2018 felt a bit off to me, musically-speaking. Certainly, there was plenty of music I liked. But compared to the past few years, not as many albums I loved. With that said, there were some musical milestones this year:
-I learned that I really like Ariana Grande (Lyft rides are much more pleasant now!)
-boygenius formed, released an amazing EP, and put on one of the most inspiring shows I've ever seen. Supergroups can be good!
-I saw Radiohead play the one good song from Pablo Honey that's not Creep. First performance since 2008!! Be excited for me.
-A country artist (Kacey Musgraves) and a jazz artist (Kamasi Washington) made my favorite albums list for the first time. And I believe this is the first year that a majority of albums on my list are by women.
-I obtained a recording of myself singing an absolutely horrific karaoke version of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Run Away With Me" at Alice's Lounge. No, you cannot hear it.
Anyway, on to the list. Below are my favorite albums of 2018. At the bottom, you'll find a (poorly-edited, overly long) playlist of my favorite songs of the year.
Honorable Mentions
boygenius- boygenius EP (Though really this should be #4 on the list, relegated to honorable mention status only due to its length)
Ravyn Lenae- Crush EP
Pusha T- Daytona
Adrianne Lenker- abysskiss
Parquet Courts- Wide Awake!
Car Seat Headrest- Twin Fantasy
Vince Staples- FM!
Top Twenty
20. Janelle Monae- Dirty Computer
This is topping a lot of lists this year, and though I don't think it is a masterpiece, it is a fun, uplifting listen. Her live show though, holy shit. An absolute blast.
19. Let's Eat Grandma- I'm All Ears
Yes the band name is terrible (though it might be pleasing to grammar nerds). But this is a very good band! Essentially, they sound like Chvrches but a bit weirder and more experimental. So if Love is Dead disappointed you, maybe check this out instead.
18. Ariana Grande- Sweetener
As indicated above I never really listened to Ms. Grande until this year. Then I heard "No Tears Left to Cry" and found it to be simultaneously a powerful response to 2017's tragic Manchester bombing and also an infectious pop banger. Turns out the whole album is very enjoyable, with consistently interesting songwriting and production choices. Grande ended the year as the biggest pop star on the planet and she is 100% deserving of that title.
17. Robyn- Honey
17. Robyn- Honey
If you had asked 11-year-old me which artist behind a 1997 pop hit would make an album I love two decades later, I certainly would have guessed Chumbawumba and not Robyn. Granted, it was not a particular shock to 2018 me; after all, this is the woman who wrote "Dancing On My Own." Honey is an exquisite collection of pop songs, bookended by two of my favorite songs of the year ("Missing You" and especially "Ever Again"- one of the most empowering breakup anthems I've ever heard).
16. Earl Sweatshirt- Some Rap SongsWith 15 songs in 24 minutes, Some Rap Songs packs a lot of ideas and interesting sounds into its short run time. It can be a disorienting listen at first, because just as you start getting into a song the next one abruptly starts. But with patience the album reveals a surprising cohesiveness, bound together by a bevy of looped samples and nonstop, hook-free rapping.
15. U.S. Girls- In A Poem Unlimited
Cool as hell, surprisingly groovy album (which caught me off-guard because her earlier work is a lot less immediate). Outstanding use of saxophone on this one.
14. Hop Along- Bark Your Head Off, Dog
One of my favorite rock bands returns with an album that matches the quality of 2015's stellar Painted Shut. Frances Quinlan remains one of the most powerful vocalists in music, and the band's songwriting has evolved to include some new instruments and textures- most notably, on the stunning strings-laden closing track "Prior Things."
13. Foxing- Nearer My God
Another of the most memorable shows I saw in 2018 was this St. Louis band's triumphant, celebratory tour-finale at Lincoln Hall. The band was incredibly grateful to have sold out the venue, and delivered a rousing performance matched in enthusiasm by a crowd shouting every lyric back at the band. A similar energy is captured on Nearer My God, the album that inspired me to attend the show. These are big songs with soaring melodies paired with emotional, soul-bearing lyrics. In a parallel universe where rock bands still could ascend to the top of the music world, I can imagine these songs being played in stadiums.
