Why hello, hi. Blog has over a year now, and to celebrate, I present you with yet another of my famous yearly Top 10 Albums lists. Now, I don’t really see a good way to summarize the entire year. There was a lot of good music, and some of it helped me discover artists I wish I’d known long ago. But other than that... It was pretty standard. So instead of trying to somehow fit the entire year worth of riffs and chords into one paragraph, let’s focus on the few albums that really stood out, starting with a few honorable mentions.
Note - all the album covers link to a song of my choosing from that album.
Note - all the album covers link to a song of my choosing from that album.
2017 wasn't exactly a bad year for hiphop. Between Open Mike Eagle's "Brick Body Kids Still Daydream", Injury Reserve's "Drive It Like It's Stolen", Lou The Human's "Humaniac", and many others, there were plenty of beats and rhymes to get hyped about. But the one album that really stood out to me was Milo's WTYTT. Starting with its chill instrumentals, which are a mix of old-school and modern sounds, through slightly geeky themes, and down to unusual flow, very relaxed and composed. My favorite moment which is emblematic of all the album's qualities is in the track "Call + Form (Picture)", when Milo proclaims "I know of packet loss and latency, I know what lag is" in the manner that sounds almost like he's annoyed that people often assume he wouldn't know what that is and has to tell them he in fact does. I feel like we rarely hear this type of tone in hip-hop, used when author shares something personal and insignificant. The album didn't stay with me as much as some of the others from this year, but it gave me a couple of really enjoyable listens.
Everything Everything - A Fever Dream
Everything Everything - A Fever Dream
The album whose biggest fault is the fact it doesn't quite rise up to the high bar set by the previous one. "Get To Heaven" is probably one of my favorite albums of all time, and while "A Fever Dream" retains its sound and polish, the songwriting just isn't on the same level. The melodies aren't as catchy, lyrics not as memorable. But again, the fact that my biggest criticism of this album is "it's not as good as one of my favorite albums of all time" should tell you that I did in fact enjoy it quite a lot. I just love this art pop sound, combining bleeps and falsetto singing with indie rock. I love the historical and political lyrics. I love how they mix that energetic, pulsating style of music with those darker, more contemplative themes. "Can't Stop" might be my favorite single of the year. And it's not like AFD is stagnant, there is some clear experimentation with song structures, with some good breakdowns and cacophonies. It's definitely an album worth checking out, just maybe listen to "Get To Heaven" first if you haven't yet.
Ulver - Assassination of Julius Ceasar
Ulver - Assassination of Julius Ceasar
My first foray into the music of a band that is apparently famous for changing their style a lot - started out in 1993 as a fairly standard Norwegian Black Metal ensemble, then begun experimenting with various electronic sounds, and now they are a full-fledged synthpop group that invites justifiable comparisons to Depeche Mode. The combination of those cold synthesizer sounds with Rygg’s singing, often with an echo aftereffect, produces plenty of interesting melodies. My favorite part of the album is the song “So falls the world”, were at first synths give way to what sounds like live piano and drums, before transitioning into cascading instrumentation of raving bleeps and percussions. I probably would’ve enjoyed this LP more if it sounded closer to that particular track, but I really liked it as is.
And with that said, let’s move onto top10 proper!
10. Afghan Whigs - In Spades
And with that said, let’s move onto top10 proper!
10. Afghan Whigs - In Spades
Another storied artist whose music I’ve discovered just this year. Afghan Whigs have been around when alternative rock genre was only forming, took a break in 2001, and only returned 10 years later, now with a lighter, poppier sound. With all that said, I think “In Spades” is my favorite album of theirs. It uses a much more unique sound, incorporating strings, horns and piano, a more interesting and varied song structure compared to their previous works, and some of the best singing by Greg Dulli to date (supported by some backing vocals from a couple of guest artists). Its funkiness is perhaps its biggest strength, really adding to the Afghan Whigs core and creating something beautiful together. Listen to the single “Demon in Profile” and see if it sounds like something you might be into.
9. Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound
I’m constantly suprised at how much I like Cloud Nothings. They make some of the most raw, meat-and-potatoes indie rock I’ve heard… And I just can’t have enough. I guess when you have a knack for writing great melodies and catchy choruses, you’re gonna make something great no matter what genre you choose. On this album they generally went a little more mellow, although towards the end of it we get some of the noisier, more complex instrumentation, utilising the addition of the second guitarist to their ranks, but also reminding us of the style of their early days. Overall it’s just a very pleasurable record, with great songs all throughout. There’s just such a distinct, low-key type of joy I feel when listening to albums like this, that with each consecutive Cloud Nothings LP I’m becoming more and more of a fan.
8. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked At me
A different kind of record. Phil Elverum of “The Microphones” fame, recording under the “Mount Eerie” banner for the past 15 years, wrote an album about a personal tragedy - his wife’s, Geneviève Castrée’s, death. There’s no fancy instrumentation, no complex melodies. Just he and an acoustic guitar, strumming chords and singing about his everyday life following such groundbreaking event. There’s a lot of reflection, a lot of reminiscing, but also singing about sharing time with their kid and becoming a single husband. His choice of words and melodies does more than enough to relay the emotions accompanying him through this time, the despair, grief, sorrow, but also hope, as he’s slowly coming into acceptance. It’s a devastating listen, one I won’t forget any time soon.
7. Brand New - Science Fiction
I have a strong policy of separating the artist from their work. It gets a little difficult when you think about how Brand’s New music is defined by Jesse Lacey’s mind, the type of person he is, the kind of thoughts he has, and the actions from his past. At the same time, I think it would be unfair to lie to myself and pretend I didn’t enjoy the hell out of this record. From the eery opener “Lit Me Up”, with catchy follow-up “Can’t Get It Out”, quiet “Could Never Be Heaven”, captivating “137” and the rest of this fantastic record, Brand New are presenting the master class of alternative rock, with quality and talent just brimming through and through.
6. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers
2017 was quietly a very good year for post-rock, which I guess is pretty fitting for the genre. There were just so many quality records - Mogwai released a fantastic one, as did Do Make Say Think. But to me, “Luciferian Towers” stood head and shoulders above contemporaries. In fact I could go as far as saying that it rekindled my love for post-rock. The album’s structure seems inspired by orchestral music, consisting of an overture, first movement, overture reprise and the second movement. Its sound is pretty standard for GYBE, with tracks starting on a simple melody, and then progressively more and more instruments getting added, playing long, looping notes, reverbing and echoing, all building on that initial melody, creating a cascading chaos of noises, eventually all blending into something magnificent and beautiful. Add a lot of strings and brass to the traditional array of electric guitars and drums, and the result is one of my favorite post rock albums of the last few years.
5. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this one. It’s a folk record. It sounds nice. I like how varied the compositions are throughout the record, and how simultaneously they managed to record a sort-of vertical slice of it all in the opener. I get moved every time the guitars hit after the soft “I am all that I need”. In fact it’s very striking how soft and calm the vocals are, yet at the same time they leave a very strong impression. It’s also worth mentioning how fantastic the production is, balancing how spacious and how loud all the individual instruments and voices sound in a beautiful harmony. But most importantly, it’s a folk record of very high quality. It’s somewhat sophisticated, but I wouldn’t say it requires much of the listener - just put it on and let Fleet Foxes sound envelop you. It’s quite soothing.
4. Richard Dawson - Peasant
I would say that this album was the most interesting one on this list to listen to actively. Richard Dawson is a very experimentative British folk musician, who expresses himself through very complex compositions, falsetto singing and eery lyrics. The folk melodies are obstructed with some difficult, technical singing, seemingly out-of-tune sounds and some eccentric techniques, such as creakily bowing violin, and most notably the way Richard plucks his guitar, making it sound like he’s about to rip the strings out of the poor instrument. The juxtaposition of all these elements is very attention-grabbing, and it all results in a very fascinating record, full of songs that keep revealing themselves more and more after each consecutive listen. It’s a very rewarding experience for anyone who will stick with it for more than a few plays.
3. Miles Mosley - Uprising
7. Brand New - Science Fiction
I have a strong policy of separating the artist from their work. It gets a little difficult when you think about how Brand’s New music is defined by Jesse Lacey’s mind, the type of person he is, the kind of thoughts he has, and the actions from his past. At the same time, I think it would be unfair to lie to myself and pretend I didn’t enjoy the hell out of this record. From the eery opener “Lit Me Up”, with catchy follow-up “Can’t Get It Out”, quiet “Could Never Be Heaven”, captivating “137” and the rest of this fantastic record, Brand New are presenting the master class of alternative rock, with quality and talent just brimming through and through.
6. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Luciferian Towers
2017 was quietly a very good year for post-rock, which I guess is pretty fitting for the genre. There were just so many quality records - Mogwai released a fantastic one, as did Do Make Say Think. But to me, “Luciferian Towers” stood head and shoulders above contemporaries. In fact I could go as far as saying that it rekindled my love for post-rock. The album’s structure seems inspired by orchestral music, consisting of an overture, first movement, overture reprise and the second movement. Its sound is pretty standard for GYBE, with tracks starting on a simple melody, and then progressively more and more instruments getting added, playing long, looping notes, reverbing and echoing, all building on that initial melody, creating a cascading chaos of noises, eventually all blending into something magnificent and beautiful. Add a lot of strings and brass to the traditional array of electric guitars and drums, and the result is one of my favorite post rock albums of the last few years.
5. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this one. It’s a folk record. It sounds nice. I like how varied the compositions are throughout the record, and how simultaneously they managed to record a sort-of vertical slice of it all in the opener. I get moved every time the guitars hit after the soft “I am all that I need”. In fact it’s very striking how soft and calm the vocals are, yet at the same time they leave a very strong impression. It’s also worth mentioning how fantastic the production is, balancing how spacious and how loud all the individual instruments and voices sound in a beautiful harmony. But most importantly, it’s a folk record of very high quality. It’s somewhat sophisticated, but I wouldn’t say it requires much of the listener - just put it on and let Fleet Foxes sound envelop you. It’s quite soothing.
4. Richard Dawson - Peasant
I would say that this album was the most interesting one on this list to listen to actively. Richard Dawson is a very experimentative British folk musician, who expresses himself through very complex compositions, falsetto singing and eery lyrics. The folk melodies are obstructed with some difficult, technical singing, seemingly out-of-tune sounds and some eccentric techniques, such as creakily bowing violin, and most notably the way Richard plucks his guitar, making it sound like he’s about to rip the strings out of the poor instrument. The juxtaposition of all these elements is very attention-grabbing, and it all results in a very fascinating record, full of songs that keep revealing themselves more and more after each consecutive listen. It’s a very rewarding experience for anyone who will stick with it for more than a few plays.
3. Miles Mosley - Uprising
If I were to recommend one album from 2017, this would be it. This is the music I’ve been chasing after all my life - the fusion of funk, jazz, rock and soul that I once naively thought is played by tons of bands, and all I needed to do was reach out and I would find a few. But as years went by, “Ain’t got no rhythm” from Phineas and Ferb and “Hounds’ from The Protomen were the only examples of this genre I made up in my head, and it only changed with release of Uprising. The album is exactly that - very funky, very energetic, combining the sound, instrumentation and atmosphere of the genres listed above. But beyond that, Miles gives it his own flair, with a lot of bravado in his singing, no doubt picked from working around hiphop artists as part of the same ensemble as Thundercat and Kamasi Washington. The music conveys a lot of conviction and passion, and there’s a lot of energy in Miles’ singing. But it’s really the instrumentation and sound that sell me on this, being as good as I imagined this genre to be.
2. Japandroids - Near the Wildhearts of Life
It recently hit me - I don’t smile much when listening to music. I listen to a lot of stuff that instills feelings of passion or intensity, but rarely to anything cheerful and happy. And yet whenever I listened to “Near the Wildhearts of Life”, I wanted to yell, stomp my feet, laugh and let it all out. Japandroids are like a modern, alternative version of arena rock, writing songs of excitement, elation, celebration and triumph, conveying them through simple lyrics and extatic melodies. Hard to believe they are just a 2-piece band, recording the album with use of overdubs to flesh out the compositions. I can’t imagine the day when “I’m sorry for not finding you sooner” or “No known drink or drug” fail to get a reaction out of me - just like Miles, Japandroids fill an important niche in my library.
2. Japandroids - Near the Wildhearts of Life
It recently hit me - I don’t smile much when listening to music. I listen to a lot of stuff that instills feelings of passion or intensity, but rarely to anything cheerful and happy. And yet whenever I listened to “Near the Wildhearts of Life”, I wanted to yell, stomp my feet, laugh and let it all out. Japandroids are like a modern, alternative version of arena rock, writing songs of excitement, elation, celebration and triumph, conveying them through simple lyrics and extatic melodies. Hard to believe they are just a 2-piece band, recording the album with use of overdubs to flesh out the compositions. I can’t imagine the day when “I’m sorry for not finding you sooner” or “No known drink or drug” fail to get a reaction out of me - just like Miles, Japandroids fill an important niche in my library.
1. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana
This has been a wild year for King Guzzer. Doing shows all around the world, making radio appearances, answering interviews, organising their own music festival, doing stunts such as releasing an entire record copyright-free... And on top of that they managed to record a total of FIVE albums. Not all of them wowed me, although I enjoyed most of them to some degree. But they knocked it right out of the park with the very first one released near the beginning of the year, Flying Microtonal Banana. There are three concepts at play - first, what I would call the “default” kinggizerandwizerlizer sound, a very polished garage/psychedelic rock. Second, the return to the Western sound which they explored on their second album “Eyes Like the Sky”. And finally, the experimentation with electric guitars, basses, harmonica and keyboard modified to be able to play quarter notes - effectively giving the band access to sounds virtually absent from western music, allowing them to play somewhat alien, oriental music. Simply put, everything about this combination clicks extremely well. The instrumentation compliments the Gizzard brand of psych rock, making it sound more complex and interesting. The theme of Wild West seems to bring the best out in them, serving as a fantastic inspiration and a backdrop to amazing solos and harmonies. If the opener “Rattlesnake” doesn’t immediately sell you on the concept, wait until you hear “Billabong Valley” or “Nuclear Fusion”. I think this is a very special record - both because of its concept and in how it all turned out. I can’t wait to find out what else these Australian madmen come up with.
No comments:
Post a Comment