Tuesday, February 5, 2019

The 2018 David Music Poll Results


THE 2018 David Music Poll Results

1)  Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer (17 votes)
2)  Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour (11)
3)  boygenius (Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus), boygenius (9)
     Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy (9)
5)  Brandi Carlile, By the Way I Forgive You (8)
     Robyn, Honey (8)
7)  Years & Years, Palo Santo (7)
8)  Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel (6)
     Beach House, 7  (6)
     Troye Sivan, Bloom (6)

Honorable mention:  Neko Case, Hell-On; Drake, Scorpion; Snail Mail, Lush; The Decemberists, I’Il Be Your Girl


NOTES:  This is Janelle Monae’s third appearance on the music poll, and her first on top.  Beach House has also been a regular fixture here, and amazingly this is Brandi Carlile’s first trip into the top ten. (Robyn, Courtney Barnett, and Years & Years are making their second appearances.)   Interestingly, there isn’t a single debut in the top ten – you have to go to the honorable mentions to find Snail Mail, who had the top debut.  Also interesting:  the majority of artists on the list are out queer artists, which is definitely a first. 


Now, to the individual lists....




My List Makes Me Feel

For 2018: 

Most essential albums:

1)  Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer

So brilliant in its audacity, and so audacious in its brilliance.  So personal in its politics, and so political as it explores the personal.  And the music is spectacular.  It floored me from the first time I heard it, and is a fantastic argument in our single-fragmented world for the power of a bold, cohesive album.

2)  boygenius, boygenius EP

Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus combine forces and create a harmonious pendulum on which to swing between bravado and despair.  And, in truth, Lucy Dacus’s Historian came close to making this list, Julien Baker’s Turn Off the Lights was my favorite album last year and was probably still the album I listened to the most this year, and Phoebe Bridgers didn’t make an impact on my playlists before boygenius, but then I went back and re-listened and am now a big fan.  Also, their Election Night concert at Brooklyn Steel was one of my favorites of the year.

3)  Brandi Carlile, By the Way I Forgive You

Brandi Carlile keeps getting better with each album, and this is the high point, album-wise, so far.

4)  Frank Turner, Be More Kind

I’m not entirely sure how a British folkpunk singer managed to articulate the agitas of the Trump era better than most, but Frank Turner nails it on this album, including the masterful “!933” and “Make America Great Again” (lyric:  “Make America great again / by making racists ashamed again.” 

5)  Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel

Because sometimes you want a really clever rock-out.

6)  George Ezra, Staying at Tamara’s

Because sometimes you want a tuneful pick-me-up.


Most essential songs:

“Night Shift” by Lucy Dacus
“Light On” by Maggie Rogers
“1933” by Frank Turner
“Schedules” by Sigrid
“Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves
“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae


For 1999-2018

My five favorite albums:

Robyn, Body Talk
Death Cab for Cutie, Transatlanticism
The Postal Service, Give Up
Lorde, Pure Heroine
Florence and the Machine, Lungs

The next seven:
Sufjan Stevens, Carrie and Lowell
Soundtrack, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
The National, Boxer
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
The Killers, Hot Fuss
Patty Griffin, 1000 Kisses
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife


Some bad calls over the past twenty years:

Among the albums that didn’t make my annual lists that should have:
Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
Sufjan Stevens, Illinois(e)

The most dubious calls for top album of the year:
Bloc Party edged out The National in 2008.  Both albums hold up, but Boxer is better. Also, there’s no excuse for 2009.  I put Snow Patrol over The Decemberists’ The Crane Wife and Regina Spektor’s Begin to Hope?!?  Still like Snow Patrol. But really.


Jaclyn D has the Vide of her Life

This was the year I hooked up my record player, and I’ve mostly been listening to old vinyl, but I do have two albums to throw into the 2018 vote:
1. Lord Huron--Vide Noir
2. MGMT--Little Dark Age

My Top Five Albums of the last 20 years (only 5…ugh, that is hard), not super in order:
Lord Huron—Strange Trails
The Black Keys—El Camino
Lost in Translation Soundtrack
Arcade Fire—Reflektor
MGMT—Oracular Spectacular


Andrew E’s New High

Part One: 

Essential Albums of 2018:
  1. Florence + the Machine, High as Hope
  2. Mitski, Be the Cowboy
  3. Years and Years, Palo Santo
Bonus Notable Singles:
  1. Carly Rae Jepsen, "Party for One,"
  2. Troye Sivan, "Strawberries and Cigarettes"

Part Two:
  1. Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials AND Florence + the Machine, Lungs (Cheating, sorry, can't help it)
  2. Lorde, Pure Heroine
  3. Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope
  4. Robyn, Body Talk
  5. Mika, Life in Cartoon Motion

Lucy C Hails the Queens

OK, my fav album of 2018 was - 
Christine and the Queens, Chris  (the French version preferably!)


Top Five of Past Twenty Years (TOO HARD!)

1). Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever ago 
2). Ryan Adams, Heartbreaker
3). Sufjan Stevens, Carrie and Lowell
4). La Amazones d'Afrique, Republic Amazone 
5). The Chemical Brothers, Surrender

I also wanted "Neutral Milk Hotel, In the aeroplane over the sea" but I think it might be just a touch too old? 


Andrea R Comes Clean About Dirty

Janelle Monae for everything. I don't know if I can pick a single from Dirty Computer because the whole album is perfect.


Cora R Likes Coco

I only have 2 to submit this year. I started listening to the first one at the beginning of the year, I loved it so much I listened to little else HA!:

Young Fathers, Coco Sugar

Rolling Blackouts, Costal Fever

20 years is interesting, some of my old favourites have dated badly but others sound fresh, the freshest 5 are:

Radiohead, In Rainbows

Daft Punk, Discovery 

Cut Copy, Bright Like Neon Love

LCD Soundsystem, LCD Soundsystem

The Avalancehes, Since I Left You


Lucas K Stays Golden

Hi there! And the 20-est of 19's to you! I've been absent from these lists the past couple of years (I blame Otto), but I'm back for the big one. With every year I seem to get a little more country, Lord help me.

1. Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
2. Lori McKenna, The Tree
3. Ralph, A Good Girl
4. The Midnight, Kids
5. Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel
6. LANY, Malibu Nights
7. Troye Sivan, Bloom
8. The 1975, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
9. KYLE, Light of Mine
10. St. Lucia, Hyperion

The favorite 5 of the past 20 years is a hell of a request, but here is my best shot after thorough consideration. Very heavily weighted toward early aughts (college-era) albums. In no particular order:

Daft Punk, Discovery
Ben Folds, Rockin’ the Suburbs
Saves the Day, Stay What You Are
Kanye West, The College Dropout
Carly Rae Jepsen, Emotion

I don't have a great answer to your first question. But I did note that, way back in 2011, I predicted my selection of Yeasayer's Odd Blood would turn out to have least staying power of any choice on that list, and I turned out to be very correct!



Aaron W’s Sweet Tooth

Ariana’s Sweetener should top the list for sure!



Anna Q Forgives it All

Brandi Carlisle, By the Way I forgive you.  

That’s all I’ve got this year because it’s so dominant in my life.  



Zach F Waxes Brazilian

I always look forward to this poll, David!

Most essential albums: 

Brazilian Girls, Let's Make Love (Very glad to have them back. Can't stop listening to this. So much good feeling.)
Christine and the Queens, Chris 
Rosalía, El Mal Querer 
The 1975, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships (Full disclosure: I have not listened to this whole album, but the five or so tracks I have heard are proving very difficult to shake!)

Favorite 5 of the last 20:

LCD Soundsystem, American Dream
Radiohead, Hail to the Thief
TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain
Santigold, Master of My Make Believe
The Shins, Chutes Too Narrow 


Collin R’s Got Mail

MOST ESSENTIAL ALBUM OF 2018
Snail Mail, Lush

TOP ALBUMS OF 2018 (in no particular order)
Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
Lucy Dacus, Historian
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, boygenius
Soccer Mommy, Clean
Frankie Cosmos, Vessel
Anna Meredith, Eighth Grade (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Christine and the Queens, Chris
Mitski, Be the Cowboy
Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
BROCKHAMPTON, Iridescence 
cupcakKe, Eden

HONORABLE MENTIONS
Geotic, Traversa 
SOPHIE, OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES
Robyn, Honey
The Decemberists, I'll Be Your Girl
Kim Petras, TURN OFF THE LIGHT, VOL. 1


Brent G’s Lush Life

1. Snail Mail - Lush
2. The Internet - Hive Mind
3. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
4. Post Malone - Beerbongs and Bently's
5. Lithics - Mating Surfaces
6. Momma - Interloper
7. Mac Miller - Swimming
8. Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
9. DRMCTHR - Hold Your Love
10. Ex:Re - Ex:Re



Bill K’s Computer Won’t Crash

This may be the first year that my top album is also THE top album of the list! I'm so excited by that possibility. Alas, Haley Reinhart didn't have an album this year, so that helps.

Album of the Year: Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer.

Other Essential Albums: 
Brandi Carlisle, By the Way, I Forgive You
Family of the Year, Goodbye Sunshine, Hello Nighttime

Other Essential Tracks:
St. Vincent, Los Ageless
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, Shallow
Julien Baker, Turn Out the Lights
Haley Reinhart, I Don't Know How to Love You

Favorite Five Albums of the Last 20 Years:
I can't possibly narrow it down to under 6...
6. Mika, Life in Cartoon Motion
5. Haley Reinhart, Better
4. Aimee Mann, Lost in Space
3. Scissor Sisters, Night Work 
2. Ben Folds, Rockin' the Suburbs
1. Rufus Wainwright, Want One



Kate H Chimes In

part one: 2018
*Dessa, Chime
boygenius, boygenius
Camp Cope, How to Socialise & Make Friends
Wye Oak, The Louder I Call The Faster It Runs
Prince, Piano and a Microphone 1983

honorable mention:
Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer  
Big Red Machine, Big Red Machine  

part two: past 20

top 5 1999-2019:
Radiohead, Kid A (2000)
Beck, Guero (2005)
The National, Boxer (2007)
Bon Iver, Bon Iver (2011)
Beyonce, Lemonade (2016)

honorable mentions:
PJ Harvey Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea (2000)
Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest (2009)
Wye Oak, Civilian (2011)  
The Staves, If I Was (2015)  

should have listed in the past:
Sylvan Esso, Hey Mami (2014)
Polica, Shulamith (2013)
Wye Oak, Civilian (2011)
The Staves, If I Was (2015)
Sylvan Esso, What Now (2017)

shouldn't have picked:
I stand by my musical decisions. Even the bad ones.



Jim D’s Untwisted Logic

- Logic, YSIV

- Young Fathers, Cocoa Sugar

- DeVotchka, This Night Falls Forever

- Post Malone, Beerbongs & Bentleys 

- White Denim, Performance 

- Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose

- Blood Orange, Negro Swan



Shelly R Comes Full Circle


Part 1:

A Perfect Circle, Eat The Elephant

After a thirteen year hiatus, this supergroup returned with a kickass album commenting on the state of politics, society, technology’s overuse, and more.

Part 2:

In no order at all…

AFI, Sing the Sorrow
Beyoncé, Lemonade
Arctic Monkeys, AM
My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade
Stromae, Racine Carrée



Roberto R’s Like a Bee To…

ROBYN, HONEY!!!!!!



Michael T Likes His Privacy

Part 1.

Essential album of 2018:

Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy.  Really aren’t any contenders that come close, but I’d put 

2. Drake, Scorpion (mainly for God’s Plan)
3. The Carters, Everything is Love (mainly for Friends).

Singles I liked a lot in no particular order:

Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, “1999”
Beach House, “Dive”
Ariana Grande, “Thank U Next”
Childish Gambino, “This Is America”
Panic! At the Disco, “High Hopes” (a stupid sugar rush of a banger / shite anthem that always lifted me up with its goofy positivity)  

Part 2.

