BEST OF 2018: Fred Rudofsky’s Top 31 Albums
By Fred Rudofsky
Why 31? It’s a prime number, and it was a prime year for new albums in CD and LP formats.
31. Sister Sparrow: Gold (Thirty Tigers)
30. Bombino: Deran (Partisan)
29. Sam Lewis: Loversity (Loversity Records)
28. Joan Baez: Whistle Down the Wind (Razor & Tie)
27. John Hiatt: The Eclipse Sessions (New West)
26. Charlie Musselwhite & Ben Harper: No Mercy in This Land (ANTI-)
25. Joe Louis Walker, Bruce Katz, & Giles Robson: Journeys to the Heart of the Blues (Alligator)
24. Amy Helm: This Too Shall Light (Yep Roc)
23. Paul NcCartney: Egypt Station (Capitol)
22. Sue Foley: The Ice Queen (Stony Plain)
21. Marcia Ball: Shine Bright (Alligator)
20. Hamell on Trial: The Night Guy at the Apocalypse Profiles of a Rushing Midnight (Saustex)
19. Willie Nelson: Last Man Standing (Legacy)
18. Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio: Something Smells Funky ‘Round Here (Alligator)
17. Rosanne Cash: She Remembers Everything (Blue Note)
16. The Chandler Travis Three-O: Backward Crooked from the Sunset (Iddy Biddy)
15. Cyrille Aimee: Live (Mack Avenue)
14. John Prine: The Tree of Forgiveness (Oh Boy)
13. Sam Phillips: World on Sticks (Littlebox)
12. Richard Thompson: 13 Rivers (New West)
11. Alejandro Escovedo: The Crossing (Yep Roc)
10. Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles: Love’s Middle Name (Blue Corn Music)
9. Barrence Whitfield & The Savages: Soul Flowers of Titan (Bloodshot)
8. Walter “Wolfman” Washington: My Past Is My Future (ANTI-)
7. Ry Cooder: The Prodigal Son (Fantasy)
6. Shemekia Copeland: America’s Child (Alligator)
5. Willie Nile: Children of Paradise (River House)
4. Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Downey to Lubbock (Yep Roc)
3. Buddy Guy: The Blues Is Alive and Well (Silvertone)
2. Bettye LaVette: Things Have Changed (Verve)
1. Neko Case: Hell-On (ANTI-)
MORE BEST OF THE YEAR LISTS
J Hunter’s Top Women in Jazz Albums
Fred Rudofsky’s Top 21 Concerts
J Hunter’s Jazz2K Awards
Ed Conway’s Top Concerts
Stanley A. Johnson’s Top 10 Concerts (And More)
Michael Eck’s Eastern Liberal Elite Best of the Year
J Hunter’s Top 10 Jazz2K Discs
Mike Stampalia’s Top 10 Concerts
Rudy Lu’s Top 12 Concerts, Honorable Mentions Plus Two More
I saw Alejandro E on CBS This Morning Saturday a few weeks ago. I love the Saturday Sessions in the 9:30 half hour.