My Top 5 Albums Of 2019

2019 was great for music. As it comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on some of the best projects that were released throughout the past year. Today, I will be ranking and explaining my top 5 favorite albums released in the past year. Let’s get down to business.

Honorable mentions: thank u, next by Ariana Grande, Charli by Charli XCX, All My Heroes Are Cornballs by JPEGMAFIA, MAGDALENE by FKA twigs, Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey

5. WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish: A breakout star whose popularity spread so rampantly that many thought of her as an industry plant, Billie Eilish is starting to cement herself as one of the best alternative pop artists making music today. The blood, sweat, and tears that she and her brother put into creating this wonderfully creative, dark, and revealing album becomes quickly apparent upon listening, and the replay-ability of this project is undeniable. I cannot wait to see which direction Billie takes musically moving forward, because her debut album was one of the best of 2019.

4. The Highwomen by The Highwomen: I never thought I would like a “country” album as much as I enjoyed this one. The four delightfully talented women who have assembled this blues supergroup released one of the most compelling albums of the year in their self-titled debut project. I found myself humming the choruses to these songs repeatedly and constantly reflecting on the heartfelt lyricism offered here. That lyricism is supported by astounding vocal performances throughout, and this album is jam-packed with very uplifting and positive themes while still heart-wrenching at times. Great stuff here.

3. Assume Form by James Blake: This album was one of my most-listened-to in 2019, and for good reason. James Blake is realizing his full potential as an artist, and the refined nature of Assume Form proves that he’s ready to take the next step in his musical career. Relatable themes, tasteful features, and incredible vocals make this project an incredibly enjoyable listen. Plus, he was great live when my girlfriend saw him locally in February.

2. GINGER by BROCKHAMPTON: While not as explosively braggadocios as the group’s SATURATION trilogy or their uniquely aggressive IRIDESCENCE, GINGER is just of compelling of a project for me as their others, if not more so. This project finally unpacks the departure of former member Ameer Vann, not holding back from sharing the emotional impact that his removal had on the rest of the group. This is as introspective as the boy band has gotten yet, and I’m here for it. Plus, this project is still full of the classic bangers that put these guys on the map in the first place. Again, they are great live and I highly suggest checking them out.

1. IGOR by Tyler, The Creator: They grow up so fast. All jokes aside, Tyler’s evolution as an artist and a person over the past few years is nothing short of awe-inspiring. He prefaced this album making sure his fans knew that this project would be nothing like any of his previous work, which was entirely accurate to say the least. This project is experimental yet immediately familiar, and Tyler’s unabashed emotional vulnerability and honesty adds to this album’s narrative beautifully and compellingly. He put on an incredible show when I was able to see him in October, and the production accompanied by the wonderful story-telling of this project makes it difficult to not call it a 10/10. It’s definitively my favorite album of the year.

The subjectivity of music and of art in general is what makes it so appealing to me. Virtually everyone’s opinions and tastes are different at least slightly, which is why I like to hear the rationale behind others’ favorite pieces of music, art, film, or any other medium. What were your top 5 albums of the year? Do you agree with my reasoning? Let me know. More coming soon.

Why I'm Excited For Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker

It has been nearly two years since the release of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, which means another installment from the beloved series is right around the corner. Although the Rian-Johnson-directed effort wasn’t everyone’s favorite, and I wasn’t necessarily thrilled with the direction they took the series, I’m still incredibly excited to see Episode IX in just a couple of weeks. Here’s why.

JJ Abrams is back at the helm. I thought Episode VII: The Force Awakens was fantastic, and Abrams also directed that film. I think bringing him back to conclude this iconic saga is the right decision, and I have no doubts that all of the storylines we’ve grown so obsessed with will be tied up nicely. That’s not the only reason I’m excited, though.

The trailers have been outstanding for this film. The choice of music, visuals, and plot teases have me completely enthralled and intrigued as to where Episode IX is going to go. These trailers have brought out my inner theorist as I try to predict what will happen. Will Rey go bad? Will Kylo redeem himself? Is Baby Yoda involved? Time will tell. Unfortunately, Baby Yoda probably won’t be involved.

I will also be continuing an amazing tradition of seeing Star Wars movies during their premiere weekend with my family and girlfriend in downtown Chicago, one of my favorite places in the world, especially around Christmas time. I have lots of nostalgia from growing up watching Star Wars, and I have no doubt that The Rise Of Skywalker will be able to bring out my inner-child regardless of what happens with the story.

So that’s why I’m so excited. I know I should be going into this movie with low expectations and high skepticism, but I can’t help but look forward to the simplicity of good vs. bad, blue vs. red, and seeing plenty of characters I’ve grown to love on the big screen. Are you excited to see Star Wars Episode IX?

A Mid-Season Perspective From A Chicago Sports Fan

As Thanksgiving turns into Black Friday and Christmas is right around the corner, the NFL regular season is nearing completion and the NBA season is settling in nicely. As a Chicago sports fan this year really should no different than usual, with me being disappointed in my teams and all, but for some reason I’m remaining optimistic about the futures of my beloved Bears and Bulls.

Let’s start with the Bears. As we all know, last year’s winning season led by one of the best defenses in the league ended abruptly with Cody Parkey’s infamous double-doink. Even through that heartbreak, there was the promise of a potentially bright future in the Windy City. This season has had its ups and downs, with lots of upset fans ready to move on from former second overall draft pick QB Mitchell Trubisky. I’m not one of those fans. Last season, every Bears fan was praising him as the franchise quarterback Chicago has been waiting for for years. His struggles this season (which really aren’t all that bad) are against one of the most difficult schedules in the league. Some minor changes in this upcoming offseason paired with an easier schedule next year could lead to another playoff run for my Chicago Bears - it’s too soon to blow it all up already.

