Best of 2018
Eric Rosso's Picks (2018)
Eric Rosso
This was not originally my what my personal reflection introducing my first Best Of list was supposed to be. Instead
what I’d like to spend a few lines talking about is music, particularly the elasticity of it. A quick Google search
definition states it’s the ability of an object or material to resume its normal shape after being stretched or
compressed. Your relationship to music has this. Albums particularly have it. I’ve talked about the concept in a few of
the reviews I wrote this year. A combination of variables affect your relationship with the music. When a variable
specific to you changes, what will it affect?
This is the music that soundtracked my year up until I went to submit this list the day a new life changing variable
was added into my equation. Also a day past deadline because of this. Sorry about that to my editor. The variables that
made these my 2018 favorites produced some combination which I have spent some time turning into a Top 20. I did my
best to explain what that was in each accompanying graf. This list isn’t solely based on technicality. Some rankings
are influenced by it though. Others choices connected with me at a certain part of the year or provided the score to a
memory. There are a few included that are just important albums in the punk rock scene that deserve recognition. I’m
about to find out what happens when I change and what it means to my feelings about these albums. Rankings are likely
to be affected. So cheers to 2019, a new stage of my life, much P.M.A., and upping the punx forever!
Here are a few bands that made some version of this list over the course of the month long editing process. They all
put out great albums this year as well. In no particular order: Primal Rite, Screaming Females, The Sidekicks, The
Interrupters, illuminati hotties, Travis Scott, Pig Destroyer, Restorations, and The HIRS Collective.
Top 10 Concerts of 2018
10. Joyce Manor, Vundabar: Union Transfer
October 14
I mentioned this show in my Top 20 write up of Million Dollars To Kill Me. What really stands out when
seeing
Joyce Manor is just how much of a pop-punk band they are. Despite their forays into more indie sounding affairs,
there core doesn't change. It didn't even matter that they didn't really play anything off Million Dollars To
Kill
Me despite my desire to see it. They played just about everything a Joyce Manor fan would clamor for with
preciseness. Vundabar were also an enjoying opener. One of a few on this list that I had no previous experience
with
before the show.
9. The Menzingers, Rozwell Kid, Iron Chic: Musikfest
Cafe
August 18
I am devotee of The Menzingers. This was one of five shows I've seen by the group this year, one of 15 plus shows
since the release of After The Party, and my first time seeing them in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Their set
was
heavy on On The Impossible Past songs that I will never complain about seeing live, including 'I Can't Seem
To
Tell.' A special treat, because to my knowledge I haven't seen them play it live in a while. It's clear The
Menzingers on tour is a well-oiled machine at this point. This band never gets old for me and here's to hoping I
can
catch outside of the United States sometime next year.
8. Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, The Story So Far: Festival Pier at Penn's Landing
July 18
I was obsessed with the drama of Taking Back Sunday's lineup many years ago. The John Nolan and Adam Lazarra beef
was a much debated topic amongst my friend group in high school. Since his return to the band, I still hadn't seen
them live despite generally enjoying their output since. I don't care much for Coheed and Cambria or The Story So
Far
though and with the price of the ticket, I was a little hesitant to go. I don't go to many actual concernts at
venues
this big, but I'm glad I did here. The sound and lights were overwhelming and I can vividly remember the
overwhelmed
by rock 'n' roll experience as I'm typing this. Taking Back Sunday put on an incredible show and it was great to
hear
the classic dual vocals that put Tell All Your Friends on par with the bible for teenagers when I was one.
Coheed and Cambria were also surprisingly good. The epic prog rock was made for a stage this big.
7. Turnstile, Touché Amoré, Culture Abuse, Razorbumps: Theatre of Living Arts
May 6
This was one of the buzziest tours of the year and rightfully so. Two of these bands made my Best Of list and the
others are fire too. It was on one of the first genuinely warm days of spring as well and the crowd was inspired
in-kind after a long winter. This is another one that as I write this, I vividly remember being slammed by the
incredible wall of sound that night. I watched every band from the same place because it was one of those concerts
that you physically feel. The bass shattering, the stage dives, and the positive vibe made this one of the best of
the year.
