(Note: as I included almost all the rock and alternative stuff I loved in my initial lists, I won't be covering them here, as it would be sort of redundant. As you will see, there are very few repeats on this list. However, a few rock/alternative acts did make some of the lists here that didn't previously, so fans of that sort of music wouldn't be completely unwise to scan the following categories.)
Best EPs (aka Extended Plays, typically seven songs or less)
The Best: Nine Inch Nails - Bad Witch
The last of a trilogy of EPs considered to be one full work by front-man Trent Reznor, this one is the longest, and arguably could count as an album, but it only has six songs on it, so... I'm going with EP. (The others in the series are Not the Actual Events and Add Violence, for the record.)
Given that, nowadays, NIN basically boils down to Reznor and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross- with whom he has created some great film scores, including the Oscar-winning The Social Network- the EP approach suits them, as much of this EP is of the instrumental variety, and unless you're adopting it as background music (which I often have done when writing, with their soundtrack scores), it just plays better in shorter form.
As much as I love NIN, some of the last few sprawling albums have been a little overwhelming- witness the over 2 and 1/2 hour Fragile: Deviations, for instance, or Ghosts I-IV, which was nearly two hours, both of which were largely instrumental, making them also seem more like film scores than proper NIN releases. Nothing wrong with that, per se, but I like this more bite-size approach better, when it comes to NIN, or at least, this particular incarnation of it.
This EP does feature some unexpected elements, such as the appearance of a saxophone on the instrumental, "Play the Goddamned Part," which gives it a sort of Eno-era Bowie feel (or something from his final major release, Blackstar). Elsewhere, on the two opening tracks, "Shit Mirror" and "Ahead of Ourselves," NIN sound like the classic-era incarnation of the band, circa Broken, with propulsive beats and vocals that go back and forth between sounding beamed in from another planet and angry shouting.
"God Break Down the Door," the EP's lone single, is a solid example of what the band is now, and ranks with some of their past classics, and also has that Eno/Bowie/Blackstar vibe. The EP closes out with another instrumental, "I'm Not from This World" (now there's an understatement) and the hypnotic "Over and Out."
I'll always be a fan of whatever Reznor does, but I like this new approach to releasing new material, I must admit. And I think it's a smart move by a lot of people that are adopting it. Rather than releasing an album with a few good songs on it and a lot of filler, many are focusing on releasing the best of their material in a shorter format, as NIN does here.
To that end, here are some of my other EP faves of the year, in no particular order:
Chromatics - Camera
Johnny Jewel and company do it again, and well, but I, for one, can't wait for the release of the long-delayed Dear Tommy. Jewel destroyed the original version of the album back in 2015, then re-recorded it from scratch since then- but hasn't released it... yet. Until then, there's this EP, featuring the excellent title track (of which there are several versions), "Magazine" (two versions of that, too) and three other decent tracks, if all too short.
Qveen Herby - EP 3 & EP 4
This is an ongoing project by Amy Noonan, who some of you might remember as half of the duo known as Karmin. After fans responded so well to her rapping skills- most notably Karmin's cover of the Chris Brown/Busta Rhymes' classic "Look at Me Now"- Noonan decided to run with it, creating the Herby persona and kicking off a solo career with- what else? - the single "Busta Rhymes," paying homage to the man who got her so much attention in the first place.
She's released 5 EPs to date, including this year's EP 5, all of which have been well-received, though some have lobbed the whole "cultural appropriation" thing at her, given the patois she adopts for the character, which is no better or worse than, say, the one Iggy Azalea uses. One thing not in contention, though- her impressive flow. Check it out for yourself on EP 3's "Sade in the 90's," "All These Hoes" and "That Bih" (neat vid for that one) and/or EP 4's "Alone."
H.E.R. - I Used to Know Her: The Prelude, Part Two
One of the most talented newcomers on the R&B scene, Gabriella "Gabi" Wilson, has slowly-but-surely built a following, thanks to a series of EPs that began with 2016's Volume One, continued with 2017's Volume 2 and The B-Sides, all of which were collected in what amounted to her debut album, H.E.R.- though she has yet to do a proper full-length release.
If her collected efforts- including her most recent releases, the two-EP release, I Used to Know Her- are any indication, the album should be something when it finally does drop. She's already won two Grammys for her efforts to date. Check her out, post-haste, if you dig the likes of Prince, Alicia Keys and The Weeknd.
The Weeknd - My Dear Melancholy,
Speaking of which, R&B superstar The Weeknd released an EP that marked a return to his older, darker sound and reportedly explores the often-tumultuous high-profile relationships he had with model Bella Hadid and pop sensation/former Disney Girl Selena Gomez. (He even quotes Gomez' "Same Old Love" in "Wasted Times.")
Producers include Skrillex, Gesaffelstein, Mike Will Made It and one-half of Daft Punk (Christo). The end result is one of the rare EPs to top the charts, and a much-tighter work than his last effort, Starboy, which found The Weeknd trying a bit too hard to everything for everybody, with limited success.
As you might have guessed from that title, it's a bit on the weepy (and self-pitying) side, but the music is compelling, especially the hit single "Call Out My Name." Besides, I'd be pretty whiny, too, if I'd been dumped by a supermodel or left for Justin Beiber. Of course, karma is a bitch, so that last one didn't work out so well for you know who. As for Hadid, the two have been on-again-off-again for some time, so maybe they'll make it work eventually. Until then, at least we get some good music out of it all.
Zolita - Sappho
Olivia Noelle - If Boys Could Cry
Sasha Sloan - Sad Girl
Kailee Morgue - Medusa
The Weeknd wasn't the only one doing groovy-but-sad EPs this year. These ladies also had some pretty sweet ones, that range from the perils of love of all varieties, from the girl-on-girl woes of the witchy Zolita ("Come Home With Me" is a sexy one, "New You" is about bisexual jealousy- as in sleeping with someone who goes both ways and not being able to trust them- and "Fight Like a Girl" is about ladies uniting to stand up to NotMyPresident); to the hip-hop-assisted straight funk of Noelle ("Fck Around & Fall in Luv" is especially great and "Made of Gold" admonishes her man, warning him: "If I ain't part of your plan, then tonight it's you and your hand, babe").
Elsewhere, Sasha Sloan, as you might have guessed from that EP title, does the alt-rock/dark pop variation of the break-up thing, a la Tove Lo or Lana Del Rey, only with more of a groove to it at times (i.e. "Normal"), though piano ("Fall") and acoustic guitar ("Here") also crop up, often with trip-hop style beats accompanying them.
Finally, there's Kailee Morgue, who, true to that name, looks a bit Goth/Emo, but her music is slightly more upbeat than you might think- though her lyrics often betray that. Think Melanie Martinez or Kerli, maybe. Her vocal stylings can be a bit creepy, though.
