bedsitter23 | Entries tagged with best albums of the year

It's that time of year. It may be easier to make a Top 40 than a 20, but I thought it was a bountiful year.

As always, best is subjective- even when you are talking about one person's opinion- so these are at least the 20 albums that impacted me the most or brought. Since I have wrote about some of these before, i will try to keep the descriptions brief.

Here goes:

The Beat Feat. Ranking Roger - Public Confidential (DMF Music) - Ranking Roger's death is sad, of course, but artistically, I am really going to miss him as his incarnation of the Beat was pretty great. With great harmony singing with his son, and a stellar band, I don't have much trouble putting their last two releases with the Beat/General Public discography.

Andrew Bird - My Finest Work Yet (Loma Vista) - I've watched Bird since his circa-Y2K breakthrough where he was one of the many interesting instrument brigade with the Arcade Fire, Beirut and the Decemberists. His discography has certainly taken an unusual route. MFWY is Bird at his most interesting lyrically, with as song as good as any I heard this year, "Sisyphus", but it's a pretty solid piece of work

Tracy Bryant Hush (Taxi Gauche)- Bryant is one of my favorite current artists, and Hush is pretty solid. Reviews tend to focus on Bryant's voice, but it is a perfect compliment to his music- which touches melodic pop, a little psychedelica and garage rock. Produced by someone who gets it - Kyle Mullarky (Growlers, Allah-Las)- this is really one of the great unsung records of the year.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds- Ghosteen (Ghosteen)- Selfishly, this isn't really the type of Nick Cave record that I like. It, however, is still a pretty magical record with Cave, Ellis, et al making what is almost an ambient record. Credit to Cave's artistry that he has turned this grief into something so listenable and yet maintaining that raw emotion.

Leonard Cohen - Thanks for the Dance (Columbia/Legacy/Sony)- Improbably, Adam Cohen had some recording of his father's You Want it Darker sessions and made a record that would pass the ear test as a Cohen album. A tribute to the talent of both father and son, that this record stands up so well. Otherwise, it would probably be a very good record (like Iggy's 2019 offering), but it's something more.

Rodney Crowell - Texas - (RC1 Records)- I was a big fan of Crowell in the late 80s/early 90s, and I suppose this all-star concept album is meant to get him back on the radar. Crowell's sound tends to mimic his guests here (Billy Gibbons, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, even Ringo Starr), but it's strong lyrically, and though Crowell doesn't need it, this places him in the tradition of Delbert McClinton, Jim Lauderdale, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore as grand old men of Americana roots music.

Danger Mouse and Karen O - Lux Prima (BMG) - Such an interesting album that surely would have been huge 15 or 25 years ago. Danger Mouse gives Karen O her most commercial sound, but Karen is the real star here. At times, the pop princess, but at other times, very much the same singer she was in the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Like much of Danger Mouse, the end results seemingly transcends genre.

Pete Doherty and the Puta Madres- s/t (Strap Materials) - Like that self-destructive icon Johnny Thunders, Dohery's discography is a mess, best to be cherrypicked. Outside of those first two Babyshambles records, his best work is an acoustic bootleg (doing business these days as The Freewheelin'...) So, no real surprise this quickly recorded seemingly throwaway project is the best Pete has sounded in years.

Steve Earle & the Dukes - Guy (New West) - Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark loom heavily over Earle's work. While I wasn't a big fan of his Townes tribute, Earle really seems to make Clark's songs his. You can tell there was a lot of love in this album, and it ends with a perfect celebration of Guy- "Old Friends" with Jerry Jeff Walker, Emmylou Harris, and Rodney Crowell among others.

Ezra Furman Twelve Nudes (Bella Union) - When I first heard Furman, I thought he was a Billy Bragg style folk singer. On his last album, he sounded like a late 70s Lou Reed with some Springsteen. Here, he is a lo-fi punk or a noise rocker. Who's the real Ezra? Well, they all are. Definitely a talent to keep your eyes on.

To be continued

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1207664.html

Johnny Marr Call the Comet (New Voodoo/Sire) – It’s weird that Marr’s solo career didn’t realty take off until the 201xs. Even weirder, he seems to get better every record. Call the Comet is his best solo album yet, and in a world where 120 Minutes still mattered, “Hi Hello” would be in every house. Perhaps, little surprise that this is also the record that has most embraced the Smiths and New Order (and Joy Division) sound that has marked Marr’s career. I catch direct reference to Patti Smith, too. Smiths fans who may have not paid attention to Marr should check this out. This one shows what a real talent Marr was and he could have held it down on his own (though, add some unique voice and better lyrics, and well, I promised I wouldn’t do this…)

Mitski Be the Cowboy (Dead Oceans Records)- 2016's Puberty 2 was such a masterful indie record. It's hard to even classify Mitski's music. On one hand, it's lyrical folk, drawing comparisons to Jenny Lewis and Angel Olson, and the other hand it's totally lo-fi with the occasional Pixies-ish noise. It drew comparison to lo-fi bands like Car Seat Headrest. There really hadn't been an artist that broke those kind of boundaries since Julie Doiron and Eric's Trip. Mitski would be forgiven for taking a step back on this follow-up. Instead, she takes it to another level, adding elements of dance and electronic music. Moments of the record reveal a mixture of 80s influences like The Smiths and Kate Bush. It all adds together to make one of the most completely realized albums of 2018.

