50 best albums of 2018, including those from Kacey Musgraves, Ariana Grande and Paul McCartney
Releases from Travis Scott, The Breeders, and Neko Case made the cut.
2018 was another year full of great surprises. The album release schedule seemed slimmer when compared to other recent years, and they continued to get shorter in in length in the age of streaming.
Still, this year offered an eclectic set of albums that should be on your radar.
The top 50 albums of the year were:
50. APHEX TWIN â âCOLLAPSEâ EP Richard D. James returns with his latest Aphex Twin release, and âCollapseâ is a dizzying, pleasantly warped offering that plays like a rapid-fire video game soundtrack. The five tracks clock in at nearly a half-hour, but from the booming clatter of â1st 44â to the dissonant menace of âMt1 t29r2â and âPthex,â you should be immediately hooked, if the mood of this set grabs you in the right way.
49. TRAVIS SCOTT â âASTROWORLDâ Travis Scottâs third album finds the rapper mixing some psychedelic backdrops with vocoder-assisted jams that are truly effective. This is an adventurous set that should please progressive hip-hop fans, looking to take modern electro-tinged hip-hop to the next level. The best moment comes when the vocoders take a backseat on the darkly enthralling âSicko Mode,â but throughout the set, Scott offers a dense, intensely layered collection that should prove to be influential. This is a hazy, woozy trip.
48. MIKE SHINODA â âPOST TRAUMATICâ Dealing with the aftermath of the 2017 suicide of his Linkin Park bandmate, Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda delivered an intensely personal and moving collection exploring his journey through the grief process. âPost Traumaticâ makes it abundantly clear that Bennington is loved and missed, and songs like âPlace to Start,â âNothing Makes Sense Anymore,â and the K.Flay duet âMake it up as I Goâ show that if the members of Linkin Park choose to continue with Shinoda as their lead vocalist, he is up to the task. This record is very much in step with last yearâs âOne More Light.â
47. JANELLE MONAE â âDRITY COMPUTERâ Janelle Monaeâs third full-length album is a funky, eclectic ride, with guests including Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson, Pharrell Williams, Grimes and Zoe Kravitz. From the glorious title track to songs like âPynkâ and the not-so-subtle âScrewed,â this is, at its core, an album focused on sexual liberation and rebirth. Itâs also quite an unpredictable party record, full of enjoyable stand-outs. This is a huge step forward for Monae.
46. A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS â âPINNEDâ New York noise-rock outfit, A Place to Bury Strangers, returns with its fifth album, and if you didn't already know that leader Oliver Ackermann also designs guitar pedals, it becomes immediately obvious from the amount of dense sounds on this record. New drummer and background vocalist Lia Simone Braswell proves to be asset here, and songs like âThereâs Only One of Us,â âSituations Changesâ and âNever Coming Backâ combine the noisy layering of the Jesus and Mary Chain with the cool, dark detachment of Joy Division.
45. CZARFACE & MF DOOM â âCZARFACE MEEETS METALFACEâ When underground hip-hop legend MF Doom joins forces with Czarface (a super-group featuring the Wu-Tangâs Inspectah Deck along with 7L & Esoteric) it results in some playfully cartoon-y fun, continuing Doomâs enjoyable âsuper-villainâ shtick. Full of dusty samples and vocal-snippets, standouts like âForever People,â âCaptain Crunch,â âStun Gunâ and âNautical Depthâ provide some bass-heavy, lo-fi enjoyment. Clever cultural references are scattered all over this record, providing an equal amount of laughs and thrills.
44. MACY GRAY â âRUBYâ âRubyâ is easily Macy Grayâs freshest and most essential record since the one-two-punch of âOn How Life Isâ and âThe Id.â This is a boldly assured return to form with a bright, energetic kick. Standouts, âBuddha,â âCold World,â âJealousy,â âWitnessâ and the upbeat âWhite Manâ show Gray at the peak of her powers with an incredibly tight backing band. This record is worth finding and blasting.
