lardieri and The Brixton Riot

Favorite Albums of 2019

By Jerry Lardieri

[Jerry Lardieri is a friend and fellow lover of guitar-based power pop and rock music. He's frontman and guitarist for The Brixton Riot, a band that delivers on those sounds in spades. A great songwriter, a Yankee fan, and a cooldad, Jerry has been kind enough to share his favorite albums of last year with us here today.

The Brixton Riot will be playing on January 11th at The Danny Clinch Transparent Gallery in Asbury Park along with Lost Romance and Joe Zorzi. They'll also be part of a soon-to-be-announced CoolDad Music showcase on February 7th at The Asbury Hotel.

Thanks, Jerry.]

2019 was a bit of a disjointed year for me music wise. While I did do a lot of listening, I found that connecting with full albums was a little tougher than in the past. If I had to guess, I'd say it has more to do with time and listening habits online versus the quality of the records. Trend and technology changes are inevitable, and we've been on this road since the first iPod came out, but it has made it harder to be a music fan.

Fortunately, there were still records that I connected with in 2019; and, rather than describe them as "the best" records of the year, I'm going to just call them my favorites.

Foxhall Stacks, The Coming Collapse

Over the past year, I played his record than any other, and I always played it all the way through. It never failed to put a smile on my face. The most powerful pop married to a variety of topics including moments of social commentary that are more fist-pumping rallies (not the Jersey kind) than pulpit sermons.  Guitar based rock records are plentiful, but The Coming Collapse is a reminder that they're not only relevant but still cathartic at the right volume.

Big Quiet, Interesting Times

Two things I was already looking forward to on New Year's Day: the new Big Quiet record and the last Star Wars movie. One delivered in every possible way, and the other had Ewoks. Again with the damn Ewoks. As for Big Quiet, with Mitch Easter at the helm, the R.E.M. tendencies are amplified though never threaten to take away from the band's signature sound.

Pernice Brothers, Spread The Feeling

My introduction to the Pernice Brothers came via their spinoff project Chapaquidick Skyline and their beautiful cover of New Order's "Leave Me Alone." Spread The Feeling has an underlying sense of warmth to it that makes it a joy to listen to over and over.

Sheer Mag, A Distant Call

I don't know where or why this revival of 80s guitar rock blended with power pop came from, nor do I care.  Please don't let it stop.

J. Robbins, Unbecoming

J. Robbins spends so much time making great records for other musicians, it's wonderful to hear him work his magic on a set of his own solo songs. Musically, this is a close cousin to Robbins' Office of Future Plans output; and, similarly, it is consistently great from start to finish.

A Giant Dog, Neon Bible

Is this cheating? I'm not sure. What I do know is that A Giant Dog took something that wasn't in my wheelhouse, turned it inside out, and made something new which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think that's definitely worth a mention.

Upset, S/T

November releases don't get the love they deserve on year-end lists, likely because they're due to editors in advance (Much thanks to CD who was kind enough to let me submit one AFTER the 1st).  If you enjoyed Upset's first two records or if you simply long for the wonderful sound of 90s college radio al a Velocity Girl or Sleepyhead, don't skip this one.

Bob Mould, Sunshine Rock

Bob Mould has found his happy place. He's also on a crazy hot streak, releasing another fantastic record, his fifth since returning to the louder guitar-based sound on 2012's Silver Age. A wonderful collection of songs that serve as a reminder to find the light and joy in life, even (or especially?) in dark times.

The Successful Failures, Saratoga

Yet another fine collection of songs from one of the most consistent bands in New Jersey (or any state really; I'm name checking our shared home state here out of pride). This one definitely has a little more twang to it than most of my regular listening material, but it perfectly suits Mick Chorba's sepia-toned vignettes.

Swervedriver, Future Ruins

My favorite live music of 2019 was being right against the stage for Swervedriver at The Saint in October, riding shotgun for CoolDad as he did his CoolDad thing. I've had never had my internal organs rattled by the sheer volume of a band before. It was a jarring if strangely pleasant experience. Future Ruins is loaded with excellent songs that fit right alongside Swervedriver's best. And they'll rattle your guts when they go to eleven.

