Ring out the old year with best songs of 2019
From the top songs on Top 40 radio to viral anthems of empowerment to locals making little nuggets of pop perfection, here is my 2019 playlist.
“Highwomen,” The Highwomen — An update of an ’80s male country supergroup’s signature song, this version has a contemporary group of all-stars (Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, Amber Shires and guest Yola here) harmonizing through centuries of bloody, brutal misogyny. “Highwomen” embodies the protest, art and history lesson we desperately need.
“Truth Hurts,” Lizzo — Yes, it came out in 2017. But it made Lizzo a champion this year. In it, she combines a diss track, empowerment thump, nod to classic hip-hop (Biz Markie anyone?), step into the future with a brash beat and bold melody, and killer hook.
“So Far So Good,” Carrisa Johnson & the Cure-Alls — Johnson would have fit right in on a CBGB’s bill between Blondie and the Ramones in ’76. But she’s also a songwriter’s songwriter in the vein of Aimee Mann, Chrissie Hynde and Bruce Springsteen. Everything comes together when her thick bass guitar blooms into a scream-along anthem.
“Summer Girl,” Haim — Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” (dig those “doo doos” and saxophone) becomes a July breeze blowing through your hair as you stroll through Santa Monica. Reconfirms Haim can exist within pop’s narrow bandwidth and still find fresh, delightful spaces to experiment.
“To the World,” Billy Dean Thomas — A nominee for Song of the Year at the Boston Music Awards, this thunderclap stands on the shoulders of Public Enemy and Queen Latifa, Missy Elliot and Kendrick Lamar. And yet it’s 100% Billy: booming shouts, bubbling dance beats and bold, smart, super-super-speedy verses.
“Too Much,” Carly Rae Jepsen — For some infuriating reason, radio programmers won’t embrace the utter joy that comes with mainlining the cotton candy, electro beats and sweet melody of “Too Much.” Join the cult, um, I mean, totally normal group of people obsessed with Carly.
“Smoke Rolls,” Set Fire — Part piano concerto, part heavy metal plod, sweet harmonies, shouting guitar, prog rock and thrash, this epic does so much in five minutes. Check out that tempo change three minutes in!
“Summer Hair,” Eddie Japan — Pulling from new wave, baroque pop and a noir fetish, singers David Santos and Emily Drohan find a little light in the night life. Maybe the least likely summer song ever (this band is all NYC and Manchester and Glasgow in January), this tiny sunbeam shines like a spinning laser reflected off a disco ball.
“Con Altura,” Rosalia & J Balvin — English-speaking Americans have already demonstrated a taste for Spanish-language jams (see “La Bamba,” “Macarena,” “Despacito”). This collaboration winks at flamenco and Afro-Caribbean grooves but goes home with modern Latin pop. Slays in clubs and beach bars, maybe the two best places to be.
“Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish — The Eilish revolution revolves around understatement. Part of a generation wrongly considered extroverts, she never lets the hook take over. The funk bassline hides down low, the melody simmers doesn’t boil, instead of breaking big at the bridge it falls apart into a jarring, frankly shocking trap beat for a few bars.
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2ZKN7OY
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