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 I: Pop, Country & Reissues

BEST REISSUES, COMPS, TRIBUTE ALBUMS, ETC. OF 2018

1. Metallica …And Justice For All (Remastered Deluxe Box Set)
This is essential for any metal nerd, Metallica completist, and production geek alike. The finished product was incredibly polished, but not only does Metallica show you what it sounded like before the sausage was polished (heh heh), you get to hear the songs in their most infant stages, when the sausage was nothing more than mince meat. It’s fascinating, and often even hilarious. Hearing James Hetfield trying to figure out lyrics on the fly is funnier than most comedy albums I’ve heard recently, and hearing songs you know by heart with different lyrics feels like you’re watching deleted scenes, or alternate endings from your favorite movies. If you have a disposable income, I couldn’t recommend this more.

2. John Coltrane Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album

3. Loudon Wainwright Years In the Making

4. The Flaming Lips Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips were so raw on these recordings, it’s not hard to envision how they could have ended up becoming a different kind of band altogether. There are more punk roots and far less psychedelic weirdness than I expected. Based on earlier Lips albums I’ve listened to (which is most of them) I also expected more noise, but a lot of these songs are not just good, but surprisingly accessible.

5. Prince Piano & A Microphone 1983
6. Arsonists Lost In the Fire

7. Chris Cornell (Deluxe Edition)
8. Various Artists Chillhop Essentials (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall)

9. Various Artists Remembering Joseph “Culture” Hill
10. Fleetwood Mac 50 Years: Don’t Stop

11. Dr. Demento Covered In Punk
12. The Doors Live At the Isle of Wight Festival
13. The National Boxer Live in Brussels
14. Pacewon The Pacewon Effect
15. Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction (Super Deluxe Edition)
16. Latyrx The Muzappers Mixes
17. Up In Smoke (40th Anniversary Edition)
18. Justice Woman Worldwide

19. Kwalified The Kevin Arnold EP (Revised)
20. Ghostface Killah The Lost Tapes

BEST COUNTRY MUSIC of 2018
Albums of the Year:
1. Eric Church Desperate Man

2. Willie Nelson Last Man Standing

Best Country Songs of 2018:
1. Dean Ween Group – Don’t Let the Moon Catch You Crying

2. Blaze Foley & Ben Dickey – Cold Cold World

3. Willie Nelson – Heaven Is Closed
Don’t Tell Noah
Very Far To Crawl

4. Kurt Vile – Rollin With the Flow

5. Eric Church – Drowning Man
Some of It
Monsters
Hippie Radio

6. Joshua Hedley – This Time

7. Old Crow Medicine Show – A World Away
Old Hickory

8. Jim Lauderdale – If the World’s Still Here Tomorrow

9. Wheeler Walker, Jr. – Fuckin’ It Up

10. Charley Crockett – I Wanna Cry

11. Loretta Lynn – My Angel Mother

12. Mitski – Lonesome Love

13. John Prine – When I Get To Heaven

14. Erin Mae – Bad Mind

15. Brothers Osborne – Weed, Whiskey and Willie

16. Courntey Barnett – Walkin’ on Eggshells

17. George Strait – Codigo

18. Kacey Musgraves – Slow Burn

19. Eric Church – Desperate Man

20. Willie Nelson – Me & You
Something You Get Through
I’ll Try To Do Better Next Time

21. Wheeler Walker, Jr. – Fuck You With the Lights On

22. Loretta Lynn – Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’

23. Pistol Annies – Masterpiece

BEST POP MUSIC OF 2018
Albums of the Year:
1. Christine & the Queens Chris

2. Waxahatchee Great Thunder

3. Janelle Monae Dirty Computer

Best Pop Songs of 2018:

1. Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga – Shallow

2. Waxahatchee – Singer’s No Star

3. Celine Dion – Ashes

4. Post Malone – Better Now

5. Christine & the Queens – Goya! Soda!
Bruce est dans le brouillard
make some sense

6. Lana Del Rey – Venice Bitch

7. Lucy Dacus – The Shell

8. Moby – This Wild Darkness

9. Alexis Taylor – A Hit Song

10. Ghost – Dance Macabre

11. Manchester Orchestra & Julien Baker -Bad Things To Such Good People

12. Now, Now – Window

13. Waxahatchee – Takes So Much
You’re Welcome

14. The Coral – Strangers In the Hollow

15. Half Waif – Brooklyn

16 Jeff Rosenstock – 9/10

17. Robyn – Human Being (w/Zhala)

18. Rufus Wainwright – Sword of Damocles

19. Kacey Musgraves – Slow Burn

20. Chromeo – Bedroom Calling Pt. I

21. Josh Groban – River

22. Steve Perry – Most Of All

23. New Found Glory – Happy Being Miserable
Short and Sweet

24. Janelle Monae – Make Me Feel
I Like That

25. Sia – Underneath the Christmas Lights

26. Half Waif – Leveler

27. Christine & the Queens – Girlfriend (w//Dam Funk)
Doesn’t Matter
Comme Si
The walker
Damn (what must a woman do)
feel so good
5 dols

28. Mike Shinoda – A Place To Start, Can’t Hear You Now

29. New Found Glory – Call Me Anti-Social
the Cheapest Thrill
20 Years From Now

30. Panic! At the Disco – Roaring 20s
King of the Clouds

31. Superorganism – Everybody Wants To Be Famous

32. Caroline Rose – Jeannie Becomes A Mom

33. Kacey Musgraves – Space Cowboy

34. YUNGBLUD – Polygraph Eyes (Unplugged)
Kill Somebody
Psychotic Kids (Unplugged)

35. Robyn – Ever Again

36. Young the Giant – Heat of the Summer

37. Plan B – It’s A War

38. Nathan Aweau – It’s Who You Are

39. The Knocks – Brazilian Soul (w/Sofi Tukker)