2019 is starting off just like the music rut so many college students find themselves in over winter break – cold and dark. To add some life back into your playlists and kickstart what will (eventually?) be a great (okay?) year, here are our DJ’s favorite albums from the past year. Their showtimes are included in case you find your music twin and want to tune in to their ~groovy~ shows. Stay cool. -KTRM
iridescence – BROCKHAMPTON
“I mean Kevin Abstract is gay and that should be all I have to say. But in regards to the wild artistic elements that the ‘world’s greatest boyband’ employs, I believe the album deserves this title […] This album contains less of the aggressive notes that the SATURATION series held. It still exists, but the direction of said anger is more mindless and less specific. Also, the tone of the songs are different each time. It is not like most albums how each song has one continuous theme. For example, the song HONEY begins with a chorus of voices repeating a line and sounds quite angry but then ends with a sample of Beyonce singing a gorgeous vocal line with voices over her and makes the song sound sad. As my friend Melanie said while I was writing this, it sounds like two different songs. I think that is one of the coolest things ever.” -Drew: Mondays 10-11 a.m.
“It reminds me of when my ex-girlfriend wasn’t my ex-girlfriend.” -Reece: Tuesdays 9-10 p.m., Saturdays 12-1 p.m.
All Nerve – The Breeders
“It’s pretty awesome. I just recently started getting into their music and was pleasantly surprised by how good their new stuff is.” -Kevin: Sundays 10-11 a.m.
Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt – Moby
“It’s just good to see Moby still out there doing music.” -Austin: Wednesdays 1-2 p.m., Thursdays 9-10 a.m.
This Is It – The Greeting Committee
“Not to be dramatic, but choosing between this album and Foxing’s Nearer My God aged me thirty years. Ultimately, the deciding factor was that when I listen to TGC’s album, I never skip a song. Nearer My God has a few songs on it that are quite honestly some of the best songs I’ve ever heard, but others fall short. Consistency is where This Is It shines. Every song seems to represent a new emotional trial found in the charming hellscape of young adulthood. Musically, it somehow makes the “Big Band” sound the album is infused with seem brand new. I think it takes no small amount of genius to create music that is equally appropriate for swing dancing and angsty drives in your friend’s beater. If I ever leave the Midwest, this album will definitely be a nostalgia trigger. This Is It is gentle acoustics and unapologetic grandiose. It is timeless and centered around the specific moments that make us. It is gorgeous and raw and everything I could ever want from some flyover state friends.”
Be the Cowboy – Mitski
“Fantastic instrumentals combine with concise but affecting lyrics to create a collection of emotional bops.” -Cassie: Wednesdays 3-4 p.m. & 11 p.m.-midnight
“I haven’t been listening to a lot of recent music lately, but I am a huge fan of Mitski and thoroughly enjoyed Be the Cowboy.” -Morgan: Sundays 10-11 p.m.
Forever & Ever – SALES
“It’s not like… the best ever album by any means but I just think the sentiments behind it are cute and it reminds me of summer.” -Evelyn: Mondays 2-3 p.m.
Indigo – Wild Nothing
“While Jack Tatum’s style has definitely evolved, he hasn’t departed from the elements of dream pop that I loved when I first listened to earlier albums.” -Erin: Thursdays 4-5 p.m., Fridays 8-9 p.m.
Die Lit – Playboy Carti
“Although this release was largely overlooked it has received notable critical acclaim. With Die Lit, Playboi Carti brought a unique voice to contemporary trap that was communicated consistently throughout the release” -David: Mondays 11 p.m.-midnight
“Avant-garde Rap that doesn’t even sound like it’s from this planet” -Patrick: Wednesdays 8-9 p.m.
Childqueen – Kadhja Bonet
“Her voice belongs in 1972 but the songs and production belong in 2100.” -Isaiah: Mondays midnight-1 a.m., Fridays 10-11 p.m.
