KEXP Staff, Volunteers & Interns Top 10 Albums of 2018, Part 2

2018 Countdown

12/18/2018

KEXP

Brandi Carlile // photo by Matthew B. Thompson

Throughout the month of December, KEXP has been counting down our top albums. From Top 10 lists from our DJs to the Top 90.3 of 2018 voted by listeners, we’ve chronicled a wide array of some of this year’s most thrilling released. Now we’re turning the mic over to our behind the scenes staff, volunteers, and interns who help keep the station running. Here are their favorite albums of 2018. How do their lists line-up with yours? (Check out part one of the lists here.)

John Ware // Lead Tabling Volunteer, DJ Assistant for Swingin’ Doors, Tour Docent

rank	artist	album	label
1	boygenius	boygenius EP	Matador Records
2	Brandi Carlile	By the Way, I Forgive You	Low Country Sound/Elektra
3	Lucy Dacus	Historian	Matador Records
4	Idles	Joy as an Act of Resistance	Partisan
5	Birdtalker	One	Birdtalker Music/Sensibility Music/Tone Tree Music
6	The Moondoggies	A Love Sleeps Deep	Hardly Art
7	John Prine	The Tree of Forgiveness	Oh Boy
8	Amanda Shires	To the Sunset	Silver Knife Records
9	Smokey Brights	Come to Terms EP	Freakout Records
10	Tune-Yards	I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life	4AD

Mandi Kimes // Fundraising Drive volunteer

rank	artist	album	label
1	S. Carey	A Hundred Acres	Jagjaguwar
2	Beach House	7	Sub Pop
3	Foxwarren	Foxwarren	ANTI-
4	Wild Nothing	Indigo	Captured Tracks
5	Khruangbin	Con Todo El Mundo	Dead Oceans
6	Michael Rault	It's a New Day Tonight	Wick
7	Sam Evian	You, Forever	Saddle Creek
8	Molly Burch	First Flower	Captured Tracks
9	Steady Holiday	Nobody's Watching	Barsuk
10	Unknown Mortal Orchestra	Sex & Food	Jagjaguwar

Andrew Franks // Volunteer videographer

rank	artist	album	label
1	Jorja Smith	Lost & Found	Famm Limited
2	Mac Miller	Swimming	REMember Music
3	Lykke Li	So Sad So Sexy	LL Recordings/RCA Records
4	Joji	Ballads 1	88rising
5	Pusha T	Daytona	Def Jam Recordings
6	Dan Romer	Maniac OST	Paramount Music
7	Rhye	Blood	Loma Vista Recordings
8	The Blaze	Dancehall	Animal 63
9	Various	Black Panther OST	Interscope Records/Top Dawg/Aftermath
10	Tierra Whack	Whack World	Tierra Whack

Darby Riley // Development Administrative Specialist at KEXP

rank	artist	album	label
1	Janelle Monae	Dirty Computer	Wondaland
2	Young Fathers	Cocoa Sugar	Ninja Tune
3	Mitski	Be the Cowboy	Dead Oceans
4	Christine and the Queens	Chris	Because
5	boygenius	boygenius	Matador Records
6	Vince Staples	FM!	Def Jam
7	Robyn	Honey	Konichiwa
8	Jenn Champion	Single Rider	Hardly Art
9	Jungle	For Ever	XL
10	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother of My Child	Saddle Creek

Vince Staples // photo by Matthew B. Thompson

Matthew Howland // Digital Content Contributor, DJ Assistant

rank	artist	album	label
1	Lucrecia Dalt	Anticlines	RVNG Intl.
2	Carla Bozulich	Quieter	Constellation
3	Yves Tumor	Safe In the Hands of Love	Warp
4	Insecure Men	Insecure Men	Fat Possum
5	Low	Double Negative	Sub Pop
6	Anna & Elizabeth	The Invisible Comes to Us	Smithsonian Folkways
7	Laurel Halo	Raw Silk Uncut Wood	Latency
8	Tim Hecker	Konoyo	Kranky
9	JOYFULTALK	Plurality Trip	Constellation
10	Julia Holter	Aviary	Domino

