2019: THE YEAR IN MUSIC!!!
(Including The Legendary No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of The Year!!!)

And so, now that the dust has settled and 2019 has left the building, it's time for me to take a long, luxuriant look back at last year and sift through the good, the better and the downright magnificent and reward you - dear reader - with my view of the very best sounds that tickled my fancy. This post will weave and wend it's way through many genres and styles, touching on all that is good and holy when it comes to 2019's finest sounds. There will also be my own little tribute to those rock and roll heroes who fell by the wayside, before I end proceedings with my pick of the best albums released last year. So - if you've got a minute - pull up a beanbag, pour yourself a flagon of your favourite beverage and indulge. Eyes down....

ROCK/HEAVY/METAL/PSYCH

First up, and as is traditional, it's time for the loud stuff. 2019 was another exceedingly healthy year as far as the amp-shredding was concerned - especially when you take into account the fact that the most popular records of last year were all made by whey-faced young balladeers screwing up their faces and emoting for all they were worth. I'm looking at you, Capaldi. And Ezra. And Walker, Grennan, Fender, Cinnamon. And all the rest. (I blame Sheeran, but then I blame him for all the world's ills). The fact that all of these beige young men were commandeering the charts made some 'music experts' stand tall and espouse the death of guitar music. But they weren't really looking or listening hard enough to be honest because there were some fantastic rock albums released last year. Early Noughties legends Slipknot returned with a whole new set of masks and the superb 'We Are Not Your Kind' opus, and mid-90's nu-metal progenitors Korn got really dark with their 'The Nothing' album. There were excellent efforts from long-standing faves Baroness, Rival Sons and Alter Bridge and some fresh new produce from the likes of Snapped Ankles, Airbourne, Tyler Bryant and Royal Republic. Classic old school metal was well represented with the likes of Tygers Of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, the two old craggy bottle-blonde Michaels Schenker and Monroe as well as - calm down, now - Status Quo. By rights of course, most of these creaky old timers should be long gone but, splendidly, they just keep on rocking. There was also a tremendous preponderance of groovesome psychedelic fuzziness doing the rounds last year too with blinding sets by San Diego's Sacri Monti, Oregon's Weeed, Chile's Follakzoid and the three-headed Cerberus of Australian freakazoidness that is Pond, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets and perennial No Static At All inductees King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard who, in a shocking state of affairs, only released two albums within the last 12 months! A tad slack, chaps. Crack on, eh?

 Meanwhile, Queens Of The Stone Age nabob Josh Homme returned to the Californian mesa he calls his workplace and finally got round to releasing new material from his Desert Sessions collective. 16 years after 'Volumes 9 & 10', the imaginatively titled 'Volumes 11 & 12' saw Homme and his current crop of special guests - this time including Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters, Royal Blood's Mike Kerr and, bizarrely, British comedian Matt Berry - pull together a disparate mix of influences and produce a sometimes startling melange of swaggering blues-rock and stoner grooves. It didn't all work, but some of it was choice. Elsewhere, Duff McKagan took time off from the never-ending Guns 'n' Roses tour to release his love letter to Southern country-rock in 'Tenderness' whilst, in other Southern rock news, the previously warring Robinson Brothers - Rich and Chris from The Black Crowes - patched up their differences and put the band back together for a forthcoming 30th Anniversary tour, but not before releasing what may be the last output from their current combos: Rich's Magpie Salute and their 'High Water 2' album and 'Servants Of The Sun' by the Chris Robinson Brotherhood (which was also sadly the last recorded work by the great Neal Casal who passed away in August).

Finally, a quick shout-out to four brilliant albums that really pushed the envelope: the fifth album by Canadian stoner-rock crew Black Mountain who delivered a crazed, prog-infused head-spinner in 'Destroyer'; the debut album by Rose City Band, which turned out to be yet another excellent fuzz-drenched project by Wooden Shjips main man Ripley Johnson; the utterly bonkers self-titled seventh album by German industrial-rock nutjobs Rammstein and the fantastically exciting meld of modern-day rock sounds with traditional throat singing and instrumentation from Mongolian superstars The Hu and their wonderful 'The Gereg' debut. 
All in all then, a vintage year.

TOP 5 ROCK/HEAVY/METAL/PSYCH ALBUMS:

5: KORN: The Nothing
4: PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS: And Now For The Watchamacallit
3: BARONESS: Gold & Grey
2: THE HU: The Gereg
1: SLIPKNOT: We Are Not Your Kind

COUNTRY/AMERICANA/FOLK

The more chilled out side of 2019's guitar-based spectrum was once again full of tremendous recordings and stellar vocal work from all and sundry with some truly fine albums. As usual, there was a whole host of sublime female singers who proved themselves to be more than a match for their - still sadly - far more commercially successful male counterparts. Formerly one half of the Grammy-hoovering The Civil Wars, Michigan native Joy Williams released her second solo album 'Front Porch' and it was a delight, full of heartfelt and emotionally stirring odes to love, life and family connection, all pinned together with her quite stunning voice.

Coming close to surpassing her though was the fabulous self-titled tenth album by the criminally underrated Patty Griffin, who detailed her recent cancer battle with real candour and grace. Both albums were more than worthy of winning Best Country Album at the recent Grammy Awards but somehow were beaten to the punch by plastic-faced 'YeeHa!' queen Tanya Tucker. I despair. Other female artists who raised the bar with their latest work last year included Jessica Pratt's stark, folk-tinged 'Quiet Signs', Joan Shelley's relaxed Americana of  'Like The River Loves The Sea', the 70's influenced West Coast drenched melodrama of 'Titanic Rising' by Weyes Blood, New Zealand's Aldous Harding and her strange, folk-swathed art-rock of 'Designer' and Cate Le Bon, who, aside from performing an excellent set at last summer's Green Man Festival, released her fun-filled fifth effort with the sunny and slightly skewed folk-pop of 'Reward'. Ace.  
Elsewhere, there was a raft of solid efforts from some favourite artists of mine of many year's standing with the likes of Lambchop, Devendra Banhart, Vetiver, GospelBeach, Whitney and the return of two of my much-loved Williams in Bill Callahan's 'Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest' and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's 'I Made A Place' which found both of these legendary alt-country troubadours - after years of rootless touring - married with children and loving life. As such, both their albums were far lighter and more relaxed than their previous fare and showed a different side to their songwriting craft. There was also some stupendous work by some of the best guitarists currently plying their trade with the likes of Steve Gunn, William Tyler and - in particular - Chris Forsyth, all three of whom produced albums that ran the gamut from fuzzy folk to searing psychedelic country stylings.

