 Let me start by saying that this is my personal top-10 album list of 2018. Ignoring what the critics say (though a few of these are critically-acclaimed), these are the albums I just can’t stop listening to from start to end. 2018 was a big year for female-driven work, from pop to folk to country, and all the genres in-between. I got to see 4 out of the 10 below in concert this year, and that definitely played into the ratings below. So without further ado, here are my top-10 albums of 2018. Comment below with your favorites!
10. Julia Holter, “Aviary” I’ve been a fan of Holter’s since 2013(ish), and this album beautifully blends her atmospheric voice with ambient electronics and instruments. “Voce Simul” is one of my favorite songs to listen to while walking around the city on a cloudy day. There’s something sexy and haunting and intriguing about this album; each song is a new chapter that needs to be explored. 9. Frank Turner, “Be More Kind” When asked to describe Turner’s music, I often describe it as “grown-up punk rock.” I saw my first Frank Turner show this past September at “Sea. Hear. Now.” and he, his band, and the crowd that loves him blew me away. “1993” will have you hopping up and down and “Blackout” reminds me of being at an underground pop rock concert in college in the best way possible. Listen to this when on a run, when you need a pick-me-up, or when you just want to feel good. 8. Cat Power, “Wanderer” I’ve loved Cat Power since hearing her cover “Sea of Love” (originally by Phil Phillips) in the 2007 movie “Juno.” Mixing originals with covers, Power delivers another strong record after a 6 year hiatus. I love her cover of Rihanna’s “Stay,” and “Woman,” which she co-wrote with Lana Del Rey, is another stand out. 7. Kacey Musgraves, “Golden Hour” Is she country? Is she pop? Does it matter? Admittedly I didn’t listen to Musgraves before this album, but after seeing her debut on SNL, I knew I had to take a listen. “Slow Burn” is my favorite track off this album, but the album in its entirety is surely worth a listen (or two). Her lyrics are honest, yet playful and catchy. 6. Ariana Grande, “Sweetener” I’m pretty sure this album is on everyone’s top lists, whether they are a pop fan or not. Grande’s latest album broke genre barriers and had everyone bopping along with her sometimes sugary, sometimes soulful, “Sweetener.” If you somehow haven’t hear it, start with “God is a Woman” and still listen to “Pete Davidson” to temporarily mourn the loss of the relationship. Follow that with “No Tears Left to Cry” and you’ll be singing along with Grande in no time. 5. Foxing, “Nearer My God” I was turned on to Foxing with the release of this album, and I’m kicking myself for not listening to them sooner. This is one of the small handful of albums I turn on when I don’t know what to listen to. There’s energy, there’s power, there’s rock––it’s just a solid album. Hoping to catch them live in 2019. “Gameshark” was one of my top listened to tracks of 2018. 4. Florence and the Machine, “High as Hope” I’ve never met a Florence and the Machine album that I didn’t like, and “High as Hope” is no exception. I saw Florence and the Machine in concert earlier this year, and that woman has more energy and spirit than any artist I’ve ever seen. Not to mention vocals that are almost unearthly. “Patricia,” a tribute to Patti Smith, is one of my favorite tracks on the album, and Florence’s full range really comes out in the opening track “June.” 3. Mitski, “Be the Cowboy” I don’t even know what to say about this album, just that it’s really, really freaking good. There are pop elements in “Washing Machine Heart,” disco elements in “Nobody,” dynamic vocal range in “Geyser,” Robyn-like beats in “Why Didn’t You Stop me?” and the list goes on. Seriously, just listen to this album. “Old Friend” is my favorite track off of “Be the Cowboy.” 2. The Boxer Rebellion, “Ghost Alive” Saw these guys perform at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia this year in support of this album, and hands down, it was my favorite show of the year. The album starts strong with “What the Fuck,” my favorite track off the album. Ranging from loud rock to softer melodies like “Here I Am,” the album highlights Nicholson’s dynamic vocal range and the undeniable talent of the entire band. In only 11 songs, “Ghost Alive” encompasses an entire range of emotions, and I am so there for that. 1. Brandi Carlile, “By the Way, I Forgive You” Seeing Brandi Carlile perform at “Sea. Hear. Now.” slides in as a close second in the “favorite show of the year” category. Carlile puts her all into her performances, and that’s the same case in this album. Stand out tracks for me include “The Joke” and “The Mother,” and she’s recently released a breathtaking and moving music video for “Party of One.” Do yourself a favor and listen to this album at home, with the speakers up loud, and let her words and melodies fill your home and soul with all the feels.
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 There are some bands that put out a solid record among an otherwise lackluster discography, and other bands that evolve in such a way that the listener can identify with each album on a personal level as times change. For me, The Boxer Rebellion is set firmly in the latter category. Though I’ve been a fan since hearing We Have This Place Surrounded off their first album, Exits, in 2005. After 13 years of fandom, it was time to finally see their show.
