So this list is different than most because I don't listen to that much "new" music. I'm going to just say what records I listened to the most. Enjoy.
Honorable Mentions
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Cruelster - Riot Boys - 2018 - Lumpy
I don't really like 45 RPM LPs as a format. Too short. Put some more songs on there. The songs here are good. Not really memorable or anything unexpected from the Cruelster camp but that's not bad, it's just not great. That said I'm still really happy to have it and listen to it and stick it up my bum hole.
Erik Nervous - Assorted Anxieties - 2018 - Neck Chop
I listened to this a great deal, but it is a compilation at the end of the day. Definitely the only way I listen to Erik's music these days is through this LP, but I've heard it all before. Doesn't make it any worse, still gets great rotation, but it is what it is.
High Rise - High Rise II - 1986 (2018 Reissue) - Black Editions
I love this stuff when it's on fire. The fast tracks on this record are such a pleasure to listen to, but there are some kinda mediocre boring tracks between them. Still, the quality of the reissue is worth writing home about, and the tracks that are good are so good.
Bogus Genius - Bogus Genius - 2018 - Not on a Label
Who knew John Alberty had it in him? This is the most insane fun punx "seven inch" (I think it's only cassette right now but 7" length so) I've heard in a long while. A mix between the first XTC record and super tight high speed tempo punk with some Oingo Boingo style vocals. Highly recommended.
Tomoko Aran - More Relax - 1984 - Warner/Chappell
This is a J-pop record with amazing arrangements and vocals. That said, the main thing that sells me on this record is the title. Put "relax" in the title for an album and I'll check it out any day of the week. Anyway, this record is to "a city at night" what Toshiki Kadomatsu's music is to "a sunny beach." Maybe a more understandable comparison would be something like "what the Grateful Dead are to smoking a lot of weed." It's evocative. Anyway, I also recommend Tomoko Aran's "Imitation Lonely" if you enjoy this. I mean basically it's 80s fusion (done well) with female vocals. It's good.
Toshiki Kadomatsu - On the City Shore - 1983 - Air Records
While I kind of hate the idea of "city pop" and the vaporwave bullshit that has sprouted out around it, Toshiki Kadomatsu (who is considered the main figure of the genre) can write amazing pop music. My god the harmonies he comes up with, the insanely crisp production, the evocative... song titles, this has everything going for it. When I say everything I mean everything that would make you feel like you're chilling on a beautiful beach soaking up the sun without a worry, or more likely playing Outrun. Very similar things. The guitar slaps, the bass slaps literally, and it's music to my ears.
Lee Morgan - Live at the Lighthouse - 1971 - Blue Note
In my eyes this late period of Lee Morgan is underappreciated in both the realms of free jazz and hard bop. Surrounding himself with both new players and old, he plays compositions by Mabern and Maupin that all go for over 10 minutes minimum. The other recordings from this period that didn't make it on the 2 LP set (later included on the CD) are all of the same quality. A big appeal here is Bennie Maupin's insane sax solos. He really goes out there. Secondly, all these tracks are true "cookers" with burning fast tempos, which you know I love.
Ornette Coleman - At the Golden Circle - 1965 - Blue Note
Possibly my favorite Ornette Coleman record, this set shows his ability to compose better than any other. Most free jazz can feel modal and jam-y, but there feels like there is so much structure in these songs in spite of the chaos. Reminds me of Mingus' avant-garde recordings at times. The playing here is excellent of course.
Sylvia 55 - Road Movie - 2001 - LD&K
Out of all the Shibuya Kei I listen to, Sylvia 55 always holds up as the best, with Cymbals taking a close second followed by Pizzicato Five, blah blah blah. These guys (or gals I guess) know melody so well and can play a Fender Rhodes like no one else. I love Fender Rhodes so what more do I need to say. So uplifting and beautiful. They give me LIFE right now!
John Coltrane - Giant Steps - 1959 - Atlantic
Yeah so this is the year I got to dip my toes into the Atlantic period of Coltrane (before I primarily only listened to his early Prestige work and his late Impulse work). This album in particular really shows Coltrane at his most clever with his best compositions. All the songs are so interesting melodically I feel you could show them to most anyone and it would catch their attention at the very least.