12. Jeff Rosenstock- POST-
Released on January 1st, 2018, POST- was a trusty companion this year whenever I was in the mood to rock out. Rosenstock is a punk lifer with outstanding songwriting chops. His music is vibrant, thoughtful, and adventurous- with him allowing space for a 7 ½ minute multi-sectioned epic ("USA") to start the album and an 11-minute fist-pumping anthem ("Let Them Win") to close things out. The latter even has a calming 5-minute drone outro, not often found in punk songs!
Released on January 1st, 2018, POST- was a trusty companion this year whenever I was in the mood to rock out. Rosenstock is a punk lifer with outstanding songwriting chops. His music is vibrant, thoughtful, and adventurous- with him allowing space for a 7 ½ minute multi-sectioned epic ("USA") to start the album and an 11-minute fist-pumping anthem ("Let Them Win") to close things out. The latter even has a calming 5-minute drone outro, not often found in punk songs!
11. Kali Uchis- Isolation
My favorite debut album of the year. Uchis is a Colombian-American artist who I first learned of in 2017 via her amazing performance on Tyler, The Creator's "See You Again." Isolation reveals that, in addition to her impressive vocals, she can successfully pull off a diverse range of styles- from R&B, synth pop, funk, and Latin pop to Amy Winehouse-style neo soul. Uchis drafts an array of impressive collaborators (Damon Albarn, Steve Lacy, Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, and Tyler on album highlight "After the Storm") but her voice and charisma remain front and center. I would love to see her further cross over into the mainstream; she definitely has the talent to be a world-conquering pop star.
10. Mount Eerie- Now Only
Phil Elverum followed up the saddest album I've ever heard (2017's A Crow Looked at Me) with this almost-as-sad album. Unlike Crow, which captured the raw heartache of his wife's still very-recent passing from pancreatic cancer, Now Only finds Elverum figuring out how to move forward living his life and raising his daughter. He bluntly states on the title track, "But people get cancer and die/People get hit by trucks and die/People just living their lives/Get erased for no reason with the rest of us watching from the side/And some people have to survive/And find a way to feel lucky to still be alive/To sleep through the night." I saw Elverum perform much of the album at Thalia Hall last June, and it was an incredibly beautiful albeit surreal experience. At the end of each song, you could feel each audience member hesitating: "he just sang a song about discarding his dead wife's ashes...how do I clap for that?" Thankfully, there is a happy ending of sorts. Little did I know that a few weeks after that show Elverum would move to New York and marry the actress Michelle Williams.
9. Beach House- 7
Beach House have been a consistently good band since 2006, and released two fine albums in 2015. Nonetheless, I found myself not especially excited for 7 when it was announced. It felt to me that their sound had run its course. How many blissful dream pop albums could this band make before things become stale? Thankfully, I was mistaken. 7 is one of Beach House's best albums, only eclipsed by Teen Dream in my mind. "Dive" best encapsulates how they managed to keep things fresh. Starting off as a typical Beach House-y song with organs and hushed vocals, midway through the song transforms into a full-on, New Order-indebted dance number. In general, the album provides a darker atmosphere than their previous albums; however, they forged down this darker path without sacrificing the qualities that make their music so comforting to my ears. And in doing so, cemented their status as one of the best indie bands of the last 15 years.
My favorite debut album of the year. Uchis is a Colombian-American artist who I first learned of in 2017 via her amazing performance on Tyler, The Creator's "See You Again." Isolation reveals that, in addition to her impressive vocals, she can successfully pull off a diverse range of styles- from R&B, synth pop, funk, and Latin pop to Amy Winehouse-style neo soul. Uchis drafts an array of impressive collaborators (Damon Albarn, Steve Lacy, Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, and Tyler on album highlight "After the Storm") but her voice and charisma remain front and center. I would love to see her further cross over into the mainstream; she definitely has the talent to be a world-conquering pop star.