Parquet Courts Wide Awake! (Rough Trade) -2016's Human Performance was a revelation. It imagined the feel of the Velvet Underground wrap around shades and European son cool. Last year's Daniele Luppi collaboration Milano doubled down on that. Hard to say which album is better, but Wide Awake is just as good. This time, with another amazing collaborater Danger Mouse. This sounds like a great unheard of new wave album- nods to The Fall, Fear of Music, Gang of Four, Wire, even some Minutemen and classic 1970s NYC- Ramones, Television, and of course, Lou Reed. They seem to maintain a certain chameleon-like quality, but come off as their own.

Nathaniel Ratcliff & the Night Sweats Tearing at the Seams (Fantasy)- For all of the talk about rock being dead, there are quite a few good rock bands that fall in the genre that used to be called Adult Alternative.The Revivalists, Milky Chance, Alabama Shakes, the Avett Brothers and maybe best of all, Nathaniel Ratliff and the Night Sweats. This mini-explosion owes much to Jack White and the Black Keys though their concurrent influences of the Post-Mumford explosion and to a certain extent, jam bands which via The Lumineers, The Hand and the Heart, Of Monsters and Men, and even Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings bring us here. “SOB” was a huge hit that got these guys played on stations that normally play The Crue and White Zombie. There’s nothing quite that catchy here (a couple of songs come close) but it’s a much more realized record than their self-titled breakthrough disc. Impossible not to mention Van Morrison but like their tourmates Kings of Leon, I suppose the band owns a few CCR and The Band records too.

Rolling Blackouts C.F. Hope Downs (SubPop)- It is hard to think of a debut album that has come out recently that had so many expectations, and it was one of my most anticipated albums of the year as well. They had released 2 EPs that showed what a unique talent they are. So I am happy to report that they delivered. It's hard to classify RBCF. They are like all the good bits of music- C86 and some of the sophisticated pop of those days like Orange Juice and the Go-Betweens, with some Flying Nun pop, a touch of Parquet Courts style punk influences, and a lot of classic American college rock like REM, the Feelies, maybe even the Replacements. "An Airconditioned Man" might be the best kick off to an album all year.

Richard Thompson 13 Rivers (New West) I have put together "20 Best Albums of the Year" lists for 15 years, and this will be the first to feature Richard Thompson. I have followed his career and looking back, I may have been wrong a time or two (Sweet Warrior), but I think his legacy towers over everything he has done. So it isn't that he made bad albums, he has just already done it all. Then again, there is something about 13 Rivers that feels different. I would say it is a stronger set of songs, for one. I do think that is part of it; but it is also a throwback to the classic sound. Thompson produces and Clay Blair (The War on Drugs) catches a sound that is immediately arresting, much like Thompson's classic material.

Tracyanne & Danny Tracyanne & Danny (Merge) From a selfish point of view, I am saddened by the death of Camera Obscura pianist/vocalist Carey Lander. Lander was am integral part of the band, and they broke up. Looking back, the band's four records are incredible. They were often overshadowed by the similar Belle & Sebastian, but looking back now, were they just as good or even better. This album relaunches Traceyanne Campbell's career by pairing her with Crybaby's Danny Coughlan, and it's such a great listen. Campbell is always inspired, but when needed, Coughlan proves a worthy foil. Much in line with Camera Obscura, subsequent listens show the strong backing music that goes from Bachrach-ian pop to Velvet Underground cool.

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1143476.html

Brian Fallon Sleepwalkers (Island)- When it looked like the Gaslight Anthem had done everything it could, but become an arena rock band, Fallon has continued to reinvent himself through his solo records. This album falls short of his debut disc Painkillers, but it is to Fallon’s credit that he didn’t try to mimic that record. That likely would have failed, and instead, we get a very worthwhile set of songs here. There’s a strong influence of 60’s soul and R&B here that differentiates it from the previous disc. It is in the mold of classic Who and the Jam, even occasionally going to far into those Weller influences. Still, like most of Fallon’s work, it’s Springsteen who looms the largest in the background. Still, with Fallon’s current position, he gets away with some things in 2018 that the Boss couldn’t, and that ultimately, works to his favor. A fine record.

