Murn 2018: A Musical Hangover

Missed The Mark (26 – 29)

29) Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex and Food

What a disappointment. 2015’s release of Multi-Love really made me think they were on to something. I’m all about expanding genres and exploring… This wasn’t the only album they put out in 2018. Don’t waste your time on that one. It’s just Casio keyboard instrumentals.

28) Paul Carrack – These Days

If you have heard the group Ace from the early 70’s, then you will know this blue-eyed soulful voice. This guy should be more well-known than he currently is. One great song, “Perfect Storm” on this album. The rest are fillers.

27) Rainbow Kitten Surprise – How To: Friend, Love, Freefall

Brought to you by JT. I dug a couple of songs off this. Mainly “Fever Pitch”. Mix some LSD and vintage Kings of Leon, and you have Rainbow Kitten Surprise. There was a bit of “rapping” on this album. Please stop doing that.

26) Jim James – Uniform Distortion

I might get shit for this but, JJ and MMJ are the biggest enigmas for me. I either repeat listen to some albums incessantly, or I shake my head and ask myself “what don’t I get?!?”. This album is the latter. I can never put my finger on as to why…

Getting Warmer (21 – 25)

25) Sam Evian – You, Forever 

In the same vein as other chillout bands like Real Estate. I think this genre is running its course with me. Songs like “Country”, work to mix it up a bit. Nice bouncy guitar. I also really enjoy “Where Did You Go?”. Bit too many wispy downtrodden tracks on here.

24) Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth

The song “Street Fighter Mas” is enough to secure this album at number 24. Funky hip-hop inspired jazz.

23) Big Red Machine – Big Red Machine

Justin Vernon and The National’s Aaron Dessner. Typical self-righteous hidden genius type stuff. Still dig it to a certain extent. You know what this is.

22) Circles Around the Sun – Let it Wander

This group has an interesting origin story. It consists of members of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Bill Kreutzmann’s son that originally was just intended to make intermission music for the Dead’s Fare Thee Well tour. This is a good album to just pop on and relax to. Jazzy dead inspired music. What else is there to say? 

Check out the song “One For Chuck”.

21) Parcels – Parcels

Australian disco pop. Who wouldn’t like this? You’re not going to get anything deep here. It's just toe tapping harmonies. Reminds me of a squeaky-clean Chromeo with accents.

Real Contenders (16 – 20)

20) Sons of Kemet – Your Queen is a Reptile

For those who enjoy Afro-Caribbean new school jazz, this album kicks ass. Might be one I regret not placing higher in my rankings. I think ease of listening was the determining factor… Not always in the mood for aggressive jazz, but it is excellent for when you are in that mood.

19) Big Something – The Otherside

A staple on Sirius XM’s Jam On channel. Rock and funk infusion group that really can jam out. The only downside is the vocals of lead singer Nick MacDaniels. Many of the lyrics are corny and his voice reminds me of someone who would’ve opened for OAR in 1999. The group’s musicianship must be something to negate that comparison. It is though. 

Check out “Smoke Signal” and “Wildfire”.

18) The Sheepdogs – Changing Colours

I love me some Sheepdogs. Just not so much this album. It’s solid, don’t get me wrong. Just not many standouts like previous releases.

17) Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo

Texas trio that plays 60’s and 70’s inspired Thai rock instrumentals. I’m getting weirder as I get older. More of a laid-back groove with world influences. 

Check out “Maria Tambien” and “Evan Finds the Third Room”

16) The Moondoggies – A Love Sleeps Deep

I couldn’t have stumbled upon a more made for JT band than the Moondoggies (Ironfish note: He's dead on). Another tough decision for the rankings. I know I will look back and kick myself for not putting this album higher on the list. I’ll lie to myself and say the back half of the album trails off. There. I feel better. (Ironfish note: You will rue the day you did this!).

Just A Bit Outside (11 – 15)

15) ISLAND – Feels Like Air

I’m a bit disappointed that their LP didn’t match the strength of their EPs that came out prior. This is still a good album but feel like they blew their wad a bit. First half of album is stronger than second. 

Check out “Try” and “The Day I Die”.

14) Richard Swift – The Hex

This was a Melse find. Some amazing tracks on here that spin my head. There are also some dead spots. Seems fitting when you think about this guy’s life. Highs of working with and producing groups like the Shins, and the Black Keys; to the lows of alcohol and drug addiction. 

Check out “Broken Finger Blues” and “Dirty Jim”.

13) Nas – NASIR

Mature political Nas rhymes with beats by Kanye West. I wish this had more than seven tracks on it, the main reason I don’t have this higher in the rankings. Refreshing to hear hip hop that doesn’t make me want to jam a meat thermometer through my ear canal. Nas is a legend, and it's nice to see him not go down the same road as Jay-Z. Kanye raps well on a few tracks. He definitely raised the bar quality-wise for this collaboration. 

Check out “White Label” and “Adam and Eve”. 

12) Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer

Just looking at this album cover makes me want to punch him in the face. The broodingly handsome self-tortured genius is back with a more melodic follow up to Pure Comedy. I really thought I was over him. I took a long shower after Pure Comedy. I started to move on. Then Mr. Tillman shows up to my door with chocolates and dozen roses. This is the last time!

Check out "Mr. Tillman" and "Date Night".

