The list of favorite records that I type into my phone throughout each year seems longer than usual for 2019. I loved many of the usual suspects (Nick Cave, Big Thief, Purple Mountains, 75 Dollar Bill) but here are a few things that I liked just as much and have not seen mentioned as often on other lists:

Sunny Slopes: Last Exit For Human Kindness - One of my favorite live bands finally released their excellent full-length debut.

Swervedriver: Future Ruins - One of the best bands ever made one of their very best albums.

Joan Shelley: Like the River Loves the Sea - Maybe her best yet? And that is an extremely high bar. Beautiful. Stunning.

Calexico and Iron & Wine: Years to Burn - Two bands probably taken for granted at this point make an absolute classic.

Pernice Brothers: Spread the Feeling - Was not expecting this to exist. Was not expecting it to be so fantastic.

Lloyd Cole: Guesswork - Old dog. New tricks. Always my guy.

And many, many, many more.

I start almost every year by discovering some incredible record that came out the previous year & wishing I had known to put it on my dumb year end list. The 2018 record that I discovered in January 2019 is Tenkiller by Marie / Lepanto. It destroys me. So good. If you were ever a fan of American Music Club, Uncle Tupelo, etc., you need to hear this. I hope they make another record in 2020.

I saw two Bob Dylan shows this fall that were the best I've seen him play in at least 15 years. It makes me happy that I get to be alive at the same time as him.

The Peter Laughner box set is absolutely incredible. I've been pronouncing his name wrong for 25+ years. You probably have too.

Music on film:

Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese was packed with incredible music & typical Dylan quantities of bullshit.

Everything For All Reasons about the singular Terry Allen, kicks ass & inspires

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice is sweet & emotional.

I try to read:

The Hotel Neversink by Adam O'Fallon Price

Philip Connors

I'm kinda getting into vacuuming.

Here's to better news in 2020, however unlikely.