Also be sure to check out our Top 10 Songs of 2018.

#10- Clean- Soccer Mommy

Move over, Lana- there’s a new sad queen in town. Sophie Allison’s official debut packs all one could want from a slowcore indie rock stance. Whether the woozying riffs of “Cool” & “Your Dog”, or the melancholy chants of “Still Clean” & “Last Girl”, Clean checks off all the boxes for an indie star on the rise.

#9- Invasion of Privacy- Cardi B

After making landfall in 2017 with “Bodak Yellow”, Belcalis Almánzar’s first full-length follows up on the boisterous nature of the single that made her famous. Aside from her signature swank, Invasion of Privacy keeps on giving thanks to a variety of crowd-pleasing sounds like the latin-infused “I Like It” and the trappy “Drip”. Throw in an A-list cast of features, and the whole thing catapults Bardi far past one-hit wonder status.

Read our review for the album here.

#8- Welcome to the Neighbourhood- Boston Manor

Arcade Fire’s Win Butler described their landmark The Suburbs as neither “a love letter to, nor indictment of”, but a letter from his hometown. Boston Manor, on the other hand, uses this album as a complete criticism of theirs. Henry Cox announces “Welcome To The Neighbourhood/If you could leave you would” on the titular track before the Blackpool-bashing delves into issues that’ve beset the English city, such as a newfound drug haven on “Halo”. The hard rockers pull no punches with harsh yet understandable words and consistently banging riffs.

#7- Bark Your Head Off, Dog- Hop Along

Frances Quinlan’s ever-shifting voice leads the way on the Philadelphia band’s fourth album. Earworm moments like the finale of “How Simple” to the biblical imagery of “Not Abel” weaves variety into the record, but it’s clear the vocal performance makes Bark Your Head Off, Dog the best it can be.

#6- Golden Hour- Kacey Musgraves

For those of you about to skip on this one due to it being a “country” album, let it be known that much of Golden Hour is anything but. What makes Kacey Musgrave’s music so listenable is her ability to appeal to those who’ve never worn a cowboy hat. Her loveable lyrics are often cute in their wordplay, while the production strays from the southern sounds that would otherwise be a turnoff to country-haters.

#5- Sex & Food- Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The New Zealand band dives into a delicate mix of sounds on their fourth LP. The ripping riffs of songs like “Major League Chemicals” and groovy basslines of “Hunnybee” provide something for every listener.

#4- How to Socialize and Make Friends- Camp Cope

2018 introduced a wave of female indie rock with artists like Soccer Mommy and Snail Mail, but it was Australian girl group Camp Cope that won us over with their second LP. The trio tackled subjects like sexism in the music world, entranced with the raging vocals and often sarcastic wit of lead singer Georgia “Maq” McDonald.

#3- Black Panther: The Album- Various Artists

Since DAMN came out last year, it seemed we weren’t getting another Kendrick Lamar album soon. However, we got the next best thing- a giant collaborative release with Kung-Fu Kenny and his friends to pair with the Marvel blockbuster. Blending sounds like African tribal drums with today’s hip-hop and R&B worked like a charm. The soundtrack is just as much of an ode to the continent as its movie, even with that…interesting (and meme-worthy)…Future verse on “King’s Dead”.

#2- Be the Cowboy- Mitski

Zany instrumentation accompanies witty writing on the songwriter’s most recent offering. Most of the tracks don’t reach the 3-minute mark, staging Be the Cowboy more as a collection of anecdotes from Mitski’s mind. Some songs are won over by the exuberant sounds, others by the poetic lyrics. Though anchored by the pounding “Nobody”, the album contains plenty of treats like the melancholy “Lonesome Love” and the flamboyant “Why Didn’t You Stop Me?”

#1- Dirty Computer- Janelle Monáe

A “visual album” that packs a 46-minute short film for good measure is still a fantastic listen by itself. The robotic flow of the ingenious artist (and now pansexual icon) dishes out identity, feminism, and lust all in one dazzling LP. Politically intelligent on “Screwed” and “Django Jane”, while shamelessly craving same-sex love on “Make Me Feel” and “PYNK”, Dirty Computer is a relevant plea for a better tomorrow, as well as an LGBT pride album for a generation.

SCAD Radio has to choose it as the best album of 2018.

Read our review for the album here.

The post Top 10 Albums of 2018 appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Cardi B has her Lemonade moment on “Be Careful”, a surprisingly candid track from the usually conceited star, detailing infidelity in past relationships. Immediately, speculation touched on the song’s aim at said fiancé, who’s been under suspicion of cheating on Cardi in the past. However, she denied it in a recent interview.

Recently, Latino music has seen a sudden uprising thanks to hits like “Despacito” and “Mi Gente”, and “I Like It” continues the trend. J. Balvin joins the rapper to deliver perhaps the most danceable tune on the LP, helping bridge the gap between hip-hop and Latino music.

Other features include Chance the Rapper on “Best Life”, who’s upbeat, positive tone from Coloring Book translates well to compliment Cardi B’s “I made it” mentality. The album closes with a SZA guest bit where the two go back and forth about their dominant status, capping off a record full of flamboyance from start to finish.

After Invasion of Privacy, not even the biggest of haters will have grounds to call Belcalis Almanzar a one hit wonder anymore. The 13-track album is loaded with hits that build on the braggadocio nature that made “Bodak Yellow” so iconic. Along with the hard-hitting lyrics from last year’s megahit, the LP contains many more witty quips, most notably the hysterical “P*ssy so good/I say my own name during sex”.

Through its ostentatious lyricism and terrific trappy production, Invasion of Privacy serves as a memorable full-length debut from the rapper.

Our rating for Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy is 8.6/10 collaborations.

The post Let Cardi B in with Invasion of Privacy appeared first on SCAD Radio.

Known for her “no filter personality”, Bronx native Cardi B rose to fame through the varieties of social media, including Instagram and Vine. She then became a regular cast member on VH1’s Love and Hip-Hop reality show franchise.  There, she gained connections for her music and released several mixtapes and singles like “Foreva”, “Washpoppin” and “Lick” in 2015 respectively. It wasn’t until February 2017 when Belcalis Almanzar, (Cardi B’s legal name) got the recognition she deserved and had the number one single on the charts “Bodak Yellow”, which is arguably the most played song here at SCAD.

Appearing on talk shows like Jimmy Fallon and Wendy Williams, this Trinidad-Dominican made a name for herself in the music industry. Since then, she’s been seen on the cover of magazines, nominated and won several music awards, and featured in other artist’s songs like G-Eazy’s, “No Limit”.  Not only has Cardi B had a great year on the charts, but in the love department as well. As of October 2017, Cardi B and her rapper boyfriend, Offset, are engaged to be married!

Cardi B was doubted by many because of her lifestyle of being an exotic dancer and “no-nonsense” attitude. However, she has shown everyone that it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can still be the “biggest thang poppin’” if you stay true to yourself and your art.

The post Cardi B: The Year Of Accomplishments appeared first on SCAD Radio.