Witness the stalker-y "Ghost of Mine" and the theremin-assisted "Discovery." But the title track and "Unfortunate Soul" are catchier and more radio-friendly, for whatever that's worth. Still, it didn't stop her from releasing the likes of "Fuck U" as a single from her forthcoming album. As with Zolita, she identifies as a witch, for whatever that's worth. What can I say? I guess I like that sort of thing. Maybe I should do an EP? 😅
First Aid Kit - Tender Offerings
The folky duo's Ruins almost made my albums of the year list, but not quite- it's a bit too hardcore country for me- though "Fireworks" is one for the ages. Their bite-size EP does make the list, however, with "Ugly" a personal fave.
Little Boots - Burn
I've been a big fan of Little Boots, aka Victoria Hesketh, since she was doing oddball covers on YouTube back in the day- odd because of the instrument she often uses, the Japanese-made Tenori-On. A look at my most-played tracks on iTunes includes, appropriately enough, her track "Stuck on Repeat," as well as the ultra-catchy "Remedy" and "New in Town." Though she's had some success on the Dance charts, mainstream hits have sadly eluded her, though her albums fare better on the whole in her native UK.
Since she hit the scene in 2008, she's released only three albums, but a whopping 10 EPs, so EPs have long since been her go-to format, and perhaps the best entry point for newbies to her sound. (Arecibo and Illuminations are highly recommended.) This is one of her best, with guest stars on each track and more of a chill-out vibe than some of her earlier stuff.
Various Artists - Universal Love EP
Interesting compilation of covers by a wide spectrum of artists that run the gamut from the classic rock of Dylan ("He's Funny That Way") to alt-rock royalty Benjamin Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie ("And I Love Him"), Kele Okereke, of Bloc Party ("My Guy") and St. Vincent ("And Then She Kissed Me") to pop-rocker Kesha ("I Need a Woman to Love") and R&B/country performer Valerie June ("Mad About the Girl").
As you might have noticed from the song titles, the hook here is singers performing same-sex-friendly tracks traditionally used in wedding ceremonies, in a show of solidarity for the LGBT community. So, The Temptations' "My Girl" becomes "My Guy," as sung by a male singer, Janis Joplin's "I Need a Man to Love" becomes "I Need a Woman to Love," as sang by a woman, and so on.
It sounds pretty cheesy on paper, but the results are actually really sweet, and you can't go wrong with this particular line-up. If this sounds interesting to you, it probably will be. If anything, this is one EP that could have been a full-length with the right artists involved and I wouldn't have complained.
Maybe there will be a sequel this year. The LGBT community could use some more songs to call their own that don't mince pronouns. (Ditto the "Q" contingent, for that matter, though that admittedly could get a bit confusing in translation. I'll leave that to the experts, lol.)
Now for a few quickie categories:
Best Pop Albums
Ariana Grande - Sweetener
Ariana Grande has had a tough couple of years- the bombing at one of her concerts in Manchester, the highs and lows of her crash-and-burn relationship with SNL actor Pete Davidson, the overdose death of her ex, Mac Miller and the subsequent finger-pointing that ensued- any of which could have sent some performers reeling into a deep depression. (Indeed, similarly dark turns in their lives did just that to Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato.)
In Grande's case, she funneled all of it into her best work to date, culminating in the one-two punch of this and her subsequent release, Thank You, Next (released barely six months after Sweetener), both of which were tremendous hits- and which reflect a surprisingly upbeat and positive attitude despite all the hardships she's faced- perhaps even because of it.
They also happen to be her most inventive and solid albums to date- no mean feat, that. While her previous albums were a series of singles masquerading as a cohesive work, with lots of disposable tracks, Sweetener is her first album that downright flows that way a good album should, with consistently inventive production (arguably the best of which was by Pharrell Williams) and first-rate singles that include "No Tears Left to Cry" (buoyant, in spite of the dark subject matter, which deals with the aftermath of the Manchester bombing) and "God is a Woman."
In short, Grande is in fine form here- vocally, she's never been better, often forgoing her usual vocal acrobatics in favor of establishing and continuing a mood throughout, rather than showing off. You'd be hard-pressed to name a better put-together pop album this year, which is why it tops my list of the best. There's a lot of talent in that small frame of hers, that's for sure.
Camila Cabello - Camila
I distinctly remember watching the show "The X-Factor" and seeing Simon Cowell smartly put together five solo ladies from the show into the hugely successful girl group Fifth Harmony. Even so, I remember thinking there was something special about Camila Cabello, and that of the five, she was the one that maybe didn't really need the rest of the group to succeed. That girl, I thought, is clearly the Beyoncé of the bunch. How right I was.
In this, her triumphant debut album, Cabello ditches the other ladies for an excellent tour through her psyche that is both on the cutting edge of what's popular right now (the superlative synth-pop balladry of "Never the Same" and the confessional "Consequences") and expertly pays nostalgic homage to her Cuban heritage (the inescapable and incredibly catchy "Havana") for an album that is imminently listenable and bodes well for her future.
Imagine Dragons – Origins
While not quite as captivating as their last album, Evolve, nor as commercially successful, Origins is nonetheless a solid enough follow-up for the enormously popular group, which has been packing stadiums for several years now, thanks to their gigantic and expansive sound. The band has called it a "sister" album to the former, and declared it the final entry in a particular brand of their sound, after which they will reportedly head into newer, uncharted territory.
Probably for the best, as their sound has already started to be highly influential to any number of other acts, i.e. Rag N' Bone Man, Bishop Briggs, etc. Once a sizable number of artists begin to sound like you, it's clearly time to move on to (hopefully) greener pastures. Until then, there's this perfectly serviceable album, which might not win them over any new fans, but should solidify the ones they already have.
En Vogue – Electric Café
Sadly, after the band at long last reunited with their two former members for a 20th Anniversary tour back in 2009, plans for a new album fell apart. First, Phoebe Robinson dropped out over business disputes, then Maxine Jones left as well. The two core remaining members, Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron, regrouped to record new material, reuniting with erstwhile member Rhona Bennett, who had stepped in after the other members dropped out previously, on the band's last album Soul Flower.
The end result, Electric Café, doesn't quite reach the heights of the group's golden years... but it comes pretty close. Aided and abetted by an A-list of collaborators that include Ne-Yo, Raphael Saadiq, Snoop Dogg, and long-time co-writers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, the threesome put out their best set of material since at least EV3- if not high-point Funky Divas.
It helps that they consistently genre-hop throughout, both embracing new styles and delivering the sort of thing that attracted fans in the first place, making for a final result that might just win them some new fans to go along with the die-hards that have stuck with them through thick and thin.