The Figgs, Shady Grove

An engaging double LP's worth of music that works both as a complete set (loaded with sonic detours) or as a trimmed down set of pop gems.

The Anderson Council, Worlds Collide

Speaking of fine songs and consistency, The Anderson Council dropped this psychedelic gem in our laps this year. It would be disingenuous for me to write about this record without mentioning my long friendships with the members of this band. Familiarity still didn't prevent me from being gob smacked by the finished product, even if they did leave my favorite song off the final track list. There's a reason why we don't follow them when our bands share a bill. They make it all look so easy. The great ones always do.

Guided By Voices, Sweating The Warp Zeppelin 

Guided By Voices released not one but THREE records in 2019; and, while all are solid entries into an already loaded vault of classic albums, each had moments of absolute perfection. This made it all but impossible to pick just one (and impractical to list all three), so here is a compilation of my favorite GbV songs of 2019. Sure to piss off purists but hopefully inviting enough to attract the uninitiated. I apologize for its rudimentary sequencing.

Joy Cleaner, You're So Jaded

Ah, the November release date again.  Almost missed this one.  Don't miss this one.

Guest List: Dana Yurcisin -- Asbury Park-Based Photographer, Filmmaker, Musician (In Other Words, "Local Creative")

Dana Yurcisin

Top Albums of 2019

By Dana Yurcisin

[The members of Grasser are really providing us with some A-plus content this week. Today, we have the Top Albums of 2019 from Dana Yurcisin. In addition to being a member of Grasser and Static Sex, Dana is also a filmmaker and photographer. You may be familiar with the clip for Dentist's "The Latter" that he directed for the band.

Once again, we have a a list that's given me a lot of new things to check out. Hopefully, this does the same for you.

Thanks, Dana.]

I'm Dana Yurcisin, Asbury Park-based musician (Grasser, Static Sex), filmmaker & photographer (IG: @danayurcisin). We're currently starting work on Grasser's first LP. I'm finishing two solo LPs, and will have multiple music videos and short films (including a documentary on the making of Earth Telephone's debut LP) all coming out in 2020.


11. Liturgy, H.A.Q.Q.

I'm playing catch-up on Liturgy. They're one of those bands that sits on your radar for years before you decide one day to actually listen to them. That day came, and I started with their newest release. It didn't take long before I was swept up by their all-encompassing mass of sound: Battering blast beats, tremolo picked guitars, choral chants, pretty bells -- they throw the entire fucking kitchen sink at us; but it creates a listening experience unlike any other. Like sitting in the center of a category five hurricane, surrounded by destruction but presented with a gorgeous view, these nine tracks combine devastation and beauty in such a way that you can only respond with awe… at least after the ringing in your ears has ceased.

"Real" black metal fans hate liturgy for mixing traditional black metal sounds with anything but (and for not wearing corpse paint, but we can have an entire discussion on that alone elsewhere), but genre-agnostics will find that very element the most enticing and rewarding. If you've a taste for the brash & the heavy, but bore quickly of things played too straight, Liturgy just might be what the doctor ordered.

10. black midi, Schlagenheim

I'll admit that I came to this one way late, too. My first listen was last week, since I had seen a live video of the band earlier in the year and singer Geordie Greep's voice turned me off like a goddamn light switch. Boom. I was over them before even starting… Or was I? I had to know what the fuss was all about, so I threw on the record and let it play all the way through. Now, I'll maintain that I kind of wish Matt Kelvin was their only singer here; but at the same time, these dudes haven't even hit 21 yet and I expect them to develop more over time. And the music? Jesus christ… the music.

Having listened to god knows how many guitar rock records over my 31 years, this was like hearing the guitar for the first time all over again. What IS that sound? What is THAT sound?! Schlagenheim is a record that is simultaneously all over the place and singular in its vision. It sounds like fifty things at once, but no other band sounds like *these* fifty things. The riffs are heavy, the shifts are swift, and the band's electrifying energy is ever-present. Let your guard down and open yourself to the future of guitar music.

