There was very little music that I connected to this year. I was repeatedly referred to this band or that, told that it was incredible. Perhaps they all are. In any case, I wasn’t in the mood for most of it. Most of this recommended music wasn’t bad. It was fine, just bloodless. In all honesty, I could live without all of the following. Aside from a few great songs, not much stuck this year for me. I think I’m just getting old and readying myself to die. It happens. (Laugh, people.)
Everything I feared would happen to the music industry has so far come to pass with all
signs the ugliness will continue. Enjoy!
Top 10 Albums of 2018
1. Christine & the Queens - Chris: The closest thing to my favorite album this year. I listened to it a bunch and it still sounds good to me. “5 Dollars” and “The walker” were my jams, but the whole thing is really good synth pop.
2. Artificial Pleasure – The Bitter End: This is really a great record, but as of this writing it’s only available as a download or stream with no physical release. A funky combo of late-70s Bowie and Talking Heads, this is one of the few rock records that sounds like it’s got some energy to it.
3. Anna Calvi - Hunter: I’ve always admired Calvi, but this is the first record of hers that I actively like. You can’t say this is bloodless. This thing is turgid, coiled and ready to strike. I dig it, and it should be allowed to kill most of the current so-called rock bands in their sleep.
4. Denzel Curry - TA1300: This kid came out of nowhere for me. His lyrics are smart and funny and he has a great ear for melody. You can tell he’s still dependent on his influences, but you can tell he’s listened broadly and deeply and has great taste.
5. Judas Priest - FIREPOWER: This is top-form Priest. I’d put it on par with Painkiller which is far better than any of us deserve. This will probably be the last one with Tipton on it, but what a way to go out.
6. Kamasi Washington - Heaven & Earth: This is really good, but it didn’t grab me at first due to its length. It’s excellent cosmic soul jazz though, and an improvement over last year’s Harmony of Difference.
7. Chris Carter - Chemistry Lessons Volume 1: This was a welcome surprise from the former Throbbing Gristle synth programmer. It could have come from the late-70s of Tangerine Dream, the late-90s of Plaid, or the near future. It’s a beautiful sci-fi mix of doubt, fear, and hope.
8. Jeff Tweedy - WARM: I was honestly surprised how much I like this record. I figured I’d never buy another
Tweedy/Wilco record again (I might not). There’s a lot of raw pain mixed with humor in this, but most importantly there are real melodies and songs for the first time in a long while. The last song is too long and should have been cut though.
9. Ghost - Prequelle: This is fun. It makes me want to listen King Diamond, Jake-era Ozzy, and even Dokken - and that’s not a bad thing. However, when I go back to listen to those records, Ghost is outdoing a lot of those songs - at least the non-singles.
10. Wild Beasts - Last Night All My Dreams Came True: Stunning in-studio live versions of some of the best songs of the past decade by the best rock band of the era. Probably should be my number one, but it would make me too sad to put it there.
Other Worthy or Almost Good Albums of 2018 (no particular order)
Amen Dunes - Freedom: Something about this irritates me, but I can’t figure it out. His voice reminds me of someone I can’t think of it.
Marisa Anderson - Cloud Corner: This is a cool, moody fingerpicking record.
Hollie Cook - Angel Fire: A very light record, both in tone and and import. It’s still a nice descendent of second-wave ska.
Current 93 - The Light Is Leaving Us All: David Tibet is never boring, and he exists within a sound cosmology and genre all his own. This record as an album is a real collection of themed songs, like few others are on this list. He still sounds like an 80s apocalyptic folkie obsessed with Shirley Collins, bless his heart.
Gang Gang Dance - Kazuashita: I don’t know. This is nice and pleasant and gauzy. If I bought it I guarantee you I wouldn’t listen to it much. The last track, “Salve on the Sorrow,” is my favorite sounding like late-80s 4AD or Disintegration-era Cure.
The Lemon Twigs - Go to School: These kids are super-talented, but it’s still easy to pick out the bits they borrowed from their parents record collections. There’s some Rundgren, some Badfinger, some Sparks, among others (does anyone else hear Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right” on “Never in My Arms, Always in My Heart?”). It’s interesting, but it goes on a long time. This one is more low budget than their debut.
Makeness - Loud Patterns: One of two artists doing a good Arthur Russell impression this year, these are some young kids getting it right. They sound a little naive, but in a well-meaning refreshing way. A little more sex or desperation in the music wouldn’t be a bad thing.
MGMT - Little Dark Age: Huh? I’ve always liked these guys a little more than I’d like to admit, but this is one is weird, kind of like a Human League or O.M.D. record. If that comparison offends you, you might not want to listen to this because you might like it.
Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer: My favorite four songs are lumped in the middle (tracks 5-8) which makes for a weird listen. The whole record feels very indebted to Prince which isn’t a bad thing, but less original than her early tunes. Still very talented and ambitious.
Screaming Females - All at Once: Way too long, but hey, they play rock & roll in 2018. That’s got to count for something. No real standouts, just solid tunes.
Twin Shadow - Caer: A couple of really good songs (“Saturdays” and “Too Many Colors”). Much improved over the last one.
Good Tracks (no order)
There
were a few albums that I responded to, however, and I have listed them below
with a brief detail on each. There were also interesting albums that were
decent, but probably nothing I would buy, or if I would/did buy them, they
wouldn’t get regular plays. There were also flawed albums with a few good
tracks amidst some mediocre filler and some records with interesting concepts
that weren’t very melodically rewarding. Then there were incredible tracks that
were stranded on otherwise unworthy long-players.
Everything I feared would happen to the music industry has so far come to pass with all
signs the ugliness will continue. Enjoy!
