The Honey Punch Mag Team pulled together some of our favorite albums from this year- read below for a closer look!
“Forever Turned Around” - Whitney
by: Kendall Polidori
In their sophomore album “Forever Turned Around,” released Aug. 30, the Chicago-born power duo Whitney brought their sound full circle with a set of lulled, soothing songs--curated to perfection. While the indie-folk boys have been renowned for their silky melodies and smooth rock tunes, even outside of their hometown city limits, “Forever Turned Around” dials back from the band’s previous boppy hits like “Golden Days” and “No Woman” and introduces the most vulnerable parts of themselves. Reflecting on love, relationships, life and the environment in which it all happens in, Whitney invites listeners into their world and somehow convinces them that everything will be okay. Through stand alones like “Valleys (My Love)” and “Used To Be Lonely,” Whitney wraps their sound around listeners, reeling them in until the very end. But, the best part of the album is that each song flows into the next as though they were meant to accompany each other for the whole journey. From lead vocalist Julien Elrich’s breathtaking vocal range to guitarist Max Kakacek’s riveting guitar riffs--and of course the soothing rise and fall of trumpets in the background--the album is one for the books, and only ensures that even more perfectly crafted work is to come from Whitney.
“thank u, next” - Ariana Grande
by: Alena Kochinski
This album topped my 2019 Spotify Most Played, so I’m obligated to give credit where credit is most certainly due. “thank u, next” perfectly encapsulates the most relatable moment in young adult life: emotional burnout. After all the hustle, all the attempts to keep a smile, please others, be perfect, be successful, the ball still drops. And sometimes, you need to lean on others to see the point of living. This is Ariana, after all the trauma and all the pain, making art for the sake of making art with her best friends. This release had the purest of intentions, and a smattering of every feeling. Guilt and frustration, nostalgia and reflection, sex appeal and independence. Grande is healing and triumphant. And after almost a year, I still can’t get enough of it.
“Wasteland, Baby!” - Hozier
by: Alena Kochinski
The sweet simplicity of Hozier’s fingerpicking sends me into a warm, earthy embrace. I’m dancing on my tippy toes while frying sweet potatoes, I’m opening the windows and lighting the candles. Making a mood is Hozier’s brand, and boy, does he sell it. “Wasteland, Baby!” contains intoxicating, animalistic rhythm riffs coupled with peeps of personality and genuine fun. This album became my coffeehouse opening shift soundtrack, but worked magic well after sunset. “Wasteland, Baby!” begs to be consumed in the quiet moments, where the careful lyrics and composition can inspire and shine. My favorite moments from the album? The plucky open of “Shrike” and the sensual mischief of “Dinner and Diatribes.”
”Fine Line” - Harry Styles
by: Isabella Vega
The pop prince has returned. Following the success of his self titled debut album, his highly anticipated return, “Fine Line” not only shattered streaming records but reminded the world of why we came to love Styles in the first place: his ability to make the most personal experiences resonate with every single person in the room. With lyrics that are deliciously personal (“Does he take you walking ‘round his parent’s gallery?”) and melancholically vulnerable (“And I get the feeling that you’ll never need me again.), drawing each listener deeper into the complex, heartfelt web of Styles’ inner world. Musical influences for the album range from Fleetwood Mac to Pink Floyd, coming together to make a spectacular nostalgia while still creating change, showing that Styles’ is able to create an album that will stand the test of time. Full review coming soon!
“Twenty Twenty” - Djo
by: Mack Brown
Coming in at number one of all albums of 2019 for me is Djo’s Twenty Twenty. Joe Keery’s ability to create something so reminiscent of the 60s-inspired movement to create an album where it is clear that the studio was used as an instrument in itself is simply brilliant. His careful choosing to look to the past while still creating an LP that holds its own in the modern day is a delicate and difficult balance that I’m so keen on if done well—and it is. Keery’s lyricism is unmatched, providing catchy tracks that still contain provocative lyrics of the human condition and personal inquiries. For a debut, his psychedelic rock sound is quickly identifiable as being comparable to the big players like Tame Impala and Mild High Club, who dominate the genre. Secondarily influencing my love of this LP is the show Keery put on at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in the beginning of December. It was clean, energetic, and spot-on to what I was hoping for in a live performance. Twenty Twenty provides for a true full-length album listening experience I haven’t been able to find elsewhere, and for that, Keery comes out on top to end the decade.
other albums from 2019 we love:
Maggie Rogers - Heard It In A Past Life
Local Natives - Violet Street
Palace - Life After
Surf Curse - Heaven Surrounds You
Wasuremono - Are You OK?
Sam Fender - Hypersonic Missiles
The Ninth Wave - Infancy
Foals - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 + Part 2
Trudy and The Romance - Sandman
Kanye West - JESUS IS KING
Hannah Cohen - Welcome Home
Dayglow - Fuzzybrain