Album of 2017

[NotThePars]

Really enjoying the new Horrors album after the disappointment that was Luminous. Something To Remember Me By is a massive tune.

[Savage Henry]

Wolf Parade’s new one Cry, Cry, Cry is a bigger, smoother, poppier sound. If Arcade Fire hadn’t thrown their career away, this is the kind of anthemic joyousness they should be producing.

I think it’s great. Top ten for sure. Your mileage may vary.

[scotfree]

I've been listening to Cut Copy's new album “Haiku From Zero”. No bad songs on it in my opinion. 

 

[BallochSonsFan]

My music spending is done for the year and I've only got 1 more gig left in 2017. I suppose it's as good a time as any to get my best of list finalised...

Albums

1.Courtney Marie Andrews - Honest Life (If I remember correctly it was released in the UK in early 2017)

2. Jason Isbell - The Nashville Sound

3. Hurray For The Riff Raff - The Navigator

4. Lily Hiatt - Trinity Lane

5. Jen Cloher - Jen Cloher

6. Waxahatchee - Out In The Storm

7. John Moreland - Big Bad Luv

8. Rachel Baiman - Shame

9. Caroline Spence - Spades and Roses

10. Margo Price - All American Made

And from 11 to 20 its:

11. Jolie Holland and Sam Parton - Wildflower Blues, 12. Justin Townes Earle - Kids In The Street, 13.This Is The Kit - Moonshine Freeze, 14.Jade Jackson - Gilded, 15. John Alexander - Of These Lands, 16. Jessica Lea Mayfield - Sorry is Gone, 17. Holly Macve - Golden Eagle, 18. Nadia Reid - Preservation, 19 - Girl Ray - Earl Gray, 20. The Big Moon - Love In The 4th Dimension

Gigs

1. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit (Academy) / Nathan Bell (Admiral)

2. Hurray For The Riff Raff (St Lukes)

3. Courtney Marie Andrews (St Lukes)

4. Aoife O'Donovan (Cottiers)

5. Stray Birds (St Lukes)

 

 

[Jmothecat2]

Had Action Bronson's new album on rotation for the past few days and liking it more and more after being relatively indifferent about it after first listen. That, DAMN by Kendrick and Blondie's new album are the three I've probably enjoyed the most this year. I feel like with how easy it is to stream things on Spotify etc that I find it harder to properly get into new albums these days, but those three have grabbed my intention enough to listen to properly.

[Savage Henry]

My end of year top ten:

1. Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires: Youth Detention.  The most important record of the year, best live act of the year, and my most played.  By a distance.

2. Meursault: I Will Kill Again.   King Creosote with a venal underbelly.  Prettiest record of the year.

3. Hurray for the Riff Raff : The Navigator.  Political, melodic, serious, and fun.  Loved it. Catchy as hell.

4. Bash and Pop: Anything Could Happen. Tommy Stinson from Guns and Roses and The Replacements, but not in that order.

5. Deathtraps: Justice For The Risca One. A Welsh band I saw support the aforementioned LB3.  Great pub rockers.

6. Wolf Parade: Cry, Cry, Cry. Glam rock for the jilted generation.

7. The National: Sleep Well Beast.  The National does what The National do.

8. Jade Jackson: Gilded.  Gotta have some flat out country.

9. Big Thief: Capacity.   Beautiful record. 

10.  A Giant Dog: Toy.  Like walking around Disneyland on acid.

 

Edit:  a fabulous year for new music.  Bubbling under:  The Big Moon, Cigarettes After Sex, Ron Gallo and Valerie June.

[Ex Machina]

Had a think about this and I think I'll stick with this list:

1. The Menzingers - After The Party
2. While She Sleeps - You Are We
3. Nothing But Thieves - Broken Machines
4. Arcane Roots - Melancholia Hymns
5. Citizen - As You Please
6. WSTR - Red, Green or Inbetween
7. Deaf Havana - All These Countless Nights
8. Can't Swim - Fail You Again
9. The Smith Street Band - More Scared of You Than You Are of Me
10. The Gospel Youth - Always Lose

Shout outs for Brand New, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Harry Styles and Sorority Noise who all released top notch albums this year.

[JamieStevenson]

I believe this is now my final list. It's been a great year indeed.

 

1. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

2. Lorde - Melodrama.

3. Creeper - Eternity, In Your Arms.

4. The Used - The Canyon

5. Lights - Skin & Earth

6. Robert Plant - Carry Fire

7. Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life

8. Angaleena Presley - Wrangled.

9. The Menzingers - After The Party.

10. SZA - Ctrl

 

Unlucky not to make the cut are albums from:  Stormzy, HAIM, Jay-Z, Kesha, Wiley, Vince Staples & Taylor Swift.