43. THE MOUSE OUTFIT â âJAGGED TOOTH CROOKâ The newest full-length album by hip-hop collective The Mouse Outfit, from Manchester, England, puts the emphasis on smoother-than-silk grooves. Familiar guests like Ellis Meade, Sparkz, Dr Syntax, Dubbul O and more make appearances, but on cuts like âRepeat,â âCut âEm Loose,â âMoney,â âRevolutionâ and more, the tight grooves demand just as much attention as the emcees on the mic.
42. POSTER CHILDREN â âGRAND BARGAIN!â On their first album in 14 years, Champaign, Illinois, rockers Poster Children return with a sharply appealing, politically-charged set. Tracks like âHippie Hills,â âBetter Than Nothing,â âWorldâs Insaneâ and âDevil and a Gunâ provide the kind of energy that earned them a following in the nineties, but it is the bludgeoning force of the spoken-word title track, which takes direct aim at the current administration, that really leaves a powerful impression. Rick Valentinâs deadpan verses and bellowing choruses still pack a wallop.
41. MAC MILLER â âSWIMMINGâ Thereâs an eerie, melancholy undercurrent to Mac Millerâs âSwimming,â no doubt accentuated by the Pittsburgh rapperâs unexpected death shortly after the albumâs release. Listening to tracks like âSo it Goes,â âHurt Feelings,â âSelf Careâ and more, itâs hard to deny that this is among the most soulful, mature and honest music that Mac Miller ever released.
40. JORJA SMITH â âLOST & FOUNDâ The debut full-length album from the English R&B star is packed with the kind of grooves that should please any classic neo-soul fan. Tracks like the Dizzee Rascal-quoting âBlue Lights,â the awesomely smooth âFebruary 3rdâ and the acoustic-guitar led âGoodbyesâ show Smith as a blooming star, bringing to mind the likes of Jill Scott and Corinne Bailey Rae. âLost & Foundâ is a mellow yet utterly confident set.
39. LUCY DACUS â âHISTORIANâ Folky indie-rocker Lucy Dacus follows up her impressive 2016 debut âNo Burdenâ with an even more remarkable sophomore effort, âHistorian.â Dacusâ trademark seems to be her confessional lyrics delivered in a somewhat conversational tone, making songs like âNight Shift,â âAddictions,â âNonbelieverâ and the darker âTimefighterâ really grab the listener by the ears. This album is intimate in its approach, putting extra focus on Dacusâ gifts as a storyteller.
38. ANNA BURCH â âQUIT THE CURSEâ Singer-songwriter Anna Burch makes a dynamite entrance on her debut album, âQuit the Curse,â an album that is brimming with retro-pop-craft coolness and steeped in vintage power-pop. In some ways songs like âTea-Soaked Letter,â âWhat I Wantâ and âAsking 4 a Friendâ bring to mind a more hushed but equally insistent cousin to the work of bands like Best Coast and Alvvays. These are smart, sweet songs full of catchiness and attitude and yet the hooks are never forced.
37. NENEH CHERRY â âBROKEN POLITICSâ Thirty years after Neneh Cherry struck pop gold with her breakout hit, âBuffalo Stance,â she is still making head-turning tracks. âBroken Politicsâ is more of an arty, left-field exercise. She teams up with Kieran Hebden of Four Tet fame, making a thought-provoking record full of nuance and texture. Tracks like âKong,â âDeep Vein Thrombosisâ and âSlow Releaseâ bring to mind the cerebral side of Bjork and records by the likes of Massive Attack and Martina Topley Bird. True to its title, this is a politically-charged effort, with tracks like âShot Gun Shackâ and âNatural Skin Deepâ leaving a profound impression.
36. RAY LAMONTAGNE â âPART OF THE LIGHTâ Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne drops his third killer album in a row following 2014âs highly psychedelic âSupernovaâ and 2016âs ethereal âOuroboros.â While âPart of the Light takes cues from its too immediate predecessors, giving us bursting left turns like âPaper Man.â The title-track and the beautiful âSuch a Simple Thingâ offer up some tender songwriting and yet, even at his quietest, LaMontagneâs work never comes off as light fare. He seems to be growing exponentially as a writer and performer. âSuch a Simple Thing,â for instance, finds a middle-ground in some ways between Van Morrison and George Michael. When he follows that up with the blues of âNo Answer Arrivesâ one track later, it seems expected.
