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.

As with the conclusion of any Earth cycle, it’s time for SCAD Radio’s favorite tracks that made 2018 suck less. After rigorous debate and a sophisticated voting process, we have rounded out our overall choices for the 10 best songs of the year.

Also be sure to check out our top 10 albums of 2018.

#10- Nice for What- Drake

For the most part, it seemed fans loved Scorpion “only partly”. While much of the LP fell flat, “Nice For What” brought more of the upbeat and fun music Drake has become a household name for. Taking a bite from Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor”, the Canadian rapper constructs a women’s empowerment tune complete with a star-studded music video of famous females.

Listen here.

#9- Tints- Anderson .Paak feat. Kendrick Lamar

The funkiest man in music right now teams up with rap’s reigning king for a nostalgic bop. Fans anticipating the lead single for .Paak’s third album, Oxnard, got what they wanted. “Tints” begins with a delicious ‘70s-centric disco beat as the Dr. Dre. prodigy and Lamar dive into their distaste for the paparazzi. Channeling his inner James Brown, Anderson .Paak summons perhaps his flashiest tune to date.

Listen here.

#8- Make Me Feel- Janelle Monáe

Bubbly, catchy, and clearly Prince-inspired, the single to Dirty Computer warps the pop & R&B styles the electric lady is known for mixing. With that finger-snap bassline to the “bass drop” chorus of sorts, “Make Me Feel” made us feel “so f*ckin’ real”.

Listen here.

#7- Fists of Fury- Kamasi Washington

Clocking in at nearly 10 minutes, the opening to Kamasi Washington’s Heaven and Earth is nothing short of epic. A fight song at heart, but a jazzy ballad for the ages nonetheless, the saxophonist’s combination of roaring brass and racing drums ensure that listening to “Fists of Fury” only through headphones limits the thunderous experience.

The full track isn’t available on YouTube, but you can listen to a live version here.

#6- Cool- Soccer Mommy

A ringing yet soft guitar carries us into the underdog world of one of indie rock’s most promising stars. “Cool” details the girl who’s too good for you through the eyes of the girl on the sidelines, Soccer Mommy. Capitalized with a simple chorus that’ll have you belting out “you-ou-ou-ou”s of your own, one of 2018’s best breakouts finishes the track with a nicely done slow fade-out.

Listen here.

#5- High Horse- Kacey Musgraves

The disco-pop glitz of “High Horse” would never leave a first-time listener to guess Musgraves is a country artist. The songwriter ventures further and further away from the genre she once called home, and in all the right ways. The danciest track from the terrific Golden Hour wonderfully displays the Texan evolving far beyond her comfort zone.

Listen here.

#4- All the Stars- Kendrick Lamar & SZA

The end-credit tune from Marvel’s groundbreaking Black Panther movie shines thanks to two of Top Dawg Entertainment’s finest hitmakers. Kendrick Lamar’s motivational verses in the guise of T’Challa complement the superhero’s story, and SZA’s powerful vocals anchor the uplifting chorus. Wakanda forever indeed.

Listen here.

#3- This Is America- Childish Gambino

When Donald Glover and his stage name Childish Gambino were announced to be the host and musical guest for Saturday Night Live, it served as a conformation of new music. The same night Gambino performed at the New York venue, the music video for the America-criticizing song was unleashed for the internet to interpret. He surprised everyone with the psychedelic shift in genre on songs like “Redbone”, but Glover made an even bigger splash with this instant classic and it’s mind-boggling video.

Read our review for the iconic music video here.

Watch the music video here.

#2- Nobody- Mitski

Everyone experiences loneliness at some point in their lives, even if you’re an indie giant like Mitski Miyawaki. Starting with a light percussion tap and concluding with a roof-raising chant of the track’s title, the Japanese-born singer/songwriter pairs feelings of isolation with a bouncy riff that launched her from underground to indie fame.

Listen here.

#1- Feels Like Summer- Childish Gambino

If you haven’t realized by now, it was a big year for Donald Glover. Following the cultural phenomenon “This Is America”, the music world couldn’t expect what the multi-talent would do next. In sync with the “jigsaw-puzzle” vibe of the former, “Feels Like Summer” tactically misled viewers on a seemingly relaxing animated bit with various rappers and public figures from J. Cole to Michelle Obama. Even the video’s finale of Gambino entering his house as the sun sets is thought to reference the rumors his upcoming fourth album will be his last. Nevertheless, for those of you who didn’t know, the song is actually about climate change and global warming. Yeah.

Listen here.

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