Best Albums Of 2018
1 – Dirty Computer – Janelle Monáe – The revenge, and the equalizing, of the black American woman starts with Brian Wilson harmonies and ends by denouncing institutionalized racism. In between, the album is the leap forward Monae has been promising since her first EP: a dive into electronic pop and the strife of a bi-sexual, black woman, like a single Beyonce, battling forward to be seen and heard. This is 2018 and this is a celebration of “black girl magic”
2 – K.T.S.E. – Teyana Taylor – Held together by two slabs of crossover r&b and given a greater depth by a Tupac poem, the seven song Kanye West produced reality star’s sex jams with a better sound album wins nearly every single time
3 – Bloom – Troye Sivan – A great album about a gay boy coming of age and composing one great song after another about it. This is major the way This Year’s Model was, every song, one after another, where they could be nowhere else but where they are, a dreamy pop dance blissfulness, it’s like Call Me By Your Name without the bummer ending
4 – ASTROWORLD – Travis Scott – Travis on his hometown of Houston, pays tribute to those who came before him, remembers an amusement park that closed in 2005, cuts and pastes sounds from all over, emulating and adoring and releases a sticky, gluey, magpie of an album and then sold it across the country with the top concert of the year.
5 – I Used To Know Her – Part 2 – EP – H.E.R. – Even better than Part One, which has been among the best releases of the year, both “Carried Away” and “Can’t Help” are chill r&b that have mastered a big problem in neo-soul, the songs don’t work often enough and these two do, as do the piano ballad soulfulness of “I’m Not OK”. H.E.R. has a lovely, bruised voice, and a skill at letting you into her heart and she uses it all the way through the 28 minute recording
6 – Where Do I Come From – Maggie Roche – The late Roche sister’s 32 song compilation makes a damn good case for Maggie to have been underestimated, and I write this as a huge fan who also missed out on a lot of stuff. As well as the simple beauty of the Roches harmonies, and the effervescent skillfulness that could turn dark when that was the shading necessary, Maggie as the eldest sister (dead too early last year at 65), brims with literary skills that never becomes sophistry and a sense of life being lived that never evokes the museum pieces. This less resurrects and more affirms Maggie’s standing as a primary New York songwriter of her time. Hard to know where to start, maybe deep into “Can We Go Home Now” -you already know it but try it out of context
7 – The Tree of Forgiveness – John Prine – The great folk singer faces mortality and dusts off a late career masterpiece about the passing of time and telling his father that his father was wrong, for its ease and simplicity consider this one of the greats.
8 – X 100PRE – Bad Bunny – The face of Latin pop makes trap meets reggaeton, meets anything hge feels like adding and makes it stick.
9 – Love Letter – Regina Bonelli – The terrific blues singer much loved by those who know this stuff is equally adept at soul, there is a soulful edge to everything she sings here. “Don’t Put Your Hands On Me” was prescient last year and in step with #metoo today, and by the second song, the horn rimmed “Nothing I Can’t Handle,” Motown meets Blue Note, we have left a classicist vision of blues to a woman’s triumph through music and inner fortitude. Hang around past the Stones cover and the title track is an outstanding barn burning blues special.
10 – Honey – Robyn – “Beach 2K20” is a little too experimental, and “Because It’s In The Music” is a little too on the module disco nose. That’s as close as you’ll find to a complaint. Eight years after her last release Honey finds the Swedish principle partner in the world of modern pop with a sound that has been encompassing everyone from Halsey to Mo, reclaim her crown. A nearly flawless collection of beautiful, sad songs about love and its limitations. Her emulators and her imitators are so good it is easy to forget how far they have to go to match these insanely great songs
11- Acrylic – Leikeli47 – Sure, wearing a mask on stage and pictures is dumb, it was dumb when Deadmau did it and dumb when Leikeli47 does it. But that is the worst thing you can say about this trip that takes her from the hair to the nail salon, though this time the hardness is in the nails as well. Influenced by the incident at 888 Happy Red Apple Nails salon in East Flatbush, where Asian owners and employees attacked two black women, Acrylic is a superb collection of snapshots of life in Brooklyn for this black woman. “Droppin’” is one of the best songs of the year, “CIAA” is one of the best r&b tracks you’ll here this year, and closing song “In My Eyes” ends on a high
12- abysskiss – Adrianne Lenker – The Big Thief leader watches the seasons arrive and leave on these miniature story songs, each one pretty splendid with just acoustic guitar and piano and a sense of unease, her lyrics are too opaque but she certainly sells em. Adrianne is truly in a class of her own
13 – Kanye West – ye – At a scant seven songs and 23 minutes, Kanye has little room for mistakes and doesn’t make any, especially on “No Mistakes” with soul man Charlie Wilson, but then again why not when being bi-polar gives him superpowers on “Yikes”. At seven songs in length all seven songs lead the most streamed in the country and while there is no obvious hit, “Ghost Town” comes real close. Kid Cudi, Francis And The Lights and Benny Blanco are all over it,so though there is something slight about it, there is nothing slighted
14 – Now NY – a True Groove Curated N.Y.C. Band Compilation – Various Artists – Somewhere between an overview of an indie scene that doesn’t quite exist and an overview of a True Groove artists 2018, which does exist, Touchy Feely is untouchable, Marla Mase is classic, Lost Boy? is a hit that didn’t, Khalil Kain is an intro to his upcoming album, Diane & The Gentlemen sound like a modern day Rockpile, and Dylan Mars Greenberg proves yet again there is nothing she can’t do. Everybody else is pretty great as well and it would be an “A” if Tomas Doncker had previewed a cut off Black Magnolia
15 – Sorry To Bother You: The Soundtrack – The Coup -Boots Reily’s soundtrack to his well hyped movie of the same name would be great if only for the doubtless greatest Prince steal, homage, ever “Whathegirlmuthafuckinwannadoo” -a song so wonderful only “Crazy, Classic Life” is better -the Janelle Monae song… Janelle is on “Over And Over/Sticky Sunrise” as well as “Girl”. Tune-Yards joins Boots on the calypso dream song “Hey Saturday Night,” and Killer Mike is on the most Coup-ish song on the album “monsoon”. But there isn’t anything approaching a weak track on this brilliant pop album. A modern masterpiece
16 – May Your Kindness Remain – Courtney Marie Andrews – I’m late to this one (it was released in March) and so what? A magnificent, downlow, misery loves loneliness classic, beautifully sung. The title track is other worldly
17 – Someday Everything Will Be Fine – Spider Bags – Maybe eight years ago,Patrick Stickles told me about Dan McGee, who always had a couch in his house for visiting indie bands, and whose band itself, was the greatest rock band in the world. true. It wasn’t true in 2010 (Titus Andronicus were the greatest rock band in the world then) but it is in 2018 where nobody moves between country rock to fuzzed out punkist classic rock with the ease and also the work ethic that Spider Bags personify. If you, like me, are sick to your back teeth of rock albums getting pasted by trap and mumble rap, well, for once it ain’t happening; from that shout of “Yahoo” on “Reckless” you know this is rock and roll as the sound that it is worth selling your soul for, and it doesn’t let you down
18 – Future & Juice WRLD Present… WRLD ON DRUGS – Future, Juice WRLD – The “I just took a piss and I saw codeine coming out” rapper, Future, always seems to be between passing out and acting up and here he is joined by future emo rapper Juice WRLD to detain the sorta album where “I’m a junkie” is neither brag nor warning but fact.Old traps meets new emo on these tales of self-abuse and other abuse, nobody having learnt to never get high on your own supply, these two generation of rappers are clear eyed and scary, and so deep into addiction they aren’t close to promoting drugs. Plus there isn’t a dud on the album and “7Am Freestyle” is one of the best songs of the year: this is where recreational becomes self-medication drug use
19 – Juliana Daugherty – Light – A low, melodic hum of despair that should be ethereal, the melodies should disappear and they simply don’t -this is a time for two things: multi tracked hip hop and women as indie pop quiet yet hard. Light’s a perfect variant on the latter
20 – Soccer Mommy – Clean – Sophie Allison can write a song and these ten songs in a fast clipped 34 minutes are understated but angry, they seem like whispered threats at a romance like, as Allison puts it, a dog on a leash: it has been a week full of mediocre singer songwriter tropes, but this is one that works through a single minded blueness. “Still clean” is the best song of the week, “Your Dog” and “Last Girl” are pretty great as well