Essential albums of the last 20 years:

1. Belle and Sebastian, Dear Catastrophe Waitress 
2. The National, Boxer
3. Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City
4. Missy Elliott, Under Construction
5. Andrew Bird, Armchair Apocrypha


Jessica S Votes Pink

#1: Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer 

Notable mentions:
Dessa, Chime
Florence + The Machine, High as Hope



Brian M’s Nonteenage Wasteland

Twenty years! Crazy:

Here's my 2018 List.

Most Essential:
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Wasteland

Essential:
Mystic Braves, The Great Unknown
The Decemberists, I'll Be Your Girl
The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Merrie Land
L.A. Witch, Octubre
Green Seagull, Scarlet Fever
Sleep, The Sciences
Ryley Walker, Deafman Glance
Amrand Hammer, Paraffin
Holly Mirance, Mutual Horse
Bill Ryder-Jones, Yawn
Jordaan Mason, Earth to Ursa Major
Ty Segall, Freedom's Goblin
Black Thought, Streams of Thought Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
Brian Jonestown Massacre, Something Else
Gorillaz, The Now Now
Richard Swift, The Hex
T. Hardy Morris, Dude The Obscure
The Growlers, Casual Acquanitences
Emma Ruth Rundle, On Dark Horses
Cat Power, Wanderer


I could literally spend days trying to come up with ten favorite albums of the last 20 years, but I'm going to go with a gut feeling and instinct. Here's 15 of the best from the last decade:


Manic Street Preachers, Journal for Plague Lovers
Portugal the Man, The Majestic Majesty
Guns N Roses, Chinese Democracy
The Mars Volta, Amputecture
Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, The Night Creeper
The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Sunset Rubdown, Shut Up I Am Dreaming
Elvis Perkins, Ash Wednesday
Queenadreena, The Butcher and the Butterfly
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, Horses in the Sky
John Frusciante, Inside of Emptiness
The Icarus Line, Penance Soiree
Kings of Leon, Youth & Young Manhood
White Stripes, White Blood Cells
Madrugada, The Nightly Disease



Samantha P’s Computer Runs Well

1)  Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer
2)  Cat Power, Wanderer 
3)  Mitski, Be the Cowboy
4)  Young Fathers, Cocoa Sugar
5)  Neko Case, Hell-On
6)  Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
7)  Drake, Scorpion


Scott T Hasn’t Forgotten

Part, The First

2018 Most Essential
ionnalee, everyone afraid to be forgotten

Other Essential
Mage, Facets
Dead Can Dance, Dionysus

Essential Discoveries in 2018
Night Drive, Night Drive (2017)
Neurotech, Stigma (2015)

Favorite Songs of 2018
Alice Merton, No Roots
The Orb, Rush Hill Road
Night Music, Where I End and You Begin
ionnalee, Not Human
Panic! At the Disco, Say Amen (Saturday Night)
Santigold, Run the Road
Solarstone, Motif
Lily Allen, What You Waiting For
Franz Ferdinand, Feel the Love Go

Part, The Second

Gosh, very difficult ask.  Five albums for 20 years?  I'm going to need to cheat.  But I will limit each artist to only one appearance.

My Top 5 Albums (1999 - 2018)
Austra, Feel It Break (2011)
Avalanches, Since I Left You (2000)
Cut Copy, In Ghost Colors (2008)
Freezepop, Fancy Ultra Fresh (2004)
Royksopp, Junior (2009)

My Top 5 That I think Other Folks in Your Poll Could Vote For
The Drums, Portamento (2011)
Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand (2005)
M83, Before the Dawn Heals Us (2004)
Moby, Play (1999)
The Shins, Oh Inverted World (2001)

My Top 10 Dance Albums
Above & Beyond, Tri-State (2006)
Breakshift, All the Dreams You Never Had (2011)
Gareth Emery, Northern Lights (2010)
LTJ Bukem, Producer 01 (2001)
Michael Cassette, Temporarity (2010)
Orkidea, Harmonia (2015)
Super8 & Tab, Empire (2010)
Tiesto, Just Be (2004)
Paul Van Dyk, Out There and Back (2000)
Way Out West, Don't Look Back (2004)

Honourable Mentions
Bag Raiders, Bag Raiders (2010)
Bent, Programmed to Love (2001)
Disclosure, Settle (2013)
Editors, The Back Room (2005)
Easy Access Orchestra, Easy Access Orchestra (2001)
Everything But the Girl, Temperamental (1999)
Faithless, Sunday 8pm (1999)
Gold Fields, Black Sun (2013)
Ladytron, Light & Magic (2002)
Night Music, Night Music (2017)
Real Estate, Days (2011)
Santigold, Master of My Make-Believe (2012)
Stereolab, Margarine Eclipse (2004)
Underworld, A Hundred Days Off (2002)
UNKLE, Never Never Land (2004)
White Lies, Big TV (2013)


Graver’s Expression of Genius

HERE WE GO:

PART ONE

Most Essential Albums 2018:


boygenius, boygenius
Troye Sivan, Bloom
Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer
St. Vincent, MassEducation
serpentwithfeet, soil

Best Singles of 2018

This is America by Childish Gambino
Mariners Apartment Complex by Lana Del Rey
Ghost Town by Kanye West
thank u, next by Ariana Grande
Birdsong by Regina Spektor
Time by Angelo De Augustine
Hell by Slow Hollows (video version only)
Save Me by Liz Vice
Honey by Robyn
Woman by Cat Power

PART TWO

Favorite Five Albums of the Past 20 Years:


The Strokes, Is This It (2001)
Fiona Apple, When the Pawn... (1999)
Arcade Fire, Funeral (2004)
Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand (2004)
Au Revoir Simone, Still Night, Still Light (2009)

This was so hard why did you make us do this?

I reviewed my selections back to 2012 and I stand by them!


Bryant P Isn’t Holding Back the Years

Most Essential Album:

Years & Years, Palo Santo

Other Essential Albums:

The Decemberists, I’ll Be Your Girl
CHVRCHES, Love Is Dead
Okkervil River, In the Rainbow Rain


Andrew F’s Happy Hour

I seem to have a type:

Most Essential:

Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour

Other Essential;

Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel
Ashley McBryde, Girl Going Nowhere
Brandi Carlile, By the Way, I Forgive You
Robyn, Honey


Teri Y’s Bloomsday

Troye Sivan, Bloom
Betty Who, Betty, Pt. 1
Years & Years, Palo Santo
Morgxn, Vital
The Struts, Young & Dangerous
Robyn, Honey
Jukebox the Ghost, Off to the Races

Favorites from the last twenty years... that's a tough one. So many amazing artists, songs and albums. I'm going to go with the one complete album that I have never stopped listening to since it came out...

