Pizza Writers' Favorite Albums of 2018

By Dylan Gray, Sage Larson, Federico Hernandez Nater, Ted Lowenthal, Jack Moore, and Ben OlsonAs the year draws to a close, outlets all over the web take the opportunity to cash in on all those sweet sweet clicks by throwing together year end listicles about practically everything. Not to be left behind, we here at Pizza FM have shamelessly dove into this tradition with our own list of our favorite albums from 2018. Six of us had added our lists, with lots of sonic and creative diversity. So without further adieu, our lovely list:Wide Awake- Parquet Courts (Included by Dylan, Ted, and Jack)At first glance, Parquet Courts take themselves seriously, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. Their 2018 album Wide Awake! has colorful, headless, dancing men on the cover, and while lead singer Andrew Savage’s spitfire monotone calls out oppressive systems and the normalisation of violence, co-lead singer Austin Brown croons about heartache on easy-to- swallow tracks like “Mardi Gras Beads”. The deeper you dig, though, the less forgiving this album gets. The minute-and-a-half long “NYC Observation” is a blistering condemnation of New York City’s apathy towards the homeless. From the title and instrumentals, “Freebird II” sounds like it’ll be a silly track, but instead it’s a brutally honest open letter to an unstable and addicted mother. Although they have set themselves apart from the gritty, lo-fi sound and imagery of traditional punk, Parquet Courts has still managed to put out one of the punkiest albums of the year- and you can dance to the whole damn thing. - TedParquet Courts went from being little-known to indie darlings nearly overnight with this release back in May. The varied instrumentation and unique, philosophical lyrics make for a very fun listen. This energetic album was produced by none other than Brian Joseph Burton, better known as Danger Mouse, and his style bleeds through into the album at several points. - DylanYear of the Snitch- Death Grips (Included by Dylan, Jack, and Ben)Could it have been anything else, really? After the semi-disappointing 2016 return, Bottomless Pit, Zach, Andy, and Stefan have returned to their roots; by making something that sounds nothing like them. Every song, while unequivocally Death Grips, is a brand new sound, with gross musical combinations, horrendous mixing, and a more rock(?) vibe. While not as out-there as The Powers That B or as manic as NO LOVE DEEP WEB,  Year Of The Snitch is definitely their weirdest release yet, featuring songs like “Ha Ha Ha” and “Linda’s In Custody”, which make me downright nauseous. - BenAs soon as I heard this album was announced I had a feeling it’d be on this list. What’s not to love about aggressive, industrial hip hop with electronic characteristics. Death Grips have already made a name for themselves as one of the best experimental rap groups in the world, and they don’t disappoint with this release. Like their other albums it’s dark, loud, and often disturbing, and we wouldn't have it any other way. - DylanTA1300- Denzel Curry (Included by Ben and Sage)For most of my picks this year, I’ve had experiences with the artists in the past, but TA1300 is my first encounter with Denzel Curry, and I’ve got one word: Bars. More like bars on bars on bars. When he said, “Radda radda radda radda radda, never gave a fuck about a dolla’” in reference to the old Cartoon Network show Chowder, I didn’t even know how to react. But besides the bars (which hit just right), this album’s got flow as a whole. I was impressed at the diversity in sound considering how cohesive the entire project is, delivering a wide range of emotion. His lyrics range from gentle acknowledgments of how love between two victims can be complicated, to angry declarations in opposition to systems of oppression and the celebration of sell-outs who manufacture identities they don’t have the right to be claiming or profiting from. And whether or not you care about what he’s saying, there’s no denying the production is through the roof with beats that would make anyone wanna get down. If you’ve got time to listen, lend Denzel Curry your ear, because he’s got shit to say on TA1300, and you’ll enjoy every second of it guaranteed.