Every year, WPKN polls our hosts to nominate their favorite picks of the year, and 2019 is no different. Our hosts are volunteers, and they put everything they’ve got into making the most unique, entertaining, and informative programs together.

Bob Anderson: “A Little Bit Of Everything”

  • Sun Ra: Monorails and Satellites Works for Solo Piano Vols. 1,2,3 (Cosmic Myth)
  • Art Ensemble of Chicago: We Are On The Edge: A 50th Anniversary Celebration (Pi)
  • Charlie Karp: Back To You (Red Parlor)
  • Delbert McClinton and the Self-Made Men: Tall, Dark & Handsome (Hot Shot)
  • Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (Resonance)
  • Galactic: Already Ready Already (Tchoup-Zilla)
  • The JB’s: More Mess On My Thing (Now-Again)
  • John Coltrane: Blue World (Impulse!)
  • Nick Lowe: Love Starvation (Yep Roc)
  • Raphael Saadiq: Jimmy Lee (Columbia)
  • Thom Yorke: Anima (XL)

Steve di Costanzo: “Radio Base Camp”

  • Altin Gün: Gece (ATO)
  • Brittany Howard: Jaime (ATO)
  • The Comet Is Coming: Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery (Impulse!)
  • Fontaines D.C.: Dogrel (Partisan)
  • Jamila Woods: Legacy! Legacy! (Jagjaguar)
  • Michael Kiwanuka: KIWANUKA (Interscope)
  • ¿Que Vola?: ¿Que Vola? (Nø Førmat)
  • Sampa The Great: The Return (Ninja Tune)
  • Sault: 5 (Forever Living Originals)
  • Steve Gunn: The Unseen In Between (Matador)

Alec Cumming “Snap, Crackle, POP!”

  • Aldous Harding: Fixture Picture (4AD)
  • Cate Le Bon: Daylight Matters (Mexican Summer)
  • DIIV: Skin Game (Captured Tracks)
  • Joe Jackson: Friend Better (earMUSIC)
  • Kate Tempest: Firesmoke (American Recordings)
  • Nick Lowe: Love Starvation (Yep Roc)
  • Robert Forster: Crazy Jane on the Day of Judgement (Tapete)
  • Stephen Bishop: Like Mother Like Daughter (BMG Rights Management)
  • The Stroppies: Cellophane Car (Tough Love)
  • Sunflower Bean: Fear City (Mom + Pop)

Del “in Transition”

  • Bonnie Bishop: The Walk (Bonnie Bishop)
  • Bruce Hornsby: Absolute Zero (Zappo Prod’s)
  • Fred Gillen Jr: If I Woke Up This Morning and Died (Dye)
  • Gary Clark Jr: This Land (Warner Bros.)
  • Josh Ritter: Fever Breaks (Pytheas)
  • Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry: Rootz Reggae Dub (Megawave)
  • Norah Jones: Begin Again (Blue Note)
  • Son Volt: Union (Transmit Sound)
  • Willie Nelson: Ride Me Back Home (Legacy)
  • Wynton Marsalis: Bolden (OST) (Blue Engine)

Kevin Gallagher “Digging In The Dirt”

  • Bria Skonberg: Nothing Ever Happens (Bria Skonberg)
  • The Infamous Stringdusters: Live from Covington Kentucky (Tape Time)
  • Juan Álamo & Marimjazzia: Ruta Panoramica (Summitt)
  • Justin Townes Earle: The Saint of Lost Causes (New West)
  • Mavis Staples – Live in London (Anti-)
  • Our Native Daughters (feat. Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell): Songs of Our Native Daughters (Smithsonian Folkways)
  • Paul Nedzela: Introducing Paul Nedzela (Outside In)
  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band: A Tuba to Cuba (Sub Pop)
  • Snarky Puppy: Immigrance (GroundUP)
  • Stan Getz: Getz at the Gate (Live at the Village Gate, Nov 26th, 1961) (Verve)

Tone “Doc” Hardy “Jazz and Soul On Ice”

  • Miles Davis: Rubberband (Warner/Rhino)
  • Althea René: Flawsome (Althea Rene)
  • Norman Brown: Highest Act of Love (Shanachie)
  • Lori Williams: Full Circle (LoriJazz)
  • Brendan Rothwell: Sentiment (Brendan Rothwell)
  • Prince: Originals (NPG/Warner Bros)
  • G-Nice: I’m Aroundd – The Marathon Continued (The Real G-Nice/Horizon)
  • Cassandra Lucas: Long Way Home (CRC Musik)
  • Trombeatz: A Carribean Thing (Truth Revolution/The Innovative People)
  • Tahirah Memory: Asha (Tahirah Memory)

Rich Kaminsky: “Off-Beat”