10. Mount Eerie- Now Only
Phil Elverum followed up the saddest album I've ever heard (2017's A Crow Looked at Me) with this almost-as-sad album. Unlike Crow, which captured the raw heartache of his wife's still very-recent passing from pancreatic cancer, Now Only finds Elverum figuring out how to move forward living his life and raising his daughter. He bluntly states on the title track, "But people get cancer and die/People get hit by trucks and die/People just living their lives/Get erased for no reason with the rest of us watching from the side/And some people have to survive/And find a way to feel lucky to still be alive/To sleep through the night." I saw Elverum perform much of the album at Thalia Hall last June, and it was an incredibly beautiful albeit surreal experience. At the end of each song, you could feel each audience member hesitating: "he just sang a song about discarding his dead wife's ashes...how do I clap for that?" Thankfully, there is a happy ending of sorts. Little did I know that a few weeks after that show Elverum would move to New York and marry the actress Michelle Williams.
9. Beach House- 7
Beach House have been a consistently good band since 2006, and released two fine albums in 2015. Nonetheless, I found myself not especially excited for 7 when it was announced. It felt to me that their sound had run its course. How many blissful dream pop albums could this band make before things become stale? Thankfully, I was mistaken. 7 is one of Beach House's best albums, only eclipsed by Teen Dream in my mind. "Dive" best encapsulates how they managed to keep things fresh. Starting off as a typical Beach House-y song with organs and hushed vocals, midway through the song transforms into a full-on, New Order-indebted dance number. In general, the album provides a darker atmosphere than their previous albums; however, they forged down this darker path without sacrificing the qualities that make their music so comforting to my ears. And in doing so, cemented their status as one of the best indie bands of the last 15 years.
8. Kacey Musgraves- Golden Hour
I will admit that I never would have listened to Golden Hour on my own, drawn to it instead by the torrent of praise it received outside of the pop country world. From the tender opening notes of "Slow Burn," I could tell the album would challenge my negative stereotypes about modern country music. Nowhere to be found are inane lyrics about trucks and beer, sterile production, or MAGA-adjacent politics. Instead, Golden Hour is an earnest collection of often sweet pop songs- delivered with warmth and humor. Try to listen to these lines from "Slow Burn" without smiling: "Texas is hot, I can be cold/Grandma cried when I pierced my nose." Musgraves displays impressive versatility as well, most notably on the country-disco masterpiece "High Horse." Musgraves also delivers one of the most gorgeous ballads I heard this year, "Rainbow" (let's be real, I could definitely cry to this one if I let myself). Though I am not exactly planning on running out and buying some Brooks and Dunn records, I am glad to have found a pop country artist who resonates with me.
I will admit that I never would have listened to Golden Hour on my own, drawn to it instead by the torrent of praise it received outside of the pop country world. From the tender opening notes of "Slow Burn," I could tell the album would challenge my negative stereotypes about modern country music. Nowhere to be found are inane lyrics about trucks and beer, sterile production, or MAGA-adjacent politics. Instead, Golden Hour is an earnest collection of often sweet pop songs- delivered with warmth and humor. Try to listen to these lines from "Slow Burn" without smiling: "Texas is hot, I can be cold/Grandma cried when I pierced my nose." Musgraves displays impressive versatility as well, most notably on the country-disco masterpiece "High Horse." Musgraves also delivers one of the most gorgeous ballads I heard this year, "Rainbow" (let's be real, I could definitely cry to this one if I let myself). Though I am not exactly planning on running out and buying some Brooks and Dunn records, I am glad to have found a pop country artist who resonates with me.
7. Noname- Room 25
It frustrates me to see Noname often mentioned as being "one of the best female rappers in the game" because she is without a doubt one of the best rappers, period. No gender qualifier needed. 2016's Telefone was an exciting debut but Room 25 betters it in every way. Still employing a jazzy backing band as on Telefone, the musicianship and complexity of Noname's song arrangements take a big step up on Room 25. Noname's rapping sounds more confident here, as well- with her declaring at the outset "Y'all really thought a bitch couldn't rap, huh? Maybe this your answer for that." I was sad to learn that Noname no longer calls Chicago home, having moved to Los Angeles in 2017. But Chicago is still all over this album, with frequent lyrical nods and an impressive array of local collaborators (Ravyn Lenae, Phoelix, Smino, and Saba all make appearances). "Ace," featuring Saba and Smino, makes me feel especially grateful to live in a city that has birthed so many talented musicians. Room 25 is a wonderful realization of the potential Noname hinted at on Telefone, and one of the more inspiring albums I heard this year.
