Album of the year 2018

When I first wrote about this album in March I said that it would end up on many year-end Top Ten lists. I knew that it would stand up all year. It was just early then, and I really thought something else might come along and do better.

Sometimes you're right, and sometimes you're wrong.

Here's some of what I wrote in my original review:

Lucy Dacus' first album, No Burden, falls into "great music but not ready for prime time production" for me. The songs are great, but you can tell they were done independently with little cash - and yet they still sound great. Which... perfectly sets her up for the sophomore slump, right? In this case, you'd be wrong.

It's true that her follow up, Historian, is out now on Matador Records. It's also true that even on first listen you can tell that Matador fronted some scratch to get this album made. This is where I feel like the sophomore slump is a misnomer - we should call it the "I have too much record company money to spend" slump, because I think most of those records are just victims of wandering minds lured by money. Dacus does not fall victim to anything.

She's still got one of my favorite alto voices around. She's still telling some of the best stories, from working opposing shifts to avoid a soon-to-be ex on "Night Shift" to the loss of family on "Pillar of Truth" and "Historians." It's true, this record incorporates string arrangements (sparingly, mind you), horn sections, effects, yet it's still a really good rock record. I will admit, it takes some attention to really hear it since none of the tracks are what I'd consider to be hook-laden radio hits, but that's exactly why this record shines so much.

And here's what I wrote last week, as I named "Night Shift" my #2 song of the year:

Sure, she's a bit of a hometown darling for me, but christ isn't this just one of the greatest breakup songs you've heard in forever? It's also a masterclass in how to build tension and anticipation in a song and make you long for the payoff - and what a payoff it is. You're sold from the moment she starts singing "the first time I tasted somebody else's spit/I had a coughing fit" to the last time through the outro where she takes it up an octave and belts out how she doesn't want to see her former lover ever again.

If you haven't spent any time with Lucy Dacus' record Historian this year, I highly recommend you do so at your earliest convenience. You won't be disappointed.

Runners up for the award: What a Time to Be Alive by Superchunk, Lush by Snail Mail, Tell Me How You Really Feel by Courtney Barnett