Tier 4 is full of albums that aren't terrible by any means but aren't really that good either. These are records with some entertaining qualities that can make them more listenable than the absolute worst options, if you're desperate enough. You can easily find something to like about these but overall, they are sub-par. Much like the work of Mr. Nicolas Cage.
#105. Mother Nature by The Dangerous Summer
There's an aura of pretense and levity attached to this record that never really feels earned in any way. It sounds like a group of throwaway tracks on the soundtrack to some teen angst dramedy from 1996. Like Party of Five. Not terrible but entirely forgettable.
#104. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish
It's a somewhat promising debut, with Bad Guy being the standout, but other than that I didn't see what all the hype was about. I feel like I've already heard the same nintendo-dub production perfected elsewhere and her whispery delivery gimmick gets old fast. The whole thing seems to suggest it's much deeper than it actually is.
#103. Nine by Blink-182
Call me crazy but I didn't hate this. It definitely doesn't sound anything like Blink-182 but I actually kind of dig the direction Skiba and Hoppus seem to be pushing the songwriting with their semi-gothic power pop. It definitely feels like a much more collaborative effort than Neighborhoods or California did. This at least sparks my interest in where the group goes from here, even if they still aren't writing anything I'm fully into right now.
#102. I Also Want to Die in New Orleans by Sun Kil Moon
So we're 6 records deep into this ramble-core phase of Sun Kil Moon and Mark still hasn't been able to recreate the magic that started it all with 2014's Benji. But at least those in between efforts had some fleeting moments of interest. Or last year's This Is My Dinner at least added a sense of humor to the proceedings. This record has none of that and feels like he's scrapping the bottom of the barrel for ideas. It's easily the weakest of his offerings over this 5 year stretch and hopefully leads him into taking a little more time between records to let some more thoughtful material develop.
#101. All Hail by Norma Jean
One of the last surviving Christian hxc acts of the mid 00's, Norma Jean continues to churn out the same mediocre music release after release. This record just happens to feature the least engaging collection of screams and breakdowns to date. They'll probably continue to lower that bar with their next release.
#100. Shelters by Bars of Gold
As much as I love bearvsshark, Bars of Gold just doesn't seem to recapture the same manic enthusiasm. Worthless Chorus may be the best track Bars has put out but after that, it's as sharp a drop off as any album released this year. Even at just 10 tracks, the material feels stretched way too thin to try and fill a full length.
#99. What the Brokenhearted Do by Tim Heidecker
Tim's singer-songwriter faux breakup ballad has all the feels of a late 70's Warren Zevon record but the joke just goes on way too long with not enough payoff. It's teetering somewhere on not funny enough to be a comedy record but not deep enough to be taken seriously either.
#98. Braindrops by Tropical Fuck Storm
I was a huge fan of last year's Laughing Death in Meatspace but the follow up is a surprisingly slow, punk / blues hybrid that sorely misses that burst of chaotic energy flowing through every song. Slowed down, the arrangements don't carry anywhere near the same impact and the wavy vocals detract a lot, LOT more.
#97. Sulphur English by Inter Arma
2016's Paradise Gallows had a heaviness to it that stood out massively and showed huge promise for this band defining a brand of punishing atmospheric sludge unlike anyone else. But with Sulphur English, Inter Arma takes an unexpected detour into much more polished vocals and slow acoustic breaks that completely lose me. And I'm not opposed to stylistic change-ups when done well, but these were not.
#96. Giants of All Sizes by Elbow
Elbow's never really been an aggressive sounding band, but nothing on their previous records every really sounded this complacent. Not that soft is an inherently bad trait to have, but dull is. The intricacies of their earlier work have been washed over for an almost chamber pop sounding record that has none of the personality or intrigue of their other work. A surprising misstep for an otherwise reliable group.
#95. Free by Iggy Pop
Did it not seem like Iggy was retiring with Post Pop Depression? I mean, it would have been a great way to go out. But instead, we get some weird jazz under spoken word, a solid single in Loves Missing, and the most embarrassing track of his career in Dirty Sanchez. It all adds up to one of the most confusing releases of the year and hopefully leads Iggy to call up Josh Homme next time around if he plans to stay un-retired.
#94. Age of Unreason by Bad Religion
Remember when everyone kept talking about the golden age of punk that a Trump presidency would bring? We're on the dawn of a second term and yet somehow no one's been able to tackle the subject successfully. I was hoping Bad Religion might deliver this generation's Empire Strikes First but instead it's a forgettable batch of songs that doesn't do nearly enough to stray from Bad Religion's 30 year old formula.
#93. I Love You. It’s a Fever Dream by Tallest Man on Earth
With a 4 year break since his last record, I was hoping The Tallest Man on Earth would return with a little more enthusiasm than this. While his last two records continued his downward trend after the spectacular The Wild Hunt, they at least had a track or two that showed glimpses that the ingenious songwriter was still in there somewhere. This record - not so much.
