Music Book That I Enjoyed In 2019
Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life by Steve Almond
New Release That I Enjoyed In 2019
Schlagenheim by Black Midi. I realize that this album may not be for everyone but it was good for me and to me. The video is a runner up for my favourite of the year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc3LSW_XTwI
They are fresh, different and incredibly good musicians that I want to see live, perhaps on my next trip to the U.K.
Most Listened to New Release Of 2019
III by The Lumineers, this album grabbed my ears and I didn’t want to stop listening. I think it may be because of the content of the songs, they are built around the stories of people struggling with addiction, which creates struggles with relationships, and struggles with life in general. I could relate to what I was hearing and that encouraged me to hear it again, and again. In fact, I am going to listen to it again right now.
Most Listened to Album
The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 by Bob Dylan, for some reason 2019 was the year of Bob Dylan. Perhaps I was trying to erase the memory of his live concert at Calgary in 2017 which left a dirty taste in my mouth. Anyhow, I listened to this CD set over and over and over. For a Dylan fan, it is a very well done time capsule of his early years as a recording artist, we find him trying out some folk standards alongside some new material. It may not be the best recording if you are a new fan of Dylan, but for a long time fan such as myself, this was a very rewarding listen.
Most Listened To Artist With A New Release In 2019
Tool. Their album of the year, Inoculum, was a close second to III by the Lumineers, but Tool was the most listened to artist because after multiple listens to Inoculum I would then listen to their back catalogue and then I would return to Inoculum which meant that as, an artist, Tool achieved the most listens by any single artist of 2019.
Best Album Artwork/Packaging
Tool, Fear Inoculum. A double winner and justifiably so, the music and package worked together and were so well crafted that it would be a sin to not mention is.
Most Listened To Artist Of Any Year
Bob Dylan, it was a runaway this year, I listened to him twice as many times as the second-place artist.
Most Listened To Band Of Any Year
King Crimson, they edged out Pink Floyd this year even allowing for the viewing of Roger Waters: Us + Them (Film Screening) @ Cineplex South Edmonton October 2, 2019. I only listened to two King Crimson albums twice, the other dozen listens were of a dozen different recordings by the band, yeah, I do like them a bit. I was also influenced by seeing them live again this year.
Most Listened To Format
I would have bet that I listened to more streaming music including Apple music but to my surprise, I listened to more music on CDs than any other format. Apple Music came in second and LPs were third.
Music Video Of 2019 That I Liked
I don’t watch a lot of music videos but here is one that I did watch, multiple times, and I enjoyed it every time I watched it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKD6TstzUk
Music Video From Any Year That I Still Like
Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel, this is still an amazing video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJWJE0x7T4Q
Pleasant Surprise Of The Year
Close Talker presents Immersion: (3d-360 Headphone Concert) @ Art Gallery of Alberta on August 6, 2019. This is brand new tech and I was grateful to be one of the first to hear it. I walked in there not knowing what to expect and walked out in awe. This is another one that I can not put into words, you have to hear it live to appreciate it.
Event Of The Year
Moonshot Phonographs Grand Unveiling Party @ Moonshot Phonographs April 13, 2019, check them out: https://moonshotphonographs.com/
I am so happy that my good friend, Todd, got the vinyl printing press up and running.
Concert Of The Year
A tie for this category which is no surprise because I walkout at the end of just about every concert saying it was the best. Many of the shows I saw this year were the best, unfortunately, many of them were only the best for a day. There were two however that kept their glow:
King Crimson @ Royal Albert Hall in London England on June 20, 2019, this one was a Christmas present and I loved every minute of the show in a venue that was actually on my bucket list of places to take in a concert. So many wonderful acts have graced the stage and now I can say that I was there. This was my second time to see King Crimson live, the first was in Calgary at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in 2015 and both shows were mind-blowing good. They remain a favourite of mine after many, many years of listening.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor w/Kevin Doria @ Starlite Room August 27, 2019, was the other show that topped this category. They are an amazing collective of amazing musicians that held me spellbound from the moment they graced the stage till the moment they walked off. This wasn’t just a music concert, it was an event. The lighting was provided by four projectors at the back of the house, we were right beside them, that a very talented gentleman used to such good effect that he should by all rights be listed as a member of the band. I can’t describe it in mere words, you had to be there, if they come back to Edmonton grab some tickets, I will be there for sure.
In Summary
Twenty Nineteen was a good year for music. It started slowly with only a handful of live shows here and there and not many new releases that hooked their riffs into me, but the pace gradually crept up through the summer and it ended up being another good year for music in my sphere of listening. There were numerous live shows and way too many albums that deserve to be on year-end lists, but I don’t want to bore you to tears by listing them all here. You can check out our live show compendium at WeatheredMusic.ca and if you want to know everything that I have listened to this year send me an email and I can send the list with all the albums, 567 so far but I have 10 more days to go as I write this. Bon voyage, I am off to see 20-20.
Weathered Music 