9. DIIV, Deceiver

Shoegaze isn't dead, and it never will be if bands like DIIV have anything to say about it. There's a holy, cleansing power to the genre-specific sound of layered, reverb'd guitars cranked up to eleven, which makes it all the more fitting a platform for singer Zachary Cole-Smith to write about kicking a heroin addiction. If DIIV's last record, Is The Is Are, was a bit of a false narrative on that front, this time, he means it. "I can help you / It's how I help myself," goes one line from "Skin Game," succinctly summing up how the road to recovery is never a solo effort. In the same vein, shoegaze all but requires a surrender of individual sound in favor of a unified mass, and when they kick on the fuzz, these guys meld into a transcendent whole. Listen to the ways the interweaving guitar lines of "Blankenship"'s wordless chorus work together to create one earworm of a riff, or how the fuzzed-out chords of "Horsehead"'s final stretch layer on top of one another until they threaten to swallow Smith's voice entirely, and you'll understand the power of a unified front.

8. Peaer, A Healthy Earth

Intellectual essays aren't known to be "fun" reads. After all, critical thinking typically requires a sort of clear-headed sobriety, and neither "clear-headed" nor "sobriety" are terms often associated with a good time. Peaer strap a firecracker to that idea and blow it to bits. Each of the songs on A Healthy Earth could serve as the genesis for a collegiate thesis, examining the myriad ways our existence is threatened by both the minutiae of our day-to-day and society at large: That shampoo you use is killing you. Common decency seems to be lacking entirely from all those in power. Romantic relationships are nearly impossible to maintain on a molecular level. Why can't we just be dogs instead? All of these ideas are explored with music of matching curiosity and dynamism, from the quietest of whispers and barely-there drums to the frenzied thrash of a fuzz-fucked freakout. If the unexamined life is not worth living, Peaer's greatest gift to us is its very existence.

7. Big Thief, UFOF / Two Hands

Okay obviously cheating a bit, but I don't care. Sometimes a band comes along whose members counterbalance and complement each other so well it seems the gods have deemed their meeting necessary. Big Thief released UFOF earlier this year to widespread critical acclaim for its mystical lyrical impressionism, celestial soundscapes and tight band dynamics; and they could've easily coasted for two to three years off its success. But why stop there when you're so tuned in to the same elevated frequency as these four musicians? With no decent answer to that question, they quickly hit a Texas studio to record the terrestrial counterpart to UFOF, Two Hands. What it lacks in experimental sonics and texture, it more than makes up for with warmth and raw, visceral power.

"Forgotten Eyes" has the pleasing sway and familiarity of a song you've known forever and never tire of. "The Toy" has a vocal line that worms its way into your head in seconds. And "Not" quite possibly deserves a spot in the canon of Greatest Rock Songs Ever, Adrianne Lenker’s spit speckling the mic as she shouts about all of the things it is not before erupting with an explosive and chaotic guitar solo. The gods look down and can't help but smile.

6. Earl Sweatshirt, Feet of Clay

I'm just going to come out and say it: Earl Sweatshirt is the best natural rapper alive. Like his Odd Future brethren Tyler, The Creator, Thebe Kgositsile continues to mature and leave his early roots of shock-baiting horrorcore in the rearview. Though unlike Tyler, whose sound has blossomed outward to grand new heights, Earl pushes his music in a more insular direction, like inviting listeners directly into the crevices of his fragmented and busy brain. His beats force us to reckon with what we consider the very definition of a "beat" -- slowed, chopped, garbled to shit, the samples are all but unrecognizable in his hands, and it's mesmerizing. His flow & wordplay are unfuckwithable. Lyrics like "Sellin' kids culture with death, circlin' like carrion / The more the merrier, phone got you livin' vicarious" and "Somebody tooted in the student commons / The bell rang, he went home to argue in the comments / I watched the doppler move / I watched a child get introduced to violence" allude to stories so much larger than their songs' runtimes that they can be infinitely pored over and studied, yielding new meaning and insight each time out. Since last year's Some Rap Songs, he's perfected this sort of micro yet deeply layered storytelling, and I can't wait to hear where he takes it next.

