Monday Mix: Jeff's Favorite Songs of 2018

Me: "Jeff, you gotta do the mix for Monday before Christmas.

Also me: "On it."

Also also me: "Hey, I liked a lot of songs this year. Gonna be hard to narrow it down to 30."

Also also also me: "Screw it, do 40."

Also also also also me: "Dude, you added 67 to the playlist."

Also also also also also me: "Fine, I'll try to cut it to 50."

Also also also also also also me: "There's no way I'm cutting 'The Hamilton Polka' from this."

So yeah. Here's 51 songs for the year. Shuffle and enjoy!

Jeff's Best of the Rest for 2018

Some albums didn't make the top ten, but should still be highlighted. Here's the best of the rest:

* St. Beauty - Running Into the Sun
* V.V. Lightbody - Bathing Peach
* Natalie Prass - The Future and The Past
* Kathinka - Kathinka
* Screaming Females - All At Once
* Esme Bridie - Today It Rains
* Half Waif - Lavender
* Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears
* Sunny War - With the Sun
* Many Rooms - There is a Presence Here
* Tancred - Nightstand
* Jodee Lewis - Buzzard's Bluff
* My Indigo - My Indigo
* Shopping - The Official Body
* Jenn Champion - Single Rider
* Marie Davidson - Working Class Woman

Ken's Best of 2018 - #1: Lucy Dacus - Historian

I somehow missed Lucy Dacus's 2016 album No Burden, but from the very first time I heard her song "Night Shift" last December, I was completely hooked. From there I was left impatiently waiting for Historian to come out. Once it did, I became obsessed with it. It's an obsession that has stuck, as this is my favorite album of 2018. A song like "Night Shift" starts out quietly and delicately as Dacus slowly gains strength and power as it builds to a more confident and rebuilt climax. The kids these days get criticized a lot for being obsessed with their phones and being unable to live in the moment and unplug. When I saw Lucy Dacus at The Sinclair back in April, I barely saw a phone taken out (except by us old guys) and the younger members of the crowd were the most engaged. It was a devotion I haven't seen since going to see Tori Amos in the 90's. Lucy Dacus does this amazing blend of mainstream singer/songwriter and 90's alt rock that doesn't sound dated. Historian is the type of album anyone could like if they truly gave it some time. It's mainstream enough for that but has enough interesting song structure to even give us music snobs plenty to love.

Songs of note: "Night Shift," "Next of Kin," Pillar of Truth."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #1: Bear Grass - LEFT

Ken sent me this one at some point out of the blue, noting that he nearly said it was “guaranteed to be in your 2018 top 10” but wanted to temper my expectations. He told me this after I sent him a text noting that I was in love with this album two songs in. That’s the sort of experience Bear Grass is, in that it sneaks up on you, gets its claws in, and does not let go. While this is not a debut (lead singer Katie Hammon has been recording under the moniker since 2011 but this is the first wide release available), if there is anything like it out there, I have yet to find it.

“Wash Over Me” is one of my favorites of the year, being a little more upbeat but maybe not as representative as “Snake in the Grass” or “Unawake,” two early tracks that set the tone. Although I could go on indefinitely about “Winter Caps,” which was positively transcendent when I first heard it and still gives me goosebumps in the opening chords through the first iteration of the chorus. And then there's "Clock in the Corner," and then there's "Shadow on the Wall," and then you have a gorgeous and lush finisher in "Sail Out," and at this point I'm listing every song because each one did... something for me.

Not only was this my favorite album this year, nothing else really came close. It’s that good. Just listen to the whole thing. You won't regret it.

Ken's Best of 2018 - #2: Weakened Friends - Common Blah

Weakened Friends have been one of my favorite discoveries since we started this blog, and I feel like I had been waiting ages for them to release a full length. They finally did in October with Common Blah. How great did Common Blah end up being? The song featuring J Mascis on guitar (and how cool is that?) isn't even the best song. Weakened Friends have this great 90's alternative feel that is a snapshot as early 90's post grunge/power pop started to meld into emo. I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again: Weakened Friends are what Weezer should sound like now. It's all fuzzed out and crunchy guitars, self-deprecating lyrics, emotive angst, and quite possibly the catchiest songs you've heard in years. Common Blah is an album I've been waiting years for, and it exceeded every expectation I could have possibly had. Expect huge things from these folks in 2019.

Songs of note: "Blue Again," "Good Friend," "Not Doing Good."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #2: The Beths - Future Me Hates Me

A favorite of both myself and Ken’s this year, The Beths is the alt/indie rock record we deserve this year. I got in on the ground floor with their EP some time ago, having been addicted to “Idea/Intent” for some time, but the full length gives us a band that is loud and confident and providing a fully-polished experience that stayed in near-constant rotation for me. On an album with nearly no filler, you’re simply left with a poppy-sounding rock effort that has so many great layers to it.

