Surprised anyone listened to Kamikaze more than once.
― Johnny Fever, Saturday, 17 November 2018 19:03 (five years ago) link
I did, but it's far from being one of my favourite albums released this year.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 17 November 2018 19:16 (five years ago) link
who even is J Balvin and what are the odds all their shit sounds like Despacito reheats
Is this the level of informed and trenchant critique we can look forward to all month then?
― Matt DC, Sunday, 18 November 2018 09:38 (five years ago) link
oh i can do much worse and you know it
― imago, Sunday, 18 November 2018 09:59 (five years ago) link
Glen I'm really interested in your list but I'm not quite following the ranking methodology there? XXX and Post Malone seem really low but I guess they've got a very large number of people listening more infrequently?
Legit amazed that the Arctic Monkeys album is that popular though.
― Matt DC, Sunday, 18 November 2018 10:07 (five years ago) link
incredible album tbf
― single bed mentality (||||||||), Sunday, 18 November 2018 10:14 (five years ago) link
Yeah, the Arctic Monkeys album is quite comfortably one of the best of the year, IMO.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Sunday, 18 November 2018 10:44 (five years ago) link
Arctic Monkeys seem exactly the sort of act to be near the top of a chart like that - mainstream rock band with large-but-still-sort-of-cult fanbase
― ufo, Sunday, 18 November 2018 10:53 (five years ago) link
xxp Yes, Glenn — how do “points” work in your rankings?
― my guitar friend wants his money (morrisp), Sunday, 18 November 2018 15:19 (five years ago) link
The point-scoring formula is a closely guarded secret, meaning I don't remember the exact math without looking it up, but it's just a fancily-combined weighting of total listeners and "adjusted" listeners, where adjusted listeners prorates listenership by how much of the album people tend to play. So Post Malone has a ton of listeners, but most of them are only playing one or two songs
― glenn mcdonald, Sunday, 18 November 2018 15:43 (five years ago) link
For an album with no discernable singles compared to their past ones, I’m surprised at Arctic Monkeys at number one in there. None of the top 10 songs in spotify are from this album, I’ve listened to it twice and couldn’t remember any song afterwards. For me it was a bit of a chore tbh.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 18 November 2018 18:08 (five years ago) link
Top 10 arctic monkeys songs I mean, and afaik they are not actually positioned by total number of listens but monthly ones I think?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Sunday, 18 November 2018 18:09 (five years ago) link
happily imago's grousing prompted me to listen to the J Balvin album and it is of course excellent.
― Tim F, Sunday, 18 November 2018 22:40 (five years ago) link
Yes, it is. Totally deserves its place in that list. It will be in my EOY’s as well.
― breastcrawl, Sunday, 18 November 2018 23:08 (five years ago) link
I was thinking of bad bunny
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Monday, 19 November 2018 00:49 (five years ago) link
I wasn’t sure of paying for the last two J Balvin’s albumson vinyl and imago’s seal of dissaproval has promptedto do so.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, 19 November 2018 03:29 (five years ago) link
Mojo albums list. "Something for everyone here," etc.
https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/kate-bush-heads-up-mojos-best-of-2018-issue-1https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1022-mojos-best-albums-of-2018/2
20. Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears19. Low - Double Negative18. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar17. Gaz Coombes - World’s Strongest Man16. Cypress Hill - Elephants on Acid15. Tracey Thorn - Record14. Paul Weller - True Meanings13. Kurt Vile - Bottle It In12. Pusha-T - Daytona11. Fatoumata Diawara - Fenfo (Something To Say)10. The Breeders - All Nerve9. Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt8. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel7. Ryley Walker - Deafman Glance6. Idles - Joy as an Act of Resistance5. Christine and the Queens - Chris4. Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer3. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs2. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino1. Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 19 November 2018 13:36 (five years ago) link
Gaz!!!!
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Monday, 19 November 2018 13:42 (five years ago) link
That Cypress Hill album was shockingly good.
― grawlix (unperson), Monday, 19 November 2018 13:42 (five years ago) link
My seal of disapproval was more a seal of lazy anticipation. I've never knowingly heard a note of J Balvin - this will presumably change come polling season.
― imago, Monday, 19 November 2018 13:43 (five years ago) link
Liking these J Balvin singles. So the 'J' is, in fact, pronounced English-style?
― pomenitul, Monday, 19 November 2018 13:50 (five years ago) link
Cool to see the Rolling Blackouts record get a few mentions already. Definitely my favourite rock record of the year.
― triggercut, Monday, 19 November 2018 14:45 (five years ago) link
very happy to see Low's ubiquity on these lists, the rare "late" career record where the critical resurgence is completely justified
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Monday, 19 November 2018 15:07 (five years ago) link
I tried to listen to that Rolling Blackouts record and it just sounded like The War On Drugs without any of the droney stuff that helped make them enjoyable once.