It frustrates me to see Noname often mentioned as being "one of the best female rappers in the game" because she is without a doubt one of the best rappers, period. No gender qualifier needed. 2016's Telefone was an exciting debut but Room 25 betters it in every way. Still employing a jazzy backing band as on Telefone, the musicianship and complexity of Noname's song arrangements take a big step up on Room 25. Noname's rapping sounds more confident here, as well- with her declaring at the outset "Y'all really thought a bitch couldn't rap, huh? Maybe this your answer for that." I was sad to learn that Noname no longer calls Chicago home, having moved to Los Angeles in 2017. But Chicago is still all over this album, with frequent lyrical nods and an impressive array of local collaborators (Ravyn Lenae, Phoelix, Smino, and Saba all make appearances). "Ace," featuring Saba and Smino, makes me feel especially grateful to live in a city that has birthed so many talented musicians. Room 25 is a wonderful realization of the potential Noname hinted at on Telefone, and one of the more inspiring albums I heard this year.
6. Lucy Dacus- Historian
Few songs wowed me this year as much as Historian opener "Night Shift." I dare you to not belt out the song's explosive chorus ("You got a nine to five, so I’ll take the night shift/And I’ll never see you again if I can help it") at the top of your lungs. The rest of the album, though generally more restrained, is consistently enjoyable. "Addictions" and "Next of Kin" are quite catchy, while the slow-burning "Pillar of Truth" provides one of the more exciting musical payoffs of the year. Dacus's talents further shined in 2018 on her contributions to the stellar boygenius EP with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. Only 23 years old, Dacus has very clearly positioned herself as a songwriter to watch moving forward.
5. Kamasi Washington- Heaven and Earth
Few songs wowed me this year as much as Historian opener "Night Shift." I dare you to not belt out the song's explosive chorus ("You got a nine to five, so I’ll take the night shift/And I’ll never see you again if I can help it") at the top of your lungs. The rest of the album, though generally more restrained, is consistently enjoyable. "Addictions" and "Next of Kin" are quite catchy, while the slow-burning "Pillar of Truth" provides one of the more exciting musical payoffs of the year. Dacus's talents further shined in 2018 on her contributions to the stellar boygenius EP with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. Only 23 years old, Dacus has very clearly positioned herself as a songwriter to watch moving forward.
5. Kamasi Washington- Heaven and Earth
Jazz has long been a genre I have neglected, and given that I have never listened to countless jazz classics (Bitches Brew? A Love Supreme? Nope!) I still have a lot of work to do. Heaven and Earth, however, has piqued my interest somewhat. I have known Kamasi Washington's name for awhile, primarily due to his collaborations with Kendrick Lamar and Thundercat, but I had never heard his own music before this year. Heaven and Earth impressed me from the outset- opener "Fists of Fury" is an absolutely epic re-imagination of the theme from an old Bruce Lee movie. Amazingly, Washington manages to sustain that level of quality for the entire 2 hours and 24 minute running time. The album is impeccably arranged and produced. Washington displays skill performing both fast tempo songs that let him go wild on the saxophone, as well as slow, beautiful ballads. Heaven and Earth may be an intimidating listen, but I found myself continually returning to it due to the tremendous artistry on display.
4. Mitski- Be the Cowboy
Mitski's audience has exploded since 2016's fantastic Puberty 2. She has handled this increase in attention with humility and grace, frequently and earnestly declaring gratitude to fans on her wonderful (and often hilarious) twitter feed. Be the Cowboy (to Mitski's own befuddlement) has topped year-end lists by publications such as Pitchfork. Though to me, Puberty 2 is the superior record, Be the Cowboy got under my skin like few albums this year. With only two songs exceeding three minutes, the album moves by quickly and often leaves the listener wanting more. This is fitting, with Mitski's lyrics describing people who are restless, insecure, and unsatisfied. Mitski has a profound talent for writing songs that genuinely capture core human emotions (heartache, sadness, regret) in a way that resonates with the listeners' own experiences. Album centerpiece "Nobody," probably my favorite song of the year, is an anthem to loneliness set to a disco soundtrack. Mitski understands that sometimes you just want to wallow in that feeling of being alone, that this can be something to celebrate. Be the Cowboy might not be the most uplifting listen, but it provides excellent emotional validation.
