Favorite Music in 2018

FAVORITE NON-2018 ALBUMS
[30] Head - The Jesus Lizard (Touch & Go, 1990)
[29] Moment of Truth - Gang Starr (Noo Trybe / Virgin, 1998)
[28] You Can't Hide Your Love Forever - Orange Juice (Polydor, 1982)
[27] You Are Free - Cat Power (Matador, 2003)
[26] Chelsea Girl - Nico (Verve, 1967)
[25] So - Peter Gabriel (Charisma, 1986)
[24] Sunburn - Blake Babies (Mammoth, 1990)
[23] Dookie - Green Day (Reprise, 1994)
[22] Slip - Quicksand (Polydor, 1993)
[21] Orange Rhyming Dictionary - Jets to Brazil (Jade Tree, 1998)
[20] Pink Flag - Wire (Harvest, 1977)
[19] The Ocean Blue - The Ocean Blue (Sire, 1989)
[18] Light Upon the Lake - Whitney (Secretly Canadian, 2016)
[17] What's Going On - Marvin Gaye (Tamla, 1971)
[16] Document - R.E.M. (I.R.S., 1987)
[15] Fantastic Planet - Failure (Slash / Warner Bros., 1996)
[14] 99th Dream - Swervedriver (Zero Hour, 1998)
[13] White Trash Heroes - Archers of Loaf (Alias, 1998)
[12] Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City - Kendrick Lamar (Interscope / Aftermath / Top Dawg, 2012)
[11] 6 Feet Beneath the Moon - King Krule (True Panther / XL, 2013)
[10] New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) - Erykah Baduh (Universal Motown, 2010)
[9] Lucifer in the Rain - Zoos of Berlin (Time No Place, 2013)
[8] Here Come the Warm Jets - Brian Eno (Island, 1974)
[7] Channel Orange - Frank Ocean (Def Jam, 2012)
[6] Illmatic - Nas (Columbia, 1994)
[5] Fix My Brain - The Marked Men (Swami, 2006)
[4] Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins (4AD, 1990)
[3] Steve McQueen - Prefab Sprout (Kitchenware, 1985)
[2] Things Fall Apart - The Roots (MCA, 1999)
[1] Connected - The Foreign Exchange (BBE, 2004)



2018 HONORABLE MENTIONS
No Recover - Eric Bachmann (Merge)
Blue Room - Alex Bloom (self-released)
Longwave - Bonny Doon (Woodsist)
All Nerve - The Breeders (4AD)
Ex-Void EP - Ex-Void (Don Giovanni)
Pink Sky - Golden Drag (Buzz)
Bark Your Head Off, Dog - Hop Along (Saddle Creek)
Ouch - Nicholas Krgovich (Tin Angel)
Be the Cowboy - Mitski (Dead Oceans)
Salt - Mr. Twin Sister (Twin Group)
Oh My - Nadine (Father/Daughter)
What Happens When I Try to Relax EP - Open Mike Eagle (Auto Reverse)
Oxnard - Anderson .Paak (Aftermath)
Nothing's Changed EP - Justus Proffit & Jay Som (Polyvinyl)
Consolation EP - Protomartyr (Domino)
Post- - Jeff Rosenstock (Polyvinyl / Quote Unquote)
Ain't Lines - South South Million (Time No Place)
Fall Into the Sun - Swearin' (Merge)
I Like Fun - They Might be Giants (Idlewild)
Old Ghost - Renata Zeiguer (Northern Spy)



2018 FAVORITE SONGS
[100] "Drone Lover" - Swervedriver, from Future Ruins
[99] "Tweakin'" - Vince Staples, from FM!
[98] "Salt Candy" - Half Waif, from Lavender
[97] "Nothing I Can Say" - Tony Molina, from Kill the Lights
[96] "Breathe In, Breathe Out" - Melody's Echo Chamber, from Bon Voyage
[95] "Robby in the Office" - Surf Harp, from Mr. Big Picture
[94] "Something Teenage" - Dream Version
[93] "Stay, Too" - Mike Adams at His Honest Weight, from Turn Our Love Around 7"
[92] "Golden Dream" - Snail Mail, from Lush
[91] "Polyfoam" - Empath, from Environments EP
[90] "Done It Again" - Ghostface Killah feat. Big Daddy Kane, Cappedonna, Styliztik Jones, Harley, from The Lost Tapes
[89] "Riddles" - Ed Schrader's Music Beat, from Riddles
[88] "Caught Leaking Light" - Golden Drag, from Pink Sky
[87] "This is Heaven & I'd Die for It" - American Pleasure Club, from A Whole Fucking Lifetime of This
[86] "No Weekend" - Madeline Kenney, from Perfect Shapes
[85] "Skin" - Soccer Mommy, from Clean
[84] "Let's Dance" - Spiritualized, from And Nothing Hurt
[83] "Every Little Thought" - Hurry, from Every Little Thought
[82] "Role Models" - The Armed, from Only Love
[81] "Stand in the Way" - Young Guv, from 2 Sad 2 Funk
[80] "Breakfast of Champions" - Jean Grae & Quelle Chris, from Everything's Fine
[79] "Grow Into a Ghost" - Swearin', from Fall Into the Sun
[78] "The Fear - Flipped" - The Shins, from The Worm's Heart
[77] "My Own Thing" - Chance the Rapper feat. Joey Purp
[76] "17th Amendment" - Stef Chura, from 27: The Most Perfect Album
[75] "You Hate the Title" - Speedy Ortiz, from Twerp Verse
[74] "Invisible Friends" - Justus Proffit & Jay Som, from Nothing's Changed EP
[73] "Dark Speed" - Failure, from In the Future Your Body Will be the Furthest Thing From Your Mind
[72] "Walking Backwards" - Supercrush, from I Can't Lie b/w Walking Backwards 7"
[71] "Party for One" - Carly Rae Jepsen
[70] "Stress Fracture" - Mick Jenkins feat. Mikahl Anthony, from Pieces of a Man
[69] "Spells" - Jenny Hval, from The Long Sleep EP
[68] "Winnie" - Neko Case, from Hell-On
[67] "Change of Mind" - Phonte feat. Freddie Gibbs, from No News is Good News
[66] "Nail I Couldn't Bite" - The Spirit of the Beehive, from Hypnic Jerks
[65] "Raise Your Voice Joyce" - Fucked Up, from Dose Your Dreams
[64] "Smile" - Saba, from Care for Me
[63] "Time in Common" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, from Hope Downs
[62] "I Remember" - Robert Earl Thomas, from Another Age
[61] "Stick" - Ovlov, from Tru
[60] "Yeah Bones" - Kurt Vile, from Bottle It In
[59] "Sept20" - Richard Swift, from The Hex
[58] "Ever Again" - Robyn, from Honey
[57] "Tints" - Anderson .Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar, from Oxnard
[56] "Echo Arms" - Mr. Twin Sister, from Echo Arms EP
[55] "Beamer" - The Glow
[54] "Stay Right Here" - Saba feat. Xavier Omar, Mick Jenkins
[53] "In Between Stars" - Eleanor Friedberger, from Rebound
[52] "Who Pays" - Emily Jane Powers, from Restless
[51] "Country" - Porches, from The House
[50] "Into the Sea" - Ought, from Room Inside the World
[49] "One Rizla" - Shame, from Songs of Praise
[48] "Orchard" - LVL UP
[47] "Evil Sin" - Shy Boys, from Bell House
[46] "In My Dreams" - Kali Uchis feat. Damon Albarn, from Isolation
[45] "City Looks Pretty" - Courtney Barnett, from Tell Me How You Really Feel
[44] "All the Stars" - Kendrick Lamar & SZA, from Black Panther: The Album
[43] "God's Plan" - Drake, from Scorpion
[42] "Freelance" - Toro y Moi, from Outer Peace
[41] "Death Will Bring Change" - Parquet Courts, from Wide Awake!
[40] "Short Court Style" - Natalie Prass, from The Future and the Past
[39] "Noid" - Yves Tumor, from Safe in the Hands of Love
[38] "Solace" - Preoccupations, from New Material
[37] "Has Ended" - Thom Yorke, from Suspiria (Music for the Luca Guadagnino Film)
[36] "Turning" - Vacationer, from Mindset
[35] "Ark Technician" - Guided by Voices, from Space Gun
[34] "Composite" - Palm, from Rock Island
[33] "This is America" - Childish Gambino
[32] "Sugar & Spce" - Hatchie, from Sugar & Spice EP
[31] "Mix for Rainy Day" - The Sidekicks, from Happiness Hours
[30] "Honesty" - Yves Tumor, from Safe in the Hands of Love
[29] "Every Time I Listen to a Stranger" - The Glands, from Double Coda
[28] "Slow Burn" - Kacey Musgraves, from Golden Hour
[27] "Time Today" - Kero Kero Bonito, from Time 'n' Place
[26] "The Communists Have the Music" - They Might be Giants, from The Communists Have the Music b/w I've Been Seeing Things 7"
[25] "Had a Fantastic" - Clearance, from At Your Leisure
[24] Late" - Hovvdy, from Cranberry
[23] "One Kiss" - Calvin Harris feat. Dua Lipa
[22] "Mosquiter" - Stove, from Stove's Favorite Friend
[21] "Up the Punx" - Joyce Manor, from Million Dollars to Kill Me
[20] "Believe" - Amen Dunes, from Freedom
[19] "Keep on Mixing" - Mr. Twin Sister, from Salt
[18] "Dark Spring" - Beach House, from 7
[17] "Work Out" - Chance the Rapper
[16] "Apple Tree Girl" - Tancred, from Nightstand
[15] "Rats in the Walls' - Culture Abuse, from Bay Dream
[14] "Blue and Red Horses" - Adrianne Lenker, from Abysskiss
[13] "Send Me" - No Age, from Snares Like a Haircut
[12] "Sunset Preacher" - Omni, from Sunset Preacher b/w Confessional 7"
[11] "Pirouette" - Jay Sam, from Pirouette b/w O.K., Meet Me Underwater 7"
[10] "Your True Name" - The Radio Dept.
[9] "Pick Up" - DJ Koze, from Knock Knock
[8] "Muchas" - Myd feat. Cola Boyy
[7] "Where Did You Go?" - Sam Evian, from You, Forever
[6] "Middle America" - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, from Sparkle Hard
[5] "Love It if We Made It" - The 1975, from A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
[4] "Just a Stranger" - Kali Uchis feat. Steve Lacy, from Isolation
[3] "Leave It in My Dreams" - The Voidz, from Virtue
[2] "Washing Machine Heart" - Mitski, from Be the Cowboy
[1] "Mood" - The Internet, from Hive Mind