Bryan Ferry Bitter-Sweet (BMG) – Although I have probably followed Ferry’s career more than almost anyone, I almost skipped over 2012’s The Jazz Age. That particular album reimagined a collection of songs from Ferry(and Roxy)’s deep history as 1920’s era jazz recordings. Re-recording old songs? It seemed like a Rod Stewart-style cash-grab to me. I am glad I didn’t though, as those songs were so refreshed creatively that they felt like something new. 2018 finds Ferry on Netflix playing a 1930’s Berlin cabaret singer, so a sequel of sorts seems logical. Though like Dylan’s Sinatra records, there is no longer the thrill of hearing something for the first time, this album is well worth it. The bonus of this record is Ferry adding vocals to some of the newly reworked songs. It is also certainly more Weimar Republic than Duke Ellington this time, but it’s still pretty great. It helps that some of my most favorite Roxy Music tunes show up here. It’s quite possible that there aren’t two better albums in the last few years that are going largely unheard than The Jazz Age and this one.

Franz Ferdinand Always Ascending (Domino)- Despite generally positive reviews, let’s face it, critics have given up on this band. The first three albums are held in a certain regard, but no one but the most diehard of fans seem to really take note. Which is a shame as the band is still putting out good music. There’s no great single here, but there some great songs. It continues down the road the band has continued to travel (more groove, more dance) while Alex Kapranos veers into Jarvis Cocker territory more often than not. I am still happy to see the band making records, and will continue to spread the word as much as I can, as long as they put out records like this.

Ezra Furman Transangelic Exodus (Bella Union)- I was disappointed that outside of the AV Club (and despite positive reviews), this disc was left of year-end “Best Ofs”. I knew Furman was talented, but this really blew me away. Ambitious as all heck, Furman’s self described “queer outlaw saga” wants to meld together Born to Run and Nebraska Bruce Springsteen with Berlin and Street Hassle Lou Reed; (something I would probably advise not to attempt) but he pulls it off. It all gets thrown in – country road songs, glam rock, dance/ambient and even soul, all with Furman trying to tell his On the Road or Thelma and Louise. It would be interesting even if it only half-worked, but it succeeds.

Mick Harvey and Christopher Richard Barker – The Fall and Rise of Edgar Bourchier and the Horrors of War (Mute)- I have weird records all over my “Best of”, but this is probably the weirdest. Longtime Bad Seed Harvey and Author/Poet Barker present an album that ostensibly is made of poems written by a long-dead WW1 soldier named Edgar Bourchier. You have to do some deep digging, but if you look far enough, you will discover Bourchier isn’t real. This album, though attempts to invoke the horrors of War. It does that in various random styles- often harkening back to previous times. In fact, it’s hard to even compare this record. I would probably compare it to Julian Cope or Chumbawamba’s music hall ballads. It’s hard to even find much similarity in the Birthday Party lineage (perhaps Harvey’s Serge Gainsbourg covers) or songs about War (Motorhead’s “1916” perhaps) . Non-rock arrangements, repetitive lyrics- even many, many listens, it’s hard to know what to make of this. Still, Harvey is such a deft arranger that it is almost impossible not to like this. It sounds like a bit of a ridiculous concept, but it ultimately succeeds (to the point, record reviewers are carrying the Bourchier ‘long lost poet’ story.

The Interrupters Fight the Good Fight (Hellcat)- This band follows the Rancid template (and actually have a long history with Tim Armstrong) so it’s hard to judge them. Clearly, there is a lot of Specials, Selector, Clash and Agnostic Front on their streaming devices. When I first heard “Kerosene”, I could smell a hit, though it felt like the band arrived 20 years too late. “Kerosene” did end up a hit, but the band evokes a memory of when bands like Dance Hall Crashers were the rage. There’s (*ahem*) no doubt that they will be compared to other female fronted ska bands. Fight is more realized than anything the band has done previously, and at the end of the day, Aimee Interrupter is such a strong frontperson, that the world should take notice. The rest of the album lacks “Kerosene”’s power, but it still maintains a better-than-average pop-punk-ska set of songs.

Cody Jinks Lifers (Rounder)- I can’t place what makes Cody Jinks so good, but he is. There is little here (the odd Jackson Browne reference notwithstanding) to differentiate this from other country artists. His voice has a huge Toby Keith bellow and his songs aren’t a million miles away from Tim McGraw. Still, there is something special about him. Probably unsurprising, Jinks started out in hardcore punk and thrash metal. He carries that booming voice and sense of melody. In a lot of senses, it reminds me of Steve Earle’s first record, which is also a ‘pure country’ record, but you can tell that there is a lot more than meets the eye.

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1142505.html

Please stay tuned for parts 2 and 3.

It was a great year for music. So many records could have made the cut, but I had to keep it to 20. Here goes...

Arctic Monkeys Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino(Domino)- In a weird twist of fate, the Arctic Monkeys were supposed to be a fad, but by 2013s AM, in a post-rock world, they became one of the rock bands that matter. So what did they do? Alex Turner made himself a too-cool-for-school crooner in the mold of Jarvis Cocker. Bowie is of course, the obvious touchpoint, but this album may be more closer to Bolan, or frankly, the Rocky Horror Show and might be more “Bowie in Space” (Flight of the Conchords) than Bowie in Space. That said, strangely, this concept holds up. You know, space has always been important in all genres of rock- Rush, Floyd, Parliament, Voidoid, and Klaatu, to name a few. Still, in a world of Yelp, Netflix and Uber; of Trump, Kardashians and Elon Musk, it’s possible that no one has been more accurate with their vision of the future than the A-Monkeys. Critics like Pitchfork wrote 1000 word essays on the opening line of “I just wanted to be one of the Strokes”, but they were wrong. Turner’s reinvention here is something deeper to appreciate.