4. Mitski- Be the Cowboy
Mitski's audience has exploded since 2016's fantastic Puberty 2. She has handled this increase in attention with humility and grace, frequently and earnestly declaring gratitude to fans on her wonderful (and often hilarious) twitter feed. Be the Cowboy (to Mitski's own befuddlement) has topped year-end lists by publications such as Pitchfork. Though to me, Puberty 2 is the superior record, Be the Cowboy got under my skin like few albums this year. With only two songs exceeding three minutes, the album moves by quickly and often leaves the listener wanting more. This is fitting, with Mitski's lyrics describing people who are restless, insecure, and unsatisfied. Mitski has a profound talent for writing songs that genuinely capture core human emotions (heartache, sadness, regret) in a way that resonates with the listeners' own experiences. Album centerpiece "Nobody," probably my favorite song of the year, is an anthem to loneliness set to a disco soundtrack. Mitski understands that sometimes you just want to wallow in that feeling of being alone, that this can be something to celebrate. Be the Cowboy might not be the most uplifting listen, but it provides excellent emotional validation.
3. Julia Holter- Aviary
Aviary is the boldest album I heard this year. In 2015, Holter released Have You In My Wilderness- a relatively accessible and well-received collection of chamber pop songs; the album was in stark contrast to her previous, more experimental work. Fresh off that success, Holter easily could have continued down the same path in an attempt to further expand her audience. Instead, Holter went in the complete opposite direction- returning to her roots and releasing a fiercely avant-garde album surely to challenge even her biggest fans. Aviary is unlike any album I've ever heard. In fact, it almost feels wrong to call it an "album"; instead, it functions as an atmosphere to get lost in for 90 minutes. None of the 15 songs are structured in any sort of conventional way, with Holter's gorgeous vocals and a dense array of strings, horns, piano, and organ the only constants. And before you get mad at me, fair warning: epitomizing the risks Holter took on this album, "Everyday is an Emergency" starts out with a four minute bagpipe drone (it has kinda grown on me!). Most of the album, however, explores beautiful rather than abrasive sounds. Holter's music makes me feel glad to be alive- not dissimilar to how I feel when immersed in nature. This year, there was no better album than Aviary for when I wanted to relax and let music calm my mental state.
Aviary is the boldest album I heard this year. In 2015, Holter released Have You In My Wilderness- a relatively accessible and well-received collection of chamber pop songs; the album was in stark contrast to her previous, more experimental work. Fresh off that success, Holter easily could have continued down the same path in an attempt to further expand her audience. Instead, Holter went in the complete opposite direction- returning to her roots and releasing a fiercely avant-garde album surely to challenge even her biggest fans. Aviary is unlike any album I've ever heard. In fact, it almost feels wrong to call it an "album"; instead, it functions as an atmosphere to get lost in for 90 minutes. None of the 15 songs are structured in any sort of conventional way, with Holter's gorgeous vocals and a dense array of strings, horns, piano, and organ the only constants. And before you get mad at me, fair warning: epitomizing the risks Holter took on this album, "Everyday is an Emergency" starts out with a four minute bagpipe drone (it has kinda grown on me!). Most of the album, however, explores beautiful rather than abrasive sounds. Holter's music makes me feel glad to be alive- not dissimilar to how I feel when immersed in nature. This year, there was no better album than Aviary for when I wanted to relax and let music calm my mental state.
