Finds of 2018
Hiya, TGE readers! In celebration of the end of the year, I wanted to compile some releases from this year that I loved. This is not a comprehensive list, and it’s not even ranked, it’s just some of the new stuff I enjoyed. Hope you enjoy it, too!
Quit the Curse - Anna Burch
It was love at first listen with Anna Burch. Her incredible album Quit the Curse is filled with relatable and catchy odes about heartbreak, love, and growing up. This album was made for repeated listens, and for shouting along to. It also spurs a lot of self-realization.
Check out: Anna Burch on The Grey Estates Podcast
Somewhat Literate - Retirement Party
I have a lot of feelings, and Retirement Party gets every single one of the them.
Check out: Retirement Party Creator Chat
Tell No One - Bad Moves
Do you like surrounding yourself with a coat of feel-good feelings? Whatever is bugging you will immediately seem less grim with Bad Moves.
Check out: Bad Moves Creator Chats
“Mute” / “Trance” - Club Night
Listen up: Club Night is consistently making some of the best, most indescribable noise pop. Every listen is like stepping into a dream world, except your dreams are filled with the sounds of twinkling-instrumentals, unique vocals, and a whole lot of unrestrained noise.
Check out: Club Night on The Grey Estates Podcast
How Many Times Have You Driven By - Hana Vu
Take this record for a walk on a sunny day or during a drive to some unknown destination. It has a ton of beautiful secrets to be discovered.
The Lamb - Lala Lala
Have you ever had a moment where you listened to a record for the first time and immediately connected with it? I feel that every time I listen to The Lamb.
Check out: Interview with Lala Lala
Loceke - Den-Mate
Loceke is the IRL musical equivalent of the sparkly star emoji.
You're A Shooting Star, I'm A Sinking Ship - Whitney Ballen
Sometimes music comes with the magical quality of reminding you that you’re not alone; that maybe somebody else out there is struggling, too. Enter Whitney Ballen : an artist who provided us much-needed encouragement and one beautiful record.
Check out: Whitney Ballen interview
“Silver Dollar” - Versing
This song is so furious and great, I don’t know how Versing hasn’t taken over the world yet.
THX 4 ASKING - Blushh
From videos filmed during a pool party to songs that lament everyone’s tendency to point out how tired another person looks, Blushh created some seriously fun gems on Thx 4 Asking. It’s the kind of music that should be listened to while you’re eating cotton candy on a sunny day.
Moaning - Moaning
I love this album more than I love most things.
Yolk in the Fur - Wild Pink
This album is beautiful, heartbreaking, and possibly filled with the secrets to living your best life, but I need to listen 50000 more times to confirm. Wild Pink makes me feel, and makes me nostalgic for things, memories, and places I didn’t even realize I missed.
Yes and No - Anna McClellan
Sometimes it takes hearing an album live for it to really sink in. I can still remember the first time I heard Anna McClellan live, and it was magic. On my first (long) day at SXSW, I was exhausted, unable to get up from a comfy seat. However, in a dimly lit room, McClellan sang these songs, and for the first time, I realized that maybe someone else had experienced a similar heartbreak to my own. I may have been groggy, and up way past my bedtime, but hearing these tracks live left a mark on me. If you’ve ever experienced loss and wondered if you’ll feel whole again; if you’ve questioned whether that love was really true — Anna McClellan has the answers, the reassurance that you’ll find yourself again.
Time ‘n’ Place - Kero Kero Bonito
When I was little I always dreamed of living in Toys R Us. I wondered what happened after the lights went out, and what it would be like to stay overnight, living out my wildest fantasy of driving in a motorized Barbie Jeep. I think Kero Kero Bonito’s album is the musical equivalent of what that experience would have been like: sweet, full of wonder and unexpected twist and turns, and so much fun.
“Colors” - The Groans
This band is EVERYTHING we need for 2018, and this single is a mini boost of positivity, a reminder that you can do anything.
Knock Hard - Yours Are the Only Ears
This record is one of those rare occasions that rewards you every time you listen with something new. No matter how many times I’ve spun this one, Yours Are the Only Ears always has some hidden secret or tiny detail that I missed the first time around.
everyone is talking but you - gladie
The first time I heard this release, I realized how special it was. It’s vulnerable, emotional, and sophisticated in its presentation of honesty. Bonus points: It features two members of the most amazing bands — Cayetana and Three Man Cannon.
MODERN FEMALE ROCKSTAR - The Sonder Bombs
Things this album will help you do:
Follow your dreams
Demand that others respect you or get lost
Dance alone in your room (like that Bring It On scene) at 7:30 a.m.
Cry
Slow Buzz - Remember Sports
I’ve run out of words to describe how much love I have for this album because I’ve talked about how much I love this album like 50000000 times. This record is like having a best friend to talk to about breakups, life, living, and just everything.