ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2018

the last 3 songs are my favorite part of this one

I'm not really familiar with Wye Oak (I'd heard If Children but that's it) but yeah, this was a nice record.

starting to breathe a sigh of relief that i won’t place in this poll

Civilian is still my favorite indie record of the decade

can't rly place what this is, which might be a good thing

Can’t imagine Popcaan placing higher than Burna tbh

Also fear that Simmy might have missed the 77 boat...

All hopes resting on Sun-El now!

xps

https://i.imgur.com/IiPPE0m.jpg
#56: Foxing - Nearer My God - 247 points – 9 votes

thread of foxing on the occasion of their 2018 extremely warped and fragmented emo album nearer my god

Holly Hazelwood: "Nearer My God is 2018’s bravest record, and despite the sonic risks taken, Foxing have emerged with the best reward possible: an actual, honest-to-God classic."

HELL YES BUT ALSO TOO LOW

shock collared at the gates of heaven

Lich Prince is the one for me off this. Fun record all around though

hmmm haven't heard this one

can’t remember if i voted for this. it still sounds like my depressive episode in august which is why i might not have

Great album too low

I've never been even heard of the last two bands(?) to place. :)

two straight that i voted for

lich prince is the highlight among highlights tho, agreed

Now I need to hear 'Lich Prince' based on its title alone.

Also, have not heard any of the albums so far. Skee Mask sounds like it could be up my alley, I guess I'll give it a try.

I didn't even notice there was another Wye Oak album last year!

wye oak alb is so good, my favorite track is lifer, the way it creeps along until exploding with the guitar solo and final verse

https://i.imgur.com/oXs3rxj.jpg
#55: The Armed - Only Love - 251 points – 9 votes - 1 first place vote

Brandon Stosuy: "The Armed started in 2009, ages ago in punk rock years. A new band wouldn’t have the arsenal or know-how to create something as anti-everything and complete in all aspects as Only Love; from the packaging to the storyline to the print publication to the “vibe,” it feels like the apotheosis of years of experiments. It’s a lesson in never settling."

Steve Lampiris: "So can you call Only Love a (hardcore) punk record? In the literal sense, no. There aren’t three chord sprints, simple song structures or anything of the sort. The aim isn’t simply to conquer through sheer blunt force. It is, however, in the metaphorical sense. After all, what’s more punk than smashing your own sound and gluing the pieces back together to discover something new?"

YESSSSS

my #1

ladies n gents, welcome to SOUND IN EXCELSIS

I found "Now Only" to be very impressive, and that's from someone who found the music of A Crow Looked at Me unbearable. I like his stream of consciousness, and he really puts it into songs, so even though it's raw and autobiographical, it's not a slow painful dirge like other grieving releases I've heard (Nick Cave...), the songwriting is outstanding. Definitely too low.
Glad for Outside even if it's more about the hits for me.
Haven't heard the last few. Hope the Poll continues to deliver. I'll come back late tonight (CET).

Nice. Based on what's likely to place from here on out I'd say it's a case of too low, even though it didn't make my ballot.

I only heard the Armed album yesterday for the first time

HELL YEAH

I'm actually still re-digesting how good Lich Prince -> Gameshark off the Foxing album is, but my #1 has rudely turned up so I can hardly talk about both!

Uh you should all go on Youtube and watch The Armed's videos. Heavily Lined is video of the year. And listen to Luxury Themes. And Witness. You should have worked out by then if this swirl of beautiful mad noise is for you

Foxing seem like they should totally be my sort of thing but the album never got beyond 'quite good' for me despite several tries.

Also I can see why people like the Armed but it does nothing for me at all.

Both these albums have great covers though!

voted for the armed album

stunning from start to finish

i hated the armed album

still chuckling at how they supposedly "tricked" Converge's drummer into working on this

Huh, Foxing and the Armed completely passed me by. Imago, aside from your own personal love for them do you reckon they have emil.y appeal?

armed record impressive but hard to sustain excitement about for me. should revisit it

Heavily Lined. It has a prequel from the previous album - Paradise Day - which is also incredible

And here's Luxury Themes, just in case you wanted to hear the best approximation of my ideal audio aesthetic there's been in a bit (it's the outro)

emil.y appeal = they're wild and punk as hell and extremely progressive and their shows are apparently a sort of carnival of decentralisation, and their tunes bang? Give them a go

This is the only Wye Oak album I care about and even then there's a big gap between how much I like the songs and how much I dislike the production - with a bit more space there it could have been my #1 pick.

I broke my admittedly loose "no repeats btwn ballots" rule to throw "Luxury Themes" some points on my tracks ballot

botanist meets health

armed record impressive but hard to sustain excitement about for me

I feel about the same to be honest, I mean it's good and everything but

https://i.imgur.com/1O8xN5s.jpg
#54: Domenique Dumont - Miniatures De Auto Rhythm - 253 points – 10 votes

Andy Beta: "If you're a fan of classic Balearic, then you'll know Domenique Dumont aren't really reinventing the wheel. But they nail the smallest details and tease out new wrinkles for the album. "

hooray

looks like i voted for both, but 'Sans Cesse, Mon Cheri' just blows me away every time

I should give the Dumont another try. It didn't make much of an impression but I loved that EP from a couple years back

I spent a week with the Foxing album in the car and realized it wasn't my thing.

Oooh I had no idea Wye Oak put out an album this year. Didn't catch that on other lists. Love that artwork.

Nearer My God title track is good. Reminds me a bit of early Band of Horses in its soaring vocals and anthemic drumming. Need to spend more time with that album.

Huh, I didn't even know this existed (and I too loved the last EP).

The 'Heavily Lined' video is pretty great, though on first listen I can't hear what in particular raises these guys above similar noisy rock stuff - I definitely like it enough to sample more, though.

Wye Oak my #2, I think. Looks like all 8 people who rated it on their thread voted for it.

I can't hear what in particular raises these guys above similar noisy rock stuff

play my final card: they have a full-time analogue synth player in the band :D

Wow! Love this album so much. I think it's a step forward from the first one, which was pretty great itself. This has been in my heavy rotation since it came out.

oh cool i had totally forgot about this dominique dumont album...