Highlights include the singles "Rocket," "Reach 4 Me," "Deja Vu," "I'm Good" and "Have a Seat," all of which were well-received, and the solid album tracks "Blue Skies," "Luv My Thangz" and the title tune. It's a testament to their talent that, despite all the ups and downs over the years, that even 14 years after their last release, these funky divas can still deliver the goods.
Rita Ora – Phoenix
Alessia Cara - The Pains of Growing
Bebe Rexha – Expectations
Sabrina Carpenter – Singular: Act One
Hayley Kiyoko – Expectations
Kali Uchis – Isolation
The new wave of female pop singers are remarkably on top of their games, whether putting out self-assured second albums (Ora and Cara) or impressive debuts (Rexha, Carpenter, Kiyoko and Uchis), all of which fascinatingly take a look at what it means to be a woman in these troubled times.
Ora, coming off her record-setting thirteenth top ten single in the UK- the most for a female pop singer in the UK ever- finally cracked the Top 100 in the States in 2018 with her triumphant album Phoenix, which came after finally getting out from under an oppressive record contract with label Roc Nation, which saw her only release one album, in spite of recording several albums' worth.
Over six years since her debut album, she signed with Atlantic Records, and rose from the ashes with Phoenix. While she has yet to crack the Top Ten in the US, singles-wise, she's getting there- and now on her own terms. Hits include "Your Song" (co-written by Ed Sheeran), "Anywhere," "Let You Love Me" and three successful collabs with other artists, including the late Avicii ("Lonely Together"), Liam Payne ("For You," from the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack, a movie series she also acted in) and the fun bisexual celebration of "Girls," featuring Charli XCX, Cardi B and Bebe Rexha.
Speaking of Rexha, after several increasingly successful EPs, she finally made her full-length debut with Expectations, coming off the massive hit collaboration with Florida-Georgia Line, "Meant to Be," which was inescapable last year and closes the album, appropriately enough.
While it received mixed reviews from critics overall, Rexha's in fine vocal form throughout, and many cited her ability to mix in with any type of sound, including the unexpected country-pop of her atypical hit. I liked the vulnerability of the single "I'm a Mess" and the fact that, like many of the best pop albums this year- notably Ariana and Camila's efforts- she might be down at times, but she's hardly out. I think she's got a great one in her somewhere, but this is a solid enough debut for the time being.
While it received mixed reviews from critics overall, Rexha's in fine vocal form throughout, and many cited her ability to mix in with any type of sound, including the unexpected country-pop of her atypical hit. I liked the vulnerability of the single "I'm a Mess" and the fact that, like many of the best pop albums this year- notably Ariana and Camila's efforts- she might be down at times, but she's hardly out. I think she's got a great one in her somewhere, but this is a solid enough debut for the time being.
As for the younger artists out there, Cara, whose sophomore effort The Pains of Growing was appropriately searching and yes, featured the artist's own growing pains in coming to terms with her success and life in the public eye. Though not nearly as successful as her excellent debut commercially, it is an intimate, brutally honest depiction of an artist in flux, still learning to be herself on record, and all that entails. Give her time, she'll get there- the girl has talent to burn.
Faring slightly better is Kali Uchis, whose debut, Isolation, drew on similar themes as Cara's, but to much more critical acclaim, if not quite her level of success. It made it to #32 on the Billboard charts, though- not too shabby for a new artist. The Columbia-American singer forged her own path to get there, adopting a more old-school sound that embraced her Latin roots, as well as R&B, funk, and reggae.
Guest spots include funk legend Bootsy Collins and rapper Tyler the Creator ("After the Storm"), the Gorillaz ("In My Dreams"), Steve Lacy (of the band The Internet- "Just a Stranger") and talented British singer Jorja Smith ("Tyrant"). Also check out "Miami," which sounds like "Havana" on downers, which seems about right. "Why be Kim when I can be Kanye?" she intones sexily. I say aim higher. Kali is like Res on an early Brazilian Girls tropicália kick. If that sounds interesting to you, give it a spin- you won't regret it.
Meanwhile, actress and former "Stunner" (as in the band The Stunners- to say nothing of being one of the Holograms and a member of Lemonade Mouth 😉) Hayley Kiyoko put out her debut album as well, a surprisingly accomplished effort that holds together quite nicely, perhaps because it was such a long time coming. Of course, she had three EPs to warm up, one of which included the viral hit "Girls Like Girls."
As you might have guessed from that single's title, Kiyoko is an out-and-proud lesbian who doesn't mince words on those pronouns- we could use more like her in the music biz. Also, like more than a few ladies on this list, she obviously put some thought into the arrangement of her debut album, which has some real flow to it, making her first full-length well-worth the wait.
She's also not afraid to mince words, as evidenced on the single "Sleepover" and the track "He'll Never Love You." Hey, straight guys and girls have been doing this sort of thing for ages- why shouldn't she? It wouldn't matter if the songs sucked, but they're all pretty catchy and more than a little sexy, making this perfect make-out fodder, a la Kali's album.
She also directed most of the videos released from the album, including "Feelings" and "Curious," and the album tracks are solid, too- notably "Mercy/Gatekeeper" and "Molecules." Expectations were high for this one- and she met them, as far as I'm concerned.
Last but not least is Sabrina Carpenter, another actress-turned-singer. Like Kiyoko, she's a forward-thinking feminist, along with her former co-star Rowan Blanchard from "Girl Meets World," with whom she recorded the show's theme song. Various tracks for Disney, along with her debut EP followed, then her first full-length album, Eyes Wide Open, and a more mature follow-up, fittingly titled Evolution.
Various collaborations with bands like The Vamps and performers like Lindsey Stirling and Jonas Blue were next, and then came this album, Singular, Act I, which is actually more of an EP that will be completed in the near-future with an Act II, not unlike what NIN got up to with their EP trilogy, but shorter. For the impending release of the record, she did a nifty performance art piece on James Cordon's Late Late Show for the song "Almost Love" that is worth checking out.
Her new album is a giant step forward stylistically from her more teen-pop oriented work from her previous albums and EP. While undeniably of a piece with what's current right now, Carpenter has a solid voice and is admittedly cute as a button, with untapped talent to burn, both in her music and acting careers, the latter of which includes a good turn in the excellent teen drama The Hate U Give. I suspect she's only one big hit away from an even more promising future career, with "Thumbs," "Why," "Almost Love" and "Sue Me" all cracking the Top 40 already.
Honorable Mention:
Dua Lipa - Dua Lipa (Deluxe Edition)
Dua Lipa's first album was re-released in 2018 with an entire disc's worth of bonus material, plus an expanded track version of her debut, including new songs and collaborations, plus some choice remixes. Basically, it's a whole new thing, well-worth the repurchase. I got into Dua late in 2017, but held off on actually buying her debut until the so-called "Complete Edition" was released in October of 2018. It was worth the wait.
