Despite reports to the contrary, the rock genre is not only not on its last legs in 2018, it’s thriving quite nicely. Are there artists dominating the charts in a Drake-like fashion this year? No, and it doesn’t seem like there will be any time soon. That being said, the slate of new and amazing music being released on a monthly basis for those who love a fuzzed-out guitars has been downright impressive.
May was an especially fruitful month for rock fans looking for something new to listen to, stacked as it was with long-awaited releases from titanic, genre-defining bands, ambitious next steps from some adored indie groups, and some amazing statements from several groups on the come-up. While some of these albums haven’t garnered the wider exposure they may have otherwise deserve, here, collected are the 10 best new rock albums that dropped in May 2018.
Thunderpussy, Thunderpussy
Seattle has a long and storied history of breeding some of the greatest rock bands in the history or recorded music. The latest entry into that continuum is a group called Thunderpussy, and if you aren’t liable to take my word for it, just ask Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready who has called them his “new favorite band,” and even shows up, six-string in hand, on the song “Velvet Noose” on the band’s debut self-titled record. Thunderpussy is fun, funky, alternating between rage-filled rockers and touching ballads. It definitely sits high up on the ranking of one of the best rock albums of 2018.
Arctic Monkeys, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is certainly a sizable zag away from the garage rock tones that has marked much of Arctic Monkeys’ prior discography, but it’s an exceedingly welcome one. For this record, Alex Turner left his guitar on the rack, settled in front of the piano, and did his best, off-kilter David Bowie impression. If that sounds like a knock, it isn’t. In a Bowie-less world, it’s a welcome treat to hear someone channeling the Thin White Duke to boozy, brain-addled excellence.
Beach House, 7
For over a decade, Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scalley have steadily worked to create stunning album-length expressions that feel like worlds unto themselves. Their latest effort 7 feels no different. Right from the opening track “Dark Spring,” you’re sucked in and by the time the shimmering melodies of “Drunk In LA” hit your eardrums, you can practically see stars exploding across your eyes.
Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel
No sophomore slump to be found here. Courtney Barnett returns from her recent forays alongside Kurt Vile with another stunning, complete vision, that tops her masterful debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit at least in sheer attitude and edginess.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Sparkle Hard
You know him as the frontman for the iconic ’90s alt-rock band Pavement, but Stephen Malkmus has put together a pretty stellar career over the last decade or so as the leader of his other band The Jicks. The latest album, Sparkle Hard, might just be his best non-Pavement record yet.
Parquet Courts, Wide Awake
You’ve got to give Parquet Courts this; they are definitely prolific. Wide Awake is the band’s sixth album in seven years, and that’s not counting another two EPs into the mix. You’d have to be ambitious to throw a song like “Freebird 2” into your new album. I hope they learned the original version for the sake of their live shows, because they are about to hear screams for it for the next two decades.
Iceage, Beyondless
Iceage are the definition of the “critic’s darling.” The Danish punk band are known for creating savage musical expressions that leave writers fawning, but have yet to garner the same admiration from a wider audience. If you haven’t heard of Iceage yet, Beyondeless is a fantastic, pedal-to-the-metal entry-point, especially if you’ve worn out all your Velvet Underground records and are looking for something new to enjoy.
Shakey Graves, Can’t Wake Up
Shakey Graves, the brainchild of Alejandro Rose-Garcia, apparently decided to shake things up for their most recent album. If you come to this album expecting to find the bluesy Americana sounds that has marked the band’s work since 2011, you might be disappointed. Can’t Wake Up is the sound of someone who maybe discovered psychedelics for the first time and has been listening to, well, a whole lot of Beach House actually. Thoroughly enjoyable, and a rewarding left-turn.
Wooden Shjips, V.
In the five decades since Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival, psych rock has proven to be a genre with incredible staying power. Though it’s morphed over time from its original ’60s form, the hazy vibes and ethereal melodies have remained a powerful mainstay within the worlds of rock and pop. One of the better purveyors of the form lately is the group Wooden Ships, whose latest album V. is a masterclass in daydream-inducing soundscapes, especially the seven-and-a-half minute single “Staring At The Sun.”
Deeper, Deeper
If you’re a fan of off-kilter, post-punk rock, then Deeper is just the band for you. The Chicago rockers have one album to their name already, 2016’s Transmogrified, and have upped the ante this year on their self-titled record. Led by the opening track “Pink Showers,” a song that the group was conceived “through the gridlock of Chicago traffic and the ‘pursuit’ to make your monotonous life meaningful,” the album gamely attempts to do just that through eccentric guitar accents and thought-provoking lyrics.