Miina Beyreis // DJ Assistant for the Midday Show

rank	artist	album	label
1	Loma	Loma	Sub Pop
2	Car Seat Headrest	Twin Fantasy	Matador
3	IDLES	Joy as an Act of Resistance	Partisan
4	Knife Knights	1 Time Mirage	Sub Pop
5	Thunderpussy	Thunderpussy	Stardog/Republic
6	Ghostland Observatory	See You Later Simulator	Trashy Moped
7	Santigold	I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions	Downtown
8	Kyle Craft	Full Circle Nightmare	Sub Pop
9	Cumulus	Comfort World	Trans
10	The Breeders	All Nerve	4AD

Mitchell Bredl // Volunteer

rank	artist	album	label
1	Camp Cope	How to Socialize & Make Friends	Run For Cover Records
2	Tiny Moving Parts	Swell	Triple Crown Records
3	The Story So Far	Proper Dose	Pure Noise Records
4	Panic! At the Disco	Pray for the Wicked	Fueled by Ramen Records
5	State Champs	Living Proof	Pure Noise Records
6	We Were Sharks	Lost Touch	Victory Records
7	Real Friends	Composure	Fearless Records
8	Mayday Parade	Sunnyland	Rise Records
9	Hellogoodbye	S'only Natural	Wasted Summer Records
10	Assuming We Survive	Chapters	Third String Records

Lisa LeClair // Guest Services Coordinator | DJ Asst. for The Morning Show

rank	artist	album	label
1	Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Wrong Creatures	Vagrant
2	Dilly Dally	Heaven	Partisan
3	Wild Powwers	Skin	Nadine
4	Amyl and the Sniffers	Big Attraction/Giddy Up	Damaged Goods
5	Death Valley Girls	Darkness Rains	Suicide Squeeze
6	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother of My Children	Saddle Creek
7	IDLES	Joy as an Act of Resistance	Partisan
8	Lala Lala	The Lamb	Hardly Art
9	Mommy Long Legs	Try Your Best	Youth Riot
10	The Prids	Do I Look Like I'm In Love?	This-A-Way

Knife Knights // photo by Morgen Schuler

Nikola Litven // DJ Assistant

rank	artist	album	label
1	boygenius	boygenius	Matador
2	Down North	No Retreat Vol. 1	self-released
3	Gabriel Teodros	History Rhymes If It Doesn't Repeat	self-released
4	Kamasi Washington	Heaven and Earth	Young Turks
5	Knife Knights	1 Time Mirage	Sub Pop
6	Mount Eerie	Now Only	PW Elverum & Sun
7	Noname	Room 25	self-released
8	Superorganism	Superorganism	Domino Recording
9	Walter Wolfman Washington	My Future Is My Past	ANTI-
10	Whitney Monge	Carry On	self-released

Katrina Harvie-Watt // Associate Director of Development, Major Giving

rank	artist	album	label
1	Rhye	Blood	Loma Vista Recordings
2	Black Rebel Motorcycle Club	Wrong Creatures	Vagrant Records
3	Young Fathers	Cocoa Sugar	Ninja Turtle
4	Janelle Monae	Dirty Computer	Bad Boy Records
5	Against All Logic	2012-2017	Other People
6	Spiritualized	And Nothing Hurt	Fat Possum Records
7	Phosphorescent	C'est La Vie	Dead Oceans

Alison Cail-Kuntz // Hospitality, Front Desk and Tour Docent Volunteer

rank	artist	album	label
1	The Internet	Hive Mind	Columbia
2	J Mascis	Elastic Days	Sub Pop
3	Nothing	Dance on the Blacktop	Relapse Records
4	Israel Nash	Lifted	Loose Music
5	Damien Jurado	The Horizon Just Laughed	Secretly Canadian
6	Roosevelt	Young Romance	Greco Roman
7	Neko Case	Hell-On	Anti-
8	Johnny Marr	Call The Comet	New Voodoo
9	Rhye	Blood	Loma Vista
10	Anderson .Paak	Oxnard	Aftermath / 12 Tone Music / Atlantic

Ann Allen // Lead DJ Assistant/DJ Assistant for the Afternoon Show

rank	artist	album	label
1	Boygenius	Boygenius	Matador
2	Jenn Champion	Single Rider	Hardly Art
3	Unknown Mortal Orchestra	Sex & Food	Jagjaguwar
4	The Internet	Hive Mind	Columbia
5	Mint Field	Pasar de las Luces	Innovative Leisure
6	Lucy Dacus	Historian	Matador
7	Janelle Monae	Dirty Computer	Wondaland/Epic/Sony
8	Young Fathers	Cocoa Sugar	Ninja Tune
9	Jonathan Wilson	Rare Birds	Bella Union
10	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother of My Children	Saddle Creek

