finds of 2019

image: jenna barzak

Another year in music, and in this hellscape we call life, is coming to a close. As past readers of TGE might know, I prefer not to rank or list out any of the music I love. Instead, you can check out a mix (coming next week) with some of my faves, and this post summing up some of the releases that really caught my ears. This is in no way comprehensive, and it’s not ranked. These are just small, short blurbs about the music that really moved me this year.

Death of the Neon - String Machine

You know that feeling that accompanies hearing something for the first time and realizing it’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced? I get that every single time I listen to String Machine. The Pittsburgh-based act was once a solo project, but on this outing, there’s seven members giving it all their all, creating these incredibly inventive singles filled with hints of folk, indie rock, and experimentation. There’s something wildly beautiful in witnessing a band unafraid to explore every inking of an idea they have, and the mind of String Machine is filled with poignant, tender vocals, strings that swell with their own heartbeat, drums that engulf your every sense, and horns and keys that grab tightly to your heart. This album is special, and with each listen, you discover some fresh page to this fairytale.

Good Boy Smoke EP - Lem

For even more String Machine goodness, check out Lem. Two members of the band created this sweet EP of summery folk-influenced jams. From a celebration of Space Jam to an adorable account of a morning routine gone awry, this is a literal beam of sunshine in musical form.

Heavy Banding - Slingshot Dakota

Slingshot Dakota is a gift. There’s something to be said about a band that’s willing to break every norm of what’s expected in a punk act and instead embrace an identity fully their own. Heavy Banding is the duo coming into a sound that’s unlike anything else out there. Seeing them perform at Fest was like a religious experience; emotion poured from their every note, and their desire to foster a sense of community was palpable in both their material and on-stage conversation. Powerful piano, electric drumming, and some of the most authentic and revealing lyrics make up one of the year’s most gorgeous releases.

Ow - Pom Pom Squad

With any type of art, there’s always that chance that something will resonate with you on a deeply personal level; providing this auditory affirmation that you’re not alone in a particularly troubling experience. And on Ow from Pom Pom Squad, Mia Berrin pulls out her heart, allowing you to explore her every feeling that accompanied a toxic relationship. It’s listening in realtime as someone comes into a personal reckoning with their past, and from fuzzy instrumentals, to ‘90s-inspired rock, Berrin provides a small measure of comfort in an album of unruly and restless rock.

Free Company - Boy Scouts

This is one of the year’s most wondrous adventures. It’s a delightful album of indie pop filled with charm, vocals that very nearly touch the sky with their height, and soft guitar work that requires a careful ear, and an open heart.

While My Father Sleeps - Oh, Rose

This record is one that will most certainly stick with you even after the last note has rung out. It’s a tale of loss, grieving, and recovery, and it’s all told with the most careful precision and unshakable beauty. Oh, Rose can’t be defined by any one singular genre or sound and that’s what makes this listening experience so remarkable.

In Heat - Guppy

Impossibly endearing, adorable, and downright fun, GUPPY uses heart and hilarious lyrics to tackle everything from gender to a 7/11 run.

Vagabon - Vagabon

If you’re at all familiar with Vagabon’s work, you’ll find that nothing is as you’d expect on their self-titled sophomore release. The record is a complete shift in direction from 2017’s Infinite Worlds, relying on atmospheric keys and momentous mood changes to weave pop-inspired magic. It’s a record that demands to be heard at full volume, softly begging you to soak up all of its secrets, energy, and grace. You can close your eyes and feel the emotion in every note; vocals swirling in and out of earshot, the occasional stillness, and a willingness to change directions or ideals with each passing second.

Pleaser - Georgia Maq

Lofty and romantic, Pleaser has Georgia Maq examining matters of the heart with crystalline pop. Unlike anything ever created with Camp Cope, Maq’s solo work is subtle and soft, incorporating video game-inspired effects, pulsing synths, and an intoxicating presence that gradually wraps you in its haze. The entire release is worthy of your time, but it’s on “You’ll Be Singing My Name,” where Maq truly shines; her vocals take off, backed by piano and some seriously groovy synths as she promises, “You’ll be singing my name.” And with a solo outing this powerful, it’s true, we should all be singing Maq’s praises.