Best Music of 2018, Pt. VIII: The Final Rundown

 

After compiling my lists for each individual genre I covered, I went back and listened to all my favorite songs from last year a couple more times, and not surprisingly, I liked a lot of them better when I gave them more spins. When you factor in personal taste, that means that my final list may not match up exactly with the genre posts, but that’s the beauty of music. The ultimate takeaway here is that “Best Of” lists are just that particular critic/listener/fan’s favorite things (hopefully) of that year. Technicality and musicianship are things that people who want to debate them will debate forever, but my mission is to listen to everything that interests me, and report what moved me the most. The rest is up to you. I hope that you have found tons of new favorites throughout this series, but really, if you have found one new band, song, or artist, then I’ve done my job. Either way, I enjoyed putting it together, and I thank everyone who went on the journey with me. With that, I simply give you my final favorites across all genres. Again, these numbers mean nothing. Ranking them is fun, but the hope is a few of these things catch your eye, before eventually climbing into your ear, making the long voyage through your brain, until they hopefully take permanent residence in your heart. Keep bouncing.

 

25 BEST ALBUMS OF 2018
1. Royce da 5’9″ Book of Ryan
2. Parquet Courts Wide Awake!
3. Punahele From Beneath Mt. Ka’ala
4. Joey Alexander Eclipse
5. Blood Orange Negro Swan
6. Alexandre Desplat Isle of Dogs Original Soundtrack
7. Camp Cope How To Socialise and Make Friends
8. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad Luke Cage: Season 2
9. Windhand Eternal Return
10. Kurt Vile Bottle It In
11. MC Paul Barman (((echo chamber)))
12. Stephen Inglis Cut The Dead Some Slack
13. The Internet Hive Mind
14. Cloud Nothings Last Building Burning
15. Keauhou Ua Kō, Ua ‘Āina
16. Mogwai KIN
17. Brad Mehldau Trio Seymour Reads the Constitution
18. Tomb Mold Manor of Infinite Forms
19. Lucy Dacus Historian
20. Elvis Costello & The Imposters Look Now
21. Eric Church Desperate Man
22. Skegss My Own Mess
23. Snail Mail Lush
24. Memoriam The Silent Vigil
25. Soccer Mommy Clean

 

50 BEST SONGS OF 2018
1. Punahele – Amp Site 13
2. Ty Segall – And, Goodnight
3. Lil Wayne – Mess
4. Blood Orange – Dagenham Dream
5. Royce – Power
6. Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga – Shallow
7. Homeboy Sandman & Edan – Evolution of (sand)Man
8. Low – Always Trying To Work It Out
9. Alejandro Escovedo – Rio Navidad
10. DeShannon Higa – Indigo
11. Sleep – Sonic Titan
12. Muggs & Marciano – Shit I’m On
13. Windhand – Feather
14. Slugdge – Putrid Fairytale
15. Elvis Costello & the Imposters – Isabelle In Tears
16. MC Paul Barman – ((((((antennas)))))) (w/Masta Ace)
17. Post Malone – Better Now
18. Celine Dion – Ashes
19. Parquet Courts – Almost Had To Start a Fight/In And Out of Patience
20. Punahele – Bentley
21. PRhyme – W.O.W. (With Out Warning) (w/Yelawolf)
22. Andrew W.K. – Party Mindset
23. Keauhou – Waikalua
24. Mogwai – Donuts
25. Gift of Gab, R.A. the Rugged Man and A-F-R-O – Freedom Form Flowing
26. Dean Ween Group – Don’t Let the Moon Catch You Crying
27. Spiritualized – The Morning After
28. Joey Alexander – Blackbird
29. Czarface & MF DOOM – Badness of Madness
30. Camp Cope – Anna
31. Binary Star – Light Years Apart
32. Sons of Kemet – My Queen is Angela Davis
33. Brother Ali – Sensitive
34. Moby – This Wild Darkness (CYA Remix)
35. Now, Now – AZ
36. St. Paul & the Broken Bones – Bruised Fruit
37. Royce Da 5’9″ – Summer On Lock (w/Pusha T, Jadakiss, Fabolous & Agent Sasco (Assassin)
38. Binary Star – Low End Theory
39. Superfuct – Surfs Up
40. Czarface & MF DOOM – Meddle With Metal (7l’s Nytyme Mix)
41. Cloud Nothings – In Shame
42. Sleep – The Botanist
43. Kurt Vile – Rollin With the Flow
44. Lucy Dacus – Yours & Mine
45. Memoriam – As Bridges Burn
46. The Decemberists – Sucker’s Prayer
47. Skeletonwitch – The Vault
48. Busdriver – Me vs. Me (w/Swarvy)
49. Tomb Mold – Blood Mirror
50. Windhand – Pilgrim’s Rest

