Ghost - Prequelle
Any year which brings us new music from Ghost can't be all bad. The oddball Swedish band has been around since 2006, and the singer, known as "Papa Emeritus" (and looking like an evil Pope) up until 2018, adopted a new persona by the name of "Cardinal Copia" this past year, who looks a bit like a seedy 70's actor (a la Joe Spinell) and is prone to wearing dapper suits.
Ghost has an elaborate mythology I won't get into here, but suffice it to say, it's all very 70's and sort of splits the difference between heavy metal and prog rock. Though they get compared to Sabbath a lot, they actually remind me of Blue Öyster Cult, another band that often-embraced occult themes and had a tunefulness to them that eluded Sabbath a bit.
In other words, Ghost is more melodic than Sabbath, which has caused a bit of controversy in the metal community- are they too "pop" to truly be considered metal? Well, just because the singer doesn't sound like Cookie Monster doesn't mean they aren't still heavy. There can be different types of metal, some more tuneful than others- there are some female singers out there that can really wail (Nightwish, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, etc.), for instance.
Whatever the case, I think Ghost are a fantastic throwback to a type of theatrical metal you don't see as much of anymore. (Alice Cooper remains one of the few old-school performers of this type that is still touring away, God- or Satan, if you prefer- bless him.) Their music is equally ambitious and elaborate, which is what I happen to like in my metal, having grown up in the 80's and loving bands like Slayer and Metallica.
If all those bands I mentioned had a singer that was a bit more operatic and weren't afraid to toss in the occasional off-the-wall instrumentation (a la Queen)- this album even features a saxophone solo at one point! - and more involved theatrics (costumes, face makeup, and elaborate set design, a la Iron Maiden or KISS), you'd have Ghost, more or less.
As one might expect, this one spawned some cool videos, notably "Rats," which pays homage to the fairly obscure Italian horror movie Rats: Nights of Terror- but with dancing! - and "Dance Macabre," which is like a less-campy variation of the "Time Warp" scene in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Though some fans groused this was a little too commercial for its own good- the Deluxe Edition even included a Pet Shop Boys cover and the single "Dance Macabre" got compared to ABBA (!!😨)- it's still a decent record, if admittedly a step down from the superlative Meliora. If you don't mind your metal a little more on the theatrical, melodic side, you'll love this album.
Starcrawler - Starcrawler
Remember that shy, unassuming teenage girl on America's Got Talent that, when she got onto stage astonishingly turned into a yowling, whirling dervish out of nowhere, like the second coming of Janis Joplin? Starcrawler lead singer Arrow de Wilde (great name!) is like that, only in more of a punk rock/metal direction and blonde.
It runs in the family- dad's a drummer (Father John Misty, Beachwood Sparks), while mom is a rock photographer (she shot album covers for Beck, White Stripes/Raconteurs, She & Him, more) and music video director (Spoon, Rilo Kiley, Death Cab for Cutie, more), who learned photography from her own dad, who shot the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the Monterey Pop Festival back in the day.
Arrow is like the female version of Iggy Pop and Steven Tyler- thin as a rail, and looking like she could keel over at any minute from who knows what substance. If Taylor Momsen went completely off the deep end, Arrow might look like her after a three-day-bender. Often covering herself in stage blood and spitting it at the audience and writhing around like a woman possessed, she's everyone's parent's worst nightmare- except her own's, no doubt, given who they are, lol.
Musically, the band sounds like L7 covering the Stooges and Sabbath on a good day. Songs worth knowing include first single "I Love LA" (decidedly not the Randy Newman version), the sludge-fests "Chicken Woman" (the video is a homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre) and "What I Want"; the ode-to-oral-pleasures, "Pussy Tower" (which sounds a little like Boss Hogg), "Full of Pride" (sounds a bit like Hole) and the should-have-been-a-hit "Let Her Be."
