Top 10 Albums of 2018: Host Picks

Thanks to everyone who voted for their favorite albums of 2018! You can see where your picks landed on our countdown here.

We joined in on the fun, too! See what our hosts enjoyed cueing up for you this year below.

WNRN General Manager & Program Director, Mark Keefe

10. Leon Bridges – Good Thing. You need only refer to the title for a summary of this release – for his second album, Leon Bridges is firing on all cylinders. Pop and soul accompanied by infectious grooves and just enough of the classic sound made modern by a man in control of his path to notoriety. Don’t miss his show this spring in Charlottesville.

9. Middle Kids – Lost Friends. The way the guitar rings on these songs shines in a way that makes you want to hear it again and again. Tight songs with that sing along quality throughout, it’s fun to hear what comes next when you press start. If only they would tour long enough to play nearby…

8. Mark Knopfler – Down The Road Wherever. Survey Mark Knopfler’s output of the last decade and you’ll find a man who does what he wants when he wants to. So glad he decided to release another solo disc. I admit I wince when one of my favorites takes so long between releases, but this one is worth the wait. That guitar sound! It’s like a welcome visit from an old friend.

7. Elvis Costello and the Imposters – Look Now. I winced here, too, but it’s just as rewarding. He’s reworking some of his covered material that he never fully put his mark on, but it’s not an album of leftovers. He can polish the gems of others and took a turn at some of his own to great effect. After a health scare this year, I hope he’s with us for a long time doing whatever suits him.

6. Lo Moon – Lo Moon. I admit to a borderline obsession with latter years Talk Talk discs and truly believed no one would capture that band’s sound and feel. Until now. Lo Moon have it and you should have this album to hear for yourself (and go back and listen to Talk Talk’s “The Colour Of Spring” to understand where I’m going here). You can bite off more than you can chew when you attempt this sound, but this is a feast for your ears that’s worth many listens.

5. Neko Case – Hell-On. I fear a year where a new Neko Case album doesn’t make my top 10. Not this year. Seek out the backstory on the recording sessions here and you’ll be even more impressed by the result and lyrics. I love artists whose output forces me to listen several times before I really get what they’re doing, but Hell-on makes it worth every successive listen. Love the catchy ones, live for the moody, spooky, ethereal outliers that wouldn’t make many playlists but make a good album great.

4. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Hope Downs. Sometimes, you just wanna Rock! Okay, this is not simple rock music because it caught my ear with a sound that smacks of a band I seldom hear in modern rock music – The Fall. R.I.P. Mark Smith, but know your influence is found here, intentional or not. A smart, taught almost punk rock guitar attack with enough pop sensibility to keep you bopping along. Looking for something to get you moving? Here it is with a snarl to boot.

3. Marcus King Band – Carolina Confessions. Southern rock is alive and well and in the hands of this generation’s guitar hero who is as kind as he is hard-working. He respects those who came before him as much as they admire him (specifically Warren Haynes). This one makes you feel good and puts into words that feeling you might find hard to express. These songs translate beautifully whether performed in our studio or on a stage in front of hundreds or thousands. Do your ears a favor and have a listen.

2. Tash Sultana – Flow State. A perfectly named album once you put an ear to it, the flow is there from start to finish. Songs you want to crawl up into and drift away into whatever space you’ve been longing for. It’s the groove, and it flows through every note, every song. I want to see her live because I know she’ll make me smile and feel good for the length of a concert and long afterward.

1. Gold Connections – Popular Fiction. The first song Will Marsh sent me several years ago snapped my head back and I’ve been hooked ever since. I won’t bore you with why it took so long to get this finally out and in completed form, but I’m so glad it finally arrived. Not a one listen record, my favorite song here has changed half a dozen times and we’ve given a spin to several of them for the last three years. As much as I like this album, I’m looking forward to the next one and hoping it doesn’t take half as long to arrive.

WNRN Morning Host, Anne Williams

10. JD McPherson –Socks. Last year, McPherson’s album Undividied Heart and Soul was my No. 1 album of the year. This year, what an amazing holiday classic he has created! For those of us who are more “nay-sayers,” this is just a great album of roots of rock and roll songs with a theme. Enjoy!

9. Ruston Kelly – Dying Star. This year, I signed up to interview Ruston Kelly in Nashille and was a bit nervous. How to do talk to a guy about his near death experience with a heroin overdose? Kelly just owns his mistakes and turned his life experiences into an amazing album of insightful and well made tunes.

8. Mark Knopfler – Down the Road Wherever. If you are looking for the tempo of some of your pop or rock favorites from either Knopfler solo albums or Dire Straits, you will not find it on this new one. These slower pace compositions are an easy listen. The melodies, lyrics and guitar work are outstanding.

7. Brent Cobb – Providence Canyon. On this second album, the overall tempo is more upbeat and swampy. Through his lyrics, Brent Cobb takes us to some of the places near his hometown in Southern Georgia including the state park where Cobb takes the title to the album.

6. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – Tearing at the Seams. They created a live sound on this album with the help of producer, Richard Swift. (Swift passed away suddenly this year.) It is evident on “Hey Mama,” which evolved from an acoustic guitar riff Rateliff devised to one of the catchiest songs on the album. “You Worry Me” features echoing guitars that has the trademark soulful vocals and horn section.

5. Aaron Lee Tasjan – Karma for Cheap. Throughout this new album, you can hear the Beatles influence and the guitar work that won him that scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. He didn’t go to college; He just jumped into life as a professional musician and songwriter. This is his second album for New West Records.

4. Neko Case – Hell-On. It’s Case’s first solo album in five years. She did help with the recent New Pornographers’ album and teamed up with Laura Viers and kd lang. These collaborations inspired her to look for new sounds and a different process. Case asked Bjorn Yttling (Peter, Bjorn and John) to help produce it. “Bad Luck” was recorded after her barn and house burned down.

3. Israel Nash – Lifted. With this third album for 30 Tigers, listeners can finally hear the fully actualized Israel Nash sound that harkens back to Brian Wilson’s production of Beach Boys classics. Nash’s cosmic folkadelic album is a blissful listen from start to finish.

2. Shemekia Copeland – America’s Child. How could we not want to play “Ain’t Got Time for Hate”? It is a look at what and how issues divide us, but also a prescription for how to heal. The whole album is an examination of the state of America right now from Copeland viewpoint. Songs were chosen or written for her to articulate how to create a better world for her son.

1. Lucy Dacus – Historian. This album is confident, insightful and rocks just right. I was excited to hear the preview track a year ago, “Nightshift.” Now we get to celebrate with folks around the country as this Richmond based artist’s album is topping other critics ‘best of’ lists. (Be sure to check out boygenius — her collaboration with Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers.)

WNRN Midday Host and Assistant Program Director, Tad Abbey

10. Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth. Kamasi Washington is a tour de force. The jazz artist is not just creating compelling songs; He is crafting complete orchestrations that are cinematic in scope. Just as he did with 2017’s Harmony of Difference, Washington dares to go further. The arrangements are so rich, you have to listen to the songs again and again to experience the subtleties of all the musicians. There are times when it feels like the song will lose control and spiral off into a free jazz exploration, but Washington never lets things go too far. He conducts like a an expert falconer. Kamasi lets the music out into the sky but knows when and how to signal everything back to him and his style. There is funk, rock fusion, bebop, classical, and even opera in the compositions. Somehow, it all works together in a harmony only his vision can create.

9. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever – Hope Downs. Five Aussie guys just playing great music. This debut album is a breath of fresh air. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever are just making great honest indie gems. From the beginning of Hope Downs, you want to load up a car with close friends and go for an adventure. This is that rare album that you don’t really have to care what the songs are about. The references aren’t there for anyone but the band to get. Yet, the upbeat energy keeps your toes tapping and wanting a carefree day. Hop in, go for the ride, and enjoy the trip.

8. Khruangbin – Con Todo El Mundo. A trio from Houston, Texas reinvents world chill music. As far fetched as that statement is, it is totally true. Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson on drums have created an album of true splendid bliss. I have gone back to this album so often this year when I needed time of reflection. When I needed to have space to breathe. When I just wanted to feel calm. When I wanted to simply watch the world go by.

This instrumental album feels so connected with the human experience no matter what your background. There are Middle Eastern, funk, Latin, jazz, rock, and so many other forms of music that are delicately woven into the music. There are many groups that try to sound this refined with global influences but Khruangbin has somehow mastered how to use many ingredients without overpowering the recipe. And this dish is best served chill. Cue up Con Todo El Mundo and just unwind a bit. You’ll feel better for it.

7. Marcus King Band – Carolina Confessions. This album is not going to be on a lot of “Best of” lists, which is a shame. Too many critics will dismiss this as just being a jamband album. Marcus King has come a long way since singing that there “Ain’t Nothing Wrong with That.” OK Marcus, no one was debating you on the merits of “that” being wrong. Now, a little older and a little wiser he has cultivated a band that is delivering a standout rock album. The opening organ riff ushers you to your pew, the sermon is about to begin. This album can stand alongside Idlewild South. A young group of musicians with something to prove. King is a beast on his Gibson guitar and the MKB rhythm section just wail around his phenomenal leads. This is a turning point album. This the album that progresses MKB from being the opening act to the headliners. King’s confession is that he is more than ready for the spotlight.

6. Middle Kids- Lost Friends. We first got hip this trio at the end of 2017. From the beginning, I found their songs very infectious. When the full length came out, I went back to it often. The lyrics are very relatable and you don’t have to dig deep to get the meaning. I think that is why I enjoy this album so much. Middle Kids are not reinventing music or searching for a new sound. In a nonchalant manner they created a record that could sound great in any decade. It has a timeless indie quality that many strive for but few create.

