2018: THE YEAR IN MUSIC!!!
(Including the legendary No Static At All Top 50 Albums Of The Year!!!)

And so - once again - it is time to sit back, put the kettle on and cast your minds back to the extraordinary musical highlights of 2018. My review is a little later than usual this time around, mainly due to the absolute plethora of incredible albums I found myself swamped by at the end of last year. A dirty job to be sure, but someone has to do it. However, now that the dust has settled and all the other so-called 'important' best-of-the-year lists have been and gone, I am now ready to present to you - dear reader - the finest sounds of 2018, all topped off of course with the essential run-down that is the No Static At All Top 50. 
Eyes down then.....

I could start this review off with a mention of all the big commercial movers and shakers - the bands and artists who still sell records by the bucketload and fill out enormodomes the world over. Artists like The 1975, Mumford & Sons, Post Malone, Ariana Grande, Jess Glynne, James Bay, George Ezra and the Mercury Prize winning Wolf Alice. But really, there's absolutely nothing to see here so we shall move along sharpish and leave them to their lowest common denominator drek....

We'll start things off this year with the heavy stuff. And why not, eh? At a time when most apparent experts are denouncing rock music as a dead medium and standing on rooftops bleating about guitars being obsolete, 2018 was an absolute treat for fans of the six-stringed seraphim. Mid-90s Nu-Metal heroes Disturbed and Jonathan Davis from Korn released solid albums and there were excellent releases from old school rockers  Monster Magnet, Therapy, Reef and Black Stone Cherry. The new breed of metalcore and commercially viable hard rock was well served by Deafhaven, Architects, Halestorm and You Me At Six whilst the down-home vibe of Blackberry Smoke, Monster Truck and The Sheepdogs kept fans of the old southern rock thang grooving away in their faded jeans. Stoner rock was well represented with storming sets from brand new dope-funkers Bearsloth as well as Earthless, Sleep, Sasquatch, Cave, Dommengang, DeWolff, Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats and the mighty Brant Bjork who released the splendid 'Mankind Woman' and proved once again that he hasn't lost the peerless songwriting touch he wowed us all with back in his Kyuss days.

 Judas Priest celebrated their upcoming 50th anniversary with the pummeling 'Firepower' opus and there was a superb diversion from the seemingly never-ending Guns 'n' Roses reunion tour from behatted guitar god Slash, who released his third album of stadium rock anthems with help from Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. (Kennedy also released a lovely album of acoustic based grunge rock - a million miles away from his bombastic day job with Alter Bridge). 90s grunge whipping boys Stone Temple Pilots returned to the fray - with new singer Jeff Gutt - and surprised everyone with their really rather great self-titled seventh album whilst the progenitors of the entire grunge scene - the mighty Melvins - reappeared with the none-more gnarly 'Pinkus Abortion Technician'. There was also some inspired Afrobeat-infused heavy sounds from Vodun, and a flawed but worth-a-listen collaborative project from rock polymath Tom Morello who invited a varied lineup of guests - everyone from Big Boi to Marcus Mumford - to contribute to his 'Atlas Underground' album. Industrial rock had a banner year too with Al Jourgensen and his Ministry collective putting the world to rights with the fantastically feisty 'AmeriKKKant' and Trent Reznor blowing everyone's mind with the astonishing 'Bad Witch' EP which fused the thunderous sound of his early releases with the more electronica-based feel of his recent soundtrack work - culminating in one of the best songs of his career in God Break Down The Door. Astonishing stuff. Not so astonishing though was the ludicrous rise to the top from talentless popinjays Greta Van Fleet who somehow seemed to pull the wool over most people's eyes with their note-for-note facsimile of the entire Led Zeppelin catalogue - and who only seem to be getting bigger and more popular. Confused face emojis all round. As always though, there were a handful of albums in this particular category that were better than all the rest but weren't quite good enough to break the Top 50. So, hats off to the excellent 'Prequelle' by Swedish symphonic rockers Ghost; the barnstorming 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance' by Bristolian punkers Idles; the relentlessly thrilling 'Book Of Bad Decisions' by Clutch and the superb 'Eat the Elephant' from the returning A Perfect Circle, which in lieu of a new album by frontman Maynard James Keenan's other band Tool, was a swooning, brain-caressing collection of modern-day progressive rock at it's finest.

Over in the indie aisle of the record shop, there was a lively proliferation of all-female and female-led bands that were grabbing hold of the janglesome power-pop flag and letting it fly high and proud. Sunflower Bean's second album was an absolute doozy and there were excellent debuts from London-based trio Dream Wife and Yorkshire three-piece The Orielles. The second album from Norwich's experimental noise-pop duo Let's Eat Grandma - the haunting 'I'm All Ears' - solidified their burgeoning talent whilst the debuts from splendid alt-rock combos Goat Girl and Our Girl proved that in 2018 it was the ladies making the most interesting music in this genre. The boys weren't far behind though with sterling efforts from No Static At All faves The Brian Jonestown Massacre, MGMT, Death Cab For Cutie, The Coral and legendary North Carolina stormers Superchunk. Epic, windswept and doomy indie was covered by Manchester's Slow Readers Club and their 'Build A Tower' album as well as Birmingham's Editors who released their sixth album 'Violence' in the spring and which was a concerted move away from their darker sound of before, embracing uptempo synth-pop and catchy as man-flu style choruses. Dinosaur Jr main man J Mascis and ex-Arab Strap nabob Malcolm Middleton both released solo albums that were as good as anything released by their respective groups, and Scotland's Django Django and the Brewis Brothers from Sunderland - aka Field Music - both released wonderful early summer albums that unfortunately slipped under most people's radars. The most interesting - and certainly most divisive - entry in this genre though was the sixth album by Sheffield's favourite sons, the Arctic Monkeys.

 Their first release for five years - 'Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino' - left most die-hard fans scratching their heads and frowning furiously upon it's release last April. A dramatic shift from their usual sparky and vibrant stadium indie-rock, this saw head honcho Alex Turner melding 70's style easy listening tropes with mellow yacht-rock stylings and 50's influenced crooning vocal acrobatics. It was a bit of a mess in places but a hugely brave move from a band who obviously feel that they can do what they like and damn the consequences. They still sold out venues across the world though and it has to be said that the lead track from the album - the frankly marvellous Four Out Of Five - was one of the best songs Turner has ever written.
Meanwhile, there was a wonderful resurgence from a bevy of 90's Britpop heroes and noughties indie legends with the Manic Street Preachers, Gaz Coombes from Supergrass and Super Furry Animals' linchpin Gruff Rhys all releasing solid efforts whilst Snow Patrol, Franz Ferdinand and Ash all struggled to reclaim former glories. Colchester's very own renaissance man - Damon Albarn - spoilt his fans rotten with new releases from his Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad And The Queen projects and there was yet another tremendous collection of joyous and life-affirming indie-pop from Mancunian stalwarts James - still riding high 35 years into their career. The best of the bunch though were the latest missives from former Verve fulcrum Richard Ashcroft with the string-laden and anthemic 'Natural Rebel' and the kitchen-sink drama of Suede's brilliant 'The Blue Hour', a concept album of real heft which to my ears is as good as anything they've released since 1994's mighty 'Dog Man Star'. High praise indeed.