Their new single, "Hollywood Ending" shaves off some of their rougher edges, making them sound more like a lost 80's Sunset Strip-era hair metal band, but it's still pretty rocking and bodes well for their follow-up album, which is coming out soon. Forget Greta Van Fleet- this is the real future of rock.
Jon Spencer - Sings the Hits
Although technically a solo effort, it actually sounds like a return to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion in their earlier, pre-experimental form (circa Extra Width and Orange) - if you dig that, you'll dig this. If anything, we could use more of this sort of thing right about now, which is to say, old-school rock played with a punk-like intensity.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Sparkle Hard
If Pavement had continued to go in the direction of Wowee Zowie and, to a lesser extent, Brighten the Corners, instead of recording the low-key break-up album Terror Twilight and fading out of existence, they might have made this, singer Stephen Malkmus' seventh effort with his more recent band, The Jicks.
The album is their first in four years, after Malkmus took an extended break from recording with the band to work on solo material, reportedly of an electronic nature, and to score the Netflix series Flaked. Sparkle Hard is one of his most straight-forward efforts to date, lyrically, while being arguably the most Pavement-like, sonically. It also features a vocal cameo from the legendary Kim Gordon, of Sonic Youth fame.
While a lot of his post-Pavement work has been decent and certainly laid-back and easy-going, its also somewhat purposefully evaded the vibe of his work with that band, at least to a certain extent. I mean, it can't help but evoke the band somewhat, what with his being the lead singer and guitarist of Pavement, obviously, but this feels like the first time he's consciously said WTF and just embraced the band's legacy, perhaps as a direct result of performing with them again in 2011's reunion tour.
Since then, he's taken to performing the occasional Pavement song with his new band, something he had avoided until more recent years, the legendary 2003 show in Milwaukee notwithstanding. Perhaps reuniting with them made him come to turn with the band's legacy, along with the excellent reissues of their primary output over the early 2000's.
Either way, this is far and away my favorite album of anything he's done since Corners. If you loved Pavement, but never quite connected to any of his follow-up band's material, this is definitely a great place to start. Even if you do like the band, it's easily their best effort to date, IMHO, and an undeniable return to form for Malkmus in general. Be sure and check out the nifty video shorts he did for the album here and here as well.
The Aces - When My Heart Felt Volcanic
Splitting the difference between Haim and Tegan & Sera, this all-girl pop group separates itself from the pack by virtue of gratifyingly prominent guitars- check out the solo on "Holiday," for example- and a knack for compelling harmonies and hooks. While some of their debut full-length album is a bit same-y, there are enough should-have-been hits here to make one wonder why they already aren't a bigger name than they are.
Give it time, though- these girls have skills to burn- they're one big hit away from being a household name, trust me. Besides, any band that pays homage to both Heathers and Across the Universe in one video can't be all bad. Bonus points for just being so upbeat and positive, even when the subject matter sometimes isn't, in a year in which most went the other way with it (which is to say downbeat lyrics and music alike)- not that anyone could blame them.
The Voidz - Virtue
Very nearly made the list, but I ultimately went with Jack White instead, in terms of the left-of-center, experimental vibe. That said, I like it better than anything Julian Casablancas has done since those first couple of Strokes albums, but for whatever reason, didn't find myself coming back to it much over the year.
Probably because it drags a bit after a while, like the band themselves got bored with it. They do boot and rally for a few of their strongest songs ever towards the end. It sounds a bit like Beck on a New Wave trip, a la Midnite Vultures, only not as good- but still worth a listen for Strokes fans and/or lovers of 80's New Wave, regardless.
Dirty Projectors - Lamp Lit Prose
The loss of prominent band member Amber Hoffman is a painful one- probably for primary songwriter and front-man David Longstreth as well, as she was his girlfriend during the band's formative years and a crucial counterpart to his colorful harmonies. He does his best to soldier on without her for this album by bringing in some ringers, including the ladies of Haim, Syd, Amber Mark, Empress Of and Dear Nora.