6. The Matches: The Foundry
June 29
I haven't listened to The Matches in many years, but it caught my attention that they were playing in Philadelphia
when the venue announced the show. Having seen them many times in their more active years, I was super excited for
this show. It was an anniversary show for A Band In Hope, an album I had no familiarity with. I was glad I
didn't let that stop me because the band hasn't missed a beat. They sounded as tight as I remember them which was
of
particular importance during this show because my eyes were out of order for the week since it was after an eye
surgery. They also played a handful of songs from E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals which all my friends from
back
in the day demanded seeing videos of after they saw I was at the show on social media.
5. Jeff Rosenstock: Colectivo Coffee
April 28
This show was another last minute score on sold out tickets. I knew a few weeks out that I would be in Milwaukee
while Jeff Rosenstock was performing, but it was already sold out by the time I was for sure booked. The venue
released a handful of tickets about an hour before the show and my Twitter addiction finally paid off. The venue
was
in the back of a coffee shop. Colectivo Coffee has very good chicken salad sandwiches by the way. Jeff Rosenstock
was
high energy turning in a very spastic performance. Part of the joy of a Jeff Rosenstock show, particularly lately
as
the band gains in popularity, is the delight and disbelief in which he performs while so many stoked people lose
their fucking minds to the songs. To curb an album title from a popular release this year, joy is an act of
resistance!
4. The Lawrence Arms, Red City Radio, Sincere Engineer, Ramona: Theatre of Living Arts
April 7
I was asked by Punknews to cover this show. If you want the full breakdown, please check out the review. This was
cool for many reasons. I've been reading this site since sometime around 1999. This year was the first year I
became
a regular contributor and I'm very appreciative of having this as an outlet to write about some of my favorite
music
and the feelings it inspires in me. The Lawrence Arms' set felt like a celebration, Red City Radio sounded arena
ready, Sincere Engineer held the room down playing to a bunch of drunk Philadelphians acoustically, and Ramona were
a
great up and coming addition. I'm also very excited to fly out to Chicago to see the annual War on X-mas shows from
The Lawrence Arms a few weeks from now. It likely would've made this list.
3. I Am The Avalanche, Nightmare Of You: Gramercy Theatre
March 25
When I was entering college, it was shortly after the dissolution of The Movielife who were one of my favorites. I
was bummed out, but it quickly dissipated upon the release of albums from I Am The Avalanche and Nightmare Of You
post-breakup. They were both better than anything I could imagine from The Movielife. Along with my new roommates,
these albums sound tracked our friendship and we never missed an I Am The Avalanche show. We have many crazy
stories,
traveled many miles, and have spent the following 13 years growing with these bands. One of my best friends made
the
journey from Ohio to Philadelphia to go to New York City to see this with me. It made for a blast watching the
bands
celebrate a hometown show. I'm still counting on the album shows I Am The Avalanche frontman Vinnie Caruana teased
at
this show. Fingers crossed.
2. Jessican Lea Mayfield, Mal Blum and the Blum Blums:
Boot and Saddle
March 8
I've always been a huge fan of Jessica Lea Mayfield, but never managed to see her in concert. This is noteworthy
given that I lived in Akron, Ohio neighboring Kent, Ohio where her career began. The gig sold out, but I managed to
grab a ticket the day of and I'm incredibly glad I did. Jessica Lea Mayfield played a career spanning set and
openers
Mal Blum and the Blum Blums were a really fun addition who I had never heard before. Both bands sounded incredibly
tight, had great stage presence, and the vibe of the sold out show was good. Can’t ask for much more.
1. Roger Harvey & Family: The First Unitarian Church
April 20
Sad cowboy and punk rock socialist troubadour Roger Harvey performed a series of Roger Harvey Family shows
throughout the country this year. I highlighted this particular show on another feature in Punknews. This April
20th
show remains my favorite of the year for a few reasons. Alongside Roger Harvey were a handful of Philadelphia-based
artists including The Menzingers, Cayetana, Katie Ellen, Captain We're Sinking, The Holy Mess, Restorations, and
Kayleigh Goldsworthy. The renditions of the songs, the set-up of the First Unitarian Church, and show date made for
a
lasting experience that was different from a standard show. I appreciate Roger Harvey's commitment to these
intimate
performances with like minded songwriters. They make for an easy and enjoyable night and usually come with
memorable
reflections from the artists performing.