  • Alex Lahey: Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself (Dead Oceans)
  • Ali Barter: History of Boys (PIAS)
  • Charlie Bliss: Hard to Believe (Barsuk)
  • Le Butcherettes: father/ELOHIM (Rise)
  • The Coolies: Blueberry Crumble (Wicked Cool)
  • Deer Tick: Hey! Yeah! (Partisan)
  • Duck and Cover: Bleeding (State Line/Susspool)
  • The Hu: Yuve Yuve Yu (Eleven Seven)
  • Los Straitjackets: Ashokan Farewell (Yep Roc)
  • Tacocat: New World (Sub Pop)

Binnie Klein: “A Miniature World”

  • Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Ghosteen (Ghosteen)
  • Aldous Harding: Designer (4AD)
  • Hozier: Wasteland, Baby! (Columbia
  • Big Thief: U.F.O.F. (4AD)
  • Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising (Sub Pop)
  • Angel Olsen: All Mirrors (Jagjaguwar)
  • Toro Y Moi: Outer Peace (Carpark)
  • Thom Yorke: Anima (XL)
  • Beck: Hyperspace (Capitol)
  • Kevin Morby: Oh My God (Dead Oceans)

Martha Willette Lewis: “The Flux Capacitor”

  • Kate Tempest: Holy Elixir (American Recordings)
  • Higher Brothers: Sunshine (88rising)
  • Mondo Cozmo: Black Cadillac (Last Gang)
  • Mattiel: Keep the Change (ATO)
  • Son Volt: The 99 (Transmit Sound)
  • I Know Leopard: Seventy Lies (Ivy League)
  • The Felice Brothers: Undress (Yep Roc)
  • Catherine Russell: You’re Not the Only Oyster in the Stew (Dot Time)
  • Doomsquad: General Hum (Bella Union)
  • Foals: Exits (Warner Bros.)

Michelle Morgan: “Love and Communication”

  • Angel Olsen: All Mirrors (Jagjaguwar)
  • Big Thief: Two Hands *and* U.F.O.F (4AD)
  • Cherry Glazerr: Stuffed & Ready (Secretly Canadian)
  • Helado Negro: This is How You Smile (RVNG Intl.)
  • Kishi Bashi: Omoiyari (Joyful Noise)
  • Mannequin Pussy: Patience (Epitaph)
  • Mega Bog: Dolphine (Paradise of Bachelors)
  • Nilüfer Yanya: Miss Universe (ATO)
  • Pile: Green & Gray (Exploding in Sound)
  • Sharon Van Etten: Remind Me Tomorrow (Jagjaguwar)

Mark Mushin: “One Step Ahead Of The Blues”

  • Kelly’s Lot: Alyssa (Kelly’s Lot)
  • Sean Gaiser: Brave (Sean Gaiser)
  • Sally Fletcher: Colours Of Your Rainbow (1555456 Records DK)
  • Southbound: Four Leaf Clover (Southbound)
  • Cara Being Blue: Old Feelin’ (Cara Being Blue)
  • Regina Bonelli: Killing Floor (True Groove)
  • Adam Holt: Mr. Morning Drive (Zenith)
  • Brandon Santini: Heartbreaker (American Showplace)
  • Seth Rosenbloom: Keep On Turning (HOLMZ)
  • Michael Bloom And The Blues Prophecy: Old Man Blues (Random Acts)

Martha Nachman: “The Music Never Stopped”

  • Vampire Weekend: Father Of The Bride (Columbia)
  • Kevin Morby: Oh My God (Dead Oceans)
  • Hayes Carll: What It Is (Dualtone)
  • Our Native Daughters (feat. Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell): Songs of Our Native Daughters (Smithsonian Folkways)
  • The Highwomen: The Highwomen (Elektra)
  • The Black Keys: Let’s Rock (Easy Eye/Nonesuch)
  • Jade Bird: Jade Bird (Glassnote)
  • The Avett Brothers: Closer Than Together (American Recordings)
  • Upstate: Healing (Royal Potato Family)
  • Sheryl Crow: Threads (Valory/Big Machine)

Rick Petrone: “The Jazz Sound”

  • Joey DeFransesco: In The Key Of The Universe (Mack Avenue)
  • Mike Le Donne: Partners In Time (Savant)
  • Monty Alexander: Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations (MACD)
  • Mary Stallings: Songs Were Made To Sing (Smoke Sessions)
  • Jimmy Cobb: This I Dig Of You (Smoke Sessions)
  • Ted Nash, Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison: Somewhere Else: West Side Story Songs (Plastic Sax)
  • Nicki Parrott: New York To Paris (Arbors)
  • Ryan Keberle & Catharsis: The Hope I Hold (Green Leaf)
  • Jonathan Kreisberg: Capturing Spirits – JKQ Live! (New for Now)
  • Adrian Cunningham: Play Lerner & Loewe (Arbors)

Rod Richardson: “Radio Nothing”