35. NEKO CASE â âHELL-ONâ Alt-country shape-shifter Neko Case doesnât disappoint with her first solo album in five years. âHell-Onâ is a tightly-wound record that is slightly gothic and existential in tone. The title-track sounds like a Tom Waits-esque lament on our impending doom while the saxophone-assisted âHalls of Sarahâ is a bold character-study drenched in an almost celebratory brand of melancholy. From the girl-group workout âBad Luckâ to the commanding âGumball Blue,â it becomes clear at once that Case is one of a kind. Her choice to work with producer Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John fame is icing on the cake, making this album often sound like a more pensive, shadowy cousin to her New Pornographers output.
34. FLORENCE + THE MACHINE â âHIGH AS HOPEâ At just 10 songs and with a somewhat sparse approach, Florence + the Machineâs fourth album comes off as a significantly more subtle exercise when compared to the bombast of the bandâs past work. Still, if you give it the attention it deserves, songs like âGraceâ and âPatriciaâ still shows Florence Welch to be a show-stealing anchor. âSky Full of Songâ is one of Welchâs strongest offerings to date and âHungerâ goes from a minimalist jam to a pop-ready jam. Welchâs lyrics here rid herself of demons in a deeply cathartic, confessional way. âHigh as Hopeâ slightly mutes the orchestral flourishes of the past, while still maintaining the same mysterious magic.
33. NOW, NOW â âSAVEDâ Indie-pop outfit Now, Nowâs first album in six years is the kind of record that should earn them a much wider audience, from the opener âSGL,â to the Michael Jackson-referencing âMJ,â to the hypnotic âAZ.â Yes, they like to use initials as song-titles, but the center of attention is always on Cacie Dalagerâs conversational, pop-ready vocals. This is a record for fans of groups like Chairlift and Wet, with standouts like âHoly Waterâ and the pseudo-dream-pop-infused âDriveâ demanding repeated spins.
32. DR. OCTAGON â âMOOSEBUMPS: AN EXPLORATION INTO MODERN DAY HORRIPILATIONâ Kool Keith resurrects his Dr. Octagon moniker, bringing along his cohorts Dan the Automator and DJ QBert. As expected, the resulting record is full of madcap zaniness, random hospital themes and a ton of graphic sexual references. This is an album that earns its warning sticker. âBlack Hole Son,â âPolka Dotsâ and the Paul Banks-assisted âFlying Waterbedâ deliver the kind of tongue-in-cheek cartoonish naughty bits fans expect. Even better, on â3030 Meets the Doc, Part 1,â Keith meets Del the Funky Homosapien, effectively achieving a Dr. Octagon/Deltron 3030 summit.
31. LILY ALLEN â âNO SHAMEâ Lily Allen recovers nicely from the strange missteps of her last album âSheezus,â with âNo Shame,â a sonically experimental offering that combines the clever, attitude-heavy pop of her first two records with a shiny, dub-y reggae sheen. Her voice is often covered in deep layers of reverb and other effects but songs like âWhat You Waiting For?â âCome on Thenâ and the beautiful Burna Boy-assisted âYour Choiceâ recall high points of the past. By the time you hit the piano-ballad âThree,â which verges on being downright Beatle-esque and the airy yet dense âEverything to Feel Something,â with its jazzy textures, it seems evident that this is Allen at her most open.
30. SKYZOO â âIN CELEBRATION OF USâ Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo hands in a mature, thought-provoking offering with the smooth, tight, âIn Celebration of Us.â His dense flow is thick with wisdom and charisma as he rhymes over some really slick beats. When his backdrop completely switches up on âHeirlooms & Accessories,â he doesnât even stop to take a breath. Tracks like âCrown Holder,â âForever in a Day,â âLove is Loveâ and the wonderfully bass-driven âSound LikeâŚâ used to be the kind of songs that turned rappers into stars. This is New York hip-hop in the classic âVideo Music Boxâ mold.