To all things Americana and folk-based then and it was yet another stupendous year for fans of hushed acoustic guitars and expansive Western soundscapes. Once again, it was the female singer-songwriters who showed the boys how it should be done with some excellent releases from Natalie Prass, Alela Diane, Laura Viers, Kacey Musgraves and the remarkable Julia Holter who followed up her 2015 'Have You In My Wilderness' masterpiece with the extraordinary 'Aviary' - an album that you'll either love or hate but which you certainly can't call dull. The Soderberg sisters - Klara and Johanna - returned under their First Aid Kit banner with 'Ruins', their fourth album of sparkling harmony-laden country folk whilst Laura Marling joined forces with ex-Tunng mainstay Mike Lindsay and released the excellent 'LUMP' album. (Serendipitously, Lindsay returned to the Tunng fold and the woozy, ramshackle charm of 'Songs You Make At Night' was the sterling result). Proper old school Americana was well served with superb sets from Brent Cobb, Calexico and a wonderful collection of covers and offcuts from long-standing No Static At All favourites The Jayhawks who released 'Back Roads And Abandoned Motels' in early summer and - with frontman Gary Louris sounding better than ever - are very quietly attaining legendary status.

 The most poignant release though was the final album by the truly wonderful Willard Grant Conspiracy. Head honcho Robert Fisher lost his battle with cancer a couple of years ago and December's 'Untethered' was put together by Fisher's longtime writing partner David Curry. As was always the case with WGC albums, 'Untethered' was a haunting collection of folk-noir and dark country, anchored magnificently by Fisher's sonorous baritone. He will be sorely missed. A brace of artists no doubt influenced by Fisher released excellent records in 2018. Micah P Hinson's 'When I Shoot At You With Arrows...' and Iron & Wine's 'Weed Garden' EP were both as good as anything they've released before - with the Iron & Wine collection picking up a Grammy Award nomination in the process. And there were solid sets from other No Static faves Yo La Tengo, Jonathan Wilson, Ray Lamontagne, Father John Misty, The Decemberists, Dawes and ex-Grant Lee Buffalo frontman Grant Lee Phillips. However, there were four albums that were all tremendous but not quite good enough to break into the final chart: the ghostly and blues-tinged Americana of  'With Animals' by Mark Lanegan and Duke Garwood; the stripped-back acoustic balladry of Cat Power's 'Wanderer'; Josh Haden and Spain's spiritually focused 'Mandala Brush' concept album and the quite glorious 'All That Reckoning' by returning heroes The Cowboy Junkies, who - 30 years after their 'Trinity Sessions' calling card - may have just released the album of their career. Fabulous stuff.

And so to the stuff that gets you jumping out of your armchair and cutting a rug in the front room, or sitting cross-legged on the floor wearing a hefty set of headphones and scratching your chin. Dance, electronica, hip-hop, jazz and world music - you'll find the best of it right here. Richard James - aka The Aphex Twin - released another EP of head-spinning beeps, bloops and buzzes whilst Portishead's Geoff Barrow returned to the fray with his Beak> collective and continued their brain-pummeling journey into the electronic dark side. France's original electronica pioneer - the legend that is Jean-Michel Jarre - went back in time 40 years and produced the sequel to 1978's astonishing 'Equinoxe' album. The sequel wasn't quite as groundbreaking, but still hit some glorious highs. The experimental, outre and avant-garde was very well served by Bournemouth's Daniel Avery and his brilliant sophomore outing 'Song For Alpha'; the fizzy, psych-infused drone of Cavern Of Anti-Matter's bonkers 'Hormone Lemonade' and the weird and wonderful 'Dead Magic' by Sweden's Anna Von Hausswolff who thrilled and confused in equal measure - especially when it came to the frankly astonishing The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra which was one of the songs of the year.

 Another song that came close to bagging that crown was the incredible This Is America by Childish Gambino - otherwise known as Donald Glover. Glover had the best year of his life I reckon - huge critical acclaim for his 'Atlanta' TV show and the breakout role of Young Lando in the Star Wars spin-off 'Solo' - but his excoriating dissection of The United States Of Trump was something else entirely. And the video was gobsmacking. There was a small but decent selection of solid hip-hop records in 2018 with old-timers Cypress Hill and Eminem the best of the lot with their 'Elephants On Acid' and 'Kamikaze' albums. And Glasgow's Young Fathers - Mercury winners once upon a time - returned with the freaky and funky agit-rap of 'Cocao Sugar'. Top stuff. It was a tremendous year for all things jazz-based with The Comet Is Coming's Shabaka Hutchings shifting gears with his other combo - the mighty Sons Of Kemet - and coming very close to bagging the Mercury Prize with the outstanding 'Your Queen Is A Reptile', and there was a couple of other stunning albums from experimental jazz-tronica collective Szun Waves and the astonishing 'Universal Beings' from Chicago's very own beat scientist, Makaya McCraven. And there were some really rather wonderful world sounds from Imarhan, Fatoumata Diawara, Boubacar Traore, Afro-Celt Sound System, DJ Khalab, Minima Deutsch and the long-awaited return to the fray from cult duo Dead Can Dance who continued their experiments in fusing modern day globe-encompassing electronica with the stentorian medieval chanting that made their name back in the early 80s. Coming very close to breaking the Top 50 though was the second album from Heloise Letissier - otherwise known as Christine & The Queens - who embraced her masculine side in a major way with the funk-filled pop joy of 'Chris'. But it was the old boys who really did the business in 2018 with Liam Howlett, Keith Flint and Maxim - otherwise known as The Prodigy - who, over 20 years since their Firestarter peak, were still selling out huge venues worldwide and refusing to let up when it came to stomach-rattling beats and thunderous techno-rave-rock mash-ups. 'No Tourists' wasn't their best album - far from it - but it still made most of the younger pretenders sound like The Mini-Pops. Meanwhile, Underworld's Karl Hyde and Rick Smith embarked on the first of a number of projects that this year alone will see them release one song for each week of the year! Firstly though, they hooked up with the legend that is Iggy Pop for the excellent 'Teatime Dub Encounters' EP which sounded exactly like you'd hope it would. Worth the price of admission just for Get Your Shirt alone.