2018 FAVORITE ALBUMS
[50] The Hex - Richard Swift (Secretly Canadian)
[49] There's a Riot Going On - Yo La Tengo (Matador)
[48] Last Building Burning - Cloud Nothings (Carpark)
[47] Sparkle Hard - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks (Matador)
[46] Songs of Praise - Shame (Dead Oceans)
[45] Future Me Hates Me - The Beths (Carpark)
[44] Pieces of a Man - Mick Jenkins (Cinematic / Free Nation)
[43] This is Glue - Salad Boys (Trouble in Mind)
[42] Restless - Emily Jane Powers (self-released)
[41] Million Dollars to Kill Me - Joyce Manor (Epitaph)
[40] Room 25 - Noname (self-released)
[39] Any Day - The Sea and Cake (Thrill Jockey)
[38] And Nothing Hurt - Spiritualized (Fat Possum / Bella Union)
[37] Double Coda - The Glands (New West)
[36] Vessel - Frankie Cosmos (Sub Pop)
[35] Cheer - Drug Church (Pure Noise)
[34] No News is Good News - Phonte (Foreign Exchange)
[33] Nightstand - Tancred (Polyvinyl)
[32] Twerp Verse - Speedy Ortiz (Carpark)
[31] Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves (MCA Nashville)
[30] The House - Porches (Domino)
[29] Dose Your Dreams - Fucked Up (Merge)
[28] Silver Dollar Moment - The Orielles (Heavenly)
[27] Hell-On - Neko Case (Anti-)
[26] Hypnic Jerks - The Spirit of the Beehive (Tiny Engines)
[25] Hive Mind - The Internet (Columbia)
[24] At Your Leisure - Clearance (Topshelf)
[23] Quit the Curse - Anna Burch (Polyvinyl)
[22] Abysskiss - Adrianne Lenker (Saddle Creek)
[21] Bay Dream - Culture Abuse (Epitaph)
[20] Honey - Robyn (Konichiwa / Interscope)
[19] Bottle It In - Kurt Vile (Matador)
[18] Wide Awake! - Parquet Courts (Rough Tride)
[17] Bell House - Shy Boys (Polyvinyl)
[16] Tell Me How You Really Feel - Courtney Barnett (Mom + Pop / Milk! / Marthon)
[15] Rock Island - Palm (Carpark)
[14] Constant Image - Flasher (Domino)
[13] Hope Downs - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (Sub Pop)
[12] Elevators: Act I & II - Bishop Nehru (Nehruvia)
[11] Cranberry - Hovvdy (Double Double Whammy)
[10] Some Rap Songs - Earl Sweatshirt (Tan Cressida / Columbia)
[9] Happiness Hours - The Sidekicks (Epitaph)
[8] Freedom - Amen Dunes (Sacred Bones)
[7] Only Love - The Armed (No Rest Until Ruin / Throatruiner)
[6] Snares Like a Haircut - No Age (Drag City)
[5] Sugar & Spice EP - Hatchie (Double Double Whammy)
[4] Safe in the Hands of Love - Yves Tumor (Warp)
[3] Stove's Favorite Friend - Stove (Exploding in Sound)
[2] Tru - Ovlov (Exploding in Sound)
[1] Room Inside the World - Ought (Merge)

2018 Favorite Non-Music Things (Beer & TV)

15 FAVORITE BEERS OF 2018
The year I finally started getting more into sours, but unfortunately still leaned BBA and IPA on this list.