Forsyth's album 'All Time Present' - his first under his own name rather than being credited to The Solar Motel Band - was quite wondrous, coming across like The Grateful Dead jamming with Can. Splendid. The British folk scene was in fine fettle too with Richard Dawson's superb state-of-the-nation address '2020' being the pick of the bunch, although there were also solid efforts from Lankum, Jim Moray and a welcome return from Rustin Man - aka Paul Webb from Talk Talk - who released his first album in 17 years with the woozy, prog-inspired 'Drift Code'. Also well worth more than a few listens were a brace of real mud-in-your-eye Southern country-rock albums with the debut from The Allman Betts Band - a modern day supergroup made up of the offspring of legendary rockers Greg Allman and Dicky Betts - and the latest from the heroically hardscrabble North Mississippi Allstars. Both albums were an absolute blast, chock full of thunderous rhythms and dusty ballads. Glorious fare. Finally, another tranche of artists who have always brought me joy pitched up with some very fine tunes indeed. Sam Beam of Iron & Wine and Joey Burns and John Convertino, otherwise known as Calexico, joined forces for the first time in 15 years for their superlative 'Years To Burn' mini-album. Embracing all of their strengths - Beam's hushed vocal delivery and relaxed guitar playing and Calexico's Tex/Mex-tinged dustbowl Americana - this was a tour de force of the genre and some of the strongest work either band has produced in years. Meanwhile, upstate New Yorkers Mercury Rev returned from the wilderness and are now so far removed from their early 90's trippy indie-rock sound as to be an almost different band entirely. This time around, they put together a tribute album to long-lost country queen Bobbie Gentry which twisted Gentry's classic songs into new shapes musically whilst handing the vocal duties over to a veritable who's-who of modern day female indie singers like Hope Sandoval, Marissa Nadler, Phoebe Bridgers and Rachel Goswell. Gorgeous stuff. Phoebe Bridgers herself, the Californian singer/songwriter who was the architect of one of the finest albums of 2018, had a very busy year indeed by not only guesting on the aforementioned Mercury Rev album, but also combining firstly with fellow singers Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker on the spectral BoyGenius project, as well as pairing up with noughties Americana lynchpin Conor Oberst on their terrific 'Better Oblivion Community Centre' album which saw the duo melding all their country and indie influences together quite wonderfully. The songwriting on display from both of them bodes extremely well for their forthcoming new albums under their own names.

TOP 5 COUNTRY/AMERICANA/FOLK ALBUMS:

5: THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND: Down To The River
4: RUSTIN MAN: Drift Code
3: JOY WILLIAMS: Front Porch
2: CHRIS FORSYTH: All Time Present
1: IRON & WINE/CALEXICO: Years To Burn

 INDIE/ALT-ROCK

Over in the black jeans and Converse sporting area of the No Static At All virtual record store, it was a very exciting twelve months indeed. Aside from splendid efforts from regular No Static visitors such as The Flaming Lips, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Toy, Ty Segall, Steve Mason, The Twilight Sad, Sleaford Mods and Deerhunter, there were some tremendous returns to form from acts like Idlewild who released the uptempo poppiness of 'Interview Music' to some of the best critical notices that this perennially underrated Edinburgh combo had had in years; Vampire Weekend, who returned after 6 long years away with 'Father Of The Bride' and showed main man Ezra Koenig in a different light to previous albums, eschewing the crisp indie-rock of before for a more laid-back rootsier approach; and Ohio's The Black Keys who - contrary to popular belief - hadn't killed each other in a fit of studio-based anger, but had secretly been squirreled away back home in Akron writing the short, sharp, summery drive-time sounds of 'Let's Rock!'

It wasn't the greatest Black Keys album for sure - that accolade still goes to the magnificent 'Attack And Release' from 2008 - but it still ticked a decent number of boxes for your faithful scribe. The rest of the American indie scene produced some storming albums from old favourites like Sebadoh, who saw head honcho Lou Barlow taking time off from his Dinosaur Jr duties to show off his songwriting skills on the really rather fine 'Act Surprised' opus; Royal Trux, who - some 15 years after their original split - got back together to record and release the grimy, dirt-encrusted proto-blues of  'White Stuff' and then promptly split up again in a farcical fit of pique from both core members Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema; and Evan Dando and his current Lemonheads iteration who, obviously still suffering greatly with heroin-induced writer's block, foisted another set of cover versions onto his long-suffering fans with the typically hit and miss affair that was 'Varshons 2'. Dando toured the album too, and as much as I enjoyed seeing him and his band live last February, it's obvious that the years of drug use have taken their toll on his already fragile state. Recent social media posts have alluded to him finally being clean and sober so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he deals with his demons and maybe one day gets around to recovering his songwriting mojo. Other US acts that piqued my interest included the politically-charged and jangle-infused alt-rock supergroup Filthy Friends - led by Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker and Peter Buck from R.E.M. - who released the sturdy 'Emerald Valley' album, as well as some very good offerings from ramshackle indie troubador Mac DeMarco, strident NYC art-rockers Bodega, Velvet Underground inspired pastoral indie strummers Modern Nature, and a sprightly third solo set from former Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg - otherwise known as Spiral Stairs - who keeps ploughing his own thoroughly enjoyable post-rock furrow. 

On this side of the pond too, it was a pretty banner year. Bradford's New Model Army have been quietly, and with little fuss, getting better and better over the last few decades and this year sees them celebrating their 40th anniversary. To celebrate, their latest album of anthemic, goth-tinged folk-rock, the excellent 'From Here', could well be their best set of songs since the magnificent 'Thunder And Consolation' from 1989. Elsewhere, there was a myriad of splendid offerings from the likes of Metronomy, The Divine Comedy, Fat White Family, Gruff Rhys, Black Midi, Malcolm Middleton, Tindersticks, the excellent 'Better Being Lucky' by early 90's raggle-taggle indie heroes The Wonder Stuff and the fantastic London quartet of Desperate Journalist, with their third brilliant album in a row 'In Search Of The Miraculous'. And the two legendary vocal kings of Manchester music both returned with new albums but with very different results. The marvellously titled second solo album from Liam Gallagher - 'Why Me? Why Not.' - played to his strengths brilliantly with a solid collection of huge Britpop stadium singalongs and, but of course, string-laden Lennon-esque ballads. Meanwhile, Liam's spiritual godfather Ian Brown returned after the extremely lucrative Stone Roses reunion tour with 'Ripples' which, although it had moments of greatness, was far too lo-fi and slapdash to really make much of a mark.
And finally, a quick shout-out to some superb albums from female artists that - as is unfortunately the norm - didn't get anywhere near the recognition that they should have done: Former Sonic Youth queen Kim Gordon and her electronica-swathed art-rock debut solo album 'No Home Record'; Natasha Khan's latest Bat For Lashes concept album 'Lost Girls' which was a glorious 80's inspired synth-pop dream; Elena Tonra from hushed, dream-pop heroes Daughter, who released her first solo album under the 'Ex:Re' imprint; and Rachel Goswell from legendary shoegaze specialists Slowdive, who collaborated with her multi-instrumentalist husband Steve Clarke on the lovely, hushed, synth-infused indie of 'The Soft Cavalry' project. All more than worthy of your time.

