We back! Man, it’s been more than a hot minute since I’ve posted on this here blog. What can I say? Life got busy and there’s only so much late-night posting and content creation this body and mind can stand.
But, after putting the blog on ice for the fourth quarter of last year, I’m blowing off the cobwebs, wiping the dust from the keyboard, and playing some catch up before moving onto 2020.
First up, the annual In My Ear Playlist. Except for celebrating albums (i.e. really great albums that I listened to often and in full, versus just singles or individual tracks), I don’t do rankings or ratings. Overall, this is just a list of the songs, records, and artists who resonated with me the most over the course of 2019 and put out the best music I heard.
Apple Music subscribers can listen here.
Spotify subscribers can listen here.
In My Ear 2019-Quick-Hit Reflections and Themes
- Hip-hop and R&B artists/communities continue to be en fuego.
- E.g. Anderson .Paak. That dude was everyone and I rocked with everything he put out.
- I like country music?
- Genres don’t matter much anymore.
- Artists are feeling very introspective…and I found myself gravitating to those who did it quietly. A safe harbor?
- Vulnerability. There were a lot of artists who released incredibly personal records this year. It’s heartening that they felt the space and support to do so.
In My Ear 2019 Album Picks
- Angelo De Augustine – Tomb
- Naji – Misfit
- Little Simz – GREY Area
- Andrew Bird – My Finest Work Yet
- Liniker e os Caramelows – Goela Abaixo
- Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
- Loyle Carner – Not Waving, But Drowning
- Jade Bird – Jade Bird
- Patty Griffin – Patty Griffin
- Anderson .Paak – Ventura
- ALASKALASKA – The Dots
- Billy Woods & Kenny Segal – Hiding Places
- Black Pumas – Black Pumas
- IDER – Emotional Education
- Juls – Colour
- YBN Cordae – The Lost Boy
- Mahalia – Love and Compromise
- The Highwomen – The Highwomen
- Rapsody – Eve
- Sampa the Great – The Return
- Free Nationals – Free Nationals
In My Ear 