Tuneage Countdown 2018

First, eighteen or thereabouts albums that won’t disappoint.

 

 

18.  (tie)  Old 97s – Hate The Holidays // David Bowie – Live at Glastonbury

 

An Old 97s holiday album?  You had me at Old 97s.  And then a pleasant run through of Bowie’s hits?  Ok.

 

 

17.  Courtney Marie Andrews - May Your Kindness Remain

 

Some country…

 

 

16.  Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth

 

Some jazz …

 

 

15.  Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

 

Some indy …

 

 

14.  Lone Justice – The Western Tapes

 

I buy a Lone Justice album and - somehow - it’s not my eighth copy of their debut (it’s the demo that came before the debut).

 

 

13.  Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Hope Downs

 

Technically, their debut LP.  But there’s two EPs out there that preceded it.  Jangly, meandering.  REM ish. 

 

 

12.  Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer

 

Not typically my groove – but quite groovy, indeed.

 

 

11.  Georgia Anne Muldrow – Overload

 

Her 17th album.

 

 

10.  Snail Mail – Lush

 

Her 1st.

 

 

9.  Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Live From the Ryman

 

Basically, it makes you sad you don’t live in Nashville. 

 

 

8.  Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You

 

Noticed … pretty late in the year cause I ain’t too quick bout noticing …

 

 

7.  (tie)  Florence + the Machine – High As Hope

 

… that most of the albums I bought this year were …

 

 

6.  Amanda Shires – To The Sunset

 

… by women.  And of them, this one was on the turntable the most. 

 

 

5.  (tie)  Various – 10 Years of Mom + Pop // Brian Fallon - Sleepwalkers

 

Since You Been Gone by Toyko Police Club is almost worth the price of ownership alone.  Add Sunflower Bean’s Infinity Guitars and the rest and this may be the best value in 2018 music.  If not, Brian Fallon’s Sleepwalkers definitely is.   

 

 

4.  Bruce Springsteen – Springsteen on Broadway 

 

How far can introspection, work ethic and showmanship take you?  Pretty damn far. 

 

 

3.  The Regrettes – Attention Seeker

 

An EP slots in at #3 because, pound for pound, there were only two better albums in 2018.

 

 

2.  John Prine - Tree of Forgiveness

 

A wry Steinbeck, with a six-string. 

 

 

1.  Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra – The Capitol Studio Sessions

 

No kidding – the most fun you can have with a turntable in 2018. 

 

 

 

 

Now, eighteen songs that landed on the iPod which I happen to like at least a little bit more than the other thousand or so of the year.  The normal rules apply – mostly (but not necessarily) from 2018, not necessarily the best songs (just ones that amuse me for one reason or another), probably not on the list if they’re from a band that’s huge and – just to spread the love – not on the list if they were on any of the albums above. 

 

 

 

 

18.  Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas – Sparrow Sleeps

 

Let’s start with a lullaby, simply because the title of the album (The Sleep We Lose For People Who Look Like Us) is a fantastic Bleach Slang joke.  Not that Beach Slang jokes are widespread.   

 

 

17.  What a Time to Be Alive – Superchunk

 

Not so lullabyly.

 

 

16.  Tough Folks – American Aquariam

 

Nor this.

 

 

15.  Something Good – Modern Monet

 

Kind of sleepy.  Very nice.

 

 

14.  Fine Line – Parker Milsap

 

Then, the Americana kicks in.

 

 

 

13.  In Spite of Ourselves – John Prine & Iris DeMent

 

And continues.  Reminding everyone John Prine’s been doing this for a while.

 

 

 

12.  Roll On Slow – Glen Hansard

 

And continues.

 

 

 

11.  Guiding Light – Mumford & Sons

 

Not technically Americana, but in the same ballpark.

 

 

 

10.  Found the One – Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite

Verrry Americana.

 

 

 

9.  Entitlement Crew – The Hold Steady

 

Close to 2018. 

 

 

 

8.  Head Over Heels – The Go-Gos

 

Not at all close, but one of my favorite music memories of 2018 – the iPod shuffles to the song just as I cross the Los Angeles city border near midnight as the traffic clears and the speed picks up on a weekend run to Phoenix.  Uptempo just when you need it, and of the place you’re passing through.  Also …  if it’s Jane Wiedlin’s fave Go-Go’s song, it should be yours too. 

 

 

 

7.  See You On the Other Side – Brian Fallon

 

Ok, I  lied.  The album’s on the list above.  It’s a darn good album, not least of which because of this darn good song. 

 

 

6.  Mistake – Middle Kids

 

The album’s pretty good, too.

 

 

5.  In My Way – The Belligerents

 

The loudness starts, in a Cult-like way. 

 

 

 

4.  For The Lonely Ones – Lucero

 

The loudness continues. 

 

 

 

3.  All We Want, Baby, Is Everything – Handsome Furs

 

And becomes anthemic.

 

 

 

2.  My Kind of Town (Live At The Sands) – Frank Sinatra

 

Speaking of anthems.

 

 

 

1.  Helpless – The Regrettes

 

A pop-punk cover of a multi-cultural rap about the founding of America.  2018 did not completely suck.