ILM’s Top 77 Albums of 2018

And that was great (re McCraven). Totally get why someone would pick it as aoty.

Oh, I like Tropical Fuck Storm so far, based on the first song! I was expecting some kind of arch, cold Brit-postpunk thing but this actually feels like fun, inviting noisy rock 'n' roll that gets a lot of what I enjoy about 80s Amerindie and 70s hard rock. In a weird way, I actually thought of Thin Lizzy a little!

anyone know what happened to Moka's graphic for #36: Meshell Ndegeocello - Ventriloquism?

https://imgur.com/KOH8KcC

:-(

― gr8080

There was an error in the scores and I deleted it, but posted the link to the correct version shortly after the result.

thank you!

RIP Tal National btw. I thought that album had a shot ;_;

Only one more placement from me, it seems

Jordan & Brad are both fantastic writers/posters whose opinions I particularly respect, so I'm gonna quickly respond to the below points -- purely on my own behalf, as a lover of the album, and not on behalf of "critical consensus" or however others may be rating it (cuz I can only speak for myself):

the critical consensus that sweetener is the pinnacle of both ariana's career and pop in 2018 instead of re-heated pharrell leftovers from 2005 with a few nice max martin songs is just completely baffling to me

― J0rdan S., Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:09 AM

sweetener so dramatically worse than dangerous woman i still can't believe ppl rate it so high

― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Dangerous Woman is a terrific album, but I personally love Sweetener even more, because -- (a) its high points are even higher for me, and (b) its lyrics are stronger and I guess more "personal"/interesting (DW's somewhat generic lyrics are its Achilles heel, IMO).

Popcore conquers all!!

That said I think gr80 and I have aligned before. Richard Dawson and that Oranssi Pazuzu track iirc

My favorite thing TFS released in 2018 was their wild cover of "Stayin' Alive."

Gr80 was a proponent of the Botanist album as well

Atlantic Black is an especially great bit of the McCraven album I'm finding

no. 1 either gonna be the 1975, low, or kacey imo, big maybes for mitski, robyn, and beach house too

regardless i am rooting for aviary both for its merits and for the potential lj meltdown

three times I sat through that album, three times. biblical

would love aviary to win, but can’t really see it happening

Low would be an amazing winner but it's gonna be kacey

Kacey would be an amazing winner but it's gonna be the 1975

My favorite thing TFS released in 2018 was their wild cover of "Stayin' Alive."
― Chris L, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 7:47 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Thank you ! Well worth tracking.

no 1 has to be kacey surely

the 1975 had what seven songs in the top eight on the tracks countdown, or something terrible like that? i figure it's gotta be them.

I #1spotted Aviary without a second thought. I'd be really happy if it was Musgraves. The rest can get lost in the storm.

FM! and/or ASTROWORLD possible for the top 20? I will be disappointed if Whack World does not make it.

vince & travis aren't getting higher than earl or push

I was expecting to see Sarah Davachi, Nao, and Nadah el Shazly in the top 77, but it doesn't seem very likely any of them would've made it this high. :(

I'd somehow semi-consciously been assuming that Against All Logic was a punk band.
― jmm, Wednesday, February 6,

I will be disappointed if whack world makes it

I am going to get over myself and listen to the " tropical fuck storm "

Where do you stand on Nick Cave karaoke?

on its throat preferably

I'm thinking we could have the same top two as Pitchfork (Kacey and Mitski) but with the albums swapped round. I also have a feeling Autechre are going to do better than people expect. I could see them doing a Ten Love Songs and getting a good amount of number one votes.

I just can't see The 1975 winning. If the last album only made number seven, I'd be surprised if this one was higher as several people thought it was disappointing as a whole.

Oh wow "Atlantic Black" on Universal Beings. First time listener to McCraven.

It's going to be really underwhelming when Robyn wins.

I was expecting the Cavern of Anti-Matter album to make the 77 given the last one did and Hormone Lemonade got a lot of love early on in 2018, but no way it's Top 20. So, that's my official guess for #78, ulysses. However, secretly hoping Yves Tumor got 78'd as that record irritated the hell out of me.

Some surprises in today's section. Never heard of McCraven or AAL, will check those out ASAP.

I just can't see The 1975 winning. If the last album only made number seven, I'd be surprised if this one was higher as several people thought it was disappointing as a whole.

― kitchen person, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 12:40 PM (six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i don't really think this is true

it's less good than their last one but has more momentum and goodwill behind it, i can see it happening

I sneakily suspect Low could win because it was my #1 and I've never been a Low stan. There must be others like me.

I am going to get over myself and listen to the " tropical fuck storm "

― ||||||||, Wednesday, February 6, 2019 12:36 PM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i hate to be like they're surprisingly boring for the band name but they're surprisingly boring for the band name

the cover art is exciting though

however i would like to be a little more fair to them and say, on this second go-around, that i don't hate it!

Yeah yeah whatever this Meshell album is incredible.

Are there going to be no rap records in the top 20 this year?

seeing TFS described as boring is funny to me cause several ppl I've played it for found it actively distressing/anxiety-inducing

it's pretty straightforward rockin' out to me once you look beyond the weird surface

if you can sit through the climactic verse of 'soft power' and still claim boredom then you're probably ready for space

also what i said was "surprisingly boring for the band name," all the qualifiers are important

wish I'd thought to nom + campaign for the "stayin' alive" cover tbh

sex and hurricanes both v v exciting, it’s true

nah, tropical fuck storm in a teacup innit

i won't agree if Robyn wins but only bc it was my #2

i wrote an excellent pitchfork review of this one too

― jolene club remix (BradNelson), Tuesday, February 5, 2019 7:53 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i'm way behind, catching up, but that was a lovely piece of writing, brad.

guys ngl I put the vynehall DJ kicks on instead

i had plenty of time for the drones but tfs is basically the less-good moments of the drones (of which there was no shortage, honestly) consolidated

More than the music of TFS I hated the frontman aiming for misanthropy but coming across as a pissy little whiner (pot, kettle) I remember thinking the instrumental was fairly decent.