The title track is one of the highlights, with a singable chorus and traditional background harmonies. For me, it’s more about songs like “Uptown Girl,” a song that shows a ton of personality in its frantic delivery, and “Whatever,” a rerecording from their EP that shows both how well the band has grown along with how far they’ve come. This should be as addictive to any new listener as it has been for me since its release.

Songs of note: “Uptown Girl,” “Future Me Hates Me,” “Whatever.”

Ken's Best of 2018 - #3: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers - Years

Last year Sarah Shook & The Disarmers's Sidelong was my #2 album of the year. This year, their album Years is my #3 album. It says a lot for one artist to land in my top 3 two years in a row, but such is my love of Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. Years is a tiny bit more polished than it's predecessor, but ever so slightly. No one out there is doing country punk better than this group nowadays. It's such a raw sound that hearkens back to classic country without being a throwback at all. Normally when a band cleans up their sound and gets a little less raw I'll be that guy and whine and complain. Sure, I missed the rawness of Sidelong on my first listen of Years. But that didn't last long at all. Shook is an amazing songwriter, and with Years that is what shines through. Sarah Shook & The Disarmers are one of the rare bands I root for being as huge as they can be. True country fans will love this, but unfortunately most country fans want to hear songs about not wearing shoes or raps about a pick up truck. For those of us that prefer this sound, Years is basically perfect.

Songs of note: "New Ways to Fail," "The Bottle Never Lets Me Down," "Damned If I Do, Damned If I Don't."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #3: Neko Case - Hell-On

Neko Case has been at it for over two decades now, and continues to put out some incredibly essential music. Her latest, Hell-On, continues with the mood that we’ve become accustomed to – dark and brooding in many ways, but still feeling bright in others. Probably the best effort she has put together since Fox Confessor (and she doesn’t have a bad effort in between), both thematically and musically this just excels on all fronts.

Whether it’s an almost 1960s/70s pop song like “Bad Luck,” or the Crooked Fingers “Sleep All Summer” cover (featuring Eric Bachmann on his own song), the whole album has that sort of strange, otherworldly feel that Case does so well. Maybe the best, most complex track, however, is “Last Lion of Albion,” which is mythical and musically weird and incredibly ambitious. Early in the record, it sets the tone for where we’re headed and really sets us up for one of the best of the year.

Songs of note: “Last Lion of Albion,” “Sleep All Summer,” “Bad Luck,” “Halls of Sarah.”

Ken's Best of 2018 - #4: The Beths - Future Me Hates Me

You know it's a strong year for music when The Beths are my #4 pick of the year. Future Me Hates Me is an absurdly great album, filled with some of the catchiest alternative pop rock songs anyone has heard in years. I've always had a sweet spot for songs that sound sunny and cheerful but are in reality heartbreakingly depressing. This description basically sums up all of Future Me Hates Me. The title track is Beach Boys level upbeat and catchy, but it's called "Future Me Hates Me." Seeing them live back in October only cemented my obsession with The Beths. The album is great. Seeing them live? Next level obsession worthy. My too early prediction for 2019 is that they are going to be the show stealer once the summer festival season starts. Their song "Little Death" just has that large crowd scream along feel to it, and I really want to see fields of people yelling out "I die I die a little death" at the top of their lungs. In fact, Future Me Hates Me coming out in August might be the only reason I didn't place it higher on my top 10, as I've had more times with the three albums ahead of it.

Songs of note: "Future Me Hates Me," "Little Death," "Happy Unhappy."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #4: Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour

I realize that I have nothing special to say about Kacey Musgraves that hasn’t already been said, nor do I have anything especially unique to write about Golden Hour than anyone else has. Sometimes, an album simply hits the overall zeitgeist and we see the years of toil and the occasional identity crisis come to fruition in an effort that spans multiple genres and refuses to be pigeonholed. One could have forgiven Musgraves for scaling back and doing a back-to-basics country record given the criticism she has taken over the years; she instead decided to mix it up and acknowledge her roots while doing something a little more risky. It works. It more than works.

Everyone was rightfully thrown off by country disco song “High Horse” (even if it’s still a jam and a half) but the joys of this album come from songs like “Space Cowboy” and “Velvet Elvis,” two examples of which feel like what a modern country song should feel like, as opposed to the stereotypes we’ve all internalized in the mainstream. While artists like Taylor Swift work to shake the country off of their image, Musgraves instead appears to be taking the mantle and using it in a whole different way, and it works better than anyone could have predicted.

Songs of note: “High Horse,” “Velvet Elvis,” “Space Cowboy,” “Golden Hour.”

