My Top 10 Albums of 2019 - BMTH, Yonaka, Billie Eilish, Frank Carter and more

January may now be almost over, but I couldn't let the month pass without finally sharing my picks for my favourite albums of the preceding year. Given how strong and varied 2019 was for music, it was difficult to limit this list to an easily-digestible ten record selection, so there's also a few honourable mentions towards the end. Some picks may surprise you or seem out of place alongside each other, but that's part of the fun. Let's get to it...

10. The Darkness - Easter is Cancelled 

This may seem like an unexpected start to a 'serious' year-end list, but hear me out on this one. I went back and forth on this choice more than any other, debating whether this sixth LP from the glam rock revivalists really deserved a top 10 spot or would be a mere honorable mention. However, recently returning to the album left me with no doubt. Easter is Cancelled is comfortably The Darkness' best effort since their still-brilliant 2003 debut Permission to Land, seeing the band return to their eccentric, overblown best with exactly zero inhibitions on display. My own long-standing love for The Darkness definitely contributed to my enjoyment, but if you were ever a fan of their earlier material, the highlights of this record are worth your attention.

Choice Cuts: Heart Explodes, Live 'til I Die,  Rock n Roll Deserves to Die

9. Otoboke Beaver - Itekoma Hits

One of the most unexpected yet thankful discoveries I had in 2019 was the Japanese punk rock four-piece Otoboke Beaver. Delivering frenetic punk with incredible levels of energy and contagious enthusiasm, the band attack with purpose and make an initial impact like few others can. As an unfortunately monolingual English speaker, I am largely ignorant of the subjects tackled in frontwoman Accorinrin's lyrics, but the breathless intensity of her vocal performance is something to behold and helps make the all-to-brief 27 minute duration feel even shorter. If you want something truly different, look no further.

Choice Cuts: Don't Light My Fire, Akimahenka, Love is Short

8. Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

Slipknot live in Manchester recently

Twenty years on from releasing their game-changing debut, Slipknot proved that they still have plenty of anger, energy and creativity left in them with this brooding and bruising comeback record. Despite already being well-established as one of the biggest and best metal bands in history, We Are Not Your Kind proved that age, success, line-up changes and the weight of fan expectation have done nothing to diminish the fire of 'the Nine'. Essential listening for metal fans.

Choice Cuts: Nero Forte, Solway Firth, Critical Darling

7. Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Part II

After a four-year gap between studio albums, Foals really spoiled us in 2019 by releasing two albums just seven months apart. Despite some nice lyrical and conceptual commonalities, Part II feels refreshingly distinct from its twin thanks to the embracing of a heavier, more riff-orientated hard rock style on several tracks. 'Black Bull' is perhaps the most raw and raucous song Foals have dropped to date, while 'The Runner' balances a soaring chorus against a fuzzy, Queens of the Stone Age-esque riff. However, this harder edge does not leave the record devoid of the spacy, tranquil tracks Foals are so good at crafting, with the vast and atmospheric slow-burner 'Neptune' being a major highlight.

Choice Cuts: Black Bull, Into the Surf, Neptune

6. Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes - End of Suffering

Since the former Gallows frontman resurfaced with the Rattlesnakes, Frank Carter has grown to become something of a modern day rock icon, with End of Suffering now being his band's crowning achievement. Razor-sharp riffs are mixed with anthemic hooks and positively potent helpings of vintage punk grit and attitude to produce an album which will feel familiar to Rattlesnakes fans. Yet, End of Suffering never feels trite or dated thanks to the band's conviction, energy and talent. Crowbar shows Carter's vocals and lyrics to be as venomous as ever, whilst Anxiety and Angel Wings display a sensitive approach to mental health struggles which allow for less in-your-face, yet no less impactful, moments. With this album as an indication, the 2020's should see Frank Carter's star rise higher still.

Choice Cuts: Crowbar, Tyrant Lizard King, Kitty Sucker

5. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do we Go?

