1. Circa Survive – The Amulet 2. The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely 3. Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights 4. Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface 5. Turnover – Good Nature 6. The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding 7. Enter Shikari – The Spark 8. The Contortionist – Clairvoyant 9. Citizen – As You Please 10. Queens of the Stone Age – Villains 11. Real Estate – In Mind 12. Paramore – After Laughter 13. Foo Fighters – Concrete and Gold 14. Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life 15. Alvvays – Antisocialites 16. Movements – Feel Something 17. The National – Sleep Well Beast 18. August Burns Red – Phantom Anthem 19. Pvris – All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell 20. Lorde – Melodrama 21. Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark 22. Fleet Foxes – Crack Up 23. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. 24. Grizzly Bear – Painted Ruins 25. Counterparts – You’re Not You Anymore 26. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream 27. Glassjaw – Material Control 28. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1+2 29. Sleep On It – Overexposed 30. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 3 (Because I'm the wooorssttttt)
Might have some tweaking to do but this is pretty close to a final (in no order): Gang of Youths - Go Farther In Lightness Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps David Ramirez - We're Not Going Anywhere Jeffrey Martin - One Go Around Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights John Moreland - Big Bad Luv Ruston Kelly - Halloween Will Hoge - Anchors Caroline Spence -Spades and Roses The Menzingers - After The Party Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit - The Nashville Sound Richard Edwards - Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset Hodera - First Things First Tyler Childers - Purgatory Jade Jackson - Gilded Can't Swim - Fail You Again The National - Sleep Well Beast Travis Meadows - First Cigarette Movements - Feel Something Natalie Hemby - Puxico
1. Brent Faiyaz – Sonder Son 2. Milo - Who Told You To Think??!!?!?!?! 3. Glassjaw – Material Control 4. dvsn – Morning After 5. Daniel Caesar - Freudian 6. Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface 7. Miguel – War & Leisure 8. Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps 9. Brockhampton – Saturation 10. SZA – Ctrl 11. Smino – Blkswn 12. The National – Sleep Well Beast 13. Sabrina Claudio – About Time 14. Syd – Fin 15. Moses Sumney - Aromanticism 16. Snoh Aalegra - Feels 17. The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding 18. Sampha – Process 19. Laura Marling – Semper Femina 20. Iron & Wine – Beast Epic
My list will look different than the ones I’m seeing thus far. This is good - it gives me plenty of things to listen to. I love going through these lists and listening to everything I haven’t heard! Okay here we go: 1. Awaken I Am - Blind Love This album and band came out of nowhere for me. I had never heard of the band nor had I ever listened to any of their previous work. I had signed up for a free trial of Apple Music a few days earlier and was adding music to my library when I randomly came across this rocker of a record, during a less than inspired cardio workout. Within the first minute of the first track I was jumping around and singing along with the chorus like I had heard the song a million times. Each track thereafter for the entire record had a similar effect. For the sheer reason that this was my top workout and most listened to record of 2017 I had to place it atop my list and I do so without doubt or regret. 2. Carousel Kings - Charm City I didn’t want to rank THIS album by THIS band THIS high but as I wrestled with this list I realized if I moved this any lower down the list I’d be lying to myself. Is this a groundbreaking album filled with can’t miss artistic lyrics and profound melodies that will blow your mind? No. Is this album a nonstop energetic, charismatic, catchy, fun, upbeat joyride worth blasting out from your Beats and into your ears - oh yes. This has NFG level catchy songwriting with surprisingly impressive and tight riffs, hooks and guitar work interwoven throughout the album. For a pop-punk band these guys can shred. The vocal performance is solid and there is no letdown track. I really have no complaints aside from being able to truthfully say there is nothing new about this band. They just do what they do and they do it well. Is there really anything wrong with that? 3. Picturesque - Back to Beautiful I’ve seen plenty of lists with Circa Survives “The Amulet” ranked at #1 and this album nowhere on the list at all. This baffles me. I put this band in the Saosin/Circa mold for some reason I cannot exactly figure. That said, they aren’t a copycat and they really don’t sound much like either of the above mentioned bands. High quality vocals, driving guitars, choruses catchy enough to bounce around in your car to but not too catchy to where they get stuck in your head and take away from what they do best fill this record from top to bottom. There isn’t a sleeper in the bunch. 