Bulo’s Fave Tunes Of 2018: The Top 10!!

Filed in Arts and Entertainment, Featured by on December 31, 2018

But, first, the obligatory catch-up threads for those who like to binge-listen (Whoa! Looks like our ‘new improved’ editing function has kicked in.):

Bulo’s Fave Tunes Of 2018: #’s 50-41

Bulo’s Fave Tunes Of 2018: #’s 40-31

Bulo’s Fave Tunes Of 2018: #’s 30-21

Bulo’s Fave Tunes Of 2018: #’s 20-11

And now, finally, My Top 10:

10. A great cheeky anthem for all female musicians everywhere, and for the guys who don’t think they can pack a room. Inspirational Verse (h/t to Robert Christgau)…”It’s another man telling us we can’t fill up the room, It’s another man telling us to book a smaller venue.“:

 

9.

8. 

7. Highest-ranked Philly-area artist on the list? Maybe yes, maybe no:

6.

5.

 

4.

3. This already-buzzworthy Philly band made a quantum leap with their new album. This song jumped out at me. Highest-ranked Philly artist on the list? Yes:

2.  One take live in the studio.  Guy has his shit together. Big-time. “Police state is much too cold.”:

1.  Yes, it’s a song that grew out of the opioid crisis. Also one of the most moving songs John Prine has ever created:

Time to make way for 2019. Let the new tunes start playing!

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  1. nathan arizona says:

    Interesting Top 50. Found some good things I didn’t know about. And no Robyn! No Ariana Grande! (Hello New York Times.) I’ll send my own list soon (because I can’t keep myself from making lists) and comment on yours, fwiw. Thanks for posting it.

    • The taste of the NYTimes critics rarely coincides with mine. No right or wrong, just different tastes in music. I still check out their songs of the week feature every week.

  2. nathan arizona says:

    I do too, but with diminishing returns. I think they’re pandering to young “popists” with some of their choices and just showing off with others.

  3. nathan arizona says:

    I might like your 50-41 block more than your Top 10 (although that’s pretty good too). The Hurry album is in my own Top 10 (always looking for new power pop). Renata Zeiguer went from somebody I’d never heard of to somebody who almost made my Top 10. And it turns out I like Palm better than I thought I did. Bard College. Of course.

    Elsewhere on the list: I like Nathaniel Rateliff but I guess I put St. Paul and the Broken Bones in that slot. You first turned me on to Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, which made my Top 10. Sarah Shook is my favorite country singer on your list (not too crazy about the pop-country gals you rate higher). But for country (or Americana) this year, I’ll take the obscure Puxico. That Low Cut Connie song in your Top10 is great. The Moses Sumney song is amazing. I think John Pine is a national treasure, but I don’t think that’s the best song of the year.

    Here’s my Top 10 – albums not songs, artists not titles:

    The 1975

    Dave Alvin/Jimmie Dale Gilmore

    First Aid Kit

    Hurry

    Idles

    Leon Bridges

    Marcus King Band

    Puxico

    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

    St. Paul and the Broken Bones

    Again, I think you have a really good list. Thanks for posting it.

    • Thanks, great feedback as always. I admit that no song jumped out at me as the inevitable #1. Had Moses Sumney there for awhile, even had Hop Along in that slot for awhile.

      What would be your pick as Best Song? BTW, time for me to check out Puxico, who I have never heard of. You don’t mean Calexico, do you?

  4. nathan arizona says:

    John Prine is a national treasure too.

  5. nathan arizona says:

    No, no. Not a trace of desert in Puxico. It’s a small town in Missouri.

  6. nathan arizona says:

    But wait. I got it backwards on the list. “Plexico” is the name of the album (but it’s still a small town in Missouri). Natalie Hemby is the artist.

  7. nathan arizona says:

    One more (and last) time: the name of the album is “Puxico.” Jeez.

  8. nathan arizona says:

    If only Plaxico Burress had done something political this week.