Top 119 Songs of 2019, #90 - 81

#119 - #111

#110 - #101

#100 - #91

#90. RUN

by Harrison Storm

And let's hide away from it

Try escape from it

Harrison Storm joins a long list of male singer songwriters this decade that have created beautiful atmospheric sounds, as melancholy as they are joyous and as folk as they are blues. His music can be included in a long list of sounds that conjure images of the everyday and images in our minds of people we wish we were and places we want to be, or run away or from. Above all else, ‘Run’ can be placed in a long list of songs that I love. (Jo Michelmore)

#89. HOPE IS A DANGEROUS THING FOR A WOMAN LIKE ME TO HAVE

by Lana Del Rey

I've been tearing up town in my fucking white gown,

Like a God damn near-sociopath

Lana keeps doing Lana and as much as you can read words about new key influences and new American tragic inspirations and reinvention, the thing that Lana does best is being Lana, which is a quirky questioning of our ways, thoughtful introspective sounds and an air of oh so slightly dramatic, and if that works for Lana, then as they say, or have recently said, you do you Lana. It’s all very charming. (Jo Michelmore)

#88. BIG HIT

by Mark Harding

You say it makes you hurt

It's your fault you feel that way

We love Mark Harding because he’s out here making music that’s just so unlike anything else... and it’s also very good. Songs like ‘Demon’, which popped up a couple of posts ago, and this one right here, ‘Big Hit’, are so cinematic. Listening to them is like watching an awesome film set in the Wild West that just so happens to be a metaphor for dickheads who go for a night on the town looking to punch someone in the face. Well, it’s not really so much a metaphor as the lyrical content of the song, but even that sets Harding apart from the average story in a song this year. But there’s nothing average about Mark Harding, who continues to grow as a songwriter and performer. The best is still yet to come from one of our favourite guys. (Matt Bond)


Mark Harding is a musician, but also an incredible artist, so if I was an art critic or this was an art blog, I’d write words about colour and shape and simplicity and feelings of soulfulness and gloom being entwined within each other in the dark and light of Mark Harding’s works. I’m not an art critic, I’m not even a music critic, I just know what I like and more importantly, I know what I love. Mark Harding’s art and music can be included in both of those categories. (Jo Michelmore)

#87. CHEAP QUEEN

by King Princess

I've been alright

I've just been doing the same shit I've always liked

You can tell King Princess is from New York because her music is so effortlessly cool, tres chic, full of attitude without being pretentious. ‘Cheap Queen’ is all of that, with a healthy dose of self deprecation to boot and, as an out of touch old person, that’s always nice to see from one of the youths I enjoy listening to. Even if they’re into making grown men cry, as KP signs a couple of times during the track. Well, jokes on you... it doesn’t take much these days. Ha! (Matt Bond) 

#86. FLAME OR FLICKER (DEPARTURE)

by Machine Age

And I won't waste one thought on you

I won't go out of my mind

Waiting for you

During last year’s countdown, Machine Age promised us they’d be releasing more than one track in 2019 and they only went and outdid themselves by releasing a whole album of Machine Age goodness. Yep, Adrian Mauro and Dylan Stewart delivered unto us their debut album, Point of Departure and it was everything we thought it would be and more. After making your way through some bangers, old (‘Fighting’ and ‘Chivalry’) and new (stay tuned), you arrive at the final track, ‘Flame or Flicker (Point of Departure)’. Literally and figuratively, since it’s the last song of the album so buh-bye and what could only be the heartbreaking conclusion of a once beautiful relationship. Mauro sings through a mature and considered response to his world crashing down around him. A quiet, devastating moment seems perfect to say goodbye to Machine Age for now. Hopefully it won’t be goodbye for long. (Matt Bond)

#85. TAKE THE GOLDEN

by Winterbourne

But if you're losing let me know

If you're hurting let it show

Well well well, here I was just chilling, or whatever it is the kids do these days, with Winterbourne doing that lovely and comfortable thing they’ve been doing since forever, or about 2014, whichever comes first, and here I am, thinking this is rather inoffensively pleasant when bam, where did that funk riff appear from? We were just settling in and then it appeared and lifted me up and carried me away and straight through the next two and a half minutes of exactly what they are singing about, golden vocals and a surprisingly swinging beat. Whatever it is they’ve been doing in the last few years, I suggest keep on doing it. These are musicians going to good and great places with songs and surprises like this. (Jo Michelmore) 

#84. RUINER

by Methyl Ethel

Yeah, that's not good enough

That's not good enough

Once upon a time I was gifted a ticket to Laneway, and although I appreciate these kind of gifts immensely, I made what ended being the mistake of accepting said gift and attending the Laneway festival, fully clothed, fully sober. What an experience. That’s a story for a whole other time. Methyl Ethel graced the stage at said festival and although I’m unsure 80% of said audience knew or cared about who played what stage, I’m quite glad Methyl Ethel played, because it means they keep making music and songs like this one. Influences from times so far away from Laneway 2019, theirs is a brand of music that takes it’s time to grow and gradually makes it’s way into your consciousness, a subtle kind of addictive sound, so very likeable. Unlike the experience of  a Laneway festival, if one is attending for the music, instead of the fashion. (Jo Michelmore)

