1. Aldous Harding – The Barrel
There’s such an addictive contrast between the sweet and often traditional folk stylings of Aldous Harding’s songs, and her eccentric delivery and stage persona. Any song from the brilliant Designer could have made it to this list, but I can’t go past The Barrel for it’s bizzare film clip and idiosyncratic backing harmonies.
2. Chastity – Sun Poisoning
Ontario’s Chastity first dropped into my Discover Weekly playlist on Spotify a while back, and while the entirety of their latest release Home Made Satan is highly enjoyable, Sun Poisoning is the stand out. Can’t quite resist a quiet verse/loud chorus dynamic, and those melodies stick in my head for hours after each listen.
3. Endless Heights – Cold Hard Kiss
Man, the 80s-style arpeggio intro, and then that huge bass and drum sound. That was it for me. I’ve always thought Endless Heights were okay, but this song is a killer. Love the beat change in the final chorus, ooff.
4. Great Grandpa – Digger
Another Discover Weekly winner – cheers Spotify! Stunning melodies, haunting guitars, and a voice I can’t get enough of. Do yourself a favour and check out the video clip – quite the emotional rollercoaster (watch to the end).
5. Joe Pug – The Letdown
I got into Joe Pug through his indispensable songwriting podcast ‘The Workding Songwriter’. Truth to tell I didn’t fall hard for his own music to start with, but he may have hit his stride with latest album The Flood In Color. Twenty-four minutes of finely crafted folk songs made it hard to pick a favourite, but The Letdown chorus tends to follow me around long after each listen.
6. Johnny Hunter – Ashamed
Maybe my new favourite Aussie band. Saw them at the Gaso in Melbourne, where they managed to grab the whole room’s attention who were there to see Press Club. While awesome live, their songs are also very, very good. With only a few singles released so far, Ashamed is a good example of a band who are anything but.
7. John Paul White – The Good Old Days
One half of the now-defunct Civil Wars, John Paul White’s lastest solo album The Hurting Kind is chockas with well-written songs, but The Good Old Days is the catchiest. Love me a good hook.
8. Justin Townes Earle – Frightened By The Sound
Another cracking album from JTE this year. The Saint of Lost Causes has a few pearlers as always, but I always fall hard for his more wistful, ballad-y songs such as Frightened by the Sound. Comes complete with stormy metaphors, thunder-ish drum fills and howling pedal steel.
9. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Perihelion
Although I appreciate the psych-folk offerings of King Gizz, as evident in their earlier 2019 release Fishing For Fishies, I much prefer when they get heavy. The thrash-metal Infest The Rat’s Nest is more my style, and is best exemplified by the palm-muted banger that is Perihelion.
10. Lagwagon – Bubble
Ah Laggers, my old friends. Look, Railer is not their finest work, but it’s certainly not a fall from grace either, and Bubble is a good reminder of this. As you listen, keep in mind that drummer Dave Raun is 49 years old. Yep.
11. Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real – Bad Case
As the opening song on Turn Off The News (Build A Garden), Bad Case sets the tone for a what is an impressive country rock album from Son of Willie and friends. The lyrics drive home a sentiment I’m all too familiar with.
12. The Maes – Sunrise
Aussie folk song of the year? There’s a few other contenders on The Maes self-titled album, their first as duo – but Sunrise is just perfect. A song I’d wish I’d written.
13. The Menzingers – Strain Your Memory
Hello Exile is, unequivocally, my album of the year. It’s unbelievably rare for bands to follow up their most successful album with something even greater, but folks, The Menzingers have done it. One song after another has been fighting for top spot as my favourite, but the votes are in and Strain Your Memory has emerged victorious.
14. Press Club – Same Mistakes
Melbourne’s finest released their second album Wasted Energy this year, and while it feels a bit like Late Teens (Part 2), there’s no shortage of enjoyable garage punk jams. Same Mistakes shows off singer Natalie’s amazing vocal skills, and features a nice little build-up/explode moment towards the end.
15. Seeker Lover Keeper – Let It Out
I’ve yet to sit down and fully take in the rest of Seeker Lover Keeper’s new album Wild Seeds, but it may be because I can’t get past the first single Let It Out. Possibly the most well-written song on this list, the modest production means the lyrics and vocal harmonies take centre stage. I don’t mean to pick favourites, but the fact that it’s Holly Throsby taking the lead on this one might also have something to do with why I love it so much. Oh, and they got Magda to star in the film clip. I mean, what more do you want?
16. Serina Pech – Take A Look Around
There’s a whole lot of emerging female singer-songwriters vying for attention in Australia right now, and they’re all amazing – but Serina Pech stood out for me with her beautiful Take A Look Around. Dreamy vocals layered over a deliciously toned stratocaster guitar. I’m also a sucker for any chorus vocal that chooses to go low instead of high.
17. Sturgill Simpson – Mercury In Retrograde
I bloody love Sturgill but I have to say, although I adore it now, his new album SOUND & FURY took me a few listens to get into. Not so for second-to-last song Mercury in Retrograde, which took all of one verse and chorus to get me hooked.
18. Tool – Pneuma
My favourite band of all time released an album this year, so no one should be suprised that I’ve included a song of theirs in this list. What should be a surprise is that there aren’t more of them. To be honest, while I love the whole album, the only song breaking new ground for me is Pneuma. I really dig Maynard’s staccato singing on this one, and pair that with your quintessential Toolisms – interweaving time signatures, epic drum fills, soaring crescendos – and you’ve got yourself a classic Tool song. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.
19. Your Smith – Man Of Weakness
With one of the more interesting stage names for a solo artist, Your Smith first came to my attention with her 2018 song Bad Habit. While that song was breezy summer pop, Man Of Weakness is 80s style power-pop of the best kind. Smart move opening with an acapella chorus – it instantly pulls you in, and there ain’t no goin’ back after that. Super fun film clip too.
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