11) Scott Hamilton – Blue ‘n’ Boogie

I’m not going to pretend I know a ton about jazz. This album came to me via an Apple Music recommendation. Great album to pop on in your office and work to. I’m a sucker for swing style saxophone in any capacity. 

Check out "Blue 'n' Boogie" and "Yours Is My Heart Alone".

You’re Heating Up (10 – 6)

10) Villagers – The Art of Pretending to Swim

If you like indie folk-rock warble, then look no further. Some Paul Simon elements mixed with atmospheric synth. Maybe mix in some Dr. Dog while we’re at it. This album has probably my favorite song of the year “Sweet Saviour”. 

Check out “A Trick of the Light”, “Fool”, and “Sweet Saviour”.

9) Tom Misch – Geography 

This was a JT recommendation. He knows my taste and that this would hit my music sweet spot. I did for sure. Poppy British R&B. Say no more. Plus, De La Soul is on a track. 

Check out “Movie”, “Lost In Paris”, and “Disco Yes”.

8) Richard Edwards – Verdugo

I stumbled upon Richard Edwards via Apple Music. Edwards fronts the band Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s. A mix of Ryan Adams and Noah Gundersen. This album is a great listen from beginning to end. An album I can put on at work and just let it go. Low key indie singer songwriter. 

Check out “Minefield”, “A Woman Who Can’t Say No”, and “Strange”.

7) St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Young Sick Camellia

This is probably my favorite St. Paul album. Feel like they found their groove with this one. Previous albums had handfuls of tracks I skipped over, tracks that just felt like filler to me. Not on this album. This has by far the best production of their albums. Songs are tighter, punchier, and more poppy(er). This album also harnesses Paul Janeway’s voice that can sometimes be unwieldy. 

Check out “GotItBad”, “Apollo”, and “Hurricanes”.

6) Bahamas – Earthtones

Yet another JT recommendation. I felt guilty keeping this out of the top 5. It is a great album. Only a couple songs I skip over. I’m pretty sure this will be ranked higher in his review, so I will leave it to him. (Ironfish note: He's right again).

Check out “Show Me Naomi”, and “Way With Words”.

Crops of Crème (5 – 1)

5) Two Another – Another Tape

The Apple machine rolls on. It holds my ear holes hostage. Started out with a couple EPs they put out last year. I was hoping a full album would come. This is some smooth poppy R&B with tight music production. There isn’t a ton of background on these guys. Duo who met in London and started making music. Maybe a smoother Tom Misch with heavier R&B influence? Best description I can think of. 

Check out “Hoping You Changed”, “Coming Alive”, and “The Night”.

4) Rhye – Blood

This is another Apple Music recommendation. Really getting my $9.99/mo out of this service. They describe them as Sade-like. I think that is accurate. Low key breathy singing mixed with multi instrument arrangements. It’s hard to define the style here. This review took the longest to write. Tough to put this in a box. R&B, yes. Synth Pop, yes. Orchestral, yes. Maybe that’s why I like it so much? 

Check out “Taste”, and “Blood Knows”.

3) White Denim – Performance

This might be my favorite WD album. I’ll defer to Melse’s write up on this, as I’m sure it will be better articulated. 

Check out “Performance”, “Magazin”, and “Moves On”.

2) Leon Bridges – Good Thing

Leon’s second album is a big step up in my eyes. This is less about being the new aged Sam Cooke, and more about catchy R&B grooves and polished writing. I’m glad he didn’t make another throwback album. He’s super talented and I hoped he wouldn’t pigeonholed himself. You still get that old school soul vibe, but it's not the focal point. This album has not one dead spot. In a normal year without such an outlier like Arctic Monkeys, this would be an easy pick for my number one. Perfect mix of song tempos. 

Check out “Shy”, “Beyond”, and “Forgive You”.

1) Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

I really disliked this album the first two listens. I didn’t get it. It was such a departure from their previous work. Melse kept raving about it, so I gave it a few more tries. It finally clicked around the fourth or fifth listen. I’m glad I listened to him. This futuristic space travel concept album pays homage to David Bowie, while maintaining Alex Turner’s own immense charisma. Each song is written so well. The casual idiot that writes this off based on one or two listens is really doing a disservice to themselves. I think the main thing that helped this album finally click for me was that I just let it be what it was. Something different from their past and just out there (in the coolest way possible). 

Check out “One Point Perspective”, “Golden Trunks”, and “Four out of Five”. 

Else 2018: Breaking Rules

Special Consideration:

Pusha T - Daytona
For context’s sake I’d like to mention that from 1993 until 2003 I listened to rap music exclusively.  This period of hip-hop history is probably the only thing on this earth I consider myself an expert on. I’d like to think the product changed around 2004 but more likely I just grew out of it.  Who really knows.  In any event, THIS album absolutely blew my mind. 

Pusha is an old school rapper (that means a different thing now than it did in the mid 90’s, but I digress) both in lyrical content and delivery, full of braggadocio and drug speak.  Now add in primetime Kanye West production and we have a classic.  This collection is a true relic from a former time and I’ve probably listened to it as much as anything else on my list this year.  It’s only here because I can’t possibly compare it against the rest considering the genre discrepancy.  I’m taking the easy way out.  

Now to the REAL list....



