Topic: 2017 in Music

[Raaphael]

So apart from the obvious(the Drab Majesty-The Demonstration, )what's the contender for album of the year? So far?

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Not sure, Raph. Lot of good stuff out this year. Really liking the new EMA album. Also digging the Dream Syndicate record while Queens of the Stone Age's newy is a real grower.

Big week. The Mary Chain on Thursday night followed by Psych Fest this weekend. You end up getting a ticket, Filler?

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

So apart from the obvious(the Drab Majesty-The Demonstration, )what's the contender for album of the year? So far?

Mine includes

Jake Xerxes Fussell - What In The Natural World
Kevin Morby - City Music
Sandy Alex G - Rocket
Chuck Johnson - Balsams
Hoops - Routines
Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever - The French Press EP (going to get into some arguments about this in the album of the year thread )
Kelly Lee Owens - S/T
Big Thief - Capacity
Michael Nau - Some Twist
if the Dirty Projectors and Amber Coffman LPs had been one, might have been up there. Weirdly symbiotic records.
Loads of others - Laetitia Sadier Source Ensemble, Bedouine, Algiers, The Moonlandingz, Vermont, Hand Habits, Nightlands, Woods, Foxygen.

Hiss Golden Messenger still to drop so that'll be on there - unless they've dropped the ball, which is about as likely as me having a chart hit myself with a novelty record about bus drivers.

[Nick110581]

Been a strong year.

Think obvious albums like TWOD and The National are superb and get better with each listen. The LCD album is possibly overrated and not digging it at mo for some reason.

Kevin Morby, Big Thief, Jason Isbell, Grizzly Bear, Bedouins, BNQT, Conor Oberst, FJM, Fionn Regan, Girl Ray, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Feist, and Michael Nau to name a few.

There are albums by Margo Orove, HGM and Destroyer to drop too!

[Raaphael]

The Cigarettes After Sex album is pretty strong as well.

[FlashingBlade]

Between 'Drunk' by Thudercat and 'Peasant' by Richard Dawason for me...with the letter maybe edging it.


Hoping something comes along to challenge them but Im well behind on releases this year.

[Mr Boat]

Loving the thread.

Agree with plenty of the recommendations on here especially WOD new one and good to see Oh See's get a few mentions; I have their new album, Orc and although I do like it, it gets nowhere near to the experience of seeing them live which was mental to say the least, really hope they come back again soon. Loving the new LCD Soundsystem's, American Dream, shame I couldn't get to the live shows.

I managed to stumble across The Moonlandingz at Glasto; bought the album, Interplanetary Class Classics; it's brilliant. Saw them again at Hammersmith supporting Goat; what a great night that was which included a great set from Jane Weaver.

Don't think anyone's mentioned Aldous Harding yet. A spell binding album and a lovely, weird performance at Green Man; definitely worth a listen/look.

[Djozer]

Think it's been a decent year for music. Have enjoyed albums by

Jake xerxes Fussell
Michael Chapman
Ty Segall
Alex G (bit mad, this)
Slowdive
Isbell
Marty Stuart
The National
Loyle Carner
Jay Z
Really like some of Kendrick Lamar's album, a few tracks irritate me though. It's pretty much what he does.

Not sure which are my favourites, possibly the top two but that's subject to change. Been listening to that Gospelbeach album a bit this week, really like it for it's relentless sunniness, but by the same token it can get a bit grating, depends what mood I'm in. I've probably forgotten loads, and am sure there will be more - am very much looking to HGM (soon come) and St Vincent.

[Mr Boat]

Still haven't stopped playing the last HGM...forgot there's a new one coming along.

[Djozer]

Still haven't stopped playing the last HGM...forgot there's a new one coming along.

Yeah man, Friday (pre-ordered it). Seems like only about a year since his last one, not enough artists work that quickly these days. I still listen to the last one too, most of them actually, I really like what he does.

[Filler.]

