Note: This has been easily the hardest list to assemble for this site, and unlike last year, these will remain unranked just like the songs list because so many of these are so close. I don’t think we’ve heard the 2018 Album of the Year yet, but overall, the first half of 2018 has been incredibly strong, and it’s impossible at this point for me to try and rank albums. They’re all great, so just check them out.
As with the songs, please respect these choices as my opinion, and feel free to share your favorites in the comments below!
Courtney Patton: What it’s Like to Fly Alone
Standout Tracks: “Round Mountain,” “What it’s Like to Fly Alone (Hawk Song),” “Devil’s Hand,” “Red Bandanna Blue”
Probably the most country of the bunch, Courtney Patton’s fourth album is one that just gets better with time. Her songwriting is superb is always, and this record is also beautifully, cleanly produced. Who said an album had to sound like shit to be classic and authentic? As far as production, which Courtney handled herself, it may be the best-sounding, cleanest record of the year so far.
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Lindi Ortega: Liberty
Standout Tracks: “Lovers in Love,” “You Ain’t Foolin’ Me,” “Afraid of the Dark,” but it’s meant to be consumed as a whole album
This hasn’t been one of my most played albums of the year, but when I do play it, it always blows me away. More and more, I feel like it should have been a 10/10 here. Some vagueness in the concept held me back, as the character’s journey out of darkness into light and life can sometimes be hard to follow. But it’s just so captivating all the way through, and once again, a finely produced album, with the western backdrop lending itself nicely to the story.
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Red Shahan: Culberson County
Standout Tracks: “Waterbill,” “Enemy,” “Roses,” “How They Lie,” “Culberson County”
Speaking of western, here’s a record that perfectly embodies the sound and spirit of west Texas. This has got to be my most underrated album of 2018 so far; honestly, that 8/10 looks totally ridiculous now, and it did so a week after I wrote it. I can’t say enough about this album, as it’s got to be heard to be fully understood and appreciated, capturing the wildness and emptiness of West Texas and romanticizing it in a way that not many could.
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Brothers Osborne: Port Saint Joe
Standout Tracks: “Shoot me Straight,” “While You Still Can,” “Pushing up Daisies (Love Alive),” “A Little Bit Trouble,” “Weed, Whiskey, and Willie”
Although not a concept album like Liberty, this record is certainly meant to be consumed and enjoyed from start to finish. Just as Shahan put West Texas on a record, Brothers Osborne immortalize the old, weathered coastal towns so common in the South. It’s a beach record, but the beach is forgotten and secluded, not sexy and touristy. Proof that a fun party album can indeed be substantive and have all kinds of staying power.
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Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour
Standout Tracks: “Oh, What a World,” “Love is a Wild Thing,” “Slow Burn,” “Lonely Weekend”
Another fantastically produced album; I’m starting to see a trend in these records. I know Kacey Musgraves sparked about a million different controversies with this change in her sound, but after several months with this, I have to say that Golden Hour is Kacey’s best album so far. The dreamy, spacey production all over this album really suits her voice and these songs, and there’s not much else to say, it’s just a great-sounding slice of pop country music.
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Brent Cobb: Providence Canyon
Standout Tracks: “Sucker for a Good Time,” “Providence Canyon,” “Come Home Soon,” “Mornin’s Gonna Come”
This is the only album I’ve given a 10/10 rating to in 2018, but again, these records are so close that it’s not necessarily my favorite record at this point. It’s definitely becoming one of my most played, bringing country, funk, and soul together in the way that can only be done in Brent’s home state of Georgia. This is the first of several albums on this list that carries a unique and distinctly Southern flavor, and though each is different, each one celebrates a vital component of Southern music and culture.
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Blackberry Smoke: Find a Light
Standout Tracks: “I’ll Keep Ramblin'” (ft. Robert Randolph), “I’ve Got This Song,” “Run Away From it All,” “Till the Wheels Fall Off,” “Nobody Gives a Damn,” “Let me Down Easy” (ft. Amanda Shires)
Okay, yeah, it would have been easier to list the tracks that don’t stand out here. There are just so many great songs here, and this is another distinctly Southern album, keeping alive the sound of Southern rock in fine fashion. Southern rock is just as endangered, if not more so, than traditional country, and it’s just great to hear such an excellent slice of this music in 2018. Blackberry Smoke already have a 10/10 record here, and this one came very close to being their second.
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Willie Nelson: Last Man Standing
Standout Tracks: “Last Man Standing,” “Heaven is Closed,” “Me and You,” “Don’t Tell Noah”
What can I possibly say about Willie Nelson? At eighty-five, he is making better music than a giant chunk of Americana artists in their twenties and thirties. It’s a fun, upbeat record that displays Willie’s boundless charisma and clever songwriting at their best. And also, his vocal talent here puts many of the aforementioned independent artists to absolute shame.
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Old Crow Medicine Show: Volunteer
Standout Tracks: “Child of the Mississippi,” “Dixie Avenue,” “Whirlwind,” “A World Away,” “Look Away”
Again, it may have been easier to list the tracks that aren’t standouts. What a fun, energetic album! And I’ve mentioned Southern records, but none of them embrace the rich and vibrant Southern culture quite like this one. This is a love letter to the South, to its people and to its music, and it will make you proud of that heritage even despite the South’s scars.
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American Aquarium: Things Change
Standout Tracks: “One Day at a Time,” “Work Conquers All,” “Crooked+Straight,” “Shadows of You”
Out of the ruins of American Aquarium came something great, the best version of this band that has existed to date. It took everything crashing down to make it all happen, and now, in addition to BJ Barham’s always great songwriting, we have a band that sounds like a band and brings life to these songs in the best way possible. I don’t have much to say other than what everyone else is saying–this is an incredible album.