Honorable Mentions:

The Sheepdogs - Changing Colours
Albert Hammond Jr - Francis Trouble
Sam Evian - You, Forever
Villagers - The Art of Pretending to Swim
Charles Watson - Now That I'm a River
Cold Fronts - Fantasy du Jour

AND ON TO THE GOOD STUFF

15.  Restorations - LP5000
These guys have been around for quite some time but this is my first exposure.  Guitar driven and mid/uptempo straight forward rock with Springsteen-esque vocals and poignant,  powerful lyrics.  I bet they put on a hell of a live show.  This album is sort of like if you took

the best songs Gaslight Anthem ever made and put them all together.  I admittedly never went back and checked on their past work but this one got heavy repeated play for me.  Do check it out.

Best enjoyed with - an ice cold Rolling Rock


14. The Voidz - Virtue
I know, I know.  But hear me out.  He’s self indulgent and ridiculous.  I know.  And the first Voidz album was horrible.  This one is completely scatterbrained, without direction, and

without genre.  PLEASE.  Listen to it.  It’s very good.  Of course it has about 20% weird/bad crap.  The other 80% is head nodding, primetime Julian Casablancas.

Best enjoyed with - a Bud heavy, a shot of cheap whiskey, and a Marlboro


13. Terry - I’m Terry
This an incredible indie pop album from a bunch of Australians (I think two girls too including the main vocalist).  The vocals can periodically be a bit tough to get into but musically it’s so catchy I can’t stay away.  It’s almost what you would expect if you heard a group of teenagers in your neighborhood had a really good band.  That’s not exactly the most
enticing endorsement.  Ah fuck it, just give a try.  It’s super good. Oh also, if you remove the lyrics and play the song Jane Roe, it could easily be a Velvet Underground tune.

Best enjoyed with - can of Dr. Pepper

12. Jim James - Uniform Distortion
If you told me Jim James would make a return-to-roots straight up rock album where he shreds his guitar with head-nod-inducing riffs and killer ass solos that would make Mascis smile, I’d tell you it’d be my album of the year before I even listened to it.  To be sure, that description is exactly what this is.  For some reason something is missing and the more I listen to it the more I really want to blame it on the intentionally dirty way he mixed it.  It almost sounds like a live recording sans crowd.  With that said, a left turn from his previous
(excellent) solo records and the last MMJ album is certainly refreshing and I did really enjoy the hell out of this one.  Considering those 3 albums are all-timers for me makes it impossible for him to make anything even close to living up to the hype in my own brain.  Rock on, Jim.

Best enjoyed with: Jack Daniels, neat.  A few of them.


11. Sloan - 12
I discovered these dudes in a weird way.  They’re the true identity of the all-muppet band Feltworth (yes, for real), who released two new songs under that moniker earlier this year.  Those offerings are excellent and sent me on a 15 minute internet excursion trying to uncover their masks, so to speak.  Finally coming across Sloan I also found out that low-and-behold they’ve released 12(!) albums including this one.  The older stuff didn’t hit me in
the same way but THIS album is superb, with beautifully crafted power pop accompanied by otherworldly vocal harmonies and the requisite arpeggio guitars.  Listen a few times and you’ll catch yourself humming the choruses all day.

Best enjoyed with - Labatt Blue bottle


10. Bahamas - Earthtones
Afie Jurvanen, known by his stage name Bahamas, makes some of the hardest to describe music that I enjoy.  This one is very 70’s r&b influenced in nature with female backing vocals throughout but with his trademark guitar playing (which although perfect for the songs, should be showcased as he can absolutely rip it).  With all of this said, are you surprised that Pino Palladino is all over it?  I certainly wasn’t after finding that out.  It’s just a cool ass
album to play in the presence of a chick you’re into.  The single biggest misstep is the completely unnecessary and bloated 8 minute track “So Free” that comes up rightttt when you’re ready for the album to wind down. With that said, do press play.

Best enjoyed with - a big ass glass of Pinot Noir

9. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Arctic Monkeys blew me away (and most everyone I know) with their debut and then over the course of the next 3 albums proceeded to slowly decline into mediocrity.  Their 5th album, AM, brought me allllll the way back as a fanboy due to its ability to blend several genres (even hip hop).  That album was just plain dark/cool and I loved every song.  To say this album was a surprise is an understatement.  Recorded as a concept album, written entirely by Turner and originally urged by the rest of the boys to just be a solo project, this thing is strange AF.  And I absolutely loved it.  As the story goes, the Arctic Monkeys are the house band for the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, which is located on the moon, after a mass exodus of human life from Earth takes place. The songs all relate to, or mention in some way, this moon colony and some of things on it.  The guitars have been traded in for pianos and synths and Turners sexy croon has been ditched at times for a killer falsetto. 
This is not an album you can casually throw on at a party, but rather one that needs to be digested all in one sitting.  What’s most impressive and also the final point I’ll make, is that Alex Turner is officially into, IMO of course, that musician headspace where he doesn’t particularly give a shit about reviews or selling records or making music that translates well to live shows. He’s a brilliant artist and he’s going to create whatever it is that he wants to create and that’s it.  G move.  

