#10 III– The Lumineers

Run the Jewels and The Weeknd had successes this decade crafting trilogies, and The Lumineers added themselves to the list with one single album. III is an epic spanning three generations of a family ravaged by addiction. In the heat of the opioids crisis, the folk-rock band’s release is cinematic excellency aided by music videos pumping even more life to their universe that sadly isn’t unfamiliar.

#9 thank u, next– Ariana Grande

If a pop album has its playlist in all lowercase these days, that’s an inexplicable indication it’s gonna be great. What’s not inexplicable is that barely six months off of Sweetener, the former Nickelodeon star added another dose of sugar with thank u, next. Emanating as much fearsomeness as humility, it hosts different aspects of Grande’s worldview to the steamy (friends with benefits-ballad “bloodline”) to the serious (lowkey feminist anthem “fake smile”). The final trio is the dessert, a spicy Sound of Music mix in “7 rings,” the deliriously trappy “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” and of course, the title track: an antithesis from the sappy heartbroken heroine cliché to cement Ari as one of pop’s most forward-thinking delights.

#8 Father of the Bride– Vampire Weekend

The flappy sounds of Vampire Weekend’s fourth LP mimic the pleasantness of your wedding day, but Koenig & co’s dark lyrics give the fear your loved one’s skeptical father would subliminally emit. The six-year hiatus taken by the band proved to be no downgrade whatsoever, even with the departure of one of their members.

#7 Cuz I Love You– Lizzo

With depression on the rise and the world seemingly crashing down for many people, Lizzo was the musical Prozac we needed. Though “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” exploded this year, her debut offering is destined to go down as one of the most quotable albums ever. “Slow songs are for skinny hoes,” “only exes that I care about are in my f**king chromosomes,” just a few of the treasured chants for your shower concerts.

#6 Zuu– Denzel Curry

What Illmatic is for New York hip-hop, Zuu is where Miami throws their hat in the rap ring. This Zuu is where Curry showcases his roar. He’s an aggressive force on the mic with anecdotes of a place proven to be more than a flamboyant Spring break spot. You could call it one of the most well-written hip-hop albums of the era- until you find out Curry freestyled the entire thing.

#5 Dedicated– Carly Rae Jepsen

E•MO•TION catapulted Carly Rae Jepsen beyond just being the lady behind “Call Me Maybe,” and Dedicated proves her pop music alternative is here to stay. It’s caressing, but never feels too mushy with some slamming production here (“Now That I Found You”) and moderate hip-swaying there (“Want You In My Room”).

Read our review of Dedicated here.

#4- Norman F**king Rockwell!– Lana Del Rey

From Pepsi cola-flavored privates to erotic duets with The Weeknd, Lizzy Grant’s journey has been one of a kind. On her complex fifth album, she enters her final form as a sorrowful savant. Rockwell’s writing channels some of Lana’s finest work yet and has a heavier focus on piano than you’d ever hear from the Born to Die era. It’s stripped down compared to its predecessors, but moments like the outro on “The greatest” and the silky “doin’ time” cover helped Lana own 2019- let’s just forget about that Charlie’s Angels song…

Check out our review for this landmark album here.

#3- Igor– Tyler, the Creator

Once envisioned solely as a rapper, Tyler, the Creator dips his feet into some retro funk, a similar road Childish Gambino took with “Awaken, My Love!”. Igor plays like some kind of R&B opera, Jerrod Carmichael narrating the title goblin’s soupy love triangle that sonically speaking, is as abstract as the man behind it. 

#2 Better Oblivion Community Center– Better Oblivion Community Center

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus weren’t the only duo to dominate 2019: Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst’s terrific collaboration is as odd as their namesake would suggest. The pair fuses their powers marvelously, creating a dynamic with Oberst as the indie rock veteran and Bridgers as a rising star, but neither of them tries to outdo each other. This is their first collab (save for his feature on Bridgers’ 2017 debut), and tricks you into thinking they’ve been playing with each other for years- almost a modern-day Sonny and Cher.

#1 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?– Billie Eilish

It’s the culmination of the pop music redrawing that’s dominated this decade. Artists like Lana and Marina flipped the script with an authentic sound of their own, and Eilish and her brother’s craft is a clearly distinguishable method in their weird world. Finneas’ sunken set pieces, Billie’s ominously muffled vocals, it all may as well have a “TM” printed next to it. She isn’t one to try to baffle you with her enigma, rather one aware of her surroundings and wholly in touch with today’s youth- equal parts sarcastic (dad seducing on “bad guy”), swaggering (fiery “you should see me in a crown”), and self-depreciative (suicidal “listen before i go”). Every generation has a beloved musician journaling the era they were raised in- now Gen Z has Billie Eilish.

The post SCAD Radio’s Top 10 Albums of 2019 appeared first on SCAD Radio.

#10 “Juice”- Lizzo

“Mirror, mirror on the wall/Don’t say it ’cause I know I’m cute.” Could there be a more on-brand way to begin a Lizzo song? Making self-appreciative quips while never sounding conceited is Lizzo’s strong suit, the Donna Summer of motivational speaking. You could witness a dog getting run over by a truck while walking out of your mom’s funeral and still be thrown into a good mood after “Juice.”  

#9 “All Mirrors”- Angel Olsen

The indie folk-rocker’s grand project thanks to an orchestra sidekick, the titular lead single for Angel Olsen’s fourth studio effort is her most bewitching and mysterious addition yet. Starting gently like the songwriter was in the days of her debut before diving headfirst into a titillating crescendo, it’s as coruscating as it is cryptic, giving just enough leeway for lyrical sleuths to toy with.

