Here’s my list of best music for 2018. Coming December 15: Best of 2019

Top 30 Albums of 2018:

  1. Blood Orange • Negro Swan (Domino)
  2. Sons of Kemet • Your Queen is a Reptile (Impulse)
  3. Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band • The Serpents Mouth (Big Crown)
  4. Unknown Mortal Orchestra • Sex & Food (Jajjaguwar)
  5. Kamasi Washington • Heaven and Earth  (Young Turks)
  6. Wooden Shjips • V. (Thrill Jockey)
  7. Low • Double Negative (Sub Pop)
  8. Tangents • New Bodies (Temporary Residence)
  9. Ty Segall • Freedom’s Goblin  (Drag City)
  10. Glenn Jones • The Giant Who Ate Himself… (Thrill Jockey)
  11. Santigold • I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions (Downtown)
  12. Spiritualized • And Nothing Hurt (Fat Possum)
  13. Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood • With Animals (Heavenly)
  14. Agnarkea • Black Helicopters (Natural Sciences)
  15. Wolfgang Muthspiel • Where the River Goes (ECM)
  16. Preoccupations • New Material (Jagjaguwar)
  17. Courtney Marie Andrews • May Your Kindness Remain (Fat Possum)
  18. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks • Sparkle Hard  (Matador)
  19. Parquet Courts • Wide Awake (Rough Trade)
  20. The Eastern Sleds • There’s No Place Left To Go  (Burst & Bloom)
  21. Makaya McCraven • Universal Beings (International Anthem)
  22. Sarah Louise • Deeper Woods (Thrill Jockey)
  23. Hilary Woods • Colt  (Sacred Bones)
  24. Cat Power • Wanderer (Domino)
  25. Khruangbin • Con Todo El Mundo (Dead Oceans)
  26. The Messthetics • The Messthetics (Dischord)
  27. The Sea and Cake • Any Day (Thrill Jockey)
  28. Sandro Perri • In Another Life (Constellation)
  29. The Molochs • Flowers in the Spring (Innovative Leisure)
  30. Marissa Nadler • For My Crimes (Sacred Bones)

I have included one of the best Grateful Dead concerts from their last great period as a band and a performance from JRAD, one of the best Grateful Dead cover bands ever created. Please enjoy! 

syf  The Grateful Dead, Live at Alpine Valley Music Theatre – 07/17/1989

Setlist: Let The Good Times Roll, Feel Like A Stranger, Built To Last, Me & My Uncle->Cumberland Blues, It’s All Over Now, Row Jimmy, When I Paint My Masterpiece, When Push Comes To Shove, The Music Never Stopped China Cat Sunflower->I Know You Rider, Playin’ In The Band->Uncle John’s Band->Standing On the Moon*, Drums, Jam->The Wheel->Gimme Some Lovin’->Goin’ Down The Road Feelin’ Bad->Not Fade Away.  Encore: We Bid You Good Night, Johnny B. Goode

  Joe Russo’s Almost Dead Live at State Theatre – 03/02/2019

Setlist: BIODTL, Cumberland Blues, My Brother Esau, They Love Each Other, Casey Jones, Good Lovin’, Uncle John’s Band, Jam, Here Comes Sunshine, Lost Sailor, Saint Of Circumstance, Bird Song -> How Many More Times -> Bird Song Reprise, Silvio, I Know You Rider, Marco Solo, Such A Night, Touch Of Grey