Wednesday 19 December 2018

Best Of 2018

Another year end, another Top 50 "best of" list. Keep in mind this is based solely on my personal preference/enjoyment, so it's more of a "favourites" list than an objective ranking in quality. Additionally, don't take the numbering too seriously, it's super hard to pit one album against another, so the actual order is fairly relative. This list only contains full-length albums, thus no EP's are included. Let me know what your favourite albums from 2018 were, how terrible mine are, etc. Thank you guys for continuing to check out this blog, I've got one last post coming for this year, enjoy the holidays, and I'll see you in 2019.

Honorable Mentions:
Messes - The Ever Closing Door
Cloud District - Dont' Give Up, Skeleton
Pool Kids - Music To Practice Safe Sex To
Gulfer - Dog Bless
Infant Island - Infant Island


50

Night Birds - Roll Credits

49

Cassus - Separation Anxiety


48

Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love


47

Super Unison - Stella


46

Turnstile - Time & Space


45

Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning


44

Jay Rock - Redemption


43

Frank Turner - Be More Kind


42

Candy - Good To Feel


41

Jesus Piece - Only Self


40

Ostraca - Enemy


39

Snail Mail - Lush


38

Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel


37

Jeff Rosenstock - POST-


36

Antarctigo Vespucci - Love In The Time Of E-Mail

35

Gillian Carter - ...This Earth Shaped Tomb


34

Camp Cope - How To Socialise & Make Friends


33

Sleep - The Sciences


32

Mount Eerie - Now Only


31

Foxing - Nearer My God


30

Respire - Dénouement


29

Fiddlehead - Springtime & Blind


28

Portrayal Of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide


27

The Armed - Only Love


26

Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams


25

awakebutstillinbed - what people call low self-esteem is really just seeing yourself the way that other people see you

24

Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs


23

Vince Staples - FM!


22

Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love


21

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy


20

Kanye West - Ye


19

Culture Abuse - Bay Dream


18

Brockhampton - iridescence


17

Iceage - Beyondless


16

JPEGMAFIA - Veteran


15

Birds in Row - We Already Lost The World


14

mewithoutYou - [untitled]


13

Beach House - 7


12

Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar


11

Pusha T - Daytona


10

Single Mothers - Through A Wall

9

Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog


8

Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer


7

Low - Double Negative



6

Death Grips - Year Of The Snitch


5

Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts


4

The Dirty Nil - Master Volume


3

Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want


2

Idles - Joy As An Act Of Resistance


1

Brian Fallon - Sleepwalkers








So there ya go. I drove myself up the wall trying to pick these out, because so much good material came out this year (some I had to unfortunately exclude). Coming up with the ranks for the final few albums was especially excruciating, because I love them all for different reasons. On a side note I'm sure nobody cares about, I spent almost this entire year telling myself I was not going to make Brian's new album my #1 pick, because I did that in 2016 and 2014 (with TGA) and later regretted both. Not because they're bad albums, but looking back there were better, more definitive albums that should have taken those spots (Atrocity Exhibition and Negative Qualities, for the 1 person who was wondering). So even though Sleepwalkers is a fantastic album, I didn't want to let my fanboyism get in the way again. But lo and behold, when it came down to making this list, I couldn't place it anywhere else but #1. It's probably my most-listened to release this year, one that I'll probably always associate with 2018, and in two years time I'll look back and regret it all over again. I don't know, I found that to be a funny factoid that I'm sure is only amusing to myself. If someone is still reading this, please do let me know what your top albums of this year were, I'm super curious to hear what you've been digging for the last 365 days.

28 comments:

  1. Thanks for another year of music, Kevin!

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  2. Awesome list! Can't seem to get into the Armed's 'Only Love' myself though... Not much of a Ye fan too, but love those Push and Kids See Ghosts albums.

    My fav albums:
    1. Spanish Love Songs - Schmaltz
    2. Turnstile - Time & Space
    3. Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar
    4. Chiller - s/t
    5. Press Club - Late Teens
    6. awakebutstillinbed - what people call low self-esteem...
    7. Slow Crush - Aurora
    8. Notches - Almost Ruined Everything
    9. Brave Hands - To End All Worth
    10. Muncie Girls - Fixed Ideals

    Fav EP's:
    1. Khiis - Saboor
    2. Empath - Liberating Guilt and Fear
    3. Every Stranger Looks Like You - I: Levensmoeheid
    4. Ballpeen - Loose Knot
    5. Timeshares - Out There

    Fav demo's:
    1. Bait - Demo
    2. Suicideforce - s/t demo
    3. Optimal Crime - Demo 2018
    4. Quick Fix - Demo 2018
    5. disparaître - s/t

    Cheers from Belgium!

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    Replies
    1. I ALSO dug that Timeshares EP and the Spanish Love Songs record.

      I'll be combin' through some of the other stuff you mention. Anything that sticks out in that particular power-pop-punk realm?

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    2. Definitely Notches and Empath!

