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The End Of The Year 2017 Part IV: The Best Of The Best

This is the big list, folks. This is the one that I’m most excited to post, because this one is the first that I’ve done – it’s a best of the best list. This list actually takes both lists that I’ve posted in the last couple of days, all about my favorite albums, and combines them into a single list. Well, I decided to narrow it down to the top ten, anyway, but without further ado, these are my top ten favorite albums of 2017. Because I’ve talked about these albums before, I won’t say anything about them, because you can go take a look at what I’ve already written about them. Nonetheless, I’m still very excited to unveil this list, because these are the albums that stuck with me throughout the entire year:

#amine #lady beast #broadside #big k.r.i.t.#bind the sacrifice #archspire #warbringer #cannibal corpse #soul scratch #the black dahlia murder

Album Review by Bradley Christensen Durand Jones & The Indications – Self-titled Record Label: Colemine Release Date: July 1 2016

My last review was on Highly Suspect’s second album, 2016’s The Boy Who Died Wolf, and that review was an interesting one, because I wasn’t really familiar with that band, so I went into the album blindly (or deaf, technically speaking). I got the album for a couple of dollars, thanks to exchanging something else for it, and that’s ultimately why I got it. If I didn’t have anything to exchange, or something along those lines, I wouldn’t have picked it up, especially after hearing the album a decent amount of times, because it’s not that great of an album. I mean, they have potential, but at the same time, their sound is a bit too jarring for my tastes, trying to combine blues, hard rock, and punk together, and their vocalist just isn’t engaging or interesting at all. He falls flat a majority of the time, which is kind of unfortunate, because I wanted to like The Boy Who Died Wolf more than I really did. That’s not to say I’m losing sleep over that, because I only paid a couple of bucks for the album, like I said, so that’s why it pains me that there’s another album that I’ve been listening to that really hasn’t done much for me at all. It’s an album that I’ve wanted to hear, but the album just isn’t sticking the landing. The worst part is, however, I don’t know why. I don’t know why this album does work for me. The album in question is the 2016 self-titled LP from soul / R&B group Durand Jones & The Indications. Released on Colemine Records, this isn’t the first group that I’ve talked about from the label. You might remember Soul Scratch, who released one of my favorite albums of 2017 (that would be Pushing Fire, for the record), so this is the second band from the label that I wanted to listen to. I wanted to last year, back when I was into more soul music, but I never picked it up. I was reminded by them, though, because I’ve been seeing ads for the deluxe reissue of this album on Facebook. I thought I’d check out the album itself, because if I liked it, I’d take a look at the deluxe version.

You might have an idea of how I feel about this LP, though, because I kind of hinted at it, but this album really hasn’t done much for me. I’m not sure why, either, but I have a couple of theories. This album should be something I really love. I mean, their vocalist, Durand Jones, has an incredible voice, and their sound is right up my alley, but their sound might be part of why this album doesn’t do much for me. Don’t get wrong, though, this album isn’t bad. It’s a very, very solid album, especially for fans of retro soul. This album is very soulful, and very much vein of 1960s and 1970s soul, but that might be the issue I have. Not only is this LP very slow-moving a lot of the time (the opening track, “Make A Change,” is easily my favorite song on the album, but it’s also the most energetic song off the record), thanks to it lacking a whole lot of energy and intensity that soul music usually has (that’s not to say that soul music can’t be slower in tone, though, and I love a lot of slow-moving soul songs), and that the lyrical content just isn’t that interesting. “Make A Change” is the most interesting song, as it deals with societal issues, ultimately calling for people to “make a change,” but the rest of the album just doesn’t do much for me. That’s interesting in itself, because a lot of bands (especially these modern ones) aren’t exactly writing groundbreaking lyrics, considering a lot of these bands talk about the same kinds of things that bands from yesteryear did, but they make these ideas interesting. Durand Jones & The Indications don’t, honestly, and I just find myself zoning out. One of the other best things about the album is how short it is, only clocking in at 33 minutes, so it’s a brief listen. If the album was longer, I’d probably be a bit harsher on it, because it would very much overstaying its welcome, but it doesn’t. Despite how the album doesn’t really do much for me, it never overstays its welcome.