Not sure what my top LP would be for this year, but i'll remember 2017 for belatedly introducing me to the music of $hit & $hine.




An hour long radio show from a few days ago, airing a new single I think, called 'Cow' - a 24 hour funky dub mash up which had me laughing out loud in bed last night ... and then at around 31-34 mins, 'The Worst', coming out on an EP thru Rocket Recordings... a mash up of a very recent American Idol with Simon Cowell 'That is the worst voice I've ever heard'.

https://www.nts.live/shows/shit-and-shine/episodes/shit-shine-14th-september-2017

A glorious hour.

Shit and Shine, the mutant brainchild of seasoned transgressor Craig Clouse, have traversed to places that few ordinary bands would dare to venture, and moreover have transcended both genre and sanity in their pursuit of reckless audial endangerment. Taking the repetitive rhythmic drive of krautrock and marrying it to a percussive Butthole Surfers-style strain of acidic intensity. they’ve carved out a unique niche for themselves as one of the most unpredictable, ornery and - occasionally - outright unpleasant outfits in living memory.

Like a robot Can-Hawkwind hybrid in a Phillip K. Dick future, reassembling disco, abstract electronica and noise rock into elegant new shapes, Shit and Shine furrow brows and fry synapses in equal measure. In spite of this new opus boasting a leaner, sleeker attack than that of yore – partly informed by the band’s recent releases on Powell’s Diagonal records - the same sense of gleeful perversity is abundant, and the same twisted humour ingrained in these grotesque and hypnotic grooves.

..  spectres of smooth jazz fusion lock horns with the against-the-grain approach of Aphex Twin, circular necro-Necks grooves are beset by demons. and the abstract funk of ‘Love Your Hair-Hope You Win’ locks a Larry Graham-style groove in a vortex of digital disorientation.

Brandishing an intimidating psychic attack and equipped as ever with both nameless menace and savage wit, rarely has a band made sounding so wrong sound so right. 

https://shitandshine.bandcamp.com/album/54-synth-brass-38-metal-guitar-65-cathedral

[Raaphael]

Huge fan of the National, but so far my impression is that the new album disappoints. I`d say it`s nowhere near their best material.

[S]

Huge fan of the National, but so far my impression is that the new album disappoints. I`d say it`s nowhere near their best material.

Three of the singles they released before the album (System, Guilty Party and Carin) are actually the best ones on it, which kind of lessened the impact when I first listened as I'd already played them to death. Other than that there are a couple of songs that I'm indifferent towards, but I can live with that as there are also some instant favourites.

I actually don't have a favourite National record. I consider everything from Alligator onwards to be of the same incredibly high standard, this album included. I can see why you perhaps wouldn't take to it though, it does represent a slight departure. Give it time and it may grow on you.

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever - The French Press EP (going to get into some arguments about this in the album of the year thread )

How were they in Manchester, Sam? They absolutely slew in Leeds. I found that their live performance had nice psychedelic touches. Loved the acoustic guitar throughout, too.

Got to meet the boys afternoon. Really nice blokes. Very down to earth and humbled by the current exposure they're receiving.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

How were they in Manchester, Sam? They absolutely slew in Leeds. I found that their live performance had nice psychedelic touches. Loved the acoustic guitar throughout, too.

Got to meet the boys afternoon. Really nice blokes. Very down to earth and humbled by the current exposure they're receiving.

Yeah they were fantastic, best band (that I saw) on what was a very good bill. I love the three vocalists interchanging, and they had phenomenal energy. They seemed almost bashful at the way the crowd reacted in some way, they had by far the most involved crowd of the evening.

It's weird because there's really not that much about them other than they're really fucking good. They're not doing anything remotely radical, they're not ploughing a new furrow, they're just absolutely shit hot at doing their thing, which is hook-filled straight ahead rock and roll - there's great detail in their songs, and the lyrics are quite enigmatic and intriguing to me. Really looking forward to what's next from them.

