Hits
- Alter Bridge – Walk the Sky
- Bring Me the Horizon – amo
- Dream Theater – Distance over Time
- Jimmy Eat World – Surviving
- The Maine – You Are OK
- Rammstein – RAMMSTEIN
- The Raven Age – Conspiracy
- Set It Off – Midnight
- Sum 41 – Order in Decline
- Tool – Fear Inoculum
- Work of Art – Exhibits
Misses
- Blind Guardian Twilight Orchestra – Legacy of the Dark Lands
- Khalid – Free Spirit
- Labrinth, Sia & Diplo present… LSD
- Logic – Supermarket (Soundtrack) & Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
- Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust?
- Saint Asonia – Flawed Design
- Switchfoot – Native Tongue
Shoutouts
Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell!
The hype is justified. One of the best pop records of the last decade.
Taylor Swift – Lover
The first six songs are OK, but from then on in, it’s a solid pop album.
Weezer – Weezer (Teal Album)
Great interpretations of songs I love.
Top 5 Albums
- The Maine – You Are OK
A really mature effort from a band that has grown in leaps and bounds from it’s early pop punk outings. Played it a lot when it first came out and going back to it, it’s still really enjoyable.
- Jimmy Eat World – Surviving
I will insist this is their best record since Futures. The last couple of albums have been a bit all over the shop, but this one is where they finally refined their sound and got it back to where I think it’s still familiar but quite new.
- Bring Me the Horizon – amo
Never ever would have thought I would give BMTH credit, but it’s what a mainstream rock album would sound like in 2019. The electro/synth vibe and the overall lack of the scream vocals have alienated the old school fans, but I think it’s their best work yet.
- Work of Art – Exhibits
With a credits list that features some of the biggest and best in 70s/80s AOR, this continues on the platform set by their previous record. Stunning vocal work, killer guitar, wonderful keyboard work, it’s all you would really want out of a proper throwback-style album.
- Dream Theater – Distance over Time
One of DT’s top five albums ever. Yes, I said it. (Images and Words, Awake, Scenes from a Memory and Octavarium are the other four) The perfect response to those, like me, who thought they over indulged a little bit on The Astonishing. All the influences are there, but there are very strong Deep Purple, Rush and especially Yes vibes in places. Utter prog metal brilliance.