Chris Carter Chemistry Lessons Vol 1 (Mute)- I spent the 90s collecting the Chris and Cosey albums. The post-Throbbing Gristle duo always took a back seat to Psychic TV and Coil. (With reason, I enjoyed their music, but it was hardly essential. The stalwart Allmusic only gives two of their albums four stars or more). This record is rather enjoyable and though it can be used for background music; it really grabs the ears. Not too much unlike Martin Rev’s album last year, here is one of the classic innovators of the genre doing some really interesting work with sounds- 25 “songs” most averaging about two minutes each. This one is unique enough and hard to describe, more ambient and less dance than Chris and Cosey, more like a modern dat Kraftwerk than industrial, it certainly falls in lines of music that imagines the future in the way we thought of it in the past. I was pleasantly surprised to see this fall on Mojo’s “Best of 2018” list.

Current 93 The Light is Leaving Us All (The Spheres)- Current 93 makes Neofolk easy, but it’s not. Just type “neofolk” into a music aggregator and see. Indeed, the band’s latter era masterpiece (2006’s Black Ships Ate the Sky) makes it look real easy, though a listen through many of the band’s records since, show how hard it can be. David Tibet makes his best music when he sounds possessed, and he sounds a bit possessed here. The album is very much in line with an apocalyptic folk vision of Black Ships and 1997’s All the Pretty Little Horses- a world beyond time straight out of Fantasy. It doesn’t quite live up to those two records, but that it comes close is a testament to Tibet’s amazing talent.

The Damned Evil Spirits(Spinefarm)- Anyone who has seen the Damned live in the last couple of decades (or one of their many live records) know that there is still a lot of fire there. Unfortunately, the last couple of attempts at studio recordings have been terrible. This album finally gets it right- what we all knew, that there must still be fire in the tank. The band at this point feels like The Damned with Vanian, Sensible, the return of Paul Gray, and two newer members who have 20+ years in. Tony Visconti is an inspired choice to capture the sound, most masterfully in the sonic opener “Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow” and the closer “I Don’t Care”. It’s unfair to compare this to the band’s first three records or even 1985’s Phantasmagoria. It just doesn’t hold up to repeat listens after that first listen “They’re back” rush. Still, it’s a very enjoyable album and captures the grab bag of the band’s styles. Indeed, any track here would fit seamlessly on the band’s Light at the End of the Tunnel retrospective. Like the Stranglers, it’s great to see these so important punksters prove that they still have it.

David Davis & the Warrior River Boys Didn’t He Ramble: Songs of Charlie Poole (Rounder)- David Davis's uncle played in Bill Monroe’s band, but by now, David has plenty of bluegrass bonafides on his own. While the band has made some wonderful traditional bluegrass records in the last two-plus decades, this one is really special. By covering Charlie Poole, he’s unearthed some really great tunes. Now, Poole has a lot of rock fans (Dylan, Mellencamp, Baez, Wainwright III, the Dead, Hot Tuna, the Holy Modal Rounders), but the WRBs really do a great job of presenting the songs of Poole, which should be of interest to anyone who likes 1920’s music, country and blues, bluegrass, and maybe haven’t sampled bluegrass since the days of O Brother Where Art Thou. If you are interested in any of the above or the artists influenced by the sound, it really is worth checking out.

Ed Schrader’s Music Beat Riddles (Carpark Records)- Ed Schrader and Devlin Rice are fixtures on the very cool Baltimore scene (Beach House, Future Islands) and hooked up with another big Baltimore name Dan Deacon who produced this. ESMB was a good find for me. This is a wonderful future-looking album. Many of the songs have a repetitive beat which makes it almost impossible not to compare to another electronic duo, Suicide. It can veer from garage punk and noise to EDM, and “Tom” (Major?) also shows how big an influence Bowie is. A great unheralded album.

(To be continued)

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1142197.html

Grandaddy Last Place (30th Century/Columbia/Sony)- You wonder how some bands make it look so easy. Last Place doesn't sound like there has been a ten year break in albums. If it was all so easy to reform and pick right up, then why don't bands do it so easy (ummm Pixies). The only drawback is that it won't be considered the band's best work, but it is a great listen and a reminder of why you loved the band. Jason Lytle sounds great, his lyrics are still unique and the compositions work.