The girl just positively bleeds hit singles, and I can't wait to hear what she comes up with next, whether on her own, or in one of her increasingly impressive collabs with other top-notch performers. I think she's easily one of the most talented purveyors of pop music out there at the moment (and incredibly gorgeous, which doesn't hurt), and according to iTunes, I listened to this one more than any other pop artist in 2018, so I felt it was worth a mention.
Best Pop Bootleg
Charli XCX - XCX World/The XCX Files
The only pop music performer I like more than Dua Lipa right about now is Charli XCX, who also just keeps churning out stuff at an alarming rate. Somewhat sadly, however, most of it over the last few years has been relegated to mixtapes (Number One Angel, Pop 2) and a short, four-track EP, Vroom Vroom. Though she's recorded enough material for an album several times over, a proper follow-up to her breakthrough album Sucker back in 2014 has yet to be released.
I get the need for everything to be just right, but, like I said, she's scrapped several albums worth at this point, including the aborted XCX World, which she had already completed photography and artwork for when the material was hacked and widely leaked online, along with a host of other material, cleverly dubbed by bootleggers as The XCX Files.
As much as I don't support hackers and the like, I've been buying and listening to bootlegs most of my life, so it was hard to resist checking these out, as much as I hate to admit it. But rest assured, I will be buying anything she releases, even if it proves to be some of the material that made the cut on these two boots, which, like most boots, are varying in quality, anyway.
That said, if this stuff is of any indication, she's not only been keeping busy, she's been working on some next-level stuff, especially with ace experimental EDM artist Sophie, with whom she composed the Vroom Vroom EP. I've heard in the neighborhood of around 70 non-album tracks in all, only a few of which have officially seen the light of day, and most of it is pretty solid, including the stuff she gave to other performers like Selena Gomez ("Same Old Love"), Iggy Azalea ("Beg For It") and Gwen Stefani ("Hard 2 Love," "Hell Yeah Baby").
All of it deserves an official release, and I hope Charli just puts it out there ASAP before whatever she does next ends up leaking again, which would suck. Either way, if she keeps making it, I'll keep listening- I'd just prefer it was the real deal and didn't sound like it was recorded in someone's closet. But I'll take Charli any way I can get her, I guess.
Best Country/Southern Rock Albums
A bit out of my element here, so technically these are the only ones I listened to all year, lol. Sorry, country fans! I'm sure you can do better, but these are my personal faves, for what it's worth.
Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
One of my faves in any genre, period- it actually did make my Top Ten.
Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel
The kind of country I can get behind, performed by the kind of women I'd like to 😉- how can you not like a song called "Stop Drop and Roll One"? "Got My Name Changed Back" is pretty cute, too. These gals can sang.
Loretta Lynn - Wouldn't It Be Great?
Those people thinking that the Jack White-assisted Van Lear Rose would be the final great gasp of music from the legendary Lynn were proved wrong when the singer returned with a vengeance with the aptly-titled 2016 album Full Circle, which debuted at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100- a career high for the long-running legend.
A successful Christmas-themed album followed, then this, her third collaboration with daughter Patsy and Johnny Cash's son John at the producing helm, in a planned series of five, labeled the "Cash Cabin Recordings." Here's hoping she finishes the recordings, as this is what real country sounds like, IMHO.
Various Artists - Johnny Cash: Forever Words
Excellent collection of mostly country artists covering the Master's poetry and unused lyrics set to music, including Kacey Musgraves, Jewel, I'm With Her and the late Chris Cornell, as well as more traditional country types like Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.
Various Artists - Restoration: Reimagining the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
See the "Best Tribute Albums" list directly below for more on this one.
First Aid Kit - Ruins
As mentioned earlier, this folky duo didn't quite make my main lists, but they definitely deserve a shout-out here.
Kylie Minogue - Golden
Technically a country-pop hybrid, but so are Shania, Faith, early T-Swift, etc. Plus it was recorded in Nashville and has Kylie in fine vocal form, so it counts(ish). Also, the videos for "Dancing" and "Stop Me from Falling" are both very cute and Kylie's pretty foxy to be pushing 50- she puts the "Golden" in Golden Years, that's for sure.
Elle King - Shake the Spirit
This one's even more of a stretch than Kylie, but King started out as a more country-leaning artist before evolving into what amounts to a Southern-fried rocker on this album, which is well-worth a listen, even if you're not a country fan. King is truly a force to be reckoned with live, her confessional lyrics are oft-eyebrow-raising (check out "Man's Man" and "It Girl") and the video for "Shame" is excellent.
Cowboy Junkies - All That Reckoning
Once again, more Southern Rock than country, but the band's been at it since 1985, almost thanklessly, despite the fact that they peaked early with the classic Trinity Sessions, which featured their signature cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane." If you've all but ignored everything since, you've been missing out.
They're nothing if not consistent, and may have arguably co-invented the sub-genre known typically as Alt-Country (with due respect to bands like Jason & The Scorchers and The Long Ryders, who predate them by a few years), best typified by the likes of Neko Case, Jenny Lewis and plenty more where that came from. This slow-burner is excellent and damn-near evil sounding at times. Another near-miss from my Best Of List.
Best Tribute Album(s)
Revamp & Resoration: Reimagining The Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin
Even better than the Johnny Cash tribute, Forever Words, (listed above) are the two tributes to Elton John released last year: Revamp and Restoration, the latter of which made my Best Country albums of the year. As you can gather from the title, it's a two-volume collection of Elton John songs, as reinterpreted by artists personally selected by the famed duo. Elton's album, Revamp, is made up of pop, rock and R&B artists, while Taupin's, Restoration, is comprised of country artists.
And what a line-up! Elton's album includes Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus (the only artist to make both albums, actually), Pink, Ed Sheeran, Alessia Cara, Florence + The Machine, Mary J. Blige, Demi Lovato (with Q-Tip!), The Killers, Sam Smith, Queens of the Stone Age, Coldplay and Mumford & Sons while Taupin's includes Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Don Henley, Vince Gill, Kacey Musgraves, Dierks Bentley, Rhonda Vincent, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton and Lee Ann Womack.
The country ones work better than you might think- it might even be the superior album, in fact. At the very least, the reworkings are more radical there than on the more straight-forward pop/rock/R&B one. Still, your mileage may vary according to what sort of music you prefer, and obviously, non-Elton fans need not apply. I've been a fan since I was a kid, though, so I found this delightful all around.
Best Rap Albums
Cardi B. - Invasion of Privacy
Cardi B. basically owned last year, showing the guys how it's really done, and snagging herself a Best Album Grammy- the first ever won by a female solo hip-hop artist- in the process. All 13 tracks on this album landed in the Billboard Hot 100 in the week of their release, with two- "Bodak Yellow" and "I Like It"- hitting #1, another first for a female rapper. The list of accolades goes on, but I'll quit while I'm ahead.