The List
10. Warm Bodies - LP - 2018 - Lumpy
This would probably be way higher on my list if it wasn't mostly old songs with new recordings. Maybe not "mostly" but enough. The production is also awfuly clean, which I'm not often a fan of in "punk" but it's not egregious like some other records. Anyway, all that said, these girls and guys and whatever else are some of the most interesting current groups to me. I just hope they write some new songs and pack out their next LP.
9. Citric Dummies - The Kids Are Alt-Right - 2018 - German Idiot
They did it! They were able to match the quality of the first record! If you know Citric Dummies, you know their debut LP was a certified banger. Very catch and absolutely hilarious. Very rarely these days do I care about, and even less often do I enjoy, lyrics, but Drew Ailes DE-LIV-ERS. The actual song writing has improved a bit too. Less often are the songs single chord verses that serve just sort of as filler between the great choruses, instead they some proper musical ideas going on. Last but not least, the best Citric Dummies song is on this record. Yes, I'm gonna win the super bowl. Yes I am.
8. Jieitai - Jieitai (Demo) - 1979 (2018 Reissue) - Not on a Label (Bootleg)
If you know me (which you don't) you know I love the very first wave of Japanese punk. Friction, Mirrors, SS, Lizard, 3/3, Mr. Kite, and so on. This here is basically the origin story of Michiro Endo and the songs on it fit in very well with the style of those early punk groups. Interestingly enough, some of them are songs that would go on to be Stalin songs, but with different tempos, melodies, or sometimes with only the same lyrics and completely different riffs and structures. The difference a year makes. Anyway, the tracks on here are all a real treat, with the unique characteristic of first wave Japanese punk that I love. It should be said the sound quality is pretty god awful but good enough for me to enjoy it without issue.
7. Charlie Parker - The Complete Savoy and Dial Sessions - 2015 - Savoy Jazz
Da Bird! Obviously this is Parker's best stuff. Obviously it's all incredibly good. Obviously I like it. So much joy is to be heard on these recordings, and all the players are at the top of their game. The entire decade of the 40s in music may as well be this set. The actual box set is very nice as well with cool stories and such about the sessions and other notes that are fun to read while listening. Dunno what else to say about this. If you know who Charlie Parker is and enjoy his music at all, this is it... Until you want to get into the Royal Roost live recordings. Just get this first.
6. Junko Yagami - Communication - 1985 - Moon Records
Remember all that J-Pop from earlier? This is the best one! Yeah! Every single song on here (besides the really awful reggae song) is a certified banger, in particular the title track. I could listen to that track for a day straight and not get bored of it. Just listen to that one track. If you don't love it I can't help you. As just a minor side note, her English on that track is really good. Color me impressed. I should also say her album "Full Moon" is also in heavy rotation, but this is the better of the two for me. Also the cover art is incredible. It's J-Pop and it's great.
5. Liquids - Hot Liqs Revenge - 2018 - Neck Chop
You all know who tf he is. This is the best Liquids "collection" of any sort since the first two tapes in my eyes. I was really disappointed with the first Hot Liqs LP (the new arrangements and recordings just did not work for me at all, as well as the tinny production) so I'm very happy to say this LP doesn't make any similar missteps. It's that catchy and often hyper fast garage punk you've come to know and love at it's best. The only bummer here is the really long and pretty boring instrumental track. Everything else here goes QUITE hard and is a great go-to for when I want to listen to some "modern" punk.
4. Miles Davis - Dark Magus - 1977 - CBS/Sony
From the first second of this album you know you're getting into some serious s h you-know-what t. It's relentless from start to finish. Miles only stabs with his trumpet here outside of the ballads, basically never soloing, while Liebman goes so far out that he leaves the stratosphere. All three guitar players make Hendrix's idea of psychedelic rock seem like a light buzz. The real magic lays in-between the solo type passages when all members of the group simply go off, unleashing a wall of energy that will knock you out of your socks. Then on the second of the two LPs, a third guitar player and second saxophone player is added, making it all only more insane. In the moments of quiet all you feel is tension because you know it's going to blow up soon. You don't know when, but it will.
