My Album-Lover’s Honor Roll for 2019 (as of June 3, 2019)
(bolded items are new additions to the ongoing list)
- Little Simz: Grey Area
- Various Artists: A Day in the Life–Impressions of Pepper*
- Jamila Woods: Legacy! Legacy!
- Beyoncé: Homecoming
- Royal Trux: White Stuff
- Control Top: Covert Contracts
- Senyawa: Sujud*
- Billie Eilish: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
- Yugen Blakrok: Anima Mysterium
- James Brandon Lewis: An Unruly Manifesto
- Damon Locks / Black Monument Ensemble: Where Future Unfolds
- Kel Assouf: Black Tenere
- The Comet is Coming: Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
- Aesop Rock & TOBACCO: Malibu Ken
- Heroes Are Gang Leaders: The Amiri Baraka Sessions
- Mdou Moctar: Ilana (The Creator)
- 2 Chainz: Rap or Go to the League
- Dave: PSYCHODRAMA
- Quelle Chris: Guns
- Ben Lamar Gay: Confetti in the Sky Like Fireworks
- Tanya Tagaq: Toothsayer EP
- Steve Lacy: Apollo XXI
- Various Artists: Weaponize Your Sound
- Lizzo: Cuz I Love You
- DKV and Joe McPhee: The Fire Each Time
- The New Orleans Dance Hall Quartet: Tricentennial Hall Dance 17. October
- Joachim Kuhn: Melodic Ornette Coleman—Piano Works XIII
- The Coathangers: The Devil You Know
- Megan Thee Stallion: Fever
- Lee Scratch Perry: Rainford
- Joel Ross: Kingmaker
- Flying Lotus: Flamagra
- Angel-Ho: Death Becomes Her
- Usted Saami: God is Not a Terrorist
- Youssou N’Dour: History
- Guitar Wolf: Love & Jett
- LPX: Junk of the Heart (EP)
- Deerhunter: Death in Midsummer
- Various Artists: Typical Girls Three
- Various Artists: Travailler, C’est Trop Dur–The Lyrical Legacy of Caesar Vincent
- Nots: 3
- Judy and The Jerks: Music for Donuts
- Tyler, The Creator: IGOR
- Fennesz: Agora
- Salif Keita: Un autre blanc
- Robert Forster: Inferno
- Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty
- The Art Ensemble of Chicago: We Are On the Edge
- Ibibio Sound Machine: Doko Mien
- Solange: When I Get Home
- Freddie Douggie: Live on Juneteenth
- Joe McPhee / John Butcher: At the Hill of James Magee
- Branford Marsalis Quartet: The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul
- Helado Negro: This is How You Smile
- Ahmed Ag Kaedy: Akaline Kidal
- Lost Bayou Ramblers: Rodents of Unusual Size (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)
- slowthai: Great About Britain
- Silkroad Assassins: State of Ruin
- Mekons: Deserted
- Zeal & Ardor: Live in London
- Que Vola: Que Vola
- Miguel: Te Lo Dije EP
- Mary Faust: Farm Fresh
- Kelsey Lu: Blood
- Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba: Miri
- Hama: Houmeissa
- Steve Earle: Guy
- Mdou Moctar: Blue Stage Session
- Beth Gibbons with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki): Henryk Gorecki—Symphony #3 (Symphony of Sorrow Songs)
- Ill Considered: 5
- Leyla McCalla: Capitalist Blues
- Girls on Grass: Dirty Power
- Stella Donnelly: Beware of the Dogs
- Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature
- Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising
- Shovels & Rope: By Blood
- The King Khan Experience: Turkey Ride
- Angel Bat Dawid: The Oracle
- Better Oblivion Community Center: Better Oblivion Community Center
- Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez: Duologue
- Spiral Stairs: We Wanna Be Hyp-No-Tized
- Our Native Daughters: Songs of Our Native Daughters
- Rosie Flores: A Simple Case of The Blues
- CZARFACE & Ghostface Killah: Czarface Meets Ghostface
- Jenny Lewis: On the Line
*Technically, these are 2018 releases, but for now, I’m claiming their impact is being felt more strongly this year.
New Releases of Older Material
- Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet
- Burnt Sugar: 20th Anniversary Mixtapes—Groiddest Schizznits, Vols. 1-3
- Various Artists: Outro Tempo II–Electronic and Contemporary Music from Brazil 1984-1996
- Various Artists: All the Young Droogs–60 Juvenile Delinquent Wrecks
- Primal Scream: Maximum Rock ‘n’ Roll—The Singles
- Various Artists: Rhapsody in Bronze
- Sir Shina Peters and His Internation Stars: Sewele
- Various Artists: Nigeria 70–No Wahala, Highlife, Afro-Funk & Juju 1973-1987
- Lee Moses: How Much Longer Must I Wait? Singles & Rarities 1965-1972
- Terry Allen & The Panhandle Mystery Band: Pedal Steal + Four Corners
Living To Listen 
Phil, glad to see you have found somethings to which you can listen, incl. some Joe McPhee, Haven’t been able to listen to much new music for various reasons – and almost none of your list (Beyonce and Youssou on order; Harriet Tubman – high hopes – and Stella Donnelly and Billie Eilish – nervous about them -are awaiting an opportunity.) Intrigued by a new Art Ensemble and the Art Pepper Tribute. Carsie Blanton? Vampire Weekend? A 2019 recommendation: Kate Vargas, ” For the Wolfish”, charming and substantial – I like it a lot (and you already may have dismissed it,) Will have to figure how to work my Spotify. Michael
I despise VW, and Blanton’s singing irritates me. Art Ensemble is pretty good, but could use more Moor Mother. Eilish is pretty great; Donnelly not as consistent and much slighter. I will check into your recommendation!