These are most of my favorite songs, albums, EPs, and more. These are are not in order and no significance should be assigned to how they appear.
Songs
Childish Gambino - “Summertime Magic”
Fall Out Boy - “City in a Garden”
Lyrah - “Don’t Make Me”
Dizzy - “Backstroke”
Leon Bridges - “Bad Bad News”
Future Generations - “Landscape”
Cloves - “California Numb”
Savoir Adore - “The Hum”
Note: I was not expecting to love a Fall Out Boy song again, but “City in a Garden” couldn’t be closer to the original sound and feel of the band.
Albums
Leon bridges - Good Thing
Now, Now - Saved
Novo Amor - Birthplace
Rhye - Blood
Dizzy - Baby Teeth
Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today
Future Generations - Landscape
Saves The Day - 9
Mumford and sons - Delta
Note: Saves The Day’s release breaks the fourth wall in such an interesting way, it’s hard to look away. Plus, the angst still flows in melodic ways.
It shouldn’t be a surprise Leon Bridges is in this list, but it is surprising how much he elevated his game.
EPs
Kid Astray - Ignite EP
Tove Styrke - Sway
Yoke Lore - Absolutes EP
Savoir Adore - First Bloom EP
Dustin Tebbutt - Chasing Gold
Mutemath - Voice in the Silence EP
Shows
Homecoming [Amazon Prime]
The Good Cop [Netflix]
Westworld [HBO]
Cobra Kai [Youtube/Google]
Note: Cobra Kai toed a line of nostalgia that is not easy to do. It wasn’t a perfect show, but it revitalized an old story in a meaningful way.
Homecoming was a great series, but it desperately needs a season 2 as quickly as possible.
If West World doesn’t turn things around in season 3, I’m out. It needs to reign things back in and not get to far ahead of itself, for its own sake.
Books
Bad Blood
A Higher Loyalty
Everyone, Always
Note: While I didn’t get through too many newly released books in 2018, I did finally read all 7 Harry Potter books.
I also read All the Light We Cannot See which too is older, but still probably my favorite overall this year.
Honorable mentions
Cloves - One Big Nothing [Album]
Caroline Pennell - Phasesv [EP]
Won’t you be my neighbor [Movie]
Wet - Still Run [Album]
The Aces - When My Heart Felt Volcanic [Album]
Ellie Schmidly - Blossom and Bone [EP]