(15) Gene Flow (American Wild Ale, 4%) - Speciation Artisan Ales (Comstock Park, MI)
(14) Cherry Deux Rouges Batch 5 (Flanders Red Ale, 7%) - Yazoo Brewing Co. (Nashville, TN)
(13) Orderville (New England IPA, 7.2%) - Modern Times Beer (San Diego, CA)
(12) Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Stout (Imperial Stout, 10.5%) - Cultivate Coffee & Tap House (Ypsilanti, MI) & Drafting Table Brewing Co. (Wixom, MI)
(11) Wisconsin Belgian Red (Fruit Beer, 4%) - New Glarus Brewing Co. (New Glarus, WI)
(10) Bourbon Barrel Aged Trippel Weizenbock 2017 (Weizenbock, 17%) - The Livery (Benton Harbor, MI)
(9) Fou' Foune (Lambic, 5%) - Brasserie Cantillon (Anderlecht, Belgium)
(8) Biomimicry 2018 (American Wild Ale, 6.2%) - Speciation Artisan Ales (Comstock Park, MI)
(7) Deth's Tar (Imperial Oatmeal Stout, 14.8%) - Revolution Brewing Co. (Chicago, IL)
(6) Julius (New England IPA, 6.8%) - Tree House Brewing Co. (Charlton, MA)
(5) Kentuckley 2018 (American Imperial Stout, 14.5%) - Transient Artisan Ales (Bridgman, MI)
(4) Bourbon Barrel Aged Monsters' Park w/ Vanilla (American Imperial Stout, 13.7%) - Modern Times Beer (San Diego, CA)
(2-3) Serendipity / Raspberry Tart (Fruit Beer / American Wild Ale, 4% / 4%) - New Glarus Brewing Co. (New Glarus, WI)
(1) Double Dry Hopped M-43 (New England IPA, 6.8%) - Old Nation Brewing Co. (Williamston, MI)

15 FAVORITE TV SHOWS OF 2018
2018 had no Twin Peaks: The Return or The Young Pope, so it didn't quite live up to my hopes, television-wise. That being said, there were obviously still some gems.

Two shows I slept on that I am interested in checking out eventually: Lodge 49 and Maniac

One show I missed and regret it and desperately can't wait to watch: The Terror

(15) Baskets (Season 3) - FX
Season one has still been my favorite so far, but this beats out season two by a long shot. The characters just keep getting better and more ridiculous. Seriously overlooked show.

(14) The Haunting of Hill House - Netflix
The mix of quite scary with the intense family drama elements really worked for me, even if the finale was stupid and awful.

(13) American Vandal (Season 2) - Netflix
Not quite as funny as the first season, but a bit more dense and complex, which makes it about even. Plenty of great laughs.

(12) Legion (Season 2) - FX
I skipped season one when it originally aired and binged it before season two started, realizing that it would easily have been top five in 2017. The new season was a let down in comparison, as the visual and psychological trickery became kind of a gimmick. Still, there were enough good moments and performances that helped me to enjoy these 11 episodes for the most part, and I look forward to seeing where it goes next.

(11) Silicon Valley (Season 5) - HBO
Best and funniest season since the second one, maybe even the first. Pretty much ready for this show to be done, though.

(10) Love (Season 3) - Netflix
Each season got better and better and more and more real. Sometimes uncomfortably so, and Love is great for that.

(9) Better Call Saul (Season 4) - AMC
It almost just feels obligatory to include this. I am along for the ride, and generally have been very impressed with BCS's four seasons so far, but I think those who say it's surpassed Breaking Bad in quality are dead wrong. This lacks the huge stakes of BB at this point. My favorite moment in the whole season was a very tense and eerie moment at the end of the first episode's cold open that amounted to nothing (that we know of at this point in time). All of this to say, it is still a great show.

(8) GLOW (Season 2) - Netflix
Showed steady improvement from the already very good first season, and showcased one of my favorite episodes of television this year.

(7) Mosaic - HBO
Almost too slow and directionless, but if this didn't have the best acting and directing of any show in 2018...

(6) Ozark (Season 2) - Netflix
The stakes are being upped at a comical rate at this point, but I am a sucker for an anti-hero story that is this dark and with performances this good.

(5) Barry (Season 1) - HBO
Pleasantly surprised. The first half is a little too silly for me, then shit got dark and good, while still balancing said silliness. Chilling penultimate episode and season finale.

(4) The Americans (Season 6) - FX
Not the most subtle or well paced season of The Americans, but far and away the one I enjoyed the most. The series finale was almost on par with Breaking Bad's for me.

(3) Homecoming (Season 1) - Amazon Prime
Loved the podcast, and while it took some getting used to the new cast, I think this probably exceeded it. Shea Whigham is a national treasure.

(2) Atlanta (Season 2) - FX
I can't think of one thing to complain about one of the most enjoyable, artfully done shows in existence.

(1) Sharp Objects - HBO
Despite the slow pace and almost overwhelming darkness, the acting was phenomenal (particularly Patricia Clarkson who I loved to hate) and I was extremely engrossed in the mystery and mood. Also, in the running for best twist ending to a tv show ever.

Favorite Music in 2017

FAVORITE NON-2017 ALBUMS
(30) Technique - New Order (Factory, 1989)
(29) Beneath the Rhythm and Sound - The Ocean Blue (Sire, 1993)
(28) My Aim is True - Elvis Costello (Stiff, 1977)
(27) Helioself - Papas Fritas (Minty Fresh, 1997)
(26) Dig Me Out - Sleater-Kinney (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)
(25) Leaves Turn Inside You - Unwound (Kill Rock Stars, 2001)
(24) Eat Your Paisley! - The Dead Milkmen (Restless, 1986)
(23) Your Blues - Destroyer (Merge, 2004)
(22) From a Basement on the Hill - Elliott Smith (Anti-, 2004)
(21) A Ghost is Born - Wilco (Nonesuch, 2004)
(20) Echo & the Bunnymen - Echo & the Bunnymen (WEA / Sire, 1987)
(19) Under the Bushes Under the Stars - Guided by Voices (Matador, 1996)
(18) Jawbox - Jawbox (Atlantic / TAG, 1996)
(17) The Guilty Office - The Bats (Arch Hill, 2008)
(16) Give 'em Enough Rope - The Clash (CBS / Epic, 1978)
(15) Thirteen - Teenage Fanclub (Geffen / Creation, 1993)
(14) Lust for Life - Iggy Pop (RCA, 1977)
(13) Field Music - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2005)
(12) Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M. (IRS, 1986)
(11) Winning Hearts - The Inbreds (Murder, 1998)
(10) The Dirt of Luck - Helium (Matador, 1995)
(9) Good Morning Spider - Sparklehorse (Capitol, 1998)
(8) Raise - Swervedriver (Creation, 1991)
(7) On the Mouth - Superchunk (Merge, 1993)
(6) And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out - Yo La Tengo (Matador, 2000)
(5) It's a Shame About Ray - The Lemonheads (Atlantic, 1992)
(4) The Velvet Undergound & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (Verve, 1967)
(3) They Might be Giants - They Might be Giants (Bar/None, 1986)
(2) Bossanova - Pixies (Elektra / 4AD, 1990)
(1) The Argument - Fugazi (Dischord, 2001)



