Vic Galloway's Best Albums of 2018

The album… surviving as a viable concept, despite ongoing talk of its tragic demise. I still don’t think there’s a better showcase for an artist’s work. But what makes a good one – well for me it’s personal taste. My personal taste is diverse and inclusive so this list of 50 contains indie, rock, punk, soul, hip-hop, electronic, acoustic and global flavours. And for the first time since compiling these lists… one band has done the triple-whammy of seizing best album, track and LIVE act – Young Fathers. Well done to them - enjoy at your leisure!

Albums of the year:

1. Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar (Ninja Tune)

Then in alphabetical order:

• 77:78 – Jellies (Heavenly)
• Adam Stafford – Fire behind the curtain (Song, By Toad)
• Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert – Here lies the body (Rock Action)
• Auntie Flo – Radio Highlife (Brownswood)
• BEAK> - 3 Chevrons (Invada)
• Birdhead - Massive Aggressive (Good Gear)
• Courtney Barnett – Tell me how you really feel (Milk!)
• Django Django – Marble Skies (Because)
• Fatherson – Sum of all your parts (Easy Life)
• Field Music – Open Here (Memphis Industries)
• Finiflex – Suilven (Finiflex)
• Firestations – The year dot (Lost Map)
• Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending (Domino)
• Gaye Su Akyol – Istikrarli Hayal Hakikattir (Glitterbeat)
• Gwenno – Le Kov (Heavenly)
• Hollie Cook – Vessel of Love (Merge)
• Imarhan – Temet (City Slang)
• Joseph Malik – Diverse Part 2 (Ramrock)
• Kathryn Joseph – From when I wake the want is (Rock Action)
• Kosmischer Laufer – Volume 4 (Unknown Capability)
• La Luz – Floating Features (Hardly Art)
• Loma – Self-titled (Sub Pop)
• Low – Double Negative (Sub Pop)
• Lylo – Post Era (El Rancho)
• Makeness – Loud Patterns (Secretly Canadian)
• Mastersystem – Dance Music (Physical Education)
• North Atlantic Oscillation – Grindshow (Vineland)
• Oh Sees – Smote Reverser (Castle Face)
• Parquet Courts – Wide Awake (Rough Trade)
• Proc Fiskal – Insula (Hyperdub)
• Solareye – All these people are me (A Modern way)
• SOPHIE – Oil of every pearl’s un-insides (Transgressive)
• Sound Signals – Soul Searchin’ Volume 1 (SFSB)
• Spare Snare – Sounds (Chute)
• Straight Arrows – On Top (Agitated)
• Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Sparkle Hard (Domino)
• Sweaty Palms – Quit Now (Nice Swan)
• The Damned – Evil Spirits (Spinefarm)
• The Orielles – Silver Dollar Moment (Heavenly)
• The Spook School – Could it be different? (Slumberland)
• Tracyanne & Danny – Self Titled (Merge)
• Turnstile – Time & Space (Roadrunner)
• Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin (Drag City)
• Uniting of Opposites – Ancient Lights (Tru Thoughts)
• Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food (Jagjaguwar)
• We Were Promised Jetpacks – The more I sleep, The less I dream (Big Scary Monsters)
• White Denim – Performance (City Slang)
• Wye Oak – The louder I call, The faster It Runs (Merge)
• Zed Penguin – A Ghost, A Beast (Song, By Toad)

Plenty more superb titles were released this year of course; please don’t get upset if your own personal favourite isn’t in there – remember this is my humble selection. More than anything, I hope you find some inspiration within.

Track of the Year:

Young Fathers – Toy

Compilation album:

‘Screamers, Bangers & Cosmic Synths – Volume 2’ (Triassic Tusk)

LIVE Act of the Year:

Young Fathers

Merry Christmas, Happy Hogmanay – and all the best for 2019!

Cheers,

Vic xxx