The musical old guard (heritage-rock, dad-rock, £50 man-rock - call it what you will), were still out and about and, in most cases, releasing works that came close to surpassing early career highs. David Byrne, Elvis Costello, Ry Cooder, Mark Knopfler and Richard Thompson all returned after a good few years away with decent albums but the two Pauls - McCartney and Weller - both sounded a tad lazy with their current releases as far as I'm concerned. Classic 60's folk-rockers David Crosby and Paul Simon released very different sets - Crosby's 'Here If You Listen' was a lovely collection of - what else? - harmony-drenched laid-back tunes, whilst Simon's 'In The Blue Light' was a flawed but interesting experiment where the recently retired legend re-evaluated and rebooted some of his favourite songs from previous albums that he felt had fallen by the wayside over time. The spruced up version of 1990's Can't Run But was the highlight. Blues stalwarts Buddy Guy and everyone's favourite Irish grump Van Morrison both hit the right notes with their respective albums and there was a splendid new album from the wonderful Simple Minds who, now pushing 45 years old, returned to their mid-80s pomp with the epic-sounding 'Walk Between Worlds'. But it was three of my all-time faves who beat the rest to the punch this year. ZZ Top supremo Billy Gibbons went back to his roots with the barnstorming brilliance of his 'Big Bad Blues' opus; 60s fixated rock and roll showpony Lenny Kravitz released his best album in years with the funk-drenched 'Raise Vibration' and Crowded House's Neil Finn - now ensconced in the latest chapter of the never-ending Fleetwood Mac soap opera - had enough time to record a very special collection of folk-tinged ballads with his son Liam. Touching on - as you would expect - family, fatherhood and the ties that bind, 'Lightsleeper' was just gorgeous.

 And finally, a quick nod to some of my friends and neighbours out there in the No Static At All universe who are all producing songs and sounds that are more than worthy of your time.
From the darkest corners of South East London I point you in the direction of the expansive and esoteric electronica of Benomaly. You will find a veritable cornucopia of his excellent work right here: https://benomaly.bandcamp.com
Also, catchy as man-flu electro-pop from London duo Futurmatic. Their Soundcloud page is a real treasure trove of tight tunes - in particular the wonderful Lost In Tokyo. Indulge here: https://soundcloud.com/futurmatic
And last but not least, the fabulously blues-tinged psych-rock majesty that is the South East's very own Blue Cheer - the crunchy, gnarly and downright dirty trio of heads known as Spongers. Their Soundcloud page is chock-full of nuts and if you're not punching the air in glee whilst listening to the joyous brain-freeze of No King Rules then why bother getting up in the morning???
https://soundcloud.com/spongers


IN MEMORIAM
Sadly though, 2018 saw the world of music lose far too many legends and heroes. Such is life unfortunately, but in some of these cases, we lost these greats far too soon. That Great Gig In The Sky is getting bigger and better...

ARETHA FRANKLIN
MATT 'GUITAR' MURPHY
MARK E SMITH
PETE SHELLEY
CHAS HODGES
VINNIE PAUL
DOLORES O'RIORDAN
RICHARD SWIFT
CONWAY SAVAGE
FAST EDDIE CLARKE
TONY JOE WHITE
OTIS RUSH
DANNY KIRWAN
ED KING
CLAUDIA FONTAINE
CHARLES AZNAVOUR
MARTY BALIN
SCOTT HUTCHISON
STEWART LUPTON
RACHID TAHA
DENNIS EDWARDS
HUGH MASEKELA
CHARLES NEVILLE
LOVEBUG STARSKI
RAY SAWYER


And so, finally, to the very best records of 2018. As I said earlier, it was an absolute humdinger of a year for all kinds of glorious music and we start - as is traditional - with the very best reissues and re-releases that caught my attention. Dive in people.....

25: Garbage: Version 2.0 (20th Anniversary Edition)
24: The Police: Complete Albums Vinyl Boxset
23: Thee Hypnotics: Righteously Recharged
22: Love: Forever Changes 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
21: This Mortal Coil: It'll End In Tears/Filigree And Shadow/Blood - Japanese Remasters
20: Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
19: The Band: Music From Big Pink 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
18: Tom Petty: An American Treasure
17: John Lennon: Imagine - The Ultimate Collection
16: Primal Scream: Give Up But Don't Give Out - The Memphis Sessions
15: Mary Lou Lord: Got No Shadow
14: Neil Young: Live At The Roxy/Songs For Judy
13: Guns 'N' Roses: Appetite For Destruction - Locked And Loaded Ultimate Collection
12: Metallica: And Justice For All - 3CD Expanded Edition
11: The Beatles: The Beatles (The White Album) 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
10: Prince: Piano & A Microphone 1983
9:  The Beta Band: The 3 EPs 20th Anniversary Edition
8:  The Cocteau Twins: The Fontana Years 4CD Boxset
7:  Pet Shop Boys: Further Listening Reissues (Especially Behaviour)
6:  Teenage Fanclub: Creation Records Vinyl Remasters (Especially Bandwagonesque)
5:  Pixies: C'Mon Pilgrim...It's Surfer Rosa!
4:  Fleet Foxes: First Collection: 2006-2009
3:  R.E.M.: At The BBC - 9CD Boxset
2:  Kate Bush: Remastered Part 1/Remastered Part 2 - CD Boxsets
1:  Chris Cornell: Collection - 4CD Boxset

And so we come to the final part of this look back at 2018's runners and riders: The No Static At All Top 50 Of The Year. These are the ones I kept coming back to, over and over, as the year progressed. Some started strong and faded away, others slipped through the net until the very last knockings of December when they suddenly surged forth into my listening sphere. There should be something for everyone here so sit back, relax and investigate forthwith!