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Yeah they were fantastic, best band (that I saw) on what was a very good bill. I love the three vocalists interchanging, and they had phenomenal energy. They seemed almost bashful at the way the crowd reacted in some way, they had by far the most involved crowd of the evening.

It's weird because there's really not that much about them other than they're really fucking good. They're not doing anything remotely radical, they're not ploughing a new furrow, they're just absolutely shit hot at doing their thing, which is hook-filled straight ahead rock and roll - there's great detail in their songs, and the lyrics are quite enigmatic and intriguing to me. Really looking forward to what's next from them.

Would agree with that. They seem to have been plucked out of thin air by Sub Pop. They haven't toured that much in Australia (never played Perth!) which is weird because bands from there have to tour for years to even get recognised by labels abroad. They don't seem to fit into the archetypical "Melbourne scene", either. They just seem to be normal lads who like AFL football and the like. I think it's great to see. Maybe there's something in that track "Fountain of Fortune", perhaps? In any case their LP will be out next year by the sounds of it. Can't wait.

[Djozer]

Forgot about Rolling Blackouts when thinking of best albums but yeah, they're really good. One of a handful of bands over the last few years that I've heard one record by and immediately decided to get everything they've ever done - thankfully they have just the one EP previous so it wasn't too expensive. Bit weird actually as I'm normally not that bothered by the whole post-punky indie pop rock thing but like Sam says, nowt groundbreaking, they're just really, really good at what they do.

[Lastrador]

These are my contenders as of today:

Priests - Nothing Feels Natural
Slowdive - Slowdive
(Sandy) Alex G - Rocket
Joan Shelley - Joan Shelley
Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex
Big Thief - Capacity
Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm
Thundercat - Drunk
Father John Misty - Pure Comedy
Cory Branan - Adios (You might like this Djozer)
Zola Jesus - Okovi
Mac Demarco - This Old Dog
Fleet Foxes - Crack Up

Still haven't manage to give TWOD, The National and Grizzly Bear new ones a proper listen but they might creep on my top 10 based on the first few bits.

I'll have to check out Rolling Blackouts as they sound right down my alley.

[Zeppelin]

My favourites this year are 'Grimspound' by Big Big Train and 'Queen of hearts' by Offa Rex. Rhiannon Giddens 'Freedom highway' and Steve Hackett's 'The night siren' are pretty good too.

[jooneyisdagod]

New Ariel Pink is one of the best this year. He's curtailed his excesses and the result is a top album full of great songs.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

New Ariel Pink is one of the best this year. He's curtailed his excesses and the result is a top album full of great songs.

Ooh yeah I'll have to get on that, sounded nice on first listen. Less skronky weird shit and more tunes.

[jooneyisdagod]

Ooh yeah I'll have to get on that, sounded nice on first listen. Less skronky weird shit and more tunes.

Exactly right. It's all good to be a goofball, just look at Mac Demarco. But I think Pink fucked around far too much under the guise of experimentation, which made some songs completely unlistenable. This though seems his most mature effort in what feels like forever.

[KERRYKOP]

My Choices

Alex Cameron
IDLES
Priests
Rolling Blackouts
Kendrick
Kevin Morby
Brand New
Turnover
Japandroids
WOD

Hopefully a few more to come! Can't see me not liking the new Protomartyr so that's in the list as well provisionally. One of the bands in there and favourites here, IDLES, opened for Foo Fighters last night which is kind of mind blowing, how quick they have propelled themselves. They are currently working on new materiel as well.

[vagabond]

Wait, turnover had a new album out this year??

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Wait, turnover had a new album out this year??

Aw yeah, its really good too, good shout KerryKop.

[wz4jc3]

Wait, turnover had a new album out this year??

How did I miss this? [emoji54]

[Nobody cares what phone you have and that you are using the free version of Tapatalk]

[Keita Success]

I don't know if anyone's heard of China Lane, but I've got an interview with them in October. 

