Sweet Sound Bites: My favorite albums of 2019

When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Billie Eilish

1. Billie Eilish - When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

After three years of non-stop touring and hit single after hit single after hit single, 17 year old (now 18 years old) Billie Eilish finally released her debut album, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in March of 2019. Unbeknownst at the time, the single "You Should See Me In a Crown", which was released in July of 2018, was one of the 14 tracks off of her highly anticipated debut album.

The first official single from the When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go, was "Bad Guy". The deviously catchy song with an inescapable beat, layers of hooks and those simple, sarcastic breaks has been all over the airwaves since it's release as well as on heavy rotation in my ears.

Though her song lyrics mature her past her years and are poignant to a tee, tweens and teenage girls are the largest and probably most loyal portion of her fan base which inevitably boomed when her album dropped. When We Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? has songs about the zoned out/over medicated/preoccupied society of today, stardom, growing up in the lime light, un-requited love/crush/lust, losing a friend, battling inner demons. As a whole it ebbs and flows between upbeat and somber with intermittent candid clips of Billie herself and sound clips from her favorite TV show, The Office. And no matter what the tempo, as we already knew with 2016's "Ocean Eyes", this girl can sing. It's introspective, it's different, it's fun, it effortlessly blends genres. Billie Eilish's first album is easy to listen to from it's "!!!" intro to it's montaged "goodbye" and it still has me hooked.

Solutions

K-Flay

2. K-Flay: Solutions

The follow up to K-Flay's Grammy Award winning 2017 album, Everywhere Is Somewhere would prove to be a real test. Sophomore albums are hard enough but with the July 12th release of her third album, Solutions, K-Flay came out victorious. The once upon a time Standford rapper also came out leading up to her new album which most likely played a huge role in the softer, more optimistic side of K-Flay that she unabashedly now shares with us. Before the album we got "Bad Vibes" in March and while it's title suggests bad vibes ahead, the beat heavy, rock-rap-synth track leaves you feeling good vibes. "Bad Vibes" was the perfect foreshadow of Solutions and K-Flay's shift from a negative perception to a positive one.

The first three of ten songs are my favorite, opening with the self loving anthem with sparkly build ups and euphoric climaxes, "I Like Myself" (Most of the Time). By the time the album dropped it's second track "Bad Vibes" was already a hit and coming up behind it is the sassy, dancey "This Baby Don't Cry". K-Flay may have shifted perspectives but the things we love most about her haven't changed: her unique voice and her smart lyrics. When you listen, really listen to her songs and hear what she's saying, you're like, "yes!". Just like my #1 Billie Eilish, K-Flay has a creative way of keeping it real and I really like that.

3. Missy Elliot - Iconology full EP.

2019 was a big year for Missy Misdemeanor Elliot: she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming the first female rapper to ever receive the honor. She received an honorary Doctor of Music Degree from Berkeley College of Music and she was the first female rapper to receive the MTV Michael Jackson Vanguard award. This year she also released new music for the first time in almost 15 years! On August 23rd Iconology dropped, officially bringing Missy Elliot back. Ok, Ok, it's an EP not an LP but it's good. It's funky, sassy and original like only Missy can do. Maybe we'll get a full LP soon, until then Iconology will be on repeat.