I wonder if listening to music albums is still a common habit in this day and age. Sales of physical CDs are increasingly rare, while streaming / downloading can make it easier for listeners to determine playlists according to their individual tastes. I myself want to consider listening to the album is a special time I watched an artist show "themselves", with the material and order of songs according to the artist's intended, really time to "listen", then later I feel the case I enjoy it or not. Yes, I have to admit that I also rarely give time to search and listen to more albums in 2019, so what I put on the list this time may not necessarily be "my favorite", but at least I can enjoy it from the initial track to the final track .
My Top 10 Albums of 2019
10. Marion - Marion Jola
It's usually normal if the Indonesian Idol champion is not always the most skyrocketed career in music. This is proven again by the presence of Marion Jola, the sixth champion in his generation, gliding not only as a recording singer whose song is circulating everywhere (perhaps surpassing other contestants), but also as a singer who has character. The crisp sound was captured by the producers who then presented it in urban-pop music which turned out to be very suitable. That was even more evident from Marion's debut album, which not only contained a series of catchy songs, but wrote a clear thread in terms of sound, not just "what is important to have an album".
9. Weezer (Teal Album) - Weezer
Two reasons are enough to place this album of cover songs on my list. First, the choice of songs (mostly from 1980-1990s) slick and occasionally unexpected will be chosen by rock / power pop bands like them (TLC's "No Scrubs" anyone?). And secondly, they are not trying to alter the songs they cover, instead they can say the notation and style are almost exactly the same as the original songs, only different on the instruments used. What it really is, but it sounds sincere and makes me happy to hear it.
8. III - The Lumineers
The Lumineers' songs usually contain stories, but specifically on this third album they really made a plot that was told through 10 tracks. Regarding what the story is, fortunately, it is helped by the visualization of a music video that has ten of them already on YouTube, which is definitely rather tragic and dark. For me, The Lumineers has succeeded in creating the mood of every phase that I want to tell, from the sweet to the angsty, so listening to this song is not just looking for a track which can be a favorite, but deserves to be a "full experience".
7. Pikiran dan Perjalanan - Barasuara
Barasuara with his poetic and experimental rock music impressed me on their first album Taifun (2015). I am quite aware that it will be difficult to follow up an album that has such a great variety and composition. Yes really, my impression of their second album is not as strong as before. However, the good thing about Barasuara is that there must be something new in each of their tracks, both from the sound and the lyrics, even though it is not as distinct as the first album. And, whether due to title suggestions or how, listening to this album in its entirety remains a fun experience, especially when I'm on the road,
6. Hometown - ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
When I first knew AKG, they were often compared to Weezer. The universe turned out to be very funny, since vocalist Weezer, Rivers Cuomo married a Japanese and made frequent interactions with local musicians, finally in 2018 Cuomo created songs with AKG * mindblown *, there were a total of 2 tracks on this album. Apart from that, Hometown carries out an AKG side that is not too experimental, but also not completely distorted. They also reflect a little more calm at the same time here emphasize the melody, which is definitely not a bad thing.
5. re.gen.er.ate - Endah N Rhesa
It has been a while, the husband and wife's acoustic duo again released an original album with a glance in English as their first three albums in the period 2005-2015. Obviously they are not only instrumental acoustic guitar and bass, here they also add the help of a number of other sounds while still having a minimalist concept. For me, this album feels stronger vibe positive, make smiles and make it comfortable. It could be because here there are more songs that are rhythmic pop, even there is R & B too, although traces of folk and blues are still there.
4. Traveler - Official HIGE DANdism
I'm excited to finally be able to find a new J-Pop artist that I can enjoy more than one or two songs. Since the single "Stand By You" that I liked so much last year, the piano-pop band launched a series of singles that were consistent with their uplifting music, then the album showed them more ammunition that was very exciting from them: 14 tracks that included elements of dance, R&B, soul, groove with J-Pop flavor. The whole album is so easily enjoyed in full and repetitive.
3. Romansa ke Masa Depan - Glenn Fredly
We may not be too aware that for almost a decade Glenn did not make an original solo album, and during that time the Indonesian people were rather stuck with his previous hits. The presence of this album, I sure say, can add to the hit list. The whole album is just like Glenn's first known: pop-urban music with layers, qualified vocals, notes that are easy to remember, simple love lyrics, but there are also lyrics with the theme of social unrest. However, Glenn can arrange the familiar sounds fresh and new, not to mention the hiphop and country (!) Colors along with some guest artists that make this album more exciting.
2. Taller - Jamie Cullum
My attention to Cullum was somewhat interrupted for several years, until finally I tried again to listen to this latest album. And oh boy, Cullum hasn't changed, in the sense that he ventured to cut through the boundaries that compose himself as a "jazz artist". This time the red thread on the album Taller (the title might be an in-joke because the mas is often considered short =)) what I caught was that Cullum made soul, R&B, blues, to hiphop, but with his distinctive character. Still interspersed with a few minimalist songs accompanied by piano playing, the album which was all original written (and also co-written) by Cullum himself is clearly one of Cullum's very enjoyable works.
1. LEXICON - Isyana Sarasvati
One thing I am still surprised about is Sony Music Indonesia, which I used to consider to be very "major label", allowing an Isyana to make an album like this. LEXICON is definitely not a pop album, even if you may mention it, this is an opera / classical / crossover album - Isyana does have a background in classical music, which is very rarely made by our artists. And she actually made a great one. The music that has been collected in Isyana's musical bank seems to be poured out on eight of her original tracks in an album that is carefully and dramatically conceptualized: minimalist, full orchestra, and metal (!). The songs themselves still have a tone that can be accepted by pop listeners, the poetic lyrics are not too puzzling, but it will be felt that the exploration carried out this time makes Isyana sound more loose and free, that her great talent is no longer being held back. Brava!