TOP 5 INDIE/ALT-ROCK ALBUMS:

5: THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: Eponymous
4: BAT FOR LASHES: Lost Girls
3: DESPERATE JOURNALIST: In Search Of The Miraculous
2: NEW MODEL ARMY: From Here
1: IDLEWILD: Interview Music

DANCE/HIP-HOP/JAZZ/WORLD

Meanwhile, when it came to floor-filling, hip-shaking, arms in the air grooves, rhymes, beats and vibes then we were spoilt for choice once more. London's very own Chemical Brothers took the world by storm yet again with their wonderfully thrilling ninth collection of absolute bangers 'No Geography' that sold millions and won big at the Grammy Awards last month. They really can't put a foot wrong. Elsewhere, British electronic pioneers Benjamin Power and Sam Shepherd continued their travels through the wormholes of mind-bending progressive electronica with their respective Blanck Mass and Floating Points projects, whilst long-standing favourites UNKLE - still helmed by former Mo:Wax head honcho James Lavelle - and London's Hot Chip both released their seventh albums 'The Road: Part 2' and 'A Bath Full Of Ecstasy' which did exactly what they've always done (respectively, dark and doomy trip-hop inspired epics with a roll-call of special guest vocalists and uptempo, catchy as man-flu earworms that brighten up the dullest of days) with nary a dull moment between them. Also, Jason Swiscoe and his jazz-tinged electronica ensemble The Cinematic Orchestra released the lush and swoonsome 'To Believe' and New York's experimental math-rock bods Battles - now slimmed down to a duo - struggled to recapture former glories on the dense and muddled 'Juice B Crypts'. There was also some gargantuan funk grooves from Boston-based collective Lettuce, who followed up their tremendous 'Crush' opus from 2015 with the gloriously thrilling 'Elevate' which covered all your funk needs: squelchy bass-lines, blasting horns and slinky guitar lines. Magnificent.

Hip-Hop had a tough year with a plethora of deaths - Bushwick Bill, Nipsey Hussle, Cadet, Ras G, Wake Self and Juice WRLD - and not a huge amount of albums to get excited about. Anderson Paak, Wiz Khalifa, Gucci Mane, Snoop Dogg, Common and everybody's favourite narcissist Kanye West all released efforts that were shadows of their former glories with only the pop-influenced commercial rap stylings of the multi-million selling Post Malone and his 'Hollywood's Bleeding' album making much headway. Former Odd Future lynchpin Tyler, The Creator thrilled listeners with his quirky, alternative view on modern day rap 'Igor' which went on to win him a raft of awards. The best hip-hop inspired music for me though was produced in the UK with the grime-influenced sounds of Stormzy, Little Simz and Slowthai. Streatham's very own Dave was the pick of the bunch though with his Mercury prize winning 'Psychodrama', a concept album written as a therapy session touching on mental health issues, gang culture and the stark social conditions of modern-day living. A huge talent with a bright future.

There was one other rap album that deserves mention in the form of  'One Of The Best Yet' by Gang Starr which saw original GS producer DJ Premier put together a storming selection of beats to the last recorded words of late frontman Guru who passed away in 2010. Fusing Guru's usual erudite and literate rhymes with a thumping backdrop of classic sounds, the title of the album was not a misnomer by any means.
The modern-day jazz scene was particularly healthy in 2019 with some stupendous new releases from No Static regulars such as GoGo Penguin's 'Ocean In A Drop'; Flying Lotus and his brain-scrambling 'Flamagra' meisterwerk; the skittering, electronica-tinged 'Memory Streams' by London's Portico Quartet and the extraordinary prog-jazz of New York's Snarky Puppy and their 'Immigrance' collection. And their was also a superb bunch of world music influenced albums by the likes of London based percussionist Sarathy Korwar who blended together sounds from his Indian heritage with jazz and electronica on his solid 'More Arriving' album and the latest album from instrumental duo 75 Dollar Bill - otherwise known as guitarist Che Chen and drummer Rick Brown - who continued their experiments in musical fusion with the fabulous 'I Was Real' album which touched on blues, Indian ragas and all kinds of head-spinning freakout. And a quick mention to African masters Salif Keita and Mdou Moctar who both released sterling work with 'Un Autre Blanc' and 'Ilana' respectively.

TOP 5 DANCE/HIP-HOP/JAZZ/WORLD ALBUMS:

5: DAVE: Psychodrama
4: GANG STARR: One Of The Best Yet
3: SNARKY PUPPY: Immigrance
2: 75 DOLLAR BILL: I Was Real
1: THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: No Geography 

 HERITAGE/CLASSIC

Lastly, in this thorough peruse through the wheat and chaff of 2019's musical moments, it's time for a little look at what the more legendary members of the rock and roll elite where up to. Coldplay, who - now that U2 have disappeared up their own firmaments - can arguably lay claim to being the biggest band in the world, scaled things down a tad from their massive day-glo stadium sounds of recent years for the relatively restrained 'Everyday Life' which saw Chris Martin and co produce a concept album of sorts that touched on African rhythms, Middle Eastern textures, acoustic demos and ramshackle folk. It was better than you might expect, too. Californian musical journeyman Beck returned with the Pharrell Williams assisted laid-back funk sheen of 'Hyperspace' which was one of his best sets in years and there were some excellent releases from other No Static favourites The Waterboys, Lloyd Cole, Richard Hawley, David Gray and long-lost punk legend Peter Perrett who - some 40 years after his The Only Ones heyday - followed up his brilliant 2018 comeback album with more of the same sparkling wit and crunchy riffs on 'Humanworld'. The 1960's were well-represented too with reasonably decent efforts from Van Morrison, Jeff Lynne and his reactivated Electric Light Orchestra, latin-blues legend Carlos Santana and his 'Africa Speaks' opus, Brit-blues godfather John Mayall and the return to album duty for Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey - otherwise known as The Who - with only their 12th studio album (the inspiringly titled 'Who') which was just about passable, really. Two posthumous albums really made their mark for me too, with the final vocal recordings from Leonard Cohen - who died in 2016 - put to music by his son Adam on the hushed and spectral 'Thanks For The Dance' and the last-known studio songs from legendary blues guitarist J.J. Cale which were compiled on the excellent 'Stay Around'. Someone who came very close to leaving us a few years ago was Scottish singer/songwriter Edwyn Collins who, after his stint with early 80's indie crew Orange Juice, went on to have a fitful solo career - including the huge worldwide hit single 'A Girl Like You' - before succumbing to not one, but two cerebral haemorrhages which resulted in him suffering from aphasia. It's been a long road back to something resembling full fitness for Collins but he's continued to record with three new albums since his illness, the latest of which - the delightful pastoral indie-folk of 'Badbea' - being his best yet.

