-
50.
The Ju Ju Exchange
Exchange
Sounds Like
Experimental Space Jazz
From
Chicago, Illinois
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Let this group of childhood friends turned experimental jazz collective take you away to wherever it is your mind wants to go. They will build a wonderous cityscape for you to explore, the backdrop being a lush blend of classical, jazz, and hip hop. Their distinction lies in a fluid ability to sound both old and new, applying futuristic takes on traditional styles. -
49.
Vulfpeck
Mr Finish Line
Sounds Like
Tight And Traditional Build-It-Yourself Funk
From
Ann Arbor, Michigan
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
This rag-tag team of super instrumentalists somehow keep it loose and tight at the same time, as if it's even possible. They have a playful demeanor, a vibe that sometimes sneaks it's way into the recording studio. These short, poppy tracks are diligently polished but they also sporatically retain elements of the rough takes. It leaves you feeling like you just got a sweet new Lego toy, and even though the detailed building instructions are included you can't help but wonder what could be made with your own imagination. -
48.
Guerilla Toss
GT Ultra
Sounds Like
Aggressively Dancy Electronic Punk
From
Boston, Massachusetts > Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Imagine The B-52s and Red Hot Chili Peppers have a baby. This child grows up listening to artists like Talking Heads, New Order and Blur. Now a semi-grown individual, they're attending a party on some strange combination of drugs, probably an unbalanced concoction of alcohol, cocaine and psychedelics. They aggressively peer pressure everyone around them to dance to the music, probably breaking some shit in the process. That's what this album sounds like. -
47.
Arcade Fire
Everything Now
Sounds Like
Directly Dancy Art Rock
From
Montreal, Canada
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Poor, talented Canadian indie rock band has a hard time impressing people because their pedestal started way too high. The highlights outweigh the weaknesses on Everything Now, and Arcade Fire sounds like a well oiled machine here. As a large band they have a lot to work with, and this album highlights their success at putting all the pieces together correctly. Experience has paid off, and they're still coming up with hits that are immediately striking. -
46.
Paramore
After Laughter
Sounds Like
80's Funkafied-Fun Power Pop
From
Franklin, Tennessee
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Overflowing with hooks, After Laughter presents a collection of songs that are fun, dancy, catchy and honest. What's up with the 80's lately? I think they're slowly making a huge comeback. Let this album serve as a solid example of that. I dare you to play it and not dance, it's quite a challenge. And even if you don't dance, these tunes will definitely make you feel good. -
45.
Bleachers
Gone Now
Sounds Like
The Newest Of Waves Synth Pop
From
New York City, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Speaking of the 80's, we're not done with that yet. The latest album from Jack Antonoff's solo project creates a phasing pattern of sounds and motifs. Constucted in a beautiful randomness, these themes are tied together with the album's concept of a start-to-finish 24 hour day, dream sequences included. Heavy synths and retro rhythms dominate while genuinely emotional vocals push the tracks forward with impressive focus. Gone Now is an album of splintered themes within chunks of power pop songs. -
44.
Jay-Z
4:44
Sounds Like
Advanced Hip Hop
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
See what I did there? -
43.
Waxahatchee
Out In The Storm
Sounds Like
Polished-Grit Americana Rock
From
Birmingham, Alabama
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Out In The Storm is an album of experience. Katie Crutchfield has clearly been through some shit. The storm has come and gone, she has trudged through it, and she is now covered in mud but is also gleaming in the newly uncovered sunlight. In this case the mud is her raw, defined sound and the gleam is her tender lead vocal. Some of these songs are so heartfelt and honest they will punch your soul in the face hard enough to knock you out for the count. You have to listen to it to discover which tracks will have such an effect on you. -
42.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles
Sounds Like
Ballad Blended Retro-Rockish Britpop
From
Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, England
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
The bottom line for this impressive debut: don't let the One Direction connection hold you back or fool you. Heavy influences of 60's psychedelic brit bop are intertwined with passionate ballads and swinging rock ditties. With excellent sequencing and a production value that isn't overdone, this solo debut feels like one that will stand the test of time quite well. -
41.
