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KTC Presents: The Best Songs & Albums of 2019
Killing the Cabinet is a collective of 3 zealous music fanatics with exceptionally diverse tastes and opinions, brought together by our mutual love of music and a passion for sharing the artists, songs and albums that make us feel some type of way.
Each year, we tally up our end of year lists and present what we think are the best songs and albums within that 365 day timespan. Typically, there’s one or two songs or albums that overlap, which usually indicates a stellar body of work as it appeals across the board. This year, that is not the case! There’s no overlap, and that diversity is the standout element of KTC that makes us so unique. We’re not bound to any genres; we’re open to all sorts of sounds and vibrations, and we’re honest about what hits us and what doesn’t. When something resonates with all 3 of us, the excitement is unparalleled. We live for that.
As we approach our 9th year as a blog, one thing is abundantly clear: we have all changed drastically since we first started this thing. Hell, Charissa is married! Life is obviously much different in 2020, but our passion for music remains the same. Here are the albums & songs that made a significant impact and served as (part of) the soundtrack to our lives in 2019.
AURORA’S PICKS
Top 10 Songs (in no particular order):
James Blake ft Andre 3000 – “Where’s the Catch”
Madame Ghandi – “Waiting For Me”
Free Nationals – “Eternal Light”
Space Kadet – “Oumuamua”
Zaia – “Waste My Time” & “Blue”
Kyan – “Neighbours” & “L.A.”
JIMIJAME$ – “Too Late”
Tool – “Pneuma”
Apparat – “DAWAN””
H.E.R. – “Good To Me”
SiR ft Kendrick Lamar – “Hair Down”
Top 5 Albums:
Tool Fear Inoculum
Sabrina Claudio Truth Is
Lana Del Rey Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Space Kadet Simulated Reality
Daniel Caesar CASE STUDY 01
Honorable Mentions:
Tone Ranger On the Horizon EP
Spaga Spaga
CHARISSA’S PICKS
Top 10 Songs (In order):
Babe Rainbow – “Morning Song”
SOAK – “Everybody Loves You”
Lizzo – “Cuz I Love You”
Hozier – “Would That I”
Grace VanderWaal – “Intro (Gucci Shoes)”
White Reaper – “Real Long Time”
Petey – “Apple TV Remote”
The Lumineers – “Donna”
JR JR – “Won’t Last Long”
Broods – “Life After”
Coldplay – “Orphans”
Ra Ra Riot – “A Check for Daniel”
Nothing better than to start off with a track that invites you to blink your eyes open to the mesmerizing Australian oceanside sunrise. After walking with koalas and feeling quite pleasant, SOAK does a little wringing of your heart reminding you that songs are also for sharing emotions of the heart as well as chill vibes. Lizzo and Hozier continue on with this mindset, but rather in a more power position than SOAK. Grace VaderWaal has always been on my radar, being one of my favorite female vocalists, and how her album intro begins is intoxicating, particularly with such mature production. Upping up the beats, since this is the slowest start to any of my playlists ever, White Reaper comes in and does what they do best but with a more 80s pop-rock vibe than their usual punk angst. The most surprising track on here yet is the mysterious Petey and the song that wowed my socks off, just making the list (by weeks!). Finally tumbling into the folk and indie rock typical picks comes two of my top bands, the latter a song choice that felt based on my present mood due to every track off of their album being EOY list-worthy. Broods emotional final song off their record easily made it on here, prepping the listener to connect with themselves and those they have loved and lost as Coldplay then erupts the feeling of loss across continents. After reading the meaning of “Orphans,” I still have trouble getting through the track without tearing up. A lot of that having to do with a former student of mine whose family actually went through the escape of Syria. Finally, just when your heart has broken and the swirl of pain and hope feel quite overwhelming, Ra Ra Riot reminds us all the impeccable balance of music. Killer guitar riffs and quirky danceable moments raise our spirits to let it all float away and grin-spreading freedom of the contagious beat consoles the sadness that has since drained away.
Tracks Discovered A Year Too Late:
Car Seat Headrest – “Bodys”
Miya Folick – “Stop Talking”
Top 5 Albums:
JR JR – Invocations / Conversations
Broods – Don’t Feed The Pop Monster
Chance the Rapper – The Big Day
Babe Rainbow – Today
The Lumineers – III
MATT’S PICKS
Top 10 Concerts of 2019:
Phoenix: Tokyo, Japan – Shibuya Hall
We Are The City: Paris, France – Supersonic
Weezer: Indio, CA – Coachella
The 1975: Tokyo, Japan – Summer Sonic
The Rapture: Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Hall
Tool: Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
Twenty One Pilots: Paris, France Accorhotels Arena
Massive Attack: Paris, France – Zenith
MGMT: Osaka, Japan – Summer Sonic
Metallica: San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Bonus: ODESZA: Los Angeles, CA LA Historical Park
Top Album:
White Lies – Five
Songs (in no particular order):
White Lies – “Kick Me”
We Are The City – “Killer B-Side Music”
Tame Impala – “It Might Be Time”
Cigarettes After Sex – “Heavenly”
Ride – “Clouds of Saint Marie”