J the Vinyl Daft Dad’s Top Ten Albums of 2019

Here is J, the Vinyl Daft Dad, with his annual Top Ten Albums list!
Hunt Sales Memorial – Get Your Shit Together 
Hunt Sales is quite an interesting fella.  He has played with Todd Rundgren, Charlie Sexton, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.  He was integral to Iggy Pop’s Lust For Life; so much so, that David Bowie asked him to be involved in Tin Machine. This, though, is his frst solo album.  It’s urgent, visceral and full of swagger – you’ll find rock n’ roll, soul, blues, punk, and truth in every groove of songs about life, addiction, relationships, and self reflection. Probably one of the best albums released this decade if you ask me.
The Claypool Lennon Dilerium – South of Reality
Better than the first album? I dunno, but Les Claypool and his pal Sean Lennon are exploring their version of this universe a bit further on their second album. Like the previous efforts, their sounds illuminate their surroundings. Absolutely exceptionally played and produced. Loads to get lost in and repeated listens really do reveal so much.
Mark Lanegan Band – Somebody’s Knocking
It’s hard to believe that this is Lanegan’s 5th album in 7 years (not counting collaborations with his cosmic soul brother Duke Garwood). While not as immedietely great as Blues Funeral, Somebody Knocking has grown on me quite a bit and it’s definitely worth sticking with.  Not just some of Lanegan’s best Lanegan Band moments, but some his best non-Lanegan Band moments too.
Perry Farrell – Kind Heaven
Say what you will about Perry Farrell, but he always aims his rocket ship at the moon and, whether he lands on there or not doesn’t really matter.  He’s fully committed.  If he ends up playing among the stars he’s in good company.  He glows when he talks about humans and the Universe and he gets to do that here.  Kind Heaven is, I guess, an extension of Satellite Party, with it evolving into The Kind Heaven Orchestra.  While Extreme’s Nuno left the fold of that band due to how it was evolving with Perry’s wife, here she’s celebrating and celebrated.  There may be no Nuno, but the support cast is exceptional.
The Flaming Lips – King’s Mouth
Released earlier in the year, King’s Mouth is a joyous return for Coyne & Co on the soundtrack for Coyne’s book and art installation.  The concept is rather brilliantly bonkers – there’s a giant King, folks love him, he dies, they cut off his head and carry it through the streets, preserve it in steel and, cause there’s all these swirling storms of psychedelic colours and suchlike inside his head, eh, people climb inside his mouth and watch. That’s narrated by Mick Jones, too.  Yeah, that Mick Jones.  Anyhoo, the songs are really rather brilliant, with “The Sparrow”, “All for the Life of the City”, “Feedaloodum Beedle Dot”  particularly being examples of The Flaming Lips at their best.

Jonas Munk & Nicklas Sorensen – Always Already Here
Sorensen’s Solo was one of my favourite albums of the last few years and it’s been a regular listen until this collaborative effort took over.  Sorensen’s trademark intricate and complex guitar tracking weaves with some subtle synth to create this beautifully melodic hypnotic 5 track long player.

Black Mountain – Destroyer
Not much to say about it’s inclusion here.  Right good slabs of Sabbath riffage with some synth shenanigans thrown in for good measure. I dig. Big time.
Keb Mo’ – Oklahoma
I’ve never really listened to Keb Mo’, but this one grabbed my attention and I thought I’d jump in.  It’s exceptional and there are strong collaborations on there. It’s a powerful album with strong messages and, hopefully, the kind that can inspire positive moments for those who delve in to its 10 songs, as he shines a spotlight on the environment, immigration, and mental health.
Big Wreck – …but for the sun
Well, this was unexpected. I can’t say I’d ever really paid much attention to Big Wreck prior to this release, but my pal SuperDekes gave this one a glowing report and I figured I’d check it out.  I’m glad I did.  It’s full of great riffs, big choruses and great hooks.  Plus, that Thornley guy has got the vocal chops to carry the tunes.  It left me wondering why no-one told me about these guys sooner.
Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
After a 10 year absence David Berman was back with new music. The album is a remarkable and a weighty one that dealt with Berman’s struggles (including losing his mother and the separation from his wife), but he retains his wit and charm despite laying himself so bare.

 

50 comments

        1. Hmm…odd. WordPress doesn’t like me spamming you with the words ELO and Hollywood Vampires. I wonder why

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        2. My list was fairly set. For a few weeks it was just the odd change in position then I thought I’d avoid a specific ranking…

          Berman’s passing just made Purple Mountains too difficult to listen to… and it was fought to separate circumstances from how much I liked the album. The album is stunning… and even more heartbreaking as it feels like you’re listening to his goodbye.

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    2. It’s an ace album, Deke… been playing it a fair bit and enjoying it thoroughly. You Canadialanders have some mighty fine music (and some not so fine!) and Big Wreck are tops.

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    1. Big Wreck is one I haven’t heard. I got burned when I bought their second album (which isn’t very good) and I have shied away ever since. But it made it onto a couple lists so I should probably get over it.

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        3. Cool, I agree with you on the second BW album as after Inhale and the Myles Kennedy Track ‘Breakthrough’ and ‘LadyLike’ that album was loaded with a lot of filler.
          Classic case of playing and honing your chops on the debut and not enough time for the followup.

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  5. First off, that Claypool Lennon Delirium album is fantastic. In more news, it is great when such lists provide new avenues for exploration. I have just tasked ‘Alexa’ to play Always Already Here based on your description above, J. Thanks for the steer!

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  6. Just did my list. Went over what I listened most this year. There were a punch of old timers showing they still got it. Here’s what I listened most this year.
    whitechapel:Valley
    chris robinson brotherhood:Servants of the Sun
    liam gallagher:Why Me? Why not
    collective soul:Blood
    timo tolkki’s avalon:Return To Eden
    beast in black:From Hell With Love
    evergrey:The Atlantic
    life of agony:Sound of Scars
    dream theater:Distance over time
    battle beast: No More Hollywood Endings
    Children Of Bodom : Hexed
    Did any of these reach your ears?

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    1. No I have not heard any! However based on this and some other lists, I’ll be getting Dream Theater and Liam Gallagher. I never thought he’d have a credible music career but he does!

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