The Killers Wonderful Wonderful (Island)- The Killers may have cemented their legacy with this disc. As their heroes U2 and Morrissey also released new records in 2017, the Killers are no longer the bright new hopes, but are also well established rock stars who have to find a new spin on their material. In this case, they do the right thing, by not trying to venture too far from what works. They do bring a more than large influence from contemporaries Arcade Fire and Gaslight Anthem. It works though in giving them two standout singles- the embarrassingly macho (post Weinstein/Spacey/LouisCK) "The Man" and "Run for Cover". Seeing that Hot Fuss still stands up this long later, then they probably will be remembered as this generation's Duran Duran. The rest of the album falls on the right song of worthwhile, and should bring back the fans who might have left them.

Mark Lanegan Band Gargoyle (Heavenly) There were a good ten years where every record Lanegan made was essential. His solo stuff of course, but also his collaborations with Isobel Campbell, Soulsavers, Greg Dulli and lest we forget Queens of the Stone Age. There's at least seven to ten record there that are must haves. For me, the current decade is a bit of a letdown. He's still prolific- but his output is a bit more scattered- a covers album, demos record, instrumental heavy collaboration with Duke Garwood, and the polished Phantom Radio. It is good to see Lanegan get back to what is a bit more expected from him. I knew Leonard Cohen's death would weigh heavily in the mind (as does Chris Cornell's) and we always knew Lanegan was going to be my generation's successor to Cohen, and it certainly feels like it. Gargoyle isn't perfect, there's some bum tracks, and the best moments are too obvious (the driving nocturnal Barry Adamson-ish second tune is called, wait for it "Nocturne". The fantastic "The Emperor" is really a rewrite of Iggy's "Passenger"). Still, if you are going to look at it overall, this really is a great listen and proves Lanegan still has it.

Magnetic Fields 50 Song Memoir (Nonesuch/Warner Bros)- Stephin Merritt's masterpiece is widely considered to be 69 Love Songs. 50 Song Memoir clearly has similar ambitions and could be good or bad. It is unexpectedly really really good. One supposes Merritt looks best when he has a project. The songs here are such an unusual collection that it is true, by themselves, they might not be considered for a ten song disc. In this context though they are the stars. I was worried that the lyrics were so good in their first listen, and the impact of that first punchline, that they would not hold up for repeat listening. That is not true. I love the love(?) story of 93-Me and Fred and Dave and Ted, the early musical failures of Blizzard of 78 (the band made the Shaggs look like Yes), and the anti-Vietnam 68-They're killing Children over there. Musically, this is all over the place like no other band I can think of with the possible exception of Ween (though this being Merritt, every song sounds like the Magnetic Fields). There's a review of every trend from the half-Century- disco, new wave, glam, icy goth, even the anti-surf surf rocker 08 Surfin and the rumba 67 Come Back as a Cockroach. Plenty of anthemic singles- 76 Hustle, 84, Danceteria, 79 Rock and Roll will ruin your life and surely one day a standard- 02-Be True to Your Bar. There's really not much downtime though towards the end, it hits a few doldrums. Love Merritt and love the record.

Morrissey Low in High School (BMG)- I am not sure this should be on the list, but there it is. The Moz is my alltime favorite artist, but he is going through some lean years. I suppose this album is hurt in that it isn't much different than his last. I also suspect Moz doesn't let anyone tell him no, which is his biggest problem. There's enough here that this might actually be salvageable, On the plus side, Moz's voice is as strong as it has ever been. Also, it is musically adventurous which is a plus (No one gets Moz more than longtime cohort Boz Boorer, but none of the collabs written for him are bad here) . It's just lyrically a mess. I am a 'politics in music' guy, but here (as in his interviews), Moz is seemingly all over the place. "I Bury the Living" almost makes it as a great anti-war opus, it just falls into some cheesy traps. Which is the case with most of the album. There's plenty of potential here. "I Wish You Lonely", and "Jackys Only Happy..." are classic Moz but they are missing that killer couplet that would define his biggest hits. "All the Young People..." and "Spent the Day In Bed" surely have the right framework but inevitably lack Moz's wit to compete with the bombastic music. The other major drawback is Moz seems too reliant on ribald jokes (look at some of those titles) that make Benny Hill look subtle. It's all disappointing as the best songs would have been left on the table as B-sides in the Steve Lillywhite years.

Randy Newman Dark Matter (Nonesuch)- If you must write political songs, then this is how you do it. I first learned to love Newman around 1999 which coincidentally was about the last time he had an album that was buzzworthy. Undoubtedly, Newman is the most likely commentator to put together songs like "Putin" or "The Great Debate" and make political and social discussion into a snappy five minute song. Still, the reason this album stands up to other of Newman's masterpieces (and it does) isn't just a couple of great political songs. It also has some classic sentimental Newman tunes that are aces like "She Chose Me". It's all appropriately held together but what would normally would seem like a tack on- the Monk theme "It's a Jungle Out There". It is a great song, of course, and does a good job of tying in the whole album which resonates on the political and personal side of things.

