You know the drill by now! Obviously this in allll opinion as always. 2018's been a fantastic year for music. Some of the album's on here have lessened on me over time, others have grown on me. Enjoy it friends, here's to a bigger and better 2019, exciting news to come!
Top Albums
25. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar
In every way with "Cocoa Sugar", Young Fathers have outdone themselves. For years they've dabbled in Experimental Rap, Alternative R&B, and even Low-Fi Pop. But here, Young Fathers have combined all of that and more for what may just be their masterpiece. This album is political, gritty and more often than not, very urgent. In a way, I can almost see fans of Algiers "The Under Side of Power" being into this. It's a lot to take in, often with all of these different sounds bleeding into each other constantly. You may very well start off with an Alternative Rap banger only to get slapped with a catchy Pop Hook. It's exciting just about from start to finish and really has me ready for whatever Young Fathers want to do next.
24. Oh Sees - Smote Reverser
When you’re an Oh Sees fan, you never know what John Dwyer is going to throw at you. “Smote Reverser” however is one of the more shocking releases in Oh Sees last few years. This album is a blistering mix of Progressive Rock instrumentals, extended Jams, bluesy Guitar solos, all mixed with the usual campiness and blood and gore that Oh Sees have dished out for seemingly forever. “Smote Reverser” is a trip of an album, that shows Oh Sees progressing in every way, taking the wailing guitars and undeniable fun of “A Weird Exits”, while adding in the determination and Krautrock influence of “Orc” with the sweeping melodies of “Memory of a Cut Off Head”. Go into this album like you would any other Oh Sees album, not knowing what to expect from John Dwyer. Just don’t be surprised when he blows your mind once again.
23. BROCKHAMPTON - iridescence
BROCKHAMPTON return after “saturating” the Hip Hop scene with an adventurous, emotional and undoubtedly personal album. Going into this album, me and I’m sure a lot of others really didn’t know what to expect out of these guys. And I mean, can you blame them? They’ve been through a lot in the last 6 months, and as good as the “SATURATION” trilogy was, it was often hard to pinpoint. But “iridescence” is highly adventurous and well written follow up to the tapes that made them famous. There are plenty of great bangers, charismatic performances from the whole crew, and teary-eyed ballads that come off better than anyone could have expected. I think the most exciting thing about this project is, I honestly think BROCKHAMPTON haven’t even peaked yet. This is such a great album, and I think they’re just going to keep going up from here.
22. KEN Mode - Loved
KEN Mode come off their polarizing “Success” album that’s even rowdier and more untamable. There are MathCore references here, and bizarre horn breakdowns that would make the boys of Dillinger Escape Plan blush. But more often than not, the sheer simplicity of this album is what makes it tick. I haven’t heard KEN Mode playing with such technicality in years, and the fact that they sound this focused this far into their career is a testament to how great they are. And sure, I do miss the bulkier production of Steve Albini, but for a 9 track album, this is surprisingly VERY solid Post-Hardcore album.
21. BAMBARA - Shadow On Everything
BAMBARA have come out of their Noisy cocoon they made for themselves years ago, making for easily the grizzliest Post-Punk album you're going to hear all year. This album is absolutely dreary and often incredibly intense. But BAMBARA are originally Southern boys and have brought in numerous elements of Southern Rock to make this album even more emotional and often more tortured sounding. This could have easily been just another Post-Punk album, easily. But BAMBARA has taken the sound and give it a dangerous, surreal new twist and I can't wait to see where they're taking it next.
20. Tribulation - Down Below
Tribulation for years has built up their sound, often in bringing campy sound effects and plenty of Gothic atmospheres to create a very distinct sound. But this may just be their finest work yet. First off, the production on here is pristine, Tribulation sure has come a long way since their first, muddy EP. But it's a whole lot more than that with "Down Below". The performances are much more aggressive, the vocals are more grizzly, and the instrumentals are proficient and wild. But the most curious element here is just how much Tribulation respect the past of the genres they toy with. This album is often epic and grandiose, even gorgeous occasionally, and incredibly gratifying.