If you’ve never been to World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, let me set the scene. In comparison to their larger downstairs venue, upstairs (where The Boxer Rebellion would be playing), is an intimate stage most often used for smaller acts. A bar lines one side of the space, with tables set amongst the floor for patrons to eat a meal and have some drinks while watching an act perform. Not exactly the traditional rock and roll concert venue. We were sat close to the stage, and as the band came out on stage, Nathan made the joke “I don’t think we’ve ever played while people are eating dinner.” But as soon as he started singing “When you fail to understand, you fail to recognize” from What the Fuck, a song from their latest album Ghost Alive, everyone put down their forks and knives. The Boxer Rebellion is a LOUD band. Not loud as in “we are going to push our amps to the range limit” loud, as in, they are a fantastic rock band that produces music that fills the room. Their music takes over the space. Nathan Nicholson has a voice so pure, so strong, so impassioned, that it’s hard to not be mesmerized. I was sitting maybe 15 feet away from him and the band, and I could feel the music consuming me. He took the microphone off the stand and walked into the crowd while belting No Harm. He used the nearby electric keyboard to sing New York as the crowd quietly listened. We bounced along as the band rocked out Evacuate. Every single member of the band gave it their all, even if it was only for a crowd of 200. Nathan and Andrew Smith started the encore by sitting in the crowd with an acoustic guitar, making us feel like we were all part of this special night they created. Because we were. I’ve seen hundreds of concerts, listened to thousands of records, and The Boxer Rebellion is still one of my favorites. They’ve evolved their music as their sound has changed and grown, and have lyrics so full of emotion that it’s hard to not hang on every word. Good concerts makes you content, and a great concert makes you feel the full range of emotions. I walked out of World Cafe Live feeling it all. If you get the chance, go see the magic they create on stage. And stand as close to them as you can.  Every once in a while, an evening at a concert turns into a really special experience. On an otherwise quiet night in Philadelphia, that magic was discovered with Neil Young at The Tower Theater. The stage was dimly lit–one large Edison bulb hung over center-stage, with flickering candles scattered in the background. Instruments were lined up in a semi-circle just waiting to be picked–from an old upright piano to several acoustic guitars. As the house lights dimmed, the crowd eagerly awaited the arrival of Mr. Young.
As he slowly walked on stage, the crowd gave a warm welcome. Mr. Young walked amongst the instruments, waiting for one to whisper to him that it was ready to be played. After he selected a guitar, he started the evening with The Last Trip to Tulsa. Now maybe you can hear the way he’s changed over the years, but as the audience sat in complete silence listening to him sing “pulled over to the corner and I fell into a dream,” you’d be hard-pressed to say it wasn’t just as powerful as when he sang it first in 1969. Mr. Young took a careful stroll among the instruments after each song, deciding which tune to play next. His tour crew occasionally fitting his harmonica holder over his head for songs like Four Strong Winds, or bringing a small acoustic guitar out for Pocahontas. While the crowd remained quiet and in awe for most of the night, uproarious praise rose when an electric guitar was brought out and the opening chords of Ohio were strung. Cast in a single downward spotlight, Mr. Young’s voice belted out across the crowd as he sung “four dead in Ohio.” As someone who has listed to Neil Young and CSNY since they were too young to understand the meanings of the lyrics, I may be biased in my review. Neil Young represents a generation and a time that is (sadly) not much different than times we face now. He is a pioneer of 60s rock music and undeniably talented. As he sat under that single Edison bulb, no band to back him, just a stage full of instruments and a mind full of lyrics, he mesmerized this listener, and 3,000 other fans. Na na na na na na na... To you, right now, I’m just some lady with a lot of videos of animals, writing into the void. I’d like to think I’m more than that. One of my favorite ways to get to know someone is by asking short, quick-fire questions. The questions are often random, sometimes not pertinent, but it’s an easy way to get to know someone a bit and break the ice (and also a quick way to tell if I’ll scare them off). Got more questions for me? Leave them in the comments!
Astrological sign? Virgo. What do you do for money? Video production for a non profit. What do you do for you? Spend time with animals, craft, bake, drink whisky, and DIY things. What did you want to be when you were a kid? Veterinarian You walk into Sephora-where do you go first? Whichever stand is offering a new type of lipstick. My last meal would be… My nana's Mac and cheese, pulled pork sandwich, corn on the cob, and probably a piece of cornbread for good measure. And throw in some peanut butter pie for dessert. Own any pets? Two cats: Finn and Oscar. Where do you live? South Slope, Brooklyn I'm afraid of… Snakes and Sharks. What's your number one, can't live without beauty product? Carmex lip balm-there's always a tube or jar within reach of my hand. Doughnuts or cupcakes? Doughnuts What are five things you refuse to live without (and don't say your phone)? Coffee, pets, hot showers, best friends, a way to listen to music What's your dream vacation? Somewhere quiet, local flair, full sky of stars at night, hot but not too humid, epic beauty. Where's that? Who is your role model? I don't have one. I believe we should aspire to be the best versions of ourselves, not someone else. What's your favorite thing about yourself? I consider myself a pretty self-sufficient, independent person. I'm ridiculously proud of myself for that fact. What's your biggest insecurity? The allergy on my hands. What qualities do you value in your friends? Honesty, deep love, hard-working. That last one sounds lame, but seriously, every one of my friends is working so damn hard, and it's inspiring and says great things about character. Why New York? I work in video production, so NYC felt like the natural place to do that. It's the city where things happen, right? Oh and driving gives me massive anxiety. If not nyc where would you live? Another city, but smaller. Somewhere that felt different, but home. Favorite book of all time? Let's go with Delicate Edible Birds or Where'd You Go, Bernadette? If you were a cartoon what would your outfit be? A black romper, boots, sunglasses. Favorite album? I can't say that this is the absolute number one, but Fiona Apple's "The Idler Wheel..." is one of my favorites. And Ray Lamontagne's "Trouble." And I've lately been listening to a lot of Bluegrass and Jazz. What makes you happy? Friends, animals, music, a beautiful day at the beach. |
About MeJust a woman living in Philadelphia, PA with her cat, trying to make an ordinary life less ordinary. Archives
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