Another early 80's band who travelled the same musical path of the aforementioned Orange Juice were Australian janglemeisters The Go-Betweens who, very sadly, never scaled the commercial heights their glorious music deserved. Splitting in 1989, principal songwriters Robert Forster and Grant McLennan - as good as Lennon & McCartney as far as I'm concerned - went their separate ways and released a whole host of splendid solo albums between them. Burying the hatchet and reforming in 2000, there were three more albums of gloriously life-affirming modern-day guitar-drenched folk-rock before McLennan sadly died of a heart attack at 48. Forster has continued ever since, paying tribute to his former comrade in song as well as his wonderful memoir 'Grant & I' which is well worth reading. Last year's 'Inferno' could well be his finest album yet, marrying his ironic and angular art-rock stylings with a more world-weary and tender songwriting style that carried real emotional heft. Gorgeous. Elsewhere, James Osterberg - otherwise known as Iggy Pop - went back on his 2016 declaration of musical retirement and followed up that year's magnificent rock and roll blow-out 'Post-Pop Depression' with a more interesting mix of spoken-word, free-form jazz noodles, wispy ambient background noise, Pixies-inspired punk-pop, shouting, toilet humour, Dylan Thomas poetry and all manner of Igster chicanery. 'Free' was a weird old collection to be sure, but it's Iggy so I'll let him off. And finally, the comeback of the year was the new album by the last remaining members of The Specials, Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter, with their first record under their original moniker since 1980 - 'Encore' - which, upon it's release last January, gave them first ever Number 1 record. A magnificent feat for a superb album full of that classic Specials sound: doom-laden reggae, politically charged agit-pop and hip-swivelling dub-funk beats, all underpinned by Hall's typically solemn vocal delivery and hard-hitting lyrics which focused on his own mental health issues as well as the still sadly relevant lyrical touchstones like racism and political apathy that made the band so important 40 years ago. 

TOP 5 HERITAGE/CLASSIC ALBUMS:

5: BECK: Hyperspace
4: COLDPLAY: Everyday Life
3: LLOYD COLE: Guesswork
2: ROBERT FORSTER: Inferno
1: THE SPECIALS: Encore 

Whilst I'm here, a quick shout-out to some musical friends and neighbours of mine who, although unsigned, are all producing some wonderful sounds that will definitely tickle your earbuds and get your feet tapping and your body moving.
From deepest, darkest South East London we find the electronic soundscapes and ambient beats of Benomaly. Find his work here: https://soundcloud.com/benomaly and here: https://benomaly.bandcamp.com/
Also, London based musicians and songwriters Futurmatic are twisting classic synth-pop templates into new shapes and filling your head with splendid pop smarts here:  https://soundcloud.com/futurmatic
Lastly, psych-rock, garage punk collective Spongers have been peddling a healthy mix of all that is fine when it comes to guitar-based goodness for some time now and it's all gravy. Dive in and indulge here: https://soundcloud.com/spongers and here: https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=1137190


IN MEMORIAM 

Once again, and very sadly, 2019 saw the loss of many heroes and heroines from the rock and roll universe who left this realm to bestow their talents elsewhere. So, raise a glass of something suitably fitting and wish these musical travellers fare thee well:

SHAWN SMITH
KEITH FLINT
MARK HOLLIS
DR. JOHN
ROKY ERICKSON
PEGI YOUNG
NEIL INNES
SCOTT WALKER
GINGER BAKER

DAVID BERMAN
RIC OCASEK
DANIEL JOHNSTON
PETER TORK
RANKIN' ROGER            
NEAL CASAL
BOON GOULD
LEON REDBONE
DICK DALE
JOHNNY CLEGG
ART NEVILLE
MARIE FREDRIKSSON
KIM SHATTUCK
DARYL DRAGON
BERNIE TORME
EDDIE MONEY
JAMES INGRAM
HAL BLAINE
ANDRE PREVIN
PHILLIPE ZDAR
JAKE BLACK (The Very Reverend D. Wayne Love)

THE BEST RECORDS OF 2019:

And so we come - finally - to the best music released in 2019. As is traditional, we start with the finest re-issues, compilations and remastered classics that gave your wallet a twinge as you walked past them in your local record emporium....

30: VARIOUS ARTISTS: WOODSTOCK 50
29: THE GO-BETWEENS: G STANDS FOR GO-BETWEENS VOLUME 2
28: MICHAEL ROTHER: SOLO
27: MARVIN GAYE: YOU'RE THE MAN
26: SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: GUERRILLA 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
25: BEAT HAPPENING: WE ARE BEAT HAPPENING
24: NEW ORDER: MOVEMENT - THE DEFINITIVE EDITION
23: CARAVAN: THE DECCA/DERAM YEARS 1970-1975
22: VARIOUS ARTISTS: PACIFIC BREEZE - JAPANESE CITY POP, AOR 
    AND BOOGIE 1976-1986
21: GENE CLARK: NO OTHER
20: STEREOLAB: ORIGINAL ALBUM REISSUES
19: THE REPLACEMENTS: DEAD MAN'S POP
18: THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS: SURRENDER 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
17: STONE TEMPLE PILOTS: CORE 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
16: WHITE LIES: TO LOSE MY LIFE 10th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
15: PRINCE: ORIGINALS/1999 (SUPER DELUXE)
14: MARK HOLLIS: MARK HOLLIS
13: PRIMAL SCREAM: MAXIMUM ROCK AND ROLL - THE SINGLES
12: DAVID BOWIE: CONVERSATION PIECE
11: THE BEATLES: ABBEY ROAD 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
10: NEIL YOUNG: TUSCALOOSA
9:  THE BAND: 'THE BAND' 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
8:  SCREAMING TREES: SWEET OBLIVION DELUXE
7:  ENDLESS BOOGIE: VOLUME 1/VOLUME 2
6:  GREEN RIVER: DRY AS A BONE/REHAB DOLL
5:  SPOON: EVERYTHING HITS AT ONCE - THE BEST OF SPOON
4:  EDITORS: BLACK GOLD - THE GREATEST HITS
3:  DINOSAUR JR. : THE WARNER BROTHERS REISSUES
2:  R.E.M. : MONSTER 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
1:  VARIOUS ARTISTS: THE DAISY AGE 

    
And now for the main event. The head honcho. The big cheese. The mansion on the hill.
Ladies and germs, I present to you The No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of 2019.
Preach.

TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2019:

50: STEPHEN MALKMUS: GROOVE DENIED

Second album in less than a year from former Pavement boss Malkmus which this time saw him jettison the prog-drenched indie-rock of yore for a stripped-back synth and reverb swaddled lo-fi curio.
KEY TRACK: Ocean Of Revenge

49: PIROSHKA: BRICKBAT
Ex-Lush singer Miki Berenyi teamed up with her husband KJ McKillop - once of early 90's indie band Moose - and Justin Welch from Elastica on a bouncy set of spiky and tune-laden indie-disco thumpers.
KEY TRACK: Blameless

48: TINARIWEN: AMADJAR
Eighth album of laid-back and tremendously groovesome desert blues from the Tuareg masters, who recorded this collection as live whilst sitting round a campfire in the dark, complete with inter-song band conflabs. Fantastically chilled.
KEY TRACK: Amalouna

47: FONTAINES D.C. : DOGREL

Sprightly debut from this Dublin quintet which took all the best bits from the late 70's post-punk explosion and married it with widescreen swagger and a literate way with a lyric. Hugely exciting.
KEY TRACK: Big

46: WHITE DENIM: SIDE EFFECTS
Quick-fire follow-up to 2018's 'Performance' which saw James Petralli and cohorts continue with their choogle-infused rollicking psych-country in glorious style.
KEY TRACK: Hallelujah Strike Gold

45: SILVERSUN PICKUPS: WIDOW'S WEEDS
L.A.s finest purveyors of shiny, skyscraping post-grunge pushed the envelope even more on this fifth effort, moving even further away from their early Smashing Pumpkins-indebted prog-pop for a more expansive, electronica influenced sheen.
KEY TRACK: Freakazoid

44: BOB MOULD: SUNSHINE ROCK
After three successive albums of angst-ridden wall-of-sound grunge working through recent family trauma, ex-Husker Du nabob Mould opened the curtains on his psyche to embrace the light and release a soaring, string-drenched set of huge tunes and his best bunch of songs in nigh-on thirty years.
KEY TRACK: I Fought

43: WHITE LIES: 5
As the title suggests, this was the fifth album from London trio White Lies and, although it didn't veer far from their previous four in terms of sound, saw the band once more penning a fine collection of synth-pop inspired hands-in-the-air singalong indie anthems.
KEY TRACK: Time To Give

42: THE RACONTEURS: HELP US STRANGER

Jack White took time off from his recent solo efforts to finally reconnect with Beatles loving troubadour Brendan Benson for the first Raconteurs album in 11 years. Once again melding brash country rock, ramshackle garage and lush ballads this was very fine indeed.
KEY TRACK: Only Child

41: WILCO: ODE TO JOY
Eleventh collection of hushed and joyously heartwarming Americana from Jeff Tweedy and company which saw the band - who have been consistently brilliant for years now - easing into middle-age quite joyously, with Tweedy staking his claim once again as one of the finest songwriters alive.
KEY TRACK: White Wooden Cross

40: NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE: COLORADO

A new Neil Young album is always cause for celebration within No Static Towers and this was no exception. Teaming up with old foil Nils Lofgren after Pancho Sampredo's early retirement, this one saw Young and his just as grizzled compadres The Horse on fearsome form throughout  - turning things up to 11 on several lengthy jams whilst also showing real vulnerability on the more melancholic fare that touched on his recent losses.
KEY TRACK: She Showed Me Love

39: STURGILL SIMPSON: SOUND & FURY
A real volte-face from country-rock shaman Simpson, who delivered an album of incendiary electronic blues and thunderous prog-addled grunge that was a million miles away from his previous hardscrabble Americana.
KEY TRACK: Sing Along 

38: BRITTANY HOWARD: JAIME
With her former band the Alabama Shakes on seemingly permanent hiatus, this debut solo effort allowed the astonishingly voiced Howard to try something a bit different. Embracing nu-soul, deep Southern funk and jazz-tinged electropop this was magnificent fare, whilst lyrically Howard was able to touch on more personal issues like her dealings with racism and homophobia.
KEY TRACK: Goat Head

37: THE COMET IS COMING: TRUST IN THE LIFEFORCE OF THE DEEP MYSTERY
London-based jazz polymath Shabaka Hutchings somehow found time in between his work with Sons Of Kemet to record this extraordinary meld of modern jazz, cosmic psychedelia and interstellar funk that - although superb on record - really came to life on tour through the summer, as witnessed by yours truly at last year's Green Man Festival.
KEY TRACK: The Universe Wakes Up

36: MOON DUO: STARS ARE THE LIGHT
San Francisco native Ripley Johnson - also of the Wooden Shjips parish - and his partner Sanae Yamada have been peddling a hazy, fuzz-filled strain of Moog-laden psych-rock for a decade or more and this fifth album was probably their best yet. Repetitive rhythms, gnarly riffs and head-spinning kosmiche - all human life is here.
KEY TRACK: Lost Heads

35: MARK LANEGAN BAND: SOMEBODY'S KNOCKING
The venerable Seattle legend and grizzled grunge godfather returned once more with another sparkling set of dark and doomy death-disco, embracing his post-punk influences such as Killing Joke and Joy Division with gusto and surrounding his bowel-loosening vocals with all manner of throbbing beats and clanging discordia.
KEY TRACK: Name And Number

34: SLEATER-KINNEY: THE CENTER WON'T HOLD

Produced by art-rock doyenne St. Vincent, this ninth album from the legendary North American agit-rock indie queens saw a huge musical shift from the usual crunchy guitar-based thumpers to a more electronic pop sound that saw twin powerhouses Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker on incendiary form throughout. Long-standing drummer Janet Weiss however didn't stick around for the ride.
KEY TRACK: Ruins

33: THE DREAM SYNDICATE: THESE TIMES
Second post-reformation album from Steve Wynn and his crew of jangle-loving melodic rockers that saw a continuation of what made the band so great in the first place: dulcet harmonies, sparkling riffs and choruses you could hang your hat on.
KEY TRACK: Black Light

32: PUMAROSA: DEVASTATION
Written in the shadow of lead singer Isabel Munoz-Newsome's brush with cervical cancer, this second album from the London-based quartet was obviously a more brooding, darker affair than their celebrated debut from two years ago but still found time within the anguish for some sinewy synth-pop and head-rushing beats.
KEY TRACK: Into The Woods

31: PURPLE MOUNTAINS: PURPLE MOUNTAINS
The first album under the PM moniker from former Silver Jews main-man David Berman was also, tragically, his last will and testament after he took his own life weeks after it's release. Behind the tragedy though, lay a warm, erudite and bleakly hilarious set of ramshackle country-rock and lo-fi Americana that proved what a talent Berman was.
KEY TRACK: Nights That Won't Happen

