Top Albums of 2018
Honorable Mentions: Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel; Soccer Mommy - Clean; Cody Jinks - Lifers; Lucero - Among The Ghosts; MGMT - Little Dark Age
The 11th record from the North Carolina punk rockers is among the most relevant work of their career.
Every few years the former Pavement frontman emerges with another project, this time reviving the Jicks for an excellent effort.
The best dream pop album out of Baltimore in 2018 wasn't provided by Beach House. This debut is among the best of the year.
The southern rock genre accounted for a large percentage of my listening in 2018, but no one came from off the radar quite like The Black Lillies. An extremely complete release.
No one was really waiting for this debut LP from this outfit, but that will certainly change when they begin production on a follow up effort.
Noname might be classified as mumble rap. Maybe. If so, she's the only thing within the genre that I can tolerate. She's selling out rooms across America on the back of this debut record.
The Future and the Past is a total departure from her 2015 self-titled, bringing in much more electric guitar and typical alt rock stylings.
The elder statesman of this list delivers with unparalleled quality at every asking. His Austin City Limits set showed off new his Tree of Forgiveness material in the best possible way.
To The Sunset is a departure from Shires' traditional bluegrass and folk tendencies, leaning more on full band arrangements than ever before.
There was no sophomore slump for Brent Cobb, as Providence Canyon adds a funkier, almost jam element to the baseline he set with Shine On Rainy Day.
The Brooklyn trio is another band whose sophomore effort built upon the foundation of their promising debut and bested it in every way. Their shows this winter opening for Interpol will be must see.
This folk supergroup is as technically proficient as any band currently playing. Living on strings and harmonies, you could certainly do worse than this when searching for relaxing music.
Love's Middle Name is the spiritual successor to my #1 record from last year (Dave Hause's Bury Me In Philly), a heartland rock offering tinged with a little bit of a punk rock edge.
Lead single "How Simple" is as infectious as anything they've ever done, but it's Francis Quinlan's vocal manipulation and songwriting that will keep you coming back.
This lands just to the right side of the line on sugary pop but is one of the more pleasant listens of the year.
Ambitious but familiar at the same time, Boarding House Reach finds White utilizing more electronic production than ever before.
One of the most dependable and consistent acts in the indie scene over the last five years, Parquet Courts climbs closer to the top of the heap with every release.
I'm definitely in the camp that High Horse is about Sturgill Simpson, and while that's borderline sacred ground around these parts, having the stones to attack an insider's outsider is a real power move.
The dynamic twists and turns provided by the dozen members can be dizzying at times, but more often than not, the buildup to the wall of sound is perfectly executed.
There was a period of the year where I was pretty positive this record was going to land at No. 1 for me. I wouldn't be surprised if historically, it ages the best of this top group. Be The Cowboy surpasses 2016's Puberty 2 as the crown jewel of the Mitski catalog.
Supposedly cobbled together from reworking songs written in prior sessions, this release can feel a bit disjointed, but it's one of the finest collections of individual songs of the year.
Hookworms provide this year's entry into the "toe tapping electronic indie rock" bucket with their third record, a vast departure from their previous work.
Fantastic Negrito's combination of fuzzy blues riffs and the soul of the deep south linked up for the bookends of the year: opener "Plastic Hamburgers" and closer " Bullshit Anthem".
Somehow, Vince Staples is still contained to 1,500 cap clubs while his lesser contemporaries can fill up arenas in a flash. Nothing makes sense. FM! showcases more of Vince's personality than past releases and is all the better for it.
BJ Barham's topical songwriting and southern rock sensibilities elevate this release above the rest for 2018. Featuring an all new band lineup, the feeling of rejuvenation permeates this entire record.
Top Songs of 2018
Nothing is clear cut this year. Click shuffle and enjoy.
3) Long road trips
2) My dog
1) Ronald Acuna
Things I Hated This Year
