Turns out, if you watch a bunch of Band-Maid live videos just before you go to sleep because you're excited about seeing Band-Maid live in a couple of weeks, you'll have a dream where Band-Maid turn up at your house to hang out.
Yes, it's the one time of year I use this blog. My usual disclaimer applies twice as hard, as there are loads of albums this year I haven't properly listened to and might well have ended up on here if I had. OH WELL
I reserve the right to change my mind about these in perpetuity. (Some of my previous years are nuts. Bonobo's Migration as the third-best album of 2017?! That was the best album of the decade!)
10. Band-Maid - Epic Narratives
9. Rachel Chinouriri - What a Devastating Turn of Events
8. Nilüfer
Yanya - My Method Actor
7. The Linda Lindas - No Obligation
6. Beabadoobee - This is How Tomorrow Moves
5. Angus & Julia Stone - Cape Forestier
4. Charly Bliss - Forever
3. Alkaline Trio - Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs
2. Public Service Broadcasting - The Last Flight
1. Hot Water Music - Vows
("Menace" is also my song of the year, neatly.)
Bonus video! Best anime opening of the year why not. The vocalist's diction and breath control on the really fast parts completely baffle me.
So Sincere Engineer's new album's out later this week, Blink-182 have just announced a new album for next month to stand alongside new albums from Metric, the Menzingers and a reformed Gaslight Anthem, and I've just discovered that Public Service Broadcasting's new album came out like two weeks ago.
I didn't go to see Eternals in the cinema because a) it didn't get great reviews and b) it didn't look especially good from the trailer. I just watched it on Disney+ and loved it! What the hell, past me? That would've been great to see on a big screen.