Elbow
Little Fictions
Sounds Like
Diet Radiohead
From
Bury, Greater Manchester, England
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Describing a band as "Diet Radiohead" may seem like an insult, but assuming one is aware of how incredible Radiohead is, they will hopefully realize it is meant as a calculated compliment. Elbow crank up the swoon and carefully arrange an exuberant set of strings to pair with their peacful melodic rock. The lyrics go deep and there are enough catchy little grooves to come back to. Little Fictions is refined, respectable, and loaded with class. -
40.
Conor Oberst
Salutations
Sounds Like
Alt-Countryish Neo-Dylan Folk Rock
From
Omaha, Nebraska
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Conor Oberst makes truly rolling Americana rock at it's best, begging listeners to nod along and slowly raise their beer from one poignant lyric to the next. He owes a lot to the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, but with such an impressive repertoire of music released to this date it's safe to say he's earned it. Salutations is a good, expansive example of the touching authenticity his songwriting has to offer. -
39.
Woods
Love Is Love
Sounds Like
Uplifting Psychedelic Indie Folk
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Woods have added some sparse horn arrangements and an overall cleaner, higher fidelity sound to their latest record. The message of the album is clear enough, and the positive sounding instrumentals support this theme throughout. Bleeding Blue in particular shares a sunlit, bombastic cheerfulness with Pink Floyd's Summer '68, probably due to those glorious horns. Deeper forays into psychedlia culminate with a return to pop form in the end, making for a well rounded album with a hopeful tone, a feeling that is certainly needed these days. -
38.
Moses Sumney
Aromanticism
Sounds Like
Gleaming, Feathery Soul / An Angel Getting It's Wings
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
The success of Moses Sumney's debut rests in the difficulty with which it's sound can be described. Mostly a sea of emptiness, the instrumental minimalism strengthens the gorgeously luminous quality of his vocals and glistening guitar licks. There are brief moments of jazzy cacophony, but the tone is overall soft, gentle, warming and inviting. When words fail to describe a form of such heavenly granduer, it becomes clear that something very special is going on. -
37.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
The Kid
Sounds Like
Electronic Soul-Search Mapping Technology
From
Orcas Island, Washington > Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
This is definitely a "put the headphones on, lie down, close your eyes, and let the music skyrocket you to another plane of existence" kind of album. The story here is that Kaitlyn has spent years focusing all of her attention on a particular synthesizer, mastering it to the degree that she has probably transcended the progression of her skills to the discovery of her self. There are no short, catchy pop songs, just an exploratory collection of kaleidoscopic atmospheres that will take you either far, far away or deeply within. -
36.
The National
Sleep Well Beast
Sounds Like
Intelligent Future-Dad Rock
From
Cincinnati, Ohio
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
The precise placement of the sound descriptor's hyphen is important. The National isn't dad rock, it's rock for dads that are from the future. Take a moment to think about what that difference could mean. -
35.
Real Estate
In Mind
Sounds Like
Highly Melodic Neat-Freak Indie Rock
From
Ridgewood, New Jersey
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Although Real Estate has unfortunately never taken any risks with their records, this does mean that the style they've built for themselves has been meticulously whittled to a point of near perfection. The never ending acute guitar jangles, the rich bounce of the bass, the thoroughness of every level; it all sounds so delighfully pristine. One could fear that they might end up growing stale if they don't change, but in the meantime let's enjoy their absolutely blissful indie pop productions. -
34.