#8 “bad guy”- Billie Eilish

After removing her Invisalign, hushed vocals welcome us into Billie Eilish’s freak show on “bad guy,” a baroque pop gem bathed in badassery. Riddled with potentially naughty phrases brought down to Earth by her innocent whispers and bizarre but memorable chorus, it’s the perfect gateway into the 17-year-old’s unorthodox library.

#7 “Talk”- Khalid

Khalid Robinson’s second LP may have been a dud, but its lead single is certainly salvageable. Some luscious synths courtesy of Disclosure carry the Georgia native’s 21st-century shortcoming we all know too well- trying to work things out while they’re too busy watching Netflix to respond to your text. He’s definitely been left on read before, and the mundanity strikes Millennials and Gen Zers everywhere.

#6 “Hot Girl Summer”- Megan Thee Stallion feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign

No Summer is complete without its seasonal jam, and 2019’s choice is a product of the increasingly mainstream hip-hop genre. It’s one clearly primed for Song of the Summer: multiple features and pool party value, to name a few. But while many SotS meet the same fate as the leaves when Fall comes around, Juicy J’s mix has kept the dog days alive well into the year’s conclusion.

#5 “Cellophane”- FKA twigs

The mystique behind Tahliah Barnett took a hiatus over health troubles, so when she dropped her most intimate and haunting piece of music yet, it proved the disappearing act had only sharpened her growth as an artist. “Cellophane” can serve as a quiet sneer at racist Twilight crazies or a cultural rewrite on how we perceive pole dancing in its tranquil and subversive music video. It’s a simple, yet complicated track- none of of twigs’ twingy background noises, just minimalistic perfection.

#4  “Borderline”- Tame Impala

Fans have been divisive over Kevin Parker’s ventures into new territory, though “Borderline” satisfies those unsure if 2015’s genre-flipping Currents should be canon. The spacey sounds feel right at home in a Tame Impala track, passing the stoner-approved test with flying colors. Dwelling on the nature of life in the lyrics, it may be his tightest trip yet.

#3 “Social Cues”- Cage the Elephant

You’re an acclaimed indie act selling out shows across the world, you should be happy, right? Not to Cage the Elephant’s Matt Schultz, who wrote “Social Cues” and its accompanying LP with personal struggles like his recent divorce in mind. Whether in 2019 or in the retro era the beat hails from, the theme of the tormented star is a timeless topic in an age where Avicii and David Berman have met the same heartbreaking fate as Kurt Cobain and Ian Curtis.

Check out our coverage of Cage the Elephant’s Shaky Knees Music Festival performance here.

#2 “Dylan Thomas”- Better Oblivion Community Center

Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers have worked together before, but no one predicted their surprise collab album drop in January. At the crux was was “Dylan Thomas,” named for the famed poet who was pissed off with the world- much like the duo behind BOCC. The pair’s flow plays like a couple that’s too good at karaoke, structured with quirky lyrics referencing everything from Bridgers’ mascot to a Trump meme.

#1 “Old Town Road” (Remix)- Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus

It’s not like it was a “Stairway to Heaven” epic, the original didn’t even clock in at two minutes. It certainly didn’t have an Illmatic sense of depth, either. It was the seamless bridging of Lil Nas X’s self-described “country trap” setup that broke not only new ground in music, but Billboard’s chart record as well. While the original surged months after it was released, the cowboy struck real gold when the countless remixes poured in: throw in Hannah Montana’s dad, and they become Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The post SCAD Radio’s Top 10 Songs of 2019 appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Many of the tracks fit the breakup mold, but Eilish wears a new costume for each. Sure, “my strange addiction” and “wish you were gay” both resemble failing relationships, but each have a unique spin thanks to some clever songwriting. “Shoulda taken a break, not an Oxford comma”, she explains of her dangerous infatuation during the former. The Office sound bites come off as a little forced, but doesn’t deter from the quirky beat. Eilish puts her on spin on Weezer’s “Pink Triangle” for “wish you were gay”. The concept of wishing her boyfriend was gay to avoid the reality that she’s not lifting her weight would likely fall flat in the hands of an amateur songwriter, but it’s at times like these where Eilish really stretches her wings as a talent with the pen. The numerical flow in the lyrics weave together the story excellently, and the whole song comes off as more artistic and not in the slightest homophobic.

Other reaches of the album are sure to attract angsty teens with the blunt edginess. The grim atmosphere of “bury a friend” is traditional Billie. A dark music video, muddy vocals, and the ominous production succeed at creating this sense of dread. “Oh” moments pop in and out across the LP, like when she murmurs “I wanna end me” here and sings about straight up suicide on “listen before i go”. While these certainly cater to her sad girl image, the stylization doesn’t reach much higher than a typical emo Soundcloud rapper, and are simply too on-the-nose to hit deep.

The song “xanny” will make parents cautious of Eilish’s effect on their mood-swinging teen breathe easier. Instead of the blatant suicide references, the majority of this track is spent looking at the hard-partying junkie lifestyle in fear. Though it comes before much of the depression talk, it pits Eilish’s vulnerability better than the rest of the album. “I’m in their second hand smoke/Still just drinking canned Coke” is a marvelous line to show her shrewdness at an age where many teens go down that unfortunate route.

Smart lyrics are often slagged down by production which still does have its moments (“you should see me in a crown”s’ bass drop, the synth chorus on “bad guy”), but a bulk of the patterns aren’t really ear catching. Not to mention the teen star’s breathy voice can get old after a while. The album’s length is a big part of what drags it down, too. 55 minutes is a bit much on the heavy side for something that doesn’t hold enough variety like WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?. Billie and her collaborating brother, Finneas, have made a crowd-pleasing debut her fans will eat up until her next release, but the indie popper still has some shortcomings to work on.

SCAD Radio gives it a 7.7/10.

The post Billie Eilish’s Debut is Elongated, But Shows Potential appeared first on SCAD Radio.