Old 97s Graveyard Whistling (ATO) I wasn't sure what to think of this coming as it did off of a perfect record of four great albums since the band reunited in 2008 (not to mention three great Rhett Miller solo records in that same time frame). Whistling is a slightly different record. Unlike the previous record produced by longtime producer Salim Nourallah which celebrated the 97s in their most ragged Replacement-ish (even with Tommy Stinson guesting) glory, this record is clearly a bid for prime time. Produced by Vance Powell, who has had chart success as engineer and mixed with similar artists like Chris Stapleton, the Revivalists, Elle King and Jack White, this is a slickly produced affair, complete with a lead single that is a duet with Brandi Carlile, and put together in such a way where each song could stand alone as a radiobound single. 2014's Most Messed Up was not going to be easy to follow, but the band manages to pull it off. It's more anthemic and yet also more lyrically complex. Each song does succeed as a single, and the album hangs together with its own personality. Improbable as it can be, they did it again.

Martin Rev Demolition 9 (Atlas Realisations) While the punk legend rightfully mourns the loss of Alan Vega, the other member of the Suicide duo resurfaces with his first new record in 7 years. This is an unorthodox album- 34 pieces of music- some fully realized at three minutes, yet many are 30 second snippets. The music is all over the board throughout the album, sometimes even on the same song- at times, neoclassical, at others industrial noise, no wave jazz, funk, new age, bossa nova, even nods to 50s and 60s pop. Mostly but not completely all instrumental. it might be frustrating for some, but I really appreciate Rev's ear here. I am not usually a fan of instrumental music, but the interesting mix makes this a keeper.

U2 Songs of Experience (Island/Interscope)- The inevitable rock question is whether you break up like REM or go on forever like the Rolling Stones or the Grateful Dead. At album 14, The '2 are lifers. U2 has reinvented themselves at least four times over, so they likely have no new tricks in the pipeline. 2014's Songs of Innocence showed they had some life left. This album doesn't do much to change the recent formula. Credit to the band for trying to stay fresh. As with the last record with Lykke Li and Danger Mouse, this record has Kendrick Lamar, Haim and Lady Gaga. Rock is indeed a young man's game, and though certainly we have seen late career masterpieces from Cohen, Dylan and Newman to name a few, you don't see a lot of middle aged men trying to make the energetic "I love Rock n Roll" anthems that are U2s stock in trade (and seem intent on producing). It all results in a mixed bag. It's not a bad record by any means, though at this point, it sounds like U2 is influenced by Coldplay and not vice versa. Ryan Tedder's production surely doesn't help. Like much of the band's recent work, this likely will be ditched by fans once the next record is made, but it will help with a pretty decent later-years Greatest Hits disc.

Xordox Neospection (Editions Mego) Another side project for JG Thirlwell as he readies the next Foetus album. This is an interesting disc which mixed the freeform electronica of his Manorexia project and his action-oriented Steroid Maximus (and Venture bros soundtrack) work. This album is clearly influenced by John Carpenter's soundtrack work and space themes, with a little bit of noir themes. It sounds to me like 80s electronic music if 80s electronic music was made with today's technology. Most instrumental, because it is Thirlwell, it's completely captivating, and though restricted by the lack of lyrics, it is never boring.

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1104073.html

It's that time of year again. Let's do this! The 14th annual....

Intro: This seems an unusual list. I have figured it is because nearly all of my list are veteran bands. Indeed, all but a very few here are closer to the end of their career than their beginning. Most of these bands have few surprises left in them as they have been doing this for 15, 25, 30, 40, or more years. That said, the older the artist, the higher I generally would place their album. I suspect this has a lot to say about me, but also quite a bit about the current state of the music industry. Do new bands care about albums? Do new bands get broken to a wide audience? I would name this the 20 albums which I listened to the most, which I can't verify but is seemingly true. in any case, these are the 20 artists currently on the planet that I feel the most excitement about in 2018.
Also inexplicably, two instrumental albums.

Alvvays Antisocialites (Polyvinyl) I hate the band name, but I have been mostly sold on Canadian fourpiece, especially on their second album. It's a now well-traveled road of C86 inspired pop, a genre that has already been mastered by Camera Obscura. Still, with Big Indie going to great lengths to pronounce the death of Big Indie, it is bands like this one and their tourmates Big Thief that are making great indie pop records, and with Morrissey babbling about Trump and Palestinians, it's nice to have lovelorn songs like "Your Type"

Evan Bartles The Devil, God and Me (Sower Records) There have been a lot of great alt-country artists in the past 20 years and we are likely to see more as the Simpson/Isbell/Stapleton triad gets popular. In fact I wish I had more room to talk about some of my faves from the last few years like Hayes Carll and Lydia Loveless. Bartles is a talented songwriter from Lincoln, NE. This is his debut. I have to admit that what I like about him is that he brings a bit of Earle/Springsteen/Brian Fallon rock to it. I am a big song guy but this is less of a album with a strong single with weak songs (though there are singles - I would pick "Two of a Kind"), but more importantly for a young artist what I hear is a collection of all strong songs. Definitely an artist to watch.