― Matt DC, Monday, 19 November 2018 20:05 (five years ago) link
I hate to be that guy but the first 2 EPs by RBCF are better than Hope Downs. They are world class at that fast propulsive sound. They don't do it much on Hope Downs.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 19 November 2018 20:37 (five years ago) link
My non-old brother dragged my old ass out to see Ty Seagall and Thee Oh Sees this year, glad to see them both popping up on year-end lists because they're fantastic.
― My mother set great store by that microwave oven! (Old Lunch), Monday, 19 November 2018 20:41 (five years ago) link
bump
― sleeve, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 01:27 (five years ago) link
Musicophilia's Top 50 Albums/EPs
50 Thom Yorke - Suspiria49 Calvin Valentine - Keep Summer Safe48 Peaking Lights - Sea of Sand47 Knife Knights - 1 Time Mirage46 Jean Grae & Quelle Chris - Everything’s Fine45 MorMor - Heaven’s Only Wishful EP44 Mourning (A) BLKstar - The Garner Poems43 Sons of Kemet - Your Queen is a Reptile42 Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet - Landfall41 Virginia Wing - Ecstatic Arrow
40 Small Professor - Church Jawns EP39 Marlowe - Marlowe38 Lithics - Mating Surfaces37 Anderson Paak - Oxnard36 Open Mike Eagle - What Happens When I Try to Relax EP35 Illingsworth - You’re No Fun34 Hilary Woods - Colt33 Cavern of Anti-Matter - Hormone Lemonade32 Yves Tumor - Safe In the Hands of Love31 Witch Prophet - The Golden Octave
30 Apollo Brown & Locksmith - No Question EP29 Kiefer - Happysad28 Joy Postell - Diaspora EP27 Tim Hecker - Konoyo26 Chancha Via Circuito - Bienaventuranza25 Moses Sumney - Black In Deep Red, 2014 EP24 Mick Jenkins - Pieces of a Man23 Kamaal Williams - The Return22 Kali Uchis - Isolation21 Georgia Anne Muldrow - Overload
20 Szun Waves - New Hymn to Freedom19 Sam Phillips - World on Sticks18 Makaya McCraven - Universal Beings17 The Midnight Hour - The Midnight Hour16 Brandon Coleman - Resistance15 Lando Chill - Maya Maia Mayu EP14 Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen13 Jlin - Autobiography12 The Internet - Hive Mind11 Melo-Zed - Elven
10 Blood Orange - Negro Swan09 Noname - Room 2508 Lando Chill - Landolasso EP07 Lotic - Power06 Lando Chill - Black Ego05 Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics04 Roy Kinsey - Blackie: A Story by Roy Kinsey03 Serpentwithfeet - Soil02 Low - Double Negative01 Saba - Care For Me
(Caveat that Solange's 2018 album isn't out yet)
― Soundslike, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 03:05 (five years ago) link
that Knife Knights record is good, just heard it yesterday
― sleeve, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 03:55 (five years ago) link
I need to revisit Serpentwithfeet. I was impressed when it came out, but haven't listened to it since.
I'm currently running down rabbit holes, lists are leading to more obscure recommendations ending up in dark alleys, often enticing singles and EPs that leave you wanting more. For example, C.C.T.V., a northern Indiana art punk/post-punk band allegedly released their third EP, Season Finale. I say allegedly because the only place I can find it so far is a single track on YouTube with funny Jerky Boys style radio bits. There's some intrigue here, with the original posting saying, "rick, if you're reading this please know, you're the devil" and the song titles. Rick is the DJ. I recommend listening to the whole thing, but it ties together at the end. I'm tempted to drive to Hammond for a rare gig on Dec 1. Also:
Body Type - Body Type EP (Melbourne jangly garage pop/punk)Neurotic Fiction - Pulp Music (UK jangly pop/punk)Spiritual Cramp - Television (San Francisco chaotic post-hardcore art rock, Deranged compiled their EPs and recent single. I saw them earlier this year, amazing. Admire the tambourine player's total commitment)ILL - We Are ILL (whacky Manchester psychedelic post-punk)L.A. Witch - Octubre EP (garage punk noir)Public Practice - Distance Is A Mirror EP (NY, members of WALL)LIINES - Stop-Start (UK post-punk)Ganser - Odd Talk (Chicago energetic post-punk) 180dB - "Road Trip" single (Savages' Ayşe Hassan & Fay Milton with guests Meredith Graves of Perfect Pussy and Nick Zinner. WANT MORE)Flat Worms - "The Apparition/Melt The Arms" Goat - "Let It Burn"
― Fastnbulbous, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 15:34 (five years ago) link
Also, after being disappointed by last year's Bulls And Roosters, I've been pleasantly surprised by Together PANGEA's Non Stop Paranoia EP, with a great cover of Devo's "Gates Of Steel"! Interested to see if it shows up on a best EP list somewhere other than mine. Here's a Spotify playlist of certain tracks to explore in the pre-T-Giving lull.