21 – Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy – The kick is that she doesn’t have flow and sounds as though she is reading, which leads to suspicions she doesn’t write her own rhymes. Perhaps, but then tell me why song for song this is the best hip hop album of the year? You know the singles and there is even better here, “Best Life” with Chance The Rapper and the Peter Rodriguez inspired, Bad Bunny and J Balvin featured “I Like It” are standouts in an album of standouts. If you take off the singles, the album is a brisk 35 minutes and is better for its leaness. And the dreaded “Finesse”
22 – Room 25 – Noname – Noname is an excellent woman rapper and at 34 minutes Room 25 is everything it needs to be without an ounce of waste. Noname made the move from Slam Poetry to Chicago rap two years ago, here she goes to LA and her flow is immediately the envy of everybody on this consistently entertaining rap albumis MIA. The album is less a singular vision and more pictures in an exhibition of her life, and that should be enough
23 – Ephorize – cupcakKe – The easy answer is cupcakke is a modern day Millie Jackson except a song like “Wisdom Teeth” is straight up flow rappin’ and rhymin’… on the other hand “Tap the head of the dick, duck duck duck goose, head of the dick, duck duck duck goose, get that dick up and runnin’ when he fuck this cooch covered in all my cum the dick be lookin’ like a goose”. Over fifteen tracks only four are explicit, which means the Chicago rapper is developing, but man, they are filthy dirty. “Crayons” is as great a song as the LGBTQ deserves
24 – May Your Kindness Remain – Courtney Marie Andrews – A magnificent, downlow, misery loves loneliness classic, beautifully sung. The title track is other worldly
25 – The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy, – Abel’s old school break up EP goes back to his Trilogy start but with cannier skills. At 21 minutes in length you can put it on repeat and every song will kick in in time
26 – Kendrick Lamar – Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By – Kendrick curates and performs on four tracks and it all has that Kendrick touch, hard yet serious. Jay Rock and Future are on one of the best songs of the year so far, the SZA duet made a complete believer of me, and Schoolboy Q needs no introduction
27 -Tom Rush – Voices – The great 77 year old folkie joins Willie Nelson and John Prine in the late career masterpiece rolls on this splendid country folk album, everything is terrific and the bookends, “Elder Green” and “Voices” are the best of the best, and the “Corina Corina” is worthy
28 – Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar – This is a week where I wish I had two best albums of the week. Young Fathers sophomore effort is a strange neo-r&b soul, electronic pan-everything beauty of an album quasi rap but rap and more, “See How” is so great it’s ridiculous
29 – Camp Cope – How to Socialize & Make Friends – From Australia, where indie escapes from its Western jail and flourishes, this sophomore effort isn’t as good as people claim, mostly because Georgia Maq’s vocals grate after awhile, but it includes, “The Opener” and “Anna” , and one of the best songs you will ever hear about dating a married man -the title track.
30 – Kelly Willis – Back Being Blue – Old school country album, with top notch songs, great guitar playing, a lot of swing and a lot of soul
31 – Caroline Rose – LONER – At its best when at its lightest, “Bikini” is my jam, at its worse it is pure pop electronic with attitude and smarts
32 – Book of Bad Decisions – Clutch – listening to this back to back with Boston Manor, it is clear that the biggest difference between rock bands is the lead singer, Neil Fallon is a monstrously good singer with none of the falsetto whine that inflicts so many other bands over the years. He roars through this album with a tough minded bellow of a voice more like James Hetfield than Chris Cornell and it carries an album that doesn’t need carrying, one knock out punch after another for nearly an hour straight
33 – Ares – Arcangel- If the last couple of modern reggaeton and Latin Trap albums have made the entire scene feel overextended, this one won’t as Arcangel goes from reggaeton to salsa and back. You may remember him as half of Arcángel & De la Ghetto, but that was ten years ago and Ares, his sixth release (he was a dozen mixtapes as well) though too long at over an hour, is state of the art pop Latin style
34 – Low in High School (Deluxe Edition) – Morrissey – After shrugging my way through the album last year, I caught Moz at MSG, December 2017 and he was, yet again, great. But I didn’t go back to Low In High School till this plus seven tracks deluxe, including covers (good ones), and new songs, about as good as the rest of the album (ergo, great lyrics, great singing and performing, and bad tunes). At 21 songs in length it has the breadth of a masterwork
35 – Playboy Carti – Die Lit – This is state of the art rap, a mumbly druggy fashion slurred out snapshot, with big time featured artists (that means you, Lil Uzi vert) , and Nicki Minaj providing the best moment on “Poke It Out” and if repetition is the god of hooks, Playboy Carti is the king of repetition on these sticky pop slams
36 – Boys Noize – Strictly Raw, Vol. 2 – The German wunderkind DJ and the absolute king of House is dealing with pure beats here and it is a primer in everything EDM has lost over the years: distinctively and crazy rhythms ping pong off each other till settling into a groove and then stopping… I read where his next release is with RL Grimes.
37 – beerbongs and bentleys – Post Malone – adds singing to saying, and moody emo to hard rap and featured rappers
38 – Joan As Police Woman – Damned Devotion – Did you know that the Joan in question, Joan Wasser, used to date Jeff Buckley? I didn’t mostly because she has never been quite good enough to maintain my interest, maybe I didn’t give her the time. The lead single here, “Tell Me” changed that, and this is a terrific, soulful, white soul rebels of an album. It kept my attention and while I think there is something missing from the mix, I am not sure if it makes any difference because just about everything is quite good enough. A luminous, lovely, thriller of an album where Joan gets her disco on but only just
39 – Top Of The World – Sam Huber – Opens with two of his best songs ever and by the middle is joined by Garrison Hawk for some hardcore toasting, and concludes with the end of the world -which is only fitting.
40 – Parquet Courts – Awake! – I never much cared for producer Danger Mouse or Velvety wannabes Parquet courts but put them together and you get a very strong album, they seem to have emerged from the drone that battled them and written some extremely strong songs here… best title? “Freebird II,” best arrangement “Total Football”
41 – Scorpion – Drake – If he boiled this down from 25 to 7 songs it would be the album of the year, and if he went from a double, one side rap, the other side r&b, to 12 songs mix and match, it would be a masterpiece. But this is a different another double that would make a good single in that there is no songs that are filler and it maintains its balance throughout and just goes on too long. And if you’re into rubbernecking, he bows out with a terrific song for his newly minted son
42 – A$AP Rocky – TESTING – The thing about Rocky, and we’ve known it for awhile, he is an artist using sound as a canvas… not unlike Frank Ocean on “Purity,” the brilliant conclusion to this musical continuation into sample heaven and strange, druggy sounds, where the rap of Trap doesn’t exist
43 – The Music of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – In Four Contemporary Suites – Imogen Heap – The music is so strong that even in the confines of the theatre, watching one of the most special Potter stories ever, you can’t help but notice from the very beginning, “Suite One: Platform 9 3/4” that the music is gorgeous, and you can’t help but notice that it is the same sensibility that brought us Taylor Swift’s “Clean”
44 – Beach House – 7 – More of the same dreamscape shoegaze but every here and there they capture lightning in a bottle, “Drunk In LA” and “Dive” are gorgeous, and “Lose Your Smile” is like Brian Wilson as performed by a snail
.45 – LoVE me NOw – Tory Lanez – Not as good as Memories Don’t Die earlier this year, it is more than good enough. The Canadian rapper isn’t given to the perky poxy field of view, or soundcloud or emo or baby trap, it is simply very well crafted story songs with a lot of r&b in its DNA -“Talk To Me” with Rich Kid shoulda hit even harder
46 – The Blues Is Alive And Well – Buddy Guy – As living symbols of a genre go, Buddy Guy is to BB King what Tony Bennett is to Frank Sinatra, only worse live. On record that ain’t true where the 81 year old teaches whippersnappers Jeff Beck and Keith Richards a thing or two, and the Mick Jagger featured on harmonica song would have made sense on Blue And Lonesome. This sure don’t sound like a swan song and if he played his delta blues this well on stage, he might become the BB King of BB king
47 – The Last Rocket – Takeoff – Migos utility player plays it straight on this fine, all flow plus trap (plus autotuned) album, the rhyming is fine, the flow is fine, and the feel is miles away from gnats and stuff. Check out “None To Me”
48 – The Old Guys – Amy Rigby – An old school rock sound, less so country but country is still there, as good at slow songs as up-tempo, with one immensely skillful tune after another, this is Amy’s best since Diary Of A Mod Housewife,… but then so are the rest. This woman can simply write great songs, it’s a gift and she has it. Here Amy deals with aging head on, and also a question that must plague her: “Is persistence just the opposite of luck?”