Regardless, this album is far and away the best rap album of the year, with Cardi coming out the gate swinging, with some solid guest stars to help her out, including Migos (who sound more awake and on top of their game on "Drip" than they do on the entirety of their double album), Chance the Rapper, 21 Savage and SZA. Not that she needed it, really.
Gratifyingly personal and fierce, Cardi makes no apologies for her background, readily admitting she's been hustling since her teen years, and isn't the least above using men to further her position, without feeling she owes them shit. Good for her, given that men have been using women since time out of mind- Cardi flips the script on that noise.
She puts a lot of current rappers to shame, skill-wise, but also backs it up with solid, memorable beats and hooks (esp. "I Like It," "Ring," "Thru Your Phone") and what is easily one of the most compulsively listenable rap albums of the year, and, clocking in at a relatively stealth 49 minutes, shows that sometimes brevity can be a good thing (see also Pusha T)- something that seemingly escaped more than a few this year.
When all is said and done, this is the one entry on this list I can see myself coming back to in its entirety time and again- the rest have some strong tracks, but most seem destined to make appearances on playlists, not serve as go-to albums as a whole. As they say, this one's all killer, no filler.
Pusha T - Daytona
Technically an EP really, being as how it clocks in a just over twenty minutes and contains only seven tracks, but the results are so tight and seemingly effortless that I felt compelled to include it here anyway. I'm no big Kanye fan as of late, since he went Hollywood and off the deep end and straight into MAGA-land, but he was firmly in the zone when he produced this one, that's for sure. Maybe he should stick to producing and lay off running his mouth.
Besides, why bother when you've got a mouth-piece like Pusha T to do it for you? After being a bit of an underground sensation for years, Pusha T was half of the excellent rap duo Clipse before signing with Ye and putting out the excellent Fear of God, followed by an EP and the album King Push, intended as the "prelude" to this album, although it's actually longer, lol.
Whatever the case, this is easily the best offering from a male rapper in 2018, and many would argue, the best of the year, period. I won't go that far, but I also have to give it up to anybody that samples Isaac Hayes, Air and Yes on the same album. Can't wait to hear the actual full-length, though I certainly wouldn't say no to another Clipse joint.
Cypress Hill - Elephants on Acid
Their first album in some eight years, it wasn't a huge hit, but I'll always love whatever these guys come up with. I can actually remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard their debut for the first time and I've been a fan ever since. They just don't sound like anyone else, period. Call it psychedelic rap, acid rap... whatever you call it, I dig it.
As with most everything they put out, there are some instant classics here: "Crazy," "Band of Gypsies," "Locos," "Blood on My Hands Again" and "Reefer Man" come readily to mind. And as per usual, the instrumental interludes are chill, and no one quite puts together a sample like DJ Muggs. Here's hoping they keep doing what they do as long as they want to- they're amongst the all-time greats, as far as I'm concerned.
Rae Srummurd - SR3MM
Easily the most ambitious rap release of the year- and maybe one of the most ambitious rap albums, period- it's a whopping three-disc set that, much like Outkast's classic Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, gives each of the two members a solo disc (Swae Lee's Swaecation and Slim Jxmmi's Jxmtro), but ups the ante by having yet another with both members, the titular SR3MM, proving that, unlike Outkast, these two are in no danger of breaking up anytime soon.
That said, I've never been a huge fan of double albums- much less triple ones- they always seem like they could be far more effective as a single one stripped down to the absolute best tracks. (Yes, even The Beatles and The Stones.) This is no different, though I at least applaud them for keeping the overall running time around movie length: about an hour and forty-one minutes.
That means that, what with two of the albums solo efforts, it's actually much easier to attack this 27-track monolith by each individual disc, rather than trying to listen to it in one marathon session. Preference may vary- some prefer the more adventurous Swaecation to the more straight-forward Jxmtro, while others found the latter more consistent.
But I think few would argue that the first disc, featuring both rappers, is easily the source of the best material at hand, and, tellingly, the one which spawned the most singles, the most successful of which were "Powerglide" and "T'd Up." (I particularly dug the psychedelic vibes of "Perplexing Pegasus.")
The albums, as with most extended efforts, have their problems, and the duo haven't quite earned the "Black Beatles" moniker they adopted on their last album- but with ambitious records like this, they might get there eventually, you never know. Either way, an impressive effort.
Migos - Culture II
Not to be outdone, Migos put out a double album that actually clocks in longer than the triple one put out by Rae Srummurd, believe it or not. As such, it's more of a slog than our last entry, not being broken up in a similar way, and thus, not lending itself to more bite-size chunks like that one. Even worse, this could have been a stellar single album, even more so than SR3MM.
Alas, it's not, and at a whopping 24 tracks, it's more than a little overwhelming. As with SR3MM, you're far better cherry-picking your faves and making a solid mix than listening to this thing from front to back. That said, there are some real bangers here ("Autopilot," "Emoji a Chain," "Stir Fry," "Gang Gang," "White Sand," etc.) some of which put most current rappers to shame, despite the oft-goofy lyrics, which can err on the side of repetitive ("Walk It Talk It" must repeat the titular phrase about a 1000 times- ditto "Bad Bitches Only" and "Beast"), though their persistent fixation with food is amusingly endearing.
One can't help but wish someone would do this sort of thing with more worthy subject matter lyrically, as someone like Public Enemy or Ice Cube might have done at the height of their powers, which is to say something that reflects the sad state of affairs we currently find ourselves in. Oh well, there's always Kendrick- who, unfortunately, took most of the year off, save for the excellent Black Panther soundtrack.
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter V
Another way too long one, at 26 tracks and nearly an hour-and-forty-minutes, even Wayne's biggest fans surely would admit this would have been so much more effective at around half that length and distilled down to its absolute best songs, like the excellent "Uproar," "Can't Be Broken," "Mona Lisa" (with Kendrick Lamar), "Dope Niggaz" (with Snoop Dogg), "Open Safe," "Start This Shit Off Right," "Demon," "Mess," "Used 2," "In This House" (with Gucci Mane) and maybe "Let It All Work Out" or "Dope New Gospel."
Supposedly this is his last release, though I somehow doubt that will prove to be true in the long run. He's supposedly taking time off to be with his kids, which is cool. I suspect he'll be back, though, and it will be interesting to see what he's like on the other side of being a family man. If this really does prove to be his last one, it isn't a bad one to go out on, but I suspect it won't be.
