Torq Campbell (Stars) discusses his favorite albums of 2018
Indie vets Stars, who followed last year’s There Is No Love is Fluorescent Light with a couple singles this year, began a tour this week. The Canadian band already played a couple shows in their home country with Dizzy and they have two more this weekend, and then they begin US (and eventually more Canadian) dates with My Brightest Diamond (who just released her dancey new album A Million and One) on Sunday (12/2). As mentioned, there’s a NYC show on December 10 at Brooklyn Steel (tickets). All dates are listed below.
As the year is coming to a close, we asked Stars member Torq Campbell what his favorite albums of 2018 were, and he sent a top 10 (technically 11) list that includes the legendary Elvis Costello, country crossover star Kacey Musgraves, the new band from Nick Duffy of jangle pop vets The Lilac Time (We Are Muffy), newer/smaller indie acts like Bernice and Nicholas Krgovich, R&B acts like The Internet and Kali Uchis, and more. He also provided commentary for each pick. Check out his full list below.
Listen to Stars’ latest single, which was produced by Kevin Drew:
TORQ CAMPBELL’s TOP ALBUMS of 2018
1. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
They don’t make them like this anymore. Just a classic, beautifully paced collection of great songs. Simple.
2. Bernice – Puff LP: In the air without a shape
A band from Toronto with a record that never fails to envelop you in its own world. Like having your brain massaged. Strange and disconcerting but incredibly pleasurable.
3. Kali Uchis – Isolation
She makes every genre sound like her own, and every track is a bop. Fun to listen to every single time.
4. Elvis Costello and The Imposters – Look Now
His best record in 25 years.
5. The Internet – Hive Mind
If there were more bands like The Internet, we wouldn’t need the internet.
6. We Are Muffy – The Charcoal Pool
One of the members of the legendary Lilac Time puts out a mysterious, dark little album that sounds a bit like Belle and Sebastian on quaaludes. Sounds good, right?
7. Kiah Victoria – Memo
Would be nice if a study was done into why this record isn’t fucking huge. She does what a lot of people are doing right now, but she does it better.
8. Gorillaz – The Now Now / The Good, the Bad and the Queen – Merrie Land
Damon is the coolest geezer in the world. And he loves music more than you do. And he’s just an inspiration to keep working and be yourself
9. Nicholas Krgovich – Ouch
This guy is a genius of melody and melancholy. Buy everything he has made. You wont regret it.
10. Erland Cooper – Solan Goose
Erland Cooper just keeps on making incredible records about nature and air. If you are looking for a more beautiful world, go inside this one.
—
Stars — 2018 Tour Dates
11/30 – Saskatoon, SK @ Broadway Theatre *
12/01 – Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre *
120/2 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue ^
12/03 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre ^
12/06 – Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew’s Hall ^
12/07 – Waterloo, ON @ Maxwell’s
12/08 – Hamilton, ON @ New Vision United Church ^
12/10 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel ^
12/12 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall ^
12/13 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall ^
12/15 – Ottawa, ON @ National Arts Centre^
12/16 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre ^
*w/ Dizzy supporting
^ w/ My Brightest Diamond supporting
