Best New Albums of 2018

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Johnny Reb, Jan 10, 2018.

  1. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Continuing the new albums with good DR values, out today is the new Ian William Craig Thresholder and it's sounding very nice, this one is gonna get a lot of listens around my place, somewhat different from the amazing Centres from a couple years ago that slowly has become one of my favorite modern albums, maybe not that much different, some of it was apparently begun at the same time as those sessions, still early on in my listening, but when that beautiful voice drifts into the highly textured space he creates, sometimes fractured space, it's just transcendent. Very nice.

    I'm listening right now to the 24-48 digital download, DR 10, I guess maybe not really so unusual for new ambient-style albums like this, but check the spoiler below if interested. Hopefully my vinyl comes soon, but this will do for now...

    Code:
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Analyzed: Ian William Craig / Thresholder
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    DR         Peak         RMS     Duration Track
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DR11      -2.42 dB   -16.13 dB      4:20 01-Elided
    DR6       -0.30 dB    -9.51 dB      5:06 02-Some Absolute Means
    DR10      -0.30 dB   -13.22 dB      2:46 03-Tc-377 Poem
    DR9       -0.30 dB   -10.96 dB      4:00 04-Mass Noun
    DR10      -0.30 dB   -15.57 dB      2:00 05-Idea For Contradiction 1
    DR9       -2.31 dB   -14.15 dB      3:50 06-And Therefore The Moonlight
    DR10      -0.33 dB   -15.33 dB      3:02 07-The Last Wesbrook Lament
    DR13      -0.31 dB   -18.92 dB      3:52 08-Discovered In Flat
    DR10      -2.55 dB   -16.73 dB      1:12 09-Sfumato
    DR7       -0.30 dB   -10.58 dB      4:54 10-Idea For Contradiction 2
    DR13      -0.30 dB   -17.97 dB      2:08 11-More Words For Mistake
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Number of tracks:  11
    Official DR value: DR10
    
    Samplerate:        48000 Hz
    Channels:          2
    Bits per sample:   24
    Bitrate:           1380 kbps
    Codec:             FLAC
    ================================================================================
    

    Ian William Craig ~ Thresholder
     
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2018
  2. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA


    ian william craig - YouTube
     
    ELBEAVERINO likes this.
  3. Gagnedouze

    Gagnedouze Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Not sure if this one has been mentioned but The Sheepdogs Changing Colours is very, very good.

    Some Led Zeppelin and Beatles Abbey Road era influences in there.
     
  4. ironbutterfly

    ironbutterfly Listening to marky mark in mono

    I am really digging the new steve perry


    Crappy album cover
    Sappy love songs but i still really like it
     
    Spaceboy likes this.
  5. Oliver Meyer

    Oliver Meyer In Audio Heaven Up Here

    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    Gerry Cinnamon - Erratic Cinematic
    Really catchy great lyrics from the Scot
    Got this on loop
     
  6. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    [​IMG]

    Asnakech, by Asnakech

    (Album cover is now one of my all-time faves; music matches this highest of calibers; Hailu Mergia!! plays on this.)
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2018
  7. Freedom Rider

    Freedom Rider Senior Member

    Location:
    Russia
    Listening to Julia Holter's Aviary right now, and it's such a beautiful, magical album - very experimental and sonically all over the place but also so rich and multi-layered. Tremendous record.
     
  8. spinyn

    spinyn Senior Member

    Location:
    New Orleans
    Israel Nash's new "Lifted" has wormholed its way into my head of late. Lovely work. I have seen reviews which say fans of Jonathan Wilson would like it and that's me. I have been really into Jonathan's "Rare Birds," as well.

    Two lush productions done at their home studios with these guys free to overdub to their heart's content.

    And I am really enjoying the Deluxe Edition of the Coltrane Lost album.
     
    Stone Turntable and Ernest T like this.
  9. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I agree completely. After being impressed with the single track posted here, I listened to the album on Spotify a few times and LOVED it!!! I'm surprised this artist has escaped my radar so far--I would have expected her to be name-checked more often in discussions of artists like Kate Bush or Björk. It's like she takes on the very most experimental aspects of both those artists, yet maintains a sensation of beauty throughout, whereas much experimental music tends to focus on the harrowing and excoriating (and I can sometimes enjoy some examples of the latter, but it's wonderful to hear adventurousness and beauty combined in this way).