2017 HONORABLE MENTIONS
In Spades - The Afghan Whigs (Sub Pop)
Not Even Happiness - Julie Byrne (Ba Da Bing! / Basin Rock)
I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone - Chastity Belt (Hardly Art)
Generation Parasite - Copneconic (Save Your Generation)
The Far Field - Future Islands (4AD)
Imaginary Enemies - Hiccup (Father/Daughter)
Near to the Wild Heart of Life - Japandroids (Anti-)
Life After Youth - Land of Talk (Saddle Creek)
Sorry is Gone - Jessica Lea Mayfield (ATO)
Strange Peace - Metz (Sub Pop)
Play the Songs You Like - Radiator Hospital (Salinas)
GN - Ratboys (Topshelf)
Precious Art - Rozwell Kid (Side One Dummy)
Heartworms - The Shins (Columbia)
Light Information - Chad VanGaalen (Sub Pop)

2017 FAVORITE EPs & 7"s
(10) Lifestyle Editor EP - Will Yates (Don't Look About)
(9) Rattled and Strange b/w Long Time 7" - NE-HI (Grand Jury)
(8) No Plan EP - David Bowie (Columbia / Sony)
(7) 3 O'Clock EP - Blonde Redhead (Ponderosa)
(6) Shirk Life EP - Good Boy (Barely Dressed)
(5) Business as Usual EP - Prayer Breakfast (Flannelgraph)
(4) Cockfighters EP - Chavez (Matador)
(3) Is the Meat That Fell Out EP - Stove (Exploding in Sound)
(2) Winnie b/w Burn Blue 7" - Flasher (Sister Polygon)
(1) Traumatic 7" - Young Guv (Slumberland)

2017 FAVORITE SONGS
(50) "Dream" - Slanted, from Prang Wince EP
(49) "Wait in the Car" - The Breeders
(48) "Pills" - St. Vincent, from Masseduction
(47) "Love Story" - Radiator Hospital, from Play the Songs You Like
(46) "Still Waking Up" - Tim Darcy, from Saturday Night
(45) "Old Heads" - Chad VanGaalen, from Light Information
(44) "My Old Man" - Mac DeMarco, from This Old Dog
(43) "Caught in a Lie" - Chastity Belt, from I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone
(42) "Make Music" - David Bazan, from Care
(41) "Loving" - Land of Talk, from Life After Youth
(40) "(How Could Anybody) Feel at Home" - Open Mike Eagle, from Brick Body Kids Still Daydream
(39) "Snitch Jacket" - Two Inch Astronaut, from Can You Please Not Help
(38) "Winnie" - Flasher, from Winnie b/w Burn Blue 7"
(37) "Way We Won't" - Grandaddy, from Last Place
(36) "Sorry is Gone" - Jessica Lea Mayfield, from Sorry is Gone
(35) "Bon Appetit" - Katy Perry feat. Migos, from Witness
(34) "Sleepwalker" - Julie Byrne, from Not Even Happiness
(33) "Traumatic" - Young Guv, from Traumatic 7"
(32) "Big Fish" - Vince Staples, from Big Fish Theory
(31) "Time to Live" - Ariel Pink, from Dedicated to Bobby Jameson
(30) "Land of the Free" - Joey Bada$$, from All-Amerikkkan Bada$$
(29) "Little Bubble" - Dirty Projectors, from Dirty Projectors
(28) "So Busted" - Culture Abuse
(27) "Friend Zone" - Thundercat, from Drunk
(26) "On Top" - Hoops, from Routines
(25) "Tinseltown Swimming in Blood" - Destroyer, from Ken
(24) "Silver" - Waxahatchee, from Out in the Storm
(23) "The World is Broken" - Brandon Can't Dance, from Graveyard of Good Times
(22) "Ricky (Caught Me Tryin')" - The Spirit of the Beehive, from Pleasure Suck
(21) "DQ" - Charly Bliss, from Guppy
(20) "How We Met, the Long Version" - Jens Lekman, from Life Will See You Now
(19) "Need to Feel Your Love" - Sheer Mag, from Need to Feel Your Love
(18) "Lovelife" - Phoenix, from Ti Amo
(17) "Plimsoll Punks" - Alvvays, from Antisocialites
(16) "Road Head" - Japanese Breakfast, from Soft Sounds From Another Planet
(15) "Frankie" - The Courtneys, from The Courtneys II
(14) "Provider" - Frank Ocean
(13) "Let It Go" - Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile, from Lotta Sea Lice
(12) "Windsor Hum" - Protomartyr, from Relatives in Descent
(11) "Take It" - Jay Som, from Everybody Works
(10) "Sometime/Someplace" - Cornelius, from Mellow Waves
(9) "Traveling Light" - Talib Kweli feat. Anderson .Paak, from Radio Silence
(8) "You're Like Me" - Ted Leo, from The Hanged Man
(7) "Sides" - Perfume Genius, from No Shape
(6) "Overboard" - Lo Tom, from Lo Tom
(5) "You Never Knew" - Haim, from Something to Tell You
(4) "What I Want" - Cende, from #1 Hit Single
(3) "Dum Surfer" - King Krule, from The Ooz
(2) "Up All Night" - The War on Drugs, from A Deeper Understanding
(1) "Christine" - Wazonek, from Whichever Way the Winds Are Blowing



2017 FAVORITE ALBUMS
(50) Silver Haze - Aye Nako (Don Giovanni)
(49) A Deeper Understanding - The War on Drugs (Atlantic)
(48) Soft Sounds From Another Planet - Japanese Breakfast (Dead Oceans)
(47) The Hanged Man - Ted Leo (SuperEgo)
(46) Mountain Moves - Deerhoof (Joyful Noise)
(45) Antisocialites - Alvvays (Polyvinyl / Transgressive)
(44) In Mind - Real Estate (Domino)
(43) Out in the Storm - Waxahatchee (Merge)
(42) Pussycat - Juliana Hatfield (American Laundromat)
(41) Can You Please Not Help - Two Inch Astronaut (Exploding in Sound)
(40) Forever or Never - Lake (Tapete)
(39) Dedicated to Bobby Jameson - Ariel Pink (Mexican Summer)
(38) Messes - Stef Chura (Urinal Cake)
(37) Jen Cloher - Jen Cloher (Milk!)
(36) Prisoner - Ryan Adams (Pax Am / Blue Note)
(35) Enjoy the Great Outdoors - Spencer Radcliffe & Everyone Else (Run for Cover)
(34) Nothing Feels Natural - Priests (Sister Polygon)
(33) Routines - Hoops (Fat Possum)
(32) DAMN. - Kendrick Lamar (Interscope / Top Dawg / Aftermath)
(31) Life Without Sound - Cloud Nothings (Carpark)
(30) Fight Fair - Dream Version (self-released)
(29) Haiku From Zero - Cut Copy (Astralwerks)
(28) All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ - Joey Bada$$ (Pro Era / Cinematic)
(27) Dumbness - Cherry (Lame-o)
(26) Ken - Destroyer (Merge)
(25) Pleasure Suck - The Spirit of the Beehive (Tiny Engines)
(24) The Iceberg - Oddisee (Mello)
(23) Music for the Age of Miracles - The Clientele (Merge)
(22) Something to Tell You - Haim (Columbia)
(21) Somersault - Beach Fossils (Bayonet)
(20) August by Cake - Guided by Voices (Rockathon)
(19) Rocket - (Sandy) Alex G (Domino)
(18) Need to Feel Your Love - Sheer Mag (Wilsuns)
(17) Losing - Bully (Sub Pop)
(16) Graveyard of Good Times - Brandon Can't Dance (Lucky Number)
(15) Relatives in Descent - Protomartyr (Domino)
(14) The Incessant - Meat Wave (Side One Dummy)
(13) Bonny Doon - Bonny Doon (Salinas)
(12) Powerplant - Girlpool (Anti-)
(11) Drunk - Thundercat (Brainfeeder)
(10) Lotta Sea Lice - Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile (Matador)
(9) Everybody Works - Jay Som (Polyvinyl)
(8) #1 Hit Single - Cende (Double Double Whammy)
(7) Offers - NE-HI (Grand Jury)
(6) Multi-task - Omni (Trouble in Mind)
(5) Guppy - Charly Bliss (Barsuk)
(4) The Courtneys II - The Courtneys (Flying Nun)
(3) Life Will See You Now - Jens Lekman (Secret Canadian)
(2) The Ooz - King Krule (True Panther / XL)
(1) Mellow Waves - Cornelius (Rostrum)