29. TANUKICHAN â âSUNDAYSâ Hannah van Loonâs recording project Tanukichan makes a powerful statement with the dream-pop-infused âSundays,â an album that revels in both lush textures and overblown moments, finding beauty in the achievement of a balance. The relaxed groove of âThe Bestâ and the deeply atmospheric âLike the Sunâ both place van Loonâs near whispered, but clear vocals over some really thick backdrops. âBitter Medicineâ has a classic, watery shoegaze drive while âThis Timeâ is a well-executed ballad. Produced by Toro y Moiâs Chad Bear, this is in many ways a perfect soundtrack for late-weekend chill-out sessions.
28. ELLE KING â âSHAKE THE SPIRITâ After hitting major success with her single, âExâs and Ohâs,â singer Elle King in no way hits the sophomore jinx with her second album, âShake the Spirit,â a collection which revels in a combination of influences ranging from rockabilly, hard-rock and country. âBaby Outlawâ sounds downright cinematic in its approach, while âShameâ is a show-stopping slice of distorted, bluesy pop. King takes some daring vocal chances on âTold You Soâ and proves she can handle a great ballad on both âSoberâ and âGood Thing Gone.â âShake the Spiritâ is a rocky record that fuses timeless song-craft with alternating doses of bile and emotional release.
27. BELLY â âDOVEâ Nineties alt-rock veterans Belly returned with their first album in 23 years, âDove,â an album which both builds on the legacy they established with their first two classic albums, and adds a dose of maturity to the mix. Listening to the sweetness of âHuman Child,â leader Tanya Donelly is injecting the kind care she put into the highlights of her solo âSwan Song Seriesâ boxed set a few years ago. There are hints of their grunge-era past in rockers like the nearly âShiny Oneâ or the opener âMine,â but mostly âDoveâ is about evolution and growth. Itâs hard to imagine nineties albums having songs like the country-infused, âArtifact,â but these moments provide many unexpected but worthy surprises.
26. YOUNGER â âNIGHT MILKâ Iowa City alt-rock rock trio, Younger, deliver a dynamite second album with âNight Milk,â an album which rocks harder than their impressive debut. Amanda Crosby, Rachel Sauter and Sarah Mannix pound out rock gems like the attention-grabbing, thunderous âDivorce,â and the slow-building-to-explosive âTrash.â While their debut hinted at a lot of classic âRIOT GRRRL!â influence, this album is more psychedelic in its approach, although you can hear echoes of âGuyvilleâ-era Liz Phair in the guitar-work on âMouth Off.â Sonically, this set offers a thrilling, enjoyable gut-punch.
25. WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS â âMISSION BELLâ William Fitzsimmonsâ âMission Bellâ is a record full of well-crafted, intimate, softly sung anthems of heartbreak. On songs like âSecond-Hand Smoke,â âDistant Loversâ and âAngela,â the Pittsburgh native sings about a dissolving relationship with keen attention to detail. Recalling everyone from Elliott Smith to early Joshua Radin, Fitzsimmons somehow finds tender beauty in the devastating aftermath, with a surprisingly clear and tender voice.
24. COURTNEY BARNETT â âTELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEELâ Moodier and more inward-looking than her 2015 album, Courtney Barnettâs âTell Me How You Really Feelâ shows another side to the Australian singer-songwriter. The peak of the record is âNameless, Facelessâ in which she sings, "Men are scared that women will laugh at them... Women are scared that men will kill them." This set mixes sobering doses of reality with clever observations on tracks like âCrippling Self Doubt and General Lack of Self Confidenceâ and âCity Looks Pretty.â It is Barnettâs wit that puts her above the rest.
23. ARIANA GRANDE â âSWEETENERâ âSweetenerâ is Ariana Grande's strongest collection to date, fueled by standout tracks, âGod Is a Woman,â âR.E.M.,â âNo Tears Left to Cryâ and âBreathinâ.â Her pseudo-cover of Imogen Heapâs âGoodnight and Goâ (listed as âGoodnight n Goâ) is also a highlight, as is the momentarily sweet, âPete Davidson,â which will exist forever as a touching reminder of their intense but ultimately short-lived romance. By the end of the year, Grande would top the charts with an ode to her exes, âThank U, Next,â which isnât present here, but is equally worthy.