Hundred Waters
Communicating
Sounds Like
Free Range Organic Electronics
From
Gainesville, Florida
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Those cute little electronic doodads have gotten plenty of outdoor exercise, and they're all-natural too! Over the course of three LPs, Hundred Waters have found the ideal sweet spot of pairing traditional instruments with sythensized blips and bumps. Lead singer Nicole Miglis's dazzling vocals are not just inticing and impressive, but they serve the important role of bringing us back to Earth from the spacey glitch by sounding outright human. The songs drift and swell with intensity, constantly balancing the feeling of detatched serenity with the potential fury of skittering synth beats. It makes for a wild ride, and there are enough interesting arrangements and quality lyrics to round everything out. -
33.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
Polygondwanaland
Sounds Like
Progressively Psychedelic Space Rock
From
Melbourne, Australia
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
If you plan on following this list in its entierty and with perfect last-to-first order, then you're going to want to remember this band's name. It's not even close to the last time you will see it here. On this particular piece, the highly prolific psychadelic rock outfit have fabricated a futuristic prog-rock concept album. Visiting Polygondwanaland means an escapade into ever evolving compositions that are rich with hypnotic guitars, spacey synths and dynamic rhythms. Its a fun place to get lost in. -
32.
Phoenix
Ti Amo
Sounds Like
Power-Packed Pills of Dance Pop
From
Versaille, France
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Phoenix have always been a band that retain keen pop sensibilities. Their albums carry a range of failure and triumph, but with Ti Amo the hits keep coming. Determined to make you move, few tracks will bungle this mission. If you know exactly what you want, sometimes a high percentage of quality throughout is all that matters, and Ti Amo delivers. -
31.
Kelly Lee Owens
Kelly Lee Owens
Sounds Like
Minimal And Mystifying Space Thump
From
London, England
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Here we have another debut that stunningly evades the usual genre tags. With a close enough listen, the abundance of techniques eventually become apparent, but beyond that impressive feat there is something else, something haunting. The haunt is a siren call that generates a mood of joyful discovery, the desire for constant repeat listens meant to track down each and every subtle detail. Kelly's first LP is another example of an artist successfully wielding negative space as a tool to their own advantage. -
30.
Haim
Something To Tell You
Sounds Like
Slinky Hook-Filled Retro Rock
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Do you like hooks? Maybe you're an expert at fishing and you can tell me all about the extensive variations and artistry of crafting hooks. Even so, Haim can probably still teach you some lessons. -
29.
Beck
Colors
Sounds Like
Who-The-Fuck-Knows Artistic Power Pop
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Let's assume that Beck is a true chameleon of the music scene, another pea in the legendary pod that includes everyone's favorites David Bowie and Prince. It's a fair assessment considering the multifaceted nature of his discography. He's been through everything from abnormal amateur to zesty zealot in his approach. This bold assumption is meant to ask what this particular iteration of Beck means to his grand design; what is it that makes this methodology distinct? The answer seems to be that he is beside himself with making a pop hit. -
28.
Poolside
Heat
Sounds Like
Daytime Disco
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
I have to admit that I did not come up with that sound descriptor myself. It is the bands own designation, one that I completely agree with. Poolside's sound is a very niche thing, and it undisputably delivers to those who want it. Pop this bad boy on and turn the party knob to full blast, all the way chill. -
27.
Sampha
Process
Sounds Like
Super Soulful Electronic R&B
From
London, England
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Sampha has already lended his voice to a number of artists, so his experience has contributed to the confidence with which he sounds on his debut LP. The skittering beats make for a mostly funky vibe, and they are paired nicely with a steady stream of synthesized flourishes cut up into cleverly arranged slivers. Sampha's idiosyncratic voice remains throughout, and while it's always a little soulful, at times it's as genuine and sincere as a human being can get. -
26.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
Flying Microtonal Banana
Sounds Like
Oddball Jam Rock In Perilous Territory
From
Melbourne, Australia
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
As you can see on the album cover, this record is subtitled Explorations Into Microtonal Tuning. Each track features a pitch that has been broken down into numerous intervals, which is what gives the music its wonky, off-kilter feeling. This is where our perilous territory comes from, and the challenging experiment is the only thing that ties the songs together. It's simply a grimy assortment of jam vehicles designed to go long and create some space for all those cute little baby microtones to breath. -
25.
