reviews, news & interviews

Best Albums of 2018

theartsdesk's music critics pick their favourites of the year so far

by theartsdeskWednesday, 31 October 2018

Robyn's Honey doesn't disappoint

Disc of the Day reviews new albums, week in, week out, all year. Below are the albums to which our writers awarded five stars. Click on any one of them to find out why.

Baxter Dury, Etienne de Crécy and Delilah Holliday - B.E.D. ★★★★★ A small but perfectly sleazy work of sweary, cynical brilliance

Bob Dylan - More Blood, More Tracks ★★★★★ The fourteenth volume in the Bootleg Series is a keeper

Brad Mehldau Trio - Seymour Reads the Constitution! ★★★★★ Prolific improvising pianist creates the apotheosis of the piano trio

The Breeders - All Nerve ★★★★★ Kim and Kelly Deal - plus reconciled bandmates - prove gloriously unaffected by time

Joan Baez - Whistle Down the Wind ★★★★★ No rust, but plenty of diamonds in her final album

Jon Hopkins - Singularity ★★★★★ Dazzling rollercoaster of an inner journey

LUMP – LUMP ★★★★★ Collaboration between Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay of Tunng is a beautiful, odd little gift

Melody’s Echo Chamber - Bon Voyage ★★★★★ Long-awaited follow-up to 2012 debut is wonderfully weird prog-odyssey

Robyn - Honey ★★★★★ Long-awaited album from beloved Scandi icon doesn’t disappoint

Ry Cooder - The Prodigal Son ★★★★★ Stunning blast of stirring gospel and politics

The Go! Team - Semicircle ★★★★★ A triumphant fifth album from Brighton mavericks

Willie Nelson - Last Man Standing ★★★★★ Still standing tall: Willie Nelson in late, great mode

Xylouris White - Mother ★★★★★ The simple magic of two maestros interlocking their styles continues to intensify

Support the future of arts journalism

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thanks so much for choosing genuinely independent arts journalism theartsdesk’s mission has never been more important – in an age of relentless algorithmic recommendation, sponsored content and unreliable AI, the expertise and discernment of individual critics deeply embedded in their specialist areas is absolutely vital.

If you want more of that in your life, why not subscribe now?

If you do this before the 31st August, you’ll be able to keep at this “founders rate” for life: your subs will never increase! You can choose to subscribe annually for just £40 simply click here
or monthly for £5 per month simply click here.

Not ready to subscribe?

If you want to support with a little extra or aren’t ready to subscribe just yet, there’s also the option to give direct to our crowdfunder to support our imminent redesign and exciting expansion with new features and collaborations Simply contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d.

However you choose to be involved, you can proudly say that you are picking the right side in the battle for truth and humanity in the modern information landscape. And we will be very glad to have you on board!