3. Mentally Ill - Gacy's Place: The Undiscovered Corpses - 2004 - Alternative Tentacles
Punk has never been so annoy as when played by the Mentally Ill. I'd say they are sort of like the Crucifucks but with better songs and an even more distorted sense of humor. Some of the "jokes" might not exactly hold up (probably not suitable to be repeated here) but it works. The songs are catchy like a Misfits song but the weird posing and pretense replaced with absurdist humor. Some of the songs feel really ahead of their time too, partially due to how insane the guitar tone on all these tracks are. Very clever song writing. This is weirdo midwest punk at its best.
2. Gee Tee - LP - 2018 - Goodbye Boozy
This is a record I can (and have) put on at any occasion and enjoyed. There's never a bad time for Gee Tee. To sum up the sound of the band, it's very 70's surf punk, like Vom, with some Aussie punk (Victims, Razor, etc) flair. A lot of credit should be given to the production on here in particular. Never before have I heard such a good "bad" sounding record. Not only that, but there are GOOD keyboard parts on this record. The main accomplishment here is that it is both "long" (for a punk record) and there isn't a single bad song. In fact, they are all incredibly infectious! It's sort of like all of the Liquid's most catchy songs put in one place and fleshed out with amazing guitar/keyboard arrangements and vocals. It's also (to me) a big improvement over the past 7"s they've put out which have featured a mediocre track here or there. This one doesn't miss a beat.
1. Larry Young - Fuel - 1975 - Arista
Imagine Funkadelic had more of a jazz edge to them. You'd have Larry Young's Fuel. Don't ask me why I got so into this record this year but I did. It's jazz fusion at it's most fun and silly. Larry's playing is incredibly tasteful and between the Fender Rhodes and Moog he uses (I think) sounds delightful at every turn. The rest of this group, a great deal of which have very little recorded history outside of this record, all play incredibly too, particularly the guitar player. The bass is funky, the drums groove, and it all meshes for some of the most simply enjoyable music I can find. Like the Gee Tee record, it works for any occasion.
Thanks for reading.
Honorable Mentions
Cruelster - Riot Boys - 2018 - Lumpy
I don't really like 45 RPM LPs as a format. Too short. Put some more songs on there. The songs here are good. Not really memorable or anything unexpected from the Cruelster camp but that's not bad, it's just not great. That said I'm still really happy to have it and listen to it and stick it up my bum hole.
Erik Nervous - Assorted Anxieties - 2018 - Neck Chop
I listened to this a great deal, but it is a compilation at the end of the day. Definitely the only way I listen to Erik's music these days is through this LP, but I've heard it all before. Doesn't make it any worse, still gets great rotation, but it is what it is.
High Rise - High Rise II - 1986 (2018 Reissue) - Black Editions
I love this stuff when it's on fire. The fast tracks on this record are such a pleasure to listen to, but there are some kinda mediocre boring tracks between them. Still, the quality of the reissue is worth writing home about, and the tracks that are good are so good.
Bogus Genius - Bogus Genius - 2018 - Not on a Label
Who knew John Alberty had it in him? This is the most insane fun punx "seven inch" (I think it's only cassette right now but 7" length so) I've heard in a long while. A mix between the first XTC record and super tight high speed tempo punk with some Oingo Boingo style vocals. Highly recommended.
Tomoko Aran - More Relax - 1984 - Warner/Chappell
This is a J-pop record with amazing arrangements and vocals. That said, the main thing that sells me on this record is the title. Put "relax" in the title for an album and I'll check it out any day of the week. Anyway, this record is to "a city at night" what Toshiki Kadomatsu's music is to "a sunny beach." Maybe a more understandable comparison would be something like "what the Grateful Dead are to smoking a lot of weed." It's evocative. Anyway, I also recommend Tomoko Aran's "Imitation Lonely" if you enjoy this. I mean basically it's 80s fusion (done well) with female vocals. It's good.