- Sage“Welcome to the darker side of taboo,” announces Curry on the opening track to his latest opus: a three-part journey into his mind. Throughout the project, the “Black Metal Terrorist” himself sacrifices his best known quality; hard and fast flows and bars, for a high amount of sonic diversity, whether we get trap, neo-soul, industrial rap, political hip hop, memphis rap, or horrorcore. While the first two acts are good enough for this to be noted as one of the best albums of the year, it’s Act 3 that truly shines, with four tracks of intense, rapid-fire insanity that are Curry’s best to date. - BenSome Rap Songs- Earl Sweatshirt (Included by Dylan and Ted)This album came out of seemingly nowhere at the end of last month, and represented Earl’s first return to the light after a long period of darkness. No one would blame you if you began to wonder if he had gone missing again, but apparently he was working on this excellent album. Perhaps not as dark or graphic as some of Mr. Sweatshirt’s earlier work, it features more melodious flows without abandoning his depressed style. - DylanIt’s been too long.After three years, hip-hop’s golden boy is back- although he isn’t much of a boy anymore. At 24, Earl has grown up quite a bit since the last time we saw him. In the meantime, his father and his uncle have both died, and he seems to have cut ties with the majority of the Odd Future gang. This is a new Earl, less concerned with impressive technical performance, but more in tune with his emotions than ever. He also takes a whole new approach to production- the chopped-and- screwed samples he uses on Some Rap Songs are reminiscent of mid-2000s legendary producers like Madlib and J Dilla. His flow is still entirely his own, though, confident and laid-back, making it look easy as he strings stunning couplets together.I have to admit, I’m a huge J Dilla fan. I think looping samples is one of hip-hop’s most beautiful tricks. It takes the essence of something old and transmutes it into something new. On the other hand, as Earl said in a recent interview, “If you ain’t got shit to say, n****s really are not gonna want to hear you on a loop”. There’s no room for a weak MC to hide in a 2 second sample. So for Earl to keep it fresh over the album’s short-and-sweet 25-minute run time is a feat in and of itself.He talks about his dad. He talks about the ever-complicated relationship with his mom. He talks about growing up. He makes cryptic references on the track “Loosie” that many think are pointed at Tyler, the Creator. Earl isn’t a kid anymore- and he wasn’t afraid of anyone then either. So as an adult, he is truly a force to be reckoned with. - TedEl Mar Querer- Rosalía (Included by Federico)How the hell do you put Flamenco and Pop in the same project? Exactly like this. When it comes to the music on this album, Rosalía creates something that’s catchy, culturally tied, and with masterful lyrics. This past week featured me singing “Malamente” all over campus while listening to it on my headphones. Mu’ bien. - FedericoBe the Cowboy- Mitski (Included by Ted, Jack, and Sage)Mitski has proven over and over in the past that is absolutely incredible songwriter. On her last album, Puberty 2, she writes of her love life, “I bet on losing dogs/I know they're losing and I pay for my place/By the ring”. On the album before that, she writes “And I want a love that falls as fast/As a body from the balcony”. What I’m trying to illustrate is that Mitski does not fuck around. She understands that love is painful. In the past, she has stood defiant against the the whims of uncaring men. On Be the Cowboy, though, Mitski embodies a the prototypically reserved, uptight feminine ideal of generations past, expected to maintain composure through heartbreak. The album is highlight after highlight of perfectly reserved, simmering resentment, hopeless anthems for people trapped between suffocating love and terrifying loneliness. Across fourteen tracks, Mitski runs the gamut of emotion in failed relationships, from infatuation to negotiation to utter isolation. It’s an incredible work from what I believe to be one of the best songwriters alive today. - TedHistorian- Lucy Dacus (Included by Ted)2018 was a great year for female indie rock singers. Soccer Mommy, Mitski, Adrienne Lenker, Snail Mail and Kississippi all dropped great, relatively high-profile albums this year, amplifying the presence of female voices in rock substantially. Lucy Dacus, though, both on her collab album boygenius and her solo album Historian, stands out for her stunning voice and unflinching honesty. The writing reminds me of Pinegrove’s Cardinal, a favorite of mine back in 2016, but the instrumentals on this album are more fully realized. On “Body to Flame”, a violin section swells with the song’s emotional climax. On the next song, “Timefighter”, a singular, fuzzy bassline growls along with the verse. All the while, Dacus commands the space and pours her heart out to the listener about love and death, making this album an absolute knockout for nihilist romantics like me. - TedCharmer- Charmer (Included by Ben)This is every midwest emo cliche rolled into a single release. Absolutely nothing makes it stand out from any other album this year, except for the fact that it does it so well. Sometimes you don’t want artsy, thought-provoking stuff. Sometimes, you want lyrics like, “I'll drench myself with sadness and drown myself with thought” and “I'll remember to take my adderall before noon, so I don't