Blondie Pollinator (BMG)- Truly one of my favorite albums of the year. I have enjoyed a lot of the bands recent output like No Exit and Curse of Blondie, and this follows in a similar fashion. The band has influenced everyone, so it makes since that the guest list includes fellow icons (Joan Jett, Laurie Anderson), indie superstars (Johnny Marr, members of the Strokes and TV on the Radio) and today's pop hit makers (Charli XCX, Sia). This being Blondie, it totally makes sense. Even Big Indie could not ignore this album, admitting it was pretty good. This being Blondie, it jumps from genre to genre and occasionally things get silly. But in this case, the band seems to find the right side of the line. No better case in point than Love Level which has the most ridiculous lyrics of 2017 and one of the most singable melodies.

Ken Boothe Inna Da Yard (Wagram)- Is it fair to put this album on a Best Of list when it is mostly (if not all) songs that Boothe had already recorded in a career that not only spans 50 years but was one of the fathers of the Rocksteady genre. Yes, when it is possibly the best album recorded all year. Boothe teamed up with the Jamaican collective Inna Da Yard to re-record these songs in an unplugged setting, making the record as an unique experience as Nirvana and Clapton's well-known discs. Boothe has always had one of the best voices in music, but the backing band really makes it clean and like Al Green's last disc, 70 years on Earth only makes the soul that much deeper. Highlights include another version of his signature "Artibella" and a mesmerizing version of the Godfather theme "Speak Softly Love".

Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie- s/t (Atlantic/Warner Music) - Fleetwood Mac finally got their due in the 90s heralded by bands as diverse as Hole and Dixie Chicks, and the Top 20 lists put together by Big Indie are stamped with the Mac name (Haim, Waxhatchee, The Lone Bellow, Lorde, Tennis). The last time the Mac were topping the pop chart was the soft rock classic 1987's Tango in the Night -a time when rap, metal, college rock, alternative rock, industrial and even country were stretching boundaries. No doubt, it was perfect pop, and with nothing left to prove, it's a credit to the most well known of Mac lineups (minus Nicks) to do something that does feel this fresh. Part of the album is that McVie pop that just flows effortlessly and part is Buckingham's genius that needs the Mac touch to bring out his best. There's some McVie schmaltz and some Buckingham overindulgence still, but it's a fantastic pop album that puts them in the conversation with their much younger kin.

Cloud Nothings- Life Without Sound (Carpark) - The Cloud Nothings don't stray too far from the formula of their 2012's Attack on Memory or its followup- 2014s Here and Nowhere Else. American Noise Pop/ Indie Rock birthed from Husker Du, Nirvana and Fugazi influences. Here they hook up with producer John Goodmanson who has produced indie-influenced pop albums with bands like Nada Surf and Harvey Danger, and both sides of that continuum with bands like Hanson and Train, but also the much revered work of Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. He does keep this record pretty clean, but all the essential elements are there. Unfortunately, it is also probably the worst time in the last 30 years to be a Husker Du/Nirvana/Fugazi type of band.

Steve Earle So You Wanna Be an Outlaw (Warner Bros)- Earle has seen it and done it all at least twice, which means his latest albums have been about exploring new roads (bluegrass, blues, zydeco and Cajun, world music). it was inevitable he would go back to making a straight up outlaw country album. No doubt, Earle can throw an album like this in his sleep and it will be good. It, of course, is very good, with the only drawback being that it is inevitably compared to Earle's previous work- either his late 80s output which are all now genre classics, and his late 90s records which are perfection. This isn't quite perfection, but no complaints. Earle and another of the genre's Rushmore figures Willie Nelson team up for the title track. It's not a classic like Willie and Merle's cover of "Pancho and Lefty", but not much is and it's still fun to imagine these two together.

Foxygen Hang (Jagjaguwar) Foxygen made two of my favorite albums of this decade before imploding in the most spectacular possible way, resulting in 2014's ..And Star Power a Sandinista-style mess with none of the redeeming songs of that Clash opus. The bands ability to be a chameleon of my favorite artists- late Velvets Lou Reed, Ziggy-era Bowie, and early Jagger- was much more than just that. The band was truly talented. This is a strong comeback which doesn't change things so much as it moves them a decade back. This is the record late70s Lou Reed didn't make. In fact, besides Street Hassle- Reed, a lot of Todd Rundgren, and Welcome to My Nightmare-era Alice Cooper (or is that Bat out of the Hell?), all of the mid to late 70s seems to be here somewhere- Abba, Chic, Rumours, Bowie and Bolan (of course), Rocky Horror, and every hit record there from Elton to Billy Joel. I am looking for an Arista sticker somewhere here. As short as this and a bit of a downer, I think I like it about as much as I do their first two.