Toshiki Kadomatsu - On the City Shore - 1983 - Air Records
While I kind of hate the idea of "city pop" and the vaporwave bullshit that has sprouted out around it, Toshiki Kadomatsu (who is considered the main figure of the genre) can write amazing pop music. My god the harmonies he comes up with, the insanely crisp production, the evocative... song titles, this has everything going for it. When I say everything I mean everything that would make you feel like you're chilling on a beautiful beach soaking up the sun without a worry, or more likely playing Outrun. Very similar things. The guitar slaps, the bass slaps literally, and it's music to my ears.
Lee Morgan - Live at the Lighthouse - 1971 - Blue Note
In my eyes this late period of Lee Morgan is underappreciated in both the realms of free jazz and hard bop. Surrounding himself with both new players and old, he plays compositions by Mabern and Maupin that all go for over 10 minutes minimum. The other recordings from this period that didn't make it on the 2 LP set (later included on the CD) are all of the same quality. A big appeal here is Bennie Maupin's insane sax solos. He really goes out there. Secondly, all these tracks are true "cookers" with burning fast tempos, which you know I love.
Ornette Coleman - At the Golden Circle - 1965 - Blue Note
Possibly my favorite Ornette Coleman record, this set shows his ability to compose better than any other. Most free jazz can feel modal and jam-y, but there feels like there is so much structure in these songs in spite of the chaos. Reminds me of Mingus' avant-garde recordings at times. The playing here is excellent of course.
Sylvia 55 - Road Movie - 2001 - LD&K
Out of all the Shibuya Kei I listen to, Sylvia 55 always holds up as the best, with Cymbals taking a close second followed by Pizzicato Five, blah blah blah. These guys (or gals I guess) know melody so well and can play a Fender Rhodes like no one else. I love Fender Rhodes so what more do I need to say. So uplifting and beautiful. They give me LIFE right now!
John Coltrane - Giant Steps - 1959 - Atlantic
Yeah so this is the year I got to dip my toes into the Atlantic period of Coltrane (before I primarily only listened to his early Prestige work and his late Impulse work). This album in particular really shows Coltrane at his most clever with his best compositions. All the songs are so interesting melodically I feel you could show them to most anyone and it would catch their attention at the very least.
The List
10. Warm Bodies - LP - 2018 - Lumpy
This would probably be way higher on my list if it wasn't mostly old songs with new recordings. Maybe not "mostly" but enough. The production is also awfuly clean, which I'm not often a fan of in "punk" but it's not egregious like some other records. Anyway, all that said, these girls and guys and whatever else are some of the most interesting current groups to me. I just hope they write some new songs and pack out their next LP.
9. Citric Dummies - The Kids Are Alt-Right - 2018 - German Idiot
They did it! They were able to match the quality of the first record! If you know Citric Dummies, you know their debut LP was a certified banger. Very catch and absolutely hilarious. Very rarely these days do I care about, and even less often do I enjoy, lyrics, but Drew Ailes DE-LIV-ERS. The actual song writing has improved a bit too. Less often are the songs single chord verses that serve just sort of as filler between the great choruses, instead they some proper musical ideas going on. Last but not least, the best Citric Dummies song is on this record. Yes, I'm gonna win the super bowl. Yes I am.
8. Jieitai - Jieitai (Demo) - 1979 (2018 Reissue) - Not on a Label (Bootleg)
If you know me (which you don't) you know I love the very first wave of Japanese punk. Friction, Mirrors, SS, Lizard, 3/3, Mr. Kite, and so on. This here is basically the origin story of Michiro Endo and the songs on it fit in very well with the style of those early punk groups. Interestingly enough, some of them are songs that would go on to be Stalin songs, but with different tempos, melodies, or sometimes with only the same lyrics and completely different riffs and structures. The difference a year makes. Anyway, the tracks on here are all a real treat, with the unique characteristic of first wave Japanese punk that I love. It should be said the sound quality is pretty god awful but good enough for me to enjoy it without issue.