Best enjoyed with - a 20 OZ Guinness


8. Richard Swift - The Hex
Richard died recently at the age of 41 from complications due to alcoholism.  Unfortunately his death is what propelled this album into my atmosphere and though that’s of course sad I’m very thankful on a personal level that I was able to discover him.  He was brilliant.  His body of work includes collaborations with Dan Auerbach (both touring and recording), Guster, Nathaniel Rateliff, Marco Benevento, The Shins, and Foxygen. I’ve seen and read so many videos and articles regarding who he was as a person and he’s just gushed over relentlessly.  Marco Benevento even named his 2014 Richard-produced album “Swift”.  As far as THIS album is concerned, it’s incredibly diverse, as you would expect from a multi-
instrumentalist with varying tastes and skills.  Add in the addiction and you should expect some weird… “adventures”, but overall it’s a very impressive and catchy piano/keyboard driven album that I listened to relentlessly all year.  

Best enjoyed with - warm Crystal Palace


7.  T. Hardy Morris - Dude, The Obscure
This gentleman is probably most known for his work as the frontman of Dead Confederates, with whom he made a handful of albums and a few EPs of which I’m mostly luke warm on.  That blend of post grunge and southern rock hasn’t carried over to his solo career, as best as I can see, and that is not in any way, shape, or form, a bad thing. This album is much
more melodic and self reflective.  There’s no yelling or ripping guitar solos.  There’s no anger.  It’s just a dude with some guitar skills and self reflective lyrics and it’s so insanely good and addictive I can’t stop listening.

Best enjoyed with - a few chugs from a bottle of Jim Beam and a rainy day in July.

6. Stephen Steinbrink - Utopia Teased
This dude made this inside a shipping container high on LSD.  For real.  Apparently some sort of local legend in the Bay Area, he creates some absolutely beautiful guitar & synth pop here, accompanied by a super majestic falsetto.  Considering the writing and recording circumstances you should expect the occasional misstep/weird interlude, or the perfectly
timed and perfectly named instrumental “coming down”.  Even still, this shit is delicious.

Best enjoyed with - The easy answer is, duh, LSD, but that just doesn’t make sense once you listen.  So, I don’t know, a fuckin italian mixed sub and a jigsaw puzzle.


5. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs
This one comes in hot and heavy.  10 songs 35 minutes of uptempo dueling guitar riffs, killer solos, and drumming that doesn’t leave a single beat on the table. Nary a break in sight unless you count Cappucino City (track 7) which is barely a relaxation point. This is one of those albums that you turn up a little bit more with the beginning of each song.  The downside for me is that I would’ve enjoyed a little change of pace in terms of tempo or instrumentation, or etc. With that said, this is right in my wheelhouse as it stands and any

criticism is nitpicking.    

Best enjoyed with - any beer, but you have to chug 3 of them while you listen to keep up

4. The Moondoggies - A Love Sleeps Deep
These dudes hail from the Pacific Northwest and sound like it, with amazing 70’s style vocal harmonies and guitar work.  They’ve been around for over 10 years now but this is my first exposure (thanks to Murn).  They’re a lot like The Sheepdogs, only perhaps a little more deliberate and less poppy.  For some reason I’m coming up with very little to say about this album, though it’s firmly in the 4 spot for a reason.  It’s just a pure 70’s style rock record
front to back with not a single weak spot.  

Best enjoyed with - Miller High Life

3. Clearance - At Your Leisure
The fast road to the top of my library:  Dueling electric guitars, riffy AF, uptempo drums, keep it under 35 minutes, don’t fuck it with up the vocals.  Check, check, check, etc.  These guys have a few other albums but nothing hit me quite like this.  I promise it’ll get you saying
“oh yeah” to yourself in the car as you turn it up a little louder.  

Best enjoyed with - PBR can


2. People on People - Only Heaven
I’m breaking an unofficial rule here by including an EP on my list.  Don’t care.  This one is about 2 songs from being out of EP territory (it comes in at 5 songs and 23 minutes).  People on People consists of Jon Safley and Darian Zahedi.  These 2 dudes are members of CRX, which if you remember correctly is Nick Valensi’s side band (main band? Who even knows anymore?).  This is their debut offering and let me tell you with 100% seriousness if it was a full length album it would be my album of the year and it wouldn’t be particularly close.  5 songs of synth-tinged pop with some absolutely pristine guitar work and a few of
the most perfect song-fitting solos this side of John Frusciante.  Both dudes share vocal duties.  Every time I go back to it after a month off it blows me away all over again.

Best enjoyed with - 9% Double IPA in a dark ass room

1. White Denim - Performance
D is the finest record these guys have ever made, which was the first one that included the guitar virtuoso Austin Jenkins (as a full-time member).  They followed that up with Corsicana Lemonade, which was also a fine ass album in its own right.  Then Austin and the drummer left to pursue opportunities with Leon Bridges.  The ensuing album was 2016’s Stiff, which was good enough, I guess. I assumed they had lost their mojo (Austin Jenkins) and wasn’t expecting much with this one.  Hollyyyy shitttt was I wrong.  For starters, the drummer and second guitar player from Stiff have been replaced, with the second guitar player being a multi-instrumentalist/keyboardist type.  Also new to the formula is James Petralli taking over, and absolutely murdering lead guitar duties.  I always knew he could rip it with the best of them but he’s completely out of his mind these days.  He’s grown a werewolf hair/beard combo to go along with his madman musicianship and what these guys have made here is a truly incredible rock album, full of little pockets of heaviness (Moves On), trademark tempo changes (Sky Beaming), and psychedelia (Fine Slime).  This is my album of the year.

Best enjoyed with - shotgunned Miller Lite’s, 3 of them. 

