The Best Bass Albums of 2019
Skydiving. A first date. Reading a good book. Working your way through an epic RPG.
Sometimes we get the opportunity to revisit those events, but chances are there’s nothing quite like experiencing them for the first time.
I personally LOVE discovering new music. Getting hooked on an artist, anticipating their upcoming album, and finally getting to listen to it for the first time on release day is an obsession of mine.
I know we’re only a little more than halfway through the year, but I thought I’d share what I would consider the best bass albums of 2019 thus far.
The Best Bass Albums of 2019
- Bubby Lewis – Hero Dynasty
- Evan Marien – EMAR Vol 3
- The Omnific – The Mind’s Eye
- John Patitucci – Soul of the Bass
- Janek Gwizdala – The Union
- Seodophy – The After Hours
Bubby Lewis – Hero Dynasty
Hero Dynasty is the second solo album from Robert “Bubby” Lewis. His lyrics do a superb job of expressing his experiences and outlook on life, and are supported with thumping drum beats, guest musicians, and you guessed it – plenty of bass solos. “Don’t let the game play you.”
Evan Marien – EMAR Vol 3
Evan Marien is back at it again with EMAR Vol 3. This time he’s got a few special guests with him, including Louis Cole, Cory Wong, and Nate Wood. His unique jazz/electronic style combined with his superior musicianship on the bass guitar makes you feel like you’re literally in a video game… check out the video below to see what I mean.
The Omnific – The Mind’s Eye
Like metal? Great. Like the bass guitar? Even better, because Australian trio The Omnific has not one, but two bassists. Their latest release, The Mind’s Eye, contains some of their heaviest work to date while also including beautiful, atmospheric interludes that bring balance to the album.
John Patitucci – Soul of the Bass
You just might have the desire to do some soul searching of your own after hearing John Patitucci’s latest release, Soul of the Bass. Patitucci utilizes multiple techniques on the upright and electric six string bass throughout the album, displaying the power of the low end and its ability to stand alone as the lead.
Janek Gwizdala – The Union
Ya like jazz? Then you’re going to love Janek Gwizdala’s The Union. Instrumentation includes drums, bass, piano, and trumpet, creating the perfect “sitting at a coffee shop in a big city on a rainy day” vibe. Check out his bass solo from the track “Light Years.”
Seodophy – The After Hours
Is “chill shred” a thing? If so, Seodophy’s The After Hours completely embodies it. Using an array of techniques, like two-handed tapping and harmonics to create chord voicings, he’s released an EP that raises the bar for solo bassists.
Honorable Mentions
The following weren’t included in the above list simply because they’re not as bass-prominent, but still worth mentioning due to the serious groove provided by those holding down the low end.
- Lettuce – Elevate
- The Fearless Flyers – The Fearless Flyers II
- Mark Lettieri – Deep: The Baritone Sessions
- Snarky Puppy – Immigrance
- Chon – Chon
- Cory Wong – Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul
- Stephen Taranto – Permanence
I hope you enjoyed the list above! Even if some of these artists don’t fall under the umbrella of your preferred genres, I encourage you to take a listen anyway. From personal experience I can say that opening my mind to new genres has done a few things for me:
- It’s helped me grow as a bass player.
- It’s allowed me to appreciate different styles of music.
- It’s allowed me to discover some of my favorite artists that I didn’t even knew existed.
In high school I pretty much exclusively listened to metal, but as I grew as a musician I started picking up on different basslines from various styles of music. As I noticed the different rhythms, techniques, and tones between genres I started to enjoy and appreciate funk, jazz, fusion, classic rock, and much more – while becoming a well-rounded bassist at the same time.
Need even more music to discover? Check out my Spotify playlist “All About That Bass.”
This curated collection of bass guitar-prominent songs contains everything from Jaco to Evan Brewer. I’m constantly updating this playlist, so if you know of an artist that’s not on the playlist please let me know!
