1998
Another quite fantastic year. What is there to say? The first 6 I shouldn't have to explain. Number 7 - Autechre's LP5 - strikes me as one of their best if I'm actually in the mood. Tortoise's TNT is certainly one of their best, if not the best. The Smashing Pumpkins' Adore - to me - was underrated after the overindulgence of Mellon Collie and the few irritating singles it produced (1979 and Tonight, Tonight are the two peak-era SP songs I most loathe). I liked the darker, more gothic direction they went here, started by the track "Eye" from The Lost Highway soundtrack. The album is a bit long but really good IMO. Refused put out a great punk album, though several other albums could have taken its place for me in the 10th slot. Check below the images for some honorable mentions.
1.
Boards of Canada -
Music Has the Right to Children
2.
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead -
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
3.
Neutral Milk Hotel -
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
4.
Silver Jews -
American Water
5.
Queens of the Stone Age -
Queens of the Stone Age
6.
Beck -
Mutations
7.
Autechre -
LP5
8.
Tortoise -
TNT
9.
The Smashing Pumpkins -
Adore
10.
Refused -
The Shape of Punk to Come
Honorable mentions:
Swingin’ Utters - Five Lessons Learned
Fugazi - End Hits
June of 44 - Four Great Points
Aceyalone - A Book of Human Language
Knapsack - This Conversation Is Ending Staring Right Now
Two Lone Swordsmen - Stay Down
Snuff - Tweet Tweet My Lovely
Dillinger Four - Midwestern Songs of the Americas
Squarepusher - Music Is Rotted One Note
Amon Tobin - Permutation
Strung Out - Twisted by Design
Unwound - Challenge for a Civilized Society
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty
Death Cab for Cutie - Something About Airplanes
Elliott Smith - XO
Elliott - U.S. Songs
Sunny Day Real Estate - How It Feels to Be Something On
The Black Heart Procession - 1
Sonic Youth - A Thousand Leaves
Spoon - A Series of Sneaks
At the Drive-In - In/Casino/Out
DMX Krew - New Romantix
Hieroglyphics - 3rd Eye Vision