Crate Digger’s Corner: 2017 Albums Pt., 5
Crate Digger’s Corner…by DJ Musically Rich
Here is the fifth part to my 2017 list. For those that missed the first part (and haven’t taken a look at it yet), I’m giving a quick list of albums that I heard from 2017 in 7-10 at a time. There will be a few more parts to the list over the coming weeks. I may do a listening to some of the ones that I know I like, but want to revisit, and use that as an opportunity to review some of those more deeply (If there are any you see that you would particularly like to see a review of, leave a note). This list does not include reissues, live material or compilations.
Artist- Album (general genre)- and brief description
Steven Wilson- To The Bone (rock/prog rock)- The Porcupine Tree founder continues to put out wonderful albums under his own name as well. Following the brilliant “Hand. Cannot. Erase.”, “To the Bone” continues in the same vein and has beautiful melodies and top notch playing all the way through. If you aren’t familiar with Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree and the other bands he leads it is a wonderful path to go down.
Gov’t Mule- Revolution Come…Revolution Go- (blues rock)- The late ‘90s side project for the Allman Brothers’ new guitarist and bass player has continued on through the death of said bass player (Allen Woody), and not missed a beat. On their most recent studio effort the band revs up and delivers an album full of hard rockers that cover political, personal, life on the road and ends with a wonderful traditional song, “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground”. An excellent album from this, now, veteran band!
Kamasi Washington- Harmony Of Difference (jazz)- The Kendrick Lamar sideman (from the album “To Pimp A Butterfly”) puts out his second album, and it is a delight. On this EP, the Coltrane influenced player lays down 5 very nice tracks on side 1, but the prize is in finishing off this album on the second side. Side 2 consists of Kamasi and his band taking the 5 individual songs from the first side and creating a track that uses those tracks as the basis for the entirety of his Side 2 single track. This track does an amazing job of working in all of the major melodic motifs from Side 1, while creating a new, brilliant composition.
Ty Segall- s/t (garage rock)- On his 2017 self-titled album the sometimes lo-fi, garage rocker seemingly fuzzes everything he possibly can on the album to good effect. The two guitarists, the bass player, the vocals, if he could I’d assume he’d fuzz out the drums. However, it doesn’t cover up the melodies and playing that he and his band display on the album. This is a recommended selection especially for fans of his recent albums.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard- Polygondwanaland (prog/psych rock)- The Austrailian collective (I covered the other 3 albums they released this year on an earlier part of this, and the fifth will follow) delves as deep into the prog rock subgenre as they have on any of their releases (at least the ones I heard). Another excellent 2017 release from this group
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard- Gumboot Soup (psych pop/rock)- On this album it sounds like they are combining the sounds of Frank Zappa and the Canterbury Scene and do it with wonderful results. Yet, another album to check out by this collective.
Margo Price- All American Made (Outlaw Country)- Margo Price picks up right where she left off on her debut album with outstanding songwriting and performances. You can still certainly hear the influence of Dolly Parton and other earlier female country stars in her work and she won’t disappoint fans of ‘70s outlaw country music or fans of the revival going on now with stars like Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, and Sturgill Simpson among others.
Here are 7 albums I heard in 2017, there will be more from this list coming in the future, and this isn’t necessarily a ranking, just in the order that I was writing them down. I hope you enjoy and happy hunting!
To see photos of other albums in my collection follow my IG: djmusicallyrich