[GrahamJags]

Don’t think I’ve got anything else to listen to this year that’ll trouble this, so here’s my top 10:

1. White Reaper - The World's Best American Band
2. Out Lines - Conflats
3. Methyl Ethel - Everything Is Forgotten
4. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger In The Alps
5. Benjamin Clementine - I Tell A Fly
6. Craig Finn - We All Want The Same Things
7. The Lone Bellow - Walk Into A Storm
8. Jason Isbell - The Nashville Sound
9. Perfume Genius - No Shape
10. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires - Youth Detention

The top 4 could all justify being top of the pile, but I firmly believe that the White Reaper record is the best rock and roll record of the last 10 years.

I’ve listened to nearly 250 new release albums this year (I’m a saddo that keeps lists) and the majority of them have been at least good listens. A very good year indeed for new releases.

[Jmothecat2]

I've only properly listened to about 15 or so albums (and only actually purchased 1 purely because it wasn't on Spotify) this year so the last few choices sort of get in by default, but here is my list:

1. DAMN - Kendrick Lamar
2. ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ - Joey Bada$$
3. Blue Chips 7000 - Action Bronson
4. Rosecrans - DJ Quik
5. Big Fish Theory - Vince Staples
6. Pollinator - Blondie
7. Ctrl - SZA
8. 4:44 - Jay Z
9. Now - Shania Twain
10. Revival - Eminem (I might look back at this in two weeks time and think this inclusion was ill thought out but I've listened to it a few times over the last couple of days and enjoyed it so it just makes it)

[Sauzee#4]

Brand New - Science Fiction

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

While She Sleeps - You Are We

Counterparts - You’re Not You Anymore

Trivium - The Sin and the Sentence

Stick to Your Guns - True View

Creeper - Eternity In Your Arms

Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayer

Enter Shikari - The Spark

Converge - The Dusk In Us

 

[Ira Gaines]

1. Enter Shikari - The Spark
2. Brand New - Science Fiction
3. Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life
4. Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound
5. While She Sleeps - You Are We
6. Creeper - Eternity, In Your Arms
7. Aquilo - Silhouettes
8. The Menzingers - After the Party
9. DREAMCAR - DREAMCAR
10. PVRIS - All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell

Looks like this is going to be my final 10.

[Cptn Hooch]

GUN's new album, Favourite Pleasures is a great listen. They're really hitting their stride again with some cracking rock tunes.

[Christophe]

1 Thundercat - Drunk 

2 LCD Soundsystem  - American Dream

3 Julie Byrne - Not Even Happinesss

4 Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory

5 Vessels - The Great Distraction

6 Perfume Genius - No Shape

7 Alex Cameron - Forced Witness 

8 Four Tet - New Energy 

9 Run The Jewels - III

10 Lorde - Melodrama 

11-20: Alvvays, Mountain Goats, Blanck Mass, Sinkane, Beck, Wolf Parade, Phoebe Bridgers, Kelly Lee Owens, Destroyer, Big Boi

[yabass]

Not completely convinced about the order, but:

1. Sheer Mag - Need To Feel Your Love

2. Godspeed! You Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers

3. Run the Jewels - III

4. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Damage and Joy

5. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

6. Ibibio Sound Machine - Uyia

7. Diet Cig - Swear I'm Good at This

8. Sacred Paws - Strike a Match

9. Charly Bliss - Guppy

10. Marika Hackman - I'm Not Your Man

[Craig fae the Vale]

My Top 10, unranked, just my 10 favourites of the year.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - Modern Ruin
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
Lana Del Rey - Lust For Life
Mark Lanegan Band - Gargoyle
Margo Price - All American Made
The Menzingers - After the Party
The National - Sleep Well Beast
Rise Against - Wolves
Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm
White Reaper - The World's Best American Band
 

Quite a few really good albums that missed the cut there as well. Hadn't quite realised how good a year it was for music.

[50/50 Winner]

Here's my favourite albums from this year, in no particular order -

Tobacco - Ripe & Majestic
Toro y moi - Boo Boo
Junior Mahkno - Party Discipline
Jon Wayne - Rap Album Two
ShitKid - Fish
Joey badass - All American Badass
Me and the Bees - Menos Mal
Public Service Broadcasting - Every Valley
Kupla - *****a Native
Big Thief - Capacity