Robyn, Body Talk


Sarah M Gives Thanks

Part One:
The Most Essential: Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You for Today

Other Essential Albums:
Lauren Daigle, Look Up Child
The Kooks, Let’s Go Sunshine
Hobo Johnson, NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
Anderson Paak, Oxnard

Part Two, the past 20 years:
Kings of Leon, Only By The Night
The Postal Service, Give Up
Britney Spears, …Baby One More Time
OutKast, Stankonia
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago



Kristin E Says La Vie

Phosphorescent, C’est la vie


Matthue R Wants to Hear About Everyone Who Wants to be Famous

Most Essential:
Superorganism, Superorganism

I love this album! No, actually. When I really want to listen to SORGM, I look up their Tiny Desk Concert, their little 15-minute Youtube concerts, but I listen to this album partly because I feel the need to support them financially in my limited way, and partly because there's a magic to the songs live, and to the banter of all 8 of these placid zygotelike adults, but apparently they were originally written and recorded in separate parts, in a studio in their shared apartment that was too small to hold them all, and some part of the creative collaborative magic that helped them is located here, inside this LP. 

And featuring:
Noname, Room 25
The Decemberists, I'll Be Your Girl
Mitski, Be the Cowboy
The Carters, Everything Is Love
Nine Inch Nails, Bad Witch
Beach House, 7
Twin Peaks season 3 soundtrack


PART 2:

The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Sleater-Kinney, All Hands on the Bad One
Janelle Monae, The Archandroid
Bruce Springsteen, The Rising
Regina Spektor, Begin to Hope


Jonas R Reaches for the Unlimited

Essential 2018

U.S. Girls, In a Poem Unlimited
The Decemberists, I’ll Be Your Girl
Eternal Summers, Every Day It Feel Like I’m Dying…
Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson, Apart
Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose
The Watson Twins, Duo
Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, Vanished Gardens
Matt and Kim, ALMOST EVERYDAY
Neko Case, Hell On

The Past 20 Years List

Father John Misty, Fear Fun
Courtney Barnett, The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas
Rilo Kiley, rkives
Whispertown 2000, Swim
Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, Love Has Come For You
Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City
Original Cast Album, Hamilton
Fun, Some Nights
Best Coast, The Only Place
Amy Lavere, Stranger Me
Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat
Spoon, Hot Thoughts


Anica R, Simply the Best

With zero bias, my top albums of 2018:

1. Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves, The Best of Your Lies
2. Jeff Snyder, Sunspots
3. Jeff Snyder, Concerning the Nature of Things
4. Jeff Snyder and Federico Ughi, Duo
5. Wet Ink Ensemble, Wet Ink: 20
6. Listening Group, Listening Group



Giles G Parties Like It’s 1975

2018 LIST

1. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships
2. Brandi Carlile, By The Way, I Forgive You
3. Janelle Monae, Dirty Computer
4. Kids See Ghosts, Kids See Ghosts
5. Noname, Room 25
6. Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
7. Soccer Mommy, Clean
8. Octavian, Spaceman
9. Kurt Vile, Bottle It In
10. Father John Misty, God's Favorite Customer


20 YEAR LIST

This can't be done in 5 picks, though frankly I'm not sure if 10 picks make it easier of harder, but here goes:

1. Radiohead, Kid A
2. Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
3. Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
4. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
5. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly
6. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black
7. Jay-Z, The Black Album
8. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
9. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
10. Norah Jones, Come Away With Me

I'm looking at the albums on my short list that didn't make the top ten, and it is actually causing me pain.  

So I’m just going to press send.  


Jonathan V Keeps Love Alive

The big five from the past 20 years:

Radiohead, KID A
Songs Ohia, MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC COMPANY
The National, BOXER
Arcade Fire, FUNERAL
The Knife, SILENT SHOUT

This year:

CHVRCHES, LOVE IS DEAD
Arctic Monkeys, TRANQUILITY BASE HOTEL & CASINO
Kids See Ghosts, KIDS SEE GHOSTS EP
New Optimism, AMAZON TO LEFRAK EP
Andrew Bayer, IN MY LAST LIFE
Wild Nothing, INDIGO
Oneohtrix Point Never, AGE OF
Now, Now, SAVED
Superorganism, SUPERORGANISM
Shallou, SOULS


Billy M’s a Big Mø (Fan)

My 2018 List:

* Mø, Forever Neverland
Anne-Marie, Speak Your Mind
Black Panther Soundtrack

Standout singles:
*Emotional Oranges, “Motion”
LSD, “Thunderclouds” & “Audio” 
Seinabo Say, “I Owe You Nothing”


Top 5 of past 20 years:

* Ani DiFranco, Revelling/Reckoning (2001)
* Radiohead, Kid A (1999)
* Fiona Apple, When the Pawn (1999)
* Tori Amos, To Venus and Back (1999)
* Sufjan Stevens, Age of Adz (2010)

(painful not to list these, so I must...)

Beyonce, Lemonade (2016)
Patty Griffin, 1000 Kisses (2002)
Lauryn Hill, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2002)
Anais Mitchell, Hadestown (2010)
Rufus Wainwright, Want One (2003)
The Internet, Ego Death (2015)

Surprising that I didn't catch onto the following albums in realtime, considering how obsessed I am with them currently:

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black (2007)
Erykah Badu, Mama's Gun (2000)
Radiohead, In Rainbows (2007)
Mø, No Mythologies to Follow (2014)
Miley Cyrus, Bangerz (2013)



Jaci M’s Violet Flashback

Here's my top five from the last 20 years.  (I looked over my music and chose names that had immediate, powerful emotional resonance, even if I don't listen to them so much any more...)

