I... don't have a lot this year. Richard Thompson put out what is arguably the best album of 2018, but I got into a little debate on one of the Tuesday posts here about the meaning of the Tuesday series title. After all, plenty of Brits put out American-influenced music. Does that count? I specifically mentioned Richard Thompson as not counting because he is a) British, and therefore not American, and b) his music is, while distinctively British, too influenced by American music to justify inclusion in the Tuesday posts, which are about the breadth of one's musical tastes.
Richard Thompson is basically the best living musician. There. I said it. He puts out an album, and it's the album of the year. But, it doesn't meet the goals of this series. Disqualified. Sorry, Richard. Not that this blog matters, in any way at all.
So, damn. What else? Uh... well... there's Jeff Lang, and Geoff Achison! They both put out great albums! But, Australians putting out great blues albums? I have to disqualify them for the same reason. (Side note: Jeff Lang would probably agree with my description of Richard Thompson as the greatest living musician.)
So...
Um...
Bassekou Kouyate has an album coming out soon! That guy rules! Um... Yeah, the whole, "world music" scene just didn't do it for me this year. For all the pretentiousness of the Tuesday series, American music is the best. Jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, and yes, I even listen to some rock, although there wasn't a single rock album this year worth mentioning, in my opinion, other than Thompson's.
However, I'll leave you with something vaguely New Year's-esque, and not completely American. From Let's Play, here's Tri Continental, with "Here and Gone."