stay up all night, waiting for a wake up text from you”, to be screamed at your face. - BenParcels- Parcels (Included by Federico)I discovered “Tieduprightnow” over the summer, and that song is a bop. However, Parcels has been around long enough to be skimpy and not release an album full of great stuff. They’ve departed from their “Overnight” days and gone in a self-produced, stylistically cohesive direction. Still doesn’t excuse the fact that they chopped a few songs of the vinyl, though. - FedericoRing of Love- Doc Robinson (Included by Dylan)Folk Group Doc Robinson put out an excellent piece of nostalgic Americana this year with Ring of Love. This album doesn’t try to do too much, instead it takes more of what they do best and expands upon it. Harkening back to classic folk from the last hundred plus years, this album contains just as much John Fogerty as Woody Guthrie. - DylanCrush EP- Ravyn Lenae and Steve Lacy (Included by Federico)This isn’t an album, but it needs to be on here. I played this several times in the course of a few weeks, and it gave me a musical taste of something I didn’t know I needed. If Ravyn Lenae and Steve Lacy don’t collaborate again, I’m going to faint. The world need a few more of these collab EPs. These demands for more music aside, these two just work so naturally together. I do have my favorites, but each of these songs is good in its own right. - FedericoNegro Swan- Blood Orange (Included by Dylan)Dev Hynes has been one of my all time favorite musicians since I discovered him five years ago, and I anticipate every single one of his releases. When he released the "Black History" single back in February I had a feeling an album was coming. A few months later I would be confirmed correct with this announcement, and I was not disappointed at all. Each one of Hyne’s albums is incredibly distinct, blending indie rock and hip hop together into something comically referred to as “hipster hop”. This style is not only distinctly Dev Hynes but distinct in general. His signature introspective style has a more thoughtful and politically conscious air than before, which only adds to the experience. - DylanDirty Computer- Janelle Monáe (Included by Sage)What words could I use to describe Janelle Monáe’s latest work? The first few that come to mind are stylish, passionate, and very very gay. While Django Jane was the first track that got me interested in the album pre-release, the rest of the album’s tracks and their accompanying full length music video movie provide stunning visuals alongside inspired lyrics celebrating diversity and love of all kinds. Monáe has come a long way from her Metropolis and The Archandroid days, but doesn’t forget them, referencing her past works throughout and showing pride in her accomplishments as well as looking towards the future. She isn’t afraid to say what’s on her mind here, expressing love of self and love for the people around her despite the world standing in her way. Her lyrics are rich, shameless, and heartfelt, casting aside social anxieties and expectations to deliver something true to herself and her style. Whether it’s the smooth bars of Django Jane, the care-free pop in Crazy, Classic, Life, or the emotional declaration that is Don’t Judge Me, this album has a little bit of everything. You’ll hardly even notice you’ve gotten through the whole album too with how well the transitions are executed. Definitely give it a listen-through, and if you like it check out the movie which is available to watch for free on YouTube.Die Lit- Playboi Carti (Included by Ben)Laugh at me all you want, Die Lit will be the most important album of the decade. I’m calling it right here. Carti breaks down every single barrier of rap and essentially does to the genre what The Ramones did for rock. Not a single thought-provoking bar, millions of intricately-placed ad-libs, nearly psychedelic and borderline sound art-production, and an overwhelming catchiness swirl around to create what will be looked back upon as one of the greatest works of the postmodern era. Coleman called it with jazz and Refused called it with punk. Now Carti has full rights to name his next album, The Shape of Trap to Come. - BenCARE FOR ME- Saba (Included by Ted)“I got angels runnin' 'way, I got demons huntin' me / I know 'Pac was 25, I know Jesus 33”, raps Saba, Chicago hip-hop standout, on “LIFE”. At 24, it’s clear that he carries a burden beyond his years. CARE FOR ME, the album he dedicated to his late cousin John Walt, hangs heavy with the weight of his best friend’s death. Like grief itself, the tragedy seeps its way into almost every song on the project. Slowly, the album paints a picture- Saba is smart, incredibly technically talented, and constantly second-guessing himself. This results in a remarkably self-aware project, which is a breath of fresh air coming from a newly successful rapper. The album