5. Florence & the Machine, Ceremonials
4. Lorde, Melodrama
3. Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, Rome
2. Lana Del Rey, Lust for Life
  1. The National, High Violet
(I'd have included a Gang of Youths album here if I could have taken a selection from their albums and put them together; and I should be including Arcade Fire
but I seem to have turned against them lately.  I'll send this now before I remember more and start changing my mind...)


Jon S Knows What He Querer

Here I am, once again joyfully not contributing in any way to the larger poll. I will be delighted if any of them make it anywhere near the top ten :) 

Here are my votes for favorite album of 2018:
  • Rosalía, El Mal Querer
  • Yowler, Black Dog in My Path
  • Kikagaku Moyo, Masana Temples 
  • Krimewatch, Krimewatch
  • Unreqvited, Mosaic I: L’amour Et L’ardeur
  • Zoe Keating, Snowmelt 
  • Lana Del Rabies, Shadow World 
  • Amnesia Scanner, Another Life 
  • Superorganism, Superorganism
  • Primal Rite, Dirge of Escapism
  • Snailmail, Lush

Albums I wish I’d discovered sooner so I could have put them on previous years:
  • upcdowncleftcrightcabc+start, And the Battle Is Won
  • Myrkur, Mareridft
  • Julien Baker, Sprained Ankle
  • Nicole Dollanganger, Natural Born Losers
  • Saintseneca, Dark Arc
  • Hildur Gudnadottir, Without Sinking

Albums I regret listing in previous years:
  • I regret none of them.

Karen A’s Fleet Foxes

2018
Greta Van Fleet, Anthem of the Peaceful Army

Best single of 2018
Greta Van Fleet, Lover, Leaver

Last 20 years
Moby, Play
Queens of the Stone Age, Songs for the Deaf
Green Day, American Idiot
Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11
The Black Keys, Brothers



Jacqueline Q’s Beach Read

I haven't participated in a few years but I'm back on it. 

Part 1: My favorite album this year was Beach House, 7
            My favorite new artist is Snail Mail, Lush

Part 2: Top 5 albums of the past 20 years - are you serious? Let's see...
            1. The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
            2. Radiohead, Kid A
            3. Le Tigre, Le Tigre  
            4. Madonna, Confessions on a Dance Floor 
            5. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black 

Part 3: Top 6-10 albums of the past 20 years (I had to...) 
            6. Beck, Midnite Vultures
            7. School of Seven Bells, Disconnect from Desire 
            8. LCD Soundsystem, Sounds of Silver
            9. Yeah Yeah Yeah's, It's Blitz! 
           10. Hot Chip, In Our Heads 

Looking at the past winners, a few things come to mind: I'm still listening to Kid A like it was just released, Vampire Weekend too. The Postal Service was probably the most influential album on the entire list for me, however it's one of those albums that is so wrapped up in painful young adulthood, ex-boyfriends, and general dysfunctional lifestyles that it has not lasted as an album I still gravitate to today. Maybe one day I'll be able to stomach it again. Happy Polliversary! 
            

            
Lawrence U Goes Beyond the Palo

My list for 2018, plus some highlights from the past 20 years. SO MUCH great new music this year, but the following choices definitely earned their spots according to my play count/history. Every year I forget something that definitely deserves a mention but.... c'est la vie.

Albums - 2018
  1. Years & Years, Palo Santo
  2. Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer
  3. Vance Joy, Nation of Two
  4. Christine and the Queens, Chris
  5. Shawn Mendes, Shawn Mendes
  6. Troye Sivan, Bloom

Singles - 2018
  1. Cruel Intentions Original Cast, Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Might actually be 2019, but show ended in 2018 so it counts... plus I'm obsessed and can't wait for the full album 3/8). 
  2. Felicity, Pilot with a Fear of Heights
  3. Maggie Rogers, Fallingwater
  4. Nightly, Phantom
  5. Sigrid, High Five
  6. Amy Shark, All Loved Up

Some of the best from the past two decades!
  1. Adele, 25
  2. Beach House, Depression Cherry
  3. Amy Winehouse, Back to Black
  4. The Killlers, Hot Fuss
  5. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
  6. Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City
  7. Bon Iver, Bon Iver
  8. Vance Joy, Dream Your Life Away
  9. M83, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
  10. Arctic Monkeys, AM

            

Chris K Donates His Choices to Sciences

Chris Krovatin's 13 of '18
  1. Sleep - The Sciences
  2. Scumpulse - Rotten
  3. Khemmis - Desolation
  4. Slasher Dave - Frights
  5. Rebel Wizard - Voluptuous Worship Of Rapture And Response
  6. Clutch - Book Of Bad Decisions
  7. Uada - Cult Of A Dying Sun
  8. Nekrofilth - Worm Ritual
  9. Carnation - Chapel Of Abhorrence
  10. High On Fire - Electric Messiah
  11. Gama Bomb - Speed Between The Lines
  12. VHS - The New Batch
  13. Baneful Storm - Invocations

Charlie O Says Long Live the Prince

PART ONE:  The 2018 List

Prince – Piano & A Microphone 1983
Low Roar – One In A Long, Long While
Little Dragon – Season High
Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer
The National – Sleep Well Beast
Zebra Katz – Drklng

PART TWO:  The Past 20 Years List
The National – High Violet
LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem
Jeff the Brotherhood – We Are The Champions
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Radiohead – Kid A

And the on-repeat soundtrack of my mind palace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSpNJlYIhMA 😉


Keirsten G’s House of the Scorpion

I have not been listening to a lot of new music this year but my son, Clyde did. You might note his influence on my list this year.
Best,
keirsten
  1. Drake, Scorpion
  2. Travis Scott, Astroworld
  3. Earl Sweatshirt, Some Rap Songs
Last 20 years!!! This is a bit stressful but here goes nothing. 
In no particular order:
  1. Fiona Apple, Extrodinary Machine
  2. Radiohead, Kid A
  3. Kanye West, The College Dropout
  4. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  5. Wu-Tang Clan, Wu-Tang Meets The Indie Culture Instrumentals

Mike R Talks Dirty to Us

MY (PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE) TOP 10 ALBUMS:

1.      Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer
2.      Brandi Carlile, By The Way, I Forgive You
3.      Original Cast Recording, The Band’s Visit
4.      Tove Styrke, Sway
5.      LAKES, Just To Feel The Feeling
6.      Titus Andronicus, A Productive Cough
7.      Frank Turner, Be More Kind
8.      Jake Shears, Jake Shears
9.      Lucy Dacus, Historian
10.   Carrie Underwood, Cry Pretty

NOTES: Everyone buy or stream the EP by New York’s coolest new band, LAKES! I don’t even know anyone involved or anything, I just saw them open at a show and now I think they are the coolest thing around. Melody driven guitar-rock with pop hooks, a surf punk edge, and an incredible frontwoman. Everything else, y’all already know.

MY (PERSONAL, SUBJECTIVE) TOP 10 SINGLES:

1.      Carly Rae Jepsen, “Party For One”
2.      Metric, “Now Or Never Now”
3.      Lucy Dacus, “Night Shift”
4.      Robyn, “Honey”
5.      John Mayer, “New Light”
6.      Phosphorescent, “New Birth In New England”
7.      Sigrid, “Schedules”
8.      Betty Who, “Just Thought You Should Know”
9.      George Ezra, “Shotgun”
10.   Gerard Way, “Baby You’re A Haunted House”

NOTES: i am a homosexual

MY (EXTREMELY PERSONAL, EXTREMELY SUBJECTIVE) TOP 5 ALBUMS OF THE PAST 20 YEARS:

1.      Lady Gaga, Born This Way
2.      Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly
3.      Robyn, Body Talk
4.      Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight
5.      Bombadil, Metrics of Affection

NOTES: to help me narrow down candidates, I had qualification rules: to qualify, an album had to have fully reoriented my brain chemistry and ushered me into a new era of my life (sadly cutting out lots of incredible game-changing albums that I just haven’t gotten around to, eg, any and all Radiohead), had to actually reveal something personal/intimate about the artist (cutting out - and it pains me to say this - EMOTION by Carly Rae Jepsen) without turning into a total snoozey acoustic cry-yourself-to-sleep-fest (with apologies to Sufjan & Suf-fans), and apparently had to be some kind of maximalist sprawling beautiful mess, which was not a rule I had setting out but which turned out to be something all the albums had in common (with further apologies to the 37-minute Pure Heroine). Also, Chance the Rapper was robbed. I know I made the list, but he was still robbed. That will be all thank you for your time


Kevin W’s Nashville Sound

My lists:

2018:
Shannon Shaw, Shannon in Nashville
Shannon and the Clams, Onion
Motel Mirrors, In the Meantime

Last 20 Years:
The Barbaras, 2006-2008
Reigning Sound, Too Much Guitar
King Tuff, Was Dead
The Star Room Boys, Why Do Lonely Men & Women Want to Break Each Others' Heart?
Jerry Lee Lewis, Live a the Star-Club, Hamburg (Obviously not a 2004 recording, but that's when this was released, and look I am of the opinion that all the old dead or half-dead greats usually weren't that great, but they called Jerry Lee The Killer for a reason. This is the reason.)


Daniel H’s Dream Weaver

Best of the year:
Jane Weaver, Modern Kosmology
Britta Phillips, Luck or Magic
Prince, Piano and a Microphone’83
Metric, Art of Doubt
and the best song is Rosalia, “Malamente,” obviously

Of the last 20 years:
The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
Metric, Live It Out
Stars, The Five Ghosts
Grace Jones, Hurricane
Yo La Tengo, Popular Songs

and I’m sure I’m ashamed of most of my previous choices.

Hey could I add US Girls “Velvet4Sale” to my list of this year’s best songs


John A’s Got Some Nerve

Part 1:
  1. The Breeders, All Nerve
  2. First Aid Kit, Ruins
  3. Darlingside, Extralife
  4. The Decemberists, I’ll Be Your Girl
  5. Preoccupations, New Material
  6. Wye Oak, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs
  7. Parquet Courts, Wide Awake!
  8. Beach House, 7
  9. Dirty Projectors, Lamp Lit Prose
  10. Death Cab For Cutie, Thank You For Today
  11. Julien Baker/Phoebe Bridgers/Lucy Dacus, boygenius 

Part 2:
Took a slightly different approach here. These are my “Now Essential” albums I came late to over the last 20 years (in no particular order):

Band of Horses, Cease to Begin (2007)
Beach Boys Party (1965)
Elliot Smith, XO (1998)
Foals, Antidotes (2008)
Genesis, Seconds Out (1977)
Metz, Metz (2012)
Ride, Going Blank Again (1992)
Rogue Wave, Asleep at Heaven’s Gate (2008)
Sleigh Bells, Treats (2010)


Kari L’s Tells Us How She Really Feels

PART ONE

ESSENTIAL: It’s a 5 way tie!
Beach House, 7 
Neko Case, Hell On
Laura Gibson, Goners
Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
Brownout, Fear of a Brown Planet

OTHER:
Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Unwanted Number (Single)
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Tearing at the Seams
Minuit, Paris Tropical (single)
Broken Bells, Shelter (single)
Death Cab for Cutie, Thank You For Today
The Breeders, All Nerve
Orquesta Akokán, Orquesta Akokán
The Beths, Future Hates Me
Hozier, Nina Cried Power (with Mavis Staples) – single

PART TWO

Wow, I can’t even. 5 Albums for 20 years? Well, the best album from 1998 was Elliot Smith, XO. :)


Elana M Takes a Drive

Twenty years??!!!  I don't often listen to whole albums, but I do have favorite songs . . . 

Best singles of 2018:
Lake Street Dive, Good Kisser 
Lake Street Dive, Shame Shame Shame
Jayhawks, Everybody Knows
Brandi Carlile, The Joke
Brandi Carlile, The Mother
Janelle Monae, Make Me Feel
Elle King, Another Good Thing Gone 

And the TTMT (taller than me teen) votes for
Brandi Carlile, The Joke 

Essential albums from past years:
The Jayhawks, Rainy Day Music (2003)
Florence + the Machine, Ceremonials (2011)
Lumineers, The Lumineers (2012)
Fun, Some Nights (2012)
Beck, Morning Phase (2014) 

New discoveries:
Josh Ritter
LP


Thank U, Aimee F

Hi David!
Continuing my tradition of top singles (since my life is all about Spotify playlists right now…).