Best Soundtracks
A Star is Born
Admittedly a kind of no-brainer, as, along with the next entry, it's completely crucial to the film itself. However, most of us already knew going in that Queen's music is awesome, so that's not exactly a shocker. Here, it's significant because, if the music didn't work, the film wouldn't either, as the music is so thoroughly connected to the events of the film.
In other words, like most of the best musicals, the songs themselves help propel the plot- they're not just there to be there, like you might find in a non-musical film where oftentimes filmmakers will just slap in whatever songs they can afford the rights to, or songs that represent the era in which the film is set. Thought was put into these songs and they often reflect what's going on in the film itself.
Of course, that wouldn't matter if they weren't good songs, and thankfully, in this case, they are. That the likes of Lady Gaga, along with fellow pros like Lukas Nelson (Willie's son) and DJ White Shadow, and some of her co-writers here- including gifted producer Mark Ronson and songwriters like Diane Warren- would come up with solid material isn't exactly a surprise.
What is a surprise is that leading man Bradley Cooper not only has a decent singing voice, but also heavily contributed to the songwriting process as well. He and Gaga were consistently rewriting material to better fit the story and where the characters were at during specific times of the movie, and it shows in the end results, which offer up the fan a chance to "relive" the movie and songs that stand on their own as a listening experience. The best kind of soundtrack, in other words.
Bohemian Rhapsody
While much of this soundtrack functions as an ad-hoc greatest hits album for Queen, kudos to the soundtrack arranger, who rather than simply coast on the hits, sought to feature something special, in this case 11 previously unreleased tracks, including several from the much-heralded Live Aid performance, here officially released for the first time.
As such, that makes this an indispensable purchase for longtime fans, who have long since wanted to own a digitally remastered, first-rate copy of some of this material. The end result became Queen's 17th Top 40 album, and second-highest charting album in the US ever, landing at #2 at its height. (The Game was their lone #1 album in the US.) What's more, their proper greatest hits album, The Platinum Collection, re-entered the charts, making it the first time the band had two albums in the Top Ten in the US ever.
The "new" live material is well-worth the purchase, and coupled with the rest is a good starting point for Queen neophytes, though their back catalog in general is absolutely worth further exploration. As with Star, this one does a great job of allowing the listener to relive the film experience- and without all the dialogue samples.
Black Panther
As rapper extraordinaire Kendrick Lamar took the year off, this soundtrack album, which he produced, was the closest thing we got to a new offering, though it features a wide variety of performers, albeit most of them firmly within the rap and R&B genre. The talented group includes Lamar himself, of course, as well as SZA, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Khalid, Swae Lee, Vince Staples, Jorja Smith, Anderson Paak, Jay Rock, Future, Travis Scott and The Weeknd.
As Lamar had access to the film while writing, he was able to write and co-write material that directly complimented the film itself- these aren't just tossed-off songs unrelated to the film, as one might see on a standard soundtrack, they were written especially for the film. The result is an album that both compliments the film and stands on its own. It was also a huge hit, landing at number one and even getting an Album of the Year nod at the Grammys, a rarity for a soundtrack album.
Other solid soundtracks include:
Creed II
Solid collection of rap and R&B is no Black Panther, but it's not too shabby, either, thanks to an all-star line-up that includes Lil Wayne, Nas, Rick Ross, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Young Thug, Rae Sremmurd, Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Gucci Mane, ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, Nicki Minaj, Vince Staples, Ella Mai and film star Tessa Thompson. The score album adds a few more bonus tracks to the list for you completists.
Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
Another rap-heavy comp that perfectly reflects the film from which it spawned, though a fair amount of it isn't from the film, but rather inspired by it, as it were. (Of course, you could say the same for the last few entries as well.)
Deadpool 2 (Deluxe Edition- Super Duper Cut)
Can a soundtrack album function as a punchline? This one does, thanks to a tongue-in-cheek assembly of first-rate cheese that runs the gamut from Celine Dion to Cher to Dolly Parton to Air Supply to Pat Benatar. There are some ringers here, including newer tracks from Diplo, French Montana and Lil Pump, Team Headkick, DJ Shadow and Run the Jewels and Skrillex, so it's not all just moldie oldies, but it is a lot of fun and perfectly suits the film's loopy sensibilities. It also amuses me to no end that, because of this soundtrack, hosts of guys' playlists will now feature Air Supply and Celine Dion. Lol.
Fifty Shades Freed
Say what you will about the quality of the Fifty Shades movie series, but much like the Twilight series before them, the soundtracks are all pretty rock-solid, with a great sampling of sexy pop music perfect for getting horizontal, vertical, and whatever else floats your boat in the sheets.
Sharp Objects
My personal dark horse favorite soundtrack of the year- if anything, I could have stood for another volume of this one, given the breadth of different music featured on this critically-acclaimed miniseries. There's not a song I don't like on this soundtrack, and I think I actually listened to it more than any other on this list, save maybe Queen, and I mostly just listened to the live stuff there. It perfectly captures the dark mood of the show, too, even when it's bumping the likes of Snoop Dogg. More of this sort of thing, please.
Crazy Rich Asians
Another soundtrack that perfectly captures the vibe of its film, this one cleverly takes a host of songs, most of them focusing on themes of money and romance, and hires Asian performers to cover them in unique ways, i.e. "Money (That's What I Want)" and "Material Girl."
However, the best is arguably a cover of a song I don't even really like, Coldplay's "Yellow," by "The Voice" vet Katherine Ho, which serves as the backdrop for a key scene in the film. I suppose you have to appreciate music sung in a foreign language to enjoy it, but given the enormous popularity of J-Pop and K-Pop and BTS and the like, some clearly do- so if so, I can't recommend this enough.
Vox Lux
As with A Star is Born, this film revolves around the rise of a pop star, and also features original music composed especially for the film. Though not a huge hit like the former, it's a neat little film that's more in keeping with today's social climate than Star, featuring an excellent turn from Oscar winner Natalie Portman, who does her own vocals here.
The songs for her character are all co-written by Sia, as are the ones performed by co-star Raffey Cassidy, with the rest of the album filled out by a sampling of the score by composer Scott Walker. So, technically, this one is a hybrid, with ten original pop songs and ten instrumental score tracks.
As with Star, though, this one perfectly captures the vibe of the film, and Portman is a surprisingly decent singer, and you can't go wrong with Sia, whose done more soundtrack work in recent years than anyone I can think of, ever. (25 movies and counting at the time of this writing.) The movie's not half bad, either.
A Wrinkle in Time
Another soundtrack/score hybrid, this one is worth owning alone for the former half, which features an always-welcome Sade, Chloe x Halle, Kehlani, DJ Khaled and Demi Lovato, Freestyle Fellowship, and- you guessed it- the ubiquitous Sia. The score half, by Westworld composer Ramin Djawadi, is pretty good as well. Too bad about the movie, though- I loved that book as a kid, but Hollywood just can't seem to nail it.