    I listened to some of her earlier albums, and they didn't connect with me as much. Aviary seems like a kind of major artistic breakthrough--I hope it gets the attention it deserves!
     
    Freedom Rider likes this.
  10. scotth

    scotth Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charleston, SC
    Tropical **** Storm - A Laughing Death in Meatspace.

    So far, only one small mention of this album that I though I'd highlight since they just released the USA vinyl.

    Brilliant arty, punk blues, noise rock album from the new band including the two longest running members of The Drones.

     
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  11. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
  12. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    Alert: Not a new album, but I really felt the need to squeeze this in here so it would get noticed. Permanent Green Light is the short lived 90's power pop band fronted by Michael Quercio of The Three O'clock, and this comp from Omnivore hits every power pop button there is. Gauzy ballads and tons of ringing guitars and Keith Moon drums. If you're a fan of the genre this is a must own.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2018
  13. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Disagree with the breakthrough point. Holter has been consistently great. It’s a Julia Holter album. I saw a recent YouTube review of this that said that he’d nominate Holter for best discography of the 2010s. Re-listen to her older stuff I’d say.
     
  14. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Technically, it is a new album. Since this compilation has heretofore never been released on CD, vinyl, or digital. Most of the tracks have been, but this a new compilation. Rightly included in this thread.
     
    ralphb likes this.
  15. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    I absolutely will, but to me, there is a difference between this one and the previous ones. There was another poster (either here or the Julia Holter thread) who complained that the new one was way too experimental in comparison to the previous two. I would agree, except to say that I prefer the greater adventurousness. Her first album was also very adventurous, but her vocals were so buried that it didn't provide the same sheer sensual enjoyment that the new one does. I may grow to like some of them more (and the second album actually seems the most promising in that regard)--but so far I would stand by the position that at least for anyone with sensibilities similar to mine, this album it is a breakthrough.
     
  16. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Ohhh well, for someone with sensibilities such as yours, it would be a breakthrough. ;)

    Jk
     
  17. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    I know you're kidding, but Mark isn't completely wrong :)

    It is a very adventurous album and I'm really starting to love it, especially the second half. I'd differ only in that she has gotten a lot of attention around here, do a search and you'll see, not at the Kate Bush or Bjork level, but still 19 pages worth, hardly unknown. The earlier albums were without some of the more expensive production flourishes that notoriety and success can get you, they were mostly bedroom recordings with musician friends, but you could tell right away when she started performing live in front of audiences in NYC that she was something special, and Ekstasis is really a beautiful record.

    But I've been listening to this and the new Ian William Craig all day long, and both are becoming big favorites of the year.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2018
  18. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Julia Holter is a champion!

    Also, this is some Sauronian wrath. Mystical mood music of the devil. (Please drink responsibly):

    [​IMG]


    INFERNAL DECADENCE, by SPECTRAL WOUND
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2018
    heathen likes this.
  19. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    Yep--I've now read the thread dedicated to her as well. I wouldn't have known to check it out, though, without having learned something about her. What surprises me is that she doesn't seem to be mentioned in threads dedicated to similar artists.

    Indeed, Ekstasis was the earlier album that made the biggest initial impact on me. I'll be exploring them more, but probably only after having spent more time with the new one. I'll also be checking out the Ian William Craig. I enjoyed his previous one, though it's been a long time since I've revisited it.
     
  20. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
  21. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    johnnypaddock likes this.
  22. Big Swifty

    Big Swifty Forum Resident

    My top ten for 2018:

    Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt
    Kamasi Washington - Heaven And Earth
    Jack White - Boarding House Reach
    Nils Frahm - All Melody
    Rolling Blackouts CF - Hope Downs
    David Crosby - Here If You Listen
    Father John Misty - God's Favorite Customer
    Kurt Vile - Bottle It In
    Hookworms - Microshift
    Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel And Casino


    Best reissue/remaster/box set/compilation/deluxe edition:

    Grateful Dead - Pacific Northwest '73-'74: Believe It If You Need It
    Bob Dylan - More Blood, More Tracks


    Fantastic year for music.
     
  23. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Hookworms singer been hooking his worm where it don’t belong. Another worm bites the dust.
     
  24. Big Swifty

    Big Swifty Forum Resident


    Not a fan?
     
  25. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    They’re not a band. He’s lucky if he doesn’t get big jail time.
     

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