Best Albums of 2019

Yesterday my top albums of 2019 show aired on Folk Music Notebook. This was my longest foray into solo radio, an hour and a half. I found it much easier doing live radio with Brian. Partially it was having Brian around, when I was lost as to what to say I’d insult Brian, or he would insult me. You know, quality humor. It was even more that I felt free to go off in any direction I wanted. I didn’t just talk about the songs. When I do Gord’s Gold I focus on being informative; there’s far less free association; my natural way of speaking.

I forced myself to listen to the entire show. As expected I cringed when I heard my voice but that lessoned as the show progressed. I might have gotten better too as I grew more comfortable. Every time a song played I said, “That’s great!” totally forgetting that I had programmed it. I just had gut reactions to the songs. Listening I lost whatever trepidations I had as to my choices. While there are other songs that I could have played that would have worked as well, there is no denying that what I chose is exactly what I love. That’s the main thing I go for, playing music I think is great, and not caring what anyone else thinks about my taste.

Now I’m going to try and reproduce my show right hear on my blog. This should be easy; I’ll just copy and paste my scripts. That would be great if I followed scripts for each album. Some of them are just notes. They will all require editing. I’m hoping this won’t take forever. I’ll use Spotify to provide the music.

Here is my list of top ten albums of the year plus four honorable mentions. I organize this differently every year depending on the distribution of quality for that year. This year the natural division for me was two top albums, eight really deserving albums, and four more that are just as deserving as the eight but I’m limiting myself to a ten. If you made the list a different day any of those four might have made the list. Here are the honorable mentions, along with one song from each.

Boo. WordPress is not letting me embed the songs with my free account. Instead here is a link to the playlist. Best Albums of 2019.

To Love, To Leave, To Live – Her Crooked Heart

Every Trip Around the Sun – Sharon Goldman. I told Sharon she should be able to guess what song I played as I’ve told her how much I love it.

Pretty Little Mister – Tui (2-E)

When You’re Ready – Molly Tuttle

Now for the top ten list. The eight tied for positions 3-10 are give in reverse alphabetical order by artist to make up for all the kids whose names are at the end of the alphabet that had to sit in the back of the room. This is not personal, I sat in the middle.

This is not working. After 48 minutes I’ve only done two songs. I end up trying to transcribe my show. I’ll just write a short blurb for each and you’ll have to listen to the show when it is rerun on New Year’s Day at 12:30 PM EST on Folk Music Notebook

Flying Backwards – Scott Wolfson and Other Heroes:
They are a five-piece banded based in New York City and New Jersey. Like so many of my favorites their sound is diverse. They live in the folk world, they belong on Folk Music Notebook, but you’ll hear rock and roll, blues, standards,; whatever works for that song. I was going to say that the album demanded to be on my top 10 list but that’s true of all the albums. In another life Scott writes about comic books so it’s only appropriate that I play I’m Not Superman (Today).

Horses and Stars – Sam Baker
This is a live album, a solo show; just Sam and the guitar (Collings I-35 with a Fender Bass Amp), and a small piece of wood that he could tap his boot on. That’s all that Sam needs. His songwriting bears the burden and easily carries his songs; each song is a play. Broken Fingers is autobiographical. Sam was caught in a terrorist bombing that almost killed him. It left him with a mangled hand, deafness in one ear, and a dependency on pain killers that he overcame.

Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil – Rod Picott
Rod does not write of myths but of real people that have gone through the wear and tear of existence. Judging by his songs Rod has gone through more than his fair share. The first line of Ghost, the first song the album is, “I’ve lost a couple of high notes, from the top of my voice.” That doesn’t stop Rod from singing his heart out, he sings all of it out, exposing his soul to the listener. I feel the need to describe Rod’s music in poetry, not prose. The world he describes is dark but beautiful. He sees the art in mundane existence. His songs are not the boilerplate whines of so many sensitive singer songwriters. He writes and sings of the core of the human soul. The first line of Ghost, the first song the album is, “I’ve lost a couple of high notes, from the top of my voice.” That doesn’t stop Rod from singing his heart out, he sings all of it out, exposing his soul to the listener.

Songs of Our Native Daughters – Our Native Daughters.
This is a female supergroup consisting of Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell from Birds of Chicago. They lean heavily into their cultural roots as African American women. They make this clear on the first track, Black Myself. This song written by Kiah is one of the few that features all four women. The Our Native Daughters is more of a collaboration than a band. The song evokes blues, soul, and Motown. More than anything it evokes empowerment. These are women claiming their own destiny. There is enough talent on this record for five albums. Our Native Daughters is not a supergroup because it’s made up of artists with other projects but because music is superior to almost anything else you’re likely to encounter. Now take a listen to the first track Black Myself. That should whet your appetite to hear the entire album.

The Highwomen – The Highwomen
Supergroup of Amanda Shires, Brandi Carlisle, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby. Riff on the classic male supergroup, the Highwaymen, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Along with Our Native Daughters, they make this the year of the female supergroup. This is also a callback to Rod Picott as he and Amanda Shires collaborated on an album. The album has clear hits and no misses; My Gentle Listeners will love it. Here is Redesigning Women.

Lines and Spaces – Heather Pierson
I’ve known Heather for years but my first listen to Lines and Spaces was still a revelation. There’s nothing like listening to music and not just being entertained or intellectually appreciating it but being excited. Heather can play the ivory off a piano, sing like an angel, sometimes a fallen angel, and her band has more chops than a butcher shop. Heather lives in North Conway New Hampshire but her music has a lot of Nawlins in it. On Get Up on That Horse Again, Heather sings plaintively and plays piano straight from Bourbon Street and is backed by a sweet trumpet by Davy Sturtevant.