Ironfish 2018: A Little Friends From My Help

Sharing out a list like this is an inherently narcissistic undertaking. Assuming that just because I enjoy these albums others should not only trust me, but end up liking them too is pretty damn egocentric. Thinking about this and then being unable to come up with a unifying theme for my collection, I began to worry. Reading back through previous years' and seeing a more clear and coherent unifying connection brought along some self-doubt. Though I knew I had listened to plenty of music, there seemed to be an unidentifiable problem. Why was I was having trouble organizing, ranking and even sitting down to write this, something that had never been an issue in the past?

Thankfully, a good buddy who moved away a few years back, swung by for an afternoon in the midst of my mini-funk. We did an abbreviated version of what we always do; drink a little beer and listen to music. As he left, we shared just how nice it was to be able to partake in such an important/rare event again, allowing us each to borrow and steal from the other.
And that's when it clicked; that's what this is, a curated collection of what others have allowed me to steal and bring into my world. Almost 50% of these 22 albums are just that; borrowed/stolen/acquired due to the shared joy of loving music and wanting to pass it along to those others that feel the same way. Without the musical recommendations of friends, this list would be much smaller, much less diverse and frankly, much, much worse. So, not only will I rely on these fellas for the music itself, but also for the ranking system too. Below is a collection of ranked tiers (thanks Murn) that helped me to pare down the 50+ new albums I tried to work my way through in 2018. Cheers to my musical friends for all you did to help make this list what it was and as a result, my year, so much better.

Tier 1- Best looked upon as those albums that had great tracks, standout moments and yet never delivered consistently enough to make their way into a constant rotation. 

22. Jim James - Uniform Distortion
Might as well start out with one I know is going to disappoint a few people. Every listen,  I end up wanting to like this album a lot more than I really do, which would be more insulting if I didn't actually enjoy it. But I (kinda) do. Jim is an artist, both with MMJ and solo, who hasn't managed to fit his musical pieces into my mosaic in the right pattern just yet. Always enjoyable, filled with straightforward rock, ample guitar solos and excellent harmonies, there's no reason this isn't able to dig in deep with me. Every time I put it on, I'm nodding, air guitaring along and never inclined to turn it off. But at the same time, it almost feels like homework for me to seek it out and put it on in the first place. Why does that happen with certain artists? He isn't the only one. My best guess is that it means that I'm just not ready yet. There will be a day where this (and everything else of his) becomes an obsession. It's just not today. Sorry fellas.

Key Tracks: Throwback, Just A Fool, Yes to Everything

21. St. Paul & The Broken Bones - Young Sick Camellia
All three singles are legitimately incredible. This band is tight, fun and just downright slamming on each. They're infectious, remarkably danceable (though you hope no one's watching) and left me salivating for the album itself. Sure that I was looking at a top album of the year guarantee, I popped it on the list and sat back to wait for the rest. Alas, unavoidably, the rest of the album did indeed come out. Of the 10 other tracks, four were interludes and from the other six, only one grabbed me in the same way. Ouch. Looking at a ratio of less than 25% "full on grab ya" songs, I couldn't rank this album nearly as high as I originally imagined it would be. Their best work is as good as it got in 2018 and I'd still pay top dollar to see these guys live, but until they can deliver a little more consistently, they're going to muddle back here a little longer.

Key Tracks: Convex, Apollo, GotItBad, LivWithoutU

20. T. Hardy Morris - Dude, The Obscure
Another attempt at making his talents work, Mr. Morris stepped away from the Dead Confederates to go solo. Honestly, if you hadn't told me that this was the frontman who wailed through walls of southern gothic noise in his previous band, I wouldn't have believed you. What a (welcome) left turn. Having discovered the DCs via their association with J Mascis, and really only coming away from that loving the song he appeared on, I wasn't a diehard follower. Straight up name recognition was the only reason I even stopped to read the review. A chill, sparse, emotional journey into the headspace of a man looking for a new way to share his talents, this was a positive step in a direction I hope he continues in. The main reason I like this so much also happens to be an issue the lead me to rank it this low; while cohesive as could be, the tracks all tend to blend together.

Key Tracks: When the Record Skips, Lit by Midnight, Purple House Blues

19. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In
As controversial a voice as I've ever come across, friends' emotions towards him range from actively despising to ignored ambivalence. For multiple albums now, his laid back, stoner with an eye to the future vibe just clicks with me though. Layered guitars, lackadaisical vocals and a simple but steady drumbeat just taps right into that J Mascis-lobe in my brain, refusing to let go. He's not afraid of letting a song linger, breathe and stretch out in a way where you can easily get lost inside it. That for me is a skill that when done right is a very pleasurable headspace to get and stay in. Whatever the real reason it resonates with me though, this is another solid output from an artist whose focus continues to sharpen, songwriting continues to improve and albums continue to deliver.

Key Tracks - Loading Zones, Bassackwards, Hysteria

18. Dawes - Passwords
This felt voting someone into the Hall of Fame because they played for ton of years and compiled great counting stats. Sure they had great individual seasons (albums), but this is more about the respect for someone you've followed and appreciated for so many years. Coming off the excellent We're All Gonna Die, this album can only be seen as a letdown strictly due to the fact that I would have expected any Dawes album to be ranked much higher than this. That's not to say it's in any way a bad album. Taylor is still a remarkably gifted storyteller/lyricist and it's a collection that will surely grow on me with time (it's secretly, not overtly hooky). Though I don't think it'll ever be an all timer, knowing how much these guys deliver when you're in the flesh, my current thinking is that I'll need to hear some of these tracks live before it can possibly reach its full potential.