22. COLOUR ME WEDNESDAY â âCOUNTING PENNIES IN THE AFTERLIFEâ West Londonâs Colour Me Wednesday is an indie-rock outfit fronted by sisters Jen Doveton and Harriet Doveton. Their sound merges punk elements with catchy pop, and the biggest highlight on âCounting Pennies in the Afterlifeâ is the sharply appealing and incredible ballad âTake What You Want (and Then Leave.)â Other highlights include the nearly equally enjoyable âNot My Turf,â the upbeat rocker, âHeatherâs Left for Deadâ and the cold-feet anthem, âSad Bride.â
21. MASTERSYSTEM â âDANCE MUSICâ Mastersystem is a band featuring Frightened Rabbitâs Scott Hutchison and Grant Hutchison along with Justin Lockey from Editors and James Lockey from Minor Victories. âDance Musicâ is a hard-charging, commanding and brutal record in places. Songs like âProper Home,â âNotes on a Life not Quite Livedâ and âMust Try Harderâ pack a great deal of punch. The music here is more destructive sounding than most of the Frightened Rabbit work but this is one last reminder of the late Hutchisonâs immense skill as a songwriter and a front-man.
20. THE WEEKND â âMY DEAR MELANCHOLYâ This is a tight, six-song set from Abel Tesfaye (A.K.A.the Weeknd) that immediately sets the mood in its brief 22 minutes. âCall out My Nameâ begins the heartbreak-inspired suite and proves to be the biggest highlight. What makes this set special is that it shows a keen sense of vulnerability in an artist who is usually known for sultry, confident jams. Somehow in spite of the sad context, this set still maintains his signature tone, especially on the lush closer, âPrivilegeâ and the extremely frank, âWasted Times.â Within its short running time, this set more than justifies its existence as a stand-alone EP in his discography.
19 . FAILURE â âIN THE FUTURE YOUR BODY WILL BE THE FURTHEST THING FROM YOUR MINDâ Three years after returning to action with their album, âThe Heart is a Monster,â it is great to see that the reunion has stuck. Ken Andrews, Greg Edwards and Kellii Scott have a signature sound that is immediately recognizable, full of sudden minor key turns and various dissonant notes. Songs like âParalytic Flow,â âPennies,â âNo One Leftâ and âApocalypse Bloomsâ should please longtime fans. The trio still maintains a darkly magical, unique chemistry.
18. CHVRCHES â âLOVE IS DEADâ / âHANSA SESSIONâ Scottish synth-pop trio Chvrches released their third top-notch album in a row, raising their profile even more with singles like âGet Out,â and âMiracle.â âGraffitiâ and âReally Goneâ are nearly perfect examples on the groupâs capabilities, with the latter ballad sounding like something out of a John Hughes movie. The âHansa Sessionâ EP contains performances of five tracks from the record with more organic instrumentation and a string section in place of most of the synths.
17. JOHNNY MARR â âCALL THE COMETâ Johnny Marr perfectly follows up âThe Messengerâ and âPlayland,â with the equally-focused âCall the Comet.â Without a doubt, the former Smiths guitarist has come into his own as both a solo artist and a vocalist. On the opener, âRise,â the magnificently majestic âHi Hello,â the arena-rock-ready âBugâ and the hazy âSpiral Cities,â he shows his guitar-work is still as iconic as ever. Marr remains an evergreen alt-rock titan.
16. BOYGENIUS â âBOGENIUSâ (EP) Singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus (see #39) are all up-and-coming artists who make their own brand of angst-driven music. It makes perfect sense that they would want to join forces as a trio and they do just that as boygenius. The six songs here show that they have immediate chemistry both as vocalists and guitarists, with many of these songs swelling to a volume not heard on their solo records. Highlights like âBite the Hand,â âMe & My Dogâ and âStay Downâ make you wish the set was longer.
15. PETER BJORN AND JOHN â âDARKER DAYSâ After hitting a snag on their last record, on âDarker Days,â PB&J sound like themselves again. One listen to tracks like âEvery Other Night,â âLiving a Dream,â âSick and Tiredâ and âSilicon Valley, and it is evident that they have once again found the thread. Bjorn Yttlingâs production and their inherent chemistry as musicians make this trio special and this collection, with its experimental edges, provides another excellent addition to their discography.