50: PREOCCUPATIONS: NEW MATERIAL
Second full-length album of doomy, synth-laden alt-rock from these Joy Division indebted Canucks. Certainly not an album to listen to when getting ready for a big Saturday night out, but if you like your tunes dark, cavernous and full of portent, then these are your go-to guys.
Key Track: Disarray

49: THE MAGPIE SALUTE: HIGH WATER 1
First in a planned double bill of albums from ex-Black Crowe Rich Robinson and his current crop of choogle loving country rockers. A more mellow set than 2017's thrilling covers album, this was a modern day Allman Brothers influenced extravaganza of crunchy riffs and down-home vibes.
Key Track: Send Me An Omen

48: JOHN GRANT: LOVE IS MAGIC

Ex-Czars nabob Grant's fourth album of literate Americana embraced even further his love of 80's synth-pop - no doubt inspired by his recent Creep Show collaboration with Cabaret Voltaire - and was full to bursting with fizz, jerk and joy. Lyrically magnificent as ever, Grant was at the peak of his powers here.
Key Track: Diet Gum

47: RYLEY WALKER: DEAFMAN GLANCE
Yet another splendid set of jazzy folk-rock ear-balm from Chicago's increasingly impressive Walker. Melding his early Drake/Jansch/Martyn influenced guitar style with more expansive modern-day post-rock textures, this was glorious fare. 
Key Track: Telluride Speed

46: UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA: SEX & FOOD
New Zealand's finest synth-funk combo returned after a few years with another slinky and sheen-covered song suite of smooth and sultry soundscapes. Ruban Neilson and his compadres have hit upon a fine groove in recent years, and this set continued in that vein in fine style, embracing the electro-psych of fellow Antipodeans Tame Impala and the deep 70's funk of Hamilton Bohannon with open arms.
Key Track: Hunnybee

45: MUDHONEY: DIGITAL GARBAGE

Legendary grunge pioneers Mudhoney have slowed their output in recent years - the band all have families and 'real' jobs that take up their main focus, including Sub Pop warehouse manager duties for lead singer Mark Arm - and subsequently this coruscating bunch of anti-Trump invective and "Why has the world gone to shit?" battle cries was their first album in over 5 years. Worth every waiting minute though. Searing and sneering in equal measure, this was the Seattle seers at full throttle. 
Key Track: Prosperity Gospel

44: PHOSPHORESCENT: C'EST LA VIE
First release in almost 6 years for Alabama native Matthew Houck, who has spent the intervening time since his last album raising a family, moving to Nashville from New York and contracting meningitis. This subsequent set of woozy and swooning Americana touches on all of those life-changing events with the same warmth and tenderness Houck has brought to his previous collections. And Beautiful Boy - written for his young son - is just gorgeous.
Key Track: Beautiful Boy

43: JACK WHITE: BOARDING HOUSE REACH

Hugely experimental and ultimately divisive third solo outing for the whey-faced musical polymath. Discarding his usual shrieky proto-blues for a more eclectic melange of jazz, garage rock, spoken word and even electronic funk, this was as left-field and outre as White has ever got. A game-changer of a set for him no doubt, and although he's back with his straightforward Americana crew The Raconteurs at the current time, it'll be more than interesting to see where he heads to next on his solo adventures.
Key Track: Over And Over And Over

42: BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB: WRONG CREATURES
Seventh album - and first for half a decade - of smoky, gloom-filled blues-grunge from the increasingly grizzled San Francisco trio. Drenched in reverb, stomach-shaking bass and thunderous drums, this was another solid set of tunes from principal songwriters Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been. They've been knocking at the door of fame for almost 20 years - and their time has no doubt been and gone - but their albums are still worth an hour of anyone's time and this one is no exception.
Key Track: Ninth Configuration

41: THOM YORKE: SUSPIRIA
Utterly chilling soundtrack to the extraordinary Luca Guadagnino remake of the Dario Argento horror movie classic. The film itself was about as divisive as it's possible to get - I personally thought it was a masterpiece - but it is impossible to deny the brilliance of Radiohead frontman Yorke's first attempt at scoring a movie. A fulsome selection of instrumental pieces - dripping with eerieness and dread - were complemented magnificently by some of the most haunting piano ballads Yorke has ever written.
Key Track: Unmade

40: KRISTIN HERSH: POSSIBLE DUST CLOUDS

Splendid return to form for the ex-Throwing Muses lead singer. Hersh's last few solo records have drifted and meandered a little too much for my liking but this sparky and vibrant set of crunchy indie rock is up there with some of her finest Muses work. Harking back to her early 90's sound of 'Red Heaven' and 'The Real Ramona', this had enough classic Hersh/Muses tropes - chiming guitar fills, pummeling backbeats and thought-provoking lyrical themes - to bring a smile to all who barrelled their way around an indie disco back in the day.
Key Track: Lethe

39: JIM JAMES: UNIFORM DISTORTION/UNIFORM CLARITY
Interesting little project here from My Morning Jacket's heroically hirsute head honcho. 'Distortion' was a recorded as live set of scratchy garage-rock inspired country rockers - complete with broken guitar strings, fluffed lines and healthy laughter from all involved. 'Clarity' was a stripped-back and acoustic version of the same album - more in keeping with the laid-back and mellow side of the Jacket ouvre. A curate's egg to be sure, but as usual with James, it's the strength of the songs - as well as his fabulous falsetto - that made this experiment worth buying into.
Key Track: Throwback

38: JEFF TWEEDY: WARM
Wonderful set of soul-caressing alt-country balladeering here from the Wilco top dog. Focusing on the joy and pain of family life - in particular, his wife's cancer battle and the death of his father - this was melancholic and heartbreaking in places to be sure, but there was still enough light and - dare I say it - warmth running through this album to bring succour to even the most cynical listener. A companion piece of sorts to his excellent memoir 'Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)', both the album and the book prove Tweedy's credentials as one of the finest songwriters alive.
Key Track: The Red Brick

37: JON HOPKINS: SINGULARITY
First album of widescreen and stargazing electronica from London's Hopkins since 2013's utterly sublime 'Immunity'. Although not quite scaling the heights of that astonishing record, 'Singularity' still knocked most of his pretenders down a peg or two with it's seamless meld of thumping beats and string-laden brain wash. Sounding monumental on a decent pair of 'cans', this was what I imagine the crew of the International Space Station put on their sound system when they pop out for a spacewalk.
Key Track: Luminous Beings

36: THE BREEDERS: ALL NERVE

More returning Boston indie heroes here - after Kristin Hersh's reappearance earlier in this list - as the classic 1993 'Last Splash' lineup of ex-Pixie Kim Deal's other band buried any remaining hatchets and knuckled down to produce the proper sequel to that legendary opus. Short and sweet - clocking in at just over half an hour - 'All Nerve' was jumpy and jittery, scuzzy and scruffy and more importantly, just pure fun. With twins Kim and Kelley completely simpatico vocally and musically, there were tunes on here - the tremendously thrilling Wait In The Car in particular - that were as good as anything they've ever written.
Key Track: Wait In The Car

