Sunday, December 29, 2019

THE BEST OF 2019 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO


THE BEST OF 2019 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO
Well it's that time of year again.  A look back at my favorite albums of the year. Of course I can't listen to everything I want to listen to. I do it the old fashioned way, actual CDs.  Since I don't get everything for free and don't earn enough to buy everything I want a few albums I wanted to hear (for example, the new Of Monsters and Men album, Matt Maeson's debut, The Cranberries final album, etc.) just aren't on here.  I'll get them eventually, but this represents albums I did get to hear and it's a pretty long list.
 
As usual, I break them into separate categories because a covers album is usually full of familiar songs as is a Christmas album. EP's are short and actually have a numerical advantage over longer albums because of the way the chart is determined.
If you are new to my list, here's how it goes. I rate each song on each album on a 10 point scale. Then I do the math. So if an album has 11 songs, it has 110 possible points.  Perhaps it gets 66 points.  It's final score would be 6.0.  It's usually a pretty good way to determine what the best albums are. However, I've discovered a flaw in the system.  If an album has two songs that are just awesome, 10 on a 10 scale and then 8 songs that are mediocre, say a 5 out of 10, that would give it a score that makes it appear as the full album is better than it is.  Until I come up with a better system, this is how it will be. And of course, sometimes there is a tie with albums having the same score.

Anyway, here it is, my personal take on the best music released in 2019 (that I got a chance to or actually wanted to hear anyway):


TOP COVERS ALBUMS OF 2019
17-VARIOUS-IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE CITY-A TRIBUTE TO MOSE ALLISON
16-MAVERICKS-PLAY THE HITS
15-VARIOUS-IMAGINE JOHN LENNON-75TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT
14-CHATHAM COUNTY LINE-SHARING THE COVERS
13-CHRISSIE HYNDE-VALVE BONE WOE
12-VARIOUS-JONI 75- A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (BARNES & NOBLE EDITION)
11-JEFF GOLDBLUM & THE MILDRED SNITZER ORCHESTRA-I SHOULDN'T BE TELLING YOU THIS
10-RAINBOW GIRLS-GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT
9-SOUNDTRACK-YESTERDAY (TARGET EDITION)
8-VARIOUS-COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE - WOMEN SING WAITS
7-HARRY CONNICK, JR.-TRUE LOVE: A CELEBRATION OF COLE PORTER
6-TOMMY EMMANUEL & JOHN KNOWLES-HEART SONGS
5-TOBY LIGHTMAN-WHEN THE LION SLEEPS
3-ANNA NALICK-THE BLACKEST CROW
3-MATT NATHANSON-POSTCARDS (FROM CHICAGO)
2-GREG LASWELL-COVERS 2
1-JONATHAN COULTON-SOME GUYS

TOP CHRISTMAS ALBUMS OF 2019
6-CELTIC WOMAN-THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS
5-JOSH ROUSE-THE HOLIDAY SOUNDS OF (BONUS TRACK EDITION)
4-VARIOUS-A ROCK BY THE SEA CHRISTMAS VOL 10
3-KEB' MO'-MOONLIGHT, MISTLETOE AND YOU
2-PENTATONIX-THE BEST OF PENTATONIX CHRISTMAS
1-MARY FAHL-WINTER SONGS AND CAROLS

TOP LIVE ALBUMS OF 2019
8-DAVID BYRNE-AMERICAN UTOPIA ON BROADWAY
8-PAUL WELLER-OTHER ASPECTS
7-U2-LIVE SONGS OF INNOCENCE + EXPERIENCE
6-ACCIDENTALS-LIVE
4-DAVE MATTHEWS BAND-RHINO'S CHOICE
4-MARC COHN & THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA-WORK TO DO
3-NEEDTOBREATHE-INSIDERS LP VOL VI
2-JOSH GROBAN-BRIDGES LIVE
1-JOSHUA DAVIS-LIVE AT THE ROBIN