2. Low- Double Negative
Low are long-time favorites of mine, having created a sublime catalog of slow-burning, melancholy music ("slowcore" being the genre they are most associated with). Double Negative, the band's 12th album, represents a high-water mark in their career. Low has always been an adventurous band, unafraid to release a song with a 10-minute drone outro or to turn Little Drummer Boy into a funeral dirge. Double Negative, however, finds the band exploring a sound unlike any I have heard from them or anyone else. Fuzz and distortion prevail on the album, employed in a way that is hypnotic rather than off-putting. The album almost sounds like it is from the future, with guitars used to create alien soundscapes. As with the band's previous work, the vocals are beautiful and haunting. This is particularly true when drummer Mimi Parker, who has long been one of my favorite vocalists, sings. Seeing the album performed at Rockefeller Chapel at University of Chicago was the perfect setting to hear these songs, representing another concert highlight for me in 2018. I tend to temper my expectations for new albums by bands that have been around for 25+ years like Low has. Double Negative is the rare album that finds a band three decades into its career proving emphatically that they have only gotten better.
1. Saba- Care for Me
I will fully admit that even as a self-identifying music obsessive, I am rarely hyper-focused on what I am listening to. Oftentimes I am listening to music on crappy laptop speakers while browsing Twitter and getting angry about the day's headlines. As a result, I tend to take in the overall sound of an album but rarely do I get more than a surface-level impression of the lyrics. Care for Me, however, demanded my attention like no other album I heard this year. I first heard of Chicago rapper Saba through his collaboration with Chance the Rapper on "Angels" in 2015, but as one of the leaders of the west side collective Pivot Gang, Saba has been a key member of the city's thrilling hip-hop scene since his first project dropped in 2012. Saba's close association with the Pivot Gang forms the tragic backstory for the album. On February 8th, 2017, Saba's cousin Walter Long Jr., a founding Pivot Gang member, was stabbed to death following an altercation on a Green Line train. Care for Me finds Saba processing this loss in an absolutely stunning tribute to his cousin. I can tell you precisely when I realized this was likely going to be my album of the year. Driving home after a quick trip to Wisconsin last July, I put on the album as I entered into Illinois. At that point, I knew the heartbreaking context of the album but had not taken the time to truly feel what Saba was saying. Without a glowing screen to distract me, I listened to his every word. By the time the album was over, I was in awe at Saba's ability to so vividly capture the life and death of his cousin as well as the many emotions (anger, despair, guilt) he experienced in the aftermath of his murder.
There are two major highlights on Care for Me. On opener "BUSY/SIRENS," Saba raps about his social isolation and depression that worsened after his cousin's death; simultaneously, he paints an evocative portrait of living in a bitterly segregated city where police sirens bring fear to his community in the west side neighborhood of Austin. The penultimate track, "PROM/KING" is absolutely heart-wrenching. Throughout 7½ captivating minutes, Saba tells the story of when Walter helped get him a prom date and how their friendship blossomed in the ensuing years. During the song's second half, Saba raps at a furious pace as he talks about how their lives and careers were trending upward until that fateful February day. The song ends with Saba recounting receiving a phone call from Walter's mother trying to find out what happened to him in the confusing hours after his murder. Walter's voice is then heard, singing "Just another day in the ghetto...I just hope I make it 'til tomorrow." The rest of the album, while not quite as intense, similarly evokes strong emotions in the listener. Saba utilizes jazz accents on "LIFE" and "CALLIGRAPHY," both powerful songs that further speak to his anguish. "SMILE," meanwhile, provides a rare upbeat moment- with him reminiscing about growing up in his grandparents' west side apartment and expressing a desire to vacation in the South where his family originates. The album concludes with Saba taking Walter's perspective on "HEAVEN ALL AROUND ME." He attempts to reach a sense of comfort by telling himself that, after all that has transpired, there is now "heaven all around" his cousin.
As a whole, Care for Me is a remarkable album and one of the finest to come out of the vibrant Chicago hip-hop scene. Saba channeled his grief into a complex, absorbing work that will ensure his cousin's legacy lives on.
Best of 2018 Playlist
Here is a playlist of some of my favorite songs of 2018. These get longer every year, sorry. But I think it flows nicely (don't listen to it on shuffle)!