Best Film Scores
Halloween
I loved the films of John Carpenter as a kid, and one of the elements that made me love them so much were the various scores he created for them, sometimes by himself, sometimes in collaboration with others. The last few years have seen Carpenter resurface as a musician, often collaborating with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies, including the two-volume Lost Themes collections and an anthology album comprised of re-recordings of his most famous film compositions, which served as the inspiration for a brief-but-memorable tour of said material.
Even better was the announcement that he would be, for the first time in ages, directly involved in the latest installment of the ongoing Halloween series, including composing music for the film. The result should please die-hards, as it both stays true to the original source material and develops it in modern ways for a new generation. If you're a longtime Carpenter fan like me, this one's a must.
Suspiria
This is the soundtrack to the remake of the classic Dario Argento cult horror flick, which itself featured an iconic score, by prog-rockers Goblin, neither of which I envied the remake's filmmakers/composer in trying to recapture the magic of. While not entirely successful on either front, I did enjoy Radiohead singer/musician Thom Yorke's haunting score, which shows he might have what it takes to go into the same field as fellow member Jonny Greenwood, best-known for his work with director Paul Thomas Anderson.
Yorke, perhaps wisely, completely avoids trying to replicate anything resembling Goblin's original score, which wouldn't suit this grittier, uglier film, anyway. Instead, going off the film's 70's-era Berlin setting, he sought inspiration from Krautrock, such as Can and Faust and other, more electronic-minded artists from around that time.
The end result is a compelling mix of songs, spooky interludes and a more traditional instrumental score. If you liked the movie, it's a must, but even if you didn't, it's worth a listen, especially if you're a Radiohead fan. Looking forward to what Yorke comes up with next, score-wise. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of a new chapter in his career, a la Greenwood and fellow rocker Trent Reznor.
Westworld
Perhaps best-known for his work on HBO's much-beloved Game of Thrones, composer Ramin Djawadi adopted a completely different approach to his work on HBO's Westworld reboot, often taking known songs by artists like the Rolling Stones, Radiohead, The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana and Soundgarden and remaking them as eerie instrumentals that sound familiar, but more than a little off somehow- in other words, just like the unnatural sights that make up the "adult" amusement park that is Westworld.
Whereas the first season of the show took place in Westworld itself, the second season expanded its horizons to include other parts of the park, including a British-Raj- themed one and a Shogunate-themed one. Djawadi likewise expands his own horizons to create appropriate music for these new worlds, while maintaining the tongue-in-cheek covers that marked his score for the first season, including new versions of songs he used there, such as "Paint It, Black" and "Heart-Shaped Box." And you haven't lived until you've heard Wu-Tang's "C.R.E.A.M." played on Japanese instruments.
Mid90s/Bird Box
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have been keeping busy lately, not only with their ongoing series of EPs with Nine Inch Nails, but with their soundtrack work, which included these two much-buzzed about flicks, one an indie about a group of troubled young skateboarders in the mid-90's (hence the title) and the other a horror flick in the vein of A Quiet Place, where much depends on a particular sense- only here it's sight instead of sound.
Never mind that, as Reznor and Ross have the sound covered. While both scores are "abridged" for some reason- maybe that's all the material they composed for them- they are nonetheless in keeping with both their previous scoring efforts and the moods of the films in question, albeit slightly more so for Bird Box than mid90s, which features a whole lot of rap and punk on its soundtrack. Still, both make for good listening, especially if you enjoy their previous work.
Black Panther
While a bit on the longish side- the score clocks in at a whopping hour-and-a-half and some change- there's no denying this is a beautiful piece of work by composer Ludwig Göransson, who reportedly researched his ass off in preparing for it, studying Africa music and talking extensively to experts in the field.
The result is arguably the best of its kind since the much-beloved score for The Lion King, itself due for a reworking soon. This score also has the interesting honor of having inspired not one, but two remix albums, from DJ J. Period (who combined it with some Outkast tracks for good measure) and an EP featuring several artists collaborating with Göransson himself to rework several tracks from his score, with cool, chillout-style results.
Best Reissues
The Beatles- The White Album (Super Deluxe Edition)
It's no mean feat to make listening to a Beatles album an all-new experience, but damned if Giles Martin, son of the legendary George (who produced all of The Beatles original classics), didn't do just that on his remastered version of one of the band's most-beloved albums. While I've always found this one to be an odd duck amongst their back catalog, Martin really updates it in a way that makes it sound more modern, with the end result sounding a bit like The Beatles going indie rock.
Granted, it's always somewhat seemed that way, but it's amazing how his tweaks bring out details I never noticed before, giving me an all-new respect for the album, which is decidedly what you want in a reissue, obviously. This is the definition of quality remastering work here.
Arguably even better is the extensive (and exhaustive) four additional discs of material, which features a host of demos and alternate takes, some of which give the originals a run for their money. (If you'd ever told me I'd have a brand new appreciation for the likes of "Good Night," I'd have told you that you were crazy, and yet... I do.)
It might be a bit much for fair-weather fans, but for hardcore ones, it's a treasure trove. It also gets us that much closer to the famed 24-minute take of "Helter Skelter," with this one clocking in at nearly 13. Even better, it features a host of "new" songs, albeit many of them heavily bootlegged over the years. But trust me, you've never heard them in this level of quality before. An absolute must-own for fans, and even more revelatory than Martin's redux of Sgt. Pepper, which is saying something.
Prince - Piano and a Microphone 1983
Speaking of revelatory, Prince's family finally let something new out of the famed Vault- the remastered and expanded version of Purple Rain notwithstanding, which featured a few rare tracks- an intimate recording of Prince by himself, with just a piano, hence the title. While not completely unprecedented- One Night Alone... Live! offers up a similar vibe- it's still most welcome. Four of the tracks have never been released in any form, with one ("Mary, Don't You Weep") memorably used in the finale of Spike Lee's BlackKklansman.
Others include solo renditions of songs like "17 Days," "Purple Rain," "Strange Relationship" and "Let's Pretend We're Married." It's a beautiful, illuminating piece of work that shows that all Prince needs is a piano and himself to make magic. To be sure, this shows that Prince's estate are doing things right and off to a great start. Can't wait to hear more.
Others include solo renditions of songs like "17 Days," "Purple Rain," "Strange Relationship" and "Let's Pretend We're Married." It's a beautiful, illuminating piece of work that shows that all Prince needs is a piano and himself to make magic. To be sure, this shows that Prince's estate are doing things right and off to a great start. Can't wait to hear more.
