What To Shop For – 2018

Here are QRO's top-rated album reviews of the year:...
What To Shop For

What To Shop For - 2018

Here are QRO’s top-rated album reviews of the year:

 

Lily Allen – No Shame
Lily Allen is often very misunderstood because she is bold lyrically, but underneath the catchy pop-indie is usually someone who is really and genuinely bold, but yes, also offensive at times. Read more…
Lily Allen : No Shame
Atmosphere – Mi Vida Local
Atmosphere, or rapper and beats producer Slug and Ant, are well known in 2018 for touching, old school, rhymes. Read more…
Atmosphere : Mi Vida Local
Michael Azerrad – Rock Critic Law
Famed rock critic Michael Azerrad skewers his own field in Rock Critic Law, 101 Unbreakable Rules for Writing Badly About Music. Read more…
Michael Azerrad : Rock Critic Law
Azure Ray – Waves
The dream-pop beauty of Orenda Fink & Maria Taylor, a.k.a. Azure Ray, is always welcome. Read more…
Azure Ray : Waves
Bart & The Bedazzled – Blue Motel
Bart Davenport has been on the scene for while now, sort of as the savant of L.A. indie. Read more…
Bart & The Bedazzled : Blue Motel
Big Bliss – At Middle Distance
Big Bliss don’t feel like a retread, but another strong step onward. Read more…
Big Bliss : At Middle Distance
Calexico – The Thread That Keeps Us
You should really start listening to Calexico. Read more…
Calexico : The Thread That Keeps Us
Neko Case – Hell-On
It’s been a long five years since Neko Case’s last record, and we’ve never needed her back more. Read more…
Neko Case : Hell-On
Chest High Fires – Chest High Fires
Husband-and-wife Jeff Berrall & Carrie Ashley Hill team up for a sweet country Honeymoon. Read more…
Chest High Fires : Chest High Fires
Death Cab for Cutie – Thank You For Today
It has become easy to forget how good Death Cab for Cutie have been, and for how long. Read more…
Death Cab for Cutie : Thank You For Today
The Decemberists – I’ll Be Your Girl
The Decemberists have a reputation that they both earned and was put upon them – basically a musical Portlandia before Portlandia. Read more…
The Decemberists : I'll Be Your Girl
Elbow – The Best Of
One of Britain’s finest bands of the last couple of decades, Elbow, offer their first retrospective collection. Read more…
Elbow - The Best Of
Greta Van Fleet – Anthem of the Peaceful Army
Greta Van Fleet has owned their rock and their angst. Read more…
Greta Van Fleet : Anthem of the Peaceful Army
Greta Van Fleet – Black Smoke Rising & From the Fires EPs
Brand new Greta Van Fleet are awesome, loud, crooning, rock. Read more…
Greta Van Fleet : From the Fires EP
Guided By Voices – Space Gun
Sometimes a brilliantly designed album is more than a melody or the energy it gives you. Read more…
Guided by Voices : Space Gun
Interpol – Marauder
After reestablishing their sound, Interpol have now successfully grown it, without losing what they had in the first place. Read more…
Interpol : Marauder
The Love Language – Baby Grand
It’s great to have The Love Language back. Read more…
The Love Language : Baby Grand
Lykke Li – so sad so sexy
New album so sad so sexy is just that, with Lykke Li on full display. Read more…
Lykke Li : so sad so sexy
Metallica – …And Justice For All (Remastered)
Metallica have been on a reissue bender for a while now and with their first three albums. Read more…
Metallica : ...And Justice For All (Remastered)
Moby – Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt
Back before electronic dance music was shortened to “EDM”, when DJs were only big in Europe, Moby was practically the face of electronica. Read more…
Moby : Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt
The Monochrome Set – Maisieworld
They are always awesome and inspiring, but Maisieworld is the best Monochrome Set yet in a long line of great. Read more…
Monochrome Set : Maisieworld
Kate Nash – Yesterday Was Forever
Kate Nash marries her two styles for some of her best songs to date. Read more…
Kate Nash : Yesterday Was Forever
No Age – Snares Like a Haircut
It is at least somewhat fair to say that No Age are typically defined by two things, their drums, and their efforts largely to be a ‘fun’ band. Read more…
No Age : Snares Like a Haircut
Okkervil River – In the Rainbow Rain
Folk act Okkervil River are really nothing if not emotional. Read more…
Okkervil River : In the Rainbow Rain
Grant-Lee Phillips – Widdershins
Grant-Lee Phillips returns to his political commentary on Widdershins. Read more…
Grant-Lee Phillips : Widdershins
John Prine – The Tree of Forgiveness
Some albums arrive bearing the threat of disappointment heavy in their saddlebags, particularly if they’re by someone you’ve loved for years, someone who matters. Read more…
John Prine : The Tree of Forgiveness
R.E.M. – R.E.M. at the BBC
In today’s hyperspeed musical world, it’s easy to forget how remarkable R.E.M. were. Read more…
R.E.M. : R.E.M. at the BBC
Rubblebucket – Sun Machine
Rubblebucket have long been an odd but accessible, or just oddly accessible, act. Read more…
Rubblebucket : Sun Machine
Say Hi – Caterpillar Centipede
Say Hi returns! Read more…
Say Hi : Caterpillar Centipede
Slighter – Cause and Effect EP
You never know what you are going to get with a Slighter release, mood-wise. Read more…
Slight : Cause and Effect EP
St. Vincent – MassEducation
St. Vincent strips down MASSEDUCATION as MassEducation. Read more…
St. Vincent : MassEducation
Stone Temple Pilots – Stone Temple Pilots
Beginning with the slightly obvious, Stone Temple Pilots played a particular role in the ‘90s grunge phenomena, and they did so with a wide array of styles album to album. Read more…
Stone Temple Pilots : Stone Temple Pilots
Superchunk – What a Time To Be Alive
There are musical acts where just on first listen, you can tell how much they enjoy what they’re doing – acts like Superchunk. Read more…
Superchunk : What a Time To Be Alive
Sharon Van Etten – (it was) because i was in love
A Sharon Van Etten reissue, while only somewhat old and somewhat well known, is still somewhat interesting, as her songs are always haunting and sentimentally vicious. Read more…
Sharon Van Etten : (it was) because i was in love
Wax Idols – Happy Endings
Wax Idols have done many artistic ideas. Read more…
Wax Idols : Happy Ending
We Were Promised Jetpacks – The More I Sleep The Less I Dream
Edinburgh’s We Were Promised Jetpacks have been best known for their quintessentially Scottish tragedy, albeit situated alongside other similar Scottish acts. Read more…
We Were Promised Jetpacks : The More I Sleep The Less I Dream
Young the Giant – Mirror Master
Young the Giant has long been one of those indie-ish bands that are easy to like, but does anyone really love them? Read more…
Young the Giant : Mirror Master

Categories
FeaturesSlider

Album of the Week