1)     Ariana Grande, Thank U Next
2)     Kacey Musgraves, Butterflies
3)     Cardi B, Money
4)     Shallow, Lady Gaga
5)     Weezer, Africa


Brant R’s Golden Choices

My Essential Albums of 2018:
Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
Phosphorescent, C’est La Vie
Tracyanne & Danny, Tracyanne & Danny

Some of My Essential Tracks of 2018:
Kacey Musgraves, “Slow Burn”
Phosphorescent, “C’est La Vie No. 2”
Mitski, “Why Didn’t You Stop Me”
The Breeders, “Dawn: Making an Effort”
Juliana Hatfield, “A Little More Love”

Elder Albums I Found Essential in 2018:
The Impressions, Keep On Pushing [1964]
Grant Green, Idle Moments [1965]
Paul McCartney, Red Rose Speedway [1973]
Vangelis, Opera Sauvage [1979]
This Mortal Coil, It’ll End in Tears [1984]


Josh L’s Stroke of Genius

PART ONE:

The only English-language album released this year that I obsessively listened to is by a good old fashioned American rock 'n roll Supergroup.

1. boygenius, boygenius,

2. Gwyneth Glyn, Tro
3. Bob Delyn a’r Ebillion, Dal i ‘Redig Dipyn Bach


The runners-up are so delightfully obscure! The only other two albums I listened to over and over again were more the product more of a new-ish cultural/linguistic crush than the organic development of my general musical tastes... although, come to think of it, they're also not that far off: a somewhat Merchant-ile Welsh poet-singer-songwriter having herself a World Music phase, and a roots-rock band with a punning name fronted by a hyper-literate, gravel-voiced bard. (He's literally a bard: he won the chair at the National Eisteddfod some years back). And just as they are edged here by boygenius, both lost out for Gwobr Albwm Cymraeg y Flwyddyn (Welsh Language Album of the Year) to a younger band. For shame. Cymru am byth!

PART TWO:

I got my top five down to seven!

1. The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
2. The National, Boxer
3. Sigur Ros, Takk
4. The Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree
5. Fiona Apple, When the Pawn...
6. The Hold Steady, Boys and Girls in America
7. The Killers, Hot Fuss

That's a lot of definite articles.

While I remain embarrassed by the whiteness and dad-ness of this list (my my, hey hey!), I'm glad that I realized at the last minute that Fiona Apple's awesome second album snuck into the last twenty years. That stayed in the CD player for months, long ago, and I think I still know every note.

Still, I'm surprised by how little I listen to some of the above, even though, after some memory-jogging, it's a pretty fair list for favorites of the last two decades. Have I outgrown Craig Finn failing to outgrow his adolescence? Is the reason I've gotten so paunchy that I no longer listen to the Killers while exercising? The Mountain Goats, although I do dip into that huge discography a fair amount, you don't really need to listen to a lot to keep those songs at the center of your consciousness... like poetry!

But The Crane Wife is still a big fave, and lots of Decemberists songs are highly suitable for family sing-alongs. Sigur Ros, most of all, will always elbow its way back into my ears--that album stands in for stretches of three different albums that all still have the power to keep despair at bay. And, let's see... The National. Eli just learned the drums to "Apartment Story," so we play that in the basement a lot... Rock 'n roll!


Ronnie A Doesn’t Fight the Cold War

Here are my favorite soundtracks of 2018:

Dwa Serduszka (or "Two Hearts"), Cold War
Justin Hurwitz, First Man
Nicholas Britell, If Beale Street Could Talk
Keegan DeWitt, Hearts Beat Loud
Daniel Hart, The Old Man and the Gun
Nathan Halpern, The Rider
Mowg, Burning
Scott Walker/Sia, Vox Lux
Jóhann Jóhannsson, Mandy
As for my favorite, or "essential" soundtrack of the past twenty years, it's impossible to narrow it down. But if I had to pick one soundtrack that fills me with such joy, yet makes me lament for where we are now, it would be Moulin Rouge! Released three months before 9/11, I miss that world of "truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things: love."

Joel P’s Massive Invasion

If you had told me in 2017 that Cardi B and a country singer would be in my top 3 for 2018 I would not have believed you but here we are!!!!!

Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy
Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Troye Sivan - Bloom
Years & Years - Palo Santo
Seinabo Sey - I'm a Dream
Kim Petras - Turn Off the Light, Vol 1
Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
MGMT - Little Dark Age
Lily Allen - No Shame
The Carters - Everything Is Love

My favorite 5 albums of the last 20 years are going to cheat towards the more recent years because my homeschooled ass didn't listen to good music until 2004 but by sheer number of times I've played them alone, it'd have to be: 

Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
Beyonce - Beyonce
Tokyo Police Club - Champ
Taylor Swift - 1989
Disclosure - Settle


Steven M Knows the Meanings of Life

I.  2018:

1) Paul Weller, True Meanings
2) Car Seat Headrest, Twin Fantasy
3) Spiritualized, And Nothing Hurt
4) Shannon Shaw, In Nashville
5) Neko Case, Hell-On
6) Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
7) Brandi Carlile, By the Way, I Forgive You
8) Parker Millsap, Other Arrangements
9) Gaz Coombes, World's Strongest Man
10) Hookworms, Microshift

II.  1999-2018

Jason Isbell, Southeastern
Doves, The Last Broadcast
Amy Winehouse, Back to Black 
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Hammersmith Odeon, London, '75
Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Bonus - Missed hearing The Book of Mormon Soundtrack too late, would have put that on my list.
Bonus II - Dawes has not aged well


Phil B’s Privacy Concerns

Essential albums of the year:

Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B. 
Not necessarily because I loved it or love her but because she defined so much of 2018 in pop.

Ariana Grande, Sweetener
This was her growing up album.  2017 had Kesha's Rainbow, 2018 had Ariana's Sweetener

Into The Spider-Verse Soundtrack
The best movie of the year had the best soundtrack of the year. Made me almost -- almost -- want to listen to more Post Malone.