Jimi Hendrix - Both Sides of the Sky
Speaking of vaults, is there a more storied vault in history than that of Jimi Hendrix? I mean, seriously. They've been milking this thing for literally nearly five decades now... and yet, damned if they aren't still finding worthy additions to his ongoing canon. Granted, a lot of it is cleaned up versions of previously released stuff, but every now and then, a "new" gem surfaces that you've never heard before that's surprisingly well-worth hearing.
This is the third installment in a restoration project that also includes Valleys of Neptune and People, Hell & Angels, comprised of material intended as the direct follow-ups to Electric Ladyland. This one features some impressive guest stars, including Steven Stills (of Crosby, Stills and Nash fame), legendary guitarist Johnny Winter and saxophonist Lonnie Youngblood. It also features back-up from both the Experience-era line-up (Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell) and the Band of Gypsies-era (Billy Cox and Buddy Miles).
The recordings stretch from '68 to the early 70's and feature a handful of covers, including Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" and Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock." The bulk of this I'd never heard before, unlike many of the other last few studio-bound releases, which mostly featured remastered versions of stuff I had heard, with only a few I hadn't. As such, it's a must-own for hardcore fans.
I should also mention here that an expansive 50th Anniversary edition, 3-disc set of his classic album Electric Ladyland was released in 2018 that I haven't heard as of yet, but can't wait to. It includes demos, outtakes and a full-length concert, plus a DVD and a 48-page book. It also costs around fifty bucks, so I haven't quite gotten around to picking it up as of yet. (The Beatles one was my big buy of the past year.)
The recordings stretch from '68 to the early 70's and feature a handful of covers, including Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" and Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock." The bulk of this I'd never heard before, unlike many of the other last few studio-bound releases, which mostly featured remastered versions of stuff I had heard, with only a few I hadn't. As such, it's a must-own for hardcore fans.
I should also mention here that an expansive 50th Anniversary edition, 3-disc set of his classic album Electric Ladyland was released in 2018 that I haven't heard as of yet, but can't wait to. It includes demos, outtakes and a full-length concert, plus a DVD and a 48-page book. It also costs around fifty bucks, so I haven't quite gotten around to picking it up as of yet. (The Beatles one was my big buy of the past year.)
David Bowie - Welcome the the Blackout (Live London '78) and Glastonbury 2000
Pretty self-explanatory releases chronicling Bowie's concerts in London in 1978 on his "Isolar II" tour, circa his "Heroes" album and his performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2000 around the time of his album Wonder. The latter features a DVD of the performance, in which Bowie is charmingly nervous, recalling a prior gig there that didn't go so well back in 1971.
The other concert was shot as well, but has gone unreleased, as Bowie wasn't satisfied with the results. However, IMHO, the former concert is the better one, thanks to a more eclectic selection of songs and a fantastic band that includes the legendary Adrian Belew, of King Crimson fame. Both are worth hearing though, and in the case of the latter, worth seeing.
Bob Marley - Kingston Sessions: Vintage Years
Excellent remastered collection of Marley's early years, with some ace tracks that include an early take on "Satisfy My Soul" and plenty of other goodies. My one complaint is that it's all too short, at only ten tracks. But it's well-worth the download, for sure.
Kate Bush - Remastered Part One
I just love Kate Bush, and this excellent collection of seven of her absolute best is a must for fans, thanks in no small part to a never-better mix, overseen by Bush herself. It would have been nice to have gotten some bonus tracks or at least some new liner notes, but the quality of sound more than makes up for the lack of bonuses, and the artwork and the like from the original albums are faithfully replicated, so there's that.
A second, decidedly pricier set followed (nearly $100), that did feature several discs worth of rarities, a live concert and a whopping eleven discs in all, but it's too rich for my blood, and I prefer her earlier work, TBH. You can, however, get the rarities collection separately as The Other Sides, a four CD set that will be out on March 22, 2019, with a much-smaller price tag. I'll be holding out- and looking forward to that one- instead.
Best Greatest Hits Collections
Tom Petty - An American Treasure
After his death in 2017, it was inevitable that a new set of some sort would be released, and we got an excellent one in this collection, a four-disc set that spans his entire career, featuring lots of great rarities, many of them unreleased.
Alternate takes, live renditions and great deep cuts make up the release, plus a 52-page book, with liner notes on every one of the whopping 63 tracks, making this a must for hardcore fans. Newbies might want to begin with one of his older anthologies for all the hits, but those of us who want to dig a bit deeper, this is the stuff.
The Flaming Lips Greatest Hits, Volume One (Deluxe Edition)
New to the wild world of the Flaming Lips? This is a great place to start, and for us longtime fans, a nifty collection that includes some rare tracks, including B-sides and demos all in one convenient place. The third disc is where the rarities live, and the rest will be familiar to fans- but for newbies, this is as good an introduction to the band as one could ask for, which will hopefully inspire people to take a deeper dive into their considerable oeuvre. Longtime fans will quibble about some of the selections, but honestly, it's a pretty solid collection.
Lindsey Buckingham - Solo Anthology (Deluxe Edition)
While Buckingham's stuff with Fleetwood Mac is justly celebrated, his solo stuff is somewhat underrated. For those looking for a solid overview rather than making their way through several albums' worth of material, this is a good substitute, with all the hits and some nice rarities across a three-disc set, including two previously unreleased tracks and an entire disc of live ones, including some Mac favorites like the legendary acoustic solo version of "Big Love." It also features his soundtrack contributions, including the much-beloved "Holiday Road" from National Lampoon's Vacation.
Nightwish - Decades
Solid overview of the band, highlighting all three singers, each of whom have their own respective followers. Which you prefer will probably determine what era of the band you'll like best, but you got to respect the way they keep on plugging away at it. They've been at it since 1996, mind you, and have amassed a loyal and fervent following over the years, thanks to their unique blend of metal and classical music. If you dig Evanescence and Within Temptation, you'll probably dig this. My only quibble would be the lack of more rarities- and there are some. But still a nice overview and good starter kit for those curious about the band.
Billy Idol - Vital Idol: Revitalized
Back in the day, punk rock/metal man Idol stunned fans when he embraced a more dance-able sound, putting out a collection of remixes called Vital Idol. Though it divided fans at the time, it went on to go platinum, and actually garnered Idol a whole new crop of fans who dug the new vibe. Over thirty years later, Idol takes another stab at it, this time incorporating EDM into the mix.
While some old-school fans will continue to be horrified, the end result is actually pretty cool if you like that genre of music. Remixers include such big names as Moby, The Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold and RAC, among others. The digital version adds four tracks, making it the ideal version to get, as opposed to buying the physical version, something most people rarely bother with these days, except us collector nerds. It might not replace the originals, or even the original remixes, but it's a fun new take on the classics that some might appreciate, if you dig EDM.
Well, that about does it for my look at 2018 in music. Hope you enjoyed it, and sorry again for the delay! 😎
Join me soon for my Best Films of 2018 list!