4. Neck Deep - The Peace and the Patience This is just a fun album. I’m probably ranking it higher than I should because tracks like Happy Judgement Day and In Bloom got a lot of plays from me this year. 5. Walk the Moon- What If Nothing I almost ranked this as high as #2. I know nothing about this band or their first two released but I was surprised and blown away by this album. Tracks like “Tiger Teeth” are timeless. I am definitely curious about the rest of their discography. 6. Story of the Year - Wolves I remember seeing SOTY at Warped Tour at Randall’s Island, NY. I was one of maybe a dozen people at the small side stage they played their set on. It was early on near the beginning of the day. They played some of their soon to be bigger hits off of Page Avenue and I knew they’d blow up. Since Page Avenue though I haven’t connected with SOTY quite the same until now, almost. I really am enjoying this new record. 7. Thomas Rhett - Life Changes Say what now? A pop country record? Another surprise for me. My wife is big into the country music scene and she told me about this awesome love story. Guy and Girl grow up good friends dating other people. Guy and Girl nearly marry other people. A family member tells guy that he better tell girl how he feels or he will for him. Guy and girl end up together, marry young and guy then gets famous. Guy and girl struggle to get pregnant so they adopt a girl from Uganda but then have a miracle pregnancy of their own and go from no kids to 2 kids. This is the love story of Thomas Rhett and his wife. Life indeed changes. Sometimes music hits you in the feels and makes you smile. My wife told me this love story because we have a love story of our own which I’ll keep to myself. Listen to perhaps my favorite track of the year if you will, it’s the title track of this record. And all the rest: Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness - Zombies on Broadway Knuckle Puck - Shapeshifter Silverstein - Dead Reflection Grayscale - Adornment ROAM - Great Heights & Nosedives I the Mighty - Where the Mind Wants to Go / Where You Let it Go Thousand Below - The Love You Let Too Close Otherwise - Sleeping Lions Taylor Swift - Reputation Paramore - After Laughter Seaway - Vacation Incubus - 8 The Front Bottoms - Going Grey PVRIS - All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell Kesha - Rainbow Prophets of Rage - Prophets of Rage Rise Against - Wolves The Movielife - Cities In Search of a Heart Palisades - Palisades Nothing More - The Stories We Tell Ourselves Nothing But Thieves - Broken Machine BEST EP LIST: 1. Amy Shark - Night Thinker 2. Echosmith - Inside a Dream Sparks the Rescue - When It Thunders
Half of your list fell in my 31-50 (which I didn't post - just felt like too much). A few overlaps in our top 30's too. Good picks all around!
PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA. You need to get Jamie Lenman's Devolver in your life, as it's my album of the year by far. Listen to the track Mississippi. Also, much agreement with others on here. Afghan Whigs - In Spades Hundredth - RARE Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound Meat Wave - The Incessant Citizen - As You Please Creeper - Eternity, In Your Arms QOTSA - Villains Bronx - V Protomartyr - Relatives In Descent The order keeps changing, so I present my list for your delectation then bugger off. Toodle-oo!
I saw them in a small jazz art space, great show. But also one of the Chicago sax guys I know was backing her up on horns with his group, I don't think they're on this tour, so it'll be a different experience.
Here is my current standings, don't expect any changes unless a big surprise release happens. 1. Story of the Year-Wolves 2. The Menzingers- After The Party 3. Paramore- After Laughter 4. Portugal The Man- Woodstock 5. The Front Bottoms- Going Grey 6. Circa Survive- The Amulet 7. Manchester Orchestra- A Black Mile to the Surface 8. Silverstein- Dead Reflection 9. Seaway - Vacation 10. Gorillaz- Humanz 11. Rise Against- Wolves 12. The Flatliners- Inviting Light 13. Julien Baker- Turn Out the Lights 14. Comeback Kid- Outsider 15. August Burns Red- Phantom Anthem 16. Foster the People- Sacred Hearts Club 17. Anti-Flag- American Fall 18. Broken Social Scene- Hug of Thunder 19. Blink 182- California DLX 20. Stone Sour- Hydrograd Honorable Mentions: Nine Inch Nails- Add Violence The Dear Hunter- All is All As it Should Be Sparks the Rescue- When it Thunders Death from Above- Outrage is Now! Lights- Skin & Earth The Movielife- Cities in Search of a Heart Goldfinger- The Knife Queens of the Stone Age- Villians Foo Fighters- Concrete and Gold Linkin Park- One More Light Our Lady Peace- Somethingness Vol.1 Bleachers- Gone Now
Year End album List: Story Of The Year- Wolves Blink-182: California Deluxe Silverstein: Dead Reflection Foo Fighters: Concrete And Gold All That Remains: Madness Paramore: After Laughter Linkin Park: One More Light New Found Glory: Makes Me Sick Starset: Vessels Flogging Molly: Life Is Good
1 - Colter Wall - Colter Wall 2 - The Menzingers - After the Party 3 - Steve Moakler - Steel Town 4 - Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface 5 - Zac Brown Band - Welcome Home 6 - Turnpike Troubadours - A Long Way From Your Heart 7 - Noah Gundersen - White Noise 8 - Tyler Childers - Purgatory 9 - Chris Stapleton - From a Room Vol 1 10 - Kuckle Puck - Shapeshifter 11 - John Mayer - The Search for Everything 12 - Fleet Foxes - Crack Up 13 - Paramore - After Laughter 14 - Chris Stapleton - From a Room Vol 2 15 - Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 3