Top 20 Albums of 2018
20. Pass Away: The Hell I've Always Seen
Mikey Ireland had a stellar year of releases between this and his Spirit Houses project. I'm a huge fan of I Am
The
Avalanche and was immensely excited to hear The Hell I've Always Seen . This album is for the punks and one
of
the best straight up punk rock releases of the year. It's clear these players were raised equally on New York
hardcore and SoCal punk rock. That combination made for a winner, particularly combined with the stellar production
found here. This is the type of record you put on with your buddies to prepare for a long night of drinking. Sure
fire sing alongs about hangovers, pocket drugs, getting older, and lost loves sound great on The Hell I've
Always
Seen.
19 . Janelle Monáe: Dirty Computer
Bad Boy Records
Sundays have always been a day where I don't really listen to much punk rock, not really for any reason. It's just
a
day that usually calls for lounging around the apartment and digging into some deep cuts in my collection. 'Dirty
Computer' is not a deep cut in any sense of the word. It’s a massive pop album. And it turned into a perfect Sunday
album for me. There are so many incredible sounds within this release spanning the spectrum of pop music. It's
perfect to put on and dance like no one's watching (and second floor staging in my apartment ensures no one is
watching). It's also pointedly political exploring issues of race, gender, and class with an eye towards the
future.
Not many albums, especially embraced in more mainstream pop circles, comes close to it.
18. Hell To Pay: Bliss
Get This Right Records
There were a ton of bands that did creative things with hardcore this year. Some of that involved adding elements
of
nu-metal and industrial to the ingredients, while others fuzzed off in indie rock directions. Hell To Pay released
the heaviest fucking album of the year. I remember once reading a description of Thrice's The Illusion of Safety
on a Punknews Best Of list that stated, 'Everything good about hardcore, metal, punk and pop is in here. Everything
bad isn't.' To crib that line, everything good about hardcore, grindcore, metalcore, and death metal is in here.
Everything bad isn't. If you were enamored with more headline grabbing bands like Harms Way, Jesus Piece, Vein, or
their ilk, but didn't get to check out Hell To Play, do yourself a favor and do it now.
17 . Bat Fangs: Bat Fangs
This album came out at the perfect time to connect with me this year. Its huge sugar soaked hooks sound perfect in
the summer, but its January release date was relief from the gray landscape that dominates in early winter. I don't
know if I would have had the same connection if it was released at a different point in the year. I said in my
initial review that 'riffs for days' is all you needed to know about the album. I stand by that assessment.
16. Pusha T: Daytona
Getting Out Your Dreams, INC / Def Jam Recordings
There were a bunch of albums that fit this mold that came out this year. Falling somewhere between seven and nine
tracks, it seems the format of the album is being shortened. As an advocate for full albums, but also cursed with a
short attention span, partially because I grew up on 25-minute punk rock albums and partially because the digital
economy is turning my brain to mush, these mini-albums hit just the right length for me. Daytona contains
one
of the best album openers this year and never lets up from the opening bars. I also have to say watching the
rollout
of this record with the ensuing mic drop on Drake was something else. Like I said, the digital economy is giving me
brain worms.
15. Elway: For The Sake Of The Bit
For The Sake Of The Bit by Elway was one of the best punk rock records released this year. It also contains
my favorite song of the year on most days with 'Hold On.' That song alone makes this album worth placement on this
list with the way it falters the line between Chicago 90s pop-punk and a modern post-hardcore vibe. At a sleek 8
songs and a few winks to the absurdity of it all, this is Elway's best. I mean seriously, these lyrics: 'Hold on /
A
part of me remembers when / All my friends weren't so blasé / Seems like yesterday / Hold on / I swore that I
would
never sweat / The stupid expectations that they set / Is it now or then that I was full of shit?'
14. Fucked Up: Dose Your Dreams
Fucked Up has previously never connected with me. It's not that I think they are a bad band or anything. Their
grandiose and orchestra composed punk rock was too much for me. I've seen them live a few times, have given various
spots in their discography a few spins, and appreciated it for what they are. Dose Your Dreams is a
different
story. The scrutiny they placed on the dominating neo-liberal economic system is inspired and one of my favorite
discussions of it this year. As someone who works with labor unions, this is extremely my shit. This struck me the
same way that Arcade Fire's Reflektor did. I swear there are moments where they come pretty close to that
record…and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones as well.