5. Operators, Radiant Dawn

One of indie-rock's most dependable and under-appreciated songwriters returns with his dance-punk outfit Operators to throw one last strobe-lit party for the end times. Dan Boeckner, Devojka, and Sam Brown paint a picture of apocalyptic oblivion in neon brushstrokes -- Springsteenian major-chord progressions are soaked in swaths of vintage analogue synths and glued together by Brown's motorik rhythms. It's as danceable as it is devastating in its indictments of late-capitalism and rising fascism, but -- especially when experienced live -- you can't help but feel thrillingly alive once submitted to its pulse-pounding trance, even as the bombs fall.

4. Bon Iver, i,i

Following the huge stylistic shift in 22, A Million -- an album I respected more than I enjoyed -- Justin Vernon and friends return with perhaps their most powerful statement yet. The experimentations that defined the previous record are refined to a perfectionist's pitch on i, i, producing a more positive and uplifting listening experience that seems to echo Vernon's newfound mental peace in the face of life-altering fame. Songs melt in and out of focus, a sound collage of dozens of musical ideas and collaborators with seemingly no single point of origin that could only be created by a group wholly committed to the idea of the obliteration of self. Of course, none of this would be relevant if the songs weren't good, but try listening to a track like "Hey, Ma" or "U (Man Like)" and not finding yourself absentmindedly humming the chorus moments later. You can't, and you won’t mind.

3. (Sandy) Alex G, House of Sugar

Studio-magician and songwriter (Sandy) Alex G has a knack for creating mysterious and occasionally inscrutable musical worlds that defy  categorization. Instead of simply skating by on familiar folk and Elliot Smith-isms (which, he could -- his songwriting is that good), he takes his obvious stylistic inspirations and infuses them with helpings of electronica, vaporwave, noise and experimental abstraction. This indelible tinkerer's spirit rewards more of the brain's pleasure centers than your typical singer-songwriter and is honed further on House of Sugar, resulting in his most sonically pristine and rich -- yet no less idiosyncratic -- album to date.

2. Pile, Green and Gray

Beloved Boston post-hardcore band Pile aren't fans of repetition. Having recently relocated to Nashville, songwriter Rick Maguire set out to make a kinetic, high-energy record, partially in response to 2017's more meditative A Hairshirt of Purpose, and boy, did he and his pals deliver. This ferocious and fiery set of tracks tackles everything from the solitary day-to-day, to art-as-occupation, to the general shittiness of one Stephen Miller with a verve only a band of this technical prowess could muster. Hairpin turns and dynamic shifts abound. This record is best experienced fully submitted to, open to wherever the pummeling drums, intertwining thrash-folk guitar lines and guttural bass care to take you. Above all, experience it live, if you can, for one of the tightest, most visceral performances I've ever experienced.

1. Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow

No record following Remind Me Tomorrow, released not even three weeks into 2019, managed to combine diaristic personal detail, powerhouse vocal performances, atmospheric production and songwriting chops as artfully or cohesively as Van Etten. Armed with a new, synth-fueled sound, courtesy of collaborating producer John Congleton, Van Etten crafts tales of near-death experiences, love lost and found, aging and past selves as haunting as they are catchy. And the song "Seventeen," in addition to quite possibly being the best song of the year, will have you mindlessly hitting 95 mph on the highway, white-knuckled and heart racing, as it reaches its final, elated chorus. So hop in that little red car that don't belong to you, turn this record up loud, and click Remind Me Tomorrow on whatever ails you.

Honorable Mentions:

Tyler, The Creator, IGOR
Danny Brown, uknowhatimsayin¿
Diat, Positive Disintegration
Brittany Howard, Jaime
Purple Mountains, S/T
Bruce Springsteen, Western Stars
Grasser, Later, Registration (yeah, I know this is my own band, but it rips)

Guest List: Biff Swenson of Yawn Mower / Grasser / Earth Telephone

Biff Swenson

Top Picks of 2019

By Biff Swenson

[Biff Swenson is a friend of the site and, really, just a great friend. He's also a very busy guy, what with being in (at least) three different very active bands, video production work, some guest drumming gigs, and even acting. In addition, Biff has a very open-minded and diverse taste in music. For all of those reasons, I'm thrilled that Biff took the time to share with us his Top Picks of 2019. You're bound to find something here that you missed out on this year.