35: TY SEGALL: FREEDOM'S GOBLIN
Only 5 albums this year from the ever-prolific California garage rock princeling - including a splendid covers album - but this was far and away the best of the bunch. Sprawling and extravagant, this hefty three course dinner of all that is good and holy about modern-day psych-rock covered the whole gamut: fuzzy punk, country rock, death disco, Beatles-esque bubblegrunge, dirty glam, a Hot Chocolate cover and - in the case of the extraordinary 12 minute epic And, Goodnight - full-on Neil Young & Crazy Horse duelling guitar oblivion. The boy is a marvel.
Key Track: And, Goodnight

34: MOBY: EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT
14th album of mature and understated gospel-rave from the mighty Richard Melville. Continuing his explorations into the outer reaches of erudite techno, this collection saw Moby harking back to 1999's multi-million selling 'Play' opus whilst all the while dipping into modern-day dance structures and Sunday morning chill-out vibes. On a creative roll after his recent brace of autobiographies - both 'Porcelain: A Memoir' and the forthcoming 'Then It All Fell Apart' are required reading - this was intelligent dance music of the highest stripe.
Key Track: This Wild Darkness

33: BELLY: DOVE
First album in 23 years for ex-Throwing Muses guitarist Tanya Donnelly and her crew of jangle-enthused indie rockers. After hitting big in the early 90's with the excellent 'Star' and 'King' albums, Belly fizzled out and Donnelly went on to raise a family and release sporadic solo sets. A reunion was always likely though - the original split was as amicable as these things ever get - and this splendid bunch of tunes was the result. Sparky, joyful and full of vim, this showed Donnelly's songwriting skills at full pelt with the rest of the band bouncing around beside her and from the sounds of it, having the time of their lives.
Key Track: Shiny One

32: COURTNEY BARNETT: TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL

Follow-up to Barnett's wonderful 2015 debut 'Sometimes I Sit And Wonder...' which, although bursting with as many catchy hooks and bouncy choruses as that first album, was a darker and more emotionally affecting set. Classic jangly, scruffy indie rock full of wry observations of the human condition, this was shaggy-dog storytelling at it's most serious. The last few years of solid touring and sudden success sound as if they've taken a toll on her close relationships, but instead of coming across as 'Woe is me' this tremendous cache of songs showed how her writing is maturing and evolving into something very special. 
Key Track: City Looks Pretty

31: SHAME: SONGS OF PRAISE
Fantastic opening salvo from this bunch of South London whippersnappers. Barrelling out of the speakers from the first note, this was a proper debut album: no filter, no prisoners and no shit taken. With lead singer Charlie Steen ranting and raving over a backdrop of thumping drums, searing guitar licks and the occasional joyous introduction of Marr-esque jangle, this was indie-rock like they used to make.
Key Track: One Rizla

30: SPIRITUALIZED: AND NOTHING HURT
Jason Pierce returned after a lengthy lay-off with another glorious collection of sweeping, spaced-out symphonies. This time round, to save money, Pierce dreamt up the whole concept at home - recording each track piecemeal on his laptop. The lack of budget didn't detract from his modus operandi though - these tracks were as good as anything he's written since 1997's masterful 'Ladies And Gentlemen...' All the usual Pierce tropes were here of course: cracked vocals, woozy time signatures, mind-expanding washes of strings and that wall of sound guitar maelstrom that he does so well. In a word, epic.  
Key Track: Let's Dance

29: EELS: THE DECONSTRUCTION

Mark E Everett - for he is Eels - returned with his 12th album of literate alt-rock that yet again placed him high up in the echelons of modern-day classic songwriters: Cave, Waits, Kozelek et al. Once again marrying the shuffling Americana and crunchy blues-rock of previous releases, this saw Everett and his revolving door of musicians solidifying their place as one of the finest cult bands of the last 25 years or so.
Key Track: Bone Dry

28: BEACH HOUSE: 7
As the title would suggest, this was the seventh album of glacial dream-pop from Baltimore duo Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally. Once again enveloping the listener in swoonsome synths and lush electronica, this latest set saw the band expand their remit even further with a hefty influx of booming percussion and widescreen sonica that bodes well for the next stage of their journey. 
Key Track: Lemon Glow

27: ORBITAL: MONSTERS EXIST
After falling out in a major way after the touring schedule for 2012's 'Wonky' died down, it looked like the Hartnoll brothers tenure as the elder statesmen of British techno was over. However, even if you can't choose your family, you can choose your musical partner. Apologies given, hatchets buried and new tunes written. 'Monsters Exist' wasn't the greatest Orbital album - there were a couple of tracks that were just going through the motions for me - but in the main, this was as as in your face and life-affirming as you'd want an album by a couple of 50-something rave-heads to be.
Key Track: Vision OnE

26: TRACY THORN: RECORD

Absolutely fantastic collection of - in her own words - "feminist bangers" from the wonderfully doleful-voiced Everything But The Girl vocalist. Backed by a sparkling soundtrack of shiny synth-pop and hip-shaking electro, this saw Thorn follow on from her recent memoirs with more tales of family life and reflections on ageing and the vagaries of the modern world. Both hilarious (Dancefloor covers drunk-dancing and taxi cab confusion) and heartbreaking  (the astonishing family tree saga Smoke), this was Thorn on stellar form.
Key Track: Dancefloor

25: ISRAEL NASH: LIFTED
Superb fifth album of widescreen and psychedelic country soul from Missouri native Nash. Whereas his last couple of albums saw him apeing his heroes a little too closely - Neil Young in particular - this set finally saw him forge his own path and expand his sound with some lush instrumentation and soaring symphonic curlicues. Oozing with heartwarming harmonies, crisp country-rock guitar fills and a vibe that screams "Laurel Canyon", this was just lovely.
Key Track: Rolling On

24: WHITE DENIM: PERFORMANCE
James Petralli and his Creedence-loving choogle cohorts returned with another album - their 7th - of rip-roaringly ramshackle odes to the joys of love, life and everything in between. Hitting you square in the face from the get-go and not letting up, this was another fist-pumping collection of driving psych-rock and top-down, beach-buggy boogie that turned out to be the first part in a double bill - the second slice, 'Side Effects', is due next month.
Key Track: Double Death

23: BIG RED MACHINE: BIG RED MACHINE
Magnificent collaborative project here from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner from The National. Stemming from an online multi-media project celebrating creativity from every sphere - how very 2018 - this saw the two protagonists hooking up with a varied collection of friends and colleagues (Phoebe Bridgers, This Is The Kit, Arcade Fire) to produce a wondrous set of modern-day alt-country, folktronica and post-rock. Embracing AutoTune, trip-hop and even jazz, this could have been a real mess. As it was though, anchored by Vernon's astonishing vocals, this was one of the year's real surprises. 
Key Track: Lyla

22: SMASHING PUMPKINS: SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, Vol.1/NO PAST.NO FUTURE.NO SUN.