Jay Kardong // Software Development

rank	artist	album	label
1	Israel Nash	Lifted	Desert Folklore Music
2	HYWAYS	HYWAYS	Union Zero
3	Beach House	7	Sub Pop
4	Brandi Carlile	By The Way, I Forgive You	ATO
5	Ry Cooder	The Prodigal Son	Perro Verde/Fantasy
6	Phosphorescent	C'est La Vie	Dead Oceans
7	Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit	Live From The Ryman	Southeastern/Thirty Tigers
8	La Luz	Floating Features	Hardly Art
9	Jenn Champion	Single Rider	Hardly Art
10	Lucero	Among The Ghosts	Liberty & Lament/Thirty Tigers

Athena Sears // KEXP AP/AR Clerk

rank	artist	album	label
1	Jungle	For Ever	XL
2	Beach House	7	Sub Pop
3	Wye Oak	The Louder I Call, the Faster it Runs	Merge
4	Red Ribbon	Dark Party	Union Zero
5	The Beths	Future Me Hates Me	Carpark
6	Now, Now	Saved	Trans-records
7	boygenius	boygenius EP	Matador
8	DJ Koze	Knock Knock	Pampa
9	Khruangbin	Con Todo el Mundo	Dead Oceans
10	Lala Lala	The Lamb	Hardly Art

Michelle Escotto // DJ Assistant for Sonic Reducer and Seek and Destroy

rank	artist	album	label
1	City Hunter	Deep Blood	Youth Attack
2	Super Unison	Stella	Deathwish, Inc
3	The Soft Moon	Criminal	Sacred Bones
4	Gouge Away	Burnt Sugar	Deathwish, Inc
5	Alice Bag	Blueprint	Don Giovanni Records
6	Nox Novacula	Nox Novacula	Casino Trash Records
7	Krimewatch	Krimewatch	Lockin Out Records
8	HO99O9	Cyber Cop [Unauthorized MP3]	Toys Have Powers/999 Deathkult
9	Cadaver Dog	Dying Breed	Youth Attack
10	Mommy Long Legs	Try Your Best	Youth Riot Records

McKenna Haley // Events Producer

rank	artist	album	label
1	Ariana Grande	Sweetener	Republic Records
2	Courtney Barnett	Tell Me How You Really Feel	Mom+Pop
3	Crater	Unearth	self-released
4	Empress Of	Us	Terrible Records
5	Haley Heynderickx	I Need To Start A Garden	Mama Bird Recording Co.
6	La Luz	Floating Features	Hardly Art
7	NAVVI	ULTRA	Hush Hush Records
8	Parisalexa	Bloom	self-released
9	Red Ribbon	Dark Party	Union Zero
10	Whitney Ballen	You're A Shooting Star, I'm A Sinking Ship	Father/Daughter Records / Substitute Scene Records

Albina Cabrera // DJ Assistant and producer for El Sonido

rank	artist	album	label
1	Rosalía	El Mal Querer	Sony Music
2	Álex Anwandter	Latinoamericana	Nacional Records
3	Nathy Peluso	La Sandunguera	EVERLASTING RECORDS
4	Gepe	Folclor Imaginario (Canciones Recopiladas por Margot Loyola Palacios y Algunas Otras Que Parten Desde Ahí)	Quemasucabeza
5	Las Ligas Menores	Fuego Artificial	LAPTRA
6	107 Faunos	Madura el Dulce Fruto	LAPTRA
7	Mon Laferte	NORMA	Universal Music
8	Chancha Via Circuito	Bienaventuranza	Wonderwheel Recordings
9	Bandalos Chinos	BACH	Independiente
10	Los Mundos	Ciudades Flotantes	Avandadoom

