5 Newfoundland albums released in 2019 you should have in your collection

The CBC's Melissa Tobin gives her thoughts on new music from Newfoundland artists definitely worth checking out.

This past year, local artists dished out some hot jams

Melissa Tobin CBC News Posted: Dec 29, 2019 1:51 PM EST | Last Updated: December 29, 2019

Bridget Swift, right, and Dahlia Waller have played on stages across Newfoundland and Labrador and were part of CBC N.L.'s Parkway Sessions. (CBC)

In 2019, Lil Nas X dominated the charts with Old Town Road, and both Lizzo and Billie Eilish gave us two very different role models for women in music.

It was also another great year for new music from Newfoundland and Labrador. With new singles, videos, and big tours, there were a lot of great achievements. But for me, nothing beats a great album youcan put on repeat for days.

Here's a list of five albums I think you should add to yourmusic collection of provincial artists, in no particular order.

The Heavy Horses With Darkness In My Eyes

Justin Mahoney of the Heavy Horses lives in Nashville for part of the year, and his new album features the great harmonica player Mickey Raphael (Willie Nelson, Jason Isbell, Townes Van Zandt, Chris Stapleton) on one of the tracks. ( Patrick Canning)

The Heavy Horses started as a writing project for Corner Book's Justin Mahoney a few years back, leading toan album full of murder ballads in 2012.

Mahoney now lives part time in Nashville, working as a session musician and touring guitarist, and he was on the road this fall when he released his latest album, With Darkness In My Eyes.

Recorded over two years between Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, the album features familiar names likePhil Churchill and Geraldine Hollett of The Onceand Willie Nelson's harmonica player, Mickey Raphael (featured on the song All Things Must End).

With themes of war and heartbreak, the album is sombre and dark just the kind of music Mahoney said he gravitates to.

Suggested track: Crooked Smile

John Homonyms

John lead vocalist Joanna Barker says after years of stepping away from the music scene, making this album was therapeutic and energizing. (John)

John is a supergroup of St. John's-based musicians that made an album in the memory of late artist Mary MacDonald.

Lead vocalist Joanna Barker says she had given up playing gigs, but agreed to open for Nick Diamonds when he played in St. John's in 2016. She asked Sarah Harris (bass) and Steve Maloney (drums and backing vocals) to be her backing band. Later that year, they were joined by Kelly McMichael (keys, guitar and backing vocals), Daniel Banoub (guitar), and Joanna's sister Nora Barker, and started recording.

Released Aug.16,Homonyms was recorded and mixed at Studio J with producer Jake Nicoll.

The albumfeatures songs that Barker describes as deeply personal, healing, therapeutic and energizing.

Suggested song: Root Rot

GalaaThe Speech

Four years in the making, galaa's debut full-length album The Speech was released in February 2019. (galaa)

Fronted by Aley Waterman of Corner Brook,with fellow band members Romesh Thavanathan, Adam Hogan, Josh Wardand Ashley Chalmers, galaa started making this record in 2015.

Adding an extra "a" since their 2013 EP Young Hymns to avoid copyright infringement, the recording for The Speech started in St. John'sand was finished in Toronto, where Waterman is finishing a master's of creative writing.

Waterman says the idea threaded throughout The Speech is about reality versus fantasy and our expectations how we thinksomething will feel versus how it will actually feel.

After years of living and working on the songs, Waterman said the release of the album felt like she was giving birth to a baby who was in the womb for far too long.

Suggested track: Ender

Bridget & Dahlia Runaways

Only months after graduating from high school, teens Bridget Swift and Dahlia Waller released their debut album Runaways in August. (Lisa LeDrew/Josh Bourden/Steve Maloney.)

Bridget Swift and Dahlia Waller were just entering high school when their smooth harmonies captured the ears of music lovers, winning MusicNL's New Found Talent award in 2016.

Their song Castle left fans wanting more, and their debut full-length Runaways did not disappoint when it was released this summer just a couple of months after Swift and Waller graduated from high school.

Produced by Steve Maloney and Romesh Thavanathan, the album was recorded at St. Patrick's Church in Woody Point and Tiny Kingdom studios in St. John's.

The album features 11 original songs of poetic imagery mixed with magical musical layers, showcasing the old souls of these two young women.

Suggested track: Bus Stop

Tim Baker Forever Overhead

Tim Baker's album Forever Overhead, his first release since his band Hey Rosetta went on indefinite hiatus in 2017, channels his love of Newfoundland. (Nicole Morgado Paulo)

When Hey Rosetta announced their indefinite hiatus in 2017, it left many fans wondering what was next for band leader Tim Baker.

The following winter, Baker hit the road for a small number of intimate gigs across the country, including performing at a ski resort and in a hotel room, where fans got a taste of his solo material.

Baker says he drew on his songwriting heroes like Randy Newman, Jackson Browneand Ron Hynes in writing for his new album.

The songs on Forever Overhead feature the vivid imagery and intricate musical elements Hey Rosetta! fans have come to expect, and make me homesick for St. John's.

Suggested track: Spirit

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