49 – FM! – Vince Staples – Vince has yet to prove it live but on record he is a uniquely gifted rapper and sound merchant with a bad attitude that intellectualizes everything about the unbearable backness of being. With 11 songs in 22 minutes, FM! is great meta-black meets the radio songs with nothing but strengths in them, It gets no better than opening song “Feels Like Summer” but doesn’t really have to meets mumble rap meets teen angst on the 19 year old r&b singers terrific debut album. The beats are trap but it is trap as Lil Pimp was re-imagining. If all you know is the Travis Scott featured “Dark Knight Dummo”,” you don’t know “Bird Shit”.
50 – Make My Bed -EP – King Princess – The year of the queer identified continues, Troye finds the dance on the teenage dancefloor but King Princess is more electronic mood music on this extremely strong EP, try “Talia”… picked to click in 2019!
Rabbit Hearted. – chloe moriondo – The teenage wunderkind, youtube challenge Chloe performs lo fi singer songwriter confessionals on a ukulele, and with lyrics like “Smile at him in your math class, strive for him to do the same, pen your eyes and realize he does not know your name and he does not care to…” sure sounds to me like experience rhyming
More Blood, More Tracks: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 14 (Deluxe) – Bob Dylan – A revelation but not thematically, rather, even clearer than on The Cutting Edge, how Dylan worked his way through the songs till he had them correct. For instance, “Tangled Up In Blue” didn’t go from third to first person till the recording Bob put on the album and he couldn’t get “You’re A Big Girl Now” right till he discovered that he should cut back the moan between lines from after every line in the second half of the first verse till just the first line
Cloud Symbols – Graham Parker – The quality of songwriting here is unsurpassed, every song is a gem. It was recorded with The Goldtops (Martin Belmont (yes, the Rumours are true), Geraint Watkins, Simon Edwards and Roy Dodds) and six songs feature the Rumour Brass on horns. In another age Cloud Symbols would have the entire world holding its breath but time is remorseless and so is fashion
An Introduction To Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin – Killer, ten songs, all ace
Led Zeppelin x Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin – Less killer, 30 songs, not all ace
Tha Carter V – Lil Wayne – Some of this ranks among his best work, “Mona Lisa” is a perfect rap track if what you love is rapping (it features Kendrick Lamar who ups his sky high skill levels), and it covers just about everything you love about him: Weezy the rocker, the rapper, the soul man (everything but Weezy the Drake mentor) but it goes on way too long
Wouldn’t It Be Great – Loretta Lynn – Nice one, produced by Lynn’s daughter Patsy Lynn Russell and Johnny and June’s kid John Carter Cash, Loretta wrote or co-wrote every song and it has the quality of 70s country, old school and all about the songs, could have used a coupla bigger tracks
YSIV – Logic “This shit is Boom-Bap” Logic claims -which explains why Wu Tang are on board. I like the drum sound as much as you (but not as much as 90s rap fans). “”Fuck a mumble rap, that shit won’t never be remembered…” Logic claims on his fourth Young Sinatra entry… maybe, certainly this rat-a-tat rap attack is a revelation
For My Crimes – Marissa Nadler – Nadler may well be a miserable sod, and these songs may miss an anchor as they sweep the ashes of lost romance, but the songs are strong enough to survive it , especially the astounding “I Can’t Listen To Gene Clark Anymore”. It needs time and we don’t have time, but try and meet these songs of loss half way
Children of Paradise – Willie Nile – “The seeds of revolution are planted in my heart” Willie sings, channeling Billy Bragg and Bruce Springsteen at the same time, and so it continues with a brilliant collection of punk-folk attitude songs, politically astute and sweet and sour at the same time as he adds the subjective to the objective
Shake The Spirit – Elle King – This isn’t the shock that 2015’s Love Stuff was, it is a little tighter and it misses an “Ex’s & Oh’s”. A ballad like “Runaway” would never fit three years ago. but at its best, the stomping opening “Talk Of The Town,” it makes a commanding case as a rock and blues triumph in a world where there aren’t too many, “The It Girl” is a pretty song about promiscuity…
Jazz in Detroit / Strata Concert Gallery / 46 Seldon – Charles Mingus – The great bassist with a good (not great) band, performing purely pleasurable mainstream (for the time) jazz that rolls right through you-try “Dizzy’s Profile” that while never handed to Dizzy (or heard before), is really beautiful, then step back to set opener “Pithecanthropus” and it is like you’ve been smashed into a Jackson Pollock painting
The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (2018 Deluxe) – The Kinks – 60 songs, live, mono and stereo mixes, and that’s it… but any excuse to add three versions of “Days” to my days, and songs as strong as “Picture Book” and “Starstruck” and… really, right, the title track…. It could be on anyone’s greatest albums ever and I would have to concede the point
I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions – Santigold – One of the three best albums of the week. Santigold is more comfortable with sound, a bemused subgenre hopping soulful playfulness with a heart of iron and a rhythm all over the place, if 99 cents was a lunge for pop supremacy, the Gold Fire Sessions is a much calmer affair but still very good
Negative Capability – Marianne Faithfull – She remakes “As Tears Go By” and “Witches Song” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and if back in the 70s she seemed ravished by drugs yet still an artist in full, today she is vanquished by time and still an artist in full, it is a shame she didn’t include the song she wrote and Mick Jagger took credit for: “Wild Horses”
Various Artists – African Scream Contest 2 (Analog Africa No. 26) – “DJ and researcher Samy Ben Redjeb and his label, Analog Africa. Founded in 2006 and with 28 releases to date, the label functions as a trail through the footnotes of Western African music and its biggest (and often forgotten) players.”.Pretty excellent rock and dance and Africa sounds, from the terrific label. This one is ace
Negro Swan – Blood Orange – This is less experimental and out there and mostly charged up on chill r&b. “Smoke” is his best song since “Champagne Coast”
2 Chainz – The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It EP – Four songs, all great and I’m not even a big 2 Chainz fan, plus “Proud” -with YG and Offset, is not only one of Offset’s best moments of the year (and remember, he is a third of the new Migos brick), but also: how often do you hear a song about trying to make momma proud?