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  3. Top 10 (no particular order):
    Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It
    Spurv - Myra
    Joy - No Light Below
    Trna - Earthcult
    Autumn Creatures - Funeral Garden
    Elle - She
    Milanku - Monument du non-etre...
    Cassus - Separation Anxiety
    A Film in Color - They March in Endless Circles
    Bearings - Blue in the Dark

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  4. Good to see mewithoutYou getting some love

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  5. hi. great list, I have some albums to check out from it, that apparently slipped through my fingers in 2018. here's my top15, the order is not definitive, but I'm quite satisfied with it.

    soldat hans - es taut
    deafheaven - ordinary corrupt human love
    funeral mist - hekatomb
    daughters - you won't get what you want
    high on fire - electric messiah
    sleep - the sciences
    youth avoiders - relentless
    kamasi washington - heaven and earth
    all them witches - atw
    spanish love songs - schmaltz
    pianos become the teeth - wait for love
    tomb mold - manor of infinite forms
    just friends - nothing but love
    jeff rosenstock - post-
    dopethrone - transcanadian anger

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  6. Hate to say it because I love the band, but that Low album is absolute pony, and I gave it a decent chance too. Good list otherwise though, and thanks for a great blog.

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  7. 1 - Collections Of Colonies Of Bees - Hawaii
    2 - Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love
    3 - Wild Beasts - Last Night All My Dreams...
    4 - Shakey Graves - Can´t Wake Up
    5 - Medicine Boy - Lower
    6 - Mouse On Mars - Dimensional People
    7 - Sel Defense Family - Have You Ever Considered...
    8 - Loma - Loma
    9 - US Girls - In a Poem Unlimited
    10 - Vessel - Queen Of Golden Dogs

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  8. 2018 Top Ten Albums:
    1. Heroes, Villians and All That Jazz by Andres (math rock/pop)
    2. Ghost City by Delta Sleep (math rock)
    3. Merci by Save Face (post-hardcore/punk)
    4. Waves by Donovan Wolfington (punk)
    5. POST- by Jeff Rosenstock (punk)
    6. Skylight by Pinegrove (alt country)
    7. Trench by Twenty One Pilots (pop rock/rap)
    8. CheemTV by Cheem
    9. The Cardboard Swords by The Cardboard Swords (spoken word/emo)
    10. Distant Relatives by California Cousins (math rock/ emo)

    Honorable Mentions:
    Rock Island by Palm, Mental Knife by Hail the Sun, Music To Practice Safe Sex To by Pool Kids, Y2K by Snow Roller, JD's Jukehouse by Thrashkitten, Succubabes: Or How I Learned To Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah by The Holloway Tape

    2018 Top 5 EPs:
    1. "I Don't Know How To Explain It" by Michael Cera Palin (emo/punk)
    2. Pop Music by Remo Drive (emo)
    3. Mixed Reviews by Oliver Houston (math rock/ emo)
    4. AnimalJam by AnimalJam (post hardcore)
    5. Appetizers by Doggo (experimental rock)

    Honorable Mentions:
    I Don't Feel Good by VOIDD4K, Good Luck, Have Fun by Good Game, My Moon Is Always Full Promo by Taking Meds, Timelines by Spectrums

    Single of the Year: From the Outside by Real Friends

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  9. I'm still trying to figure out my list but I know without a doubt that Ghost City by Delta Sleep takes my number one spot.

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  10. The new Daughters has to be my favorite this year. Have a great holiday, thanks.

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  11. here's my list – it's been a good year!

    LPS
    1. BLITHE FIELD — “DAYS DRIFT BY”
    2. THIS WILL DESTROY YOU — “NEW OTHERS PART 2”
    3. LOW — “DOUBLE NEGATIVE”
    4. THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE — “HYPNIC JERKS”
    5. SUMAC — “LOVE IN SHADOW”
    6. OSTRACA — “ENEMY”
    7. FORTH WANDERERS — “S/T”
    8. NOTHING — “DANCE ON THE BLACKTOP”
    9. THEY ARE GUTTING A BODY OF WATER — “GESTURES BEEN”
    10. OVLOV — “TRU”
    11. SNAIL MAIL — “LUSH”
    12. WILD NOTHING — “INDIGO”
    13. NONAME — “ROOM 25”
    14. MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER — “BON VOYAGE”
    15. PORTRAYAL OF GUILT — “LET PAIN BE YOUR GUIDE”
    16. BIG UPS — “TWO PARTS TOGETHER”
    17. BEACH HOUSE — “7”
    18. SOCCER MOMMY — “CLEAN”
    19. DOGWOOD TALES — “TOO HARD TO TELL”
    20. HOUR — TINY HOUSES
    —————————————>
    EPS, SPLITS, & COMPS
    1. V/A — “S&S PRESENTS: DREAMS”
    2. ING — “ING”
    3. RAGANA/THOU — “LET OUR NAMES BE FORGOTTEN”
    4. LISTLESS — “LISTLESS”
    5. WATCHDOGS — “SANGUINARY”
    —————————————>
    HONORABLE MENTIONS
    - SUMAC & KEIJI HAINO — “AMERICAN DOLLAR BILL”
    - RESPIRE — “DÉNOUEMENT”
    - JET BLACK — “L’ERE DU VIDE”
    - MASSA NERA/EF’IL/TIMNOTY/YO SBRAITO — “4-WAY SPLIT”
    - MILO — “BUDDING ORNITHOLOGISTS ARE WEARY OF TIRED ANALOGIES”
    - PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH — “WAIT FOR LOVE”
    - A NEEDLE UNDER THE NAIL — “THE THIRD IMPACT”
    —————————————>
    BEST LIVE THINGS I SAW
    - SAMARRA @ Hypercube / Richmond, VA — 5/2
    - SOUL GLO @ Geist House / Montréal, QC — 8/5
    - MASSA NERA @ Café Verona / Pittsburgh, PA — 9/24
    - .GIF FROM GOD @ Hypercube / Richmond, VA — 11/4
    - LOW LIGHT @ Saint Vitus / NY, NY — 11/18
    - ING @ Strange Matter / Richmond, VA — 11/20