Low are long-time favorites of mine, having created a sublime catalog of slow-burning, melancholy music ("slowcore" being the genre they are most associated with). Double Negative, the band's 12th album, represents a high-water mark in their career. Low has always been an adventurous band, unafraid to release a song with a 10-minute drone outro or to turn Little Drummer Boy into a funeral dirge. Double Negative, however, finds the band exploring a sound unlike any I have heard from them or anyone else. Fuzz and distortion prevail on the album, employed in a way that is hypnotic rather than off-putting. The album almost sounds like it is from the future, with guitars used to create alien soundscapes. As with the band's previous work, the vocals are beautiful and haunting. This is particularly true when drummer Mimi Parker, who has long been one of my favorite vocalists, sings. Seeing the album performed at Rockefeller Chapel at University of Chicago was the perfect setting to hear these songs, representing another concert highlight for me in 2018. I tend to temper my expectations for new albums by bands that have been around for 25+ years like Low has. Double Negative is the rare album that finds a band three decades into its career proving emphatically that they have only gotten better.
1. Saba- Care for Me
I will fully admit that even as a self-identifying music obsessive, I am rarely hyper-focused on what I am listening to. Oftentimes I am listening to music on crappy laptop speakers while browsing Twitter and getting angry about the day's headlines. As a result, I tend to take in the overall sound of an album but rarely do I get more than a surface-level impression of the lyrics. Care for Me, however, demanded my attention like no other album I heard this year. I first heard of Chicago rapper Saba through his collaboration with Chance the Rapper on "Angels" in 2015, but as one of the leaders of the west side collective Pivot Gang, Saba has been a key member of the city's thrilling hip-hop scene since his first project dropped in 2012. Saba's close association with the Pivot Gang forms the tragic backstory for the album. On February 8th, 2017, Saba's cousin Walter Long Jr., a founding Pivot Gang member, was stabbed to death following an altercation on a Green Line train. Care for Me finds Saba processing this loss in an absolutely stunning tribute to his cousin. I can tell you precisely when I realized this was likely going to be my album of the year. Driving home after a quick trip to Wisconsin last July, I put on the album as I entered into Illinois. At that point, I knew the heartbreaking context of the album but had not taken the time to truly feel what Saba was saying. Without a glowing screen to distract me, I listened to his every word. By the time the album was over, I was in awe at Saba's ability to so vividly capture the life and death of his cousin as well as the many emotions (anger, despair, guilt) he experienced in the aftermath of his murder.
There are two major highlights on Care for Me. On opener "BUSY/SIRENS," Saba raps about his social isolation and depression that worsened after his cousin's death; simultaneously, he paints an evocative portrait of living in a bitterly segregated city where police sirens bring fear to his community in the west side neighborhood of Austin. The penultimate track, "PROM/KING" is absolutely heart-wrenching. Throughout 7½ captivating minutes, Saba tells the story of when Walter helped get him a prom date and how their friendship blossomed in the ensuing years. During the song's second half, Saba raps at a furious pace as he talks about how their lives and careers were trending upward until that fateful February day. The song ends with Saba recounting receiving a phone call from Walter's mother trying to find out what happened to him in the confusing hours after his murder. Walter's voice is then heard, singing "Just another day in the ghetto...I just hope I make it 'til tomorrow." The rest of the album, while not quite as intense, similarly evokes strong emotions in the listener. Saba utilizes jazz accents on "LIFE" and "CALLIGRAPHY," both powerful songs that further speak to his anguish. "SMILE," meanwhile, provides a rare upbeat moment- with him reminiscing about growing up in his grandparents' west side apartment and expressing a desire to vacation in the South where his family originates. The album concludes with Saba taking Walter's perspective on "HEAVEN ALL AROUND ME." He attempts to reach a sense of comfort by telling himself that, after all that has transpired, there is now "heaven all around" his cousin.
As a whole, Care for Me is a remarkable album and one of the finest to come out of the vibrant Chicago hip-hop scene. Saba channeled his grief into a complex, absorbing work that will ensure his cousin's legacy lives on.
Best of 2018 Playlist
Here is a playlist of some of my favorite songs of 2018. These get longer every year, sorry. But I think it flows nicely (don't listen to it on shuffle)!
