Best of 2019: Top Five Albums

It is getting to be the time of year where everyone is putting out their best of 2019 lists. Hell, some are even doing best of the decade, but RD and I will be doing that a bit later on. But, like everyone else, I to like to do best of lists. This year will be the same as the past few. I will be doing music, movies, tv shows, podcast episodes or shows and sports moments. So, sit back and enjoy a week of "Best of 2019" lists from me. First off, we will do my top 5 albums. Oh, and before I go any further, I will add a few disappointments, for me, for the year. Anyway, lets get to it.

Coming in at number 5 I have "On the Line" from Jenny Lewis. I have really found myself going back to this record a ton lately, and liking it even more with every listen. Jenny Lewis has already proved that she is a wonderful song writer and arranger, but this album puts her on a whole other level. From songs about being in love, to total heart break, she hooked me from the start. She also worked with some great people, including Beck, that take this album to the next level. She has only gotten stronger and the stronger with each new album. "On the Line", to date, is her best record, and has me excited for what she is going to do in the future. Lewis is a star. More people need to recognize that.

At number 4 I have "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience" from The Lonely Island. I feel like this record doesn't get the love it deserves because of the way it was released. There was not a ton of info, then all of the sudden they announced they were putting out a Netflix special and not many people knew if it was a comedy special, a musical or both. It is both, and it rules. The Lonely Island are already very, very funny. But, what people don't recognize is, they can really rap and make beats. This album hits hard. Some of the beats they produced, like the one with the pager sound on "Jose and Mark", or the whole "IHOP" song, those are amazing, super bobbing beats. They are as good as anyone making beats nowadays. Also, I know it may be cliché, but they are the modern day Beastie Boys. They sound like them, they rap like them, the only difference, they all have careers outside of music, in which they thrive in. This record plays so much in my car and my house that my kids know the words to the songs. My daughter calls "Oakland Nights" her jam. That song hits too. This record is so good and ranks right up there with their debut record. I was already a humongous fan, and now, especially with the Netflix special, they have won me over even more. Listen to the record first, then go watch the special. You will not be disappointed.

At number 3 I have "Hyperspace" by Beck. I have recently written about this album, and since that time, I think I have gone through the whole thing about 10 more times and I like it more and more. As I said in my review, the music sounds like it is from the 80's, but with Beck's influence all over it. The music is trippy and bouncy and fun. The lyrics are funky and groovy and quintessential Beck. I also love it when he does love songs, and "Die Waiting" is a great love song. Also, the slide guitar on "Saw Lightening" is rad. Everything Beck does, I am going to be a fan. But sometimes he does a record like "Hyperspace", and his genius blows me away more than it did before. I was talking to RD earlier today, and I told him that, at the current moment, this record is second only to "Midnite Vultures". It has the same feel, but more synth and more of an 80's lean. Even this morning, after speaking to RD, I put the record on because my son had a snow day, and he said he wanted to dance, and he told me "that new Beck record makes me want to dance". I love him so much, my son, and I really, really like "Hyperspace".

At number 2 I have "Cuz I Love You" by Lizzo. From the first moment I heard this record I knew it was going to be on my year end best of list. The title track is the opener, and it totally showcases Lizzo's beautiful voice. From there on out the record is all about empowerment, loving yourself, being good to those that are good to you and blocking out all the noise from the internet trolls. Every song on this album could, and should, be a top 100 hit. All of them are great. Also, the song with Missy Elliot brought me back to my teens, when I listened to a ton of Missy Elliot. She also does a great Erykah Badu esque song, "Jerome", that may be better than Badu. And while being a tremendous singer, Lizzo can rap. She spits man. She is so good on the song with Elliot, she crushes "Truth Hurts", she is phenomenal on "Better in Color", she is flat out amazing. Lizzo is finally getting the fame she deserves, and I love that she is out there being herself, loving herself and empowering young people to do the same. I hadn't listened to her before April of this year, but I haven't stopped since.

At number one I have "IGOR" from Tyler, the Creator. This album is a masterpiece. This is incredible. This shines a whole new light on Tyler, the Creator for me. Seeing him do this record live was such a treat. It is a true achievement. TTC did something totally different, totally out of his comfort zone and made one of the greatest concept records of all time. "IGOR" is also heartbreaking when you really listen to the lyrics. It is all about lost love and trying to deal with that. The way he sings and raps makes this album that much better. I didn't know he could sing like that, and he absolutely crushes it. As far as his rapping goes, he is one of the best in the game right now. Tyler, the Creator is a musical genius, and not of this world in my eyes. He is on a whole other level, or plain of existence. He was put here to make great music, and "IGOR" is his coup de gras. It is amazing. I highly recommend everyone, even people who don't listen to rap, listen to this album. It is that good. Okay, those are my top 5 albums for 2019.