Care for Me – Saba
“The storytelling throughout this album is astounding.” -Sarah: Sundays 8-9 p.m.
“I was a little downtrodden to see that Saba had cut his dreads and strayed from his usual upbeat, soulful self as seen on The Bucket List Project (another one of my favorites), and I was a little nervous that I would not appreciate this album as much. Instead, Saba put forth the greatest record of the year, detailing the struggles of life on the west side of Chicago.” -Josh: Tuesdays 1-2 p.m.
NOIR – Smino
“Crazy beats, Smino’s a dynamic singer and rapper, and it’s just about all bops.” -Liam: Sundays 8-9 p.m.
Wide Awake – Parquet Courts
“It’s funky with some bomb a** lyricism.” -Lesley: Mondays 10-11 p.m., Wednesdays noon-1 p.m.
Little Dark Age – MGMT
“The classic that is their first album, Oracular Spectacular, came from MGMT in college sarcastically creating songs to make fun of pop music at the time. Their next two albums, Congratulations and MGMT, showed the duo adventuring into musically odd areas, with good but commercially unsuccessful songs. Little Dark Age seemed to show a deeper understanding of music as the band masterfully made dark synth-pop music. They even managed to channel influences from the 60s (When You Die) and 80s (Me and Michael). There is no bad song on this album and almost every single moment sounds like something completely new and different.” -Andy: Thursdays 8-9 a.m.
“Shows the rebirth of what I thought was a boring two hit wonder band into a fascinating synthpop odyssey through psychedelia landscapes and brutal lyricism.” -Becket: Mondays 6-7 p.m.
Good Thing – Leon Bridges
“I loved his first album that really captured soul, and in this album he takes a successful whack at 70’s style music” -Madelyn: Tuesdays 11 a.m.-noon
Chris – Christine and the Queens
“A fun, passionate, sexy, and funky record that alternately feels like Quincy Jones-era Michael Jackson and a badass cousin of the Haim sisters. And even with all those descriptors, I don’t feel like I’ve scratched the surface; Heloïse Letissier’s second record as Christine and the Queens sees her donning the titular persona of Chris, and in the process, producing some of the best genre-blending pop music since the passing of the aforementioned King. Coupling infectious beats and melodies with heartbreaking and personal lyrics, every single track on the album is well worth your time- I’ll be replaying this one well into the new year.” -Ian: Wednesdays 2-3 p.m., Thursdays 8-9 p.m.
sweetener – Ariana Grande
“Judge me for being basic but… that album has some BOPS.” -Shania, Sundays 9-10 p.m.
“It’s full of female empowering bops.” -Brea: Mondays 9-10 p.m.
Dirty Computer – Janelle Monáe
“It’s a gay racial dystopian sex album with loads of progressive messaging with a subtlety she’s missed until now while also being incredibly blatant.”-Allyson: Sundays midnight-1 a.m., Thursdays 6-7 p.m., Fridays 8-9 a.m., Saturdays 9-10 p.m.
Grad Life – Graduating Life
“Grad Life because it makes me feel like old school My Chemical Romance is still alive.” -Natalie
You Won’t Get What You Want – Daughters
“It’s the darkest, nastiest, and claustrophobic album I’ve heard in a while. Takes me to a super dark place for the 50 minute runtime, but yet has a shimmering and somewhat convoluted light at the end of the tunnel… the lyrics are bada**.” -Matt: Tuesdays 11 p.m.-midnight, Wednesdays 10-11 p.m., Sundays 10-11 a.m.
Do you agree, disagree, or have strong opinions in general about current music? Apply to work with us at KTRM.
Monica Fallone is music director at KTRM 88.7. You can tune into her shows “News and Grooves” Tuesdays at 3 p.m., “Unqualified” Fridays at 5 p.m. and “Futile Devices” Saturdays at 6 p.m. on KTRM.
You can tune in to KTRM in Kirksville on 88.7 FM or anywhere in the world online at streaming.truman.edu.