I'll post it on here, if anyone's keen.

They're classed as indie, but they're easy to listen to. Marco Polo is a very good song. They even got up to 2nd in the Dutch charts. 

[Djozer]

HELLO!

http://exystence.net/blog/2017/09/21/hiss-golden-messenger-hallelujah-anyhow-2017/#more-117113

Siiiiiiiiccckk. I've bought it anyway but fuck it, might as well steal it too, why change the habit of a lifetime? Plus, I won't feel as guilty with this one as I normally do!

Nice one mate, this was probably in my three most anticipated albums of the year list, along with Isbell's and Lemar's. Cannot. Fucking. Wait.

[Djozer]

I don't know if anyone's heard of China Lane, but I've got an interview with them in October. 

I'll post it on here, if anyone's keen.

They're classed as indie, but they're easy to listen to. Marco Polo is a very good song. They even got up to 2nd in the Dutch charts. 

Haven't heard of them mate, but youtubed them and they seem, as you say, easy to listen to. Are you a music journalist? Nice one, that's probably the coolest job there is, apart from professional stuntman maybe. Tres jealous.

[cloggypop]

I don't know if anyone's heard of China Lane, but I've got an interview with them in October. 

I'll post it on here, if anyone's keen.

They're classed as indie, but they're easy to listen to. Marco Polo is a very good song. They even got up to 2nd in the Dutch charts. 

I've lived in the Netherlands for years and I've never heard of them. Good luck with it, hope they get the beers in.

[Nick110581]

The new HGM album is fucking ace.

And the new album by Phoebe Bridgers is beautiful.

[cloggypop]

If anyone is going to Psych Fest and wants to see a good Dutch band then check out The Homesick. They are boss. If you aren't going then have a listen to their new album.

[Chip Evans]

My late night "what do you mean they've gone to sleep?" micro sessions are being fuelled by this (along with Calpol and red wine) at the minute. Really beautiful. 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Ql_VNQUQW6Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Ql_VNQUQW6Q</a>

[ToneLa]

Not "new" music but if you're into the Doors, there's a new 2CD of their singles that ISN'T brickwalled and compressed to shit. It's brilliant.

It's probably on Spotify and  defo on Google Play Music



--------

Godspeed You! BLACK EMPEROR have their new album out. Luciferian Towers!

I will be giving it a spin during normal hours.

[Keita Success]

Haven't heard of them mate, but youtubed them and they seem, as you say, easy to listen to. Are you a music journalist? Nice one, that's probably the coolest job there is, apart from professional stuntman maybe. Tres jealous.

I wish 

I'm a MA student at Sheffield Uni journalism. Hoping to go somewhere in entertainment, got a football blog, but we're encouraged to branch out. To be honest, it was actually pretty easy to get the interview set-up. But I'll post it in here - when it's done - if you're interested?

[jooneyisdagod]

Bit of a surprise as I've barely given them any thought for a few years now but the new Horrors album is a belter and in my opinion one of the best of the year.

[KERRYKOP]

Ohhhh that new Hiss Golden Messenger is honey for the ears 

[Djozer]

I wish 

I'm a MA student at Sheffield Uni journalism. Hoping to go somewhere in entertainment, got a football blog, but we're encouraged to branch out. To be honest, it was actually pretty easy to get the interview set-up. But I'll post it in here - when it's done - if you're interested?

Definitely mate, would love to read it. Best of luck. Oh, and I did an MA at Sheffield Uni, great place, hope you're enjoying it. Lot of hills in that city though!

[vagabond]

I always forget how intense godspeed are. They make me drop everything else I'm doing while they're on.

[Keita Success]

Definitely mate, would love to read it. Best of luck. Oh, and I did an MA at Sheffield Uni, great place, hope you're enjoying it. Lot of hills in that city though!

That's what everyone mentions first: the bloody hills