As I mentioned, Biff has a full plate of activities ahead including
- A new Yawn Mower EP with Mint 400 Records due in February
- Putting the finishing touches on the debut full-length from Earth Telephone
- Working on the debut full-length from Grasser
- Starring alongside Cat London in the short film Flatlanders, which had its premiere on 12/20 at NYC's Cinema Village. If you missed that, the film is also an official selection at the Philadelphia Film Society with a screening and Q&A scheduled there for 1/9/20.
- Filming another short called Pineville this spring
- Playing drums on upcoming releases for Static Sex and Danya (the project of Allegra Anka of Cayetana)

...whew...

Like I said, Biff is a very busy guy; and we're all lucky he made some year-end time for us.]

Top 10 Albums


Tyler, The Creator, IGOR

Flower Boy is one of my favorite albums, so I was patiently awaiting whatever Tyler was going to release this year. In no way was I prepared for what he delivered. The maturity he's demonstrated over his past two releases is astounding. Clearly, experiences with love lost and romantic desires have elevated the narratives he's been spinning, but the production is what shines even harder throughout this record.The distorted synth bass constantly connecting the entire album is a nice theme to tie this story arc together.

I can't help but get excited for Tyler when thinking about multiple idols of his (Pharrell, Kanye) appearing on the album, being the first rapper / arranger / producer trio to ever hit number one, and lastly being able to openly speak about his sexuality without persecution. This is a very modern and realistic love story in the ups and downs of how someone might be feeling throughout a tumultuous relationship. Tyler does a beautiful job of conveying a wide range of these emotions both lyrically and musically. IGOR has me ecstatic for Tyler's heartbreak, and excited for anything and everything he does next.


Mike Krol, Power Chords

I got to see Krol play 3 times in 3 days at SXSW this year, and it would have been more if at all possible. This album sounded immaculate live. The show was as exciting as the album is to cruise around to. The energy and sound that Mike is able to capture is unmatched. This is everything you love about the first Strokes record with none of the jaded, snarky energy they bring to stage these days. Perfectly crafted pop songs with the fuzzy edge needed to rock. Mike Krol is an enigma that is keeping lo-fi music interesting; and, I assume, single-handedly keeping retro Hagstroms in constant circulation. This is pure, unadulterated fun that you absolutely need to go see live.


Brockhampton, GINGER

BH can do pretty much anything, and I'd be down for it. Here on GINGER, we hear a group of youngsters thrusted further into fame, under the scrutiny of the public eye, coming to grips with a plethora of emotions and decisions. The spiritual tone is apparent but not at all preachy. It's a transparent examination of one's choices through remarkable grooves that are a perfect culmination of influences like Kanye, Dr. Dre, and Pharrell with their own original, modern twist. This feels very genuine and cathartic for all members, so it's a pleasure to be present throughout these dudes' journey, album to album, in real time as they cope with the fame we've given them. Also excited to see which of the more back-seat members eventually branch out into a solo career after the inevitable demise of the limited run any boyband has.


Vampire Weekend, Father of the Bride

Patience certainly paid off here. The album is a little long, but what it has to offer is worth sitting through a few songs that could have waited for a b-sides collection. Ezra has done another fantastic job of exploring new, uncharted territories for VW without losing the vibe that's defined them since day one. It's also very on brand for Ezra's ear being to ground of what's going on in modern music -- the album featuring Kendrick Lamar/Drake collaborator DJ Dahi, Dave Macklovitch from Chromeo, The Internet's Steve Lacy, and most present, Danielle Haim, whose partner produced the album. This festival level act has only further solidified their place in contemporary music.