Key Tracks: Telescope, Mistakes We Should Have Made, Crack the Case

Tier 2 - Albums that got multiple spins, delivered from top to bottom and didn't require any skipping around to find certain tracks. 


17. Bonny Doon - Longwave
Having just read through lists of the past, I predicted that the next time these guys put out an album it would be much higher on my list. I'd like to amend that statement. It's going to be basically the same exact prediction, but for NEXT album... Recorded in only a couple weeks in a cabin in Michigan, the formula is practically a mirror image. A couple absolutely stellar songs buoy what is a perfectly fine, yet seemingly unfinished/rushed remaining collection of tracks. Rooted in my unexplainable connection to the leader singers voice (I swear it's a family voice. Is that a thing? I'm not sure that's a thing), there's a visceral connection that anchors me to their sound when they do it right. Perfect, melodious slacker-ish rock in the vein of mellow Pavement meets low-key full band live instrumentation of Wilco with the only thing holding them back being consistency. Producing two of my favorite songs of the year on the same album, while incredible, only makes me salivate to think what could happen if they ever had a record that they really devoted the necessary time to.

Key Tracks: A Lotta Things, I Am Here (I'm Alive), Saw a Light

16. Rolling Coastal Blackouts Fever - Hope Downs
Sometimes, it's just good to know that there are new bands out there that still want to just make straight forward Australian rock and roll. After two EPs, this was their first full length release and it's a good ol' fashioned blast of propulsive drum beats combined with bitingly sharp guitars that seem to mimic the path of a cardiac monitor. Like a mixture of the rebirth of mid 2000s British rock bands and the 80s new wave vocals, it's hard not to get caught up in the catchiness. There's nothing complicated here. Just sit back, drop the needle, find the groove with them and nod your way through this excellent debut.

Key Tracks: An Air Conditioned Man, Mainland, Talking Straight

15. Charles Watson - Now That I'm A River
With another strong assist from Jake, a buddy not involved in this just yet (hopefully someday) who has consistently given me recommendations that end up on these end of the year lists, I end up with the next three artists. The first, is an idyllic dabbling in the psychedelic calm. Never in much of a hurry, the album rides along a peacefully slow undulating fog. Cutting through is a beautifully overdubbed vocal and sneaky grooves that take you a good 30 seconds to realize you're even undulating to. This one is on the rise after not getting my full attention until mid December. Bonus points to Mr. Watson for sending along an autographed vinyl and then communicating about it directly with us on Christmas day.

Key Tracks: Now That' I'm A River, Voices Carry Through the Mist, Abandoned Buick

14. Sam Evian - You, Forever
The second is the sophomore album from a lesser known artist who has delivered two straight excellent performances, 2016's Premium and now this. Very much in the same vein as the previous entry in this list, you can see what the musical honey hole is for my man Jake. A little more focused and varied than his last release, You, Forever breezes by in 39 minutes consistency delivering infectious vibes dotted with lovely female backing vocals. Like the half second between walking and running, it manages to be on the cusp of a tempo above chill. The production is syrupy sweet and the lyrics are insightfully fun to go back and sift through. Being lucky enough to catch someone early in their career, this work is a great sign things to come.

Key Tracks: IDGAF, Where Did You Go?, Country, You Forever

13. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
The last in the Trio of Jacob falls to the lone female artist to make the list (insert my wife and sister yelling at me, rightfully so), though she has appeared before. Having most recently finding her way into my previous list with Lotta Sea Lice, her 2017 collabo album with Kurt Vile, she managed to churn out an even better slice of rock this year. Always on the fence about her in the past, a rouge episode of Song Exploder, a really cool podcast that talks with artists directly to break down an individual song, changed me into a full on convert. Ever since, I'd been anxiously awaiting what she would do next, and this is a badass rock record. With her awesome accent creating a very unique voice, she's got the melodic chops to carry some real heft over the top of powerfully heavy riffs. Blessed with a real gift for songwriting, she crafts biting lyrics that seem to be as effortless for her to say as they are emotionally heavy to live with. Plus, killing it with a few solos is never going to make anything worse in my book.

Key Tracks: Charity, Need a Little Time, Sunday Roast

12. Clearance - At Your Leisure 

It's extremely weird liking an album from a newly found band that it's looked upon as a letdown by some of its critics. Not that I've had the chance to listen to the previous album(s) just yet but I can't fathom this being something other than a stylistic change that didn't sit right.  Credit to Mr. Else for the find; now please go back and tell me if the other work is worth diving into as well. Stroksian angular guitar work helps to lay down a steady churning background sound for the possibly too simple but fitting vocals on these urgent riff driven tracks. Despite an album not being the best of the year, it's always a great sign of quality work that one would want to listen to the entire thing. At a time when the neverending deluge of new music isn't going to halt, it's nice to still want to drop the needle and just walk away.

Catchy Key Tracks: Chances Are, Had a Fantastic, Frozen Orange/No Wonder

Tier 3 - A collection of albums that I chose to share with many others, truly digging deep into each, spending time with every song. Lotta day care jams here. 