― Fastnbulbous, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 16:40 (five years ago) link
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Sunday, November 18, 2018 7:49 PM (three days ago)
Yup, him and Arcangel and Ozuna...D-40 largely otm about trap's heavy influence on Latin pop
― slack thompson (Drugs A. Money), Wednesday, 21 November 2018 17:23 (five years ago) link
jfc you'd think Gaz would chill out for once and drop a record that isn't album of the year
― billstevejim, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 19:56 (five years ago) link
xpTrap’s influence on Latin pop/reggaeton is a given (and guess what, it’s not even the biggest notable influence). We’re still talking different genres though. It’s weird to suggest that acts like J Balvin or Ozuna or whoever don’t belong on lists like these when there are no (US) trap artists there, which is what D-40 was doing.
― breastcrawl, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 23:02 (five years ago) link
i'd actually say Ozuna and J Balvin in particular work slightly outside of what deej is talking about—Bad Bunny in particular is *really* indebted to Travis, but Ozuna and Balvin have more formalist reggaetonero personas even though they're still modernizing the sound (Ozuna bridges the gap a little more i'd say).
― austinb, Wednesday, 21 November 2018 23:36 (five years ago) link
I like Serpentwithfeet when his church-rooted vocals and the rhythms are more traditional, but on a number of tracks the backing is too forced and stiff in an art-rock way gone bad. He tries too hard vocally on some cuts too
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 22 November 2018 04:20 (five years ago) link
serpentwithfeet is prob a record i should talk about in the overhyped releases thread. still i look forward to whatever is next
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Thursday, 22 November 2018 05:30 (five years ago) link
Serpentwithfeet I don’t get at all. Can’t believe that got a fader cover
Ozuna songs I heard are pretty straightforward trap music although i do love “balanciaga”
J balvin is def Reggaeton tho I wasn’t thinking of him
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Thursday, 22 November 2018 06:39 (five years ago) link
It’s weird to suggest that acts like J Balvin or Ozuna or whoever don’t belong on lists like these when there are no (US) trap artists there, which is what D-40 was doing.
― breastcrawl, Wednesday, November 21, 2018 5:02 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I was thinking of the wrong artist but regardless it’s still pretty weird not to have trap music really represented
― ILX’s bad boy (D-40), Thursday, 22 November 2018 06:41 (five years ago) link
Like even in its pop Travis Scott form
every time i heard “sicko mode” this year i thought “wow this is such a bad song(s)” but otherwise i agree
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Thursday, 22 November 2018 06:50 (five years ago) link
I quite like the serpentwithfeet album (wouldn't put it higher than that) but it does seem like an alternate-reality ridic. side project effort by Olly of Y&Y with frands.
― Tim F, Thursday, 22 November 2018 07:08 (five years ago) link
Piccadilly Records, who have missed the thanksgiving dinner lull memo, presumably because they are in Manchester
https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/feature.php?&feature=875https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/1023-piccadilly-records-top-100-albums-of-2018/2
20. Whyte Horses - Empty Words19. Boy Azooga - 1, 2, Kung Fu!18. Baxter Dury & Étienne De Crécy & Delilah Holliday - B.E.D17. Children Of Zeus - Travel Light16. The Orielles - Silver Dollar Moment15. Low - Double Negative14. Altın Gün - On13. Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel12. Eleventeen Eston - At the Water11. MGMT - Little Dark Age10. Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo9. Ezra Collective - Juan Pablo: The Philosopher8. Phil France - Circle7. The Advisory Circle - Ways of Seeing6. Halo Maud - Je Suis Une île5. TVAM - Psychic Data4. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs3. Beak> - >>>2. LUMP - LUMP1. Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 22 November 2018 17:28 (five years ago) link
Ooh, Childqueen at #1!
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 22 November 2018 17:31 (five years ago) link
LUMP! ILM is seriously sleeping on this one.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Thursday, 22 November 2018 17:47 (five years ago) link
The Boy Azooga album is great too
― groovypanda, Thursday, 22 November 2018 18:14 (five years ago) link
see, musicophilia is a good reminder of why i stick around for this year-end clusterfuck. hard as i try to keep up with the new music scene there's always stuff i had no idea even came out, like neneh cherry and jlin.
― dub pilates (rushomancy), Thursday, 22 November 2018 20:15 (five years ago) link
Piccadilly always do a really good EOY list, a mix of stuff I know I really like already and stuff I've never even heard of, and I end up investigating the latter based on the strength of the former. I imagine their list is preperation for Black Friday shopping
― boxedjoy, Thursday, 22 November 2018 20:42 (five years ago) link
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever is showing in a lot of these and it didn’t do much for me on first listen. Should I give it another chance?
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 22 November 2018 22:34 (five years ago) link
It’s currently #1 on the AOTY summary score:
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2018/
It’s too early to tell but compared to the critic score summary it’s not even in the top 25:
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/ratings/6-highest-rated/2018/1
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Thursday, 22 November 2018 22:39 (five years ago) link