remains grounded throughout, but its penultimate track, PROM/KING, is on another level. After eight tracks of small details, we finally get a shakedown of Saba’s relationship with his cousin. It is an absolute masterclass in rap storytelling, and in seven minutes, it makes us feel like we knew John Walt ourselves, which gives the rest of the album a profound emotional weight. - TedArt of Doubt- Metric (Included by Sage)As a long time fan of the Toronto based band, it was no surprise to me that Metric’s latest album would end up on my top 10 list for 2018 releases, but it didn’t make the cut on name alone. While it is a fresh take on their traditional sound, Art of Doubt does not disappoint listeners who have been with Metric since the beginning or those being introduced for the first time. Emily Haines returns after working on her solo-album Choir of the Mind with lyrics that are critical of instant gratification/escapism and endorsing the idea of living in the moment despite the state of the world. And while Metric has always been evolving their sound, they’ve circled back from their primarily electronic albums to give fans that pop rock missing since the days of Fantasies and Live it Out. The mix of synth, guitar, drums, and Haines’s own vocals really make Art of Doubt stand out not just among other artists this year but among their own discography. I could go on about each song in depth, but I implore you to give this album a listen and experience it yourself! - SageKids See Ghosts- Kids See Ghosts (Included by Dylan)When Kanye announced that he’d be putting out multiple albums from his remote studio in Wyoming this summer, people felt many things, namely bewilderment, surprise, and anticipation. Arguably the best of those projects was his collaboration with longtime friend and creative partner Kid Cudi under the name Kids See Ghosts. There’s something inherently captivating about supergroups. Maybe it’s the starpower, or the clashing egos burning like two raging fires, or maybe it’s the general instability of such an ambitious project. Kanye and Cudi certainly had chemistry on this brief album though, with esoteric samples, surreal ad libs, and a healthy mix of Cudi’s hopeful and droning lyrics with Kanye’s signature arrogance. - DylanEndless (physical release)- Frank Ocean (Included by Federico)Ok, ok. I know this isn’t really a 2018 release, but the album did get a physical release this year. And it was significantly different in a few ways from its original release, which made it intriguing. Of course, Frank Ocean has amazing command over his voice, and he experimented a bit with some electroacoustic-y techniques on this one. Is this better than Blonde? Who’s to say? I kind of like this re-release at that same Blonde level, but for different reasons. - FedericoEverywhere At The End Of Time Stage 4- The Caretaker (Included by Ben)The most interesting project currently in music has to be Leyland James Kirby’s Everywhere At The End Of Time Series, a six part series depicting the effects of dementia. Stages 1-3, which feature old dixieland jazz and british dance band loops laced with vinyl surface and static, were excellent, although familiar. On Stage 4, we finally begin to to see the effects; chopped-up melodies, harsh turntable scratching, worn down and skipping 33s. Haunting is just the tip of the iceberg when describing this thing. - BenEverywhere At The End Of Time Stage 5- The Caretaker (Included by Ben)With every new installment, The Caretaker keeps pushing us further down the hole of depression. While Stage 4 showed us the first glimpse at the horrifying symptoms, Stage 5 continues just that, but with a more subtle approach. A less noisier affair, Kirby opts to use reverb as his tool of choice, making a more spacial and airy record with a heavier usage of silence. Occasionally, a brief and faint melody will occur, often coming from previous records. The series comes to a close in March, so catch me crying under a blanket around that time. - BenOrdinary Corrupt Human Love- DeafheavenDeafheaven are not a normal metal band. They are definitely not a normal non-metal band, either. With 2013’s SUNBATHER, the band made huge waves in the underground scene for their innovative blend of black metal and post-rock, painting post-rock’s seemingly endless progressions with black metal’s signature vocals and distorted guitar licks. So when their 2018 release, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love, began with a calm piano progression, it was pretty much the most shocking thing they could have done. Of course, by the end of the 7.5-minute long intro track “You Without End”, the listener is awash with Deafheaven’s trademark wall of sound. If you look up the lyrics to figure out what singer/howling banshee George Clarke is actually saying, you will find an experienced storyteller, weaving intimate tales rife with