13. Noname: Room 25
Self-Released
I enjoyed Noname's debut, but Room 25 is an album that listens like it has something to prove. The album
felt
real in a way that some of the bravado and ego in hip-hop sometimes doesn't. The lyrics, both political and
personal,
are engrossing, yet composed with enough reflection to be both introspective and outward facing. Noname's
poet-esque
delivery adds another layer of emotional heft to Room 25. All of this over jazz beats that remind me of A
Tribe Called Quest makes this album a winner. Whether Noname is name dropping Ishkabibble's cheesesteaks in
Philadelphia, Huey P. Newton, or the intersection of the black experience and capitalism, you can count on it being
fire.
12. Candy: Good To Feel
Triple B Records
As I mentioned before, hardcore really had a year. There were so many releases that redefined and pushed the genre
in new directions. Candy is one of those bands and Good To Feel is one of those albums. The mix of power
violence with hardcore throughout this album makes for a banger of a listen. What really caught my ear though is
that
Dinosaur Jr.-inspired fuzz pop on the 2-minute album closer 'Bigger Than Yours.' It feels like this band has
already
set boundaries that allow it to grow into something crazy and I'm excited for the ride. This album was also an
emphatic fuck you to fascism and racism which desperately needs to be said over and over again these days.
11. Nothing: Dance On The Blacktop
Not to take away from the excellent mix of swirling guitars and 90s alternative rock nostalgia found on this
release, but this is an album that sound tracked a very specific time and place for me. I was not hip to Nothing
before this album came out, so this was my first entry point for the band. In late summer, I found myself
frequently
driving back and forth between Philadelphia and Brooklyn via the New Jersey turnpike. The desolate highway lights
and
endless concrete urban sprawl tracked perfectly with the dark city vibes that make up Dance On The Blacktop.
With Nothing claiming ties to both Philadelphia and New York City, it's easy to see how the record synced perfectly
with my drive. It will always sound best on that turnpike.
10. Swearin’: Fall Into The Sun
I've always been aware of Swearin' and the earlier bands from the Crutchfield sisters before they received more
wider notoriety. They were frequent performers at basement shows in Columbus years ago alongside bands like The
Sidekicks, Delay, Spraynard, and others. This year, some trips to Milwaukee re-introduced me to the band in the
lead
up to Fall Into The Sun because of the Wisconsin references populating one of their previous efforts. My
interest was piqued ahead of the release for Fall Into The Sun. I was immediately drawn into the honest
exploration of co-writers Allison Crutchfield and Kyle Gilbride preceding break-up. There's an earnest reflection
here matched with festival ready hooks.
9. Turnspit: Desire Paths
Dodgeball Records
Chicago is one of my favorite cities. A whole host of bands that were important to me growing up and that still
have
a special place in my heart come from there. My best friend lives in the city and I'm a frequent visitor for
festival
shows, weekend concert runs, and the triple cake shake from Portillo's. I know a lot of good people there. Turnspit
are a quintessentially Chicago band that deserve a wider audience. If you doubt me, you need to look no further
than
Desire Paths' opener 'Irish Name.' That song is one of the best of the year in my humble opinion and I can't
wait to shout it alongside a live show soon, preferably in Chicago with my friends.
8. Turnstile: Time and Space
In January, I had eye surgery on my right eye for Keratoconus, a degenerative disease of the cornea that currently
has no cure. Later on in the year, I had it on my left eye as well. Essentially, the ophthalmologist scrapes off
the
top layer of eyeball called the epithelium to inject a solution in the cornea with ultraviolet light in an attempt
to
halt the progression of the disease. Across the dozen pre- and post-op appointments I went to, I always jammed 'I
Don't Wanna Be Blind' on my way there. It became my theme song for the year. In a year that hardcore took a giant
lead forward, it was Time and Space that set the bar. From the guest spots by Diplo and Sheer Mag's Tina
Halladay to the 80s pop-infused riffage, this album was fun at a time when we need it.
