What a year. There are times when I believe the world is getting more entropic, more dangerous. More surreal. And there are other times when I attribute that belief to my age, my awareness of the bonds that make up the fabric of the world and the various sources of tension acting upon those bonds.
The way I experience music sits between those ideas. We now live in a world where I have so much unrestricted access to music that I might not have heard of your favorite artist, your favorite song. Genre has lost its meaning, and genre-bending has become the expectation. The music we listen to still defines us, but in a way that defies labels like punk and scene and simply says "you" or "me." Music lovers have become profoundly individual, no longer banding into tribes centered on an artist or a movement (meeting my first posse of Deadheads traveling in tow of Midwestern shows last month reminded me of the deep contrast in fanbase styles), but into loose collectives that reference the great influencers even as they bring the unknown to the table.
In this spirit, we reject the notion of two people's "top ten" and, instead, bring you some collected thoughts on this year in music. We and some friends have aligned our thoughts along a few options, including an album of the year list, a reflection of one album, albums from any year that we listened to, and more.
These are our friends. You are too. Play your stuff loud.
"By Starlight" by Josh Chaney is a series of photographs that explore the concept of time being frozen in suburbs during the night. As the sun goes down, less and less is happening as people return to their homes for the evening. Busy places like parking lots and streets become empty, and all that is left is a soft, glowing light coming from windows, street lamps, and the stars to illuminate the neighborhood until the sun returns. See the complete series up at Mache.
Best Case Picks
Austin Sisson
Top Song:
- Strangest Thing - The War on Drugs
There is something about this song that takes you to the lowest places, dark chasms without air or light, before leading you by the hand into a glittering cathedral size cavern. The contrast is breathtaking. The destination is worshipful. If I had to pick my favorite moment of 2017, it's at minute 2:41.
No order:
- Tinseltown Swimming in Blood - Destroyer
- Marlon Brando - Alex Cameron
- Fix - Hazel English
- Candy May - Alex Cameron
- Boyish - Japanese Breakfast
- Affection - Cigarettes After Sex
- Czech One - King Krule
- T-shirt - Migos
- Sugar for the Pill - Slowdive
- Boredom - Tyler the Creator
- Time on her Side - Future Islands
- Cool Your Heart (Dre Skull remix) - Dirty Projectors, Dawn Richards
- Plimsoll Punks - Alvvays
- Isotype - Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark
- Raining on Hope Street - Spinning Coin
- It's a Vibe - 2 Chainz
- Creature Comforts - Arcade Fire
- Tears - Charli XCX
- The Louvre - Lorde
- Rollin - Calvin Harris
- GOD. - Kendrick Lamar
- Black & Chinese - Quavo and Travis Scott
- Family don't matter - Young Thug
- I'm fine - Hazel English
- Green Light - Lorde
- American Dreams - LCD Soundsystem
- Sure - Hatchie
- Silver - Waxahatchee
Nate Burdette
- A$AP Mob - Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy
- My favorite albums this year were rap albums, and I spent the most time with this one. I posit that A$AP Mob is one of the coolest rap collectives ever, calling back to the highly creative models of groups like D.I.T.C. and the Dungeon Family, whose greatest feats were anchored in members’ solo projects but whose most fun listens were posse cuts from the collective. Good listening if you’re thinking about flexing a new article of clothing that you’re unsure about.
- Princess Nokia - 1992 Deluxe
- Vatican - Ache of Eternity
- I love heavy music that beckons back to more traditional hardcore and metal, but the heavy music that sticks with me are albums that burn so frantically that you can't hear individual influences so much as you can feel their beating hearts melded in the center. Favorite tracks: “Dreamer’s Bodybag” and “Divine Ruination.”
- Young Thug and Future - Super Slimey
- This was the year for lo-fi hip hop like Open Mike Eagle, “Anchovies,” and Your Old Droog. And while those are all good projects, I needed Young Thug in 2017. He's constantly challenging himself to be more creative (a good example, maybe). The contrast between his and Future's delivery gives the collab a contour that becomes a breathing organism, recreating itself on every song.
- King Krule - The OOZ
- Sufjan Steven, James McAlister, Bryce Dessner - Planetarium
- Xibalba - Diablo, Con Amor.. Adios.
- Steve Lacy - Steve Lacy’s Demo EP
- Steve was everywhere this year. Though he worked on a lot of my favorite 2017 tracks, the only thing I know for sure is that I want more of his solo stuff. (And maybe the sadly fake A$AP Rocky feature.) Favorite tracks: “Some."
- SZA - Ctrl
- Milo - who told you to think??!!?!?!?!
- who told you to think??!!?!?!?! offers a world of connected references. As Durga Chew-Bose said in my favorite book this year, “[I]sn’t it lovely to, once in a while, feel small in the presence of your friend? Awed. Fortunate to experience nearness that calls upon space.” This is a record that gives of itself and somehow, though your ears are full of Milo’s reality, it creates more space for you to live in your own.