Best Music of 2018 Pt. V: Comedy & Covers

TOP 18 COMEDY ALBUMS of 2018

 

1. Nick Vatterott KROCK90Q.BUZZ
(Produced by Jesse Case)
Not many things made me laugh more than this remarkable album did last year, and I don’t just mean on this list. Funnier than most movies, shows, or inappropriate jokes Uncle Frank told you when you met at the stuffing station during mom’s Thanksgiving potluck. This project, which takes place entirely inside of a (barely) fictional wacky radio station, would make a great starting point for a film, or series, too, but my big takeaway is why there aren’t more people doing high concept comedy albums these days. Hopefully this will inspire a new wave of them. Unbelievably good. Utterly refreshing. (insert slide whistle sound effect)

2. Clare O’Kane Let It Be
When it comes to traditional stand up albums of 2018, nothing beat the classically original comedic musings of Clare O’Kane. She’s so charming, and easy to listen to, I almost felt like I was hanging out with her in a green room. Her way with words is mind blowing, and nothing is better than a comic who knows how to laugh at themselves, and isn’t afraid to joke freely about subjects that others would mishandle, or consider taboo altogether. She spins sarcasm deftly, without ever sounding snobby, showcased most flawlessly when she’s using phrases you can tell she doesn’t ever use unironically. She’ll probably never be bigger than the Beatles, but I’d love to hear Paul McCartney talk about abortions while still making me feel all warm and cozy inside. I’m officially addicted to O’Kane.

3. Jared Logan The Twilight Door
Jared Logan has been one of the best stand up comedians in the world for years now. This album doesn’t even come close to disappointing. Never suffering for material, I feel like he could release a new hour every year, if he wanted to. He’s a phenomenal joke writer, and has an effortless, yet memorable vibe that should have made him a superstar years ago.

4. Dwight Simmons Sip and Pass
Dwight Simmons has put out two albums in a row of perfect stand up comedy that for reasons beyond me have flown inexplicably under the radar. He’s as unique as he is relatable. As sharp as he is easy going. As silly as he is commanding of an audience. Another of my top bets to be one of the next big things in comedy, I really wish the rest of the world would stop sleeping on guys like Jared and Dwight.

5. 12 Years of Voicemails from Todd Glass To Blake Wexler
You read the title correctly. This is an album full of voicemails. It’s so fun to listen to, and at times, it does make you feel like you’re eavesdropping, but a lovely side dish to the heaps of silliness, are the surprising moments of thoughtful poignancy, like when Todd is convincing Blake to quit comedy, because he clearly believes in him, and doesn’t want him to get stuck doing something he wasn’t born to do. As an up and coming stand up myself, that personally meant a lot to me.

6. Greg Behrendt Why Are You In Here? 

7. Scott Thompson Not A Fan 

8. Dwayne Duke Shame Flashbacks 

9. Greg Proops The Resistance 

10. Brandt Tobler Gamblin’ & Ramblin’: Live in Las Vegas 

11. Keith Lowell Jensen Bad Comedy For Bad People

12. Johnny Taylor Bummin’ With the Devil

13. Nato Green The Whiteness Album

14. Joe Starr A British Murder Robot Tries Stand Up Comedy

 

15. Kevin Tit Life… The Best Joke In Town 

16. Dan Cummins Maybe I’m the Problem

17. Emma Arnold Yes, Please

18. Mike Lawrence Mega Manchild
(not actual album cover)

 

TOP 35+ COMEDY TRACKS of 2018

 

1. Nick Vatterott – Station Identification

KROCK90Q.BUZZ Flashback

2. Brandt Tobler – Stardust (The Time I Tried To Kill My Dad)

3. Patrick Passafiume – Typhoon the Headliner

4. Jared Logan – Hotel

The Twilight Door

5. Greg Proops – I’m Just Not Feeling It
6. Dwayne Duke – Karen

7. Greg Behrendt – A Friend You Hate

8. Todd Glass – Jay Leno’s Cars (2016)

9. Nick Vatterott – D.J. the D.J.

10. Scott Thompson – Seeing Sandra

11. Dwight Simmons – Sip and Pass

Black Super Heroes

12. Clare O’Kane – Yikes

I’m Sorry Grandma

13. Greg Behrendt – You Get What You Get

14. Keith Lowell Jensen – Charlie Chaplin

15. Daniel Humbarger – Spider

16. Mike Lawrence – Married

17. Jared Logan – Zachary Taylor

West Hollywood

18. Dwayne Duke – Pangea University

Treasures of Burlesque on a Guy’s Weekend

19. Brandt Tobler – Four Queens (Porn Star Night and Morning)

20. Greg Proops – Things White People Like

Men Can’t Hear

Orange 45

Lock Her Up

21. Nato Green – A Simpler, More Innocent Time, Four Months Ago

22. Todd Glass – Todd Meets Oprah (2016)

Quit College Blake (2008)