But it can't help but still feel a bit off, like a glorified solo album, in spite of the typically elaborate arrangements and guest stars. It's kind of like what Fiery Furnaces would be without Eleanor Friedberger- it's just not the same- but Longstreth's talent remains indelible. Give it time, he'll rebound. Regardless, it's well-worth a listen for fans.
Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
PC are one of those bands that have been quietly plugging away for years with a fair amount of critical acclaim and a slowly-building cult following, but a limited amount of commercial success. Their third album, Sunbathing Animal, managed to make it to #55 on the Billboard charts, but subsequent albums haven't fared as well, including this one, which only made it to #122, in spite of the attention given to the infectious title track, which even went so far as to land them on Ellen, a rarity for a quirky alt-rock band.
Never mind all that- it's a solid record that sounds like a New Wave band, a la Talking Heads or Wire, on a funk bender. It takes a few listens to get behind it completely, especially for newbies, but honestly, even for longtime fans, really. This is likely in part due to the band's unlikely recruitment of producer Danger Mouse, who they brought in to shake things up a bit. It worked, but may be in a way that some fans found a bit disconcerting- hence the lower charting.
But if this sounds interesting to you, you will probably like it, even if you don't know a Parquet Court from a tennis court. Just know that the title track isn't necessarily representative of the album as a whole, but is indeed a highlight. The rest may divide others, but it's nothing if not an interesting listen, and you gotta like a band that has the chutzpah to do a song called "Free Bird II."
Metric - Art of Doubt
Metric perfected their sound right off the bat and they've basically stuck with it ever since. Sure, there's been some new wrinkles along the way- a little more electronic flourishes here, some acoustic guitars there- but if it ain't broke, why fix it? For a lot of bands that would spell stagnation, but Metric remain consistently, um, consistent.
That's not a complaint, really, but you do kind of wish they'd mix it up a bit more and take some more chances. This one is perfectly listenable, but just doesn't bring anything new to the table, which they've at least tried to do over the last few albums. I will say that this sounds a bit more like old-school Metric, so some who felt the band ventured a bit too far left field may like it more for that reason.
Still, new Metric is always welcome for this listener, and lest we forget, there's always Broken Social Scene and singer Emily Haines' solo work and various other band side projects to turn to for something more experimental, so there's that. Until they decide to take a few more risks, though, this will do- for now.
Beach House - 7
This noise-pop band is also nothing if not consistent. On this, their seventh album- as you might have guessed from that title- they do get a bit more adventurous musically, resulting in what may be their best effort to date. You can get lost in this music, for sure. Recommended highly for fans of the shoegaze movement of the late 80's-early 90's (My Bloody Valentine, Curve, Cocteau Twins, etc.).
Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears
Adorable Brit teen duo comprised of two childhood friends that specialize in swirling near-psychedelic dream pop that sounds like everything from the Cocteau Twins ("Cool & Collected") to early Charli XCX (sometimes XCX producer Sophie did the honors on two tracks, "Hot Pink" and "It's Not Just Me," both of which were singles) to 80's synth-driven New Wave ("Falling Into Me," "I Will Be Waiting") and peak-era My Bloody Valentine. The more I hear it, the more I love it, and the only reason it didn't make my Top Ten was that I liked the ones that did slightly better. Not by much, though.
But any band that ends their album with an eleven-minute epic ode to one of my favorite movies of all time ("Donnie Darko") is destined to become one I love, so it's only a matter of time before they stick the landing so completely they can no longer be denied. Counting the minutes till that happens.
MØ - Forever Neverland
You might know Danish singer MØ from her collaboration with Iggy Azalea, "Beg for It," or her turn with DJ Snake and Major Lazer, "Lean On" (which has a great video) as well as "Cold Water" with the latter. She's also collaborated with Charli XCX ("3AM (Pullup)"), Snakehips ("Don't Leave"), Diplo ("Get It Right"), Cashmere Cat ("9 (After Coachella)") and Foster the People ("Blur").
