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Dave Rooney writesCHIRP Radio Best of 2019: Dave Rooney
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Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2019. Our first list is from DJ Dave Rooney. Completing my first, full year as a sub-DJ with CHIRP, I offer these ten, enjoyable masterworks to consider as your own (big thanks to the diligent CHIRP Music Department, who put most of this music in front of me). Truth told: part of why I joined CHIRP was to reclaim what Neko Case referred to as that teenage feeling. Stuff we played this year might just as easily fitted on my mix tapes from 1982 (time permitting). Black Marble even released a single that shared the same title with a song I penned back then. Assuredly, their song was much better… Essentially, though, the following LPs were the true, long-players. |
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#1 The Gospel According to Water by Joe Henry (earMusic) |
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#2 LEGACY! LEGACY! by Jamila Woods (Jagjaguwar) |
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#3 The Livelong Day by Lankum (Rough Trade) |
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#4 Lookout Low by Twin Peaks (Grand Jury) |
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#5 Water by DEHD (Fire Talk) |
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#6 I Am Easy to Find by Mike Mills (filmmaker) & The National (4AD) |
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#7 Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten (Jagjaguwar) |
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#8 No Holiday by The Muffs (Omnivore) |
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#9 5 & 7 by Sault (Forever Living Originals) |
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#10 Too Late to Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots by Various Artists (Bloodshot) |
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The honorable without a number: |
For a long time, I admired Joe Henry’s business plan. I wondered -- was he hiring? The Gospel According to Water marks the fifteenth time he shared his solo work, in between collaborative twists as producer, songwriter, performer and teacher. He taught us how musicians let go and become one in service to the song.
This recording sneaked up on me like some favorites can. When the music video for GIOVANNI moved me to full tears -- that made me sit up, “What’s wrong with me?” I reminded myself that I was fine. I’m a grown man. Only then, it occurred to me, that was just it. I reconsidered my own legacy and marveled at the power of her music.
Preparing for a CHIRP show last March 17th, I searched new offerings from Ireland. A few discoveries were played (like Jafaris) but somehow, Lankum did not make the mix. Maybe the song’s lengths and slower-building tempos deterred me from selecting them. In fairness, the band’s early catalogue was recorded under a different name and The Livelong Day dropped later in the year. This full length deserved a complete listen through, anyway.
To avoid a David Lynch rabbit hole, we learned the best search words: “twin peaks dudes.” They expanded a vision beyond Chicago, for the Wales’ countryside and Ethan John’s production. Lookout Low tracked like an LP that celebrated influences and seemed made specifically for vinyl; another long-player for your collection.
Chicago’s DEHD delivered a thoroughgoing and consistently fun creation. As songwriters, they also gave us the best opening lyrics from a song this year: "Lucky / to have / people in my life with the power to break my heart / with love"
Although The National’s release was a good record, I chose to pull focus toward the Mike Mills’ short film with the same title. He (not the R.E.M. dude) took the recording’s elements and weaved them into a beautiful tone poem.
Remind Me Tomorrow kicked off 2019 inside a time machine. Since my listening to her started here -- without any preconceived idea what to expect, meaning, I didn’t hear the folk influences -- it played fresh. Combined with the visual aesthetics, I got flashes of Pat Benatar instead. Then I went back to discover what CHIRP fans knew all along and probably had mixed opinions about this one. For me, it tracked consistently throughout the entire year.
Health, life and mortality provided the backstory for a lot of releases this year; Joe Henry and Allison Moorer’s Blood, came to recollection. This record made me think about how often reality fuels urgency and then, our response to such things. Mostly, it sounded like an honest and direct testimony and a good rock record.
Thankfully, the bandwagon offered plenty of space to groove. Not wasting any time, Sault released another record and we found out a little more, though twenty-four songs did not seem like enough for one year. Ostentatiously, I wanted 1-4 and 8-10!
I’m happy CHIRP showcased this fun compilation featuring great artists and celebrating a fine, Chicago-based label. It came just in time to wrap up this exceptional year.
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