Be(a)st records of the year 2018 edition

[Jwar]

I think it's their best. I've listened to them all many times over at this point and this one just tears at my heart and I fucking love it. Obviously everything they've made is killer though. I want to make love to all their albums.

[coldbrightsunlight]

This newcomer Snail Mail released her début this year, and it's really marvellous. I'm frankly amazed at how good she is. Here's her playing one of the tracks on KEXP:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-TlWq7Jkwk[/youtube]

Just put this on, actually. Liking it so far.

I like this also.

[D.o.S.]

Not had chance to check out the new YOB album yet, really need to. I will get it either way but is it like, not good? Different to the stuff they recorded years ago?

Currently working through the box set of John Zorn's 3rd Masada songbook. The SC3 disc is typically amazing, the Cleric disc was pretty good but overall this is a yummy release.

I just think Yob are at their best when they're going all in on riffs, which hasn't really been the case on the last two records. Not to say they're not good but they kind of opt for washing instead of crushing, and there are other banda that scratch the wash itch more for me.

[Jwar]

Not had chance to check out the new YOB album yet, really need to. I will get it either way but is it like, not good? Different to the stuff they recorded years ago?

Currently working through the box set of John Zorn's 3rd Masada songbook. The SC3 disc is typically amazing, the Cleric disc was pretty good but overall this is a yummy release.

I just think Yob are at their best when they're going all in on riffs, which hasn't really been the case on the last two records. Not to say they're not good but they kind of opt for washing instead of crushing, and there are other banda that scratch the wash itch more for me.

I'm still newish to YOB, so I don't have years of listening history obviously.


I think Mike has just taken a turn for the lighter side and changed up his playing style a bit. Have you ever listened to his solo acoustic stuff? It's totally different than YOB and I think he's trying to introduce more elements of that in to their music.

I love it. I loved all the others too. It makes me break apart emotionally, which not a lot of new music does these days.

So, I get not having that bone crushing feel. I was looking for something else and that's why it resonates so much with me.

Take the song Our Raw Hearts for instance. It starts off slow and relaxing and then continues that but with more heavy overtones and hair metalish type singing mixed with a gravel filled voice that has obviously been through a lot. That song is beautiful to me. Absolutely beautiful.

My all time favorite YOB song though is Marrow. Acoustic or non. I love both.

I'm just a passionate mofo though.

[odontophobia]

Passionate indeed, dude.

[retinal orbita]

It's December so here's an updated list of things that I thought were good this year:

New records:
Sissy Spacek - Ways of Confusion/Blear/Trash Staging/Spirant/Pitched Intervention/LL/Formation/Expanding Antiverse/Caravan (basically Sissy Spacek is the best band in the universe and you are a poser if not buying their records)
Striations - Vietnamization CS + zine
Body/Head - The Switch LP
Portal - Ion LP
Sleep - The Sciences/ DLP/Leagues Beneath 12"
Incinerated - Lobotomize LP (or was this 2017 this originally came out?)
Chappa'ai - Kel Mal Tak Tauri CS
FRKSE - Denigration Rapture 7"
Personnage 77 - Cock Museum CS
V/A - Abolish Music Now! Flexi
Himukalt - Come October CS

New Puce Mary LP would be on this list but I don't think the record actually exists yet so ....

Best reissues:
Merzbow - Pulse Demon/Noisembryo LPs
Incapactitants - I, Residuum LP
Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica deluxe reissue on Third Man
Rapt - Thrash War Discography LP/7"/Zine
K2 - The Rust DLP
Derek Bailey & Jamie Muir - Dart Drug LP
Peter Botzmann Octet - Machine Gun LP
Masonna - Open Your Cunt LP / Exploring Self-Corrosive Noise With Coquette Box set

To sum up I basically bought like 4 records with riffs that I thought were good and everything else with riffs was wack....

[gnomethrone]

Im bad at this kinda thing but here's stuff I listened to a lot:

THOU - They were on fire this year. My favorite releases were the LET OUR NAMES BE FORGOTTEN split with RAGANA and that chill ass acoustic record INCONSOLABLE. Just really impressed with their output overall. "Death to the King and All His Loyal Subjects" from that split is like my jam of the year.

Wreckmeister Harmonies - The Alone Rush. Just wanna listen to this while drinking tea and staring off into the rain forever.

TERROR - Total Retaliation. OH SHIT BRO IM'A GO DO MAD PUSHUPS AND THEN FIGHT MY DAD TO THIS BRO. CAN I GET MORE STAGEDIVES IN THE MONITORS?

I'll do some thinkin' and post more at some point

[goroth]

Gonna have to listen to those tips Gnome

[dubkitty]

the best thing i've heard so far this year is, hands-down, "Breaking State," the second album from Brix and the Extricated, Brix Smith Start of The Fall's band which includes Fall alumni the Hanley brothers (the essential Fall rhythm section) and Simon Trafford. it's not that much like The Fall, but it's absolutely brilliant, with powerful and driving music and Brix's extraordinary singing, which goes way beyond her voice from the 80s/90s and ranges from her breathy Adult Net persona to raging-full-on punk defiance. Joe Bob says check it out.

other than that, i like the Spiritualized album. it's been criticized for a variety of reasons, but it feels like an honest reflection of where Jason's at and the songwriting and playing are excellent.

[voerking]

Best reissues:
Derek Bailey & Jamie Muir - Dart Drug LP

Honest Jons is going crazy with the Bailey reissues. i picked up the first three (Solo guitar volume 1, 'royal' with Anthony Braxton, and the one with Han Bennick), and they are stellar. amazing sound, great packaging & a bunch of extra material. i definitely need to pick up 'Dart Drug' and the "Aida" 2xLP. they are annoyingly pricey, though.

[D.o.S.]

I already talked about the new Bong record but it is potentially their best album that does not feature sitar.

[coupleonapkins]

Lately!

Mary Halvorson / Bill Frisell - The Girl With The Flaxen Hair/Play Johnny Smith (Tzadik)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JH1chhKNOU[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JH1chhKNOU

Caterina Barbieri - Born In the Age Of Voltage (Important)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyhllVfv5o8[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyhllVfv5o8

Oneohtrix Point Never - Age Of (Warp)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deNNFkbO5xg[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deNNFkbO5xg

Eli Keszler - Stadium (Shelter Press)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4KSLPDhVWg[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4KSLPDhVWg

Kelly Moran - Ultraviolet (Warp)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFSr_6CTeOM[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFSr_6CTeOM

Happy Rhodes - Ectotrophia (Numero)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP8Nv8XWMgU[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP8Nv8XWMgU

Tommy & the Commies - Here Come... (Slovenly)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00yG_h6aVY[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00yG_h6aVY

Roland Kayn - A Little Electronic Milky Way Of Sound (Frozen Reeds)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G0MBiTkSe4[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G0MBiTkSe4

[dozicusmaximus]

I just think Yob are at their best when they're going all in on riffs, which hasn't really been the case on the last two records. Not to say they're not good but they kind of opt for washing instead of crushing, and there are other banda that scratch the wash itch more for me.

Right there with you dude.

[Sonaboy]

anyone mention Bongripper - Terminal yet, ...cuz...damn

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3JSLEk2sp4[/youtube]

[coldbrightsunlight]

That was a good one for sure