#92. Here Comes the Cowboy by Mac DeMarco
Jangle pop's favorite burnout beach bum seems exhausted here. There are moments where the weird cowboy theme seem to shine but for the most part, it just feels incredibly forced. Maybe the guy needs some time off from weirding out festival crowds because this feels like it's coming from a dude dragging himself into the studio every day.
#91. Remembering the Rockets by Strange Ranger
Somewhere between the fading fads of dream pop and shoegaze, Strange Ranger has some potential but it's held back by their dreadful vocals. The dream pop thing just doesn't work when your vocalist is that off-key, no matter how good the production sounds. Which is a shame because it's actually pretty phenomenal. Hopefully it's something they can iron out moving forward.
#90. The Big Freeze by Laura Stevenson
Laura's a fairly consistent act but yet again, nothing on this record grabs you in any way. Nothing stands out, nothing sticks. It's agreeable just not remarkable. Her songs don't seem to pack enough of a punch to be this stripped down, maybe more instrumentation would give her some much needed dimension?
#89. Oliver Appropriate by Say Anything
Say Anything has had an unbelievably weird career trajectory, with this allegedly being the unceremonious ending for the act but who knows. I find it hard to believe this is the end, but if it is, this definitely feels like a down note to go out on after their previous record which felt like something of a rebirth.
#88. Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten
Seventeen is the obvious standout but aside from that, this album is fairly uneventful. Sharon doesn't seem to be bringing the same energy and passion she did on her previous records which is an absolute shame and shows even in the songwriting as well as the performances.
#87. U.F.O.F. by Big Thief
This was my introduction to Big Thief and it definitely didn't do a whole lot for my interest in their back catalog. It wasn't awful by any means but it just felt like the scatting portions of a long T-Rex acoustic jam that eventually fades into obscurity. Which can be fun for a while but as an album, it doesn't really have a lot of range.
#86. Beware of the Dogs by Stella Donnelly
Stella definitely has some intrigue but as a whole her songwriting feels very underdeveloped. The production does a lot to lift up the vocals which feel pretty weak and for every moment of clever lyricism there's an equally grating one. Hopefully some growth and maturity will accompany a sophomore effort.
#85. American Love Call by Durand Jones and the Indications
This feels like a poor man's Charles Bradley, without the lyrical poignancy or the powerhouse vocals. So basically just a throwback 60's soul record with surprisingly little charisma or soul.
#84. Closer to Grey by Chromatics
After a 7 year hiatus, Chromatics return with a fairly interesting follow up with just enough production innovations to maintain your interest throughout but not much else. It's another droning effort with a select couple of memorable singles, Twist the Knife being the standout.
#83. Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest by Bill Callahan
While the whole stream of consciousness acoustic storyteller thing has been perfected by the likes of Mount Eerie and Sun Kil Moon, this record feels like the Wal-Mart bargain bin version of the same sub-genre. His sound is pretty well crafted but what he's singing about never really grabs your interest like his more talented songwriting contemporaries.
#82. Weeping Choir by Full of Hell
A fairly consistent grind record that doesn't do much to stand out of a sub-genre where individuality is already hard to come by. Feels like it could have been made by any handful of grind bands. Solid but not all that distinct.
#81. Leaving Meaning by Swans
Following up the trilogy of The Seer, To Be Kind and The Glowing Man - Leaving Meaning ditches the haunting dissonant sounds Swans perfected previously and takes on a much softer direction. Which in turn neuters the swirling urgency and chaotic charm that made those records so remarkable. As massively disappointing as it is bland.
#80. Order in Decline by Sum 41
In the early 2000's, who would've guessed Sum 41 would have outlived some of their legendary contemporaries like the White Stripes or System of a Down? Sure, they're not making music anywhere near All Killer No Filler or Does This Look Infected? but they haven't dropped off nearly as hard as some of their peers have.
#79. Injury Reserve by Injury Reserve
Jailbreak the Tesla is a certified banger but aside from that, the record feels almost too experimental to ever find it's groove. There are a lot of interesting avenues explored here but it takes so many wild swings that none of them really connect. An intriguing debut nonetheless.
#78. Wallop by !!!
The production on Wallop is right up there with some of the best stuff this group has ever put out. Or honestly any dance record this year. Sadly though, the vocals and lyrical content is at its absolute worst. It's unbearably repetitive and would have been better off as a purely instrumental indie-electro record.
#77. Guns by Quelle Chris
Quelle Chris seems to have a lot to say but never really delivers his message with the fitting impact it deserves. Guns is an okay album that just didn't quite come through in execution.
#76. Help Us Stranger by The Raconteurs
Reunion records are always a little strange but it's hard to really pinpoint a reason for this particular record to exist. The Raconteurs' first two records were surprisingly solid and did a good job of establishing their own sound distinct from Jack White's other projects. But this records seems to have all the tired and uninspired shortcomings of White's solo work seeping into every crevice.