  • A-WA: Bayti Fi Rasi (S-Curve)
  • Acid Arab: Jdid (Crammed)
  • The Budos Band: The Budos Band V (Daptone)
  • The Hu: The Gereg (Eleven Seven)
  • Michael Gordon: Acquanetta (Cantaloupe)
  • Natacha Atlas: Strange Days (Whirlwind)
  • Park Jiha: Philos (Glitterbeat)
  • R. Weis: Glass In Your Ear (R. Weis)
  • Rammstein: RAMMSTEIN (Universal)
  • Širom: A Universe That Roasts Blossoms For a Horse (Glitterbeat)

Valerie Richardson: “Radio Something”

  • Altın Gün: Gece (ATO)
  • BaianaSystem: O Futuro Não Demora (Máquina de Louco)
  • Buke & Gase: Scholars (Brassland)
  • Cate Le Bon: Reward (Mexican Summer)
  • Jesca Hoop: Stonechild (Memphis Industries)
  • Keb’ Mo’: Oklahoma (Concord)
  • Mark Mulcahy: The Gus (Mezzotint)
  • Rachid Taha: Je Suis Africain (Naïve)
  • Various Artists: Puro Tayta Shanti (Discos Shaki/Little Axe)
  • Violent Femmes: Hotel Last Resort (Add It Up/PIAS)

KC Ryan

  • Bruce Springsteen: If I Should Fall Behind (Columbia)
  • Cate Le Bon: Daylight Matters (Mexican Summer)
  • Josh Ritter & The Milk Carton Kids: The Gospel of Mary (Pytheas)
  • Kate Tempest: People’s Faces (American Recordings)
  • The Menzingers: America (You’re Freaking Me Out) (Epitaph)
  • Savoy Brown: Don’t Hang Me Out to Dry (Quarto Valley)
  • Serena Fisseau and Vincent Peisani: What a Wonderful World (ACT Music)
  • The Slambovian Circus of Dreams: Every Little Light (Storm King)
  • Whyte Horses: Ça Plane Pour Moi (CRC)
  • Youn Sun Na: Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology) (Warner Music)

Rob Silber: “Rock Therapy”

  • Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul: Summer Of Sorcery (Wicked Cool)
  • Samantha Fish: Kill Or Be Kind (Rounder)
  • Mike Zito and Friends: Rock & Roll – A Tribute To Chuck Berry (Ruf)
  • Bruce Springsteen: Western Stars (Columbia)
  • Kelly’s Lot: Can’t Take My Soul (Kelly’s Lot)
  • The Who: Who (Polydor)
  • Alice Wallace: Into The Blue (JTM)
  • John Mayall: Nobody Told Me (Forty Below)
  • Genya Ravan: Icon (Rum Bar)
  • Stephen Clair: Strange Perfume (Rock City)

Bruce Swan: “Music My Mother Wouldn’t Like”

  • Dave Gunning: Up Against The Sky (Wee House of Music)
  • Martyn Joseph: Here Come The Young (Pipe)
  • Ordinary Elephant: Honest (Ordinary Elephant)
  • Peter Mulvey: There Is Another World (Righteous Babe)
  • Danny Schmidt: Standard Deviation (Live Once)
  • Catherine MacLellan: Coyote (Catherine MacLellan)
  • Anna Tivel: The Question (Anna Tivel)
  • Charlie Parr: Charlie Parr (Red House)
  • Rod Picott: Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil (Welding Rod)
  • River Drivers: Big Oak Road (River Drivers)

howard thompson: “PURE”

  • Mondo Cozmo: Black Cadillac (Last Gang)
  • Kelly Hunt: Across the Great Divide (Rare Bird)
  • Robyn Hitchcock: Take Off Your Bandages (Tiny Ghost)
  • Iris Dement: House Where Nobody Lives (Dualtone)
  • Daniel Norgren: Dandelion Time (Superpuma)
  • Mindy Gledhill: Adiós Cariño (Blue Morph)
  • The Reverse Cowgirls: Hot Dinners (Northern Cowboy)
  • Lost Bayou Ramblers: Amedé Choupique (live) (Lost Bayou)
  • The Vacant Lots: The Bells (A Recordings)
  • Motörhead: Overkill (40th Anniversary Edition) (BMG)

Amy “Night Nurse” Wachtel: “Rockers Arena”

  • Mykal Rose: Red, Gold, Green and Blue (Trojan JA)
  • Akae Beka: Mek A Menshun (Zion High Productions)
  • Various: Down In Jamaica (40 Years Of VP Records) (VP)
  • Third World: More Work to be Done (Ghetto Youths International)
  • Koffee: Rapture (Columbia)
  • Jesse Royal: LionOrder (ft. Protoje) (Easy Star)
  • Steel Pulse: Mass Manipulation (Rootfire Collective)
  • Oku Onuora: I’ve Seen (Fruits)
  • Lila Iké: Where I’m Coming From(In.Digg.Nation Collective)
  • Mortimer: Lightning (Easy Star)