The Mcgill Tribune presents...
THE BEST AND WORST OF 2018
Albums
1. Be The Cowboy, Mitski
Sad indie kids have traded their beanies for cowboy hats, wallowing in perhaps the most beautiful auditory manifestation of sadness to ever have graced the radio waves.
2. Hive Mind, The Internet
This summer, The Internet brought the world an R&B collection of soft blues, rap, funk, and jazz. Crush-worthy lead singer Syd is effortlessly cool, and delivers easy, groovy, and flirty vocals.
3. Sweetener, Ariana Grande
The exhausting media frenzy surrounding Ariana Grande's fleeting relationship with Urban Outfitters sales section model Pete Davidson was all worth it if just for this album. Or even just for the 1:14 interlude "pete davidson."
4. Isolation, Kali Uchis
Keyboard and reggaton riffs complement razor-sharp vocals as Uchis sings about personal growth and heartbreak "Dead to Me" perfectly represents her audacious confidence and hypnotizing charm.
5. Lush, Snail Mail
Fronted by 19-year-old Lindsey Jordan, Snail Mail has established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Their first full-length album Lush is cathartic but poignant and delicate all at once.
Worst: W44/876, Sting & Shaggy
Sting's first foray into reggae resulted in an atrocity. Shaggy deserved better. We all deserved better.
Movies
1. Eigth Grade
Writer-director Bo Burnham’s film debut is cringe-worthy in the best possible way. Funny and uncomfortable at the same time, Eighth Grade stands out against formidable competitors in the coming-of-age genre.
2. Crazy Rich Asians
Awkwafina was there. So was Constance Wu. Everyone was hot. There were Asians, and boy, were they crazy and rich. Katherine Ho’s cover of Coldplay’s “Yellow” was beautiful and tear-inducing.
3. Black Panther
This movie has everything: A soundtrack featuring Kendrick Lamar, explosions, superheroes spaceships, and political intrigue—what more could you want from a Marvel movie?
4. The Incredibles 2
After 14 years of waiting, the much-beloved animated, unnamed superhero family has returned. This charming tale of everyday family life and supernatural prowess is sure to leave you hooked.
5. Mission Impossible: Fallout
Tom Cruise skydives into a Parisian disco, disarms nuclear bombs, and tackles a helicopter with another helicopter. Most amazing of all, he makes this 148-minute film fly by. He’ll never grow too old for this shit.
Worst: Bohemian Rhapsody
On top of endless exposition, corny recording sessions, and way too many bad inside jokes between the other three members of Queen, this eight-year trainwreck in the making seems to imply that Freddie Mercury’s coming out is synonymous with selling out.
Songs
1. "This Is America,"" Childish Gambino
The song which made us dance hard and think harder. The now-iconic music video sent Youtube commenters into a frenzy of interpretations. Fun and disturbing in equal measure, “This is America” took the pulse of its time like few songs have in recent years.
2. "Nobody,"" Mitski
With the first single off Be the Cowboy, Mitski parlays her trademark emo lyrics into a feel-good pop hit. Finally, an anthem lonely girls and gays can dance to together.
3. "Pristine,"" Snail Mail
The embodiment of adolescent melancholy wrapped up in a crisp package, perfect for walking to your local suburban gas station to buy $2 slushies and cigarettes. Unrequited love has never sounded so sweet.
4. "Moo!," Daja Cat
This viral sensation turns memes, cheesy cow puns, and cute onesies into a surprisingly catchy hit. Doja Cat milks every second of song time to turn an otherwise tongue-in-cheek track into a true masterpiece.
5. "thank u, next," Ariana Grande
Put on your lipgloss and grab your glitter gel pens, Ariana Grande has reinvented pop music—again! Say goodbye to toxic exes, petty rivalries, and, most of all, haters.
Worst: "I'm Upset," Drake
In 2018’s most boring 200-million-stream single, Drake complains about hypothetical alimony payments and Pusha T being mean to him. Fittingly, this dud became an afterthought when King Push released an even crueler diss track days later.
TV Shows
1. Black Mirror
Everyone’s favourite dystopian drama aired its fourth season, once again evoking paranoia and ennui in audiences from around the world.
2. Big Mouth
Big Mouth’s second season added new layers to the hilarious struggles of puberty, introducing more hormone monsters and even a Shame Wizard. The show has captured the hearts of all of those who, for whatever reason, want to relive their early tweens.
3. The Good Place
Michael Schur’s descent into hell somehow managed to get better, adding more philosophy, more demons, and, most importantly, more tension between Chidi and Eleanor.
4. Queer Eye
In Season 2 of their hit show, Jonathan, Karamo, Bobby, Tan, and Antoni return to rural Georgia to teach struggling bachelors how to make avocado toast. Equal parts entertaining and uplifting, Queer Eye is a rare example of a reality show with substance.
5. Bojack Horseman
The depressing, yet hilarious show about a talking horse returned this year—and it was more depressing yet hilarious than ever. Season 5 goes meta: BoJack takes on the lead role in Philbert, a show-within-a-show about a troubled male anti-hero.
Worst: 13 Reasons Why
When a first season wasn’t necessary, 13 Reasons Why came back with another, this time with excessive and gratuitous monologues, polaroids, and sexual violence.