#75. The Fleeting Light of Impermanence by The Appleseed Cast
It's been 6 years since our last Appleseed Cast record and their return here feels more obligatory than anything else. There are some fun instrumentals here and there but for the most part, this feels like the best parts of a handful of practice sessions forced to occupy an entire album.
#74. Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend
Everyone keeps telling me that this is the best indie band on the planet and I've still yet to see any proof of that. There are definitely some catchy songs in the first third of the record but after a while, the 18 track marathon feels like a chore to finish.
#73. Seeing Other People by Foxygen
After doing a terrible David Bowie impression for their last record, this time around Foxygen seem to be trying their hand at early 80's Iggy Pop without any of the irony or humor of John Maus. There are a couple tracks that really work but for the most part, it feels like another sub-par copycat effort.
#72. Planetary Clairvoyance by Tomb Mold
This record had a lot of really cool segments but I wished the band leaned more into the unique atmospheric tone of the opening track instead of getting caught up in the been there done that technical side of things.
#71. Until We're Each Someone Else by Stuck Out Here
Stuck Out Here sounds like they have a lot of potential but currently they sound way too much like a second rate Red City Radio. Which is just a second rate Smoke or Fire. Which is just a second rate Alkaline Trio. So it'd be nice to hear them differentiate themselves from that crowd a bit on their follow up, which they seem to show signs of being more than capable of doing.
#70. Gold & Grey by Baroness
Baroness' Red and Blue albums are absolutely phenomenal. Green and Yellow felt a little bit too watered down and I'll be honest, I never made it passed the first couple of tracks on Purple. Gold and Grey feels very middle of the road. It doesn't hit the highs of Green and Yellow's best tracks but it also avoids any of those records' missteps as well. Which basically points to the band playing it a little too safe.
#69. Birth of Violence by Chelsea Wolfe
I was really ready for Chelsea Wolfe to take the world by the throat this year. But without the guitar backing, the music just fails to hit as hard as it did on Hiss Spun. Now I thought the instrumentation on Abyss was a little over the top but having it stripped down this much loses so much of the vibe she'd cultivated so perfectly on her last outing. Definitely one of my biggest letdowns of the year.
#68. War Music by Refused
Nowhere near as cringey as 2015's Freedom but it's also still nowhere near the greatness they were able to achieve before reuniting. And while expecting them to recapture the magic of 1998's The Shape of Punk to Come after a 17 year hiatus is obviously a little unreasonable, it's relieving that this record at least shows the promise that they're aiming to push back into more dangerous territory rather than just milking the reunion gimmick with minimum effort.
#67. All My Heroes Are Cornballs by JPEGMAFIA
This guy is a solid producer but lyrically, I can't take him at all. I hear people calling this the next Death Grips and I just don't see it. I love the music behind it all but he needs to stay off the mic or refine his delivery a great deal.
#66. Fishing for Fishies by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
It's pretty impressive when you've put out as much music as King Gizzard has and you still find ways to grow your sound. I for one don't really care for it - but it speaks to your songwriting abilities that's for sure. Occasionally the harmonica and classic rock feel really click but for the majority of the record it feels like they're not using their most viable asset by slowing things down and dialing back the energy found in the rest of their catalog.
#65. Hello Exile by The Menzingers
After the Party was a bit of a letdown but truth be told, Hello Exile isn't exactly a return to form for the Menzingers either. There are fleeting moments where it seems the group has recaptured their anthemic pop punk charm but that fades pretty quickly after the opening two tracks. From there on out, it feels about as genuine and unforced as a mandatory pep rally for a winless middle school basketball team.
View the Rest of the 2019 Tiers Here:
#music #aoty #albumreview #bestof2019 #albumoftheyear #worstalbumoftheyear #TheDangerousSummer #BillieEilish #Blink182 #Sunkilmoon #NormaJean #AllHail #BarsofGold #TimHeidecker #TropicalFuckStorm #InterArma #Elbow #IggyPop #BadReligion #TallestManonEarth #MacDeMarco #StrangeRanger #LauraStevenson #SayAnything #SharonVanEtten #BigThief #StellaDonnelly #DurandJonesandtheIndications #Chromatics #BillCallahan #FullofHell #Swans #Sum41 #InjuryReserve #QuelleChris #Raconteurs #AppleseedCast #VampireWeekend #Foxygen #TombMold #StuckOutHere #Baroness #ChelseaWolfe #Refused #JPEGMAFIA #KingGizzardandtheLizardWizard #TheMenzingers #Goth #Grind #Soul #Dreampop #Shoegaze #Janglepop #Folk #Jazz #sludge #BluesPunk #PostPunk #Hardcore #Metalcore #acoustic #singersongwriter #poppunk #Grunge #Prog #Metal #Slime #HipHop #Rap #Emo #Punk #Midwest #electronic #Indie #Alternative #internetkilledthevideostore
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