As far as some things that disappointed me, or didn't work out like some may have thought, one, anything Kanye West does now is a joke. He is a farce of himself. He is a sellout. He is a phony. He is a hater. His beats are wack and his rapping has never been good. For anyone to think that this dude is a viable artist, especially the way he has presented himself this past year, is dead wrong. Kanye West needs to just go away quietly because he time was over 6 or 7 years ago. The dude is a poser. I am also appalled that the people behind the Kidz Bop records are still making albums, and trying to turn real songs into anthems for little kids. I let my kids listen to the original version of "Truth Hurts", so they don't have to listen to a crummy version on Kidz Bop. I would so much rather my son listen to Lil Nas X sing "Old Town Road" than some random pre teens. Bruno Mars is an excellent showman, so why let little kids try and sing his songs? The whole Kidz Bop thing needs to be stopped. They need to also stop taking explicit songs and trying to turn them kid friendly. I heard a little kid on one of the Kidz Bop albums doing "Truth Hurts" and saying, "turns out I'm one hundred percent that kid". That, to me, is worse than when basic cable shows movies and says things like "monster joker" or "bull shirt". It is offensive to the people who wrote the original song. Finally, I was so hoping that "RTJ 4" was going to come out in 2019. We still have a chance, albeit slight, that it comes out this year, but probably not. I know they are working on it. I have seen pictures and read lyrics they have posted online, and all of this has made me more and more excited for the record to come out. My fingers are crossed that they do the same thing they did for "RTJ 3", when they released it on Christmas night at midnight, but again, that doesn't seem likely.

There you have it, my best of, and disappointments in music in 2019. Come back tomorrow for my top five movies of 2019.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The Head Editor fought to get Vampire Weekend’s “Father of the Bride” and Lana Del Rey’s “Norman Fucking Rockwell” on Ty’s list, but it is Ty’s list so those albums sit in the Head Editor’s head as the tops.

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Ty Watches "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience"

Last night I was finally able to watch the new Lonely Island visual poem “The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience”.

It is a wonder people.

This visual poem was one of the most unique and coolest things I’ve ever seen. It was made as a faux art project, I assume, and the Lonely Island absolutely nailed the absurdity of these visual art pieces. Add on the fact that it is basically a new rap album from them, this was bound to hit me in all the right spots. Then, add on the other news that Andy Samberg played Jose Canseco and Akiva Schaefer played Mark McGwire, I mean, it’s just absolutely perfect in every possible way. All the new songs they did, I’m already a fan, are peak Lonely Island. They’re goofy and hilarious, but the beats are top notch, and these dudes can rap. If they decided to go the Donald Glover route, and take it seriously, they could be this generation’s Beastie Boys. They’re that good. Add on guest appearances from people like Maya Rudolph, Jenny Slate, Hannah Simone, Stephanie Beatriz and Sterling K Brown as Sia, you read that right, take this from great to classic. I was absolutely blown away by this visual poem. It was so perfect in every way. It hit my funny bone perfectly. The Lonely Island are in that territory for me where they can do no wrong. Everything they’ve touched lately has been gold. This was a great follow up to “Pop Star”. I cannot recommend this enough. It’s weird and funny and absurd in all the right ways. I’ve already watched it twice and listened to the album 3 times.

Watch this visual poem, it rules.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He now challenges The Lonely Island to chronicle the rise and fall of Shawn Kemp. There could be a song called Fat Off Cocaine.

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Better Late Than Never on the Gem of Movie "Brigsby Bear"

I finally got around to seeing the movie "Brigsby Bear" yesterday. I have wanted to see this movies since I saw the first trailer for it over a year ago. I do not watch "SNL" anymore, but when I still watched it, the one person I always enjoyed was Kyle Mooney. He appealed to my weird comedy side. He was always doing something unique and different on the show, and 99 percent of it, I loved. My favorite character of his was the 90's standup that he played on "Weekend Update". He was so sad and wanted so much attention and tried so hard.

When I heard that he was writing a movie, and that The Lonely Island, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schafer and Andy Samberg, and Phil Lord and Chris Miller were producing it, I was intrigued. I assumed it was going to be a bizarre comedy, which it has elements of. But "Brigsby Bear" was way different than I expected. I gathered from the trailer that it may be more of a moving and heartfelt movie, but I still expected mostly comedy. For the most part though, "Brigsby Bear" is a drama. It has so much more drama and kind of bleak moments than I expected. And, I loved every single second of the movie.