imagery between the band’s bombastic instrumentals. Throughout the album, the band intertwines order and chaos, and in doing so, they prove that they still have plenty of tricks up their sleeve. They’ve made a lot of SUNBATHER fans happy- myself included. - TedDarker Days- Peter, Björn, and John (Included by Dylan)Swedish indie pop group Peter Bjorn and John have been in the game for a long time, and it seems they haven’t lost their edge. This album provides plenty to enjoy for the veteran group, with their signature bittersweet electronic tunes mixed with some new sounds that set this album apart from the rest of their discography. It seems like it would be hard to put out consistently good indietronica and indie pop for over a decade, but PB&J make it look easy. - DylanI Don’t Want: The Goldfire Sessions- Santigold (Included by Sage)Santigold has really made a name for herself in the music industry from being a renown producer to carving her own space as a solo artist. I’ve always loved her voice. She has incredible range and can convey messages of any tone. Whether it’s crunchy alto or bubbly soprano, Santigold has never failed to impress. I Don’t Want: The Goldfire Sessions plays up this range, each track claiming its own identity and providing a musical journey through Santigold’s playful experimentation with sound and serious messages about misogyny, love, and apathy, among other topics. Despite the evolution of her sound, she doesn’t stray too from her roots, continuing to represent her ideals through her art like she’s done in the past with 99 Cents, Maker of My Make-Believe, and her debut self-titled album Santigold. With near-seamless transitions and dynamic vocals adorning warbly synths and pop beats, I Don’t Want: The Goldfire Sessions is a must listen! - SageStokely- Ski Mask the Slump God (Included by Ted)Ski Mask the Slump God is a fairly polarizing figure in hip-hop. Depending on who you ask, he represents either the best or the worst of the SoundCloud generation- he is immature and nonsensical, but his flow is incredibly tight and developing at an astonishing speed. Beware the Book of Eli, the mixtape Ski dropped earlier this year, was called “rushed” and “trash” by the artist himself. This self-critical mentality led to the much more polished Stokeley, which shows Ski expanding his sound on tracks like “So High” and “U and I”, while doubling down on his traditional banger formula with “Nuketown” and “LA LA”. In the last 2 years, Ski Mask has truly evolved as an artist, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. - TedWhere Are We Going, Today- Christian Wolff and Antoine Beuger (Included by Ben)Literally half of this release is silent. Like, not a single sound. Suddenly, a bell will chime, a marble will drop, some tinfoil will crinkle, and an 80-year old man may read a single word from a poem. Rinse and repeat for 70 minutes and you have simultaneously one of the most relaxing and on-edge listens in a long time. - BenVeteran- JPEGMAFIA (Included by Dylan and Jack)I’ve already written about Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks, better known as JPEGMAFIA, once for this blog, but he’s done so well this year he deserves a second entry. Released all the way back in January, we’ve had plenty of time to reflect on this release and it still made it onto a couple of our year end favorite lists. The glitchy electronic sound and politically charged lyrics make JPEGMAFIA a polarizing artist, but it’s hard to deny his talent or energy in his performances. Something about Hendrick’s style is discernibly postmodern, and this is only compounded by his image and lyrics, which favor the surreal and dark. - DylanSun Machine- Rubblebucket (Included by Sage)I thoroughly enjoyed this album at face value when I first listened to it. Without delving too deep Sun Machine is fun and light-hearted, easy to dance to, and genuine. But upon research, the story behind it really enhances the carefree sound directly contrasted by vulnerable lyrics. Rubblebucket’s duo Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth endured immense struggle before and in the process of making Sun Machine, and still managed to create something positive amid a tough break-up, cancer diagnosis, and a battle with alcoholism. At this point the album has become more than just something to turn on while I put my feet up and relax for the day. Now it’s symbolic to me; a representation of something amazing and great manifesting despite everything depressing going on. I suppose that’s a theme with lots of my favorite music this year, but I definitely felt that immediate connection with Sun Machine. Maybe it was Traver’s rich vocals and her ability to express emotional range so flawlessly on tracks like Lemonade, or maybe it was the expertly integrated funk with grim lyrics on Party Like Your Heart Hurts, but I had a great time