THE BEST OF 2018 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO

THE BEST OF 2018 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO

It's time for the annual list of my favorite albums of the year. Each year my lists are calculated by rating each song on each album on a 1-10 scale. Simple division gives each album a score, then the releases are broken into categories.  It wouldn't be fair to have a album full of familiar covers on the same list as an album of all originals.  Same goes for a live album or an album full of acoustic interpretations of previously released songs.   Christmas albums are essentially covers albums for the most part, so again, they are separated from the pack.  EPs also are separate.  Ties occur when the release has the same exact score as another. I feel silly explaining that, but there it is anyway.

 Also as usual, there are albums not included that I just never got around to hearing despite wanting to.  Elvis Costello, Lake Street Dive and others released albums I wanted to hear, but I can only afford so much.  As it is, I got to review about 175 new releases from 2018.

Here we go. I don't judge you for your musical taste. I expect the same in return.

BEST LIVE ALBUM

RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE

1-NEEDTOBREATHE-ACOUSTIC LIVE VOL. 1

2-THUNDERWUDE-LIVE AT THE LOGAN STREET SANCTUARY

3-PRINCE-PIANO AND A MICROPHONE 1983

4-ALISON MOYET-THE OTHER LIVE COLLECTION

5-MATT ANDERSEN-LIVE AT OLYMPIC HALL

BEST EP (EP Defined as less than 8 songs)

RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE

1-ALICE MERTON-NO ROOTS

2-HOZIER-NINA CRIED POWER

2-JAKE LEMOND-FLAWS

4-LILLY MACPHEE-FROM THE START

5-NEEDTOBREATHE-FOREVER ON YOUR SIDE

6-BILLY RAFFOUL-1975 EP

7-HANNAH GILL-LOST IN WORDS

7-PARSONSFIELD-WE

7-NILUFER YANYA-BABY LUV EP

10-NOBODY'S GIRL-WATERLINE

11-BLUEBIRDS OF PARADISE-BALCONY

11-BRETT DENNEN-LET'S…

11-PETE YORN & SCARLETT JOHANSSON-APART

14-BOB MERVAK-MOTEL MCGUIRE'S

15-ABSOFACTO-THOUSAND PEACES

15-MICHIGANDER-MIDLAND

15-SISTER HAZEL-WIND

18-ELLERY-OVER LAND OVER SEA

19-DIANA CHITTESTER-PARADOX

20-SISTER HAZEL-WATER

21-ZOE KEATING-SNOWMELT

BEST COVERS ALBUM (SOMETIMES THIS INCLUDES AN ORIGINAL OR TWO, BUT THE ALBUM IS 80% OR MORE COVERS)

RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE

1-MICHAEL  BUBLE-LOVE (DELUXE EDITION)

2-JUDITH OWEN-REDISCOVERED

3-LIZANNE KNOTT, JESSE TERRY, MICHAEL LOGEN-SUNSET AVENUE SESSIONS

4-MEIKO-PLAYING FAVORITES

5-TONY BENNETT & DIANA KRALL-LOVE IS HERE TO STAY (TARGET EDITION)

6-WILLIE NELSON-MY WAY

7-STEVE TYRELL-A SONG FOR YOU

8-JOSHUA DAVIS-SECOND HAND

9-VARIOUS-REVAMP: THE SONGS OF ELTON JOHN & BERNIE TAUPIN

10-PENTATONIX-PTX PRESENTS: TOP POP VOL. 1

11-MESHELL NDEGEOLCELLO-VENTRILOQUISM

12-JOHN WESLEY HARDING-GREATEST OTHER PEOPLE'S HITS

13-BETTYE LAVETTE-THINGS HAVE CHANGED

14-VARIOUS-RESTORATION: THE SONGS OF ELTON JOHN & BERNIE TAUPIN

15-VARIOUS-JOHNNY CASH: FOREVER WORDS

BEST CHRISTMAS ALBUM

RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE

1-SERENA RYDER-CHRISTMAS KISSES

2-INGRID MICHAELSON-SONGS FOR THE SEASON

3-JD MCPHERSON-SOCKS

4-VARIOUS-SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM NASHVILLE

5-JOHN LEGEND-A LEGENDARY CHRISTMAS

6-VARIOUS-GIVING SONGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (TIES GET THE SAME RANKING)

RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE

1-SNOW PATROL-WILDNESS (DELUXE EDITION)

2-JEN SYGIT-IT'S ABOUT TIME

3-SCARS ON 45-SATELLITE TOWN

4-JOSH GROBAN-BRIDGES (TARGET EDITION)

5-JASON MRAZ-KNOW.

5-BRANDI CARLILE-BY THE WAY, I FORGIVE YOU

7-LORI MCKENNA-THE TREE

8-LINDSAY LOU-SOUTHLAND

9-RECORD COMPANY-ALL OF THIS LIFE (TARGET EDITION)

10-PASSENER-RUNAWAY (DELUXE EDITION)

10-FLORENCE + THE MACHINE-HIGH AS HOPE (CLEAN VERSION)

10-VAN WILLIAM-COUNTRIES

10-REUBEN AND THE DARK-ARMS OF A DREAM

10-DECEMBERISTS-I'LL BE YOUR GIRL

10-LENNY KRAVITZ-RAISE VIBRATION

16-JAMES BAY-ELECTRIC LIGHT (TARGET EDITION)

17-DONOVAN WOODS-BOTH WAYS

17-VANCE JOY-NATION OF TWO

19-PUSH STARS-3 FEET IN THE AIR

20-GEORGE EZRA-STAYING AT TAMARA'S

20-WE BANJO 3-HAVEN

20-RYAN RACINE-OUTSIDER'S HEART

23-MATT NATHANSON-SINGS HIS SAD HEART

24-CARY BROTHERS-BRUISES

24-JILL JACK-THESE DAYS

26-MUMFORD & SONS-DELTA (TARGET EDITION)

27-2CELLOS-LET THERE BE CELLO

28-REVIVALISTS-TAKE GOOD CARE

29-DAUGHTRY-CAGE TO RATTLE (WALMART EDITION)

30-STEPHEN KELLOGG-OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR

30-DARLINGSIDE-EXTRALIFE

32-ALEX DEZEN-ALEX DEZEN \\\

33-RAY LAMONTAGNE-PART OF THE LIGHT

34-AMOS LEE-MY NEW MOON (DELUXE EDITION)

35-JIM CUDDY-CONSTELLATION

36-NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHTSWEATS-TEARING AT THE SEAMS (DELUXE EDITION)

36-DAVE BOUTETTE & KRISTI LYNN DAVIS-EASY AS PIE

38-MOON TAXI-LET THE RECORD PLAY

38-DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE-THANK YOU FOR TODAY

38-GLEN HANSARD-BETWEEN TWO SHORES

41-FRANK TURNER-BE MORE KIND

42-MATT MAESON-WHO KILLED MATT MAESON

43-TAYLOR CARSON-AFTER THE TAMER HAS GONE

43-LISA STANSFIELD-DEEPER (DELUXE EDITION)

45-LUCKY NOWS-RISE

45-ANDERSON EAST-ENCORE

47-MUSE-SIMULATION THEORY (DELUXE EDITION)

48-JOEY DOSIK-GAME WINNER

49-RICK SPRINGFIELD-THE SNAKE KING

50-ROSCOE & ELLA-ROSCOE & ELLA

50-ALARM-EQUALS

50-KAT EDMONSON-OLD FASHIONED GAL

50-AHI-IN OUR TIME

54-LAUREN DIAGLE-LOOK UP CHILD

54-LISSIE-CASTLES

54-KT TUNSTALL-WAX (SPECIAL EDITION)

54-JOHN GOKRA-TRUE IN TIME

59-DAWES-PASSWORDS

59-RYAN MONTBLEAU-WOODSTOCK SESSIONS

59-SHINEDOWN-ATTENTION ATTENTION

61-MAT KEARNEY-CRAZYTALK

62-ANDREW COLLINS TRIO-GROOVE

62-JAYHAWKS-BACK ROADS AND ABANONDED MOTELS

64-BRANDON BONINE-WARRANTED WORRIES

65-LUCIE SILVAS-E.G.O.