7. Charlie Parker - The Complete Savoy and Dial Sessions - 2015 - Savoy Jazz
Da Bird! Obviously this is Parker's best stuff. Obviously it's all incredibly good. Obviously I like it. So much joy is to be heard on these recordings, and all the players are at the top of their game. The entire decade of the 40s in music may as well be this set. The actual box set is very nice as well with cool stories and such about the sessions and other notes that are fun to read while listening. Dunno what else to say about this. If you know who Charlie Parker is and enjoy his music at all, this is it... Until you want to get into the Royal Roost live recordings. Just get this first.
6. Junko Yagami - Communication - 1985 - Moon Records
Remember all that J-Pop from earlier? This is the best one! Yeah! Every single song on here (besides the really awful reggae song) is a certified banger, in particular the title track. I could listen to that track for a day straight and not get bored of it. Just listen to that one track. If you don't love it I can't help you. As just a minor side note, her English on that track is really good. Color me impressed. I should also say her album "Full Moon" is also in heavy rotation, but this is the better of the two for me. Also the cover art is incredible. It's J-Pop and it's great.
5. Liquids - Hot Liqs Revenge - 2018 - Neck Chop
You all know who tf he is. This is the best Liquids "collection" of any sort since the first two tapes in my eyes. I was really disappointed with the first Hot Liqs LP (the new arrangements and recordings just did not work for me at all, as well as the tinny production) so I'm very happy to say this LP doesn't make any similar missteps. It's that catchy and often hyper fast garage punk you've come to know and love at it's best. The only bummer here is the really long and pretty boring instrumental track. Everything else here goes QUITE hard and is a great go-to for when I want to listen to some "modern" punk.
4. Miles Davis - Dark Magus - 1977 - CBS/Sony
From the first second of this album you know you're getting into some serious s h you-know-what t. It's relentless from start to finish. Miles only stabs with his trumpet here outside of the ballads, basically never soloing, while Liebman goes so far out that he leaves the stratosphere. All three guitar players make Hendrix's idea of psychedelic rock seem like a light buzz. The real magic lays in-between the solo type passages when all members of the group simply go off, unleashing a wall of energy that will knock you out of your socks. Then on the second of the two LPs, a third guitar player and second saxophone player is added, making it all only more insane. In the moments of quiet all you feel is tension because you know it's going to blow up soon. You don't know when, but it will.
3. Mentally Ill - Gacy's Place: The Undiscovered Corpses - 2004 - Alternative Tentacles
Punk has never been so annoy as when played by the Mentally Ill. I'd say they are sort of like the Crucifucks but with better songs and an even more distorted sense of humor. Some of the "jokes" might not exactly hold up (probably not suitable to be repeated here) but it works. The songs are catchy like a Misfits song but the weird posing and pretense replaced with absurdist humor. Some of the songs feel really ahead of their time too, partially due to how insane the guitar tone on all these tracks are. Very clever song writing. This is weirdo midwest punk at its best.
2. Gee Tee - LP - 2018 - Goodbye Boozy
This is a record I can (and have) put on at any occasion and enjoyed. There's never a bad time for Gee Tee. To sum up the sound of the band, it's very 70's surf punk, like Vom, with some Aussie punk (Victims, Razor, etc) flair. A lot of credit should be given to the production on here in particular. Never before have I heard such a good "bad" sounding record. Not only that, but there are GOOD keyboard parts on this record. The main accomplishment here is that it is both "long" (for a punk record) and there isn't a single bad song. In fact, they are all incredibly infectious! It's sort of like all of the Liquid's most catchy songs put in one place and fleshed out with amazing guitar/keyboard arrangements and vocals. It's also (to me) a big improvement over the past 7"s they've put out which have featured a mediocre track here or there. This one doesn't miss a beat.
1. Larry Young - Fuel - 1975 - Arista
Imagine Funkadelic had more of a jazz edge to them. You'd have Larry Young's Fuel. Don't ask me why I got so into this record this year but I did. It's jazz fusion at it's most fun and silly. Larry's playing is incredibly tasteful and between the Fender Rhodes and Moog he uses (I think) sounds delightful at every turn. The rest of this group, a great deal of which have very little recorded history outside of this record, all play incredibly too, particularly the guitar player. The bass is funky, the drums groove, and it all meshes for some of the most simply enjoyable music I can find. Like the Gee Tee record, it works for any occasion.
Thanks for reading.
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