2017 Favorite Non-Music Things (Beer & TV)

20 FAVORITE BEERS OF 2017
(19-20) Lots of Dots / Crumple (IPA / Double IPA, 7% / 8%) - HOMES Brewery (Ann Arbor, MI)
(18) Arabicadabra (Coffee Milk Stout, 5.5%) - Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI)
(17) Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (BBA Barleywine, 14.3%) - Central Waters Brewing Co. (Amherst, WI)
(16) On Fleek (Imperial Stout, 13%) - Stillwater Artisanal Ales (Baltimore, MD)
(15) Triple Barrel Big Bad Baptist (BBA Imperial Coffee Stout, 11.4%) - Epic Brewing Co. (Salt Lake City, UT)
(14) The Nightman Leaveth (Rye Whiskey BA Imperial Milk Stout, 11%) - Odd Side Ales (Grand Haven, MI)
(13) The Path of the Angel (BBA Imperial Brown Ale, 11.4%) - Clown Shoes (Ipswich, MA)
(11-12) Pure Powerplant / Momo (IPA / Pale Ale, 6.5% / 5.8%) - Brew Gentlemen (Braddock, PA)
(10) Rye Whiskey Mean Vanilla Bean (Rye Whiskey BA Imperial Stout, 15%) - Drafting Table Brewing Co. (Wixom, MI)
(9) Dragon's Milk Reserve: Brewer's Select (BBA Imperial Stout, 12%) - New Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, MI)
(8) Dosvidanya (Imperial Stout, 12.5%) - DESTIHL Brewery (Normal, IL)
(7) Oak-Aged Vanilla World Wide Stout (Imperial Stout, 16%) - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)
(6) Greenstone (Pale Ale, 5.5%) - Old Nation Brewing Co. (Williamston, MI)
(5) Canadian Breakfast Stout (BBA Imperial Coffee Stout, 11.7%) - Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI)
(4) Lou (Double IPA, 8%) - Brew Gentlemen (Braddock, PA)
(3) Dragon's Milk Reserve: Triple Mash (BBA Imperial Stout, 17%) - New Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, MI)
(2) Born Yesterday 2017 (Pale Ale, 7.2%) - Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)
(1) Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition Stout 2017 (BBA Imperial Stout, 12.8%) - Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI)

2017 TV SHOW HONORABLE MENTIONS
Baskets (Season 2) - FX
Broad City (Season 4) - Comedy Central
The Chris Gethard Show (Season 3) - TruTV
Crashing (Season 1) - HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 9) - HBO
The Last Man on Earth (Season 3) - Fox
New Girl (Season 6) - Fox
Silicon Valley (Season 4) - HBO
Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories (Season 3) - Adult Swim
Transparent (Season 4) - Amazon

25 FAVORITE TV SHOWS OF 2017
(25) The Americans (Season 5) - FX
(24) Mindhunter (Season 1) - Netflix
(23) Love (Season 2) - Netflix
(22) Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3) - Netflix
(21) Game of Thrones (Season 7) - HBO
(20) American Vandal (Season 1) - Netflix
(19) Fargo (Season 3) - FX
(18) Review (Season 3) - Comedy Central
(17) Better Call Saul (Season 3) - AMC
(16) Insecure (Season 2) - HBO
(15) G.L.O.W. (Season 1) - Netflix
(14) The Deuce (Season 1) - HBO
(13) Stranger Things (Season 2) - HBO
(12) Ozark (Season 1) - Netflix
(11) Lady Dynamite (Season 2) - Netflix
(10) Mr. Robot (Season 3) - USA
(9) Dark (Season 1) - Netflix
(8) Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later - Netflix
(7) Master of None (Season 2) - Netflix
(6) The Leftovers (Season 3) - HBO
(5) Nathan for You (Season 4) - Comedy Central
(4) Vice Principals (Season 2) - HBO
(3) The Young Pope - HBO
(2) Big Little Lies (Season 1) - HBO
(1) Twin Peaks: The Return - Showtime

Favorite Albums of 2016: #20-1

[20] Beyond the Fleeting Gales - Crying (Run for Cover)
Crying have graduated from being an emo-infused chiptunes band to grandiose monsters of rock. This record is huge, almost 70s glam rock or 80s hair metal huge. Lots of wanky guitar leads, big-ass drums and still enough video game synths to keep your heart warm. What a fun record. With more time, it probably could have ranked higher.
Top jam: "Wool in the Wash"


[19] Human Performance - Parquet Courts (Rough Trade)
I was let down by Sunbathing Animal and never got around to listening to Content Nausea, but Parquet Courts have returned to form for me with Human Performance. It's their most dynamic record yet, and is loaded with jams. I still miss some of the more 90s leanings from Light Up Gold, but I'll get over it.
Top jam: "Human Performance"


[18] The Dream is Over - Pup (Side One Dummy)
Whenever I think of Pup, I kind of want to view them as a gimmick punk band and just get over them. But then every time I listened to this record this year, I felt stupid for ever thinking that way and just enjoyed the shit out of it. I do believe that a band can be too anthemic, and Pup ride that line, but man, do they ride it well.
Top jam: "Can't Win"


[17] My Woman - Angel Olsen (Jagjaguwar)
Yet another album that gets better with each listen and probably would have ranked higher with more time. I need to go back and listen to Angel Olsen's older stuff, because I was an idiot and slept on it. The first time I heard "Shut Up Kiss Me" I was hooked, and I ain't looking back. "Intern" and "Give It Up" are also serious jams.
Top jam: "Shut Up Kiss Me"


[16] Outer Heaven - Greys (Carpark/Buzz)
Greys' first album of 2016. Here, they continue the Dischord Records inspired punk of If Anything, but with a little more variety and dynamics, and slightly slower tempos. Oh yeah, more melodicism too. I don't know that it quite reached my expectations, but, it's still a bad ass record.
Top jam: "In for a Penny"


[15] Slow - Sport (Adagio 830)
I'm still missing Algernon Cadwallader and Glocca Morra, the bands that have done the modern emo sound the best by far. However, Sport has been a nice consolation prize the past couple of years. Could do with less of the beard-y yell-sing, but the tricky song structures and beautiful guitar chords and leads are welcome to my ears any day.
Top jam: "Muscles"