19. Anderson .Paak - Oxnard
Anderson .Paak returns after already achieving superstar status with a series of his most fluid and enjoyable tracks yet. For years, .Paak has seamlessly fused Hip Hop, Funk, Neo-Soul and more. But with tasteful throwbacks, an interest in Electro-Funk and Pop Rap, a star-studded guest list and more, .Paak sounds more charismatic and charming than ever. There are tasteful Jazz Rap tunes, throwback sleazy funk, modern bangers, and all sorts of other colorful gems. It’s an album that demands a few listens, but man is it ever a blast.
18. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
The 1975 return after a bloated and overproduced album with their easiest to take in, yet incredibly adventurous album yet. For years, The 1975 have given themselves massive shoes to fill with insanely catchy Indie Pop anthems, but their issues time and time again have been their studio albums. For the first time, with “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships”, the 1975 fill those shoes. They’ve come up with a collection of millennial anthems diving deeply into Sex, Drugs, and Romance with no fear of how any of it comes off. There’s hectic Synth-Pop, smooth Jazz, Dreamy Pop numbers as well as the instantaneous Indie Pop that made them such a monumental act, to begin with. And while after all of these years, I'm not wildly crazy about some of the ballads, this is the first must-listen 1975 album, quote me on it.
17. Oneohtrix Point Never - Age Of
The latest Oneohtrix Point Never album may not be Daniel Lopatin's most abrasive, experimental, or wild release. But it's easily his most telling and most apocalyptic. As the cover art depicts, a lot of the tracks on this album from a distance sound like very warped Pop tunes. But upon further investigation, something always seems very VERY wrong, and it's often near to impossible to figure out what. There are blasts of noisy production, chilling guest spots, and for the first time ever some actual vocals from Dan himself (even though technically there have been lyrics on his past albums). Like most of OPN's albums, this isn't a fun album, and it's one that requires some very intense listening. But it ends up being Oneohtrix Point Never's most horrific and dystopian album to date.
16. Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
On every level, this is the most exciting and wildly creative Rap album 2018 has given us yet. Kanye's production choices and Kid Cudi's hooks haven't been this spot on for years. Not to mention, like I said in Kanye's "Ye" review if you thought albums like "Yeezus" were maybe a little shallow, this is genuinely strange and experimental in the best ways. But it's more than that. It's honestly the companion piece to "Ye" that we didn't know we need. It wraps up a lot of thoughts that Kanye had there. And Cudi, my lord Kid Cudi. This is a guy who years ago I was truly worried about the sanity of. And hearing him here, in this very positive, genuinely healthy light, It's nothing short of remarkable. Not only is "Kids See Ghosts" and truly a well-written exercise in positivity, but it also continues to break the mold for what modern Rap and Hip Hop can be. It's a crime it's so short.
15. Denzel Curry - TA13OO
Denzel Curry in the last few years has, for my money, become one of Rap and Hip-Hop’s real Rockstars. But the material on “TA13OO” has transcended him to an entirely new level. His performances here are some of his most energetic to date, and if you’ve listened to his early material, you know that’s saying something. The production here is cloudy and nocturnal, and to say that this isn’t Denzel’s most emotional and depressive album yet would be a lie. It’s Psychedelic and artsy, but also aggressive and often tortured, with very few moments that aren’t refreshing and genuinely wild.
14. MGMT - Little Dark Age
MGMT are back with their most puzzling and bizarre album yet. It's an album that I really didn't understand at first, and one that takes a few listens, quite the opposite of their days on top of the Indie Charts. It's filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, tropical rhythms, some cynicism, and Psych Pop influences all over the map. For many, this is going to be a very hit or miss album, with some maybe turning it off after the first track or two. But if you're into MGMT and want to hear themselves push themselves to the brink of sanity without imploding completely, give this a listen.
13. SOPHIE - Oils Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
SOPHIE on this album comes out of her shell in more ways then one. She’s slowly over the past few years come out into the public more, revealing her identity and sexuality. And all of that, is a gigantic part of this album, but it goes even deeper. Musically, this is SOPHIE coming out of her shell just as much. There are only a few of the Experimental Pop bangers that we all fell in love with years ago. The rest of this album is a sprawling, often freakish, and highly experimental Pop album diving into love, lust, and who you are. And if you’re like me, and you’ve been waiting for this album for years, it’s just going to be all ear candy. It’s wildly adventurous, to levels I honestly didn’t see coming, and Sophie’s song concepts and immense production deserve a round of applause in itself. The future is looking brighter by the minute.
12. Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams
Fucked Up return with their first album in years, sounding more sonically adventurous and wilder than ever. Fucked Up has always been more than just another Hardcore band, but more than ever it seems to be the case. Here, they bring in elements of catchy Indie Rock, hazy Psychedelic Rock, funky Electronics, and a deep appreciation for the roots of Hardcore Punk. The result is one of their wildest and most outlandish albums in their discography. It’s got a dystopian narrative and tons of rebellious mesmerizing hooks. I just have two major issues. For one, it’s insanely long, which ends up not being terrible because of just how many fantastic tracks are found here. But when this album is bad, this album is borderline terrible, especially when it comes to these ballads.
11. IDLES - Joy As An Act of Resistance
How do you even follow-up one of the most aggressive Punk albums of 2018? Well, of course, but expanding your sound in every way without giving an inch of weakness. This album has better production, just as visceral and cutting lyrics, and still packs an absolute wallop. There are pressure-cooker slow burners, there are streamlined Post-Punk tunes, there are anthemic throwbacks to the glory days of Punk, what even more can you ask for. I mean, yea, IDLES aren’t reinventing the wheel in any way whatsoever. But holy FUCK do they do this sound justice.
10. Julia Holter - Aviary
Julia Holter returns, ditching the breezy Pop of “Have You In My Wilderness”, but not leaving the songwriting. On “Aviary”, Julia Holter outdoes herself by bringing in a slew of dreamy, ambient, and incredibly classy set of Pop tunes. These aren’t Pop tunes that are instantaneous, these are tracks that you have to really sit with. But the results are often wild, resulting in these kaleidoscopic moments of euphoria. Julia has played with sound since her debut ages ago, that’s nothing new. But with better songwriting, better production, and some of her most ambitious instrumentals to date, Julia has knocked it out of the park.
09. Shame - Songs of Praise
Shame here on this album comes off like a tea kettle that's been on the stove for too damn long, ready to explode at any moment. While we really are in a sort of Post-Punk renaissance, Shame seems well ahead of the game. The material here, while it's very cleanly produced, often comes off with the sort of rough edge that British Punk greats are known for. The performances are all tight, no matter what style of Post Punk they go for. Some of the tracks here are tasteful throwbacks to the genres earliest days, with other moments rocketing towards the future. No matter what your cup of tea is in the Punk world, you're going to find it here. And even if Shame doesn't really do anything fantastically new with these sounds, do they ever sound good with it anyway.
08. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
Rap’s dreariest, loneliest soul returns after 3 years with a mind-altering, staggeringly experimental album. “Some Rap Songs” is much more than just some rap songs thrown together. This is the culmination of every sound that Earl has ever worked with. The jazzy rap nods of his Sly Tendencies days, the horrific alternate dimension that was his "EARL" mixtape, the emotional and somber tones of “Doris" and the agoraphobia and paranoia that plagued “I Don’t Like Shit…”. Earl is an absolute megastar. His flows are stunning, his ideas are forward thinking, the beats are wild, shit I had to keep pausing this album just to take it all in. It’s a true appreciation of albums like “Madvillainy” and “Donuts” while marching bravely towards the future and becoming more human than ever. Absolutely stunning.
07. Ty Segall - Freedom’s Goblin
This may be Ty's most in-depth, out of control, and experimental album yet. And if you've been following him as I have for years, then you know just how big of a statement that is. This, however, is a little different than your average, yearly album from Ty. No, this album as it goes on is a celebration of modern music of all sorts. Ty touches down on Disco, Punk, Rock N Roll, Folk, The Blues, and countless other genres. But more than that, this is a celebration of Ty, of every sound he's ever touched, and bringing them to the table in a way that I can only describe as some sort of colorful, freaky, Garage Rock variety show. There are a few moments on here that are a little weak, but for a double album, this album flows almost too smoothly.
06. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Up until this point, it was sort of obvious that Kacey Musgraves was one of the best things about modern Country, and her first few albums all around are very good. But this is Kacey's most mature, introspective, and impeccably wrote album to date. Kacey's not a young woman anymore, and for the first time sounds like a grown woman experiencing life's beauties for the first time. She talks about new relationships and falling in love, as well as life and the world around her, and it's all entertaining. Not to mention, Kacey also takes plenty of time to expand her instrumentals as well, bringing in elements of Folk, Pop and more. Needless to say, this is Kacey's greatest achievement, and her first "Must Listen" album.
05. Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest
Polish Black Metal legends Behemoth have returned once again, with an album that quite frankly just blew everything else in Metal this year completely out of the water. You can argue that this is Behemoth’s most human album, and you certainly would make a fantastic point, because I believe it is. But while from a distance this may be a different side for Behemoth, everything else about this band and this album have been cranked up more than ever. The more melodic moments from “The Satanist” are here and spades, as well as their focus on building a massive atmosphere as they’ve been learning to do for years. But since day one, the adventurous side to this band has always been a selling point for me. Behemoth throws everything at you here, to a point where you don’t know whether or not you’re going to be pummeled by Death Metal riffs or an Acoustic passage. You may hear some Classic Rock inspired drum fills or a Choir chime in for a chorus. It’s all on the table with Behemoth, and while this may not be their best album, it’s a dangerous reminder to just how bold and fearless this band is in the Metal world.
04. Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
Will Toledo was obviously onto something when he originally penned “Twin Fantasy” years ago. I don’t know if it was “unfinished” as he believes, but it certainly was a little rough around the edges, and a difficult listen at times. However, this reimagining is truly something special. Will took everything, and I mean everything that was originally so likable about this and made it so much easier to comprehend and follow, and it is GOOD. “Teens of Denial” may be about Will in a relationship with a male, or a female who ever knows with this dude. But, he’s packaged it in a way that you can comprehend these feelings if you’re in a relationship with whomever. The hooks are punchy, the choruses are soaring, and WIll’s anecdotes are timeless. Obviously though, what makes this so good is just how well this is written. Will seems to have such a gift for writing songs. There are tracks on here that are heart-wrenching to the point where you want to reach out to Will and check up on him, but moments later he’ll have you laughing with some well-placed cynicism or a truly memorable observation. This album may not be as universally relatable as “Teens of Denial”, but its sincerity and blatant honesty are incredible.
03. Iceage - Beyondless
Iceage took nearly 4 years recording this album, but it may just be their best. After their last album, "Plowing Into The Field of Love", I thought that Iceage had reached their artistic peak. But with this album, they've made the performances even more emotional, the atmosphere's even more intense, and are working with catchier material than ever. Elias Bender Rønnenfelt has never sounded so diabolical, and the band supporting him have never sounded more succinct. There are Gothic elements as well as a few nods to their early Post-Punk explosion. But if this album proves one thing, it's that Iceage is the most daring and fearless, and absolutely most dangerous Punk band on the planet. This isn't an easily digestible listen by any means, but it's the most must-listen album I've heard in months.
02. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake
Parquet Courts have returned with what may be their best and is by far their most ambitious album to date. They seem to have really done something I thought was completely impossible, take the modern protest album and make it Funky, fun and colorful. There are plenty of tracks on here in the fashion of early Parquet Courts recordings, with their legendary blend of sleek Indie and Wild Punk. And don’t worry, the passionate performances and poetic lyrics are very much so intact. But Danger Mouse on production has taken these guys to the next level. This album is wildly quirky and has endless character. Even instrumentally, we have everything here from Southern ballads to straight up Funk, and it comes off wonderfully.
01. Beach House - 7
Over the last few years, I've had many worries about Beach House. I was worried that their dreamy, hazy style was slowly running out of steam. Even more than that, I worried that they would try to remedy that by adding in more instrumentals. Which, spoiler alert, they do here, in a big way. But I don't think there was any way I could truly expect the immaculate results of this album. Beach House has transformed into a new band, with live drums and more added instrumentals than ever. The result is just as mysterious and beautiful, but with a new found determination. This album is an experience beyond any I've had this year. It reminds us that nobody builds an atmosphere or writes such incredibly beautiful songs as Beach House. But it also reminds us that they are far from done providing us with some of the most indescribable music of this decade.
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