14. WEAKENED FRIENDS â âCOMMON BLAHâ Portland, Maineâs Weakened Friends deliver the kind of grungy, power-pop not often heard on the radio this side of 1996, and on their full-length debut, they firmly establish themselves with standouts like âAches,â âBlue Again,â âEarlyâ and the J Mascis-assisted âJunk Mail.â Perhaps the secret of their sound cementing itself in your brain is singer Sonia Sturinoâs unusual vocal delivery, full of raspy twists and turns. In any case, âCommon Blahâ is a near-perfect nineties âbuzz-binâ record even in 2018.
13. KAMASI WASHINGTON â âHEAVEN AND HELLâ Jazz saxophonist and bandleader Kamasi Washington covers a lot of ground on the stunning double-disc, âHeaven and Hell,â in which he mixes classic jazz with cinematic rises and some Latin rhythms. With his love of vocal flourishes, tracks like âCan You Hear Him?â and âShow Us the Wayâ can sound like something between Mancini and Morricone, while funky jams like âThe Psalmnist,â âHub-Tonesâ and âVI Lua VI Solâ are full of vintage jazz cool, even considering the latterâs spaced-out vocal line.
12. THE JAMES HUNTER SIX â âWHATEVER IT TAKESâ James Hunter still sounds like he is equal parts Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Bobby Darin, making âWhatever It Takesâ yet another winner in his discography. The title-track, âI Donât Wanna Be Without You,â âI Got Eyesâ and âShow Herâ could have all been massive hits in the early â60s, with a vintage sense of authenticity. It seems perfect that Hunter is currently signed to the famed Daptone label.
11. DOE â âGROW INTO ITâ Two years after delivering the astonishing âSome Things Last Longer than You,â English trio Doe returns with âGrow Into It,â in which Nicola Leel, Jake Popyura and Dean Smithers drop another set of Breeders/Weezer-influenced rock. They still donât have a bassist and don't seem to need one, as their double-guitar attack really does the job. The surprising sonic explosions and fits of chaos suggest that they may be taking cues from âPinkerton,â and yet songs like the bouncy âLabour Like I Do,â the pensive âTeam Spirit,â and single-ready fuzz-ballad, âCathyâ rank among their best work.
10. SOCCER MOMMY â âCLEANâ Sophie Allison, who records under the name Soccer Mommy, makes tender, intimate songs with her heart on her sleeve suggesting a fusion somewhere between Elliott Smith and Taylor Swift. Songs like âStill Clean,â âWildflowers,â âCoolâ and âYour Dog,â make her proper full-length debut mandatory listening. Like Mitski, Waxahatchee and Julien Baker, Soccer Mommy can be added to an exponentially growing list of promising singer-songwriters.
9. CAROLINE ROSE â âLONERâ The two albums Caroline Rose released before âLonerâ were Americana records, which is a bit of an amazing realization when you consider the organ and synth-heavy indie-rock here. With songs like âMore of the Sameâ and âAnimal,â she suggests a more pop-driven answer to Beach House, while âCry!â sounds like it comes directly from a lo-fi eighties dance-party. Odd turns like âMoneyâ and the awesomely pointed go-go workout, âBikini,â establish some really quirky edges. This set is pretty much flawless, establishing Rose as an eclectic force.
8. JOHN COLTRANE â âBOTH DIRECTIONS AT ONCE: THE LOST ALBUMâ It speaks volumes that this previously-unreleased Coltrane record, recorded in 1963, sounds so fresh 55 years after its initial recording. Some songs donât even have proper titles, which seems a little sad, even though they play like fully fleshed-out grooves. Listening to âImpressionsâ or the take of âNature Boy,â this set sounds just as complete as any one of Coltraneâs peak albums. The 11-and-a-half-minute jam, âSlow Blues,â becomes somewhat entrancing as this set reminds us how much John Coltrane is really missed.
7. ANDERSON .PAAK â âOXNARDâ Following his previous offerings, âVeniceâ and âMalibu,â Anderson .Paak drops âOxnard,â a fitting, eclectic set named for the place he was born. .Paak brings the funk, raps and sings, making this album a thorough thrill-ride. Guests include big names like Kendrick Lamar, Q-Tip, J. Cole, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T and more. âTints,â for instance, plays like a summer jam re-positioned for the late fall, as does the nostalgic âCheers.â This is a musically-sophisticated, politically-aware set. â6 Summersâ gets an infectious bass-line that will immediately have your head bobbing.
