The Year in Music: 2018's Best

It is again that time of year to unveil my listing of the year's best music. Take a listen, and be sure to turn it up LOUD!

10. Songs of Experience by U2--For a bunch of 50-somethings, these guys are unbelievably prolific. If only for loyalty's sake, Bono, the Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton again make the list. There are some good songs, though it cannot be said that this is a deep or important album. We saw them live in Omaha in May, however, and they certainly still know how to put on a good show.

9. Hippo Lite by DRINKS--Okay...this is pretty weird stuff. I'm not sure why I like it so much. Tim Presley and Cate Le Bon are amazingly creative, and this neo-psych LP is ample proof.

8. Clean by Soccer Mommy--Women are doing amazing things in rock. Sophie Allison made one of the finest rock records of the year with Clean.

7. Cranberry by Hovvdy--Texans Will Taylor and Charlie Martin make lo-fi, laid-back, and simple songs that are perfect for autumn days in Iowa.

6. Lush by Snail Mail--Baltimore-based Snail Mail is built around singer-guitarist Lindsey Jordan. This is chilled-out/blissed-out guitar rock from classically-trained Jordan. The girl can play.

5. Freedom by Amen Dunes--Damon McMahon has a remarkable voice. His tight vibrato fits nicely with an electronic and bass-driven aesthetic. This is a dark, energetic, and rhythmic record.

4. Hope Downs by Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever--RBCF is assurance that guitar rock is still alive. This soft punk band from Australia rolled out one of the better albums in 2018 by following The War On Drugs formula of energy, melody, shimmering synths, and guitar licks.

3. The Horizon Just Laughed by Damien Jurado--Seattle's finest singer-songwriter (and perhaps the greatest of his generation) keeps pumping out remarkably thoughtful, intelligent, and melodic records.

2. Bottle It In by Kurt Vile--The long-haired slacker-rocker and master of psych-folk-Americana put out a long, meandering, gold-toned master work that gets more interesting with each listen. This is a wonderful album (and I'm taking the kids to see him live in Omaha in February...can't wait!).

1. Wide Awake! by The Parquet Courts--Intelligent punk, with elements of ska, world music, and rockabilly. They are a 21st-century American version of The Clash, though quite a bit weirder and even more political. Saw them at The Vic in Chicago last month...top three concert of all-time.