Gogol Bordello Seekers and Finders (Cooking Vinyl)- The Gogols have done it all at this point (15 years and 9 albums depending on your count). Like other punk legends, at this point, they will likely just rearrange the formula to infinity. Even The Pogues and Joe Strummer who likewise mixed punk with World influences, all artists level out. It still doesn't mean this isn't a fun record or the Gogols don't deserve credit for trying. In this case, Eugene Hutz's production is the star in that he makes this like their live performance. His voice and lyrics up front and center, but you also hear the amazing instrumentation of the band- guitars, violins and drums all feature prominently in the mix. They also do their best to change it up- even throwing in a duet with Regina Spektor. The songs don't really sound new, but the best moments like "Saboteur Blues" remind you why you love the band so much.

Candice Gordon Garden of Beasts (recordJet)- This German based artist was a great under-the-radar find. You can buy this off her Bandcamp as well as her earlier releases. This is a mix of post punk and Cramps style garage rock, but the star is Gordon's voice which inevitably will be compared to Siouxsie Sioux and of course, Patti Smith. The mix is a bit more dramatic which firmly places here in the company of artists like Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. Start with the mesmerizing "I Belong to the Night", but there are plenty of great songs here, and although Gordon's voice will be what you talk about, the backing music is equally good.

Crossposts: https://bedsitter23.livejournal.com/1103647.html

Part 3... If it's not here, then it's not on the list.

Moby Innocents (Arts and Crafts) – Unnoticed by many, Moby is quietly putting out one solid album after another. Innocents is clearly in the mold of Play and Everything is Wrong, but lacks the publicity that attracted people to those albums. Like 2011’s Destroyed, these songs are as good as any he’s recorded, except this time he brings a list of all star guests –Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips (the excellent single “The Perfect Life”), Mark Lanegan, Damian Jurardo, and Skylar Grey and a star producer Spike Stent (everyone from U2 to the Spice Girls, Massive Attack and Lady Gaga, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Ellie Goulding, Madonna and the Kaiser Chiefs). Well worth seeking out.

Scott and Charlene’s Wedding Any Port in a Storm (Fire)- Australian Craig Dermody’s project is the next true heir to the Modern Lovers style and sound- self-loathing and lo-fi. When the music doesn’t sound like the Velvet’s (or Velvet-inspired bands like The Feelies, which it usually does), Dermody sounds a bit Gordon Gano in his vocals. One of my favorite finds of the year.

Harper Simon Division Street (Play it Again Sam/Tulsi)- There’s a lot to hate about Harper Simon if you are so inclined- he’s the son of Paul Simon, and thus has an all-star producer (Tom Rothrock who’s worked with Elliot Smith, the Foo Fighters and Beck on their most well-known albums) and an all-star backing band (members of the Strokes, Elvis Costello’s Attractions and Wilco). If you can get past that, it’s a strong singer-songwriter outing regardless of artist name and if his debut didn’t set the world on fire, then this album gives promise that his time may indeed come. If Harper does owe a debt to mid-90s indie pop like the Lemonheads, it’s certain that Evan Dando owes Harper’s dad a large part of his career.

Eddie Spaghetti The Value of Nothing (Bloodshot) – The Supersuckers’ front man’s country albums have made my list before (2011’s Sundowner), but I will continue to champion this unsung career. Nothing is as close as you get to a serious Spaghetti album- in that it still features a near-naked woman on the cover, and songs have titles like “People are s#it”. It is almost ‘mature’ though in that it’s all original songs (usually, he mixes in about half covers) and a certain amount of earnestness, which sort of brings it into Rhett Miller territory. It’s not a bad thing though, he still makes my list.

The Thermals Desperate Ground (Saddle Creek Records) In theory, this album shouldn’t be here. Ostensibly, the Thermals are a one trick pony, and even the Ramones had lost their relevance ten years into their career. Plus, the Thermals have had their career defining album The Body The Blood The Machine, and you can argue they have had at least three strong albums. So on paper, you can’t explain this album. Sure enough, though on their Saddle Creek debut, the Thermals have made an album about as solid as they (or anyone in their genre) have ever made.

Linda Thompson Won’t Be Long Now (Topic) – With apologies to Richard Thompson who has made solid album after solid album, it is Linda’s disc this year that I feel compelled to include and best captures the classic feel of albums like I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight . It’s the right mix of original songs , covers and standards and a great cast of musicians (Richard, Teddy Thompson and the whole family, Susan McKeown, Eliza and Martin Carthy, Tony Trischka), although clearly it’s Linda’s vocals which take this to ‘instant classic’ level.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Mosquito (Polydor/Interscope) – Some critics hated this album, which I attribute to the gross-out cover, but for me, this is what I wanted from this band. Like The Strokes, the commercial and critical success of their first album overshadows everything they do, but unlike the drastic gear-shift of Comedown Street, this band was always evolving. Sure there is more than one song here that can’t escape “Maps” comparisons (“Despair” for one), but it’s the mix of songs that make it work, as they are side-by-side with some songs that are as primal as anything as The Cramps ever did, and songs that satisfy the band’s dance-inspired side.