If Only There Was a River – Anna St. Louis – Gorgeous country folk singer, pleasantly mellow and moving. Try “Paradise”
Sasha Sloan – sad girl – You’ve heard Sasha on Kygo’s “This Town” and Odesza’s “Falls,” co-writing for everyone from Charli XCX (“Track 10”) to Camila Cabello (“Never Be The Same”), the latter is a masterpiece and while here the 22 year old is performing singer songwriter tropes, she has the same voice in her inner ear, try lead off cut “Normal”
LOOKING FOR THE MAGIC – Glim Spanky – a psychedelic, swamp, garage maelstrom stradling its 1960s influences but sung in Japanese by leader Remi Matsuo and with cutting arched strings by lead guitarist Hiroki Kamemoto, they are a reverse White Stripes singing in Japanese and fusing the two elements into an original and also dated sound, try “In The Air”
Hard New Pills EP – Dyke Drama – Sadie Switchblade’s latest manifestation is four hard rock songs, each one better than the other
Sings For The King – Glen Campbell – the first song is a digital duet by Glen and Presley, but it is pretty good because Glen was singing in Presley’s key on “We Call On Him”. Written by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne, as are the rest of these songs, Glen recorded them solely for Presley, so Presley could decide whether to record them or not. Of the 18 songs, Presley would eventually record 10 of them. Glen and Presley were close friends for decades, and this recently discovered recording isn’t a hard push, it is there for utilitarian reasons. Still, it is a complete pleasure
Memento Mori (Anthology 1978 – 2018) – Barry Adamson – The former Bad Seed, and, more impressive, Magazine member, has spent the past twenty odd years doing movie soundtracks, here he compiles his greatest moments as a powerful reminded of a musician just below the public’s awareness and yet a star for sure
Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay – This country duo won’t change your life but they are consistently intelligent lyrically, simple and sweet love songs like “Speechless” or clever rhymes like “Tequila,” on top of sturdy country structures and rock solid melodies, that moves between close harmony and background singing. No more, certainly no less
Boys – Rest In Peace – Indie and girls, it’s happening man. Unfortunately, my dislike for Angel and Julien left me late to the party, but Big Thief and Soccer Mom broke through and this is a fuzzed out blissed out album that reminds me of some ROIR band with the funkiness surgically removed… via Stockholm so you gotta think
Lil Xan – TOTAL XANARCHY – Mumble rap and good stuff as well, this is the way drug music should sound, so fucked up it can barely stand, it woozes into other planet
Beach House – 7 – More of the same dreamscape shoegaze but every here and there they capture lightning in a bottle, “Drunk In LA” and “Dive” are gorgeous, and “Lose Your Smile” is like Brian Wilson as performed by a snail
The Blues Is Alive And Well – Buddy Guy – As living symbols of a genre go, Buddy Guy is to BB King what Tony Bennett is to Frank Sinatra, only worse live. On record that ain’t true where the 81 year old teaches whippersnappers Jeff Beck and Keith Richards a thing or two, and the Mick Jagger featured on harmonica song would have made sense on Blue And Lonesome. This sure don’t sound like a swan song and if he played his delta blues this well on stage, he might become the BB King of BB king
KIDS SEE GHOSTS – KIDS SEE GHOSTS – Kanye West and Kid Cudi work through their mental illness to find a modicum of ease by the end
1963: New Directions – John Coltrane After the 1963 lost album, here is 1963 complete -a transitional year for Coltrane, featuring Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Dear Old Stockholm, Newport ‘63 and Live at Birdland… the Hartman album is an all time great
Liberation – Christina Aguilera – The ballads suck, the rockers rock, and the two with Kanye West are excellent. “Sick Of Sittin'” is one of the best things she has ever done, and the one with Demi Lovato reminds you who is still boss
The Death Of Rock – Peter Holsapple, Alex Chilton – Or when Peter met Alex on these recently unearthed demos of a pre-dB Pete and a post-Big Star Alex in the recording studio, though in tandem not together. Highlights include early takes on “Bad Reputation” and “We Were Happy” from the former and garage rock workout on Bo Diddley’s “Hey Mona” from the latter
International Artist – A Boogie Wit da Hoodie – A Boogie, one of the r&b hip hop good guys, recently appeared at the Hip Hop Latin American crossover show at Barclays center, and here he uses his expertise to include Latin Trap, Dance Hall, and more, on this 26 minute album. Highlights include Jessie Reyez on “Pretending” and Tory Lanez on “Best Friend,” but it is all really good
‘Go DeJ Go’ Vol.1 – DeJ Loaf – Personally, I would have preferred the entire album, but I am a huge fan and place the rapper singer just a step below Leikeli47 and Jessie Reyez : “Big Shit Talking” is completely addictive
Unfinished Masterpiece – Eddie Palmieri, Lalo Rodriguez – The 1975 masterpiece of salsa re-released
Joy as an Act of Resistance. – IDLES – Somehow or the other I missed this English UK bands superb sophomore effort, a hard hitting roar of resistance where the joy is in the performance and the resistance in the lyrics
The Song Society Playlist – Jamie Cullum – The UK cabaret-great American songbook singer who you might have caught opening for Billy Joel at his MSG residency, till Billy realized he didn’t need an open. He was terrific then, he was terrific on this modern classics from “I Took A Pill In Ibiza” to “Ex Factor” segued to the Drake song that sampled it, “Nice For What”. So, really, classic performances of songs that don’t figure to fit
Loving The Alien (1983 – 1988) – David Bowie – The single worst period in Bowie’s career sounds better as a part of a bigger story, though the real problems become clear on the Glass Spider live album -an unmitigated disaster that is nearly exactly what I remembered. Consider it history and do your best to enjoy
Peaced and Slightly Pulverized – David Nance Group – Omaha’s favorite son Matt Whipkey suggested these old school classic rockers, and he has a point: they rock hard and intensely on an album that seems to have returned from the mid-70s to remind you just how great rock and roll can sound. “Poison” is a masterpiece
Ella Mai – Ella Mai – Drags a little and there isn’t another “Boo’d Up” here but Ella has a lovely voice and a lot of personality, and while the sound is too samey, it’s a gorgeous sound, and when H.E.R. joins her, it is the best sound around
Freddie – Freddie Gibbs – “2 Legit” is fabulous, the gangsterisms stick, the trapisms are because, hey, a man’s gotta eat, but the rapping is so good he makes sense of those who consider him the best in the business… it can get a touch obvious
Ghostface Killah – The Brown Tape – According XXL: “,Ghost dropped the concept album, 2 Reasons to Die, with Adrian Younge in 2013. Frequent collaborator Brown then put together an alternate version of the LP titled The Brown Tape, which featured an almost identical tracklist and all new beats. The new version was released on streaming sites but would later be removed. Last month, Mello Music Group revealed they would be re-releasing the project January 25th. ” According to Ken Shane: “As far from Kendrick as you can get but nearly as cool”
Windows II – HUNNY – Lead singer Jason Yarger has three Brand New (the band, not the adjective) tattoos, which makes the alt rockers emo but not really, and on this five song EP they make the case of being a brand new big deal, “Rebel Red” is the best but there is no weak spot
Down The Road Wherever (Deluxe) – Mark Knopfler – Sure, it is a bit of a snooze, but this is the man that wrote “Local Hero” and if he wants to take on Scottish Highland sounds as well as his usual song, why not. It is all about the guitar, but halfway through the very first song you remember why you adore him
Palo Santo (Deluxe) – Years & Years – 20 Gay Teen poster boy synth poppers, it can take a little while to warm up but give em a chance and even “Sanctify” will reveal itself
21st Century Liability – YUNGBLUD – To steal a description off Triple J (here) “bratty mix of pop-punk, hip-hop, ska, and cheeky attitude”. Yes, and it is all fun and more, and “Die For The Hype” is a spectacularly great number
A Place To Bury Strangers – Pinned – If you must listen to shoegaze and MBV are still playing hard to get, this adds goth to the mix with a constantly gorgeous barely contained horror in the face of the closing of Death By Audio