11. White Denim - Performance 
Hell yeah. I need more of this in my life. Rock. And. Roll. This is a band that somehow never managed to catch my ear, not for lack of Else's trying. Looks like I was (shockingly) wrong and he was damn right. Kicking ass right out of the gate with the first single "Magazin", this fish hooked me early and never let go. Packed floor to ceiling with salivating guitar riffs, there isn't a much better way to describe this other than truly fun. Managing to sneak in uniquely distorted vocals and some unexpected sax skronks does nothing to dispel how hard this album hits. The aforementioned "day care jams" are the one to two songs I pick daily to blast for the little man on the way to our (very close) child care center. Finely curated to make the boy want to funk, groove and rock, there were many a small feet that tapped themselves along to track after track I pulled from here. 

Key Tracks: Double Death, Magazin, Performance, Fine Slime

10. Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo
Possibly the most unique album to ever make one of these lists for me, Murny brought along this remarkable trio. A collection of performing musicians stumbled into each other, crafted a three piece almost entirely instrumental band, named it after a Thai word for airplane and then laid down some middle eastern psychedelic funk. Of course they did.  There isn't much I've ever heard that sounds like this. Pulling on their curiously interwoven world music strings and blending them together created one of the coolest genres I've ever heard. Unavoidably dancy funk/soul painted upon with meandering desert sitar like guitar tones allows for one of the more fun listening experiences of the year. Guaranteed to get everyone with a pulse shaking their posterior, it's always nice to have music that can seemingly be put on regardless of the listening audience.

Key Tracks: Maria También, Cómo Me Quieres, Evan Finds the Third Room

9. Albert Hammond Jr. - Francis Trouble
The best case scenario when a band you like isn't putting out music is that the individual members don't follow suit. Albert, having put out merely one EP in the last five years with the Strokes, continues his impressively strong running churning out solo work. Though Julian is always seen as the puppet master pulling all the levers to make the band go, an album like this is yet another reminder of the fact that Albert was much more instrumental to their core sound than originally thought. Either that or he's done a damn fine job chameleoning that recognizable sound when his original band can't seem to stand each other. His tightest, most varied and best sounding album to date is filled with ample moments that bring back every bit of First Impressions of Earth nostalgia, a time when the Strokes really started to stretch their wings. This is a unique, diverse and complete collection of tracks with bouncing guitars, serpentine solos and video games meets pop licks say to me that Albert may actually be better off on his own.

Key Tracks: Set to Attack, Muted Beatings. Harder Harder Harder

8. Sheepdogs - Changing Colours
After thankfully showing that their 2012 major label debut was a too many cooks in the kitchen debacle that they could recover nicely from with 2015's Future Nostalgia, the Canadian dogs came back with yet another superb fuzzed out collection of a mix of aped vintage southern rock and 70s AM gold. Hitting me right in the sweet spot of two genres that I would have loved to be around for in person, Changing Colours (aw, look at that Canadian spelling of color) removes any pretense about whether or not it's still "cool" to rock. With a slightly new lineup, they deliver once again on one of my favorite throwback traditions they have; sneak a multiple song medley into the second half of the album. It's always a risk and it always turns out really freaking good. The rest of these unapologetic tunes are more than happy to hop in a time machine and bring me back to an era I didn't exists for, but I'm more than happy to go along for the ride.

Key Tracks: I've Got a Hole Where My Heart Should Be, I Ain't Cool, You Got To Be a Man

7. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Sparkle Hard
Still, and probably forever, known as the lead guy from Pavement, Malkmus has now managed to put out two more albums without them. Always walking right up to the edge of the canyon of pop hits, he seems to purposely avoid diving headlong in. I'll be damned if he doesn't walk that line better than almost anyone in the business though. Whether it's strangely subversive lyrics, oddly auto-tuned vocals or oddly (though awesome) political commentary, he and the Jicks seem to do just enough to keep evolving and changing their sound to never sound stale. All the while, he's still singing in the same deadpan, burying melody throughout and reminding us all of his constantly impressive guitar heroics. There's no limit to the amount of ways I can hum or "make my own lyrics up in a way to horribly annoy my wife" to these tracks. Unconventional? Sure. But who in their right mind needs convention when you have the solo in "Kite"?

Key Tracks: Shiggy, Bike Lane, Kite

Tier 4 - Those that came along, stuck and wouldn't let go. Played often to this day, regardless of how many times they've been played before, still sounding fresh and impactful. 

6. Rainbow Kitten Surprise - How To: Friend, Love, Freefall
One of the few albums to appear on here just due to reading a review, this horribly named band has to be my surprise breakout of the year. Hailing from my home state, they are a mashup of styles that can only come from growing up in appalachia heading towards the middle of the twenty first century. An extremely strong pairing of versatile and talented musicianship meets the shape shifting vocals of their front man. Soulful and gritty in one minute swifty morphs into playful skat-rapping the next, with a highly accented mountain twang all the while. Described on paper, this is a band that shouldn't work for a variety of reasons but I'll be damned if it doesn't pull it off in spades. Bonus points are given to this one for being the new band of the year for my wife, allowing me to suddenly have something I was fiending for in the car that didn't get any resistance.