listening. - SageI Have Fought Against It, But I Can't Any Longer- The Body (Included by Ben)Hateful. Absolutely hateful. The drums audibly clip as a single guitar roars through a sea of harsh electronics and Chip King does his best rooster impression. It’s almost laughable at times because of how over-the-top it is, but deep down, you know it’s still frightening. A fantastic introduction to the world of Power Electronics and one of the rare few that can be classified as “beautiful”. - BenAge Of- Oneohtrix Point Never (Included by Ted)Daniel Lopatin has consistently been one of the most innovative and forward-thinking producers of the 21st century. In 2010, under a pseudonym, he released Eccojams, an album which essentially invented the vaporwave genre. This year, as Oneohtrix Point Never, he released Age Of, a concept album that aims even higher than his previous projects. Using spacious beats, heavy auto-tune, and an excess of harpsichord samples, he composes a postmodern epic about life after the apocalypse. On “Black Snow”, a despondent, auto-tuned Lopatin mutters “Blind vision, blind belief/Black snow is coming, saw it on TV/No information, no harmony”. Although some fans may be disappointed to hear a more subdued effort from Lopatin, its sheer scope and fully realized aesthetic make this album a thing of beauty. - TedTime 'n' Place- Kero Kero Bonito (Included by Dylan)KKB has grown much darker in the last year. Departing from their previously saccharine and upbeat tracks, the production on their most recent releases has been raw, disturbing, and seemingly unfinished. This experimental sound shined through on Time ‘n’ Place, which felt like listening to a person’s gradual breakdown and descent into madness. KKB knows how to leave a lasting emotional impact on their listeners, although they previously used this power mostly for good. Now they’ve mixed their usual pleasurable sounds with a massive spectrum of emotions, giving the listener a deeper connection to their feelings in an age of false sensations. - DylanOIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES- SOPHIE (Included by Ben)If you want to know how high my hopes were for this album, this sits at the 8th place on my list out of 820 albums I heard from 2018, and it STILL was disappointing. Of course, no song could ever reach the heights of “Bipp”, “Hard”, or “Just Like We Never Said Goodbye”, but this is still not only an absolutely huge statement for SOPHIE and the world of pop music, but also for the LGBT community. Songs like “Faceshopping” and “Whole New World”, which happen to be the best songs on the album, are also obvious metaphors for life as a transgender person. Quite possibly the most anthemic album of the year. - BenUs- Empress OfLorely Rodriguez, known as Empress Of, has finally returned 3 years after releasing her debut album Me. She’s always shared music about self-actualization and love both shared and unrequited, carrying on the practice in her latest full-length album Us. While I personally think it’s a step down from her previous self-produced album which had its own unique vibe separate from other alternative pop sounds at the time, Us is still one of my favorites this year as an ode to love, trust, and emotional honesty. Rodriguez is an excellent lyricist. She’s sweet, eloquent, and even playful in her delivery on tracks like Trust Me Baby and Timberlands, and overall much more optimistic in tone this year. I found this album to be a fun listen, but I also can’t recommend enough her other project Me, especially if you enjoy Us. - SageASTROWORLD- Travis Scott (Included by Dylan)In what was probably the biggest hip hop release of the year, Travis Scott cemented his legacy by finally out of the shadow of Rodeo. With this Travis Scott proved that he has plenty of talent left and began a new era of his musical career. This album was an instant hit and the merchandising campaign only helped. If ASTROWORLD is any indication, trap is far from dead. - DylanSissel- John Tilbury, Keith Rowe, and Kjell Björgeengen (Included byBen)Like ghosts creeping around every corner, this live performance featuring Tilbury on keys, Rowe on “guitar”, and Bjørgeengen on electronics is spacious, quiet, and eerie. A haunted mansion soundtracked to sparse piano, Rowe and Bjørg buzz and shuffle their way through as Tilbury channels his inner Morton Feldman and makes sure you’re able to feel the weight of every note. It’s like waiting for the jumpscare in a movie, but it never comes. - BenPOST- Jeff Rosenstock (Jack)Clean- Soccer Mommy (Jack)WARM- Jeff Tweedy (Jack)Bottle It In- Kurt Vile (Jack)Somewhat Literate- Retirement Party (Jack)Twin Fantasy- Car Seat Headrest (Jack)No New World - MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS (Sage)Slide - George Clanton (Sage)7 - Beach House (Sage)boygenius- boygenius (Ted)You Won't Get What You Want- Daughters (Ted)