Top 10 Albums of 2018
1. Christine & the Queens - Chris: The closest thing to my favorite album this year. I listened to it a bunch and it still sounds good to me. “5 Dollars” and “The walker” were my jams, but the whole thing is really good synth pop.
2. Artificial Pleasure – The Bitter End: This is really a great record, but as of this writing it’s only available as a download or stream with no physical release. A funky combo of late-70s Bowie and Talking Heads, this is one of the few rock records that sounds like it’s got some energy to it.
3. Anna Calvi - Hunter: I’ve always admired Calvi, but this is the first record of hers that I actively like. You can’t say this is bloodless. This thing is turgid, coiled and ready to strike. I dig it, and it should be allowed to kill most of the current so-called rock bands in their sleep.
4. Denzel Curry - TA1300: This kid came out of nowhere for me. His lyrics are smart and funny and he has a great ear for melody. You can tell he’s still dependent on his influences, but you can tell he’s listened broadly and deeply and has great taste.
5. Judas Priest - FIREPOWER: This is top-form Priest. I’d put it on par with Painkiller which is far better than any of us deserve. This will probably be the last one with Tipton on it, but what a way to go out.
6. Kamasi Washington - Heaven & Earth: This is really good, but it didn’t grab me at first due to its length. It’s excellent cosmic soul jazz though, and an improvement over last year’s Harmony of Difference.
7. Chris Carter - Chemistry Lessons Volume 1: This was a welcome surprise from the former Throbbing Gristle synth programmer. It could have come from the late-70s of Tangerine Dream, the late-90s of Plaid, or the near future. It’s a beautiful sci-fi mix of doubt, fear, and hope.
8. Jeff Tweedy - WARM: I was honestly surprised how much I like this record. I figured I’d never buy another
Tweedy/Wilco record again (I might not). There’s a lot of raw pain mixed with humor in this, but most importantly there are real melodies and songs for the first time in a long while. The last song is too long and should have been cut though.
9. Ghost - Prequelle: This is fun. It makes me want to listen King Diamond, Jake-era Ozzy, and even Dokken - and that’s not a bad thing. However, when I go back to listen to those records, Ghost is outdoing a lot of those songs - at least the non-singles.
10. Wild Beasts - Last Night All My Dreams Came True: Stunning in-studio live versions of some of the best songs of the past decade by the best rock band of the era. Probably should be my number one, but it would make me too sad to put it there.
Other Worthy or Almost Good Albums of 2018 (no particular order)
Amen Dunes - Freedom: Something about this irritates me, but I can’t figure it out. His voice reminds me of someone I can’t think of it.
Marisa Anderson - Cloud Corner: This is a cool, moody fingerpicking record.
Hollie Cook - Angel Fire: A very light record, both in tone and and import. It’s still a nice descendent of second-wave ska.
Current 93 - The Light Is Leaving Us All: David Tibet is never boring, and he exists within a sound cosmology and genre all his own. This record as an album is a real collection of themed songs, like few others are on this list. He still sounds like an 80s apocalyptic folkie obsessed with Shirley Collins, bless his heart.
Gang Gang Dance - Kazuashita: I don’t know. This is nice and pleasant and gauzy. If I bought it I guarantee you I wouldn’t listen to it much. The last track, “Salve on the Sorrow,” is my favorite sounding like late-80s 4AD or Disintegration-era Cure.
The Lemon Twigs - Go to School: These kids are super-talented, but it’s still easy to pick out the bits they borrowed from their parents record collections. There’s some Rundgren, some Badfinger, some Sparks, among others (does anyone else hear Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right” on “Never in My Arms, Always in My Heart?”). It’s interesting, but it goes on a long time. This one is more low budget than their debut.
Makeness - Loud Patterns: One of two artists doing a good Arthur Russell impression this year, these are some young kids getting it right. They sound a little naive, but in a well-meaning refreshing way. A little more sex or desperation in the music wouldn’t be a bad thing.
MGMT - Little Dark Age: Huh? I’ve always liked these guys a little more than I’d like to admit, but this is one is weird, kind of like a Human League or O.M.D. record. If that comparison offends you, you might not want to listen to this because you might like it.
Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer: My favorite four songs are lumped in the middle (tracks 5-8) which makes for a weird listen. The whole record feels very indebted to Prince which isn’t a bad thing, but less original than her early tunes. Still very talented and ambitious.
Screaming Females - All at Once: Way too long, but hey, they play rock & roll in 2018. That’s got to count for something. No real standouts, just solid tunes.
Twin Shadow - Caer: A couple of really good songs (“Saturdays” and “Too Many Colors”). Much improved over the last one.
Good Tracks (no order)
Matthew Dear with Tegan & Sara - “Bad Ones” I thought the full record was pretty stinky. This killed though. Maybe best song of the year.
Empress Of - “When I’mWith Him” A decent M83 or Shura kind of cut.
Westerman - “Confirmation” The other Arthur Russell clone.
The Damned - “Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow” Not bad!
The Damned - “Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow” Not bad!
Elvis
Costello - “Burnt Sugar Is So Bitter” This sounds like a Diamond Dogs b-side.
That means good.
U.S.
Girls - “Rage of Plastics” I don’t know. S’alright.
Georgia
Anne Muldrow - “Overload” She’s smart, but mostly gets in her own way. This is cool.
Mor
Mor - “Waiting on the Warmth” Maybe closer to the old Twin Shadow sound than
the new TS.
The
Night Flight Orchestra - “Gemini” Actually not 2018, but new to me. The video
is fun.
Chaka
Khan - “Like Sugar” Dance, nerd.