Key Tracks: Matchbox, Moody Orange, When It Lands, Holy War

5. J Mascis - Elastic Days 
The frontman of one of my all time favorite bands has never been able to make something I don't enjoy. I'm a self admitted obsessive fanboy and J is more than happy to deliver a prolific stream of guest appearances, work with Dinosaur Jr., his earlier work with The Fog and then solo material as well, all of which I'll gobble down gleefully. With that said, I don't think there has ever been a better all around showcase for what J is capable of as a musician. The slower, acoustic driven tracks do everything to highlight just how good of a songwriter he has become, his acoustic strum there all the while to buttress his plaintively aching vocals. For the first time when solo though, he hasn't been afraid to let that songwriting be out front but still deliver on each track at least one (if not two, three or four) blistering trademark solos on the electric guitar as well. It's a sound that just puts me in a good place. Give me the worst day of the year and I'll still be drawn to let his slithering wail envelop me in a cocoon of comfort.

Key Tracks: See You At the Movies, Cut Stranger, I Went Dust

4. Rayland Baxter - Wide Awake
Yeahhhh buddy! Rayland is about to become one of "my guys", the ones who I start following a little (more) obsessively to track where they are (oh, look, he's going to be on the new BNQT album) as well as how soon before we get another full length (approx two years between the last two gives me 2020 as a year to look forward to). Borrowing elements from the Beatles, ELO, Beck and the Flaming Lips, he's managed to craft one of the most complete and arresting albums of the year. Whether it's just me reading into it, or intent (does it matter?), there are many themes that appear after multiple listens that resonate deep with where I am, where the country is and how unbelievably strange everyday life in the world seems to some of us. This was the top album that I wanted to share with other music heads, one that was so good I got too excited and accidentally bought the vinyl twice in the span of two months. A true songwriting talent, there is no doubt he'll be back on this list many years to come. Extra credit for having the chorus on "Hey Larocco" become the most sung thing of the year by my son.

Key Tracks: Strange American Dream, 79 Shiny Revolvers, Hey Larocco, Amelia Baker

3. Father John Misty - God’s Favorite Customer
It shouldn't work as well as it does. It's safe to say I would have been so turned off by the smarmy schtick (or is it?) of Josh Tillman in my younger years that I would have never given his music a chance. Thankfully, whatever happened that snow day many years back when I Love You, Honeybear floated into my life has caused me to be an absolute devoted convert to the ways of FJM. After the dense world weary sadness of his previous album, this sounds like the drug fueled confessional of a philandering husband who is holed up in a hotel room serving penance. And apparently, that's exactly what it is. I think it's a mistake to say that only sorrow and misery can bring about good art. The aforementioned ILYH is an unrelenting testament to what newfound love and happiness can produce. Intense emotion one way or the other though is going to deliver the most heartfelt takes, if one is willing to lay themselves bare. Certainly not an issue here, these heartbreaking tunes make you truly feel for the guy, until you stop to think what he must have done in order to need this much self flagellation. Obviously sad as that may be for his life and the reality of his relationship, selfishly, I'm thrilled with the result.

Key Tracks: Hangout at the Gallows, We're Only People, Mr. Tillman, Date Night

2. Bahamas - Earthtones
What a run by Afie. What a transformation too. Since being shown to me by my hombre Jarret a few years back, I've been rapturously watching him evolve from a low key, shy, singer songwriter who was embarrassed to even do more than one solo live to a cocksure, confidence oozing soul frontman who ripped the stage apart with moxie alone. Arguably my wife's favorite album of the year, Earthtones is an exquisite record that easily could have been my #1 too. Heartfelt, soulful, funky, impeccably produced and just downright gorgeous, this is yet another example of a man who seemingly f'ed up bad and benefited creatively (see: John Misty, Father). One of the coolest parts? The vinyl has at least four songs that range from being partially to entirely different versions. What a mind warp hearing that the first time after having digested the digital album repeatedly. I can't get enough of his voice and his guitar work is starting to get me talking about him in the conversations of my favorite current ax men. Backed throughout by stunningly beautiful female vocals, this album is an entirely different set of tunes from his previous output that manages to be exactly the same in at least one way; the minute you're done, you're just dying to start over. Play it again.

Key Tracks: Opening Act (The Shooby Dooby Song), Show Me Naomi, No Expectations

1. Moondoggies - A Love Sleeps Deep
Any and all credit for this one goes to the holy entity known as the Murn. Holy hell did he deliver here. A one track "you should check this out" song turned into the most listened to, most outstanding, cohesive album of the year. From that moment this summer, there has rarely been a week that's gone by without my pressing play and sitting back to absorb every note of this eight song masterpiece. Following the Pink Floyd playbook of allowing their songs to breathe in a way where such pesky things as the chorus are mostly avoided, the songs duck and dive their way through different tempos, vibes and grooves. Feel has been mentioned a million times in these writeups by all of us throughout the years but sometimes, that's all it really comes down to. This album delivers a feeling for me that only comes along every couple years, something in the vein of the way The War On Drugs' Lost in a Dream or Jonathan Wilson Fanfare grabbed me and just refused to let go. In the way that a good movie can hook you with just one scene, this is a record that I can jump in at any point and want to stay for the remainder, if not just start it over from the top. Whatever the formula was that helped to create this beautiful beast, I hope it's something they are able to harness.

Key Tracks: Cinders, Soviet Barn Fire, Easy Coming, Sick in Bed

So with all the love that sharing music has brought me thanks to the friends listed here to the many others that have been kind enough to teach me, want to share with me and enlighten me, I'm hoping that you, dear reader, will be able to find something new to latch onto as well. Cheers.