Massive return to the fray here for three thirds of the classic early 90's iteration of  glam grungers the Pumpkins. Anchored as usual by helium-voiced walking ego Billy Corgan, this saw guitarist James Iha and drumming behemoth Jimmy Chamberlin reunite with Corgan for the first time in over 20 years. (Bassist D'Arcy was asked to contribute but declined). Hooking up with uber-producer Rick Rubin, this strangely brief set - only 8 tracks - saw Corgan and company looking back at former glories musically but with enough modern-day pop smarts to not just sound like a sad facsimile of 'Siamese Dream' or 'Melon Collie'. There was the gnarly and ear-scraping alt-grunge of Solara as well as the dreamy and dulcet Silvery Sometimes. But it was tracks like the epic, string-laden Knights Of Malta that were more interesting. Sweeping pomp-rock at it's finest then. 
Key Track: Knights Of Malta

21: HOWLIN' RAIN: THE ALLIGATOR BRIDE
Grizzled guitar toting gun for hire Ethan Miller - fulsome of beard and lairy of shirt - has been stretching his mighty talents far and wide in recent years, contributing to such bands as Comets On Fire, Feral Ohms and Heron Oblivion, but Howlin' Rain is his main gig and this latest missive of cerebellum-shattering fuzz-rock and retina-burning psych frenzy was his best yet. Chock full of searing guitar solos and glass-shattering instrumentation, this was as good as Miller gets.
Key Track: Coming Down

20: ARTHUR BUCK: ARTHUR BUCK

Thoroughly unexpected - but immensely welcome - team-up between former Peter Gabriel protege and hugely underrated singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur, and R.E.M.s legendary guitar hero Peter Buck. Fusing the crunchy jangle-infused alt-indie of Buck's early classics - 'Murmur' to 'Green' in particular - with Arthur's more world-weary and weathered vocal stylings, all backed by a fantastic mix of crunchy rock and roll and beefy riffs, this sounded like the most fun either man has had in ages.
Key Track: I Am The Moment

19: LOW: DOUBLE NEGATIVE
Outstanding 12th offering from Minnesota's slowcore progenitors. Eschewing their usual mournful Americana and hushed, minimalistic folk-rock, this time round core husband and wife team Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker - with valued assistance from bassist Steve Garrington - opened up their sonic palette to embrace dark walls of electronic sound coupled with monumental swathes of distorted guitars and cavernous percussion. A reinvention of real skill, guile and emotional weight. Stunning stuff.
Key Track: Fly

18: ALICE IN CHAINS: RAINIER FOG
Third post-reformation album from the Seattle grunge heroes, 20 years after original singer Layne Staley's untimely death. No huge departure here from their usual sound - but these songs are so well written and so tightly performed, it matters not. Recorded in Seattle, and named after the mountain that overlooks the city, Jerry Cantrell and the boys get right down to business with the opening The One You Know - all gnarly riffs and earth-shattering grunge groove. What follows is a masterclass in pulsating heavy rock and a thunderous tribute to the great Seattle sound of the early 90s.
Key Track: Drone

17: KAMASI WASHINGTON: HEAVEN AND EARTH

Gargantuanly expansive double album here from the magnificently attired Californian saxophone maestro. Ostensibly a jazz album, this epic odyssey took in gospel choirs, hip-hop breakbeats, lush symphonic soul and deep funk of the most righteous kind. Everything sounded utterly glorious and was all underpinned by the phenomenal playing of Washington himself, a man so blessed with sax talent that woodwind players the world over might as well give up and go home now. Truly spectacular.
Key Track: Street Fighter Mas

16: KHRUANGBIN: CON TODO EL MUNDO
Second album of vintage sounding laid-back lounge funk from the bewigged Texan trio, named after the Thai word for 'airplane'. Mixing up Far Eastern vibes with modern day jazz textures and topping it all off with a groovesome bluesy swagger, this instrumental threesome - with the odd spoken word nugget here and there - inched their way into the collective consciousness by stealth, selling out venues across the country. Joyous.
Key Track: Evan Finds The Third Room

15: PARQUET COURTS: WIDE AWAAAAKE!

Frankly bloody brilliant sixth album from the Velvets inspired New York quartet. Previous records have seen this bunch deliver spiky and catchy indie-rock next to ramshackle and half-baked psych - usually within the same song - but this time,under the auspicious production of famed knob-twiddler Danger Mouse, they got everything right. Incorporating groovy alt-rock, jerky art-funk and a splash of disco-punk here and there, this was one of the most exciting party records of the year. All together now: "TOTAL FOOTBALL!!"
Key Track: Almost Had To Start A Fight/In And Out Of Patience

14: JOHNNY MARR: CALL THE COMET

The guitar genius of The Smiths returned to action after a 4 year absence with his third solo album of glittering, old-school indie. Whereas before he's seemed reluctant to write anything too Smithsian on his albums, this time round he embraced his heritage with gusto and delivered a suite of songs that literally screamed "Yeah, I wrote How Soon Is Now. What have you done lately?" Propulsive riffs and glorious janglesome frills were the order of the day with Hi Hello and New Dominions as good as anything by his previous band. But it was the stunningly sublime Walk Into The Sea that might be his finest ever six minutes. 
Key Track: Walk Into The Sea

13: WOODEN SHJIPS: V

Fifth album of driving, fuzzy psych-rock from the tremendously bearded Ripley Johnson and his fellow San Fran vibe merchants. Sticking to their usual formula of acid-fried Haight Ashbury jams and tie-dyed horizontal blues textures, 'V' was the aural equivalent of a Timothy Leary seminar on the moon. And their live gigs in late summer were quite splendid - complete with liquid light shows and spinning glitter balls. Far out and heady to the max, man.
Key Track: Staring At The Sun



12: DAVID KITT: YOUS

Wonderful return to the coalface - after far too long away - from the Dublin folktronica expert who, back in the early noughties, was close to breaking it big after being marketed as the next David Gray or Damien Rice. That it never happened for him is a travesty, and a typical indictment of the vagaries of the music industry. To be honest, Kitt's songs leave Gray and Rice in the dust and his idiosyncratic way with words - he once released a single called Don't Fuck with Me - probably didn't help his cause. It's fantastic to have him back though, and 'Yous' is his strongest set in years. Meshing his usual delicate folk tunes with a sparse electronic backing - along with mournful violin and bubbling basslines - this was just lovely stuff. Lyrically, Kitt sang of all of life's big themes, and in Song Of Two Birds he may have written the love song of the year.
Key Track: Song Of Two Birds