Her second full-length album is just fantastic, and perfect chill-out/make-out music. Past collaborators crop up again here (Charli XCX and Diplo), as well as few new ones (Empress Of, What So Not and Two Feet) for good measure. Plus, the extended edition features new collabs with MNEK, Sophie, Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat. Like Lykke Li's so sad so sexy, this is more a connected string of songs than individual tracks, so if you prefer actual albums instead a collection of would-be singles, you're in luck.
Rebecca & Fiona - Art of Being a Girl
Another slow-burn dance-pop record- there was a lot of that this year, as most everyone seemed to want to drift off to another planet. Understandable, given the current climate, literally and figuratively. Rebecca Scheja and Fiona FitzPatrick are two Swedish DJs that hooked up at a party, made beautiful music together and have since garnered two Grammys (Best Electro/Dance Albums in 2011 and 2014) for their work, for both of their previous albums.
Their third album marks their first indie release, after leaving their major label after their last album, Beauty is Pain. It's far and away their most pop-friendly effort and arguably their best effort to date. As with Lykke Li and MØ's albums, this one just flows beautifully, even the Deluxe Edition, which adds an additional disc of remixes, with a few new collaborations. I listened to this one quite a bit, and it's very relaxing and mellow and as sexy as the ladies themselves.
St. Vincent - MassEducation (MassEduction Stripped)
This is technically just an acoustic reworking of her previous album, MassEduction (minus one song: "Dancing with a Ghost"), but what a reworking! Stripping one of her best collections of songs yet to their core, Annie Clark, armed with a classical piano and some minimal backing on a few tracks, completely reinvents them in the process, for an end result that sounds like peak-era Tori Amos (or Kate Bush, if you prefer), and I definitely mean that as a compliment.
It won't take the place of the original for me, but it's certainly a viable alternative for when I want to take things down a notch, sonically, and just hear Annie wail her heart out, laid bare. Easily one of the most beautiful listening experiences of the year, and a confirmation that Clark is one of the most talented songwriters out there at the moment- not that I needed one.
Florence + The Machine - High as Hope
Typically fantastic collection of sweeping, soaring tracks by singer Florence Welch and company, slightly more muted than past releases, so as to put the onus on the lyrical content, which deals with loneliness, sadness and familial discord- of which she obviously has plenty of experience with, as evidenced by the more personal nature of the lyrics here.
As such, it's not as sweeping in its grandeur as past releases- which felt more like freeing oneself from the past, rather than succumbing to it, as she does here (save maybe the glorious "100 Years") - but it's still pretty damn great, and her vocals have never been better.
On the plus side, you feel like you know her and what makes her tick better after listening to it, so there's that. But given all the turmoil in the world at the moment, who can blame her for having a moment of melancholy? (Her latest single, "Moderation" signals a return to the more hopeful and upbeat Florence of the past, which is good.)
Chvrches - Love is Dead
Not quite as good as their last album, but probably slightly better than their first one, the latest from Chvrches finds them, as with most everyone else, in a contemplative mood. The results are solid, if a bit more mainstream than previous releases. The move towards pop worked- the album landed at #1 on both the alternative and rock charts and #11 in the overall Billboard Hot 100- though the last one was even better, and without all the poppier stuff.
Don't get me wrong, though- I still dug it. Nothing wrong with a well-crafted pop song. Arguably one of the best was "Miracle," which featured an accompanying video that about summed up 2018- even poor singer Lauren Mayberry gets tackled in it... and throws a few punches, for good measure, I might add, even though she's probably about 90 lbs. soaking wet, lol.
Whatever the case about the more poppier direction, I just love their overall vibe, so I'm still very much in for the moment. You should be, too, if you like 80's-style synth-driven alt-rock, a la old-school Depeche Mode, New Order and Human League.
Lily Allen - No Shame
While I loved her first two albums, I admittedly slept on her third one, save a couple of the singles that had videos for them, including the somewhat controversial one for "Hard Out Here." I'll probably eventually rectify that, but until then, I did check out her fourth effort, No Shame, which, from what I understand, received considerably better reviews than her previous one, which seemingly divided critics overall.