I feel like there isn't much I can say about this world-beating pop opus that hasn't already been said by just about every music writer online, but that is simply a testament to its unique brilliance. From the restrained vocals, to the minimalist production and the rejection of any conventional pop templates, I have never heard an artist quite like Billie Eilish, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. Whatever your initial impression of Eilish and whatever your usual tastes, give this album a listen. 

Choice Cuts: You Should See Me in a Crown, Bad Guy, My Strange Addiction

4. Yonaka - Don't Wait 'till Tomorrow

2019 was the year that Yonaka transformed themselves from underground hopefuls to genuine rising stars, thanks in large part to the release of their long-awaited debut album. Combing elements of rock, pop, and electronica with frontwoman Theresa Jarvis' often deeply personal lyrics, the band balance bombastic bravado with naked vulnerability to fantastic and resonant effect. What makes it even more impressive is that the Brighton quartet had the confidence and talent to not only self-produce the album, but to also pull off this risky venture with aplomb. The end result is a fantastic encapsulation of everything that makes Yonaka one of the most must-listen bands in rock today, pleasing their early adopters whilst opening the door to the countless new fans who caught the Yonaka bug last year. Well worth the wait.

Choice Cuts: Creature, Bad Company, Punchbag

3. Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, Part I

As much as I enjoyed the aforementioned Part II, its predecessor was, for me, the superior half of Foals' recent album duology. The band embraced synths and electronic sounds more than ever here, bringing their long-present dance music influences further to the fore, most effectively on the irresistible In Degrees. The dense collage of sounds and moods on this record is at once head-spinning and cohesive, seeing Foals in many ways reconstruct their identity, whilst retaining a distinct familiarity. It could be their strongest release to date, although that is a discussion probably best left for a future article.

Choice Cuts: On the Luna, Exits, In Degrees

2. Charli XCX - Charli

This 'future pop' masterwork is undoubtedly my favourite pop album of 2019 and probably the decade. Everything here feels fresh, boundary-pushing and exciting, with Charli XCX rewriting the rules of pop whilst making her tracks consistently catchy and instantly impactful. In fact, Charli is so chock-full of electro-pop bangers that just about every track could be fairly chosen as a highlight, from the straightforward, chart-friendly 1999 to the more experimental Next Level Charli and Shake It. The wide variety of featured artists on the record, from Lizzo to Haim, always serve the songs brilliantly and never feel tacked-on for the sake of broader appeal. A special mention must also go to the fantastic production, which is some of the best I have ever heard on any album, regardless of genre, and really takes the quality of these songs to the next level. This record felt like a true culmination and celebration of everything Charli has achieved to date and is comfortably her strongest full-length release, cementing her status as one of the most exciting artists in the world.

Choice Cuts: Gone, Silver Cross, I Don't Wanna Know

Before we get to my number one album, here are a few honourable mentions that just missed out on the list...

Ramstein - Untitled
Baroness - Gold & Grey
Lil Nas X - 7 (EP)
SWMRS - Berkley's on Fire

And now, my Number 1 album of 2019...

1. Bring Me the Horizon - amo

BMTH have always done things on their own terms, having repeatedly proven themselves to be ahead of the curve and unafraid to diversify their sonic pallet by incorporating influences from outside the rock sphere. Never has that been more true than on Amo. The unabashed pop rock of Medicine and Mother Tongue sits alongside the distorted riffs and harsher vocals of Mantra and Wonderful Life, while the pulsing electronica of Nihilist Blues sounds more akin to something you would hear at a rave than a rock concert. Yet, this all makes perfect sense in the context of the album and again proves just how broad the band's influences and abilities are. 

An ambitious and eclectic mix of rock, metal, pop, electronica and even some hip-hop elements, the end result may just be Bring Me the Horizon's most fully realised and consistently brilliant work to date. Simply put, Amo was the album rock needed in 2019 and I can't think of any pick more suitable for my album of the year.

Choice Cuts: Nihilist Blues (ft. Grimes), Mantra, In the Dark
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Now, if you're still reading this article at this point, I want to say a huge thankyou to you and everyone who has read an article in the six or so months I've been doing this blog. There will be plenty more great things coming in 2020, so follow me on Twitter @readldannymoore to stay up to date!