First, a short synopsis of the movie. Kyle Mooney plays James. He lives in a bubble of a home with his "folks", played by Mark Hammil, who was a delight, and Jane Adams. James watches a show every night called "Brigsby Bear", and the show teaches him life lessons and is the only thing he has ever seen. James loves it so much, he runs a message board solely based on each episode. His "folks" tell him he can't go outside because of the poisonous air, so he barely leaves his room. One night he decides to go outside and sit on a rooftop, and the police come. We find out that James was abducted 25 years ago as a baby. He gets returned to his real folks, Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins. He also has a sister, played by Ryan Simpkins. They try their best to acclimate him to the real world. Remember, James has been in a bubble his entire life. James is an outcast. He is very odd. He only likes "Brigsby Bear".

James's father does take him to the movies, to try and give him a normal life, and this starts an idea in his head. He decides that he wants to make a Brigsby movie. Things further progress when his sister takes him to a high school party and he meets some people that want to help him. He also meets a detective, played by Greg Kinnear, who has always had a dream of acting. At first, things are going well. He is making friends and his movie is plugging along. Things take a turn for the worse when he makes a real explosive for his movie and the cops find it and arrest him. He is then sent to a psychiatric ward. He soon breaks out, his family comes to accept his love for Brigsby, and they help him finish the movie. He is welcomed at the theater to a hero's welcome.

I really, really like this movie. Kyle Mooney is the only person that I would have bought playing the role of James. He can pull off the weird loner better than anyone out there right now. He is truly amazing in this movie. I could not take my eyes off screen when he was on it, which was the entire movie. And while it does have moments of comedy, this movie is more about friendship, finding yourself, being accepted, coming to terms with a terrible tragedy and the love of a family. Hell, even though Hammil and Adams characters kidnapped him, he still felt love for them. They did a truly awful thing, but they were never awful to James. They truly did love him. Even after taking a life sentence for what they did, James visits his captors in jail to have him do some voices. He holds no real ill will towards them. Seeing Walsh and Watkins and Simpkins deal with this tragedy and accept for James for who he really is was wonderful. Walsh and Watkins are mainly comic actors, but they do nothing of the comedic variety in this movie. They are parents that lost their kid, got him back and are trying to make up for lost time. Simpkins, the reluctant sister, was great too. She acted like any teenager would, but when push came to shove, she loved, and missed, the brother she never knew she had. Kinnear was excellent as the detective that helped to find James, but also had an acting bug. His turn is so good and he was so good in this role.

I truly loved this story of friendship and family. I would be lying if I didn't say that I teared up a bit near the end. I hope that this means more things will come from Kyle Mooney. He found a very unique way to tell this story. He is the only person who can tell this type of story the way he did. "Brigsby Bear" also proves to me that The Lonely Island and Lord and Miller are only attaching their names to cool and different stuff, but stuff that works, stuff that finds its niche audience. I highly recommend people seek this movie out and watch it. It takes you places you don't expect, and that was great to see. I'm very glad that I saw, and now own, "Brigsby Bear". It is a very well done movie.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is now inspired to make a movie of the television show that taught him how to be a good and compassionate person. Look out for Ty's "Saved By the Bell" film any day now.

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Ty Watches "Tour de Pharmacy"

There are spoilers for the HBO film "Tour de Pharmacy". Go watch and come back to read Ty's review. It is currently showing on HBO Go, HBO Now, and periodically showing on one of HBO's family of channels at some time of the day.

This past weekend The Lonely Island and HBO released their second sports based faux documentary/comedy, "Tour de Pharmacy". I loved the first one, "7 Days in Hell", so I was excited for this second movie. When I say movie, I use that term loosely. This is basically a short. The "movie" runs about 35 minutes long. This is perfect for this subject material, and an excellent amount of time for what is basically a long form sketch.

Anyway, "Tour de Pharmacy" tells the "true" story of the 1982 Tour de France. This was the most drug riddled race in the history of bike races, according to the narrator, Jon Hamm. We all know now that, for the most part, the guys that do the Tour de France are dopers. It is widely accepted. "Tour de Pharmacy" takes this knowledge and makes it the entire basis of the movie.

Early in the program we find out that a rich German guy named Dittmer Klerken, played hilariously by Kevin Bacon, writes a letter to all 170 racers saying that they can do whatever drugs they want and they won't be tested, if they give him 50,000 dollars a piece. Klerken had built up incredible credit card debt due to a very absurd credit card ad in Sweden. The scene with the ad was probably my favorite part of the entire movie. It was so bizarre and odd and the talking heads comments on it were hilarious. If you watch this movie for one reason, make it to see the part with the ad. It was uproarious.