    (also, i play in infant island – thanks for the shout out! see ya next year...)

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. pig destroyer-head cage
    2. alkaline trio-is this thing cursed
    3. erdve-vaitojimas
    4. night verses-from the gallery of sleep
    5. sumac-love in shadow
    6. vermilia-katkyt
    7. low-double negative
    8. asg-survive sunrise
    9. inferi-revenant
    10. the ocean-phanerzoic i
    11. cult leader-a patient man
    12. dead empires-designed to disapear
    13. mt. eerie-now only
    14. thou- manus
    15. vallendusk-fortress of primal grace

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  13. Hi Kevin, thanks for another year of Sophie's Floorboard -- I love your blog, keep it up! Here are my favourites of 2018:
    1. Idles - Joy as an act of resistance
    2. Baxter Dury/Etienne de Crecy/Delilah Holliday- B.E.D.
    3. Thou - Magus
    4. Birds In Row - We already lost the World
    5. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel&Casino
    6. Ostraca - Enemy
    7. mewithoutYou - untitled
    8. Morne - To the night unknown
    9. Tragedy - Fury
    10. Listener - Being Empty : Being Filled

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  14. Really good list! Learned about Pool Kids from you and played it nonstop for months.
    10. Pool Kids - music to practice safe sex to
    9. Turnstile - time & space
    8. awakebutstillinbed - what people call low self-esteem...
    7. Fire Toolz - skinless x-1
    6. American Pleasure Club - a whole fucking lifetime of this
    5. Death Grips - year of the snitch
    4. Vein - Errorzone
    3. D33J - infinity 33
    2. Bladee - Red light
    1. Sophie - Oil Of Every Pearls Un-insides

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  15. Mount Eerie - Now Only is #1 for me

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  16. Do we not like parquet courts here from some reason?

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  17. love the blog, here's my list-
    Albums:
    Fickle Friends - You Are Someone Else
    Alkaline Trio - Is This Thing Cursed?
    Tokyo Police Club - TPC
    We Are Scientists - Megaplex
    Mastersystem - Dance Music
    Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning
    Dashboard Confessional - Crooked Shadows
    Basement - Beside Myself
    The Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1, No Past. No Future. No Sun.
    The Aces - When My Heart Felt Volcanic
    The Boxer Rebellion - Ghost Alive
    EPs:
    Third Eye Blind - Thanks for Everything
    Colin & Caroline - Wish I Was
    Nothing but Thieves - What Did You Think When You Made Me This Way?
    The Front Bottoms - Ann

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  18. you've lost it dude start a new blog

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  19. Good to know I'm not the only Fallon fanboy over-loving his releases. the only other album i listened to more was Hop Along's new release

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  20. 2018 was great for music! I have some releases to add, but first I wanna say:

    I agree with this list and tried to only add releases not already listed – even in the comments!

    My favorites of 2018 (not already listed)

    *Heart to Gold
    *J. Cole
    *Mac Miller
    *Nothing
    *Parquet Courts
    *Saba
    *Saintseneca
    *Shakey Graves
    *Sir
    *Unknown Mortal Orchestra
    *Windhand

    Notables (not already listed)

    Anderson Paak, Anthony Green, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Caroline Rose, Charles Bradley, Coheed & Cambria, Dirty Projectors, Django Django, Dr. Dog, Flatbush Zombies, Gorillaz, Gus Dapperton, Kurt Vile, Meg Myers, Minus the Bear, Mitsuki, Mutemath, Mystic Braves, Of Montreal, Oh Sees, Polish Ambassador, Rome Hero Foxes, Set and Setting, Spirit Ghost, Still Parade, $uicide Boy$, The Get Up Kids, The Internet, The Painted Pianos, The Vines, The Voidz, The Wood Brothers, Ty Segall, Vulfpeck, Wet, When We Land, White Denim, Young Dreams

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  21. Fav album of every year should still be lil yachtys lil boat

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  22. But where are the downloads for all these :(

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  23. Where's the download?? I would love a download pack with all these albums in one .rar. :/

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  24. Two brothers two daughters and got em both huh? God forbid the offensive acts of the ungodly, Father God Forgive them not for they no not what they do in Jesus name I pray Amen

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