[14] From Caplan to Belsize - Muncie Girls (Animal Style)
Polished, emo-y, punk-y guitar pop with hooks upon hooks. Lande Hekts's melodies are memorable, and her voice equally so. Brian LaBenne turned me on to this band, and while my love for the album faded slightly towards the end of the year, it still has made a lasting enough impression to land where it has on the list.
Top jam: "Nervous"


[13] A Seat at the Table - Solange (Saint/Columbia)
Okay, I'm running out of things to say and am starting to sound like a broken record, but seriously, once again, this record gets better every time I listen to it, and with another couple of months with it, it probably would've made it into the top ten, if not top five. Solange's voice isn't quite as impressive to me as Beyonce's, but, A Seat at the Table seems like a much more creative and unique affair. I love how sparse it is, and at times how autumnal it sounds ("Cranes in the Sky," for example).
Top jam: "Junie"


[12] Eric Bachmann - Eric Bachmann (Merge)
Former frontman of Archers of Loaf/Crooked Fingers doing the solo project thing. This record is sad and BEAUTIFUL. Perhaps this is Bachmann at his most vulnerable. It's heartbreaking, and really worth the listen.
Top jam: "Masters of the Deal"


[11] Blonde - Frank Ocean (self-released)
Here's one of the most gorgeous albums of the year. Ocean's voice, all of the characters it plays, are amazing. The lack of drums/beats threw me off initially, but the beauty in the songs more than makes up for it. "Nikes," "Ivy," "Pink + White," "Solo," "Skyline To," the back half of "Self Control" and "Seigfried" are some of the best songs of the year, if not the last few. Sometimes I wonder if this is actually the best thing I've heard all year. It's the only one that has made me cry.
Top jam: "Ivy" I guess, but really any of the songs that I listed above depending on the day


[10] Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not - Dinosaur Jr. (Jagjaguwar)
I think Farm is my favorite post-reunion Dino Jr. album, but this certainly gives it a run for it's money, if not matching it song for song. A very much welcome return to form.
Top jam: "I Told Everyone"


[9] Personal Life - Two Inch Astronaut (Exploding in Sound)
More knotty, jagged, riff-oriented indie rock from Two Inch Astronaut. Overall a better record than 2014's Foulbrood (perhaps quite a lot due to the production of J. Robbins), but nothing here comes close to touching the brilliance of that album's opener/title track.
Top jam: "At Risk Student"


[8] Weaves - Weaves (Kanine/Memphis Industries/Buzz)
Weirdo, guitar-driven art pop somewhere between Deerhoof and maybe The Flaming Lips? Almost every song here completely owns. One of the most unique records of the year. The band's future seems very promising.
Top jam: "Tick"


[7] Puberty 2 - Mitski (Dead Oceans)
The closest comparison I can think of for this record is St. Vincent's Actor. Puberty 2 might be a slightly slower and more sparse, but the general vibe is pretty similar. There are many fantastic moments here, and Mitski's singing is just glorious. She's got a real knack for dynamics and spooky yet gorgeous melodies. This one rules big time.
Top jam: "Your Best American Girl"


[6] Instant Evening - Zoos of Berlin (Don't Look About)
It had been a while since I had thought of my favorite Michigan band Zoos of Berlin, then in 2016 they surprised by playing some shows, and surprising me with a brand new record (their third). In almost every way, it matches if not exceeds everything they've done previously. "Rush at the Bond," "Spring From the Cell" and "Always Fine With Orphan" have Zoos of Berlin at their best, except for "White Cloud" and "I Get to Follow You," which have them even better.
Top jam: "I Get to Follow You"


[5] Life of Pause - Wild Nothing (Captured Tracks)
Without question, my least favorite of the three Wild Nothing albums thus far. Of course, this still rules, though. Jack Tatum's songwriting has gotten more ambitious and his compositions more daring and huge. In addition to the usual hat-tips to New Order, The Cure, Cocteau Twins and 80s Fleetwood Mac, Tatum throws in some Eno and Bowie worship this time, too.
Top jam: "A Woman's Wisdom"


[4] A Moon Shaped Pool - Radiohead (XL)
Now we've arrived at the Tier 1 albums. This follow-up to The King of Limbs wasn't as immediate to me, but, it seems like it has more staying power. A Moon Shaped Pool is gorgeous and more human than Radiohead have been since In Rainbows, if not ever. Just another notch on Radiohead's belt, for sure.
Top jam: "Ful Stop"


[3} Malibu - Anderson Paak (Empire/OBE/Steel Wool/Art Club)
My favorite hip hop/R&B release of the year, without question. Extremely fun and beautiful with lots of great soul samples as well as live band material. I was surprised to find that Paak is actually a drummer, and an incredible one at that. Malibu is the closest 2016 came to To Pimp a Butterfly.
Top jam: "The Season/Carry Me"


[2] Cody - Joyce Manor (Epitaph)
Never Hungover Again is still the best Joyce Manor album, but Cody is quite the follow-up. The songs have slowed down a bit, and even stretched out a little, but this is some fantastic pop punk with hints at emo and power pop throughout. "Eighteen" is my #1 song of the year.
Top jam: "Eighteen"


[1] Return to Love - LVL UP (Sub Pop)
I think it took me two listens to recognize that this was a serious contender for album of the year. And then, it happened. Here, LVL UP reference Neutral Milk Hotel, Built to Spill and sometimes (particularly on the amazingly titled "Naked in the River With the Creator") The Microphones. It's quite a diverse set of songs, which isn't too surprising knowing that the band is made up of three songwriters. The melodies are great. The fuzzy guitar leads and layered acoustics do wonders to the record's overall atmosphere and sound. "Pain" is my #2 song of the year. When I found out LVL UP were releasing an album in 2016, I didn't not see it ending up as my favorite, but here we are, and I am stoked about it.
Top jam: "Pain"

Favorite Albums of 2016: #40-21

[40] The Impossible Kid - Aesop Rock (Rhymesayers)
Thanks to To Pimp a Butterfly and Black Messiah, my interest in hip hop and R&B had been completely reinvigorated in 2015. So, that lead to me listening to way more of it in 2016. I'm honestly not sure why I decided to give this year's Aesop Rock LP a chance, but I'm glad I did. His lyrics and brainy and poetic almost to the point of being too difficult, but, they're beautiful that way. And a lot of the music sounds like NES boss fight music. So good.
Top jam: "Molecules"


[39] Warm Shadow - Greys (Carpark/Buzz)
This was Greys' second album of 2016, initially released as a Bandcamp download. Generally a bit more rough around the edges recording and structure-wise, but a softer, more patient listen. These boys have crafted some gorgeous soundscapes here, both loud and quiet. This was an excellent surprise this year.
Top jam: "Space Mountain"


[38] You Know Who You Are - Nada Surf (Barsuk)
Not as rippin' volume-wise as their last record, 2012's The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, Nada Surf has still crafted a wonderful set of guitar pop tunes here. Somewhat lo-key, but pretty upbeat too in places. I think I might prefer this version of them.
Top jam: "Gold Sounds"


