2018 jukebox

For my favourite albums of 2018, see here. For my favourite tracks from those albums, see below. There's a 52-track Spotify playlist here. 

This killer Chaka Khan track also qualifies for video of the year (hats off to rollerskating babe Helen Spitzer for the tip):

This was a zeitgeist mood-catcher, that I sang out loud to myself every day when I sat at my breakfast table to read the morning paper:

The rest, in alphabetical order:

Singled out (solid albums with one killer track that stands apart):
(note: these are not necessarily endorsement of the videos)

Bodega – “How Did This Happen?” from Endless Scroll

Calexico – “Another Space” from The Thread That Keeps Us All 

Neko Case: “Curse of the I-5 Corridor,” from Hell-On. (Also noted: she finally recorded her duet with Eric Bachmann on his “Sleep All Summer.”)

Cat Power: “Stay," from Wanderer.

Art d’Ecco: “Never Tell,” from Trespasser.

Fantastic Negrito – “Plastic Hamburgers” from Please Don’t Be Dead

Great Lake Swimmers – “The Talking Wind” from The Waves, the Wake

Sarah Harmer: “Just Get Here,” from The Al Purdy Songbook.

Kae Sun – “Treehouse” from Whoever Comes Knocking 

Lydia Kepinski – title track from Premier juin

John Orpheus: “Parachute,” from Goatlife EP.

Steven Page – “White Noise” from Discipline: Heal Thyself Part II

Sandro Perri – title track from In Another Life.

Robyn – "Missing U" from Honey.

Santigold – "Run the Road" from I Don't Want: The Goldfire Sessions

Sloan – “Right to Roam” from 12

The Sorority – “West End” from Pledge

Tracey Thorn – “Sister” from Record 

Kamasi Washington – “Fists of Fury” from Heaven and Earth

Key tracks from the best albums list:

U.S. Girls: “Pearly Gates” from In a Poem Unlimited

Low: “Dancing and Blood” from Double Negative

TuneYards: “ABC 123” from I Can Feel You Creeping Into My Private Life

Jeremy Dutcher: “Mehcinut” from Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa 

Bonjay: “Ingenue” from Lush Life

Lotic: “Hunted” from Power

Dennis Ellsworth: “Cruel But Beautiful” from Things Change

Cadence Weapon: “My Crew (Woooo)” from s/t

Sons of Kemet: “My Queen is Harriet Tubman” from Your Queen is a Reptile

Anna Calvi: title track from Hunter

Janelle Monae: “Make Me Feel” from Dirty Computer

Hubert Lenoir: “Ton Hôtel” from Darlène

La Force: “TBT” from s/t

Neneh Cherry: “Kong” from Broken Politics

Fucked Up: “Normal People” from Dose Your Dreams

Zaki Ibrahim: “Cut Loose” from The Secret Life of Planets

Onyx Collective: “FDR Drive” from Lower East Side Part Three

Richard Reed Parry: “Song of Wood” from Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1

Rae Spoon: “Do Whatever the Heck You Really Want” from Bodiesofwater

Jack White: “Over and Over and Over” from Boarding House Reach

Angelique Kidjo: “Born Under Punches” from Remain in Light

Meshell Ndgeocello: “Sensitivity” from Ventriloquism

Alanis Obomsawin: “Odana” from Bush Lady

Prince: “Mary Don’t You Weep” from Piano & a Microphone 1983