Raina T Paints it Noir

2018 Most essential:
Lord Huron, Vide Noir

Other essentials:
Bad Bad Hats, Lightning Round
St. Lucia, Hyperion
The Night Game, The Night Game

Biggest discovery from previous years:
Lord Huron, Strange Trails / Lonesome Dreams

Favorite five albums of the past twenty years?
The Divine Comedy, Fin de Siècle (1998)
Ben Folds, Rockin’ the Suburbs (2001)
The Frames, For the Birds (2001)
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes (2008)
Bleachers, Strange Desire (2014)



Will W’s Bit O’ Honey

PART ONE:

My top 2018 albums, probably no surprises here:
  1. Robyn, Honey 
  2. Ariana Grande, Sweetener
  3. Neko Case, Hell-On (I didn't see this on many end-of-year lists, and I was surprised! For me, it gets better with every listen. And such storytelling!)
  4. boygenius, boygenius EP 
  5. Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy
  6. Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour
  7. Empress Of, Us
  8. Mitski, Be the Cowboy
My top 2018 songs (not in any particular order):

Neko Case, "Halls of Sarah," "Last Lion of Albion," "My Uncle's Navy"   
Charli XCX, "Five in the Morning"
Ariana Grande, "everytime," "breathin," and "sweetener" 
boygenius, "Me & My Dog" 
Cardi B, "Be Careful" 
Nicki Minaj, "Come See About Me" 
Empress Of, "When I'm with Him," "I Don't Even Smoke Weed"
Mitski, "Geyser," "Nobody," "Two Slow Dancers"
Robyn, "Honey," "Send to Robyn Immediately," "beach 2k20"
Kacey Musgraves, "High Horse," "Rainbow" 
Uffie, "Drugs," "Your Hood"
Cupcakke, "2 Minutes," "Duck Duck Goose"
Shawn Mendes, "In My Blood" 
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Party for One" 
Sia, "I'm Still Here" 
Ella Mai, "Boo'd Up" 
Troye SIvan, "Seventeen," "Bloom" 
Bebe Rexha, "Knees"  
Lady Gaga, "Is That Alright?," "I'll Never Love Again" 

PART TWO
  1. Britney Spears, . . . Baby One More Time (first CD I ever bought, picked it up after leaving the Atlanta zoo; I was seven)
  2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fever to Tell
  3. LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
  4. M.I.A, Kala
  5. Sia, 1000 Forms of Fear


Jinny W Brings it On Bach


Favorites of the year 2018: 

1. Shirley Hunt, J.S. Bach Suites and Sonatas, Volume 2 for viola da gamba. Letterbox Arts 2018. 

2. Hilary Hahn, Hilary Hahn Plays Bach: Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2, Partita No. 1 for Violin. Sony Classical 2018.

3. Leif Ove Andsnes, Chopin Ballades and Nocturnes (piano). Sony Classical 2018.

4. Teodor Currentzis Conducts Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 with MusicAeterna. Sony 2018.

=============

Five Favorites from the past 20 years:

Joshua Bell, Steven Isserlis, Jeremy Denk, For the Love of Brahms. Sony Classical 2016.

Jerusalem Quartet, Debussy and Ravel String Quartets. Harmonia Mundi 2017.

Palance/Wolff Project, Part 1, Reflecting Forward. CD Baby 2015.

Shirley Hunt, J.S. Bach Suites and Sonatas, Volume 1. Baroque Cello and Viola da Gamba. Letterbox Arts 2018.

Annelle K. Gregory and Alexander Sinchuk, Rachmaninoff Complete Works and Transcriptions for Violin and Piano. Bridge Records, Inc. 2017.



Dan P’s Robyn the Cradle

It wasn’t a big new music year for me in 2018. I mostly fell in love with Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion. But for new stuff:

1. Robyn, Honey
2. First Aid Kit, Ruins
3. Maggie Rogers, ALL OF THE SINGLES
4. Years and Years, Palo Alto

Fav Five of Past 20 years:

1: Sufjan Stevens, Age of Adz 
2. The National, Boxer
3. Robyn, Body Talk
4. Tori Amos, Scarlet’s Walk
5. Beyoncé, Lemonade


Nick E Tends His Acres

PART ONE

Best of 2018:

S. Carey, Hundred Acres
Beach House, 7
Florence + The Machine, High As Hope
Iron & Wine, Weed Garden (EP)
Belle and Sebastian, How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pt. 2
Belle and Sebastian, How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pt. 3

PART TWO

Top 5 of the last 20 years:

The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
Iron & Wine, The Creek Drank the Cradle
Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell
Dolorean, Not Exotic
Jeremy Soule, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Album missing from my lists:
Bon Iver, 22, A Million

Album that doesn’t really belong on my lists:
my bloody valentine, mbv


Maggie S’s Killer Tunes

BEST ALBUMS OF 2018

1) Matt Maeson, Who Killed Matt Maeson
I wore out "Grave Digger," man. One of the side effects of my insane health crisis in '17-18 was that I stopped having the right neurotransmitters to like music, which wasn't a hell I thought could happen, and this was one of the first albums I realized I could love. Learning you can have music back again . . . it was like a religious experience.

2) Mother Mother, Dance and Cry

3) Hozier, Nina Cried Power

BEST SINGLES

"I Know How to Speak," by Manchester Orchestra, because for most of the year, I didn't.

"Words," LANNDS, because I didn't have any.

"Let You Down (feat Findlay) (Yeuz Remix)," by Joris Delacroix and Montmartre, because that was what I basically did to everyone for a year. 

"No More," by Dirtwire.

THE PAST TWENTY YEARS

Dude, I think it's time to admit that the album I think I've probably listened to the most over twenty years that I still love is Enya's Watermark. I listened to it when I was younger and had a recurring dream of a place called the Barns, a really lovely farm hidden away in the mountains I love, and the album became synonymous with it. They say when you write a recurring nightmare down, you never have it again, and it works for dreams too, because years later I wrote the Barns down and never returned again in my sleep — but I still do every time I listen to this album.

I can't believe I used to like Lifehouse.

And you know who I have newfound appreciation for? 12 year old me would be pleased to know that I recently picked up those old Billy Joels. Hey, that guy could write a tune.