NEW CATEGORY! TOP REDO ALBUMS OF 2019
This year there were enough artists re-releasing some of their music either redone acoustically or just re-interpreted.  Hence "REDO" albums. 
6-ELENOWEN-VERSIONS
5-SHAWN COLVIN-STEADY ON (30TH ANNIVERSARY ACOUSTIC EDITION)
4-WILLY PORTER-MNEMONIC
3-DONOVAN WOODS-THE OTHER WAY
2-SNOW PATROL-REWORKED
1-STING-MY SONGS (FNAC SPECIAL EDITION)

TOP EP's  OF 2019
10-NORAH JONES-BEGIN AGAIN
8-DARLINGSIDE-LOOK UP & FLY AWAY
8-ELIZA THORPE-QUEEN OF THE SEA
6-AL BETTIS-THE LISTENNING SESSIONS
6-JONATHA BROOKE-IMPOSTER
5-FRANCES LUKE ACCORD-SILVER & GOLD
3-MICHIGANDER-WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
3-TIMBRE OF CEDAR-SUNNY SIDE STATE OF MIND
2-ESCAPING PAVEMENT-ROAD WARRIOR
1-LILLY MACPHEE-HEARTSTRINGS

TOP ALBUMS OF 2019
114-DIXON'S VIOLIN-JADE DRAGON
114-TYCHO-WEATHER
113-PETE MULLER-DISSOLVE
111-ANNIE AND ROD CAPPS-WHEN THEY FALL
111-THIRD EYE BLIND-SCREAMER
110-MOXIE STRINGS-BREATHE
109-LEIF VOLLEBEKK-NEW WAYS
108-SLEEPING AT LAST-ENNEAGRAM
107-CALEXICO & IRON AND WINE-YEARS TO BURN
106-BRAD PHILLIPS-RIDELLA'S CAVE-THE LIBERTY STREET SESSION
104-JOSIENNECLARK-IN ALL WEATHER
104-BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-WESTERN STARS
103-SISTER HAZEL-ELEMENTS
102-LUNASA-CAS
99-BECK-HYPERSPACE
99-HEATHER & JED WILSON MASSE-HOLD ON
99-ORDINARY ELEPHANT-HONEST
98-NATIONAL-I AM EASY TO FIND
97-PASSENGER-SOMETIMES IT'S SOMETHING, SOMETIMES IT'S NOTHING AT ALL
96-MANDOLIN ORANGE-TIDES OF A TEARDROP (TARGET EDITION)
94-PATTY GRIFFIN-PATTY GRIFFIN
94-VIOLENT FEMMES-HOTEL LAST RESORT
92-COREY HART-DREAMING TIME AGAIN (BONUS TRACKS)
92-ILLITERATE LIGHT-ILLITERATE LIGHT
88-ED SHEERAN-NO. 6 COLLABORATIONS PROJECT
88-CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN-THE BALANCE
88-WILLIE NELSON-RIDE ME BACK HOME
88-GEORGE WINSTON-RESTLESS WIND
86-SHOVELS & ROPE-BY BLOOD
86-WILLIAM TYLER-GOES WEST
85-DIDO-STILL ON MY MIND (JAPANESE EDITION)
83-HEATHER MALONEY-SOIL IN THE SKY
83-PETE YORN-CARETAKERS
79-VAN MORRISON-THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH
79-DAVID GRAY-GOLD IN A BRASS AGE
79-REBECCA LOEBE-GIVE UP YOUR GHOSTS
79-NEW PORNOGRAPHERS-IN THE MORSE CODE OF BRAKE LIGHTS
77-MELISSA ETHERIDGE-THE MEDICINE SHOW (TARGET EDITION)
77-HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH-IMPERFECT CIRCLE
74-COLLECTIVE SOUL-BLOOD
74-LINDSEY STIRLING-ARREMIS (TARGET EDITION)
74-JAKE TROTH-IT IS AS IF
73-SWTICHFOOT-NATIVE TONGUE (WALMART EDITION)
71-HIGHWOMEN-THE HIGHWOMEN
71-EMILY KING-SCENERY