Philip LaRose // Tour Docent, multi-purpose volunteer

rank	artist	album	label
1	Christine & the Queens	Chris	Because Music
2	Against All Logic	2012-2017	Other People
3	Wajatta	Casual High Technology	Comedy Dynamics
4	NAVVI	Ultra	Hush Hush Records
5	Shame	Songs of Praise	Dead Oceans
6	The Internet	Hive Mind	Columbia Records
7	Jenn Champion	Single Rider	Hardly Art
8	Flora FM	Discovery in the Atomic Garden	Argot
9	Confidence Man	Confident Music for Confident People	Heavenly Recordings
10	Let's Eat Grandma	I'm All Ears	Transgressive Records

Charina Pitzel // Photographer, Art Exhibit Producer, & DJ Assistant for the Afternoon Show

rank	artist	album	label
1	Walter Martin	Reminisce Bar & Grill	Family Jukebox LLC
2	Secretary	Parallels	YesNoMaybe Records
3	IDLES	Joy as an Act of Resistance	Partisan Records
4	Beach House	7	Sub Pop
5	Yowler	Black Dog In My Path	Double Double Whammy
6	Mogwai	KIN	Temporary Residence Ltd/Rock Action
7	Johnny Marr	Call the Comet	New Voodoo Records
8	Still Corners	Slow Air	Wrecking Light Records
9	Shame	Songs of Praise	Dead Oceans
10	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother Of My Children	Saddle Creek

Stacy McCauslin // Band Hospitality, DJ Assistant, Show Stickering, and Events

rank	artist	album	label
1	The Shins	The Worm's Heart	Columbia Records
2	The Decemberists	I'll Be Your Girl	Capitol Records
3	Death Cab for Cutie	Thank You for Today	Atlantic Recording Co
4	Kyle Craft	Full Circle Nightmare	Sub Pop Records
5	Mass Gothic	I've Tortured You Long Enough	Sub Pop Records
6	Middle Kids	Lost Friends	Domino Recording Co.
7	Haerts	New Compassion	Arts & Crafts Productions Inc.
8	Natalie Prass	The Future and the Past	ATO Records
9	Moonface	This One's for the Dancer & This One's for the Dancer's Bouquet	Jagjaguwar
10	Sonny Smith	Rod For Your Love	Easy Eye Sound

Nancy Wilson // In-Studio Hospitality, Events, DJ Assistant

rank	artist	album	label
1	IDLES	Joy as an Act of Resistance	Partisan Records
2	Parquet Courts	Wide Awake!	Rough Trade Records
3	Kyle Craft	Full Circle Nightmare	Sub Pop
4	Kinski	Accustomed to Your Face	Kill Rock Stars
5	Matt Dorien	In the Key of Grey	Mama Bird Recording Company
6	Haley Heynderickx	I Need to Start a Garden	Mama Bird Recording Company
7	Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio	Close But No Cigar	Colemine Records
8	Brandi Carlile	By The Way, I Forgive You	Low Country Sound/Elektra
9	DeVotchka	This Night Falls Forever	Concord Records
10	Thunderpussy	Thunderpussy	Monkeywrench Records

Rischel Scrimgeour Granquist // Director of Facility Operations and Guest Services

rank	artist	album	label
1	Kacey Musgraves	Golden Hour	Mercury
2	Anderson .Paak	Oxnard	Aftermath
3	Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet	Landfall	Nonesuch
4	Wye Oak	The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs	Merge
5	White Denim	Performance	City Slang
6	The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices	BooCheeMish	Prophecy
7	Leon Bridges	Good Thing	Columbia
8	Neko Case	Hell-On	Anti-
9	Pusha T	Daytona	G.O.O.D Music/Def Jam
10	Brandi Carlile	By The Way, I Forgive You	Low Country Sound/Elektra

Lizzy Rose Flores // Business & Marketing Traffic Manager

rank	artist	album	label
1	Deafheaven	Ordinary Corrupt Human Love	Anti-
2	Kikagaku Moyo	Masana Temples	Guruguru Brain
3	Part Chimp	Cheap Thriller	Chart Pimp Records
4	Kesä	Aukea	Svart Records
5	Khruangbin	Con Todo El Mundo	Dead Oceans
6	Boy is Fiction + Ghosts of Tyto Alba	A Single Beam of Light	n5MD
7	The Great Sabatini	Goodbye Audio	Pink Lemonade Records
8	Träden	Träden	Subliminal Sounds
9	The Soft Moon	Criminal	Sacred Bones Records
10	Thou	Magus	Sacred Bones Records