Camila Cabello – Camila – The former Fifth Harmony has played her hand as well as Zayn Malik, and while some of this is a bore, its best moments, the potential song of the winter “Never be The Same” for one and the Cuban- American theme song “Havana” among them, is sky high
Solo EP– Anitta – The Brazilian superstar adds a song in English, “Goals,” and it is as good as the other two songs on this delightful pop confection
Natalie Prass – The Future And The Past – Natalie goes Motown, and she has the voice for it and she has the songs for it on this terrific sophomore album. A widescreen funkiness that in a different time and place might have made her a superstar
Ski Mask The Slump God – BEWARE THE BOOK OF ELI EP – The Broward county movement is growing up, so while “BUKKAKE” is exactly what you think Ski Mask would be doing if you ever saw him live (though the sample is better than that), “SUICIDE SEASON” is danker and darker than you might believe possible. Once Ski figures out what he is actually doing as a uniformed whole, he will be a biggie
Creed II: The Album – Mike WiLL Made-It – “Rare collabs, loud mixes, new flows, fresh melodies, new tempos, new frequencies,” Mike claimed and who am I to disagree, I’ll take this over “Black Panther”
Rubberband EP – Miles Davis – From Miles aborted funk album in 1985, with Ledisi’s singing added much, much later. Usually I am adamantly against this kinda stuff, but Ledisi, the New Orleans r&b chanteuse, is excellent and the songs come to life
Delta – Mumford & Sons – It’s obvious why we all hated the brothers Mumford, among other things they thought the banjo was a lead instrument. But the years have been exceedingly kind to the band, and they have always been exceedingly good on stage. This song sounds like a companion to Mark Knopfler’s album though with less guitar: heavy, beautiful soundscapes. An impressive, expressive album of thought music
Still Run – Wet – The title track is the best song of the week and the alt popsters are soulful and sweet with Kelly Zutrau’s lovely and plain but feelingful vocals and a mood that is soft without being weak and a core of drums that keep you awake. Romance gone wrong is always the main currency of pop music and here is a consistent woe that underplays its hand and draws you in
That’s A Girls Name – DRAM – Dram’s real name is Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith, which, you know, is a girl’s name. I’ve seen Dram give the bests set every single time I’ve seen him perform, always a touch too much autotuned but Dram is soulful he cheerfuls us through it – B+
Full Circle – Eddie Palmieri – The salsa great re-records some of his hits and they couldn’t sound better
Birds in Row – We Already Lost The World – Frenchcore if you want, this is high octane melodic hardcore, they sing in English to reach a larger audience and with songs as rip your head off as “Remember Us Better Than We Are,” they and you should do
Gene Clark Sings For You – Gene Clark – 14 unreleased songs by the late former Byrd and proof, if it was needed, that the man could write a song
The Tree – Lori McKenna – The country songwriter is a classicist with a good story and sometimes a good song, about family, romance, and growing older, “People Get Older” is excellent. The songs could be a touch stronger
Redemption – Jay Rock – In a busy period for hip hop, Jay could get lost in the shuffle though “Wow Freestyle” with Kendrick Lamar certainly shouldn’t, and the entire clear eyed life after near death deserves nothing but attention, start with “The Bloodiest,” then try the single “King’s Dead” and next the SZA .eatured title track
U.S. Girls – In a Poem Unlimited – Of all those gender fluid, lilith-y performers, all the Courtneys and Angel Olsen , U.S> Girls don’t much fit because their sound is so gorgeous, dynamic, and strong. This is their second killer album in a row and if you hang out for ten songs you’ll get personal best “Poem
Waves EP– Azure Ray – Beautiful recording:a new song, a new song reprised, an old song re-recorded, a cover song, and another new song , they are all great, especially “Last Summer In Omaha””
100 Years of Nine Lessons & Carols – Stephen Cleobury, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Sir David Willcocks, Philip Ledger – The festival of Nine Lessons was first performed in 1918, meaning right after World War One -a mix of readings from the Bible and the singing of carols by the choir. I was raised in Church Of England (I mean for school), and English carols (actually, hymns more than carols but…), work a warm nostalgia for times I don’t miss in the slightest. It is very beautiful stuff, and the essence of English Christianity. The earliest recordings here date back to 1958 and the most recent from last year. If we must all worship Christmas as a secular hoedown, let’s have music as timeless as this
Joan Baez – Whistle Down The Wind – If this is to be Joan’s final release, it is a fine one. Some of the top songwriters of today, including Tom Waits, beautifully interpreted and sent off by the heartrending nothing changes “I Wish The Wars Were All Over” traditional
Sango – In The Comfort Of – Neo R&B and the kitchen sink on this first rate collection of electronic soul music. “Life Without God Is Nothing” may well be the song of the week, the rap is nicely integrated, the hooks hook, the mood maintains, this isn’t Gospel but it is faith oriented music and the producer works magic on one quiet beat after another. In conversation he drops Frank Ocean’s name and you can hear why, you can also hear why it took him over three years to complete
Various Artists – Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s – An ace compilation according to Steve Crawford, I’m no SC but I like it fine
Pick A Color EP – Leikeli47 – “No Reload” is one of her finest songs ever, an entirely addictive hook and something to say. The other two songs are nearly as good
Eden – cupcakke – Her second album of 2018 is as good as her first though without the thrill of the new. The standard of songwriting here is ridiculous, it starts at a peak and then goes up. Jael Goldfine wrote this in Paper: “(Cupcakke) compared her pussy to an easy bake oven, Niagara Falls, Buckingham Fountain, a Chipotle burrito, a private island, Gabby Douglas, and an upside-down Dorito; and dicks to Ariana’s ponytail, a UPS package, Spiderman, and “Peter Griffin… the head bigger than Stewie”. And that doesn’t even mention the terrific “Garfield” on this album. All of it is so good, especially Cupcakke’s pussy…
Waiting For The Sun (50th Anniversary Deluxe edition) – The Door – as a popster, this is my favorite Doors album. really: “Hello, I Love You,” “Love Street,” “Five To One” and the ultimate LA song, “Summer’s Almost Gone” -really, I prefer it to the others and I love the others, even the long ones. At triple the length of the original this deluxe isn’t long enough
Hive Mind – The Internet – The best alt-r&b band around, The Internet, lead by Syd, travel through subgenres with ease from neo-soul to smooth jazz all with a funky underbelly on their sophomore effort. “Come Over” is less hot at more summer breezy late night groove thing and the best of this consistently excellent mood enhancer in a laid back way
Superchunk – What a Time to Be Alive – Not as good as the standard bearer, Majestic Shedding, but better than the last couple. Apparently a reaction to the Trump Presidency (they don’t like it) and it rings like a punk pop bell (and Mac McCaughan still sounds like a whiny teenager)
The Last King Of Pop – Paul Heaton – From the Housemartins to the Beautiful South, Heaton was precisely the last king of pop … the solo stuff not so much – B+
Shatner Claus – William Shatner – I have no idea how this one joke star can still be so funny. I just find his sincerity uproarious
Circles – P.O.D. – They may never manage another “Youth Of The Nation,” but a decade and a half later, they are still great. “Rockin’ With The Best” may well be the best opening song this year as it rethinks “La Di Da Di,” and if that is the height, the rest is just good ol’ P.O.D
GREATEST HITS: You Never Saw Coming – Kid Rock – I don’t give Greatest Hits album of the week because, well, because I don’t. And I won’t here, but this will answer your Kid Rock problem, if not your Kid Rock moral quagmire, in one fell swoop. Just about perfect
As the World Turns – Black Uhuru – Black Uhuru toured in 2016 and I missed it, which I regret because the reggae band are living legends and this is their first album that is neither live nor dub since 2001, and it is excellent. Duckie Simpson is in great voice and the Rastaman vibes are overwhelming on this political slam dunk
7 – David Guetta – 27 songs, one album new world EDM pop songs with a hit to miss ratio anybody, even Calvin Harris, would envy, and the second album features House master Jack Back on a full length full of state of the House Music