Contributors' Picks
In no order:
- Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
- Sorority Noise - You're Not As ______ as you Think
- SZA - Ctrl
- Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface
- LCD Soundsystem - american dream
- Cloakroom - Time Well
- Corbin - Mourn
- Willow - The 1st
- Tomppabeats - Arcade
- Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy
- Arcade Fire - Everything Now
- BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION II
- BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION
- BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION III
- Orthodox - Sounds of Loss
- Code Orange - Forever
- Advent - Pain and Suffering
- Moon - You Snuck Me Into Your Darkness
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- Loathe - The Cold Sun
- The National - Sleep Well Beast
- NERD - NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES
- Joey Jewish - The Vantes Project 1 & 2
- MXXWLL - Beats - Vol. 1
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- Majid Jordan - The Space In Between
- Kelela - Take Me Apart
- Renee Dion - Haven
- Kllo - Backwater
- Dwight Junior - Never What You Ask For EP
- Dawn Richards - Redemption Heart
Honorable mention: Pond - The Weather
Julia Oller with a little reflection on an album she loved this year:
Jens Lekman, Life Will See You Now (2017)
This isn't my favorite album of the year, or my most listened to album of the year, or my most memorable album of the year. I'm honestly just upset everyone else seems to have forgotten about it. Jens deserves his 15 minutes too. His uptempo tracks could back a carousel ride, but the Swede sings like he's writing a diary entry, discussing the challenge of close male friendships, long-term commitment and first fights. I watched him perform in March, and he was the most charming artist I saw all year. Don't worry Jens, I remember.
- Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex
- Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm
- Corbezzolo - Midnight
- Priests - Nothing Feels Natural
- Diet Cig - Swear I'm Good At This
- King Krule - The OOZ
- Moon - You Snuck Me Into Your Darkness
- Harmony Woods - Nothing Special
- Soft Fangs - Fractures
- LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
- The National - Sleep Well Beast
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- King Krule - The OOZ
- Destroyer - ken
- Japanese Breakfast - Soft Sounds from Another Planet
- Future Islands - The Far Field
- The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
- Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins
- Perfume Genius - No Shape
- Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors
- Big Thief - Capacity
- Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- (Sandy) Alex G - Rocket
- King Krule - The OOZ
- The National - Sleep Well Beast
- Perfume Genius - No Shape
- Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights
- LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
- 21 Savage and Offset - Without Warning
Jack Sipes of Moon
- BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION II
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- King Krule - The OOZ
- Sun Kil Moon - Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood
- Tyler the Creator - Flower Boy
- (SANDY) Alex G - Rocket
- Thundercat - Drunk
- Tomppabeats - Arcade
- Hoops - Routines
- Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory
Jake Beaver of Problem of Pain, Slow Bullet and Verdict. Check out his full list at Zing Zine.
- King Woman - Created In the Image of Suffering
- Converge - The Dusk In Us
- No Omega - Culture
- My Ticket Home - UnReal
- No Warning - Torture Culture
- 3weekolddress - Nothing Against You
- Princess Nokia - 1992
- Cannibal Corpse - Red Before Black
- Corbin - Mourn
- Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Holy Spirit Swag (Russell Baldocchi, I guess)
- Tigers Jaw - Spin
- Incendiary - Thousand Mile Stare
- Forced Order - One Last Prayer
- Queensway - Swift Minds of the Darkside
- Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Honorable mention: Xibalba's "Diablo, Con Amor.. Adios." EP
Evan Casey. Read his full list at Zing Zine.
- Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps
- (SANDY) Alex G - Rocket
- Vatican - Ache of Eternity
- Ovlov - Greatest Hits Vol. II
- The National - Sleep Well Beast
- Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface
- Deer Tick - Volume I
- Red Death - Formidable Darkness
- Beach House - B Sides and Rarities
- Unified Right - Straight to Hell
Ben Martindale of Benji FAME
I'm slow at everything and I'm chronically late. So as much as I respect guys like Fantano and frequent Best Case contributor Jack Sipes, I just can't consume music quick enough to compile a list of my favorite albums from the year. I just don't work that way, I guess. Buttttttttt apparently Best Case allowed for more options for this year end post, so I finally get to participate in the end-of-the-year-music-lover-round-up thing. So here's a list of albums from this year and previous years that helped me through this weird, weird year. I'm gonna try to get them chronologically.
- Stove - Is Stupider
- Ovlov - Am
- You Blew It! - The Past in The Present
- Frankie Cosmos - The Next Thing
- Mitski - Puberty 2
- Andrew Bird - Are You Serious?
- Alvvays - Alvvays
- WHY? - Elephant Eyelash
- Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols
- Hanging Moon - Cast Out
- The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
- Alvvays - Antisocialites
Kenny Sipes. Check out his top ten on his site.
11. Joey Bada$$ - ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$
12. Baby Driver Soundtrack
13. Nichole Nordeman - Every Mile Mattered
14. Valerie June - The Order of Time
15. The Killers - Wonderful Woman
16. Jay-Z - 4:44
17. Chris Bathgate/ Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit AND Ryan Adams (folk and americana tie)
18. Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes - Modern Ruin
19. Kevin Morby - City Music
20. Lorde/ Halsey/ Pink (tie)
- BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION TRILOGY
- Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
- Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy
- Father John Misty - Pure Comedy
- King Krule - The OOZ
- (SANDY) Alex G - Rocket
- Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
- Cloakroom - Time Well
- Mac Demarco - This Old Dog
- Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory
