Our team of writers and contributors have a diverse taste. While the main "Year in Review" feature was picked almost entirely by the Post-Trash editors, we wanted to give all of our contributors a chance to pick their favorite releases, regardless if the records are covered on our site or not. Every contributor who wrote in 2019 was able to pick their personal top 20 records of the year and points were assigned based on rank. An album picked at #1 was given 20 points while an album selected at #20 was awarded a single point and so on. Our contributors' tastes range outside that of our editors, but there's also a connection to this particular site's vision. With 19 of our writers submitting their votes, we had 262 different records nominated (which says a lot about the consensus lists we’re led to believe) and only the top 5 records received a score of 60 or higher.
We're happy to present "Post-Trash's Best of 2019: Staff-Picks" as voted by the entire team (with individual contributor lists below). There were a ton of ties throughout, so editors provided the tie breakers. It’s a weird list… but isn’t that how it should be with nineteen different people’s opinions? We hope you enjoy.
50. LAPS | “Soon Not Often In It“
Terrific Kids Artist Collective
50. BETTER OBLIVION COMMUNITY CENTER | “Better Oblivion Community Center“
Dead Oceans
50. SHARON VAN ETTEN | “Remind Me Tomorrow“
Jagjaguwar
50. XIU XIU | “Girl With Basket of Fruit“
Polyvinyl Records
49. CORRIDOR | “Junior“
Sub Pop Records
48. LRRR | “Whose News?”
Sad Cactus Records
47. FREDDIE GIBBS & MADLIB | “Bandana”
Keep Cool / RCA Records
46. DAVE | “Psychodrama”
Neighbourhood Recordings
45. DENZEL CURRY | “ZUU”
PH Recordings / Loma Vista Recordings
44. JPEGMAFIA | “All My Heroes Are Cornballs”
EQT Recordings
43. MATANA ROBERTS | “Coin Coin Chapter 4: Memphis”
Constellation Records
42. TAYLOR SWIFT | “Lover”
Republic Records
41. NONLOCAL FORECAST | “Bubble Universe”
Hausu Mountain
40. THE HAPPY CHILDREN | “Same Dif”
Self Released
39. WAVEFORM* | “Shooting Star”
Funnybone Records
38. GREAT DECEIVERS | “In Spirit”
Self Released
37. GORGEOUS | “Egg”
Sad Cactus Records
36. PEAER | “A Healthy Earth”
Tiny Engines
35. SASAMI | “Sasami”
Domino Recording Co.
34. HAVE A NICE LIFE | “Sea of Worry”
The Flenser
33. MOUNT EERIE WITH JULIE DOIRON | “Lost Wisdom pt. 2”
P.W. Elverum & Sun
32. FLORIST | “Emily Alone”
Double Double Whammy
31. THE CARETAKER | “Everywhere, An Empty Bliss”
History Always Favours The Winners
30. CRAG MASK | “Bend”
Self Released
29. CRUMB | “Jinx”
Self Released
28. JESSICA PRATT | “Quiet Signs”
Mexican Summer
27. ANGEL OLSEN | “All Mirrors”
Jagjaguwar
26. VAMPIRE WEEKEND | “Father of the Bride”
Spring Snow / Columbia Records
25. LOMELDA | “M For Empathy”
Double Double Whammy
24. SHADY BUG | “Lemon Lime”
Exploding In Sound Records
23. BIG | BRAVE | “A Gaze Among Them”
Southern Lord
22. LANA DEL REY | “Norman Fucking Rockwell!”
Universal Music
21. THE NATIONAL | “I Am Easy To Find”
4AD Records
20. SLAUSON MALONE | “A Quiet Farwell, 2016-2018”
Grand Closing
19. WATER FROM YOUR EYES | “Somebody Else’s Song”
Exploding In Sound Records
18. CATE LE BON | “Reward”
Mexican Summer
17. TROPICAL FUCK STORM | “Braindrops”
Joyful Noise / Flightless Records
16. MISTER GOBLIN | “Is Path Warm?”
Exploding In Sound Records
15. WAND | “Laughing Matter”
Drag City Records
14. OSO OSO | “Basking In The Glow”
Triple Crown Records
13. PALEHOUND | “Black Friday”
Polyvinyl Records
12. BETHLEHEM STEEL | “Bethlehem Steel”
Exploding In Sound Records
11. THEY ARE GUTTING A BODY OF WATER | “Destiny XL”
Bee Side Cassettes
10. LAURA STEVENSON | “The Big Freeze”
Don Giovanni Records
09. BIG THIEF | “U.F.O.F.”
4AD Records
08. BLACK MIDI | “Schlagenheim”
Rough Trade Records
07. BILL CALLAHAN | “Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest”
Drag City Records
06. MANNEQUIN PUSSY | “Patience”
Epitaph Records
05. BIG THIEF | “Two Hands”
4AD Records
04. WEYES BLOOD | “Titanic Rising”
Sub Pop Records
03. (SANDY) ALEX G | “House of Sugar”
Domino Recording Co.
02. PURPLE MOUNTAINS | “Purple Mountains”
Drag City Records
01. PILE | “Green and Gray”
Exploding In Sound Records
Dan Goldin *:
1. Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops
2. Big Business - The Beast You Are
3. Cherubs - Immaculada High
4. Pinch Points - Moving Parts
5. Big|Brave - A Gaze Among Them
6. Uranium Club - The Cosmo Cleaners
7. Gatecreeper - Deserted
8. Black Midi - Schlagenheim
9. Crumb - Jinx
10. Palehound - Black Friday
11. FCKR JR - I’m Sorry Mom and Dad
12. Horse Jumper of Love - So Divine
13. Thank - Please
14. Benny The Butcher - The Plugs I Met
15. Rong - Wormhat
16. Christian Fitness - You Are The Ambulance
17. Richard Dawson - 2020
18. Purple Mountains - S/T
19. Empath - Active Listening: Night On Earth
20. Full of Hell - Weeping Choir
David Haynes:
1. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
2. Wand – Laughing Matter
3. Big Thief – Two Hands
4. Orville Peck – Pony
5. (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar
6. GLOOP – Smiling Lines
7. Rat Fancy – Stay Cool
8. Mr. Husband - Kenny Husband & The Husky Section
9. Natural Rat – Eternal Tourist EP
10. Pup – Morbid Stuff
11. Good Dog Nigel – The Implied Sunrise EP
12. Buddie – Change of Scenery EP
13. Tyler The Creator – Igor
14. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars
15. Bethlehem Steel – Bethlehem Steel
16. Big Thief – U. F. O. F.
17. Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won’t Hold
18. Middle Kid – Queen of Rockledge
19. Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
20. Yola – Walk Through Fire
Erin Bensinger:
1. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
2. Better Oblivion Community Center
3. The Japanese House - Good at Falling
4. Julia Jacklin - Crushing
5. Rosie Tucker - Never Not Never Not Never Not
6. Mannequin Pussy - Patience
7. Clairo - Immunity
8. fka Twigs - Magdalene
9. Lana del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
10. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
11. Hana Vu - Nicole Kidman / Anne Hathaway
12. Jay Som - Anak Ko
13. Black Belt Eagle Scout - At the Party with my Brown Friends
14. Florist - Emily Alone
15. Big Thief - Two Hands
16. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
17. Palehound - Black Friday
18. Holly Herndon - PROTO
19. Greet Death - New Hell
20. Leggy - Let Me Know Your Moon
21. Jackie Mendoza - LuvHz
Evan Welsh:
1. Matana Roberts- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis
2. Xiu Xiu - Girl With Basket of Fruit
3. The Caretaker- Everywhere at the End of Time: Stage Six
4. Richard Dawson- 2020
5. Tropical Fuck Storm- Braindrops
6. Katie Dey- Solipsisters
7. Leo Svirsky- River Without Banks
8. Water From Your Eyes- Somebody Else’s Song
9. Club Night- What Life?
10. Laura Stevenson- The Big Freeze
11. Damon Locks’ Black Monument Ensemble- Where Future Unfolds
12. Show Me The Body- Dog Whistle
13. Housewives- Twilight Splendor
14. MIKE- Tears of Joy
15. Bon Iver- I,I
16. Angel Olsen- All Mirrors
17. Ka Baird- Respires
18. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron- Lost Wisdom pt. 2
19. Anna Meredith- FIBS
20. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Ghosteen
Hugo Reyes:
1. Oso Oso - Basking In The Glow
2. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze
3.Pile - Green and Gray
4. Shin Guard - 2020
5. Knocked Loose - A Different Shade Of Blue
6.Regional Justice Center - Institution
7. Distants - ii
8. Yeesh - Saw You Up There
9. Dump Him - Dykes To Watch Out For
10. Notches - New Kind Of Love
11. Bethlehem Steel - S/T
12. Jupiter Styles - Ultra St. Opera
13. Portrayal Of Guilt - Suffering Is A Gift
14. Rust Ring - Genuine Me
15. Blood Incantation - History Of the Human Race
Joe Gutierrez:
1. Big Thief- Two Hands
2. Big Thief- UFOF
3. Bill Callahan- Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest
4. Aldous Harding- Designer
5. Cate le Bon- Reward
6. Vampire Weekend- Father of the Bride
7. Solange- When I Get Home
8. The National- I Am Easy To Find
9. Ruth Garbus- Kleinmesiter
10. Chris Cohen- Chris Cohen
11. Fragile Gang- A Plausible and Desirable Future
12. Sharon Van Etten- Remind Me Tomorrow
13. Black Midi- Schlagenheim
14. Mega Bog- Dolphine
15. Little Wings- People
16. Purple Mountains- Purple Mountains
17. Ex Hex - It’s Real
18. William Tyler- Goes West
19. Bedouine- Bird Songs of a Killjoy
20. White Fence- I Have To Feed Larry’s Hawk
Jonathan Bannister:
1. Pile - Green and Gray
2. Mister Goblin - Is Path Warm?
3. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
4. Blushing - Blushing
5. Greet Death - New Hell
6. Twin Tribes - Ceremony
7. The Moth Gatherer - Esoteric Oppression
8. Imperial Wax - Gastwerk Saboteurs
9. Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror
10. Blessed - Salt
11. Tool - Fear Inoculum
12. Employed to Serve - Eternal Forward Motion
13. Johnny Booth - Firsthand Accounts
14. Immortal Bird - Thrive on Neglect
15. Fuming Mouth - The Grand Decent
16. Secret Shame - Dark Synthetics
17. Body of Light - Time to Kill
18. Tempers - Private Life
19. The Messthetics - Anthropocosmic Nest
20. She Keeps Bees - Kinship
Katie Hanford:
1. Great Deceivers - In Spirit
2. Mister Goblin - Is Path Warm?
3. Good Morning - The Option
4. philary - I Complain
5. Omni - Networker
6. They Are Gutting a Body of Water - Destiny XL
7. 22° Halo - 22° Halo
8. So Totally - in the shape of...
9. Sun Organ - Sun Organ
10. Big Thief - UFOF
11. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
12. Sasami - Sasami
13. Good Morning - Basketball Breakups
14. Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs
15. Big Bite - Trinity
16. black midi - Schlagenheim
17. Mariah the Scientist - Master
Matt Sigur:
1. Denzel Curry — ZUU
2. Corridor — Junior
3. Weyes Blood — Titanic Rising
4. Pile — Green and Gray
5. Cass McCombs — Tip of the Sphere
6. The Chemical Brothers — No Geography
7. Cave in — Final Transmission
8. German Error Message — Mend
9. Plush Claw — Robin
10. Bobby Krlic — Midsommar soundtrack
11. Joyero — Release the Dogs
12. Have a Nice Life — Sea of Worry
13. Strand of Oaks — Eraserland
14. Torche — Admission
15. Big Thief — U.F.O.F
16. Chastity Belt — s/t
17. The National — I am Easy to Find
18. Methyl Ethel — Triage
19. Faye Webster — Atlanta Millionaires Club
20. Baroness — Gold & Grey
Max Kaplan:
1. Purple Mountains - S/T
2. Cate Le Bon - Reward
3. Big Thief - Two Hands
4. Bill Callahan - Shapherd in a Sheepskin Vest
5. 75 Dollar Bill- I Was Real
6. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
7. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
8. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
9. Jamie Branch - Fly or Die II
10. Luke Temple - Both-and
11. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
12. Eamon Fogerty - Blue Values
13. Yu Su - Roll with the Punches
14. Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs
15. Gong Gong Gong - Phantom Rhythm
16. Fontaines DC - Dogrel
17. Helado Negro - This is How You Smile
18. Devendra Banhart - Ma
19. DEHD - Water
20. Guaxe - Guaxe
Nathan Springer:
1. Purple Mountains- Purple Mountains
2. Laps – Soon Not Often in It
3. Landfill Band – Pipes of Dry Heat
4. They are Gutting a Body of Water – Destiny XL
5. Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
6. Truth Club – Not an Exit
7. Black Midi - Schlagenheim
8. Space Heater – Full Blast
9. A Winged Victory for the Sullen – The Divided Five
10. Body Meat – Truck Music
11. Panda Bear – Buoys
12. Avey Tare – Cows on Hourglass Pond
Niccolo Porcello *:
1. Mannequin Pussy - Patience
2. Curse Word - Your Name
3. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
4. Fern Mayo - Week of Charm
5. Black Midi - Schlagenheim
6. Pile - Green and Gray
7. Palehound - Black Friday
8. Helado Negro - This is How You Smile
9. Patio - Essentials
10. Shady Bug - Lemon Lime
11. Sheer Mag - A Distant Call
12. The Glow - Am I
13. Club Night - What Life
14. Peaer - A Healthy Earth
15. So Totally - in the shape of...
16. Nanami Ozone - NO
17. Steve Lehman - The People I Love
18. Cate Le Bon - Reward
19. Sudan Archives - Athena
20. Cherry Glazerr - Stuffed & Ready
Nick Benson:
1. Dave - Psychodrama
2. Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs
3. House and Land - Across The Field
4. Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)
5. Thom Yorke - ANIMA
6. Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks
7. Cross Record - Cross Record
8. Sessa - Grandeza
9. His Name Is Alive - All the Mirrors In the House
10. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - Tracing Back The Radiance
11. V/A - Bulawayo Blue Yodel
12. Joey Nebulous - Give Yourself A Kiss For Me
13. Jacques Green - Dawn Chorus
14. Stef Chura - Midnight
15. No Vacation - Phasing (EP)
16. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
17. Jay Som - Anak So
18. KOKOROKO - KOKOROKO (EP)
19. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - The Undivided Five
20. Wilma Vritra - Burd
Patrick Pilch:
1. Nonlocal Forecast - Bubble Universe!
2. Lomelda - M For Empathy
3. Slauson Malone - A Quiet Farwell
4. They Are Gutting a Body of Water - Destiny XL
5. Young Thug - So Much Fun
6. This is Lorelei - The Dirt, The Dancing/The Mall, The Country
7. Meghan Thee Stallion - Fever
8. Fire Toolz - Field Whispers
9. Water From your Eyes - Someone Else’s Song
10. Triad God - Triad
11. KAINA - Next to the Sun
12. Shady Bug - Lemon Lime
13. Thank - Please
14. Pile - Green and Gray
15. Gong Gong Gong - Phantom Rhythm
16. RXM Reality - DEViL WORLD WiDE
17. The Caretaker - everywhere, an empty Bliss
18. Urochromes - Trope House
19. Sunwatchers - Live at Cafe Mustache
20. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
Sabrina Cofer:
1. Taylor Swift - Lover
2. Palehound - Black Friday
3. Peaer - A Healthy Earth
4. waveform* - Shooting Star
5. Aly & Aj - Sanctuary
6. Hovvdy - Heavy Lifter
7. Sean Henry - A Jump from the High Dive
8. Chris Farren - Born Hot
9. Queen Moo - Faint Sounds of Us Hanging Out
10. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
11. Thelma - The Only Thing
12. Pet Fox - Rare Occasion
13. Jordana - Classical Notions of Happiness
14. Camp Howard - Cañón
15. Knife Kickers - Catching Up, Eating Shit
16. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
17. Frankie Cosmos - Close It Quietly
18. Charli XCX - Charli
19. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
20. Clairo - Immunity
Tim Crisp:
1. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze
2. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
3. BIG|BRAVE - A Gaze Among Them
4. Mannequin Pussy - Patience
5. Earl Sweatshirt - FEET OF CLAY
6. The National - I Am Easy To Find
7. Slauson Malone - A Quiet Farewell
8. Pile - Green and Gray
9. Have A Nice Life - Sea of Worry
10. MIKE - Tears of Joy
11. Angel Du$t - Pretty Buff
12. Yellow Eyes - Rare Field Ceiling
13. Slaughter Beach, Dog - Safe and also No Fear
14. Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race
15. Greys - Age Hasn’t Spoiled You
16. FRIENDSHIP - Undercurrent
17. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana
18. Bethlehem Steel - Bethlehem Steel
19. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
20. Strange Ranger - Remembering the Rockets
Tom Alexander:
1. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
2. Pile - Green and Gray
3. Thanks for Coming - No Problem
4. Tredici Bacci - La Fine Del Futuro
5. Crag Mask - Bend
6. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Bandana
7. Emily Reo - Only You Can See It
8. Lunch Duchess - Crying for Fun
9. Editrix - Talk to Me
10. Community College - Comco
11. Bethlehem Steel - Bethlehem Steel
12. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
13. Christian Fitness - You are the Ambulance
14. Elizabeth Color Wheel - Nocebo
15. Spellling - Mazy Fly
16. Tyler, the Creator - Igor
17. Halfsour - Sticky
18. Waveform* - Shooting Star
19. Black Midi - Schlagenheim
20. Chai - Punk
Torrey Proto:
1. Jpegmafia - All My Heroes Are Cornballs
2. Wand - Laughing Matter
3. Pile - Green and Gray
4. Maneka - Devin
5. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar
6. Crumb - Jinx
7. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿
8. Girl Band - The Talkies
9. Horse Jumper of Love - So Divine
10. Sasami - Sasami
11. Lomelda - M for Emapthy
12. Elizabeth Color Wheel - Nocebo
13. Crag Mask - Bend
14. Greys - Age Hasn't Spoiled You
15. Patio - Essentials
16. Carla Dal Forno - Look Up Sharp
17. Wiki - Oofie
18. Spellling - Mazy Fly
19. The Hecks - My Star
20. Weeping Icon - Weeping Icon
Wes Muilenburg:
1. The Happy Children – Same Dif
2. oso oso – Basking in the Glow
3. Mount Eerie & Julie Doiron – Lost Wisdom, Pt. 2
4. Keep for Cheap – Get Along EP
5. niiice. – Never Better EP
6. Hammock – Silencia
7. Florist – Emily Alone
8. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising
9. Spielbergs – This Is Not The End
10. ahem – Try Again
11. (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar
12. Mannequin Pussy – Patience
13. VIAL – Grow Up
14. Imperium Dekadenz – When We Are Forgotten
15. Why Not – EP
16. Baroness – Gold & Grey
17. Frail Body – A Brief Memoriam
18. Double Grave – Ego Death Forever
19. NATL PARK SRVC – The Future Is Now EP
20. Kyle Bobby Dunn – From Here to Eternity
* both Niccolo Porcello (Sad Cactus Records) and Dan Goldin (Exploding In Sound Records) submitted Top 20 lists that were taken into consideration for the staff pick total that included bands from their respective labels. In the interest of not publicly ranking their own bands, the lists submitted here are their favorite albums without inclusion of any Sad Cactus or EIS artists.