Road To Ruin (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) – Ramones _ The least of the first four albums gets a revamping
Role Model – Young Dolph – He wakes up in the morning, checks the obituaries, and, if he isn’t dead , rolls a blunt and records a song -some of these are more than worth your while, some not so much, “Black Queen” is as good as anything he has ever done and this should work if Yo Gotti doesn’t kill him firs
Gilbert O’Sullivan – Gilbert O’Sullivan – Following his fine genre exercise from 2014 Latin Ala G, this is a strong collection of typically melodic pop rock circa 1970s plus his something rhymes speciality
TA13OO – Denzel Curry – Underground rapper takes on all comers with a statement album about how difficult life can be when you have a top flow, try “Percs”, the best of a great lot
Chief Keef – The Glofiles (Pt 1 and 2) – I don’t see why there is any reason for Pt 1 to be driller and darker than vol 2 but it is… Chief Keef is a huge influence on modern rap and on Vol 1 you can absolutely hear why
Dance on the Blacktop – Nothing – shoegazecore? A completely gorgeous sound, guitar biased, play it loud, harboring on the sound between dreams and nightmares. All of a piece that adds up to 43 minutes of beginning to end beauty
Anne- Marie – Speak Your Mind – The Rudimental singer on her own with a world class modern pop song album, “Cry” and “Perfect” need no excuse from me for existing, but everything here is great dance pop and some of it is more
Wiley – Godfather II – Speaking of rapping terrific bars, “Bar” is a lot of fun, “Crash” is where EDM pop meets rap, “Been A While” has a great flow, and Wiley stakes his claim to Stormzy’s crown of grime
I’m Sticking With You – Moe Tucker – The Velvet Underground drummer compilation feature Lou on “Pale Blue Eyes,” John Cale on “I’m Waiting For The Man” as well as a duet with Jonathan Richman and more. By stripping the sound down she absolves the songs from their premise so you can hear the song as song easier
Willie Nelson – Last Man Standing – I have never been much of a Willie Nelson fan, the one time I saw him live he put me to sleep, and when he gets his hands on a ballad he won’t let go however much you might pay hm. Here is an exception, at 85 years of age he sounds better than he did at 45 and the powerful and umph of his swing is entirely undeniable
Loreena McKennitt – Lost Souls – pure pre-Dylan folk, sounds kinda olde English though Loreena is Canadian, This is the real deal so tuck in
At Last…The Beginning – The Making Of Electric Ladyland: The Early Takes Sampler – Jimi Hendrix – I don’t mind the Hendrix estate just giving us a taste, hell, Dylan just did the same, I mind them not making the 50th anniversary Box Set available for digital download -that is just ridiculous
Elastic Days – J Mascis – Simultaneously sturdy and slight, Mascis has morphed into Bob Mould in this remarkably consistent set of low impact rockers, the word should be plods but it isn’t, everything is supple and clever, catchy and addictive. Mascis has the dense, easy going sound a cat like Kurt Vile manages on rare occasions and no one else comes close
Elvis Presley – Elvis Presley: The Searcher (The Original Soundtrack) – From the HBO movie that I have yet to watch, and there is nothing much here to bother the big time fan, except a 1960 over of the Gospel classic”Milky White Way” that is simply adorable
My Mother Doesn’t Know I’m On The Stage – Linda Thompson – The terrific Fairport Convention singer Linda Thompson has been recording more lately, which would appear to be once every five years or so. This is a look back at the golden age of English Dance Hall (we call it vaudeville here). Some of it you may know (the “Beautiful Dreamer” featuring one Martha Wainwright), “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime”,” a rousing set closing “Show Me The way To Go Home,” some of it draws a blank with me. The album was mostly recorded in May of 2005 at the Lyric Hammersmith in London, with a team of first rate performers looking back at a golden age of UK pop
NOIR – Smino – How much fun is this hip hop album? That depends upon how funny you consider a song called “Tequila Mockingbird” -I find it very funny and the song is quirky and fun with wild off-kilter sounds that veer towards a weird dubbiness… in other words, it is unique and worth your time
The Beatles – The Beatles – 107 tracks, the new mixes are harmless unless you’re an audiophile, the Esther demos are a treasure trove of awwww, and the studio outtakes make you wish Michael Lindsay-Hogg had filmed these sessions as well
Mount Eerie – Now Only – Last year’s A Crow Looked At Me made art where there is no art from the devastated loss as his 35 year old wife died from cancer, Now Only continues his life as he raises his daughter and raises his head. More of the same, though “Now Only” is actually catchy and pretty (the chorus goes: “people get cancer and die”)
Bali Baby – Baylor Swift EP- As clever as the album title and twice as funny, this is a nursery rhyme rap for easy going fun styled pop dreamers. At 26 minutes in length, all of it is ace and the back to back “Candy” and “WWW” are even better than that
The Lovely Eggs – This Is Eggland – Wiggy giggy psychedelic fun and games by knockout duo of wide eyed jokesters who mean it, always great all the way to “Would You fuck”
NASIR – Nas – The fourth of the GOOD Music seven song releases is as concentrated an art as you will ever hear. On both Pusha T and Nas here, Kanye’s production is reminiscent of the way Rick Rubin can boil a musician down to its essence. Nas’s politics is reminiscent of Chuck D up against the wall, I mean dissing Abe Lincoln might not be as big as dissing Elvis Presley… but it is close
Broadway – Renée Fleming, BBC Concert Orchestra, Rob Fisher – “Children Will Listen”? Again? A lot of this is obvious, but not all of it. The Adam Guettel song is welcome, as is the one from “Nine,” and all of it is sung so well that yes, folks, there is life after opera
Elephants on Acid – Cypress Hill – Four years gestation and peaking early with a Middle Eastern flavored ode to hash “Band Of Gypsies”, before going full Wiz with “Jesus Was A Stoner,” this is as eclectic an album of weirdness and weed culture as the boys have ever made. Less childlike, more grown up, always fascinating and often bewildering, B-Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric Bobo haven’t learnt much about weed but sounds they are an expert at and the rapping is very strong all the way through
03 Greedo – The Wolf Of Grape Street – Back in prison for TWENTY YEARS!, the prolific rapper has street cred to burn and is an LA legend with the tat on his forehead to prove it. Too much autotune for my tastes but this is as deeply musical as any rapper in the business this side of Ty even as he imagines the bars on the jail guitar doors spitting rhymes
Reshaped – Perfume Genius – I love this guy and all of these remixes are excellent, especially Blake Mills (I’m surprised as well) “Every Night” which is truly haunting… but really not a dud in sight
soil – serpentwithfeet – I’ve done nothing but rave about this r&b singer and would love to see him live, but what is so powerful as a single can get samey on his debut album. “bless your heart” is a masterpiece that slips past you on record and the first song, “whisper” is an arresting and well developed song with a chorus so beautiful you hold your breath and yet by the second time I lost it in the shuffle and had to move it to a playlist… still, a great neo-r&b study of deep and abiding romantic love
4 Respect – YoungBoy Never Broke Again – One of our best rappers, Kevin Gates, joins Louisiana bad boy YYoungBoy Never Broke Again for four excellent songs of gangsta rap and soul singing, this is a perfect size and a good addition to his catalog
Bahamas – Earthtones – Superb one man band, Canada’s Afie Jurvanen dubs himself folk but is more digital master planner pop singer songwriter on this flawless album of first rate songs, try “Opening Act (The Shooby Dooby Song)” to start and then move on to “Way With Words,” though it is one of those albums where everything is great. Jurvanen is joined by first rate (D’Angelo’s) rhythm section drummer James Gadson and bassist Pino Palladino The funk is not what I would call funky, more like a groove on a pop moment but the songs are so strong strong everything adds to a complete picture of the man
Jeremih – The Chocolate Box EP – I have never been a big fan of Jeremih… until now. Over an entire album who bores me to tears and a chorus on a rap song? He doesn’t make his presence felt strongly enough. But this is excellent stuff, three of the four songs are among his best
