I Don't Hear A Single Albums Of The Year 2019 : 51 - 60

It's been difficult to get these choices down to 100. I'm also not a believer in saying one album is better than another. Most of the time you are comparing Apples To Oranges. I'm not a List person, I just think what's the point.

However, for the last couple of years I have compiled Best Of 2019, normally I just said what my favourite album of the year is. I've done it again, because these posts seem so popular and the aim of this Blog is to get exposure (and Sales) for the artists.

There is no meaning or judgement on an album that is Number 1, Number 100 or not on the list. Anything that I review on here, mention on Social Media or play on the Radio Show is as highly recommended.

I would also add that the Top 100 includes albums available as Download Only. To suggest that they are anything less than equal to a Physical release is patently nonsense and omits many wonderful albums.

I will compile a Top 20 of Reissues and Compilations combined after all this is complete. For each album, I've posted a song from it and a link to the review, where you can find further details on how to listen or buy the album.



51 Erk - When Night Meets Day       IDHAS Review








52 Big Nothing - Chris       IDHAS Review









53 Berwanger - Watching A Garden Die       IDHAS Review









54 Cabana Wear - Cabana Wear       IDHAS Review









55 Onesie - Umpteenth       IDHAS Review








56 Mike Adams At His Honest Weight - There Is No Feeling Better      IDHAS Review









57 Matthew Milia - Alone At St. Hugo      IDHAS Review









58 The Warhawks - Never Felt So Good       IDHAS Review








59 The High Strung - Quiet Riots       IDHAS Review







60 Wrinkles - Other Days       IDHAS Review







.......

Berwanger - Watching A Garden Die

Josh Berwanger's adventures have marked a move from Indie Guitar "Dude" Rock towards a more Pop related direction. The Exorcism Rock album hinted at how melodic he could be, although the Pop seemed to be fighting it out with the Indie sentiments. You can read the IDHAS Review here and the title track is an absolute monster of a song.

The third album again showcased Berwanger's gentler side, particularly on the likes of the wonderful New Guitar. There's also been a reunion tour from the reformed The Anniversary, who were on as great form as ever. There's also been last year's Radar State album, Strays.

Stray was a real rock out and the tie up with The Get Up Kids' Matt Pryor and Jim Suptic provided a great heads down Guitar album that seemed to indicate that Josh was heading back to the riffs. So although I knew Album Number Four would be ace, there's a sense of pedigree now, I was completely taken aback by it's direction.






Watching A Garden Die is released on 28 June and it's Pop Rocktastic. It's a wonderfully laid back affair, you are more likely to hear a steel, rather than a lead, guitar. The album feels incredibly personal and those pop hints are now shouting out to be heard. The album is gentle, less electric, relying more on Piano than six strings.

From the soft psych pop mellowness of Turn Off Your Mind to the hand clapping toe tapping of Bad Vibrations, the album is a revelation. The Acoustic, Even The Darkness Doesn't Know is all Simon And Garfunkel, Long Way Down has a killer chorus and the steel guitar and harmonica of The Business Of Living is a real West Coast is a weeping joy.

Watching A Garden Die is a very grown up affair, I'm not sure all of the kidz will be as mad keen on it as I am. The lack of electric guitar is more than compensated by the pensive heartfelt songwriting. This is an absolute stormer of an album. You can and should pre order it here now.

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Berwanger - Exorcism Rock

Today was gonna be a version of The Garden Of Earthly Delights, but my concern is that the four artists who appear in that regular column don't get the attention that they derserve, so I've gone for four shorter stand alone reviews.

Josh Berwanger was part of The Anniversary, a great underrated band who developed from something that was more like EMO to Classic Rock. Well Berwanger is his now his muse and they take that Classic Rock and Pop it up considerably. Don't be fooled by the album cover this is great Pop Rock.





The title track, above, starts with a Power Metal riff but advances into a great FM song with a singalong chorus and a great solo from Ricky Salthouse. Rats And Cats is great Power Pop. Booty Shake is pure Tom Petty and Guess You Weren't Wrong could be The Raspberries.

It's the mix of killer guitar mixed with Power Pop choruses that makes this such a fine album. That guitar is much harder than the usual Pop Rings, Chimes and Jangles and that's what distinguishes Exorcism Rock from the every day.

A stomper of an album!!!




You can listen to the album and buy it here. You should do one then the other.