11: INTERPOL: MARAUDER

Sixth album of deep, dark and doom-filled modern-day new wave from New York's impeccably suited and booted trio. Hooking up with Mercury Rev/Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann allowed the band to expand their sound in a way that - although still VERY Interpol - gave them a fresh new take on their cavernous art-rock inspired indie. With Daniel Kessler hitting all the right notes on guitar, lead singer Paul Banks was in fine voice here, reining in his usual bellow for a more delicate take on their signature sound.
Key Track: Flight Of Fancy 

  
10: HOOKWORMS: MICROSHIFT

After two albums of frontal-lobe pulsing psych-rock, this Yorkshire quintet shifted gears for this third opus - spinning out into Krautrockian rhythms and hip-thrusting electronica. Coming across like an unholy mash-up of LCD Soundsystem and Can - on speed - this was a blistering start to the year upon it's release last January. Darkness permeated throughout lead singer MJ's lyrics - his father's dementia, a broken relationship, death and the localised flooding that destroyed the band's studio - but the music is so thrilling and powerful that you can't help but get up and throw some shapes. Unfortunately, recent news has suggested that the band is no more due to allegations of abuse involving MJ himself. If that is the case then this album is a fine postcript to the band's career. 
Key Track: Negative Space

9: THE LIMINANAS: SHADOW PEOPLE

The latest splendid entry into an increasingly solid back catalogue for husband and wife team Lionel and Marie Liminana and their current band, which on this album features Anton Newcombe from The Brian Jonestown Massacre on guest vocals and the one and only Peter Hook on bass duties. Grabbing hold of their previous 60's inspired garage rock and roll psych-rock sound and running with it, 'Shadow People' was a hugely exciting smorgasbord of bouncy riffs, catchy choruses, echoing drums and fluid guitar work. Sounding more and more like the kind of house band you'd see playing on screen if David Lynch directed a biker movie, this was all about dry ice, black leather and effortless Gallic cool. Tres magnifique!
Key Track: The Gift

8: ROBYN: HONEY

In the modern pop world one has to be very brave to disappear for 8 years - especially if your last album contained a worldwide smash as huge as the masterful Dancing On My Own. Swedish synth-pop siren Robyn Carlsson is not only brave, but fearless and willing to take as much time as she needs to get things just right. 'Honey' was a difficult record to birth - the end of an intense relationship was the catalyst - but the results were well worth the wait. And then some. Fusing late 90s style rave-pop with classic RnB stylings and the kind of intelligent electronic melancholia done so well by acts like Pet Shop Boys and The Human League, this was as good as pop music gets in the modern age. Missing U and Ever Again were self-explanatory pleas detailing matters of the heart, but it was the extraordinary title track - with it's skittering percussive beats and swathes of pulsating synth grooves washing over you like waves of gold dust - that raised the bar. Utterly fantastic.
Key Track: Honey

7: STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS: SPARKLE HARD

Now that ex-Pavement magus Malkmus has been at the helm of his current charges longer than that of his previous employ, his initial hesitancy across the first few Jicks albums to let his hair down and really let fly seems to have finally been cast aside. 'Sparkle Hard' was an absolute joy from first note to last, brimming with brio and balls, Malkmus came across like he was having a total blast. There was more than enough room for his usual fuzzy indie-rock and ramshackle alt-country stylings, but he also threw a few curve balls into the mix: the dreaded Auto-Tune for one. Wonderfully, it all worked like gangbusters with Big Steve's lyrics touching on political themes in a major way amongst all the off-kilter dregs and dweebs that usually pepper his songs. Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon popped up for a drowsy duet on Refute but it was the sunshine-filled Shiggy and, in particular, the full-on psych-prog of  Kite that showed the way.
Key Track: Kite

6: OH SEES: SMOTE REVERSER

Oh Sees? Oh Yes! John Dwyer and his ever-changing cabal of thunderous garage-rock devotees have been churning out albums on a scale not seen since the 1960's over the last couple of decades: 25 or so in the last 15 years alone. The fact that the quality control never wavers is testament to Dwyer's ear for a tune as well as his feral drive and possessive nature to capture his band's coruscating live shows onto shellac. And even though, at the time, I thought 2017's 'Orc' was pretty much his masterpiece, this latest foray into the scuzz-fuzz underworld leaves that record for dust. Taking in the usual psychedelic blitzkrieg of previous releases, this time around there's added proggy wig-outs, chilled out jazz noodles and pummeling kosmische the like of which no-one else around is even worthy of trying. Monumental, quite frankly.
Key Track: Anthemic Aggressor

5: BUFFALO TOM: QUIET AND PEACE

One of - if not, the - finest bands to come out of the whole Boston indie scene of the late 80's, Buffalo Tom have been releasing exceedingly excellent records - and making your faithful correspondent very happy indeed - for many a year now and this latest offering is no exception. Singer and guitarist Bill Janovitz, along with bassist Chris Colbourn and drummer Tom Maginnis, haven't deviated much here from their trademark style of heartfelt blue-collar rock shot through with a grunge encrusted jangly backbone - like Tom Petty if he started out in The Beatles. Previous releases - in particular 1992's magisterial 'Let Me Come Over' - will always be the benchmark, but 'Quiet And Peace' isn't far behind. As you would expect from a bunch of 50-somethings, the lyrics touch on ageing, the passing of time, lost loved ones and all of life's big questions. You know, real stuff. Musically, the band are on point all the way through - their usual template of one rousing rocker followed by a meditative ballad still holding true - and the chest-swelling indie-rock and close-knit harmony vocals are all present and correct and in fine order (just check out All Be Gone and Freckles for proof). They just never put a foot wrong and it's a privilege to still have them around. Long may they continue.
Key Track: Freckles