[37] Casino Drone - Mike Adams at His Honest Weight (Joyful Noise)
Mike Adams has done it again: Another full-length of big, dynamic, dreamy power pop with some more experimental undertones. This is his third record under the At His Honest Weight moniker, and it is his best.
Top jam: "Smart Marks"


[36] Blackstar - David Bowie (Columia/RCA/ISO)
I was absolutely destroyed by David Bowie's death back in January. It happened at the beginning of what I recall to be pretty much the coldest week of the year, and Sara was living in Pittsburgh at the time. It was a lonely, depressing week, and I listened to Hunky Dory, Low, Heroes and Scary Monsters repeatedly and cried quite a few times. We should count ourselves lucky that we received such an impressive and unique document as his goodbye to planet Earth. Blackstar has some truly challenging moments as well as some utterly gorgeous ones, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Top jam: "I Can't Give Everything Away"


[35] Guided Meditation - Hurry (Lame-O)
Super polished jangle/fuzz/power pop that references everything from Galaxie 500 to The Bats to Teenage Fanclub to Weezer and many more. The production is leaps and bounds better than 2014's Everything/Nothing, which regretfully takes some edge off, but, I think this is probably the superior album.
Top jam: "Fascination"


[34] As If Apart - Chris Cohen (Captured Tracks)
A lush and gorgeous combination of 60s sunshine/psych pop and 70s AM/soft rock. Pretty similar to this former Deerhoof dude's 2012 album, Overgrown Path, which is the album I prefer, albeit slightly. There are certainly and unsurprisingly some jams here, though.
Top jam: "As If Apart"


[33] Mangy Love - Cass McCombs (Anti-)
I haven't loved every Cass McCombs album I've heard, and nothing has touched 2007's Dropping the Writ for me, but since 2011 he's been consistently releasing high quality, haunting folk-tinged tunes. Mangy Love might be his most diverse set of songs yet (at least that I'm aware of), with some hints at reggae and 70s soft rock added to his routine. Beautiful stuff.
Top jam: "Laughter is the Best Medicine"


[32] Little Windows Cut Right Through - Aloha (Polyvinyl)
Aloha have made a triumphant return with their first record since 2010. They've always been hard to describe, but I guess you could say this is their take on big, bright synth pop? It's still got some characteristic Aloha flourishes, namely marimba and Tony Cavallario's trademark silky voice and fantastic melodies. I was pleasantly surprised that they release a new album, let alone by how much it rules.
Top jam: "Faraway Eyes"


[31] Honeysuckle - Bedroom Eyes (Midnight Werewolf)
I believe this was actually released at the end of 2015, so it probably would have been too late for me to properly include it on last year's list anyway. Loud, fast, gnarly shoegaze with a punk edge. Sometimes I wish the production offered a little more clarity, but sometimes I feel like the chaotic mess is part of the album's charm.
Top jam: "Plain Heir"


[30] Wildflower - The Avalanches (Astralwerks/Modular/EMI/XL)
15 years later, we finally have that new Avalanches record that's been rumored for who knows how long. I was anticipating this at about the same level as the 2013 MBV album, and I think it landed with similar results: It nowhere near comes close to how fantastic (and perfect) Since I Left You is, but, it's really nice to have them back. Arty soul/R&B sample collages with some truly awesome special guests.
Top jam: "If I Was a Folkstar"


[29] Coloring Book - Chance the Rapper (self-released)
I'm ashamed I had never listened to Chance before Coloring Book. It took me a bit to fully get into it, but to this day, I like it more and more with each listen. His sing-rap is infectious, and I love both the soft, subtle sexy songs and the outright gospel jams. He also seems like he would be a very fun, positive dude to hang out with. Really looking forward to what an actual "album" from him would sound, as opposed to his "mixtapes."
Top jam: "Finish Line/Down"


[28] Is the Is Are - DIIV (Captured Tracks)
Not sure why this took four years to come out, as it just sounds like an extension of 2012's Oshin with more direction and clarity. Mostly upbeat, moody, melodic, dreamy 80s goth/post-punk. Quite a few outright jams, whereas Oshin just kind of all ran together (which, I was fine with).
Top jam: "Healthy Moon"


[27] Patch the Sky - Bob Mould (Merge)
Every two years, Bob Mould puts out a righteous, straight up rock 'n' roll record. He is the model of consistency.
Top jam: "Losing Time"


[26] Tarantula - Giant Peach (Don Giovanni)
Another record that completely came out of nowhere for me. There are points where I am reminded of emo and punk stuff that I was listening to in late high school. Like, remember Initial and Eulogy Records? Stuff like that. It's awesome.
Top jam: "Snake"


[25] Out of the Garden - Tancred (Polyvinyl)
Excellent classic punk-y guitar pop with what seems like an endless fount of melodies and hooks. Jess Abbott's voice is awesome.
Top jam: "Control Me"


[24] Utitled Unmastered. - Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg)
Apparently when it comes to Kendrick, even what seems like a throwaway release is some of the best hip hop you'll hear all year. More or less a To Pimp a Butterfly b-sides companion piece, I love the aimlessness and daring, experimental song structures presented here. Also, his voice and flow sound just as good as ever. Also also, the third track is probably as good as anything from TPaB.
Top jam: "Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013"


[23] Standards - Into It. Over It. (Triple Crown)
I did not expect to ever fully embrace the most popular project involving the most prominent person in modern emo, Evan Weiss. But, it happened. Produced by John Vanderslice, Standards is a rippin' collection of beautiful, catchy, technical as hell emo pop that I would have been absolutely obsessed with in high school. The guitar playing is top notch, and the drumming is mind-blowing and probably the best I've heard in 2016. Oh, the songs are totally great too.
Top jam: "Vis Major"


[22] Preoccupations - Preoccupations (Jagjaguwar)
The second LP from the band thankfully formerly known as Viet Cong. It essentially sounds like a companion piece. The songs are different, but the sound is generally the same. And that is huge, colorful yet dark post-punk with a wonderful merging of chimy guitars and vintage synths (more synths this time around). It didn't knock me over the way last year's record did, but, still very much enjoyable.
Top jam: "Degraded"


[21] Pretty Years - Cymbals Eat Guitars (Sinderlyn)
Every couple of years, this band sneaks up on me with an underrated, understated, deceivingly good record. This just happens to be their best yet, and no one seems to really care. I don't know what to say, this is just quality indie rock that draws from the past to create something new and fresh sounding, IMO. Also, the production here is the best the band has had to work with. Check it out.
Top jam: "4th of July, Philadelphia (Sandy)"

Favorite Albums of 2016: #60-41

[60] Commontime - Field Music (Memphis Industries)
Field Music return with another album chock full of classy, elegant Brit pop, this time with some funk and some odes to 70s AM pop and soft rock. Commontime didn't grab me nearly as much as any Field Music album previously, but it still deserves to be honored in 2016.
Top jam: "It's a Good Thing"


[59] Confirmation Bias - Yeesh (Tiny Engines)
My band Congress played with Chicago's Yeesh at an Ypsilanti house show back in 2014, and then played with them again in Detroit this past August. They are a hell of a live band, and it translates quite well onto recording. Loud, quirky indie rock with some punk leanings. Sometimes on Confirmation Bias, I feel like I'm hearing early Casket Lottery. Case in point: "End Results."
Top jam: "End Results"