Alvvays
Antisocialites
Sounds Like
Uber-Melodic Pop Punk
From
Toronto, Canada
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Pronounced "always", these young poppers are punk artists at their core. This could easily be forgotten though, as there are touches of shoegaze, a few ballads, and most import an absurdly thick frosting of sugary melodic bliss slathered over everything. Short and sweet, Antisocialites is like a magical kind of cinnamon bun that doesnt make one sick from overindulging. -
24.
Nightlands
I Can Feel The Night Around Me
Sounds Like
Retro Rock Swirled in a Haze of Hyper Harmony
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
One thing is clear about Dave Heartley, bandleadeer of Nightlands / bass player of The War On Drugs: He obsessively loves vocal harmonies. Other than the consistent Beach Boyafied coating of soothing vocal blends, his sound is noted by look backward to a variety of old styles based decade by decade. It's pleasantly relaxing with a moderately woozy undercurrent, perfect for a late night walk in warm weather and radiant moonlight. -
23.
Mac DeMarco
This Old Dog
Sounds Like
Genuinely Lazy Jangle Rock
From
Edmonton, Canada
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Mac puts forth his best effort yet on his latest installment, This Old Dog. Breezy guitars and loose, playful rhythms backdrop the hammock resting character of his style, all wrapped up in a variety of catchy pop songs. The mood frequently flip-flops between sluggish melancholy and animated cheer, using light sythns and swoonful crooning for the former and splendidly perky guitar jingle for the later. There is an overtone of gentle sadness throughout, yet there is no cause for concern with this feeling because the lovely peacefullness of his music will completely anesthetize it's listener. -
22.
(Sandy) Alex G
Rocket
Sounds Like
Eclectic Do-It-Yourself Indie Rock
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Bedroom pop rarely gets this good. Alex G runs through a gamut of genres here, but he always keeps one foot in songwriting focus. The result is a swathe of pop-constructs that are honestly quite magnificent. Transitioning through so much diversity could be jarring, but the various modes are woven in a way that is tasteful and satisfying. Broad palettes are admirable, and the youth and potential of this artist creates excitement for what might come next. -
21.
Spoon
Hot Thoughts
Sounds Like
Artsy-Indie Groove Rock
From
Austin, Texas
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
These inventive indie rockers are at it again, channeling funky gutters of guitar-driven head-bop vibes. Hot Thoughts offers a plethora of creative abstractions sprinkled across their unique slog of solid grooves. There is a slight hint of jazz and electronics embedded within the groove, something new for the band but supportive of their usual approach. Apparently the steady roll of ceaseless thought will lead to interesting places if you record it properly. -
20.
Fever Ray
Plunge
Sounds Like
Bizarre And Bouncy Experimental Electronic Pop
From
Gothenburg, Sweden
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Despite the unfortunate breakup of the superior avant-garde electronic duo The Knife, we still get to enjoy the off-kilter explorations of Karin Dreijer's solo project, Fever Ray. Much like The Knife, it's at times as bouncy as hundreds of rubber balls perpetually bounding inside the box of a squash court, but it also extends to the most touching of atmospheres that are either stunningly haunting or blissfully serene. Her music can be too weird for the average listener, so one shouldn't plunge right into the deep end if they arent ready for it, but the rewards for those who do are rich and bountiful. -
19.
Dan Auerbach
Waiting On A Song
Sounds Like
Catchy Soulful Retro Rock
From
Akron, Ohio
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Talk about percentage of quality! Every song is infectiously catchy, every song is reminiscent of the late 60's or early 70's, and not one song contains frivolous risk or experimentation. The outcome is an almost perfect group of tunes that have been honed to only the most essential, hard-hitting flair. Another album that is short and sweet, Waiting On A Song is packed with hits. -
18.