4: MARK KOZELEK: MARK KOZELEK / SUN KIL MOON: THIS IS MY DINNER

Little bit of a cheat this but when it comes to Kozelek, the rules don't apply. Topping and tailing the year with two double albums is about par for the course these days for the ex-Red House Painters fulcrum. As regular readers of this little blog will - or should - know by now, Kozelek is my favourite songwriter around, and his astonishing levels of prolificacy over the last ten years or so have left most casual listeners - most of whom jumped in after the commercial success of 2014's 'Benji' - scratching their heads in puzzlement or, as I've witnessed more than once recently, storming out of his live shows three or four songs in railing at the injustice of having to sit through new songs and demanding refunds. Magnificent, obviously. To April's first double helping then, and his self-titled acoustic record was recorded in hotel rooms around Europe during his Winter tour of 2017. Utilising just a guitar and some loop-heavy effects pedals - Ed Sheeran, eat your heart out - this was an hour and a half of rambling odes about himself, boxing, trysts with fans, himself, Jim Morrison, Spotify, coffee shops, himself, diarrhea, Trump, drive-by shootings, Ariel Pink, household items, middle-aged ennui and - just for added depth - himself. It's like having someone's Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds spooned into your retinas all at the same time. For many - no, scratch that - for most music lovers, this form of long-form social commentary with guitars will no doubt seem tortuous. I however am enthralled by the man more and more each year. Some of the songs here - The Mark Kozelek Museum and Weed Whacker for instance - are just hilarious, whilst others - the catch-in-your-throat beauty of  My Love For You Is Undying and the heartbreaking I Cried During Wall Street - are just astounding. He continued this rich vein of form with November's 'This Is My Dinner' - credited under his Sun Kil Moon banner due to the presence of other musicians, in this case Ramon Firmin and Jim White. This was a certainly more free-form and experimental affair which was obviously put together on the fly, but was still worth it for the side-splitting Linda Blair - during which he compares a snivelling child on a plane to Regan from The Exorcist - and the heartfelt personal tributes to his childhood heroes David Cassidy and AC/DC's Malcolm Young - both of whom died whilst Kozelek was recording these songs. Kozelek is without doubt an acquired taste - the very definition of a Marmite artist - but if you're willing to take the time, although you will need a fair chunk of it, then you will be richly rewarded by the three hours on offer here. 
Key Tracks: I Cried During Wall Street/Linda Blair

3: KURT VILE: BOTTLE IT IN

Philadelphia native Vile has ploughed an increasingly amiable furrow these last few years. Starting out as a more heads-down choogle rocker which saw him paired up with future War On Drugs homebody Adam Granduciel, he soon struck out on his own and his current purple patch began with 2013's easy on the ear and effortlessly effervescent 'Walkin On A Pretty Daze'. Since then, he's chilled out even further with 'I Believe I'm Going Down' from 2015 and last year's ditzy and dreamy duets ding-dong with fellow slacker Courtney Barnett. All the while, his songwriting chops have solidified into somewhere between Neil Young's woozy mid-70's period and J Mascis's circular guitar wig-outs. 'Bottle It In' was no exception - the chiming, groove-filled immediacy of  Loading Zones  and One Trick Ponies were career highlights - but this time round, Vile pushed the envelope and opened up his third eye to embrace ethereal, transcendent hazy-psych. This was most apparent in the album's glorious title track, but most pertinently in the 10-minute drift and majesty of Bassackwards, which may very well be his finest hour. Lyrically, it's all pretty much the same deal - kicking back, chilling out and having a good time - but when the music surrounding it is so soft and inviting, who's ticking those boxes? On the whole, this was about as wondrous as sun-baked indie-fuzz gets - and Vile could very well be the successor to the late Tom Petty's mantle.
Key Tracks: Loading Zones/Bassackwards/Bottle It In

2: BILL RYDER-JONES: YAWN

Surprise of the year, this. Fifteen years ago, the teenage Ryder-Jones was the floppy-fringed guitar virtuoso in the fledgling version of The Coral and was being touted as the next big indie axe-hero. But after the band's meteoric rise into the mainstream - hit singles, Mercury Music Prize nods et al - he found the punishing treadmill too much to cope with and he left the band and headed back to Liverpool. Tentative steps into a solo career, which included a debut instrumental album, eventually led to 2015's well received 'West Kirby County Primary' which showed a songwriting maturity hitherto unheard. That record opened the door slightly on his traumatic past, and in particular the shattering experience of witnessing the death of his older brother Daniel when they were children. Understandably, Daniel has since been a subject Ryder-Jones feels reluctant to talk about but also, conversely, compelled to write songs about. As he himself puts it: "My brother is kind of like the thing in my life. He's an ever-presence". Indeed, the cover picture of 'Yawn' is a heartbreaking family photo of young Daniel, fingers in his ears and with his tongue sticking out, forever preserved in aspic and never to grow old. On this stunning collection of soul-baring, melodic ballads, Ryder-Jones finally embraces the darkness underpinning his entire existence and writes - quite magnificently - straight from the heart, not only about his brother but also about his depression and the struggles to face each day as it comes. Not a cheery listen at all, but an important one. Every so often, everybody needs one of those albums to listen to late at night when the moon is full and the world is quiet. This is one of those albums. The musical backdrop is a stirring melange of swooning indie-rock and dramatic crescendos of noise - I'd say that he's been listening to a LOT of early Red House Painters and Bark Psychosis - all of which frames his hushed and whispered vocals without ever overpowering them. Anchoring the whole thing though are the songs: epic, elegiac and extraordinary all at once and the high watermark of this young man's burgeoning career. 
Key Tracks: Mither/There's Something On Your Mind/Don't Be Scared, I Love You

1: ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER: HOPE DOWNS

And so to the number one pick, the cream of the crop and the piece de resistance - and I don't think it'll come as any surprise at all to any regular readers of this here blog. What else is left for me to write about Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever? I've been completely and utterly enamoured with this five-piece combo from Melbourne ever since my lucky little lugholes latched on to their astonishingly exciting 'French Press' EP in early 2017. Since then, they've released the even better 'Talk Tight' mini-album and performed in London on numerous occasions and I've been there every step of the way. Why? Because they don't make bands like this anymore, that's why. They remind me of everything that was truly tremendous about late 70's and early 80's indie - The Smiths, The Go-Betweens, Orange Juice, R.E.M., The Clean, Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, The Feelies - as well as the more crunchy and grunge-flecked 90's scene, and they've mixed it all up and melded it together seamlessly to create a perfect storm of sound that's all their own. Jangle, shuffle, chug and kick complemented perfectly by some of the finest three-part harmonies this side of The Byrds. Coming across like 'Marquee Moon' era Television battling it out with Teenage Fanclub, these songs were propelled forward in splendid fashion by the three pronged guitar and vocal attack of Fran Keaney, Joe White and Tom Russo while, bubbling away behind them, the rhythm section of Joe Russo and Marcel Tussie kept things ticking away brilliantly. If there's better songs out there at the moment than An Air-Conditioned Man, Talking Straight, Mainland or Exclusive Grave, then I've yet to hear them and this entire album just gets better and more enjoyable on each listen. I've played it to death over the last 9 months ago and I knew as soon it was released that it would be my number one choice for the year and that nothing would surpass it. I'm more than happy to be proved right. If you'll permit me a little detour into some Strine: "Bonzer work, fellas!"
Key Tracks: An Air-Conditioned Man/Talking Straight/Mainland

   

Watch No Static At All's Very Best Of 2018 here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlijCVNDG1zkF3OIe-SB4QONug5KGVmg1