30: OH SEES: FACE STABBER
The annual state of the nation address from psych-rock overlord John Dwyer who - with this 24th opus of zig-zagging psych, eye-peeling fuzz-punk and balls to the wall garage blues - pushed himself ever deeper into the farthest reaches of musical wonderment, thrashing and pulverising all in his wake.
KEY TRACK: Snickersnee

29: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: WESTERN STARS

A slightly different detour for The Boss this time around, veering away from his usual stadium-sized Americana into 1960's orchestral pop territory, echoing the likes of Jimmy Webb and Phil Spector. Spinning tales about faded actors and weather-beaten cowboys, this was Chandler-esque in scope and a real joy.
KEY TRACK: The Wayfarer

28: THE MURDER CAPITAL: WHEN I HAVE FEARS
Extraordinary debut offering from the other big breakout band from Dublin - after Fontaines D.C. - which saw frontman James McGovern and his cohorts deliver an emotionally intense, thick broiling stew of late 70's post-punk and early 80's indie smarts that brought to mind Killing Joke facing off with Echo And The Bunnymen. Absolutely thrilling.
KEY TRACK: More Is Less

27: CIGARETTES AFTER SEX: CRY
Taking the maxim "If it aint broke, don't fix it" as far as they possibly can, this second album from the Texan dream-pop lounge lizards was just as gloriously lush and enveloping as their debut from three years ago. With lead singer Greg Gonzalez's androgynous vocals whispering in your ear and the ambient backdrop of the music caressing you all over, this was sultry and sensual stuff.
KEY TRACK: Kiss It Off Me

26: FINK: BLOOM INNOCENT
Seventh studio album from Berlin based Cornish songwriter Fin Greenall and his band and yet another sparkling collection of relaxed, vibe-heavy electronica fused with acoustic guitars and jazz-influenced arrangements. Fink should by rights be absolutely massive but the world is a strange place and once again this delightful album has slipped through the cracks.
KEY TRACK: I Just Want A Yes

25: ELBOW: GIANTS OF ALL SIZES
Written in the wake of personal tragedy as well as the huge recent political upheaval, Guy Garvey and company's eighth album was by turns both bleak and brutal and warm and hopeful. Garvey's songwriting has never been stronger - his ode to his dead father 'Weightless' was heart-stopping - and his band have never sounded more confident. Their best yet.
KEY TRACK: Weightless

24: THOM YORKE: ANIMA

Written ostensibly as the soundtrack to the Paul Thomas Anderson short film of the same name, this eventually grew into a far more expansive project for Yorke before blossoming into his third full-length solo effort. Embracing his love for non-conformist electronic soundscapes, but also careering into straightforward song structures akin to classic Radiohead, this was Yorke on inspired form and seemingly  - whisper it - enjoying himself thoroughly.
KEY TRACK: Twist

23: JENNY LEWIS: ON THE LINE
Former Rilo Kiley songsmith Lewis - ex-L.A. child star and Hollywood scenester - moved even further away from her early indie roots on this sublime fourth solo turn that embraced her love of the 70's West Coast groove and - helped by the likes of Beck, Don Was and Ringo Starr himself - shifted her tales of family strife and lost love into gorgeous new territory. Extra credits too for the track 'Red Bull & Hennessy' which could well be the finest thing Lewis has ever written.
KEY TRACK: Red Bull & Hennessy

22: FOALS: EVERYTHING NOT SAVED WILL BE LOST PARTS 1 & 2 
Double whammy here from the Oxford math-rock originators who, over four previous albums of frenetic, prog-tinged indie floor-fillers, have quietly become one of the biggest bands in Britain. This time round, exploration was the name of the game - filling both sets with all manner of urgent, driving rhythms and widescreen, festival-ready epics.
KEY TRACK: Exits 

21: TOOL: FEAR INOCULUM

Only 13 years after the LA progressive metal legends last opus, this long-awaited comeback album saw head honcho Maynard James Keenan - on something of a songwriting roll after 2018's A Perfect Circle return - and the rest of his hugely influential band, once more pushing boundaries and leaving fans slack-jawed in amazement. All the usual Tool tropes - mind-bending time signatures, jazz-inflected instrumental passages, post-rock soundscapes, stomach-rattling riffage - are all present and correct of course, and Keenan's lyrical themes once again touch on mankind's brittle future and post-millennial dread. Light and frothy as always, then. But it's the music that sticks with you - cerebral, dense, knotty and mysterious - especially on the absolutely monumental likes of 'Descending' and '7empest'.
KEY TRACK: 7empest

20: MAGIC SHOPPE: CIRCLES
Utterly glorious collection of reverb-drenched, effects pedals-heavy psychedelia from this little-known Boston combo who I only discovered a few months ago. Harking back to that hypnotic, lysergically influenced indie-rock era of the late 80's - all Spaceman 3 and My Bloody Valentine - this second album by the band twisted all of their influences around into something all their own. Bloody fabulous.
KEY TRACK: Candy Flip

19: BIG THIEF: U.F.O.F./TWO HANDS
Another band to spoil us with two albums, Brooklyn's premier college-rock tunesmiths delivered a stripped-back and intimate set of indie-folk on the former before beefing things up considerably on the earthier and more direct latter. Both collections were oozing with astounding songcraft, and lead singer Adrienne Lenker was on magnificent form, veering from dulcet prettiness to rage-filled anger - sometimes within the same song. Worth the admission price alone for the astonishing emotional wallop of 'Not'.
KEY TRACK: Not

18: PIXIES: BENEATH THE EYRIE
Third post-reformation album for the legendary Boston alt-rock pioneers who this time around delivered a concept album focusing - as the title suggests - on the dark and doomy underbelly of modern-day America, all gothic melodrama, witchcraft and things that go bump in the night. It doesn't come anywhere near the incendiary brilliance of their early days - there's no 'Debaser' here - and there's a fair bit of filler, but at times this was splendid fare and the current lineup seem to be enjoying themselves thoroughly.
KEY TRACK: On Graveyard Hill

17: THE NATIONAL: I AM EASY TO FIND
Eighth offering from the Cincinnati quintet who, only 18 months or so after their last album, tried a different approach to usual by - having been inspired by documentary film-maker Mike Mills - producing their own short movie and handing the vocal duties on the resulting album to a revolving cast of female singers including Gail Ann Dorsey, Lisa Hannigan and Sharon Van Etten. The National's musical modus operandi didn't shift too much - the epic, piano-laden anthems and intelligent indie-rock were all present and correct - but the new vocal arrangements paid off handsomely.
KEY TRACK: Light Years