Fleet Foxes
Crack-Up
Sounds Like
Introspective And Baroque Indie Folk
From
Seattle, Washington
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Hail the return of these brilliant indie rockers! The first album in six years from Fleet-Foxes confirms that they do in fact live in the present day, not the times of the Renaissance or following periods of human ingenuity. I wasnt sure. Crack-Up finds bandleader Robin Pecknold looking inward, dealing with common anxieties and insecurites of the modern age through songs that are much more complex, sprawling, and intricate than the band's two previous albums. It's less poppy and commercially appealing, but far more fulfilling to those who understand that it deserves virtually endless listens to fully digest. -
17.
Perfume Genius
No Shape
Sounds Like
Loomingly Ominous Yet Hopefully Bright Atmospheric Dream Pop
From
Seattle, Washington
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
The grandeur of No Shape rests in the polarity of moods that it seamlessly oscillates between. Truly atmospheric in nature, the music of Mike Hadreas is a cathartic exercise of expressing all the abstract forms that love can take. The elegant production is glittering, majestic, marvelous, and uniformly full of a robust swoon that arcs across the album's entirety. But the dark and creepy moments are there too, veering around every corner, providing an excellent contrast to the moments that are much more luminous. Most impressive, all this beautiful ambience is not without complete, lyrically deep pop songs that are both memorable and touching. -
16.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
with Mild High ClubSketches Of Brunswick East
Sounds Like
Exploratory Psychedelic Jazz Rock
From
Melbourne, Australia
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
King Gizz team up with Mild High Club here to create a loose, malleable foray into psychedelic jazz. It's a noticeably different sound for the band, but one that is certainly well suited for their laudable willingness to try anything. In honor of it's namesake, the classic Miles Davis album Sketches of Spain, this expansive record paints an undulating portrait of the Melbourne suburb through a winding road of bouncy bass, pristine guitars and flickering sythensized gizmos. The valleys are weird and the peaks are lofty. At the end you'll find yourself back at the beginning, already desperate for another ride. -
15.
Ryan Adams
Prisoner
Sounds Like
Alt-Countryish Singer-Songwriter Rock
From
Raleigh, North Carolina
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Prisoner is a breakup album, but it's sonics sooth rather than dwell. It's a classic example of a rock album that achieves the right sound for it's subject matter, doing so without too many embellishments. Ryan lets his supberb songwriting do the heavy lifting, and it works. -
14.
Big Thief
Capacity
Sounds Like
Back-To-Basics Indie Folk Rock
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Big Thief are masters at accomplishing a lot with very little. There are no frills here, no gimmicks, no tricks, no excess, nothing frivolous or any other adjective a thesaurus might provide. Just good songs. Good instrumentals. Good vocals. Good lyrics. Great album. -
13.
Phoebe Bridgers
Stranger In The Alps
Sounds Like
Beautifully Sad Indie Folk
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Stranger In The Alps is an overloaded injection of a genuine, blissful sadness that instantly cuts deep to the core. It will cause you to cry in a way that makes you feel so incredibly happy that you're crying but you don't even know why. It's an uncanny feeling that is perhaps among the best at making us feel like we're human. Feeling severely sad but completely content with that sadness is an astounding sensation. It combines a revival of strength in the face of harsh realities, something that Phoebe has clearly been dealing with for a long time. Fortunately for everyone involved, she can successfully translate these emotions into gorgeous songs. -
12.
Grizzly Bear
Painted Ruins
Sounds Like
Psychedelic Art Rock Swelling With Swoon
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Perfectionists at heart, Grizzly Bear set the mood with a wide range of instrumentation. While Ed Droste does the majority of the singing, guitarist Daniel Rossen taps in for a handful of tracks and vocal contributions from bassist Chris Taylor and drummer Christopher Bear round out the complete package. All these ursine vocals sit atop a sea of lush, masterfully interwoven sonics. Things could get muddled with so much going on, but Grizzly Bear knit each sound expertly, and the core of their groovy indie rock nature always shines through. Painted Ruins may not be their best album, but it's another excellent example of their astounding musical proficiency. -
11.