Ken's Best of 2018 - #5: Haley Heynderickx - I Need to Start a Garden

I Need to Start a Garden is one of the very rare albums that both Jeff and I included in our top 10 for 2018, so that says huge things about this one. Haley Heynderickx came out of nowhere back in September 2018 with "Oom Sha La La" and I instantly knew I needed to hear more. There aren't a lot of truly unique artists in folk. but Heynderickx is one of the most unique ones. From her odd and interesting way of arranging songs into long epics like "Worth It" to her stunning voice that is just slightly off kilter enough to keep interesting, I Need to Start a Garden is one of the more mesmerizing releases of the year. Take a song like the aforementioned "Oom Sha La La." It starts off as this lovely little pretty song, with the chorus of "Oom sha la la/Oom oom sha la la" just sucking you in, and then the near repeated screaming of "I need to start a garden" kicks in. I'm sure some listeners would be repelled as this can shatter the beauty and pleasantness of the song. But for some of us, it just adds to the song, sucking us in and making us completely obsessed. 

Songs of note: "Worth It," "Untitled God Song," "Oom Sha La La."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #5: Lucy Dacus - Historian

Lucy Dacus is an artist I found with a debut I enjoyed even though we somewhat overlooked it in these parts. When “Night Shift” landed a year ago, anyone who heard it knew we were in for something special, and the full album doesn’t disappoint. Equal parts tender and muscular, Historian provides an album that, instead of being a sophomore slump, shows an artist growing into her own and excelling at what she does best.

The album kicks off with one of the best songs of 2018, “Night Shift,” and never leaves that high. The album is certainly better experienced as a cohesive unit, but it’s hard to find fault in any of these songs. I just wonder when Dacus is going to peak as an artist, as she clearly is far from at her full power.

Songs of note: “Night Shift,” “Addictions.”

Ken's Best of 2018 - #6: Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

We've been babbling about our love of Courtney Barnett ever since she covered The Lemonheads's "Being Around" almost five years ago now. 2018 is no exception, and saw the release of Barnett's fantastic album Tell Me How You Really Feel. The new album is a bit more quiet and contemplative than 2015's Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit..., but that quiet brings in a more intense experience on further listens. The album opener, "Hopefulessness," just builds and builds throughout, going from a standard singer/songwriter tune to an indie rock anthem without increasing the tempo. "Need a Little Time" stays quiet throughout (mostly), and shows Barnett moving a bit from the talk-singing she's known for and singing more, quite nicely. Tell Me How You Really Feel showcases Barnett's growth as an artist and songwriter while sticking completely to what we love about her music. 

Songs of note: "Hopefulessness," "Need a Little Time,"  "Nameless, Faceless."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #6: Tiny Stills - Laughing Into the Void

Sometimes an album comes along that just scratches that itch you didn’t know you had. That was my experience with Tiny Stills, a favorite this year that mixed the sort of indie pop with endearing and emotive songwriting that sets the good apart from the great. From the opening track to some of its most mainstream efforts, this album basically succeeded in everything it tried to do.

The album kicks it off with an opening track that namedrops a variety of things before diving into a hooky poppy number. “Let’s Fall in Love” takes its time in taking off and being the song it shows hints of being from the start. Then you have songs like “Colorblind” that are not forging new ground but are not trying to forge new ground either. The straightforward nature of this record is really why it’s such a joy to hear.

I shuffled this between 8/7/6 this year, and ultimately realized that if I can’t find out where it belongs, it probably belongs closer to the front. I assume it will for you, too.

Songs of note: “Colorblind,” “Let’s Fall in Love,” “When I’m With You.”

Ken's Best of 2018 - #7: Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers - Bought to Rot

While I've always had an appreciation for Against Me!, I never would have considered myself a fan. When I first heard that Laura Jane Grace was releasing a solo album, I was more intrigued that it would be on Bloodshot Records since I've been a huge fan of their output, but Laura Jane Grace seemed heavier than their typical output. I assumed Bought to Rot would be the typical punk singer goes country/folk kind of album.

I was wrong. Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers have released one of the louder punk records of the year, despite still being a roots based album. Bought to Rot bounces between more laid back singer/songwriter style songs and some straight out thrash ones. The back and forth of this album is strongest in the difference between "Valeria Golino" and "The Apology Song," which close the album out back to back. "Valeria Golino" is a loud thrash song that builds and builds tension before erupting, while "The Apology Song" is a rambling near-folk song. You even get an almost novelty song with "I Hate Chicago," a song about how much Grace hates Chicago until she finally breaks down at the end and admits it's because of her divorce.