16: UNDERWORLD: DRIFT SERIES 1

Basking in the glory of 2016's hugely successful 'Barbara, Barbara...' opus - and the massive touring schedule that followed it - Underworld's Karl Hyde and Rick Smith decided to celebrate by spending 2019 recording and releasing a new piece of music every week via their website. The typical Underworld sound was there of course - huge, stadium-friendly electronica and ambient-swathed front room head-bobbers - but there was a whole raft of experimentation and crazy techno fodder to wade through too, including an extraordinary 50 minute mind-expanding jam with The Necks. Available on two formats: a seven disc behemoth or a single disc sampler. Mighty stuff.
KEY TRACK: STAR (Rebel Tech)

15: SUN KIL MOON: I ALSO WANT TO DIE IN NEW ORLEANS
Only two albums this year from the ever-prolific Mark Kozelek who - and I may have stated this before on this blog - is the world's greatest living songwriter as far as I'm concerned. Recorded with Bowie collaborator Donny McCaslin on saxophone and regular Kozelek drummer Jim White, this collection once again embraced Kozelek's love of free-form monologues set to music - this time a kind of free-jazz inspired Americana - touching on all his usual gripes and foibles that come with being a singer/songwriter on the road, all shot through with a biting streak of black comedy and sarcasm that, for me, is unique in modern music.
KEY TRACK: Day In America


14: PALACE: LIFE AFTER
Second album of anthemic, windswept indie of the highest stripe, this sees the London band - now down to a trio after the departure of their bassist - upgrade their sound to a more emotional and melancholic strain of modern rock which touches on all the big issues and surrounds those themes with some truly spine-tingling musical soundscapes. Lead singer Leo Wyndham sounds so forlorn sometimes you feel the need to climb into your speakers and give him a hug, but the light behind the darkness is always there. Reminiscent at times of long-lost early noughties bands like The Open and the should have been massive Witness, this sees Palace on hugely confident form.
KEY TRACK: Heaven Up There

13: BON IVER: i,i
Justin Vernon returned to Bon Iver duties in 2019 - after his hook-up with The National's Aaron Dessner on the Big Red Machine project - and once again delivered a masterclass of electronica-tinged folk-rock that amazed and beguiled in equal measure. Sticking with the sparse, Autotuned stylings of 2016's '22, A Million' Vernon also harked back to the lush melodies and epic synth-wash of his second opus, all the while adding new textures to his remit. A full-blown band album too, this latest saw various guests and vocalists - including, splendidly, Bruce Hornsby - being embraced into the ever-evolving Bon Iver world.
KEY TRACK: Hey Ma 

12: SHARON VAN ETTEN: REMIND ME TOMORROW

Five years after the excellent 'Are We There?' the New Jersey singer/songwriter returned to active duty with an absolute barnstormer. Moving even further away from her early raw-folk and confessional ballads to produce a startling meld of eerie, synth-encrusted electronica and 80's indebted pop-rock, this tremendous album saw Van Etten - blessed with an astonishing voice - singing of her recent domestic bliss and how motherhood has transformed her life after years of trauma. A supremely successful sonic shake-up.
KEY TRACK: Seventeen

11: MADDER ROSE: TO BE BEAUTIFUL

A hugely unexpected return here, but a thoroughly welcome one. Back in that fecund period of alt-rock dominance in the early 90's, New York's Madder Rose looked set fair to follow the likes of The Breeders, Belly and Throwing Muses in breaking through into the mainstream. But, even after the quick-fire release of their first two albums - the magisterial 'Bring It Down' and 'Panic On' from 93 and 94 - it never really happened and they drifted off into the margins. They've been inactive for two decades, although core members Mary Lorson and Billy Cote have continued with various projects, and this exquisite album sees the duo joined by a host of previous Madder Rose alumni. With Lorson's doleful vocals to the fore, there are nods to their earlier work with a clutch of jangle-tinged pulsing indie as well as more mature fare befitting a band in their fifties with some late-night piano-laden art-pop and hazy, drifting Americana. It's all quite glorious and here's hoping it's not another twenty years before they're back again.
KEY TRACK: Bye Love (Disastrous Love)

10: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: GHOSTEEN

Whereas 2016's spectral 'Skeleton Tree' had been written before the tragic death of Cave's son Arthur, this new epic collection of ambient ballads was the first time Cave had alluded to that shattering event in lyrical form. As such, it's a tough listen but a hugely rewarding one. Once more leaving the bulk of the musical arrangements to the incomparable Warren Ellis, 'Ghosteen' was a mystical, dreamlike and spiritual journey of grief, love, hope and all points in between. As far removed from the Nick Cave of old as he and his extraordinary band have ever been, this was profound and life-enriching stuff.
KEY TRACK: Leviathan

9: RIDE: THIS IS NOT A SAFE PLACE

Oxford's early 90's shoegaze veterans Ride returned to active recording duty a couple of years ago with the solid 'Weather Diaries' and this second reunion album sees them striding even further into new realms and trying something different. Even though the classic Ride sound of shimmering guitars and propulsive indie are all still to the fore and the vocals of Andy Bell and Mark Gardner still dovetail gorgeously, there's scope for some tremendous experimentation too with the beat-heavy electronic stylings of 'Repetition' and the all-out sonic assault of 'Kill Switch' which is as heavy as they've ever been. What a wonderful band they are.
KEY TRACK: Kill Switch

8: MICHAEL KIWANUKA: KIWANUKA

Third album of folk-tinged soulful stylings from the North London troubadour and, just as his mighty second album 'Love And Hate' was a huge sonic departure from his self-titled debut, this is an absolute quantum leap from that brilliant sophomore effort. Expanding his musical palette even further by embracing orchestral backdrops, Motown-style pop smarts and a healthy mix of modern-day urban blues, this supremely confident collection was further evidence of Kiwanuka's top-notch songwriting ability - as well as his seemingly unimpeachable knack of finding a glorious groove - all topped of with that deep, mellifluous vocals. Produced by Danger Mouse and touching on everything from psychedelic soul, heart-stopping gospel, modern-day breakbeats and gnarly rock, the album is a spiritually aware call to arms and the kind of record you didn't think people made any more. Utterly superb.
KEY TRACK: You Ain't The Problem

7: MARK KOZELEK & PETRA HADEN: JOEY ALWAYS SMILED

Second entry for Kozelek on this year's rundown and this time it's one his stellar collaborative efforts. Petra Haden is one third of The Haden Triplets and has performed with - among others - The Decemberists, Beck and The Twilight Singers over the years. She's also the daughter of famed jazz musician Charlie Haden and the sister of Josh Haden who helms one of my favourite bands, Spain. With this hook-up with Kozelek, Petra brings her sublime vocal ability and mournful violin playing to another warm, funny and sometimes poignant collection of diary-style monologues and vignettes from Kozelek. It's a sparse and haunting album at times, and there are some real curveballs like the appearance of the actor Kevin Corrigan who recites a moving spoken-word section during the astonishing 'Parakeet Prison', as well as the hugely enjoyable stripped-back cover of the Huey Lewis classic 'The Power Of Love'. As usual though with Kozelek, it's the very epitome of an acquired taste and probably not the best place to start when it comes to discovering the great man's canon. If you're up for it though, dive in.
KEY TRACK: Parakeet Prison