Steve Lacy, Apollo XXI

Steve has been hiding in the background of The Internet, producing tracks for Kendrick, Kali Uchis, Tyler, The Creator, Goldlink, J Cole, Mac Miller, and Solange. Just in recent years we've heard him finally come to the forefront and build his own unique brand of guitar based R&B. This dude records exclusively on his iPhone and has somehow made it work for today's biggest artists, as well as now for himself as a solo artist. Equal parts Prince and Frank Ocean, but with a lo-fi warble that makes it 100% Lacy. Like Tyler & Brockhampton above, this album does a beautiful job of exploring and expressing one's sexual fluidity while serving up those confessions on truly remarkable instrumentals. Steve is one of a few artists who are the backbone of this new movement in music, so it's about time we finally got a proper full length release from this visionary. While there are some lulls in the album, it's not without bravely bending the framework of what you'd be expecting from an R&B record. Mostly short in length, Lacy's songs show that he’s mastered how to capture extremely enthralling vibes song to song. A well-earned Grammy nod to a promising, young producer & musician.


Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY

The Brockhampton leader has no plans of slowing down, which is more than apparent with his first of two releases this year. Taking no time off from producing content in between tours and releases with his hip-hop centric boyband, we see that he does not need time to rest in order to generate greatness. This album leans even further into the Outkast influence that Kevin doesn't shy away from, while still hitting these interesting new pockets of his brain for a smorgasbord of influences executed flawlessly with the help of his BH production team.

While Kanye's influence was the crux of Brockhampton's formation, it's very clear with this year's Jesus is King release that Kevin + co. have surpassed their idol's greatness as far as 2019 is concerned. It's a refreshing new time in music where genre fluidity defines every important new artist, and Kevin has been leading that crusade since the Saturation trilogy BH blessed us with back in 2017. While Kevin is more than fit for a solo career, the standout track is the one ("Peach") that features his BH bandmates and newcomer Dominic Fike.


Jay Som, Anak Ko

Jay had me hooked with Everybody Works in 2017, but has even further perfected her craft of throwback rock guitar tones and modern indie pop charm. This is everything you'd expect from Polyvinyl records in the best way possible. Som has a delicate voice that'll rock you to your core when these weighted lyrics smack you up across your mouth. It's sounds like a culmination of David Bazan's guitar tones, Real Estate's swaying grooves, and The Polyphonic Spree's bright shimmer. This album will grow on you more with every listen and will surely find its way into this decade's essential listens.


Pedro The Lion, Phoenix

I'm thankful for every track that surfaces with Bazan's name attached to it, but the joy of hearing Pedro The Lion again is uncanny. Phoenix did everything I needed it to for it to be worthy of the former moniker. It feels like he didn't miss a beat from where 2004's Achilles Heel left us off in Pedro's journey. I was made aware of memories I forgot all about throughout this album. It was like catching up with an old friend now that we're both older and wiser. I'm happy Dave is finally getting the well-earned, and long-overdue attention we die-hards have been waiting for.

Phoenix makes mentions of religion in a positive enough light throughout to call this a Pedro album, but it doesn't take the side of religion like you'd come to expect from this project. Rather, it recalls it as a plot-point in life. The hurt and wear on Bazan's voice is still present like any of his solo releases, but the delivery is something familiar and nostalgic worthy of the old band name. Dave on bass helps solidify the line-up of newcomers who accurately give us that old Pedro feel. Guitars are very sparse with a lot of bass counter melodies slipped in tastefully throughout the album. There are also plenty of points that feel minimalistic for these delicate moments, which is always a nice plate to serve some thoughtful lyrics on.


Bon Iver, i,i

Justin Vernon will forever be a mainstay. We will look back at the '00s and '10s knowing full well that Bon Iver is a Top 10er. He has perfectly crafted the art of low-key songs with undoubtedly sad lyrics amid his exploration into electronic elements in recent years. This man is well into his career of making instant classics. He has grown exponentially from album to album, each time adopting new tricks and ear candy to distinguish a change in each album's sonic shifts.