This one finds Allen in a contemplative mood (there's that word again!), reflecting back on her failed marriage, past substance abuse, an unfortunate ongoing issue with a stalker, the identity crisis she was suffering through as a result of her dissatisfaction with her last album, sociopolitical issues, and, on a happier note, her relationship with her children. For this one, she adopted a more personal approach, seeking to make the album she wanted to make, not the one the record company wanted her to, as she felt was the case the last time around.
The end result is somewhat lo-fi and muted- there's a lot of that going around, too- but still effective, kind of like her first album lyrically, but with music more akin to her second. As with Florence's record, you feel like you know Lily better by the end of this one. It's a nice chilled-out affair, with some cutting lyrics- only this time aimed as much at herself as others, if not more so.
Unfortunately, it may be a little too low-key for its own good, as it wasn't nearly as successful as past efforts on the charts. Still, it's definitely worth a listen for fans, especially those who might have been underwhelmed by her last one. It won't blow you out of the water- it's not that kind of album- but it absolutely does resurrect the Lily us fans fell for back in the day, which is worth celebrating.
Poppy - Am I A Girl?
I really dig Poppy, aka Moriah Pereira, who has basically taken the whole "life as performance art" thing of Lady Gaga's early days and ran with it. Only she never seems to break character, even in her gleefully weird interviews with various people. (Don't miss her trolling of the "Kids React" crew, which was delightfully mental.)
Just to mess with people, she and producer Titanic Sinclair drop in religious, satanic and Illuminati-style references into their oft-disturbing videos, which bring to mind the likes of David Lynch, Andy Warhol and Tim Burton and don't always feature music, but sometimes just Poppy staring at the camera, or saying nonsensical stuff. She also started a "Church," so that fans can "pledge allegiance to her." 😨
I'm pretty sure this is all an elaborate joke and that her persona is just weird for the sake of being weird. Be that as it may, her music isn't half-bad, with this, her third full-length release, being a decent-enough follow-up to her real debut, Poppy.Computer (if you don't count the ambient debut "3:36 (Music to Sleep To)," which is exactly that: instrumental music to sleep to).
While not quite as good as her first one, it definitely has it's moments, and is sometimes reminiscent of older-era Berlin (the band), with some surprisingly noisy bursts of guitar amongst all the techno-pop stuff, especially towards the end, which she dubbed "Poppymetal," because of course she did. It also features Diplo, Garibay and Grimes on a few tracks.
Arguably even better than anything here are her single-only releases, which include a great cover of Gary Numan's "Metal" (which perfectly suits her persona) and "Immature Couture," which features the immortal lyric on fashion: "If you're parents think you're gay, then you're doing it right." I'm still not sure if she's a girl or an android, so she must be doing something right.
Sofi Tukker - Treehouse
Delightful dance debut from the duo who sound a bit like early Nelly Furtado if she was more into EDM and had a wacky backup hype man that interjected stuff on occasion. "Best Friend" is easily one of the catchiest songs of the year. I listened to this one a lot, but am well aware it's a bit on the slight side. In time these two might really develop into contenders, though- or else go the way of the likes of Junior Senior, The Ting Tings or other such flash-in-the-pan duos. It really could go either way.
Johnny Jewel - Themes for Television
Best-known for his work with the synth-pop act Chromatics, and his soundtrack work (Drive, Lost River and several tracks used by David Lynch in his Twin Peaks revival, upon which Chromatics appeared), Jewel mostly does the instrumental thing in his solo work, and the results are often hypnotic and envelope the listener in a wave of synthesizers, not unlike the likes of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Goblin and John Carpenter. If you like that sort of thing, you'll like this. (For my younger readers, think the score for Stranger Things.)
To the best of my knowledge, the title is a misnomer- this isn't actually music created for TV shows, though Jewel has indeed composed for TV before, i.e. The Blacklist and Those Who Kill. But you can certainly hear this material cropping up on something or the other, whether TV or film. Whatever the case, it's a go-to for me when I write or when I want to drift off to sleep, and I mean that as a compliment.