After the ad shows, they cut to the racers. They introduce us to 5 specific riders at the beginning. The first is Nigerian born racer, Marty Hass. He was played by Andy Samberg. Hass was born into a royal family that just happened to mine diamonds in Nigeria. They say that he went to an all American boys private school, and the people of Nigeria hate him. They hate that he is their country's representative. He is the epitome of a spoiled rich kid, and Samberg plays him hilariously. Another great part of this movie is they have the main characters as their older selves, and the actors that portray the older versions are perfect. Jeff Goldblum plays the older Hass. He is so god damn funny. He has some fake blonde hair hanging out of his hat and he wears African coats the whole time. Goldblum is just as funny as Samberg.

We also meet the first female, posing as a male, to ride in the tour. Freddie Highmore plays the young version of Adrian Baton. He was hilarious. His attempts to act like a female acting like a male was classic Lonely Island stuff. Julia Ormond played the older, and real, Baton, and she was equally as funny. She is a classically trained dramatic actress, but she pulls off the comedy to perfection. Her reveal at the end is wonderful.

Next up is Jackie Robinson's nephew, Slim Robinson, who is trying to get out of his uncle's shadow. He wants to be the first African American to break the color barrier, and at the time, cycling was the only sport that did not have many, if any, people of color. Daveed Diggs, of "Hamilton" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" fame is terrific in this movie. He is so funny, but understated. Danny Glover as the older Slim was equally tremendous. His wig is absolutely bananas. I loved it.

John Cena plays Austrian cyclist, Gustav Ditters, and he may have been the best in the whole movie. They show a picture from him the year before and he is rail skinny, then they show the actual Cena, and he is ripped. His claims that he isn't doping are so funny. The fact that he is that shredded, but constantly denies doping, is awesome. When the big fight breaks out in the first stage, and Cena starts to beat the hell out of people, I was in tears. Dolph Lundgren plays the older Ditters, and the whole "cheetah" and "cheater" scene is comedic gold.

The final main cyclist, JuJu Peppi, played by Orlando Bloom, was classic cycling cheater. He had so many drugs in his body that he actually died during the race due to a heart attack. Unfortunately for Peppi, he died while going pee, so his member was out when he died. There is a ton of male frontal nudity in this movie by the way. I have to say, while I don't like Bloom as an actor, he was really good in this movie.

The reason there are only 5 riders left is due to the fight I mentioned earlier. After the fight broke out, many of the riders came forward and said they were paid to not tell anyone that they were doping, and Klerken was the one that paid them. The only riders to not pay him were the 5 main characters, or as Seth Morris' ESPN anchor dubs them, "The Fab Five", claiming no one else will live up to that nickname ever. This was when we get a mini interview with Chris Webber and underneath his name it days, "a member of the much more famous Fab Five". Again, I was cracking up.

Lots of funny and wacky stuff happens during the race. I mentioned Peppi's death. Ditters get caught with cheetah blood, thus setting off the whole cheetah and cheater scene. Hass and Baton start to fall in love. Slim leaves the race to go be a farmer in France, only to return in the end. James Marsden, who was incredible as the announcer for the BBC, is involved in the race, but it is later found out that he is using a bike with a car motor on it, and Baton throws herself onto him to help her new lover, Hass, win the race. Just tons of crazy, hilarious stuff.

The people that they got to be the talking heads in the movie were phenomenal as well. Maya Rudolph is the head of a cycling magazine. She is great. Nathan Fielder is the head of the anti doping committee and he brings his dry humor to this movie, and it is pitch perfect. Joe Buck is himself, and he is really good. Mike Tyson and Lance Armstrong, both people that have done truly awful things in their personal lives, were actually pretty good in this movie. Lance Armstrong was pretty funny. Mike Tyson was a riot. JJ Abrams was pretty tremendous in his small role, as himself too. He plays a heightened version of himself, and I found him to be pretty good.

The entire cast was phenomenal for this small movie. The star, at least in my opinion, was Cena. He was the funniest of all the funny people in this movie. I have found that I enjoy Cena as an actor. Diggs was also really good too. Watching him try to get out of Jackie Robinson's shadow was just great. Jeff Goldblum was also really funny as well.

What I am trying to say is that "Tour de Pharmacy" was incredibly funny and I highly recommend everyone watch it. The Lonely Island seem to have found another niche that fits them, and I hope they continue to do little movies like this. "7 Days in Hell" was great, "Tour de Pharmacy" was better. I can't wait to see what they do next. Until then, go watch "Tour de Pharmacy" if you want a good laugh.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He recently competed his first mini triathalon and has his sights set on the 2018 Tour de France. Anybody know where he can score some cheetah blood?.

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