Songs of note: "Amsterdam Hotel Room," "Manic Depression," "Valeria Golino."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #7: Illuminati Hotties - Kiss Yr Frenemies

Illuminati Hotties has the best band name in the world right now. It doesn't hurt that the debut from the Sarah Tudzin-led project (Tudzin has production credits ranging from Macklemore to Hamilton) is one of the most refreshingly fun listens of the year. “(You’re Better) Than Ever,” the song that got me interested in the act, is a perfect blend of indie and pop and punk, and songs like "Cuff" and "Pressed 2 Death" show a range of ideas that even the most popular acts fail to replicate.

This is a crazy fun record, perhaps moreso than anything else out this year. It catches a lot of the current millennial zeitgeist without being completely cringey, and the result is a listen that I continually went back to since its release. As someone addicted to alt-rock styles and who doesn't mind a good laugh now and again in his music? This absolutely works.

Songs of note: "(You're Better) Than Ever," "Pressed 2 Death," "Paying Off the Happiness."

Ken's Best of 2018 - #8: Superchunk - What a Time to Be Alive

2018 has been a great year for new albums from some of our favorites from the 80's and 90's. We've seen good to great alums from J Mascis, Belly, Jon Spencer, Cypress Hill, Poster Children, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Buffalo Tom, and more, but the one that I keep going back to the most has been Superchunk's What a Time to Be Alive. While most of their peers have released more mellow music as they've aged, Superchunk have gotten louder and angrier in 2018, presumably amped up by the current political climate. You get these intense changes between songs like when the hard, angry rocker "Lost My Mind" goes into the much more upbeat and poppy "Break the Glass." It's increasingly rare to have a band that has been around for over twenty years to release an album that you not only love, but doesn't make you jsut want to go back and listen to their releases from your youth. It's such a great, solid album that Stephin Merritt and Katie Crutchfield guesting on "Erasure" is one of the least interesting aspects. This completely stands up with Superchunk's entire catalog.

Songs of note: "What a Time to Be Alive," "Break the Glass," "Reagan Youth."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #8: Tomberlin - At Weddings

Sarah Rose Tomberlin's debut album is a record I have no recollection of learning about, yet find it to be one of the more endearing and sticky listens of the year. Getting a lot of (IMO wrong) comparisons to Bon Iver, this sleepy-yet-sneaky folk record kicks right off with a great song and continues with a quiet and introspective intensity that has some haunting instrumentation and vocals to go along with the compelling lyrics. In many ways, it's the total package - it succeeds in being an accessible folk record while seemingly defying what you expect from it over and over. It was so sneaky that I barely mentioned it upon release (10 August alone saw the release of three of my top ten albums this year), but it really shouldn't be overshadowed more than it already has.

The leadoff track, "Any Other Way," starts off with a gentle-yet-firm burst of chords before launching into the vocals, setting the tone for the entire album. It is best, in many ways, when it stays in its established lanes, but then there are songs like the closer, "Self Help," that provide an extra air of mystery while being completely different. This is what sets Tomberlin apart from her peers - it's an album that feels heavy and important, with lots to say, and yet still provides a lot of compelling moments throughout its runtime.

Songs of note: "Any Other Way," "Self Help," "I'm Not Scared."

Ken's Best of 2018 - #9: Caroline Rose - LONER

I know Jeff couldn't get into LONER when it was released way back in February, but he's wrong about this one. While LONER is quite different to Caroline Rose's 2014 release I Will Not Be Afraid, the more I've been listening to both the less it feels like an abrupt change. No one can deny that LONER is far more synth heavy (her live show features three members playing synths during some songs), but both albums are incredibly pop heavy and fun. LONER just wears its fun on its sleeve a bit more. Ok... a LOT more. But these songs are so incredibly well written and all eleven songs have been stuck inside of my brain multiple times in the past ten months. If I Will Not Be Afraid was all about twang and LONER is all about synths (sonically at least, for both), I don't think anyone has even the slightest idea of what we should expect out of Rose in the future.

Songs of note: "Money," Soul No. 5," "Getting To Me."

Jeff's Best of 2018 - #9: SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES

Even though I've accepted the mantle as the resident pop music fan in these parts, listening to SOPHIE was mandatory even if I wasn't so into the genre. SOPHIE's genius is in deconstructing the expectations of what comes from pop music into its requisite parts and making an album that is as confusing as it is revolutionary. While some artists go fully into making weird, impenetrable electronic music and others (like Sia or Charli XCX) keep what might be their more strange instincts in check while producing radio-friendly hits, SOPHIE successfully straddles that line and instead creates something both with parts you'll grasp and parts that leave more questions than answers.

No song does this better than "Faceshopping," which has a standard throughline to follow and a beat you can (mostly) keep up with, and is yet still as weird and absurd as anything else on the album. While it is not the strangest, or the most pop, or the most interesting, or the most endearing release of the year, its overall impact and how well it moves from idea to idea in its execution makes it one not to miss in 2018.

Songs of note: "Faceshopping," "Ponyboy," "Whole New World/Pretend World."