Champagne Eyes EP – AlunaGeorge – The EDM duo seem to be missing their aim a little since the DJ Snake song, this EP is very pretty pop mood music and if there isn’t a knock out punch so be it
Lake Street Dive – Free Yourself Up – This is an anomaly in that the slower songs are great and the rockers aren’t, and even so this is a fine album, Rachael Price is in great voice, “Good Kisser” is a great song, and when they rock out they rock out with authority
Post Traumatic – Mike Shinoda – “About You” is the best song the Linkin Park lead singer has ever recorded, and these songs of loss and continuity are deeply felt sad vibes, building a life after the suicide of a bandmate replete with Voicemail condolences
Smokepurpp – Bless Yo Trap – Smokepurpp is so bad live it is easy to forget that he is so great on record, this slurpy, slithery, drugged out album is the definable presence of mumble-rap or Soundcloud rap or whatever. I just love the way it sounds, forget meaning or interpretation or anything…
Jimi Hendrix – Both Sides Of The Sky – Tupac lived, died, had a second life with a mountain of unreleased material, and ran out of new material, and still Jimi is releasing albums. This collection of studio outtakes is a good, especially the two Steve Stills ones
Young Thug – Hear No Evil EP – Three song EP featuring Nicki Minaj, Lil Uzi vert, and 21 Savage and 21 Savage wins and nobody loses
Liz Phair – The Girly-Sound Tapes – I owned some of this on a boot, but the complete thing is a work of youthful greatness and A vivisection of teens having sex with consequences . Interesting that she already had “Whip Smart”
Blow Your Mind – Wilko Johnson – hardboiled UK blues rockers from the former Dr. Feelgood, and it is exactly what it is
Various Artists – Universal Love – Wedding Songs Reimagined – I am not sure changing the gender on classic pop songs works as well as the LGBTQ community want it to… However, Dylan singing “He’s Funny That Way” alone is worth the admission
Evening Machines – Gregory Alan Isakov – “I’m a ghost of you / You’re a ghost of me / A birds-eye view of San Luis,” and this haunted Americana from somewhere in Colorado is a ghost of an album, moody, lovely, and moving , that echoes forward
Magic Gone – Petal – Rocking pleasantly enough, though with a hard center, Petal is Kiley Lotz, from Scranton. Pennsylvania, where I went for a wedding once and was shocked at how many roadside graves there were. That roadside grave is the mood here but the songs are pretty and poppy on her sophomore effort
Fall Out Boy – MANIA – The reason FOB feel slight is because they are slight, a mélange of emo meets EDM rock hitting the lowest common denominator 20 something world of pop, and hitting more often than not. They are Paramore for Playstation addicts. Fortunately, that doesn’t make for bad music, just not greet music. MANIA is a way competent chart heatseeker covering all bases, usually it works, sometimes it doesn’t
Hayley Kiyoko – Expectations – No wonder Taylor Swift stuck up for Hayley’s right to make same se love songs. This is a good album and though it doesn’t peak as high as “Girls Like Girls” it doesn’t meander but consistently hits or near misses the pleasure zone
A State Of Trance Episode 876 – Armin van Buuren – I always love Armin’s “State of Trance” albums, the purest house music fun you can ever have (I actually went to one and I would go again if the raves returned to NYC). If trance is your thing, you can’t go wrong
Rae Sremmurd – SR3MM – 27 tracks… 27??? Nearly two hours of new music. And yet, whatever weakness the album has, it certainly isn’t consistency. This album doesn’t peak (and “Up In My Cocina” is certainly not “Black Beatle” even while substituting Paul McCartney for Mick Jagger) but it doesn’t crater either, you can’t start anywhere and play till anytime and it is all good
Drip Harder – Lil Baby, Gunna – Two younger Atlanta rappers at full beam as they trade lines, verses, whatever, with consistently excellent results … Lil Baby has one of the great new voices
Solo Anthology: The Best Of Lindsey Buckingham (Deluxe) – Lindsey Buckingham – Lindsey be nimble, Lindsey be quick, at least on this excellent refresher course on the great guitarist and songwriter away from the Judas Fleetwood Mac
First Flower – Molly Burch – “What do I care what you think, you’re not my father…?” is the opening line on this guitar ringing neo-folk album sophomore album from the Austin chanteuse, “Wild” is classic and “To The Boys” a feminist semi manifesto, her deep voice is an acquired taste though when she sings higher it is gorgeous
Stranger in the Alps (Deluxe Edition) – Phoebe Bridgers – There is a reason I missed this the first time, she can be boring over the long haul, though “Motion Sickness” and “Smoke Signals” remain excellent, the deluxe adds two songs so, yeah, not very. One of them is the “Motion Sickness” demo but it must have been late in the creation
The Voidz – Virtue – It might not be great but it is better than anything Julian has done since his eponymous solo album, a real wide ride of brain expanding psychedelic and electronic and really good when he remembers to write a song… and that is often enough
Bill Frisell – Music IS – The terrific jazz guitarist who you may know from his wonderful recording The Sweetest Punch is at the top of his game on this self-explanatory immersion in solo acoustic guitar –
AWOLNATION – Here Come the Runts – Electronic rock band have had a good run this decade and this is a s good as the best, nearly every song is memorable, and it moves from one instantly addictive melody to another
Dear Nora – Skulls Example – A first rate folkie pop album from the West Coast band reform from the 00s, with catchy hooks and good lyrics, the more straightforward it is the better, the first four songs are amazing, and “White Fur” sounds like Jackson Browne -no, really, but then it spaces out
Jonathan Davis – Black Labyrinth – The Korn lead singer has released a towering album of unique hard rock, the simpler the better and sometimes it is too Korn-y, the first single “Walk On By” was just that, but at its best it is an important and different way to play – B+
finding it hard to smile – lovelytheband – Another bunch of indie boys with perpetual nervousness, the guys are more laid back, less twitchy, but the songs build into walls of pop melodies and the mood is one of a certain glorious dissatisfaction
Juice WRLD – Goodbye & Good Riddance – Excellent break up album, a slice of life that is pretty damn tough, taking Chicago Drill with the emo of Mumble Rap, and without rap’s swagger. “Lucid Dream”? “All The Girls Are The Same”? “Hurt Me”? All of those are aces on this powerful heartbreaker
Peach Kelli Pop – Gentle Leader – This is still the relentlessly genius Allie Hanlon as the gentlest of leaders though Peach Kelli Pop are now a band and the album is consistent and sweet pop punk shading into girl group here and there
Pusha T – DAYTONA EP – This took awhile to kick in but the George Jackson sample on “Come Back Baby” absolutely did the job, and while I’m at it, the Pitchfork review by Paul A. Thompson did what I want reviews to do, got me past the bumps: “It’s like an album full of “Bound 2”s, without the sentimentality”
James Bay – Electric Light – James has made a move to the pop charts as a sort of refracted Bryan Ferry (or at least Brett Anderson) but it might be too old fashioned to fashion itself hot beyond cult, and judging by “Pink Lemonade,” that’s a real shame
Kelly Willis – Back Being Blue – Old school country album, with top notch songs, great guitar playing, a lot of swing and a lot of soul
Kevin Gates – Chained To The City EP – Three songs, all excellent in a perfect case of less is more. Especially the lead off “Change Lanes”,” an introverted banger. This is his return from prison and it is worth the wait -a major move from the Louisiana native
KYLE – Light Of Mine – I thought “iSpy” was Lil Yachty’s business, but after hearing this tremendous r&b cum hip hop album, I gotta assume KYLE is the man behind it. This is one sparkling soul groove after another reaching a zenith with the Alessia Cara featured “Babies”
Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes – Not as bad as I claimed, cute boy wants to meet up with cute girls: Strings Attached – B-
Snow Patrol – Wildness – Surprisingly strong album on their first since 2011 is a sad yet lovely look at ths waste of time called life -too long, though – B-
The Fall – Best of the Fall & Mark E Smith (Live) – I can’t find any info on this but it sounds like the 2010s – B
The Love-Birds – In the Lover’s Corner – Catchy lo fi indie guitar pop – B
