For some reason or another Will (soundaslanguage.com), James (getoveryourselfbklyn.com), and I decided it would be a good idea to share our favorite albums of 1998 with all of you. Since none of us seemed to be decisive enough to come up with only 10, we decided to go with as many as we could come up with (or 20). Now I’m sure I missed something totally obvious, but my CD’s are in boxes in my garage so I didn’t have the opportunity to thumb through ‘em like I would have wanted to. So for better or worse, here are (ten years later) my favorite albums of 1998 (in alphabetical order).
Alkaline Trio – Goddamnit
The best album by my wife’s favorite band. I love this but still prefer the EP that preceded it.
At The Drive In – In/Casino/Out
We were given this LP (on clear vinyl, no less) by the ATDI guys after they crashed at our place in Indy in, um, ’98.
Avail – Over The James
My favorite Avail album. Better than both Dixie and 4AM Friday. So good.
Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue
Who doesn’t love covers of Woody Guthrie songs? Who doesn’t love Billy Bragg or Wilco?
Boxer – The Hurt Process
We spent a lot of time in ’98 hanging out with these guys. It also doesn’t hurt that this album still sounds great.
Braid – Frame & Canvas
My 2nd favorite Braid album, but probably only because it wasn’t the first of theirs I heard. I still remember these guys playing house parties in C-U way back when.
The Broadways – Broken Star
The album that is post-Slapstick and pre-Lawrence Arms.
Cap n’ Jazz – Analphabetapolothology
Even though this is a collection of previously released material, it was released in 1998 and is more important that it knows.
Dillinger Four – Midwestern Songs Of The Americas
D4’s first full-length and my favorite of theirs.
Far – Water & Solutions
If you like Onelinedrawing, Gratitude, or anything else from Jonah Matranga, this is the band that started it all.
God’s Reflex – A Brief Lesson In Affection
From one of the most underrated/unknown bands from the fringes of the Chicago scene at the time.
Hot Water Music – Fuel For The Hate Game
Yeah. You love this band.
Hum – Downward Is Heavenward
Hum’s final album and a fitting way to go out on top but still my second favorite Hum album.
Jets To Brazil – Orange Rhyming Dictionary
I hated this album the first time I heard it. Seriously. Not so much anymore.
Kid Dynamite – S/T
The perfect antidote to kids longing for Lifetime at that time.
Less Than Jake – Hello Rockview
The soundtrack to all-night drives across central Illinois in ’98. I own the 7×7” box of this album. How cool is that?
Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
What ever happened to this band? This album was an almost instant classic.
Refused – The Shape Of Punk To Come
Exactly what the title implies and more. Another truly landmark album.
Screeching Weasel – Television City Dream
My favorite late-period Screeching Weasel album. Tops behind only Anthem… and My Brain Hurts.
Weston – Return To Mono
For the longest time I only had this on a cassette that Jolene dubbed for me as this was only ever released in Japan.
Skidoosh.
ahh, 1998… good year, if i remember it correctly, or even if i dont i am sure it was awesome cause i was a mere 24. met my wife that year, so i guess it was half way decent.
for some reason i didnt get into braid until way too late in the game and never got to see em. i did see cap n jazz at the fireside, which was pretty awesome.
one of my favorites from 98 was bob mould’s last dog and pony show. which just so happens to be his last good album, sadly…
Awesome list! I’m way into A3, Braid, Cap’n Jazz, Neutral Milk Hotel and ATDI! And D4 and Far and Refused…
Suddenly I feel so old… These records are 10 years old already???? Sheesh.
we have nine of the same albums. the hot water music and hum records i thought about but i thought they were released earlier than 98. sweet list indeed!
Water & Solutions is an amazing album. I’m sorry for anyone who hasn’t heard it. That would have been a good name for a blog, too: Water & Solutions. Seriously, people. Buy that album. Also, Downward is Heavenward … fantastic.
This is awesome.