6. PAUL MCCARTNEY â âEGYPT STATIONâ In a year where the Beatles are celebrating the 50th anniversary of âThe White Album,â Paul McCartney still sounds hungry on âEgypt Station,â an album which finds him working in expected ways on tracks like âCome on to Meâ and âHappy with Youâ and unexpected ways on the wonderful slice of modern pop, âFuh You.â He delivers a disheartened ballad on âI Donât Knowâ and explores some Latin rhythms on âBack in Brazil.â Nearly 55 years after the Beatles landed in the U.S., it is great to hear this kind of fresh experimentation from McCartney.
5. KACEY MUSGRAVES â âGOLDEN HOURâ This is the album in which Kacey Musgraves has blown it all open, between the opener, âSlow Burn,â to the low-key pop of âLonely Weekendâ and âWonder Woman.â Musgraves keeps her country twang intact, but this set isnât an easy record to classify, with funky numbers like âHigh Horseâ and laid-back, synth-led grooves like âButterflies.â As a songwriter, her knack for detail remains strong, and this record has extremely wide appeal.
4. THE BREEDERS â âALL NERVEâ The same line-up that recorded 1993âs âLast Splashâ came back together to record âAll Nerve.â As a songwriter, Kim Deal is still at her peak, judging from the jaw-droppingly great title-track and the haunting beginning of âSpacewoman.â If you listen to this album and âLast Splashâ back to back, it is incredible to think that 25 years separate the two records. The left-turn of âMetaGothâ proves to be a nice touch, as does the madly funky âArchangelâs Thunderbird.â The Deal twins unsurprisingly continue to prove their coolness, and this album should be considered âExhibit Aâ in the argument that this line-up of the band should continue going for years to come.
3. BLACK THOUGHT â âSTREAMS OF THOUGHT VOL. 1" / BLACK THOUGHT AND SALAAM REMI â âSTREAMS OF THOUGHT VOL. 2" Until he dropped an epic freestyle last year, Black Thought seemed destined to be one of the most underrated emcees in the game. Maybe the love he received in the aftermath inspired him to finally release some solo material after playing with the Roots for more than 20-plus years. Put these two EPs together and you get a 41-minute album. Most of Vol. 1 is produced by 9th Wonder, while on Vol. 2 you get some ace work from Salaam Remi. âTwofifteenâ and âMaking a Murdererâ serve as key highlights of the first half, while the longer second half sports immediate ear-worms like the bass-heavy âSoundtrack to Confusion,â âLong Liveth,â and âStreets.â What is most clear is that with his unrelenting, constantly adept flow, Black Thought is truly a gifted lyricist and poet. His verses play like dense, rhyming paragraphs.
2. MITSKI â âBE THE COWBOYâ On her fifth album, Mitski jam-packs 14 tracks into a brief 33 minutes, resulting in many, compact exercises in succinct composition. Give âGeyserâ a listen as it quickly builds and explodes, the country-tinged âLonesome Loveâ or the distorted new-wave of âRemember My Name.â Other highlights include âMe and My Husbandâ and the broadcast-esque âCome into the Water.â Mitski proves herself to be a sonic scientist, especially as she crams a complete songâs worth of ideas into a mere minute-and-a-half. This is a sometimes chaotic, genre-shifting set, but it is a love letter to pop-craft at its core.
1. THE BETHS â âFUTURE ME HATES MEâ The Beths are an indie-rock band from New Zealand with a knack for pop hooks and unpredictable shifts. âFuture Me Hates Meâ is as assured as debuts come and it doesnât get much more mind-blowing than the constantly adjusting âLittle Deathâ or the intense âNot Running.â âUptown Girlâ is an insistent bit of pop-fueled punk, while âHappy Unhappyâ is a sunny bit of power-pop. The Beths set the bar extremely high with this record and this album offers the kind of sudden surprise you hope for but hardly ever get.