Bishop Briggs - Church of Scars
Kind of like the female version of Imagine Dragons, this talented newcomer got everyone's attention with the song "River," and sustained interest with the likes of "Wild Horses" (not the Stones song) and "White Flag," all of which are present and accounted for on this, her debut album. Briggs is actually the stage name of Sarah McLaughlin- no, not that one- hence the name change.
Some have also compared her to Banks and Florence + The Machine, but with some gospel influence- note the use of choirs on some tracks. It's a bit same-y after a while, which is why it didn't make my Top 10, but keep an eye out- she could be a contender on down the line.
Kimbra - Primal Heart
Remember Kimbra? Her song with Goyte, "Somebody That I Used to Know" catapulted her to stardom, helping drive her debut album, Vows, to #14 on the US charts. Though she's fared even better in her native New Zealand, since then, each subsequent release has seen diminishing returns, with her latest bottoming out at #179 on Billboard's charts.
It's too bad, as it's a pretty good record, and probably her best effort to date. Granted, there's a slight drop off in quality towards the end, but you could say the same about a lot of albums this year, unfortunately. Either way, it's worth a listen for fans.
Amy Shark - Love Monster
Aaaa-mie shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo... (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Actually, this shark sounds less like everyone's favorite kid's song ear-worm and more like Halsey, only with a guitar in hand. The Aussie singer won Album of the Year, Best Female Artist and Best Pop Album at the ARIA Music Awards in her native Australia, and it is a fairly solid release, if a bit disconcerting, given how uncannily she sounds like Halsey. I mean, seriously, if I didn't know it going in, I would have thought Halsey had done an alt-rock album.
You might have heard her biggest hit, "Adore" (also on her debut EP Night Thinker) or possibly her collaboration with Blink-182 front-man, Mark Hoppus, "Psycho." Other solid tracks include "Don't Turn Around," All Loved Up," "I Said Hi" and the amusingly-titled "You Think I Think I Sound Like God." It's a decent record, with some great lyrics, but it could use a bit more experimentation, sonic-wise. As it stands, it's worth checking out once, if only to see if it's your thing.
Tracey Thorn - Record
Back in the day, I used to be a big dance music fan, before EDM was really a thing and it was more commonly referred to as techno. One of the biggest acts associated with the burgeoning sub-genre was Everything But the Girl, whose biggest hit, the Todd Terry remix of "Missing" was all but inescapable back in the day. You might also know singer Tracey Thorn's excellent collaborations with the band Massive Attack, notably the song "Protection."
The band broke up indefinitely back in 1999, at which point I admittedly moved on to other things and slept on their respective solo efforts. This year, I happened to spot that she had a new album out that was garnering some buzz, so I checked it out and it's a pretty solid record, no pun intended.
Though her voice is a bit lower than back in the day, it's still filled with plenty of yearning and her lyrics are that of someone who is older, wiser and not above some rabble-rousing (see "Sister") and longing for her dance-hall days ("Dancefloor"), while remaining proud of her "Babies" and still being a "Queen."
Along for the ride are the likes of Corinne-Bailey Rae, Shura and members of the female alt-rock outfit Warpaint. If you were even slightly a fan of her early work, you'll dig this, and unlike some of the albums on this list, it only gets better as it goes along, ending strongly with two of her best tracks ever.
Ariana Grande - Sweetener
I give- I'm only human.
That said, if "God is a Woman," I doubt She'd have let the last few years happen, unless it was some elaborate scheme in which one thing had to happen so that another thing could happen, so that something else could happen that ultimately benefited women as a whole... oh wait, maybe She is!
Either way, Ariana is an angel. 😍
Well, that about does it for my second-rung albums of the year. Be sure to join me later this weekend for a run-down of my fave albums and singles by genre, and next week for my list of my fave movies of the year, just in time for the Oscars!
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