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Honorable Mentions
It should be noted that these six albums are the reason I chose ten instead of thirteen–because to choose three of these six was entirely impossible.
- Darci Carlson (self-titled)
- First Aid Kit: Ruins
- Meghan Patrick: Country Music Made me do It
- Dierks Bentley: The Mountain
- Wade Bowen: Solid Ground
- Sarah Shook & the Disarmers: Years
Other Albums Strongly Recommended by Country Exclusive
- Caitlyn Smith: Starfire
- Brandi Carlile: By the Way, I Forgive You
- The Lost Brothers: Halfway Towards a Healing
- Mike & the Moonpies: Steak Night at the Prairie Rose
- Montgomery Gentry: Here’s to You
- Ashley McBryde: Girl Going Nowhere
- Laura Benitez and the Heartache: With All its Thorns
- Teea Goans: Swing, Shuffle, and Sway (released 2017, reviewed 2018)
- Caleb Caudle: Crushed Coins
- Courtney Marie Andrews: May Your Kindness Remain
- Vivian Leva: Time is Everything
- Trixie Mattel: One Stone
- Shotgun Rider: Palo Duro
- Kasey Chambers & the Fireside Disciples: Campfire
- Randall King (self-titled
- John Prine: The Tree of Forgiveness
- Josh Ward: More Than I Deserve
- Kayla Ray: Yesterday & Me
- Jason Boland & the Stragglers: Hard Times are Relative
Albums on our Radar, with Potential to be Reviewed
- Wes Youssi & the County Champs: Down Low
- El Coyote (self-titled
- Jesse Daniel (self-titled
- Anderson East: Encore
- Eleven Hundred Springs: The Finer Things in Life
- Tami Neilson: Sassafrass!
- Jeff Hyde: Norman Rockwell World
- The Church Sisters: A Night at the Opry
- Jay Bragg: Honky Tonk Dream
- Steve Moakler: Born Ready
- Tim Culpepper: DUI (Drinkin’ Under the Influence)
- Chris Hennessee: Ramble
- Steep Canyon Rangers: Out in the Open
- Hellbound Glory: Streets of Aberdeen
- Neko Case: Hell-on
- Paul Cauthen: Have Mercy (EP)
- Justin Adams: Horizon
Good list! I have three of my top 9 in common with yours. A few thoughts on some of these albums:
– Red Shahan – I listened to this once when it first came out and I thought it was quite good, but I haven’t listened to it again since – I’ll have to give it another try.
– Brothers Osbourne – I gave this a try and it was decent, but it’s not something I see myself going back to much. Just not my style, I guess.
– I can’t get into American Aquarium.
My top nine (in no particular order after the first two):
1 (tie) – Courtney Patton – this was one of my early contenders for album of the year and it still holds up. No filler, excellent production and songwriting and pure country.
1 (tie) – Courtney Marie Andrews – it took me a few listens to really get into this, but I just love this album. Her voice is incredible and the songwriting is excellent. I didn’t expect to like this as much as I do since it’s more Americana than country, but it’s just so good!
– Lindi Ortega – again, this took me a few listens to get the concept and it just gets better with each listen.
– Wes Youssi and the Country Champs
– Kelly Willis – is this on your radar to review? I’d love to hear what you think as I think it’s fantastic.
– Western Centuries – I just discovered this band a few weeks ago through the SCM playlist and this is a really solid album.
– Old Crow Medicine Show – a few of these songs (Flicker and Shine, Shout Mountain Music) are so much fun!
– Mike and the Moonpies
– Sarah Shook – this is another album that gets better with each listen.
I only have a top 9 right now as I haven’t found any others quite at this level, but I fully expect Jason Eady’s album to be top 10 for me once it comes out.
Honourable Mentions:
– Vivian Leva
– John Prine
– Willie Nelson
I’ve listened to part of Paul Cauthern and Kayla Ray’s albums, so I’ll have to give them a better listen as they are both promising as well.
Red Shahan takes a few listens. I always liked it, but the more I listen, the better it gets.
I never could appreciate American Aquarium either before this album, so I totally get it. I’m surprised at how much I like it, and it’ll be interesting to see how much staying power it has.
I love Courtney Marie Andrews, but I don’t find this one as strong as Honest Life, which I thought was the 2016 Album of the Year. I’ll have to give it some more listens.
Kelly Willis–I’ve listened to it, but I will not review it. I could not get into it at all, I just found it incredibly boring.
I’m liking Wes Youssi, I’ll probably have a review on that one soon.
Kayla Ray takes a few listens to get into, hers has really grown on me.
Nice list!
Interesting thoughts on Kelly Willis, but I guess it wouldn’t be very interesting if everyone liked the same albums equally :). I like Kacey Musgraves’ first two albums a lot (plus her Christmas album is also very good), but I found the new one kind of boring and I haven’t felt inspired to listen to it again since the first listen.
For Courtney Marie Andrews, “Honest Life” reminds me a bit of Joni Mitchell while “May Your Kindness Remain” reminds me more of Linda Ronstadt. I much prefer Linda Ronstadt over Joni Mitchell, so that may be why I like her new album much more (this is not to suggest that she doesn’t have her own style and sound, but I can definitely hear the influences).
I forgot to mention in my first comment that I’m also looking forward to Michaela Anne’s upcoming album!
I hear both Linda and Joni in Courtney’s voice, but you’re right that Linda Ronstadt’s influence comes out more on this new one. I love Linda Ronstadt a lot more than Joni Mitchell, and I’d agree I like Courtney’s voice a little better on this album. Just not every song hit me the way they all did on Honest Life. Yeah, Kacey Musgraves’ album has definitely drawn a lot of different opinions. And that’s the cool thing about music, everybody’s different opinions and likes and dislikes.