R.E.M. At The BBC (Live) – R.E.M. – For the casual and for the serious fan, this is mid period to end R.E.M. in the UK, including a full John Peel, the 104 song box set is heavy going but worth the haul
Tracyanne & Danny – Tracyanne & Danny – You know Tracyanne from Camera Obscura and these lovely pop ballads have the ethereal in their DNA and yet are so solid as to not be ephemeral -it clings to you – B
Wooden Shjips – V. – The songs are too long but what do you expect from a psychedelic jam band from San Fran? Whatever you expect you’ll get plus huge melodies that they just can’t hide – B
Roxy: Tonight’s the Night Live – Neil Young – Out of the studio and onto the stage in 1973- I saw him do something similar with Harvest Moon – he seems in a good mood but the junkie miserableness of the set hasn’t changed
Reduxer – alt-J – Listening to these remixes as they were released as singles, I was consistently surprised at how good they were. Let’s hear it for Little Simz
The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967-1970 – Aretha Franklin – I know we all know this stuff, but hearing these singles one after another is pretty remarkable, even the Beatle and Elton cover, and while it is hard to find growth between , say, “RESPECT” and “Border Song” not even vocally, it is impossible to find a flaw
Infections Of A Different Kind (Step I) – AURORA – The Norwegian singer has a cool poppiness here that seems to float in with ease over the ear candy, strong stuff
Weeds – Bennett Bowtell Urquhart – Already a phenomenon in Australia where the country supergroup have already won two Golden Guitar Awards (aka CMAA Country Music Awards) for Best Group and Best Alt. Country for this eponymous debut, their second album, Weeds, is just released here. More Americana than pure country when slow, more country swing than pure country when it gets rowdy, the quality of songwriting, singing, and performance is really quite impeccable. Try “Mountain Of Pain” for Americana, “Any Bells” for swing
Old Crow Medicine Show – Volunteer – If you must listen to roots rockers, these guys are the ones to check out. Their tour behind their front to back cover of Blonde On Blonde was first rate, and here we have a mix of bluegrass and Americana and it is nothing but a pleasure
Temporary High – Nick Piunti-The power pop journeyman from Detroit has been doing this so long, he has that Zen like ease and precision, in an art form that is better when it has the former and excels when it has the latter, especially on the completely killer title track
Pennywise – Never Gonna Die – The Cali punk band have been going for decades and as first releases in a decade go, this is flawless power punk with a great lead singer and twisted, hooky, politically astute rockers
Matt Whipkey – Driver – Matt, a rock star if that word means anything anymore, has driven for both Lyft and Uber, and has taken the stories shared and switched idioms, for this deep green and red classic rock album, amazingly consistently, constantly entertaining and enlightening, sometimes destructive, always dazzling songs. “Marian Kowalski, Dec 1994,” “Fred, You’re Dead,” and “Coal Mine” followed by “Winter Tires,” are highlights, “Drive My Car” is just looking for trouble
Wild! Wild! Wild! – Robbie Fulks, Linda Gail Lewis – Linda nails down her heritage and her history on songs more country than Americana by Robbie, who also sings. “Round Too Long” is one of the best songs of the year
Kodak Black – Heart Break Kodak (HBK) – vicious little Kodak on romance, no, really, make up, break up, beat up, move on… this is a strange pleasure vibe on really troubled romance as he sings as much as raps and doesn’t kill any one, and as late as the 16th song, the wittily called “When Vultures Cry” he is still invested in it
Bettye LaVette – Things Have Changed – – The great blues cover artist is at her best with Dylan, where you loves him enough to give his songs true interpretations. From the title track to “Going, Going, Gone,” Bettye ranges through his entire landscape of Dylan’s catalog with exceptional results
Shooter – Shooter Jennings – Waylon’s kid is a rarity: he doesn’t embarrass the family business. First rate country twang. The ballads, “Living In A Minor Key” for one, are sweet and strong, the rompers are boogie woogie all the way
Fillmore East February 1970 -The Allman Brothers – It ain’t the 1971 concert for sure, but this rerelease from 1996 is first rate prog jam featuring Saint Duane, so who can kick?
Future Me Hates Me – The Beths – Pretty good indie pop rock with hooks to spare, they should have cut it to 25 minutes, it would run better, but all of it is catchy and jumpy, especially the title track and “Happy Unhappy”
DIME TRAP – T.I. – Maybe the third most influential rapper of the 21st Century (behind Kanye and Gucci Mane), this is a little too long and not everything sticks, but so much does, including songs with Anderson. Paak, Teyana Taylor, and the hardass Meek Mill, that is his best in years and a clear pop move. No, not everything is worth the effort, and there is too much filler, though what does, is
Ben Howard – Noonday Dream – UK surfer dude who performs singer songwriter mood music, can get a little tedious but on a song like “A Boat To An Island On The Wall” -an electronic mindfuck, he rewards patience
Interstate Gospel…Sugar Daddy – Pistol Annies – five years since the country supergroups’ last album, this EO collects the terrific two singles and three other songs
WARZONE – Yoko Ono – Yoko performs the song she co-wrote “Imagine” on the highlight of this arty political album, look out for the aforementioned as well as “Where Do We Go From Here” and “Woman’s Power”. Less out there than Yoko can be, this is about as mainstream as we could ever hope from her
Big Freedia – 3rd Ward Bounce EP – Overwhelming hardcore dance beats over declarative vocals and the purest, melody less hi energy disco thrills, the title track has to be heard to be believed
The Fratellis – In Your Own Sweet Time – Has it been over a decade since Costello Music? Well, this is a rock solid pop rock album and their most accomplished to date. The Fratellis might not have much ambition but they have good will and high spirits to burn here
Sunflower Bean – Twentytwo in Blue – That rarest of sophomore efforts, the one that improves on the first with toghter, better written songs.
Buzzy Lee – Facepaint EP – This sounds like lo fi bedsitland chamber music pop and it is surprisingly good, 18 minutes of beauty
The Oak Ridge Boys – 17th Avenue Revival – Producer Dave Cobb has worked with every major country contemporary superhero from Jason Isbell to Chris Stapleton and here he Rick Rubins the Oak Ridge Boys spirituals
Yellow Claw – Amsterdam Trap Music, Vol. 3 – Some of the best trap beats I’ve heard all year, I wonder why they haven’t made a fortune selling em to Atlanta rappers
Night Owl EP – Jessi Mason – Terrific singer songwriter who nails all six songs, especially the one about understanding herself and the one about getting Joni Mitchell
Big Star – Live At Lafayette’s Music Room – Memphis, TN – The birth of Big Star as critics darlings (opening for Archie Bell And The Drells) in 1973, songs off #1 Record, songs not yet on Radio City, and some strong covers. Thus are legends born
Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac (Deluxe) – A coupla years past the Cali Mac revival spearheaded by Dawes, here comes the remastered first shot from the soft rock Mac, first album remastered, second album filled with early takes (proving how fully formed the songs were), and finally live tracks from their 1975 tour. Hang around for a late “Oh Well”
Frank Zappa and The Mothers – The Roxy Performances (Live) – From December 1973, this is a definitive exploration of prime Zappa live, if you want to know what all the fuss is about binge listen this, this is Miles Davis good. I’m not a huge Zappa fan, but wow he was on some wild musically plateau we ain’t caught up with yet. The best bit? That “Be-Bop Tango” is completely bonkers
Nina Simone – The Colpix Singles – 27 songs from the start of her career to just before she hit it big
Andrew Lloyd Webber – Unmasked: The Platinum Collection (Deluxe)- This is an odd greatest hit, from Boyzone to Barbra Streisand,it is linked to his memoir but doesn’t follow his career trajectory as written about in Unmasked (which ends with Phantom).Still, it’s nice to hear the best (more or less -three songs from “Aspects Of Love” at the end -just… don’t) in one place
Songs of Rapture and Redemption: Rarities & Live – Judee Sill – The female, US version of Nick Drake, some live songs, some demos, all impeccable, a home demo of “Jesus Was A Crossmaker” included
