Best of 2018
ALBUM REVIEW: Earl Sweatshirt Does It Again on ‘Some Rap Songs’
A profound, honest marvel of emotionally bare hip-hop.
ALBUM REVIEW: Black Thought Ages Like a Fine Wine on ‘Streams of Thought Vol 2’
Aspiring MCs: don’t quit your day jobs.
ALBUM REVIEW: Mick Jenkins is the Rightful Heir of Gil Scott-Heron
‘Pieces of a Man’ might be this year’s most artful hip-hop album.
ALBUM REVIEW: Boygenius is the Indie Rock Supergroup We Need
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus slay on their collaborative EP.
ALBUM REVIEW: Cloud Nothings Scorch The Earth on ‘Last Building Burning’
A hot and heavy contrast to 2017’s polished ‘Life Without Sound’.
ALBUM REVIEW: Behemoth Show Us Everything They’ve Got on ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’
Forty-five devastating minutes of unmitigated chaos and despair.
ALBUM REVIEW: Kurt Vile Keeps on Keeping On on ‘Bottle It In’
Another hazy trip from the easy-going guitarman.
ALBUM REVIEW: Phosphorescent Does It Again on ‘C’est La Vie’
A feat of album craft that never overstays its welcome.
ALBUM REVIEW: Cat Power’s Many Lives Coalesce on ‘Wanderer’
It has a quiet determination to that’s totally captivating and right for the times.
ALBUM REVIEW: BROCKHAMPTON Just Keeps Getting Better on ‘iridescence’
It’s hard to imagine anybody not loving this album.
ALBUM REVIEW: ‘Double Negative’ is Low’s Most Radical Album Yet
It’s nothing short of stunning.
ALBUM REVIEW: Noname Drops Her College Thesis on ‘Room 25’
Debuts don’t get better than this.
ALBUM REVIEW: ‘And Nothing Hurt’ Is Spiritualized at Its Most Intimate
Another cosmic ride you’ll be glad you took.
ALBUM REVIEW: Thou Brings It All Together on ‘Magus’
The heavy metal alchemists have birthed their masterpiece.
ALBUM REVIEW: Mitski is in a League of Her Own on ‘Be The Cowboy’
She’s Iggy Pop’s favorite songwriter for a reason.
ALBUM REVIEW: Haley Heynderickx Will Feed Your Indie Folk Appetite with ‘I Need to Start a Garden’
Singer-songwriter spins a sparse stunner on debut album.
ALBUM REVIEW: The Beths Make Awkwardness Endlessly Endearing on Debut Album
‘Future Me Hates Me’ is the most charming record you’ll hear all year.
ALBUM REVIEW: Bon Iver and The National Collide on Big Red Machine
An indie rock fantasy 10 years in the making.
ALBUM REVIEW: Amanda Shires Plots an Americana Revolution on ‘Into The Sunset’
A radical slice of country folk that goes down like cold beer on a hot day.
ALBUM REVIEW: Gia Margaret Shimmers on ‘There’s Always Glimmer’
It might just be the prettiest thing put to wax this year.
ALBUM REVIEW: Mac Miller Battles Demons and Heartbreak on ‘Swimming’
While you’re never sure if his music is successful at saving him, it makes for a great listen.
ALBUM REVIEW: All Bets Are Off on Denzel Curry’s ‘TA13OO’
The most innovative and artful trap record you’ve ever heard.
ALBUM REVIEW: Children of Zeus Show Hard-Earned Talent on ‘Travel Light’
An unassailably smooth debut from a team that honed their artistry on the streets on Manchester.
ALBUM REVIEW: Melody’s Echo Chamber Returns for a Great Departure on ‘Bon Voyage’
Another fantastic collaboration between Melody and a modern psych great.
ALBUM REVIEW: The Internet Reach a New Synergy on ‘Hive Mind’
A personal best from the L.A. five-piece.
ALBUM REVIEW: John Coltrane’s Classic Quartet Shines Once More on ‘Both Directions at Once’
A stunning snapshot of some of jazz’s all-time greats at their peak.