Over the past 12 months, our ears were truly blessed with some great new music. From The 1975’s industry-changing album all the way to the melodic ballads of Father John Misty’s release, we have received it all this year.
I find it humorous how over the course of a year we tend to forget about albums. We do not forget the songs, but we forget about the album as a whole. We hear something and think to ourselves, “Wait, that came out this year?” and then we are mind blown at the realization of just how long a year truly is. That is why I am here to give everyone a reminder of just how great this year in music was, starting from the very beginning.
The first quarter gave us some long-awaited albums from the likes of EDEN, Vance Joy and The Wombats.
EDEN released their third album and reminded us once again what heartbreak feels like. This album had some acoustic vibes mixed with a lot of electronically produced beats. Behind each acoustic guitar or synth beat laid the same sad lyrics we have grown to love and expect from EDEN.
Vance Joy’s “Nation of Two” gave us instant classics in “We’re Going Home,” “Lay It On Me” and “Saturday Sun.” In all, the whole album is a true classic and was well worth the four years wait from his previous release. The Wombats’ “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life” presented us with the same upbeat nostalgic songs we have learned to love. In “Turn,” an upbeat love song, Matthew sings about the things he loves and admires about a girl and their memories together.
The second quarter of 2018 was stocked full of releases from powerhouses in the music industry. With what seemed to be a new release every week, we were far from disappointed in these months.
The Paper Kites released two albums this year, “On the Train Ride Home” and “On the Corner Where You Live,” both of which deserve an equal amount of applause. Their dark and deeply melodic style is prominent in every song on both these albums. Singing with such emotion to each song, you feel what they intended you to feel; sadness and yearning for someone—whether it be someone specific or not—these songs make you miss something. These two albums are perfect for those rainy days inside cuddled up by the fire.
We were also blessed to receive the long-awaited debut album of the melodic goddess, Bishop Briggs. Her album “Church of Scars” gave us the hits “River” and “White Flag.” Briggs came out swinging in her debut album and left us excited for the road ahead.
In May of 2018, Arctic Monkeys came out with their first album in over five years, and it was a big letdown. After how great all their previous albums had been, I expected that greatness from “Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino,” but it did not live up to those expectations. Obviously, my opinions were not shared by many others, as it was nominated for a Grammy in the category of “Best Alternative Album.”
James Bay and CHVRCHES were a different story though. James Bay gave us his long-awaited sophomore album, and let me tell you, there was no sophomore slump in this album. “Electric Light” gave us a story in album form. With the “Intro” and “Interlude” both being conversations between Bay and a girl, we see the progression, or more accurately digression, of their relationship. CHVRCHES gave us, in my opinion, one of the top three albums of the year in “Love Is Dead.” Every song was a “banger” and had such meaning behind them. The lyrics in each song presented us with a true sense of what Lauren was feeling when writing this album.
LANY’s “Malibu Nights” was the best breakup album to date. Paul Klein opens his heart and pours it out to us. Not a single song on this album will leave you disappointed; it only leaves you wanting more. It takes you on a ride through the emotional turmoil and stages one faces when in the midst of a breakup.
Twenty One Pilots made us wait three long years, but am I complaining? No. They have a special talent for addressing and helping people deal with issues which are so common. Their cult following loves everything they put out and enjoy each release more than the last.
Muse and Imagine Dragons both dropped albums which were long anticipated, both of which became successful and were comprised of many solid hits.
Now, in this quarter four of my top five albums were released, Young the Giant’s “Mirror Master,” Mumford & Sons’ “Delta,” Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus’ “boygenius” and The 1975’s “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships.” Each one of these albums deserves applause and praise beyond any one person’s doing.
“A Brief Inquiry” changed the music game forever. The cross-genre album broke barriers not only instrumentally but also lyrically. With such depth to each song, it became an instant classic.
“Delta” proved all the Mumford haters wrong. It changed the folk game, plugging in and adding electric guitars and synth-created beats which mixed with Mumford’s unique and defiant voice and created a masterpiece.
These past 12 months will, in my opinion, go down in musical history forever.
Reese Gorman is a sophomore journalism major from Schertz, TX. He is passionate about music because he believes it has a unique way of bringing people together and it brings him joy. Reese’s favorite artist is The 1975 and his favorite genre of music is Indie/Alternative. In his free time, Reese enjoys golfing, climbing, camping and reading.
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