Jens Lekman
Life Will See You Now
Sounds Like
Amusing And Playful Indie Pop Rock
From
Gothenburg, Sweden
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Jens Lekman's charm is irresistible. Bright, happy, playful and above all fun, his music is a consistently catchy palette of funkafied colors. Witty lyrics reside in cute piano plinks and vibrant acoustics. Occasionaly his songwriting talent might remind you of such greats as the legendary Pauls: McCartney and Simon. There isn't a single dry moment on Life Will See You Now, and it's guaranteed to put you in a good mood. -
10.
The War On Drugs
A Deeper Understanding
Sounds Like
Springsteenishly Dylan-esque Americana Rock
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
There's one thing The War On Drugs definitely have a deeper understanding of: the sound they've crafted for themselves. While it's true that they owe a lot to the artists in the aforementioned sound descriptor, one can't help but be impressed with the hard work they've put in, both in the studio and on tour. The vibe that bandleader Adam Granduciel has been striving for began with Slave Ambient, was finely honed with Lost In The Dream, and here it is truly mastered. A strong 80's energy channels through every long, train-chugging song, and they all somehow generate a proud impression of the good old U.S. of A. Come for the virtually ceaseless grooves, stay for the deep lyricism. -
9.
Ariel Pink
Dedicated To Bobby Jameson
Sounds Like
Weird Dream Pop Through A Thick 60's Through 80's Nostalgic Lense
From
Los Angeles, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Just listen to it. Ariel Pink's music is so strange and unique that a few thoughts in word form will never be able to do it justice. -
8.
Sylvan Esso
What Now
Sounds Like
Pleasantly Glitchy Electronic Pop
From
Durham, North Carolina
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
What Now is a near perfect record. Their sophomore effort, the duo found themselves asking that question as motivation to improve as much as possible. While their self-titled debut did have moments of brilliance, it wasnt with this kind of consistency. Creeping it's way in, phasing in and out, What Now effectively toys with the fundamental nature of sound, manifesting pure pop bliss in the process. These are songs that will make you smile and make you dance. But then they'll sit you back down in thought, feeding your brain with enjoyable gizmo-glitch beats and melodic bleep-bloops. It's fun! -
7.
SZA
Ctrl
Sounds Like
Soulfully Hip-Hopped R&B
From
St. Louis, Missouri
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
SZA easily earns my reward for the best debut of the year. She had a lot of help, and we should all be thankful for that because the result is intoxicating. Her personality and her personal life are embedded in every song, and it's her extremely soulful, almost jazzy vocals that lead the charge. These beautiful vocals and the exposing nature of the content become the constants on an otherwise juicy blend of soul, R&B, hip hop, funk, jazz and even reggae. The wild roller coaster ride of genres is something that's usually embraced, especially when it all comes together as smoothly as this. -
6.
Kendrick Lamar
DAMN.
Sounds Like
Confidant, Defiant Rap
From
Compton, California
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Damn, what can even be said that hasn't been said already? Kendrick Lamar continues is his run of one spectacular album after another. The ideas, raps, tracks, production, everything, it all seems so concise. It's a sign of an artist constantly sharpening their style, and it's evident that Kendrick is assertively going in the right direction. -
5.
Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors
Sounds Like
Strange And Turbulent Art-Rock R&B
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
David Longstreth finally uses the option for a self-titled album with this, an eccentrically bizarre breakup piece for his ever rotating band. Prepare for strange, potentially polarizing dives into freaked out R&B crooning that have been unapologetically digitized. The compositions are complex and jolting, a skittering of ideas backed by thorny beats and the occasional horn arrangement. But there is a brooding, broken-hearted man that always sits behind the crazy allure of the instrumental conction, a fact that adds the all-important need for human touch. -
4.
