The Best Albums of 2018
December 21, 2018
As the year comes to an end, Breezes has put together a list of some of the best albums of the year. While this list may miss some student favorites, it is a personal reflection in opposition to being a reflection of the student body’s opinion. This list is separated into staff and editor picks, with some commentary from the student body. Other music from this year that did not make the top five but deserve a mention includes 6 Figured by Justin Roberts, Look Up Child by Lauren Daigle, and There is More by Hillsong Worship.
| Best of 2018 in Albums, according to Minnetonka Breezes Staff and Editors | |
| Staff’s Top 5 | Editor’s Top 5 |
| Against All Logic – 2012-2017 So why is an Electronic Dance compilation at the top of my list? 2012-2017 provides catchy melodies, rhythms and excellent use of samples, as most EDM songs feature, but the ways in which different textures carry those elements make the results feel especially inventive and exciting. They feel amazing on both the dance floor and in your headphones. Low – Double Negative The effect of drones on Double Negative works surprisingly well with Low’s weightless harmonies. While it might not be a typical rock album, it has a way of drawing you into a sense of urgency, made political by the lyrics, by drowning out everything around you and holding your breath. Denzel Curry – Taboo Not only does Denzel Curry have an amazingly versatile flow, but his lyrics are also endlessly memorable, being clever and sobering in turns. Throughout, he makes hilarious flexes by referencing sumo wrestlers, basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, and writer Stephen King, amongst more serious topics like drug culture and paranoia. Taboo’s moody production stuns almost as much as Curry himself and belies the trap beats that help his rhymes pop. Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy What sets Car Seat Headrest apart from other rock/pop acts, is frontman Will Toledo’s lyrics. The bands latest is an easy fan favorite, being a re-recording of Toledo’s 2011 passion project. Passionate is one thing it remains, from describing searing emotions to dancing, to romantic relationships. Underlying personal themes of loneliness and depression don’t keep it from having a good time. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves has my vote for the downright prettiest album of the year. Her show-stealing voice is complemented by a light assortment of banjo, piano, strings, keyboards, vocoder, and a disco rhythm (see “High Horse”). Never too much, these instruments provide a backdrop for lyrics about complex love and the cycles of living and relationships, taking time to look at each from a different viewpoint. It would be cheesy if not for Kacey’s assertions like “These are real things,” and it feels necessary for 2018. |
Panic! at the Disco – Pray for the Wicked
Brendon Urie is hands down one of the best vocalists of this generation. An album full of grandiose and theatrical songs, it is, in essence, a bop. Songs like “Dancing’s Not a Crime” and “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” will put you in an upbeat mood, and “Dying in LA” is a mellow anthem that perfectly encapsulates the internal struggles that many deal with. If you haven’t heard this album yet, you’re missing out. HippoCampus – Bambi An attempt to branch out on their music, HippoCampus’ Bambi defers from their previously upbeat past, the more nostalgic standpoint that the artist’s take gives a further perspective of their personality. Songs like “Mistakes,” “Anxious” and “Doubt” give further insight into what the band is hoping to address. The ability to deepen their lyrics makes this album a fresh perspective on what pop music can be. Travis Scott – Astroworld There’s a good reason why Travis Scott’s third album smashed the charts – and a good reason why it should have stayed at the top for longer. While Scott doesn’t divert from his classic style, each song is able to portray a different mood. The album is a testament to what is popular in music right now, even if it is not shattering music theory. 5 Seconds of Summer – Youngblood Arguably one of their best albums yet, Youngblood is about the maturity of the band as its four members master their sound from over the years. While the song “Youngblood” has hit the charts worldwide, other songs on the album like “Babylon” and “If Walls Could Talk” could be debated as musically superior and worth a listen. A good album for jamming out in your car or just simply studying in your room, it’s very aesthetically pleasing to the ear and can fit any mood. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter V Lil Wayne’s twelfth studio album is impactful because it is a contemporary twist on the historically great rappers music. After not releasing any music for five years, some argue that this is Lil Wayne’s best album. The upbeat but still down to earth music allows for a new following for this classic rapper. |