Throughout December, CHIRP Radio presents its volunteers’ top albums of 2019. Our next list is from DJ (Fridays 10PM-12AM) Joanna.

I am delighted to include so many local acts in my favorites list-- due in part to becoming a DJ earlier this year and the other part to being an avid CHIRP listener, which I am first and foremost. Here's a whittled down list of albums I returned to and/or that moved me in a particular way, for any number of reasons (over-explainy, I know).

Purple Mountains by Purple Mountains (Drag City)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

RIP David Berman. Even more poignant since his passing.

Olivia Neutron-John EP by Olivia Neutron-John (Sister Polygon)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Do EP's count? I loved this 5-track groover.

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka (Polydor Ltd.)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Beautiful vocals and orchestration. Rolling is the song I want playing when I walk into a room.

Two Hands by Big Thief (4AD)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

I think I sat perfectly still the first time I listened to this album in order to feel it all.

Field Whispers (Into the Crystal Palace) by Fire-Toolz (Orange Milk)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Local Chicago artist Angel Marcloid doing fascinating, humorous, and really brilliant sound collage mash-ups that work better than I'd ever believe. Scratches a lot of itches for me.

Raw Honey by Drugdealer (Kemado d/b/a Mexican Summer)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

An AM gold toe-tapper. And I just realized Gold Toe are old man socks, so that kind of works.

Bounce House by The Curls (Diversion)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Proggy. Arty. Funny. Is it condescending to call them goofs? I mean it in the best way.

Exposure Therapy by Wingtips (Artoffact)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Sometimes you feel like a goof, sometimes you want to wear eyeliner and be gloomy like your screaming teen-innards want.

The Seduction of Kansas by Priests (Sister Polygon)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Tough and menacing.

Heavy Handed by Pixel Grip (Feeltrip)
BUY: Reckless / Amazon

Both crunchy and dreamy synths. For me, it's catchy, dark pop.

Weyes Blood, Titanic Rising; Sharon Van Etten, Remind Me Tomorrow; Guerilla Toss, What Would the Odd Do? EP; Ex Hex, It's Real; Thigh Master, Now For Example; Sudan Archives, Athena; Jamila Woods, LEGACY! LEGACY!