7. Hop Along: Bark Your Head Off, Dog
I think back about the review I wrote for Bark Your Head Off, Dog often. I think about it because it's one
of
my least favorite that I've authored for Punknews. This isn't because I regret the score or any of the
descriptions,
it's because I feel I didn't do justice to how good the album's lyrics are. There are so many layers to unpack on
Bark
Your Head Off, Dog. It's true that this album remains a searing indictment against the way in which toxic
masculinity shaped much of the modern world, but it's also true they are constructed with an empathy on how that
has
hurt all of us. I appreciate that type of inclusive approach even if it's not warranted. To boot, the compositions
here are incredibly intricate and exemplify the cohesiveness of a band totally in sync.
6. Soccer Mommy: Clean
This is another album that I associate vividly with a time and place from 2018. As I somewhat mentioned in the
above
Swearin’ write up, I spent a handful of weekends flying back and forth between Philadelphia and Milwaukee. I
remember
putting on Soccer Mommy's Clean often while walking around Farwell Street there. In fact, I bought the vinyl
version of this album at a record store called The Exclusive Company on that very street, which quickly became a go
to spot for me when I had time to kill. The lyrics on this album are so cuttingly heartbreaking. It hits hard with
the romanticism of love and how devastatingly empty the absence of it can weigh. This is an album that you want to
sit and listen to while following along on a gatefold.
5. Lee Corey Oswald: Darkness, Together
Late capitalism is a term that gets thrown around an awful lot on the internet. I happen to be pretty fond of the
phrase and I think it perfectly (and with some hope) describes the adult experience of many millennials. Darkness,
Together is the record that best sums up late capitalism to me. The album captures what it's like to feel
like
an imposter as an adult, the tribulations of cohabitation, and the existential dread that naggingly grows with each
year older. It also happens to be probably my favorite review that I've written for Punknews.org this year, so I'd
encourage you to check it and the album out if you haven't.
4. Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
UMG Recordings
I went on a trip two years ago to Nashville. Before the weekend excursion, I was very anti-country music. I also
didn't draw any distinction between outlaw country, honky-tonk, modern-pop country, or even artists who managed to
transcend country labels to become musical icons. That all changed after the weekend exploring the history of the
genre, the whiskey at Broadway country joints, or the famous recording studios. I don't know exactly what it did to
me. There wasn't one moment in particular and the music still sounds the same, but exploring country music these
two
years, while frustrating at times, has been very enjoyable. With that said, this album is really good and its lush
pop orchestration overshadows the country influence. In the words tweeted by Kacey Musgraves herself, 'Welcome to
the
yee yee club bitch.'
3. Joyce Manor: Million Dollars To Kill Me
Joyce Manor is a confounding band and I appreciate the fuck out of that. I think the band gets this and I
certainly
think Epitaph head honcho Brett Gurewitz gets it. I was struck by an interview he gave to Stereogum when this was
released where he described them as an 'every other record' band while talking about this album in the context of
Joyce Manor's career trajectory. I saw them shortly after the release of Million Dollars To Kill Me and was
super excited to hear how these songs fit into their pop-punk repertoire live. I think they played one song off the
album, but the concert was one of my favorites of the year. This record made for great early fall vibes and I
think,
like many of their records, is criminally underrated. The late 90's Superchunk vibes and saccharine lyrics touching
on goodness and wealth made this album one of my favorites this year.
The hype machine was in overdrive in the lead up to the release of Burnt Sugar. Nearly everyone I talked to
had an opinion about this album, many before it was even released. It seemed to capture a moment in the hardcore
scene. For me personally, this album connected when I saw them play days after its release with Culture Abuse in
Philadelphia. It was clear the band was not quite comfortable with playing these songs live yet and it also
underscored what a sonic leap forwards this record truly is. The band even addressed it throughout the set, but
they
didn't shy away into older material. That type of vulnerability is heavy. As I write this, I'm hours away from
seeing
Gouge Away again and couldn't be more excited now that they've toured on this record for months to see how these
songs have grown their live show. Expanding their sound from their debut, Gouge Away successfully brought in bits
of
indie and alternative rock to create a soundscape of paranoia.
1. Culture Abuse: Bay Dreams
'Be kind to the bees / Be kind to the bugs / Be conscious of others / Be careful with drugs / Be kind to yourself
/
Even though it gets hard / Don't let the distractions / Stack up to the stars.'