#83. WOLF

by Big Thief

Now, as far as we can see

The water's getting deeper

Big Thief released two critically acclaimed albums throughout 2019. I too achieved things by eating a whole large Dominos pizza and garlic bread by myself in one sitting. Big Thief released this dazzling song ‘Wolf’ that includes the sweetest howl ever recorded, as performed by Adrianne Lenker. I also found great success by watching all of The Good Place over the course of a single weekend. Music stars... they’re just like us!  Only in Big Thief’s case, they’re so much better. Well, better than me. (Matt Bond)

#82. LOSING MY MIND

by Montaigne

Who I am was not my plan

Flown so long, I've forgotten how to land

Being the amazing friend that she is, Jo bought me a ticket to Montaigne’s recent show at The Zoo in Brisbane which was absolutely brilliant. Montaigne was already an engaging performer during her debut’s touring cycle, but this time around there’s an increased focus on the performance aspect of her live shows. It was like a performance art show combined with those insanely fantastic soaring vocals... so good. So very good. I particularly loved the live performance of ‘Losing My Mind’ that had everyone singing along to the boppy chorus and screaming along that, they too, were not fine. As one prone to often thinking they’re losing their proverbial marbles, I gotta say I’m feeling you Montaigne and whether we should be celebrating that or not, I think we can all agree that Montaigne’s talent is so obviously worthy of celebrating. So let’s just focus on that, shall we? (Matt Bond)


“I can barely breathe, I can barely breathe, I can barely eat, I can barely eat, I can barely sleep, I can barely sleep, I can barely move my body…”etc.  For me, these were the standout lyrics on Montaigne’s second album Complex, the song I listened to a million times over, dreamt of seeing live and sent to Matt with love heart emojis. Sometimes love heart emojis are reflective of real life emotions, sometimes dreams come true. Montaigne, I love. (Jo Michelmore)

#81. DANCING WITH A STRANGER

by Sam Smith and Normani

Look what you made me do

I'm with somebody new

I’m just going to admit something here, it has taken me almost twelve months to figure out that this is not, in fact, a sequel or a prequel or any kind of quel to Robyn’s (long time fave of mine) ‘Dancing On My Own’, released almost ten years ago. That catchy song was also about dancing, in retaliation to someone else’s actions, which has me questioning all these people dancing in defence for the past decade, because isn’t pop like Sam Smith’s good enough to dance to without revenge? And by the way, if you are dancing with strangers, take some personal responsibility, no one actually made you do that Mr Smith, or Ms Normani, for that matter. You did that yourself. Everyone, just chill out with the retribution and enjoy the dancing. (Jo Michelmore)



Top 119 Songs of 2019, #110 - 101

#119 - 111

#110. I FEEL BETTER BUT I DON'T FEEL GOOD

by Alice Skye

It might not seem like much but I'm hurting now

I’ve said this sentence so many more times in my life than I care to admit. Alice Skye says it in a much, much prettier way than I ever could and makes me feel much more better-er and almost close to good-er-er when I hear it. And this is why music is so important and this is exactly why I love so much music so much. (Jo Michelmore)

#109. DEMON

by Mark Harding





And people say it's the land of opportunity

Mark Harding has this amazing talent, a way of painting pictures with sounds that transport me to familiar places I’m not sure I’ve been, beats of confident hesitation and slow notes I almost mistrust. Lyrics that transport me to so many places, some of them beautifully bathed in golden light, some of them hazy and gloomy; his music is so comfortably Australian it makes me homesick for places I’ve never been. If only I had his talent I could explain how much talent he has. (Jo Michelmore)

#108. GIVE ME THE NIGHT
by Essie Holt





I won't find the key to your feelings
But I know that I'm going to break in

“You look up, you look down, you look up, you look down (repeat)” It was those words that hooked me on this song from the first time I heard it, which is funny because it’s exactly how the whole song feels; poppy and light, with a shadow overriding, dancing with your back against a wall. Essie Holt has managed to capture atmospheric and equally grounded, moody and overjoyed all at the same time and she’s managed to squish it all into two minutes and fifty one seconds of greatness. (Jo Michelmore)

#107. IN MY ROOM
by Frank Ocean


 


Quit being violent with me
You make me violent

I’m not going to pretend I’m on the Frank Ocean can do no wrong bandwagon, but I’m not going to pretend I don’t at least sorta kinda maybe like pretty much everything he does. Last month a couple of new Ocean tracks were released to much twitter fanfare, but as hopefully everyone has figured out by now, Twitter is pretty dire as a platform (said by someone who uses it to get the ‘news’). I probably couldn’t tell you the name of the other one (DHL?) but ‘In My Room’ holds a nice vibe, it’s pretty chill, dope one might say. Or not?  (Matt Bond)

#106. SKIN
by San Cisco





Was it the way I behaved
To try and make you stay?