23. Nick Vatterott – Sports Break…

24. Dan Cummins – Chuck E. Terror

I’ll Show You One Photo

Permission To Swear

25. Todd Glass – Todd Talks To a Neighborhood Cat (2014)

Todd Loves His Wife (2012)

Todd Hits His Head

Blake Crazy Dances in a Barn

26. Johnny Taylor – Sexting

27. Clare O’Kane – Aborsh

Sexual Renaissance

Catcalled

Nude Modelin’

Being…. a Woman

28. Greg Behrendt – Sobriety is Not For Everyone

My Sister Would Love This

The Spooky One

29. Dwight Simmons – The N Train

The Talk

Follow Your Dreams

30. Brandt Tobler – Imperial Palace (the Roulette Story)

31. Jared Logan – Dominos

Marriage

The Today Show

Casting Director

32. Keith Lowell Jensen – Badoinkle

Leviticus Tattoo

33. Patrick Keane – Negro Baseball Museum

Catholic Elementary Football

34. Andrew Schulz – Egypt Pyramids

35. Dwayne Duke – Chasing Waterfalls

TOP 29+ COVER SONGS of 2018

 

1. Brad Mehldau Trio – Almost Like Being In Love

2. Juliana Hatfield – A Little More Love

3. Chris Cornell – One (Live at Beacon Theatre 2015)

4. Mike Love – Lifetime Party

5. Juliana Hatfield – Magic

6. Brak – Institutionalized

7. Joey Alexander – Blackbird

The Very Thought of You (w/Joshua Redman)

8. Stephen Inglis – Wharf Rat

Standing On the Moon

Dark Star

Lazy River Road

9. Willie Nelson – Summer Wind

10. Meshell Ndegeocello – Tender Love

Don’t Disturb This Groove

Waterfalls

11. Mark Yamanaka – His Eye Is on the Sparrow

12. Laura Jane Grace – The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton

13. UB40 – A Place In the Sun

In the Rain

14. Titus Andronicus – (I’m) Like a Rolling Stone

15. Dead Milkmen – Lydia the Tattooed Lady

16. Josh Tatofi – About You

17. “Weird Al” Yankovic – Beat On the Brat

18. Manchester Orchestra – Blizzard of ’77

19. Anthony David – Use Me

20. Stephen Inglis – Brokedown Palace

Scarlet Begonias

21. UB40 – Ebony Eyes

22. Elvis Costello – I’ll Still Love You

23. Against Me! – People Who Died

24. Rogue Wave – Blonde On Blonde

25. Juliana Hatfield – Xanadu

26. Meshell Ndegeocello – Sensitivity

27. Ruston Kelly & Kacey Musgraves – To June This Morning

28. Paula Fuga – Song For Someone

29. Josh Groban – Bridge Over Troubled Water

Best Music of 2018, Part II: Jazz, Soundtracks, World & More

BEST JAZZ ALBUMS OF 2018

1. Joey Alexander Eclipse

2. Brad Mehldau Trio Seymour Reads the Constitution

3. Kamasi Washington Heaven and Earth / The Choice

4. Aaron Parks Little Big 

5. Sons of Kemet Your Queen Is a Reptile

6. DeShannon Higa Words Cannot Express

7. Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids An Angel Fell

8. Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade Still Dreaming

9. Tangents New Bodies

TOP 24+ JAZZ SONGS OF 2018
1. Kamasi Washington – the Invincible Youth
2. Sons of Kemet – My Queen Is Angela Davis

3. Brad Mehldau Trio – Almost Like Being In Love

4. Aaron Parks – Lilac

5. Joey Alexander – Moment’s Notice
Peace

6. Midnight Hour – Black Beacon

7. DeShannon Higa – Indigo

8. Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids – Land of Ra

9. Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley, & Brian Blade – the Rest

10. Joey Alexander – Blackbird
Draw Me Nearer
Eclipse

11. Kamasi Washington – My Family
Can You Hear Him?
Agents of the Multiverse

12. Midnight Hour – Mission

13. Aaron Parks – Rising Mind
Hearth

14. Brad Mehldau Trio – Friends
Great Day
Ten Tune
Beatrice

15. Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids – Tinoge
Message To My People,

16. Paul Simon – Some Folks’ Lives Roll Easy

17. DeShannon Higa – Through the Tears
Sonic Garden

18. Sons of Kemet – My Queen is Harriet Tubman

19. Tangents – Arteries

20. Paul Simon – the Teacher

21. Joey Alexander – Bali
Faithful (w/Joshua Redman)

22. Aaron Parks – Professor Strangeweather

23. Sons of Kemet – My Queen is Mamie Phipps Clark
My Queen is Nanny of the Maroons

24. Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade – Unanimity
Comme Il Faut