Michael Tessier // Development Officer

rank	artist	album	label
1	John Coltrane	Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album	Impulse!
2	Jon Hopkins	Singularity	Domino
3	SOPHIE	Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides	Transgressive
4	Mitski	Be the Cowboy	Dead Oceans
5	Blood Orange	Negro Swan	Domino
6	Pusha T	Daytona	Def Jam Recordings and GOOD Music
7	Kamasi Washington	Heaven and Earth	Young Turks
8	Kikagaku Moyo	Masana Temples	Guruguru Brain
9	Let's Eat Grandma	I'm All Ears	Transgressive
10	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother of My Children	Saddle Creek

Chris Kellogg // Programming Group Director

rank	artist	album	label
1	Altin Gün	On	Bongo Joe
2	Kikagaku Moyo	Masana Temples	Guruguru Brain
3	Khruangbin	Con Todo El Mundo	Dead Oceans
4	Damien Jurado	The Horizon Just Laughed	Secretly Canadian
5	Kamasi Washington	Heaven and Earth	Young Turks
6	Jonathan Wilson	Rare Birds	Bella Union
7	Janelle Monae	Dirty Computer	Wondaland/Epic/Sony
8	The Moondoggies	A Love Sleeps Deep	Hardly Art
9	The Beths	Future Me Hates Me	Carpark
10	Jenn Champion	Single Rider	Hardly Art

Car Seat Headrest // photo by David Lichterman

Gabe the Babe // DJ Assistant for the Midday Show & Larry's Lounge, Writer

rank	artist	album	label
1	Janelle Monáe	Dirty Computer	Wondaland/Epic/Sony
2	Blood Orange	Negro Swan	Domino
3	Car Seat Headrest	Twin Fantasy	Matador
4	Saintseneca	Pillar of Na	ANTI-
5	Mitski	Be the Cowboy	Dead Oceans
6	Lucy Dacus	Historian	Matador
7	Kali Uchis	Isolation	Virgin
8	serpentwithfeet	soil	Secretly Canadian
9	Rosalía	El Mal Querer	Sony
10	Bad Luck	Four	Origin

Jon Hamilton // Programming Intern

rank	artist	album	label
1	Various Artists	Black Panther: The Album	TDE/Aftermath/Interscope
2	Courtney Barnett	Tell Me How You Really Feel	Milk!/Mom+Pop
3	Neko Case	Hell-On	Anti-
4	Middle Kids	Lost Friends	Domino
5	Cat Power	Wanderer	Domino
6	Blood Orange	Negro Swan	Domino
7	Ty Segall	Freedom's Goblin	Drag City
8	Father John Misty	God's Favorite Customer	Sub Pop
9	Kids See Ghosts	Kids See Ghosts	G.O.O.D. Music/ Def Jam
10	Jack White	Boarding House Reach	Third Man Records

Dusty Henry // Digital Content Producer

Rank	Artist	Album	Label
1	Mitski	Be The Cowboy	Dead Oceans
2	Oneohtrix Point Never	Age Of	Warp Records
3	A.A.L.	2012-2017	Other People
4	Black Belt Eagle Scout	Mother Of My Children	Saddle Creek
5	Stephen Steinbrink	Utopia Teased	Western Vinyl
6	Khotin	Beautiful You	Khotin Industries
7	JPEGMAFIA	Veteran	Deathbomb
8	Low	Double Negative	Sub Pop
9	Parisalexa	Bloom / Flexa	self-released
10	Eyedress	Sensitive G	Lex Records

Kat Metrovich // DJ Assist/ Hospitality

rank	artist	album	label
1	Parisalexa	Bloom	self-released
2	Cardi B	Invasion Of Privacy	Atlantic
3	Kamasi Washington	Heaven and Earth	Shoto Mas Inc/ Young Turks
4	Blood Orange	Negro Swan	Domino
5	Sevdaliza	The Calling	Twisted Elegance
6	The Carters	Everything Is Love	Sony
7	Delvon Lamarr Organ trio	Close But No Cigar	Colemine
8	Kali Uchis	Isolation	Universal
9	Janelle Monae	Dirty Computer	Bad Boy
10	Alt J	Reduxer	BMG/Atlantic