San Cisco, you reliable teen babes. Sure they’re likely young adults now, but they’ll always be teen dreams to me. Remember when they were releasing stalker anthems and then super dreamy indie bops and it’s like 10 years later and now here they are... releasing stalker-y, super dreamy indie bops. I can dig it. Like their contemporaries, Ball Park Music, San Cisco only get better with age as they bestow gems like ‘Skin’ on us that reflect their maturing world view. There’s beautiful guitar lines in this too. What more do you want? (Matt Bond)

#105. SAD DAY
by FKA twigs





Take a chance on all the things you can't see

Art. What is it? What’s it all about? Is there such thing as musical art? Yes, obviously. That’s why we callperformers musical artists. It’s not like how Subway has sandwich artists who are unable to express themselves in any unique ways. Musical artists can get all experimental if they want and as an example of this, here’s FKA twigs and her trippy beats and it’s all very arty... but it’s also just good music that, like the title suggests, is going to make you have a sad day. Or since art is subjective, maybe you’ll take this in a completely different interpretive direction and be happy? See. Art. (Matt Bond) 

Perhaps I haven’t been paying as much attention as I should, but I’m unsure what happened to FKA Twigs in the years between LP1 and her second album, Magdalene, released late this year. The reason I mention this is because I’m unsure at what point exactly she became Kate Bush. For the younger kids playing along, Kate Bush was an art/baroque rock/pop singer/songwriter from the 70s and 80s who sounded much like….FKA Twigs. Has anyone seen either of them in the same room at the same time? No? Has anyone noticed bushes are made of sticks and...twigs? The FKA Bush conspiracy theory continues. (Jo Michelmore)

#104. SILVER
by DMA'S





It's funny that I think of you right now
Knowing all the years that turned to clouds

Never one to shy away from admitting they are extremely late to the party, I can finally say in 2019 I’m a big fan of DMA’S. I can’t even explain how I’ve managed to avoid them all this time. Not listening to the radio much helps. But I did hear ‘Silver’ and now I’m kicking myself for not getting into them sooner because this makes me really, really happy. Like smile on the face happy. Are all the DMA’S songs this romantic? I look forward to finding out for myself. (Matt Bond)

#103. NICK CAVE
by Thelma Plum





I don't hate her, I hate you
It's not her fault, this one's on you

A little bit awkward and a whole lot sad. This reminds me of some of Thelma Plum’s earliest releases that captured that first sentence so well, as only she can. It’s kind of crazy to think Plum has been releasing for the last decade and we’ve only just seen the release of her debut album, but it’s also genuinely amazing to see an artist that can still capture the same magic in a song after all this time. ‘Nick Cave’ finds Plum is the role of the other woman, albeit reluctantly and willing to call old mate out on being a dick for putting her in this position. Unenviable and forgivable...  but working at Mrs. Flannery’s? Don’t know about that, Ms. Plum. So much to love and one of the best singalong choruses of the year. (Matt Bond) 

 

 

There is a special something that incredible artists and incredibly good pop songs all share – the ability to be relatable. There is a line in this song that tells the tale of one of the most relatable situations anyone with a social media account will have either been in, or dread. And if you’ve heard the song, you know the line, which is as amusing as it is horrifying, much like social media itself. Thelma Plum's brand of pop is exactly as pop should be; totally relatable, totally incredible, totally the best. (Jo Michelmore)

#102. THE REAL THING
by Client Liaison





Everybody's a winner
But there's more to reach than just the finish line

I’ve never been quite sure whether Client Liaison are absolutely taking the piss and have made a very successful career out of it or whether they’ve managed to travel through time and bring their fashion to the future, that is now, with them, or whether the other option, they just really like the 80s. To be honest, I’d be happy with any of these options, because those 80s synths and mullets are a welcome feel, in any decade. They manage to make pop positive without being overbearing, keeping dance battles and funk riffs alive in a world that can sometimes feel too much number 101 than number 102. Don’t tell me you don’t love it. No offence Lana. (Jo Michelmore)

#101. CALIFORNIA
by Lana Del Rey





You said to a friend that you wish you were doing better
I wanted to reach out, but I never said a thing

Over the past couple of releases, Lana Del Rey has really carved out her own space in the musical world. She knows what her brand of music is and she’s not afraid to stick to it... in fact she keeps getting better at making the music that is so uniquely her with each new album. Maybe that’s why “Fucking Norman Rockwell” finds itself on the nominees list for Album of the Year at the next Grammy Awards. And it’s really no surprise it’s up for top honours when it has songs like ‘California’ that take a detour from your standard pop fare to tackle how to be a good friend to someone struggling with their mental health. There might be the standard Lana Del Rey dreamy vocals and vintage references in the lyrics for days but it’s sweet and effective and worth every single replay it has you hitting. And it’s probably the least California inspired song to have California in the title, so that’s a nice change of pace too. (Matt Bond)