BEST SOUNDTRACKS OF 2018

1. Alexandre Desplat Isle of Dogs Original Soundtrack

2. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad Luke Cage: Season 2

3. Johnny Greenwood Phantom Thread Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

4. Mogwai KIN

5. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross mid90s (Original Music from the Motion Picture)

6. Thom Yorke Suspiria (Music For the Luca Guadagnino Film)

TOP 15+ MOVIE TYPE SONGS OF 2018

1. Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga – Shallow

2. Mogwai – Donuts

3. Lupe Fiasco – Slave Ship – Interlude

4. Celine Dion – Ashes

5. Johnny Greenwood – Babara Rose
Sandalwood II

6. Alexandre Desplat – Re-Election Night, Parts 1-3

7. Orchestra Lamoureux – Genesis/Phantom/Phantom Pt. II

8. The Sword – Nocturne

9. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Start of Things
Big Wide World

10. Thom Yorke – the Jumps

11. Ezra Koenig – I Promise You (Ezra’s Demo)

12. Johnny Greenwood – For the Hungry Boy

13. Mogwai – Eli’s Theme

14. Alexandre Desplat – Sushi Scene

15. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Finding a Place

BEST WORLD (HAWAIIAN, REGGAE, ETC.) & SKA ALBUMS OF 2018

1. Keauhou Ua Kō, Ua ‘Āina

2. Ratigan New York To Portmore

3. Banda MS – Con Todas Las Fuerzas

4. Mark Yamanaka Lei Lehua

5. Kikagaku Moyo Masana Temples

6. ToteKing Lebron

7. Hempsteadys Séance! Séance! 

8. Various Artists: Remembering Joseph “Culture” Hill
9. Stephen Marley One Take Acoustic Jams

10. UB40 A Real Labour of Love

11. Tunnel Vision Days Away

12. Groundation The Next Generation

TOP 40+ WORLD (HAWAIIAN, REGGAE, ETC.) & SKA SONGS OF 2018

1. Ratigan – Up Deh

2. Keauhou – Waikalua

3. Banda MS – Por Siempre Mi Amor

4. Mark Yamanaka – Sweet Lei Mokihana

5. Omar Perry – Sweet Love (Acoustic Version)

6. Superfuct – Surfs Up

7. Buju Banton & Joseph Hill – Natty Never Get Weary

8. Keauhou – A’ole La
Lei Pua Melia
No Anela U’ilani
He Inoa

9. Ratigan – Life Can Be Hard

10. Mr. Vegas – Wakanda Jam

11. Mark Yamanaka – Manawaiopuna
Lei Lehua

12. UB40 – A Place In the Sun
In the Run

13. Kikagaku Moyo – Nana
Gatherings
Orange Peel

14. Stephen Marley – Mind Control (Acoustic) –

15. Hempsteadys – The Well

16. Hugo Lobo – Ska In the Way (w/Publik Report & Natty Frenchy Metsch)

17. Banda MS – Por Mi No Te Detengas
Verme Brillar
Hace Un Mas
Si Cruzas La Puerta

18. Mighty Mighty Bosstones – The Constant

19. Tunnel Vision – IDK

20. ToteKing – Puzzle
De Verdad (w/Mezkla Dohnaire)
Woh! (Part 2) / El Serranito (w/Principe Palanca)

21. Nathan Aweau – E Welina

22. Tunnel Vision – Days Away
Hop In the Van

23. UB40 – Ebony Eyes

24. DJ Vadim – Ta Tell U (w/Ras Demo)

25. Sting & Shaggy – 16 Fathoms Down

26. Groundation – New Life
One But Ten
Prophets & Profit

27. Calibre 50 – Nos Tocaba Ser Feliz

28. Kikagaku Moyo – Nazo Nazo
Fluffy Kosmisch

29. DJ Vadim – Ta Tell U (w/Ras Demo)

30. Magos Herrera – Volver a los 17

31. Keauhou – Pauoa Liko Lehua
Maui

32. Conrank, Drezza & Patwan – Decapitate

33. Beenie Man – Money Fi Run

34. Stephen Marley – Revelation Party (Acoustic)

35. Tote King – N.T.F.
Bartleby & Co.

36. The Soul Chance – Give Love a Try

37. Mr. Vegas – Moral Decayed Society
38. Sean Na’auao – He Kupua Kupaianaha

39. Mark Yamanaka – Ku’u Lei
Koke’e

40. Los Pericos & Ali Campbell – Waitin’