70-ANNE HEATON-TO THE LIGHT
69-TREVOR OHLSEN-TREVOR OHLSEN
67-PAULA COLE-REVOLUTION
67-WILCO-ODE TO JOY
65-MATT ANDERSEN-HALFWAY HOME BY MORNING
65-PETER MULVEY-THERE IS ANOTHER WORLD
64-JUDAH & THE LION-PEP TALK (TARGET EDITION)
55-ERICK BAKER-MORNING LIGHT
55-COLDPLAY-EVERYDAY LIFE (CLEAN)
55-MIKE EDEL-THRESHOLDS
55-JOE JACKSON-FOOL (JAPANESE EDITION)
55-RACHEL MAZER-HOW DO WE GET BY
55-MICHAEL MCDERMOTT-ORPHANS
55-JAMES MORRISON-YOU'RE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW
55-O.A.R.-THE MIGHTY O.A.R.
55-STRAY CATS-40 (DELUXE EDITION)
54-GOO GOO DOLLS-MIRACLE PILL
53-JAMIE CULLUM-TALLER (JAPANESE BONUS TRACKS)
52-RODRIGO Y GABRIELA-METTAVOLUTION
51-JOHNNYSWIM-MOONLIGHT
50-SHERYL CROW-THREADS
45-GUSTER-LOOK ALIVE
45-DAVE HAUSE-KICK
45-DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS-DRAGONS
45-JOSH RITTER-FEVER BREAKS
45-SUSAN WERNER-NOLA - SUSAN WERNER GOES TO NEW ORLEANS
44-VAMPIRE WEEKEND-FATHER OF THE BRIDE
42-BRYAN ADAMS-SHINE A LIGHT (JAPANESE EDITION)
42-AVETT BROTHERS-CLOSER THAN TOGETHER
41-BRAD PHILLIPS-BREAKING FREE
40-FOY VANCE-TO MEMPHIS
37-SYD BURNHAM BAND-TIMELINE
37-HOWARD JONES-TRANSFORM (DELUXE)
37-SYML-SYML
34-JAMES BLUNT-ONCE UPON A MIND
34-OVER THE RHINE-LOVE & REVELATION
34-AMY SPEACE-ME AND THE GHOST OF CHARLEMAGNE
31-BASTILLE-DOOM DAYS (TARGET EDITION)
31-NOAH GUNDERSEN-LOVER
31-LUMINEERS-III
30-JOHN PAUL WHITE-THE HURTING KIND
29-J.S. ONDARA-TALES OF AMERICA
25-JADE BIRD-JADE BIRD
25-CERNY BROTHERS-LOOKING FOR THE GOOD LAND
25-ELLIS PAUL-THE STORYTELLER'S SUITCASE
25-ROB THOMAS-CHIP TOOTH SMILE
22-JOSEPH-GOOD LUCK, KID
22-DERMOT KENNEDY-WITHOUT FEAR
22-INGRID MICHAELSON-STRANGER SONGS (BARNES & NOBLE EXCLUSIVE)
21-TONY LUCCA-AIN'T NO STORM
20-ROUGH AND TUMBLE-HOWLING BACK AT THE WOUNDED DOG
19-HEAD AND THE HEART-LIVING MIRAGE
13-MICHAEL FRANT & SPEARHEAD-STAY HUMAN VOL II
13-GRIFFIN HOUSE-RISING STAR
13-KEANE-CAUSE AND EFFECT (DELUXE EDITION)
13-GRACE POTTER-DAYLIGHT
13-PRINCE-ORIGINALS (TARGET EXCLUSIVE)
12-EMERSON HART-32 THOUSAND DAYS
12-HOZIER-WASTELAND, BABY!
11-BAILEN-THRILLED TO BE HERE
9-MAY ERLEWINE-SECOND SIGHT
9-WILDER WOODS-WILDER WOODS
8-STRUMBELLAS-RATTLESNAKE
7-JOY WILLIAMS-FRONT PORCH
6-X AMBASSADORS-ORION (TARGET EDITION)
4-JARED DECK-BULLY PULPIT
4-ALICE MERTON-MINT
3-MAGGIE ROGERS-HEARD IT IN A PAST LIFE
2-SARA BAREILLES-AMIDST THE CHAOS
1-NOAH KAHAN-BUSYHEAD

Standout songs from albums not in the top 20
Vampire Weekend-"Harmony Hall"
Noah Gundersen-"Lose You"

No comments:

Post a Comment