This was the year that was ... my new music from 2018 #2018Music #2018inReview

Well, listened to a bunch of new music this year, but I think, looking back, that my Album of the Year (2018) is going to be Talking Heads, Speaking in Tongues. Yes, yes, I know, Speaking in Tongues was released in 1983, but listening to it again over the past few months, it seems as relevant as ever. Here's my SiT lyrics mashup:

Speaking in Tongues Lyrics (2018 Mashup)

Ah
Watch out
You might get what you're after
* * *
I can't believe it
And people are strange
Our president's crazy
Did you hear what he said
* * *
Stop making sense, stop making sense...stop making sense, making sense
* * *
God help us!
Help us lose our minds
These slippery people
Help us understand
* * *
And I get wild, it's automatic
I can hardly move
* * *
How many people do you think I am
Pretend I am somebody else
You can pretend I'm and old millionaire
A millionaire washing his hands
* * *
Flying saucers, levitation
Yo! I could do that
Gettin' ready, for heavy duty
* * *
Towns that disappeared completely
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
Miles and miles of endless highway
Pull up the roots, pull up the roots
* * *
I guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it, the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground, head in the sky
It's okay, I know nothing's wrong, nothing

* * * * * 

But, if I have to look at just 2018 releases, here's my top 11 (in order of release):

1. David Byrne, American Utopia (9 March 2018)
2. Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour (30 March 2018)
3. Ashley Monroe, Sparrow (20 April 2018)
4. Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer (27 April 2018)
5. Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel (18 May 2018)
6. Neko Case, Hell-On (8 June 2018)
7. Paul McCartney, Egypt Station (7 September 2018)
8. Billy Gibbons, Big Bad Blues, (21 September 2018)
9. Elvis Costello, Look Now (12 October 2018)
10. Bob Dylan, More Blood, More Tracks The Bootleg Series Vol 14 (Deluxe Edition) (2 November 2018)
11. Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel (2 November 2018)

Of those, David Byrne and Neko Case were my favorites of the year. 

Here's the complete list:

January

• Caitlyn Smith, Starfire (19 January 2018)
• Belle And Sebastian, How To Solve Our Human Problems (Part 2) (19 January 2018)
• Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa, Black Coffee (26 January 2018)

February

• Belle And Sebastian, How To Solve Our Human Problems (Part 3) (16 February 2018)
• Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet, Landfall (16 February 2018)

March

• Joan Baez, Whistle Down the Wind (2 March 2018)
• David Byrne, American Utopia (9 March 2018)
• Jimi Hendrix, Both Sides of the Sky (9 March 2018)
• Judas Priest, Firepower (9 March 2018)
• Sunflower Bean, Twentytwo and Blue (23 March 2018)
• Guided by Voices, Space Gun (23 March 2018)
• Neil Young and the Promise of the New, Paradox (23 March 2018)
• Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour (30 March 2018)

April

• John Prine, Tree of Forgiveness (13 April 2018)
• Ashley Monroe, Sparrow (20 April 2018)
• Neil Young, Roxy: Tonight's the Night Live (24 April 2018)
• Willie Nelson, Last Man Standing (27 April 2018)
• Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer (27 April 2018)
• Van Morrison and Joe DeFrancesco, You're Driving Me Crazy (27 April 2018)

May

• Arctic Monkeys, Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino (11 May 2018)
• Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel (18 May 2018)
• Peach Kelli Pop, Gentle Leader (25 May 2018)

June

• Roger Daltrey, As Long As I Have You (1 June 2018)
• Neko Case, Hell-On (8 June 2018)
• Lykki Li, so sad so sexy (8 June 2018)

August

• Alice Cooper, A Paranormal Evening at the Olympia (18 August 2018)

September

• Paul McCartney, Egypt Station (7 September 2018)
• Paul Simon, In the Blue Light (7 September 2018)
• Billy Gibbons, Big Bad Blues, (21 September 2018)
• Jack White, Kneeling at the Anthem DC (21 September 2018)         
• Cher, Dancing Queen (28 September 2018)

October

• Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born (5 October 2018)
• Elvis Costello, Look Now (12 October 2018)
• Yoko Ono, Warzone (19 October 2018)
• Ace Frehley, Spaceman (19 October 2018)
• Greta Van Fleet, Anthem of the Peaceful Armies (19 October 2018)

November

• Bob Dylan, More Blood, More Tracks The Bootleg Series Vol 14 (Deluxe Edition) (2 November 2018)
• Pistol Annies, Interstate Gospel (2 November 2018)
• The Smashing Pumpkins, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun (16 November 2018)
• Neil Young, Songs for Judy (30 November 2018)

 December

• Van Morrison, The Prophet Speaks (7 December 2018)
• Bruce Springsteen, No Nukes '79 (27 December 2018)