[58] Psychopomp - Japanese Breakfast (Yellow K)
This is some nice dream pop from Little Big League's Michelle Zauner. Admittedly I'm a bit more into their knotty, jagged indie rock, but this is a fine consolation to my hold me over, if they're even still a band.
Top jam: "The Woman That Loves You"


[57] Riff Hard - Thin Lips (Lame-O)
Philadelphia style emo-tinged indie rock with some gnarly guitar licks and strong female vocals. Almost like a less technical, similarly catchy Lemuria. Into it.
Top jam: "Yup"


[56] Better Heavens - The Superweaks (Lame-O)
Big, gruff power pop with some punk leanings, The Superweaks bring the hooks. Some songs are even reminiscent of Return of the Rentals with some catchy as hell Moog parts. Those are my favorites.
Top jam: "Oh God (We're All So Miserable Now)"


[55] American Football - American Football (Polyvinyl)
I don't know how necessary a new American Football record is in 2016. I don't think they really needed to add anything more to their legacy. But don't get me wrong, I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining that this actually happened after 17 years. Emo reunion albums have rarely succeeded to this level. The band definitely sounds like a more mature version of their 1999 self-titled album, for better or worse. There are some nice odd time signatures, and sure, layers upon layers of their signature chimy guitars. To refer to one of my least favorite phrases overused in 2016: Their twinkle game is still strong.
Top jam: "Born to Lose"


[54] A Shedding Snake - Outer Spaces (Don Giovanni)
Folky, jangly indie pop with a smidge of Ida-style slowcore thrown in for good measure. Excellent production, too. This record came out of nowhere for me, and I have Brian LaBenne to thank for tipping me off. Actually, I could probably say that for a lot of the albums on this list.
Top jam: "Words"


[53] Empty Beach Town - Shallow Cuts (No Idea)
Replacements-y pop punk from these long time scene vets. I won't deny that all the songs kind of run together, but, they do the style extremely well. Don't know what else to say. I dig it.
Top jam: "Empty Beach Town"


[52] Episodic - Field Mouse (Topshelf)
I don't mean to say it doesn't happen all the time, because it does, but there especially were a shit ton of great records released by women in 2016. Episodic is yet another one in that long list, sounding somewhere between, I don't know, The Muffs and Velocity Girl (aka the Clueless soundtrack)? My only question for them is did they not do a Google search when coming up with a name to find that there once was a twee band called The Field Mice?
Top jam: "Half-Life"


[51] Blanco - David Bazan (Barsuk)
It's been quite some time since I last cared about a David Bazan release. 2006's Fewer Moving Parts EP, to be precise. I'd say Blanco is a return to form, at least quality-wise (though I should probably go back and listen to Curse Your Branches and Strange Negotiations again), but, it sounds nothing like traditional Bazan. This is all synthesizers and programmed beats, and is much more interesting than his one-off Headphones project from 2005. "Both Hands" is a true jam.
Top jam: "Both Hands"

 
[50] Pool - Porches (Domino)
Homemade synth pop that's sometimes upbeat and sometimes pretty sexy. Aaron Maine's bored tenor is a nice contrast to these colorful tunes, too. "Car" is one of the best songs of the year, hands down.
Top jam: "Car"


[49] Ready Not Ready - Conveyor (Gold Robot)
Another random find thanks to the internet (Tiny Mix Tapes, I think). This sounds like a cross between Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors, so... yeah. The 2007 Pitchfork-rock revival is on. Paraphrasing, but, my girlfriend Sara described this as pretty much the whitest thing she's heard all year. LOL. Haters gonna hate.
Top jam: "Wry Thing"


[48] Yes Lawd! - NxWorries (Stones Throw)
This is loaded with beautiful classic R&B and soul samples, and Anderson Paak singing all over them. As I'm sure you know, it's certainly not the only thing he had his hands in in 2016, and somehow, it's not even the best, either.
Top jam: "Scared Money"


[47] Next Thing - Frankie Cosmos (Bayonet)
The best way I can describe Greta Kline's latest album as Frankie Cosmos is subtle, wistful jangle pop. It's not as sparse as 2014's Zentropy, and it surely shows maturity and the songs and production are just better. Looking forward to where she goes next.
Top jam: "Floated In"


[46] Ha, Ha, He. - Mourn (Captured Tracks)
Bad ass, jagged, angular and muscular rock from this young, Spanish band. I hear a little bit of tough 90s Matador-style indie rock and some Sleater-Kinneyesque guitar playing at times. Right up my alley.
Top jam: "Brother Brother"


[45] Electric Company - Starling Electric (self-released)
Ann Arbor/Ypsi dudes (I think everyone in Minihorse played on this) doing the damn thing. If my memory serves me correct, the last Starling Electric album was released in 2005 or 2006? I know they've been working on this thing forever, and it was worth it. Diverse, well-traveled pop/rock that's truly all over the place: 60's sunshine/psych pop, 70s AM pop, and straight up 80s jangle/power pop. So glad this has seen the light of day.
Top jam: "Arrowsmith"


[44] A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings - Beach Slang (Polyvinyl)
I figured Beach Slang would have burned out before releasing another album. Too many youthful emotions running amok. In all seriousness, in spite of the horrendous title, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings is a solid follow-up to last year's The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us. It's more of the same, and the Replacements references are not as subtle this time around, but the songs are still there and the drums sound awesomely huge. I'm not trying to dog this album, I really do like it!
Top jam: "Hot Tramps"


[43] Put the Kid on the Sleepy Horse - Mock Orange (Topshelf)
I don't think you can call this a reunion record. At least, I'm not aware of Mock Orange ever breaking up. Their last album, 2011's Disguised as Ghosts, was about as good as their previous two (Captain Love and Mind is Not Brain). They've long left behind the mathy, punky emo of their late 90s/early 00s incarnation, and have since been riding a Built to Spill-inspired wave. They continue that here, with maybe a slight nod to SDRE's How It Feels to be Something On on certain tracks (maybe mostly in the dude's voice). I just started listening to this around Thanksgiving. With more time, this could have landed higher on the list.
Top jam: "Tell Me Your Story"


[42] The Magic - Deerhoof (Polyvinyl)
Deerhoof put out a new record in 2016, as they do every year or two. Unsurprisingly it's ballsy and zany and weird and insane, but still impressively catchy. That's the magic Deerhoof equation. The gnarly guitars, Satomi Matsuzaki's vocal melodies and Greg Saunier's octopus arms/minimal kit drumming style are the highlights here, as with any Deerhoof album.
Top jam: "The Devil and His Anarchic Surrealist Retinue"


[41] Fruitless Research - TW Walsh (Graveface)
Friend of and former collaborator with David Bazan, I've followed TW Walsh off and on over the years. I have always loved the lush, somber folk of 2001's Blue Laws. He surprised me with a new album this year, and it rules. There's some synth-driven psych rock here, some blown-out synth pop, and some more chill dream pop. Ok, I'll stop rambling. Just trust me. It's a cool record.
Top jam: "Fundamental Ground"