6: JULIA JACKLIN: CRUSHING

The break-up album genre may be over-saturated these days and washed clean of it's grit by the likes of Adele and Ed Sheeran but every so often one comes along that knocks it out of the park. A couple of years ago it was 'Stranger In The Alps' by Phoebe Bridgers and last year it was this phenomenal second album by former laid-back slacker indie songstrel Jacklin. Raised in Sydney and marketed as the next Courtney Barnett on that first album, life has certainly given her a kick in the teeth in the intervening couple of years with this luscious set of songs documenting what sounds like a hugely traumatic split. Drifting and dreamlike throughout with a cracked and hazy air, Jacklin unflinchingly sings of pure heartache and the devastation left behind. Her astonishing voice reeling you in on certain tracks and on the goosebump-inducing 'Don't Know How To Keep Loving You' cracking with pure emotion.
KEY TRACK: Don't Know How To Keep Loving You

5: L'EPEE: DIABOLIQUE

A collaboration from the gods here. French surf-rock vibe-merchants The Liminanas - made up of husband and wife Lionel and Marie - appeared in 2018's No Static Top Ten with their terrific 'Shadow People' album. On that record they recorded a brace of tracks with Anton Newcombe - the mercurial front-man of psychedelic nutjobs The Brian Jonestown Massacre - and also actress and singer Emmanuelle Seigner. Their musical get-together was obviously so enjoyable for all concerned that they immediately hit the studio again to put together this utterly wonderful full-length collection. With all four sharing vocals - in French as well as English - and the other members of The Liminanas helping out musically, this rollicking bunch of tunes takes in all manner of 60's inspired psych-rock, leather-clad indie, Velvet Underground style swagger, sunny garage-pop and Gallic cool by the shed-load. C'est magnifique!
KEY TRACK: Springfield 61

4: SWERVEDRIVER: FUTURE RUINS

Four years after Oxford's early 90's grunge-flecked shoegaze specialists released their first album since 1998 - the superb 'I Wasn't Born To Lose You' - core members Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge have pulled it off again with this monolithic follow-up. The tried and tested signature Swervies sound is still there - fuzz-filled maelstroms of duelling guitar wonderment and throbbing percussion that bestow each track with real heft - and there's room also for some more sprawling and hypnotic alt-rock grooves like the closing 'Radio Silent'. With Franklin on tremendous vocal form throughout and tunes like the brooding title track and the woozy ambient drift of 'Drone Lover' as good as anything they've ever written, the future looks far from ruined for this very finest of British rock bands.
KEY TRACK: Radio Silent

3: ANGEL OLSEN: ALL MIRRORS

In 2016, the inaugural No Static At All Top 50 was topped by Missouri native Olsen and her masterful 'My Woman' opus, a spine-tingling collection of folk-tinged indie-rock and widescreen Americana ballads that still thrills to this day. Her follow-up may not have quite repeated the trick, but it wasn't far off. Changing tack again, this time round Olsen married her heartbreaking lyrics about recent turbulent emotional strife to a gorgeously lush and expansive suite of string-laden mini epics that brought to mind the sweeping melodrama of 1960's torch songs. Dripping with synths and awash with multi-tracked vocal stylings and musical experimentation, this was Olsen firing on all cylinders. From the thrashing sturm und drang of the opening 'Lark' to the sparse and bereft emotional breakdown of 'Chance' - complete with the tear-inducing line "It's hard to say forever love, forever's just so far" - this album once again proved what an exceptional talent Olsen is. 
KEY TRACK: Chance

2: STRAND OF OAKS: ERASERLAND

Strand Of Oaks main-man Timothy Showalter has had a difficult few years. After the huge critical success of his 2014 album 'Heal', his next album - the gnarly and slightly off-kilter 'Heavy Love' - didn't really set pulses racing and was deemed something of a disappointment. Feeling creatively spent and suffering from alcohol addiction, Showalter retreated from his musical life and found himself walking alone, meditating and trying to reconnect with family and friends. A chance meeting with psych-encrusted country-rock heroes My Morning Jacket pushed him into writing again and, with the booze also behind him, the astonishing 'Eraserland' is the result. Backed by the MMJ boys, Showalter's latest batch of soaring and heartfelt paeans to life, love and human connection are truly wondrous - magnetically euphoric on the likes of 'Weird Ways' and drenched in emotion on the astounding 'Forever Chords'. Fusing old-school down-home country swagger with crunchy psych, hands-in-the-air rock anthems, pure soul and even elements of Showalter's beloved early 80's post-punk, this was the album of his life. Outstanding.
KEY TRACK: Forever Chords

1: W.H. LUNG: INCIDENTAL MUSIC

Wow. There's definitely something happening here alright. Mysteriously monikered Mancunian trio Joseph E, Tom S and Tom P took their band name from a Chinese cash and carry emporium they spotted in Liverpool and then settled down to prepare for world domination. Cherry picking from all of their major influences and melding everything together in a fresh, vibrant and thoroughly modern whole, the three-piece - fleshed out to a quintet for their mind-melding live shows - have curated an exceptionally strong 8-song debut album that, in a fair and just universe, will go down in history as one of the finest debut albums of all time. Coming across like the unruly younger sibling of the LCD Soundsystem family, this album sees each track build and build as pulsing beats and propulsive percussion splice together before the utter head-rush of synths and guitars thrust themselves forward into each song. There is not an ounce of chaff on this album, nothing is wasted. Each track - be it the manic intensity of 'Nothing Is' or the dizzying pop of 'Bring It Up' - is a perfectly formed masterpiece of post-millennial indie-dance. There's elements of the aforementioned LCD, New Order, Underworld, The Cure, Happy Mondays, Can and - especially - the great lost band of the whole Madchester phenomenon of the early 90's, New Fast Automatic Daffodils. To top it all off, in Joseph E the band have a front-man and vocalist for the ages, coming across - most pertinently in the live arena - like an extraordinary hybridisation of John Lydon, David Byrne, Jim Morrison and Bez. Full to bursting with joyful synth-pop, driving indie rhythms, Krautrock-inspired repetitive beats, rug-cutting dance grooves and three of the finest songs you'll hear in your entire life in 'Simpatico People', 'Second Death Of My Face' and the globe-shaking glory of 'Inspiration!' this album was a shoo-in for the Number One spot the minute it was released last summer. Utterly, utterly, utterly superb.
KEY TRACKS: Simpatico People; Second Death Of My Face; Inspiration! 

WATCH THE VERY BEST OF 2019 HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlijCVNDG1zn6Tbf5-sROSYPV2Q7gW59g