1. mount eerie - a crow looked at me honorable mention wild pink - wild pink great grandpa - plastic cough los campesinos! - sick scenes julien baker - turn out the lights rozwell kid - precious art rainer maria - s/t
ALBUM OF THE YEAR 1. Body Origami “Bright & Only Mine” 2. Drab Majesty “The Demonstration” 3. Converge “The Dusk In Us” 4. SZA “Ctrl” 5. The National “Sleep Well Beast” 6. Hazel English “Just Give In/Never Going Home” 7. David Bazan “Care” 8. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.” 9. Lo Tom “Lo Tom” 10. Bully “Losing” HONORABLE MENTIONS Joey Bada$$ “ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$” Code Orange “Forever” Paramore “After Laughter” Julien Baker “Turn Out The Lights” Cyhi The Prynce “No Dope On Sundays” Glassjaw “Material Control” SONGS OF THE YEAR 1. Calvin Harris “Slide” (ft. Frank Ocean & Migos) 2. Body Origami “Sunny Pry” 3. Brian Brown “Roger & Zapp” 4. Lo Tom “Overboard” 5. Now, Now “Yours” 6. The National “This System Only Dreams In Total Darkness” 7. SZA “Doves In The Wind” (ft. Kendrick Lamar) 8. Converge “I Can Tell You About Pain” 9. David Bazan “Care” 10. Kesha “Praying” SHOWS OF THE YEAR 1. Lauryn Hill at The Ryman 2. Radiohead at Phillips Arena 3. U2’s The Joshua Tree Anniversary Tour at Papa John’s Stadium 4. Mewithoutyou’s A to B Life Anniversay Tour at Mercy Lounge 5. Sigur Ros at TPAC 6. Kesha’s Rainbow Tour at The Ryman 7. Jay z’s 4:44 Tour at Bridgestone Arena 8. Drab Majesty at Exit/In 9. Now, Now at Mercy Lounge 10. Cove at That 70’s House (the first time in 2017)
I just don't know why they should be left off because they gave everyone a nice Christmas present haha.
the new glassjaw is definitely shaking my list up. as of now: 1. Julien Baker - Turn Off the Lights 2. Kendrick Lamar - Damn 3. (This is were Brand New would go, but leaving it off for obvious reasons) 3. Glassjaw - Material Control 4. Movements - Feel Something And I have a bunch I still haven't listened to. Brand New kind of took over for me, and then news broke and I got really bummed out about music and the scene.
This year has maybe been a bit quieter than the past few for me. There's been a bunch of albums that I've liked a lot - but nothing that's felt like a 10/10 all-timer for me, which the last few years have had at least one. The National is probably my AOTY, will put together a list tonight maybe.
1. Taylor Swift - Reputation 2. The National - Sleep Well Beast 3. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me 4. The Front Bottoms - Going Grey 5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Nashville Sound 6. Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life 7. Emperor X - Oversleepers International 8. Dua Lipa - Dua Lupa 9. Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory 10. Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights
Here's a relatively hastily put together list. These lists aren't gospel, I don't have to live and die with them, just a collection of albums I've enjoyed this year. Order is very rough, as I mentioned a post up, I don't have a clear, hands-down AOTY, so below is a bunch of albums that I like quite a bit. If anybody would like a RIYL or more info on any of them, let me know! 1. The National - Sleep Well Beast 2. The Menzingers - After The Party 3. Asgeir - Afterglow 4. Japandroids - Near to the Wild Heart of Life 5. Dia Frampton - Bruises 6. Conor Oberst - Salutations 7. Jamie Lenman - Devolver 8. Brand New - Science Fiction 9. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps 10. Enter Shikari - The Spark 11. Passion Pit - Tremendous Sea of Love 12. Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayers 13. Arcane Roots - Melancholia and Hymms 14. Tusks - Dissolve 15. Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life 16. Yuksek - Nous Horizons 17. Adore // Repel - Empty Orchestra 18. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm 19. Deafcult - Auras 20. Tricot - 3 21. Bjork - Utopia 22. Daughter - Music Before The Storm 23. Tei Shi - Crawl Space 24. Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex 25. Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound 26. Allison Crutchfield - Tourist in this Town 27. Captain, We're Sinking - King of no Man 28. Converge - The Dusk In Us 29. Julien Baker - Turn Out The Lights 30. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN 31. Low Roar - Once In A Long, Long While... 32. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface 33. Mogwai - Every Country's Sun 34. Thomas Dybdahl - The Great Plains 35. Madelline Kenney - Night Night At The First Landing 36. LLLL - Chains 37. The Body & Full of Hell - Ascending a Mountain of Heavy Light 38. POS - Chill, Dummy 39. Solstafir - Berdreyminn 40. Four Tet - New Energy
Demi's album ended up being a surprise for me this year. Sis lost a lot of goodwill with me over the last few albums but I think this one is a step in the right direction and her vocals are wild.
The Ominous Circle - Appalling Ascension Power Trip - Nightmare Logic Artificial Brain - Infrared Horizon Elder - Reflections of a Floating World Condor - Unstoppable Power Urn - The Burning Hellripper - Coagulating Darkness Darkest Hour - Godless Prophets & Migrant Flora Extremity - Extremely Fucking Dead Bell Witch - Mirror Reaper