At the end of the day, I do like this album. I don’t hate it, nor do I think it was totally forgettable and not worth my time. There are some great things here, such as Jones’ voice (throughout the album, his voice is consistently great and awesome), as well as the overall sound, because as much as the album doesn’t stick with me in the ways that I feel like it should, I can at least appreciate, respect, and enjoy its sound, even if I enjoy the sound in theory more than I really like it. This album isn’t quite the kind of soul music that I really like, which is in the vein of Earth, Wind & Fire, as they were a soul band that had elements of R&B, funk, and rock, among other things, so their sound was both diverse and energetic. Soul Scratch was in that vein, too, and that’s one reason why I really loved Pushing Fire. Their debut LP, 2014’s Down The Road (before they signed to Colemine), is more in the vein of Durand Jones & The Indications, because they were more a straightforward soul band with less energy behind them. That album is pretty good, just like this one, but it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Even if I’m not super into this record, specifically, it’s not bad. I’d totally recommend it, especially if you’re into soul music from the 1960s. I feel like this LP is more for fans of old school soul, especially in the vein of Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, old school Marvin Gaye, and artists like that, who had a slower sound, versus being funkier and more energetic (Gaye, in particular, did include elements of funk, pop, rock, and R&B into his sound during the 1970s and 1980s, though), but I can appreciate it. This might not the best introduction to soul music, however, because this can be a bit boring, lackluster, or slow-moving for people that aren’t used to music like this, but it’s well-done, well-performed, and solid stuff. I just can’t say that I’m super into this kind of soul music, but I do enjoy it from time to time, mainly certain artists. I can’t say I’ll be checking out the deluxe edition, but this LP is solid for what it is, nonetheless.

#durand jones & the indications #make a change #soul #colemine records #soul scratch #soul music #pop #funk #rock #otis redding #sam cooke #aretha franklin #marvin gaye

Album Review by Bradley Christensen The Velvet Stones – Musical Solution Record Label: Self-released Release Date: April 3 2016

Over the last couple of years, I’ve gotten heavily into funk, soul, and R&B music. I’ve been into R&B music for a long time, but if I had to be more specific, the kind of R&B music that I’ve enjoyed is more in the vein of alternative R&B / PBR&B. You know, Frank Ocean, How To Dress Well, and The Weeknd, just to name a few artists in that vein, but I really started getting into old school R&B, whether it’s more 90s R&B, 70s funk / soul, or 60s soul / R&B. It’s always kind of nice to get into the classics, or at least have an understanding of where the genre came from. The thing is, too, alternative R&B has kind of been on the decline, at least for me, because I haven’t found a lot of artists worth giving a damn about. Ever since I got into 70s funk, soul, and R&B, I’ve found a lot of modern bands that really specialize in that style. Mama’s Boomshack, Soul Scratch, The Gold Magnolias, Fat Night, and The Dip, just to name a few. Thing is, though, these bands are not mainstream. You won’t hear them in the mainstream, typically, minus a handful of artists. There is a resurgence of 70s soul and funk, which makes me happy, because I love that kind of music. I was super into that last year, as well as earlier this year, especially if you remember that the first album of this year that I listened to (that’s also my favorite album of this year), was a soul / funk album. That would be Soul Scratch’s sophomore album, Pushing Fire. I could go on about that album for days, but it’s a fantastic record. One of the best albums I’ve heard in a long while. That’s how I actually came across the band I’ll be talking about today. That band is The Velvet Stones, and I came across them sort of through Soul Scratch. They liked a post I made on Instagram, but when I went to their Instagram, I noticed that Soul Scratch followed them, too, so that’s what perked my interest. I was like, “If Soul Scratch is into them, I might be into them, too.” I picked up their latest LP, 2016’s Musical Solution, and I was pretty pumped to listen to it later that day.