The Shins
Heartworms
Sounds Like
Reliably Refined Indie Pop Rock
From
Albuquerque, New Mexico > Portland, Oregon
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
The Shins release an album on a mere average of only once every three years, but each time the outcome is well worth the wait. Heartworms is no exception, another outstanding collection of James Mercer's brand of studiously polished pop rock. As usual the production is perfectly executed, and among the latitude of styles are plenty of hooks that will worm their way through your memory and make themselves at home. Mercer presents a marvelous blend of rock, new wave, balladry and even a touch of country, doing so with just the right balance of traditional instrumentation and studio wizardry. Chalk it up as another opus in an almost flawless discography. -
3.
King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
Gumboot Soup
Sounds Like
A Murky Blend of Psychedelic Rock, Thrash Metal and Jazzy Freak-Folk
From
Melbourne, Australia
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Released on the last day of 2017, this album evaded the year-end reviews of all the major publications, which is a damn shame. The last of five records they released in the year, Gumboot Soup is a hot 'n chunky amalgamation of the droves of techniques employed on the previous albums, a gratifying culmination of all their hard work. But thankfully to them it's not work, it's fun, and we get the reap the benefits. Chopped into this thick stew you'll find slinky funk, hypnotic synthesized mediations, melodic oddities, jazzy grooves and of course powerful, frantic heavy metal. It's as if all their efforts were meant to lead up to this masterpiece, quite an exemplary feat. The inventiveness and talent of this band is truly something. -
2.
LCD Soundsystem
American Dream
Sounds Like
Occasionally Punky, Usually Funky Repetitive Dance Rock
From
Brooklyn, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Let's forgive LCD Soundsystem for doing that whole "We're done forever, just kidding we're already back!" thing. We're all happy they've returned, and they havent missed a beat, as American Dream finds them continuing to do what they do best. And what is that exactly? Their primary goal is to make you dance, and all the jaunty rockers and lyrical poignancy is just gravy. Their system of deep bass grooves driving building block rhythms showered with electronics does not disappoint, but in fact further exemplifies their prowess. LCD Soundsystem are just one of the best bands out there for bringing the party. If you havent seen them live yet, make it a priority and recognize how much they've valued the highly underestimated effects of a disco ball. -
1.
St. Vincent
MASSEDUCTION
Sounds Like
Super Synth-Sweetened Power Pop Rock
From
Dallas, Texas > New York City, New York
A Few Thoughts In Word Form
Annie Clark takes her biggest leap foward yet on this peculiar concept album. The concept may not initially be clear, likely an introspective reflection of a drugged out, sex crazy career, but unquestionably apparent is the cranking of the sonic knob. Jack Antonoff lends a huge hand here, handling a lot of the programming and numerous arrangements. A host of other musicians deserve recognition as well, but what always persists is the pairing of Annie's sweet voice with her outlandish Robert Frippish guitar howling. The blustering rock of these intense guitar riffs keep the almost Nine Inch Nailsy industrial thump in check, but nothing serves up more bittersweet contrast than the splendid serenty of the sweetly sung ditties in the middle of the album, Happy Birthday, Johnny and New York. Taken out of context this pair wouldn't hit nearly as hard, a testament to the success of the sequencing and the album's overarching concept. MASSEDUCTION is the full package, and the dense quality and commendable evolution forward make it my favorite of 2017.
ABOUT THIS LIST
This is a best of list only as it pertains to me. I can't claim to know what the best albums of the year were. All I can do is offer my collection and hope that you discover something new to like. Deciding the final order essentially came down to how many repeat listens I needed for each album. Which albums got me excited just from the anticipation of listening to them again? Which did I have to stop listening to because I feared overplaying it would ruin it for me? Don't get too caught up on the numbers. The placements of this list can be slightly rearranged without much difference, especially the farther you get from the top. In fact, arranging them was a difficult exercise in being honest with myself. I've also included a description for the style of each album and where the artists hail from. Enjoy, and please share your thoughts!