65-PHILLIP PHILLIPS-COLLATERAL

65-JOHN BUTLER TRIO-HOME

68-TIM STOP-FOR THE BIRDS

68-ROAN-YELLOWTHORN

68-SISTER SPARROW-GOLD

68-IMAGINE DRAGONS-ORIGINS (TARGET EDITION)

68-VAN MORRISON & JOEY DEFRANCESCO-YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY

73-KACEY MUSGRAVES-GOLDEN HOUR

73-WELSHLEY ARMS-NO PLACE IS HOME

76-RUSTEN KELLY-DYING STAR

76-AMY RAY-HOLLER

76-BAHAMAS-EARTHTONES

76-NICKI BLUHM-TO RISE YOU GOTTA FALL

76-KITTEL & CO-WHORLS

76-RED WANTING BLUE-THE WANTING

77-CHVRCHES-LOVE IS DEAD

82-YOUNG THE GIANT-MIRROR MASTER

82-LOREENA MCKENNIT-LOST SOULS

84-MICHAEL MCDERMOTT-OUT FROM UNDER

84-DAVID WILCOX-THE VIEW FROM THE EDGE

86-LUCY DACUS-HISTORIAN

87-ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES-YOUNG SICK CAMELIA

88-CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS-CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS (TARGET VERSION)

88-BUFFALO TOM-QUIET AND PEACE

88-BETH WOOD-THE LONG ROAD

91-PAUL WELLER-TRUE MEANINGS (DELUXE EDITION)

92-SLOAN-TWELVE

92-WILD CHILD-EXPECTATIONS

94-GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS-WIDDERSHINS

94-MAYY MAYS-TWICE UPON A HELL OF A TIME

96-BESIDES DANIEL-TEEMING

96-REVEREND SHAWN AMOS-BREAKS IT DOWN

96-TRACEY THORN-RECORD

99-VAN MORRISON-THE PROPHET SPEAKS

100-THE SEA THE SEA-FROM THE LIGHT

100-WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS-MISSION BELL

100-STEVE PERRY-TRACES (TARGET EDITION)

103-PAUL CARRACK-THESE DAYS (HMV EXCLUSIVE)

103-JANN ARDEN-THESE ARE THE DAYS

103-SIMPLE MINDS-WALK BETWEEN WORLDS (DELUXE EDITION)

106-NOW.NOW-SAVED

106-GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV -EVENING MACHINES

106-BROTHER BROTHERS-SOME PEOPLE I KNOW

109-JORDIE LANE-GLASSELLLAND

109-ROUGH AND TUMBLE-WE MADE OURSELVES A HOME WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW

111-HALEY HEYNDERICKX-I NEED TO START A GARDEN

112-PAUL MCCARTNEY-EGYPT STATION (TARGET EDITION)

113-S. CAREY-HUNDRED ACRES

114-DUSTBOWL REVIVAL-THE DUSTBOWL REVIVAL

114-MISSY RAINES-ROYAL TRAVELLER

114-WILLIE NELSON-LAST MAN STANDING

117-LORD HURON-VIDE NOIR

118-MARK KNOPFLER-DOWN THE ROAD WHEREVER (DELUXE EDITION)

118-TONY HADLEY-TALKING TO THE MOON (DELUXE EDITION)

120-MIKE GENTRY-MIKE GENTRY

120-I'M WITH HER-SEE YOU AROUND

120-NEIL & LIAM FINN-LIGHTSLEEPER

120-KASEY CHAMBERS-CAMPFIRE

120-STING & SHAGGY-44/876 (TARGET EDITION)

120-SHAWN COLVIN-THE STARFIGHTER