Records of 2018 for Monorail Music

A couple of weeks ago the lovely Monorail Music folks posted my 2018 faves on their Twitter. Yo La Tengo scooped the #1 (of course the numbers are arbitrary!) lp mainly because it had the stupendously beautiful "Shades of Blue" on it and because when it came out, I immediately put the download on my phone and listened to it constantly while working which says a lot about how and when I listened to much of my music this year. In retrospect, the lists below aren't truly representative of what I listened to most (apart from YLT) as I listened to lots of other quiet music while working such as the ace Pendant lp (aka Huerco S), Lucrecia Dalt's gem "Anitclines" and Annelies Monseré's sombre "Happiness Is Within Sight". Being prone to hyperbole and rash claims, I've told anyone who'll listen that The Goon Sax's incredibly touching "Strange Light" is Not Unloved's favourite song of 2018. Of course, I've also told the same people that Amy Rigby's unique, thoughtful "From philiproth@gmail to rzimmerman@aol.com" is Not Unloved's favourite song of 2018 which inevitably results in me claiming the same of her husband's (Wreckless Eric) monumental "Wow & Flutter" and so on. What fun!

Long players:

1. Yo La Tengo - There's A Riot Going On (Matador)
2. The Goon Sax - We're Not Talking (Wichita)
3. Massage - Oh Boy (Tearjerk)
4. Amy Rigby - The Old Guys (Southern Domestic)
5. The Orielles - Silver Dollar Moment (Heavenly)
6. Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is A Reptile (Impulse)
7. Clay Hips - Happily Ever After (Annika)
8. Terry - I'm Terry (Upset The Rhythm)
9. Vital Idles - Left Hand (Upset The Rhythm)
10. Miss Red - K.O. (Pressure)

Short players:

1. Hairband - Hairband (Monorail)
2. 79.5 - Boy Don't Be Afraid (Big Crown)
3. The Shacks - Follow Me (Big Crown)
4. Camelia Hartmann and The Soulful Saints - Return The Favor/Breathing Hard Over You (Dala)
5. JJ Ulius - Tander Ett Ljus (Happiest Place)
6. Music City - Pretty Feelings (Static Shock)
7. Jetstream Pony - Self-destruct Reality (KUS)
8. Art Sick - Going Down (Yr First Crush)
9.  The Jack Cades - Run Paulie Run (Dangerhouse Skylab)
10. Comet Gain - If Not Tomorrow (Tapete)

The glaring omission from the above singles list? This:



(Thanks to Did Not Chart for the reminder!)

Reissue:
Gene Clark - Gene Clark Sings For You (Omnivore)

Compilation:
Various Artists - Basement Beehive (Numero Group)

The above was submitted in early December so, just for fun, here are Not Unloved's fave lps bought since then:

AMOR - Sinking Into A Miracle (Night School)
Blades of Joy - s/t (Melters)
D. Rothon - Nightscapes (Clay Pipe)
Red Red Eyes - Horology (Where It's At Is Where You Are)
Ethers - s/t (Trouble In Mind)