Since working with Kanye back on Dark Twisted, Vernon has adopted an array new soundscapes that he uses to mold his original brand of folk music into an extremely modern take of pop, R&B, and indie rock. I find myself constantly going back to make sense of the noises that make up any one particular section of rhythm. The artwork, the accompanying lyric videos, the quirky production, and all of the guest vocalists -- it's all the ideal bed of blankets to serve up a perfect platter of future music on to an always enthused market. Justin captured our attention with just an acoustic guitar in a cabin, but he certainly made sure to constantly stretch himself in twenty two to a million different ways in order to bring us the soundtracks to our life-defining moments. This man can crush your soul inside of a three-minute composition. Justin is a godsend!


Crumb, Jinx

While in Austin for SXSW, I rushed to see Mike Krol & Tierra Whack perform on the same stage mid-day. What I wasn't prepared for (while boiling in the heat) was the band that played between them. Crumb was mesmerizing! Their grooves were hypnotic. Their presence was felt, but their demeanor was chill. This album perfectly captures that. The percussion demands movement; their bass lines force head swaying; the vocals are sensual and subdued. It feels like The Bird and The Bee meets Real Estate. It has the warbled guitar of  any Mac DeMarco knock-off, but with a wistfulness and casualness that you can't fake. This young band is more than promising, and I can't wait to hear what they deliver next.


Honorable Mentions:

Goldlink, Diaspora

Peaer, A Healthy Earth

Bad Heaven Ltd., Strength

Local Natives, Violet Street

Gus Dapperton, Where Polly People Go to Read


Top 5 EPs of 2019:


Yeek,  IDK Where…

This is my most played artist of the year. I've played this entire EP at least 75 times through. Yeek is doing an amazing job of blending bedroom pop, indie rock, & R&B. Florida has been thriving with a new batch of incredible new voices, and this Jersey-born singer has been at the forefront of that movement. Dominic Fike makes another show-stopping feature on this release as well. IDK is a well-crafted, fully realized culmination of everything he's been building over his past couple full length releases. It's sexy, chill, and vibey, all while having guitar prominently featured throughout. This EP sounds heavily influenced by Tame Impala, but with a more youthful, less complex tone. This is where music is heading, and it's cool to see fresh new faces bring it to fruition.


Still Woozy, Lately

Sven Gamsky is doing the Lord's work with his warped and flowy take on basic pop music. After his band Feed Me Jack split, Sven started recorded solo music under the Still Woozy moniker. The band name alone lets you know exactly what you're getting into. While any one track is poppy enough to blast on any road trip, it also makes you feel high while engaging. He's done a superb job of mixing pop and vibe. It doesn’t seem as mindless as most artists Spotify would push on you in a weekly playlist, rather, it has the accessibility to pump out to the masses. I haven't heard a dud from Sven yet, and I'm not anticipating it anytime soon.


Omar Apollo, Friends

A lot of promising new artists are putting out stand-alone single after stand-alone single, followed by EP after EP. I know a lot of these young artists get lost in the mix when more mainstream mainstays are releasing epic full lengths constantly. In the digital age of music, it's hard to stay up to date with every passing trend or influx of creatives. Don't let that happen here. Omar has perfected a soulful blend of poppy r&b with a really psychedelic shine for the icing. He's charming, energetic, and undeniable. This kid has the goods, so go give him a listen.


Deb Never, House on Wheels

This a very slow moving, depressing release. Everything is soft, emotive, and slacker-ish. It's very straightforward in its approach. Deb isn't reinventing the wheel; but, oddly enough, she still finds a very unique and refreshing voice of her own. I'm awaiting her fully realizing her potential inside of a proper release, but in the meantime, these five tracks are perfect for a rainy day, or some fall foliage down the parkway.




Grasser, Later, Registration

Yes, this is my band.

Yes, I wrote the songs.

No, I won't stop promoting it.





Top 10 Songs of the Year:

Frank Ocean, "DHL"

Yeek, "Too Fast"

Dominic Fike, "Açaí Bowl"

Brockhampton, "SUGAR"

Steve Lacy, "N Side"

Kevin Abstract, "Peach"

Frank Ocean, "In My Room"

Dominic Fike, "Phone Numbers"

Bon Iver, "Hey, Ma"

Tame Impala, "Borderline"