The Bulls are in a similar position. A disappointing 6-13 opening to the season has led to many fans wanting to completely restart the rebuilding process. I was lucky enough to see this exciting young team play the local Atlanta Hawks thanks to my amazing girlfriend getting tickets for us, and the Bulls’ route of the Hawks made me very optimistic for this young team’s future. The building blocks are there, they just need to be coached and given the experience needed to realize their full potential. There are still bright moments, though, like their recent come-from-behind miracle win against Charlotte or Zach Lavine’s 360 fast break dunks. Too soon to give up on this young team.

Maybe it’s just me maturing and taking sports results less seriously than I used to, but I’m feeling much more optimistic than I should be about the Bears’ and Bulls’ futures. I’m just glad that I get to watch young, entertaining teams with the hope of a bright future for these franchises. Their time will come.

Best Foot Forward: A Sneaker Series (Part 8)

The stage is set, and you know what that thumbnail means: A low-lighting and slightly blurry picture of four of my shoes signifies another new installment of my Best Foot Forward series. I knew this day would come eventually, but I have to admit it’s here sooner than I was expecting… this is going to be the last part of this series for a long time. I’m still going to be posting other topics regularly (especially once this semester wraps up), but I’ve simply run out of sneakers to cover after this post is uploaded. This is bittersweet because I wish I had more to share on the blog, but I’ve been able to reflect on the collection that I love so much. That’s okay, though, as there are many more series that I’ll be able to begin shortly. For now, lets check out these last four pairs.

Pair 1 (Upper Left): Air Jordan 6 Retro “Infrared”

These are the sneakers that Michael Jordan wore as he transcended the rest of the league and began what would go on to become one of the most prolific NBA Finals careers of all time. After years of coming up short of the finals, the 1991 Chicago Bulls made it to the biggest stage and beat the Los Angeles Lakers handedly in their series, 4-1. As we all know now, Michael Jordan went on to win 5 more final series without a single finals loss, but it all started with ring #1 in the Jordan 6. Happy to have this pair in my collection.

Pair 2 (Upper Right): Timberland 6-Inch Construction Boot in Black

All black everything. I talked about the brown alternative to these boots in this post, and even though they are the same model, these two pairs of Timberland 6-inch boots are entirely different vibes. This pair has become a streetwear staple in 2019 after years of popularity in the 2000’s. I like to pair these with rugged streetwear fits and pieces like my distressed black denim jacket. Perfect boots for frigid winter days.

Pair 3 (Lower Left): Represent Work Boot in Black Leather

To the untrained eye, these look incredibly similar to the black Timberlands I just talked about. That’s the case for the trained eye, too… the two are very similar boots. The main difference and reason that I like these so much, though, is that they’re able to be dressed up more than black Timbs but less than black SLP Wyatts. These are a perfect middle-ground pair of boots with a very comfortable and durable crepe sole. I need to show these more love.

Pair 4 (Lower Right): Nike Killshot II in Navy / Gum

Reddit’s favorite sneaker, and for good reason. This pair goes with almost every outfit. I primarily wear these in the summer and spring because the navy swoosh doesn’t go with my primarily black fall/winter wardrobe, but that isn’t to say they’re condemned to the closet for the cold months. These are very reasonably priced, look better with wear, and bring together most warm-weather outfits.

And that concludes Best Foot Forward: A Sneaker Series for now. I’m sure there will be occasional future installments as I add more pairs to the collection, but with my current mindset of quality over quantity, that may take some time. That’s okay, though. This series has allowed serious reflection on my collection and led me to be very grateful for the amazing and diverse collection I’ve been fortunate enough to cultivate. Thank you for reading, learning, and appreciating such a random thing like sneakers with me. You’ll hear from me again soon.

Album Review: MAGDALENE - FKA twigs

2019 is continuing to prove to be an extremely strong year when it comes to musical releases. After hearing lots of buzz online about FKA twigs’ newest singles for her upcoming album MAGDALENE, I decided to check it out upon its release. I’m glad I did, as this project has already secured a spot on my top 10 projects of the year. Let me break down why I enjoyed it as much as I did.

First of all, I’m entirely pleased that there has been such a healthy offering of amazing projects from strong female voices this year. The Highwomen, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, Little Simz, Lizzo, Charli XCX, and now FKA twigs have released fantastic projects, and MAGDALENE is no exception. Its innovativeness and originality is hypnotizing, and FKA twigs is a siren with alluring vocals on almost every track. Her vocal ability is one of the album’s biggest appeals and a conduit for the introspective storytelling that takes place here. The production is simply fantastic, as well, and unlike anything I’ve heard before.

I’m a big fan of experimentation, and I was glad to find out that FKA twigs is not afraid to take risks. Tracks like “fallen alien” immediately catch my attention because they abandon traditional structure in order to convey a feeling not available through the norms of songwriting. I’ve been trying to compare this album to the sounds of other artists, and I’m having trouble doing so, which I think is a good thing. Bjork and James Blake have some sonic similarities, but no where near the emotional vulnerability of FKA twigs on this album. Some of the songs could’ve used slightly more direction and intent, but that doesn’t take away from this project too much for me.

I hadn’t kept up to date with the lead-up to this album, and didn’t listen to any of the singles beforehand, so I got to experience this project for the first time in its entirety. It was a very emotional and chilling listen for me, and that novelty hasn’t worn off even after multiple listens. FKA twigs is now on my radar, and MAGDALENE is one of my favorite albums of the year. Great stuff, go give it a listen.

Best tracks: “thousand eyes”, “home with you”, “holy terrain (ft. Future)”, “mary magdalene”, “fallen alien”, “cellophane”

Worst tracks: “sad day”

Score: 7/10