Occasional Hope’s favorite albums of 2018

It seems harder and harder to find great new music as the mainstream gets more pop oriemnted. However, some good music is still out there, and here are my favorite full-length albums this year.

10. Junior Sisk – ‘Brand New Shade Of Blue’

My favorite bluegrass album this year. Sometimes witty, sometimes lonesome, but a great listen.

Download now: ‘By Now I Would Be Dead’, ‘Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That’, ‘The Whiskey & The Guitar’

9. Josh Turner – I Serve A Savior

The best religious album of the year.

Download now: ‘I Saw The Light’, ‘Great Is Your Faithfulness’, ‘I Pray My Way Out Of Trouble’, ‘Me And God’

8. Jason Eady – ‘I Travel On’

The troubadour takes a bluegrass twist with this year’s fine set.

Download now: ‘She Had To Run’, ‘Below The Waterline’, ‘I Travel On’, ‘I Lost My Mind In Carolina’

7. Randall King – ‘Randall King’

I’m afraid I didn’t get around to reviewing this promising debut album, but it’s a strong introduction with a 90s neotraditional country vibe.

Download now: ‘Reason To Quit’, ‘Mirror, Mirror’, ‘Dent In It’

6. Dillon Carmichael – Hell On An Angel

Sometimes sublime, sometimes a bit too heavy on the Southern Rock, this remains the debut of the year.

Download now: ‘That’s What Hank Would Do’, ‘Dixie Again’, ‘Hard On A Hangover’, ‘Natural Disaster’

5. Courtney Patton – What It’s Like To Fly Alone

Courtney Patton produced my favorite album of 2015. This year’s follow up was not quite as good, but still extremely rewarding.

Download now: ‘Devil’s Hand’, ‘Round Mountain’, ‘Words to My Favorite Memory’, ‘Red Bandana Blue’, ‘Open Flame’

4. Josh Ward – ‘More Than I Deserve

Solid traditional country from Texas.

Download now: ‘One More Shot Of Whiskey’, ‘Say Hello To Goodbye’, ‘The Devil Don’t Scare Me’, ‘More Than I Deserved’

3. Adam Harvey – The Nashville Tapes

Great neotraditional country from the deep voiced Australian who was our last Spotlight Artist.

Download now: ‘What A Song Can Do’, ‘When Willie’s Gone’, ‘We’ll Have To Drink Our Way Out Of This’, ‘I’d Rather Be A Highwayman’, ‘Three Rivers Hotel’

2. Loretta Lynn – ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great’

The legend returns with a fabulous mix of sassy growing old disgracefully and emotional ballads.

Download now: ‘Ruby’s Stool’, ‘Lulie Vars’, ‘Another Bridge To Burn’, ‘Wouldn’t It Be Great?’

1. Kayla Ray – Yesterday & Me

The Jason Eady-helmed project allos an excellent singer songwriter to shine.

Download now: ‘Once A Week Cheaters’, ‘Things Only Years Can Teach A Woman’, ‘Fair Warning’, ‘Rockport’.

Bonus selection: Tim Culpepper – DUI

I omitted this fabulous traditional honky tonk projct as it has only eight tracks. But what there is is outstanding.

Download now: ‘Under The Influence’, ‘Another Way To Try’, ‘She Only Loves Me’, ‘Sad Ole Country Song’