5. Tash Sultana- Flow State. This is a great case of me being wrong. When Tash Sultana first broke in the U.S., I did not get it. I could hear that she is a an accomplished guitarist but that’s all I heard. When Flow State came out, everything clicked for me. Sultana can pay with intensity, but also intricately subdued. She has somehow found a way to marry R&B with an indie spirit. The fact that Sultana plays everything on the album is just icing on her talent-filled cake.

4. Angélique Kidjo – Remain in Light. Even as the “covers guy” for Take 2@2, I’ve never had a tribute album in my Best Of list before. Angélique Kidjo just doesn’t perform the songs of the Talking Heads. She uproots the songs, strips them of their essence, and then puts them back in the Earth to grow and flower anew. If it is possible to find someone that is not familiar with the original Talking Heads material and play them Kidjo’s album first, I am sure they would think this is an incredible album of rock and African styles that is taking the world by storm.

Kidjo somehow blended her own narrative into the songs, without changing the lyrics of the source material. Each song is completely re-worked to Kidjo’s perspective and story. Her version of “Houses in Motion” is almost an African folklore story song.

This album truly shows her as an artist. Yes, these are cover songs. But through Kidjo’s transformation, the music is born again. It is a new vision; A new sound; A new story; A new art.

3. Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer. Janelle Monae is a true entertainer: Singer, producer, dancer, showstopper, actor, and fashionista. Her first album, The ArchAndroid, broke through with her incredible sci-fi meets hiphop vision. Now, Monae is ready to conquer all with Dirty Computer. So often she puts a mirror in front of Millennial culture and dares to challenge its ideals. Do we all need to be social media, internet stars? Is there more than just a carefree Instagrammed photo to say that you exist?
Monae is never afraid of showing the world exactly who she is. The songs may sound light and poppy but if you dig into the lyrics you can see she is teaching her audience. Monae believes that everyone can be strong and should live their most independent and creative lives. Just be you, at all costs.

2. Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You. In early May, Brandi Carlile performed for Music at Maymont in Richmond. The band vamped, the Hanseroth twins strode on stage and did their ceremonial crowd wave. Once Phil & Tim helped the music swell and Brandi Carlile appeared. The concert began with track one, “Everytime I Hear That Song.” The audience had no idea but she played her new album in its entirety. Carlile has that rare “it” quality. She can immediately hook a listener in with her stadium sized voice. Most of the crowd had yet to hear these new songs. They were quiet and absorbed by every note.

I did not expect Carlile to create an album that would eclipse The Story. A decade later, Brandi wrote a masterpiece. Every song showcases her power as a singer, as a songwriter, and as a band member. Brandi knows when to let Phil or Tim take control with a song and when to let the music breathe. This is smart since so often she creates audible gasps from her audience. There are few acts that I muscle to get to see every time. I look forward to losing my breath to a Brandi concert again.

1. Leon Bridges – Good Thing.

On a May afternoon, I had to do a big box store shopping run. I was on a mad dash to gather supplies for a large party I was hosting. Earlier that day, I got the new album from Leon Bridges. With my earbuds on I pressed play and began my mission. When track one, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand,” with the strings and gentle xylophone and harp touches I immediately found a mellow groove. Then my stride hit and I was dancing down the isles with “Bad Bad Thing.” To say the least this album made my shopping experience a great funky experience.

Leon creates an audio tapestry with Good Thing. If his first album, Coming Home, was the second coming of Sam Cooke, this album is the spirit of early Stevie Wonder reborn. There is no limit to Bridges’ creativity. He leans on his R&B roots to also bring in rock and roll, love ballads (like the gorgeous song “Beyond”), and pop jams. I dare you to put on this album and not dance, not be moved, not feel Leon’s love for music.

WNRN Afternoon Host, Liz Dinwiddie

10. Strongwater – Bearfoot.

9. Lykke Li – So Sad So Sexy.

8. Rainbow Kitten Surprise – How To: Friend, Love, Freefall.

7. Wild Child – Expectations.

6. Lake Street Dive – Free Yourself Up.

5. Caamp – Boys (Sides A & B).

4. First Aid Kit – Ruins.

3. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Live at the Ryman.

2. Lord Huron – Vide Noir.

1. The Decemberists – I’ll Be Your Girl.

I’ve been fortunate to see all but 2 of these bands live in 2018, which definitely altered my list. Strongwater made the list after their show at the Southern last weekend — so yummy. The Decemberists have always had a secret highway straight to my heart and this album resonated with me as the months of 2018 rolled on. At any given point, almost all of these albums could have or were my top choice and the order within my list is arbitrary, but all in all, these were 10 albums that sweetened and enriched my 2018.

The hosts of some of your favorite WNRN speciality shows joined in on the fun, too. Check out their top releases of the year below.

Steve Hamilton, Host of Fresh Roots, New Blues