The wait was worth it, but I have some issues with this record. Nothing major, but we’ll talk about them when we get there. In the meantime, let’s just talk about what I like about this album, and there are a nice amount of things I like within this album. For starters, I love the vocals, but they took a few listens for me to get used to. Their vocalist has a very souful and rustic kind of voice. He very much plays into the southern soul sound, so think less Sam Cooke and more Otis Redding. His voice is still very good, and there’s a lot of range and power within it, but it’s definitely grittier and less refined. That’s something I love about it, too, especially when I got more into it. I really like this band’s overall sound, too, but that’s one of the issues I have with the album, too. It’s one of those things that I’m just mixed on, but I do like their sound more than I’m not into it. It’s not even that I don’t like it, but the thing is, this band does southern soul / funk well, but they don’t really add anything to it. Not that a lot of these bands do, because this sound isn’t all that common anymore, so they don’t have any reason to, but while Soul Scratch’s Pushing Fire kept me on my toes, this album doesn’t. Not that it’s boring, or not engaging, but this LP goes through the motions a lot of the time. The album doesn’t have a lot of diversity to it, and I think that is biggest issue. Not that the album doesn’t add anything new to the genre, as Soul Scratch’s Pushing Fire didn’t, either, but it was a good, balanced, and interesting mix of soul and funk that was lively, fun, energetic, and diverse. This album is a bit diverse, but not enough to justify its length. This album is a bit long, and while it’s not bad, it does wear itself out by the end. That’s not to say the album’s bad, or anything like that, because there’s a lot to like. I mean, I enjoy the vocals, and even its sound, as well as the lyrics. The lyrics might be its weakest point, because they’re your average soul lyrics that you’ve heard before. Soul Scratch got a bit more political on Pushing Fire, but it was more in the vein of unity, sticking together, and loving each other.

These lyrics are more in the vein of what you’d expect from soul bands, and these artists, but they’re written well, they’re sweet, and they’re enjoyable. I have no issues with them, really, but at the end of the day, they’re nothing super memorable. I hate to make it seem like I’m just comparing this album with my favorite album of this year, which is kind of unfair, but Pushing Fire is an album that blew me away. It still does, and The Velvet Stones are a band with potential, if anything at all. There’s a lot to really like here, and there’s nothing bad here. It’s just that I’m not quite as engaged as I should be. It’s not the vocals have more of a southern and grittier tone to them, and that’s something I very much like, or that the sound doesn’t really add anything new to the genre (I can give a lot of bands a pass for doing what they do well, and if you want more of a straightforward soul and R&B kind of group, this band is perfect for that; there isn’t really any funk in their sound), but it’s that the album isn’t too diverse. It’s not diverse enough, at least, because this album only has a couple of modes to it, whereas Pushing Fire had a few. The album was also quite short, so it knew to keep things concise. This album just drags a bit, but I do like it. This album is great, and it’s a solid soul album that’s worth your attention, but it’s a bit more subtle, understated, and quiet, so it’s not as funk-driven or energetic as other albums in this vein. If you’re into soul music, or you want something a bit different to bump in the coming months, give this LP a listen. It’s a worth a shot, at least, and it’s not like it’s bad. The thing is, too, I’m going to be more selective with what I review nowadays, just as a heads up, so if I talk about something, well, it’s worth listening to, no matter if I love it or hate it. I want to dedicate my time to stuff that I want to talk about, versus talking about everything I listen to. If I did that, well, that would be a lot of time spent on albums that are just “okay.” This album isn’t that, though, and it’s a pretty solid soul record that I’ve been enjoying a good amount. It’s totally worth a listen, but more so if you’re already into soul music.

#the velvet stones #musical solution #soul scratch #pushing fire #soul #otis redding #r&b #funk #old school

Album Review by Bradley Christensen Soul Scratch – Pushing Fire Record Label: Colemine Records Release Date: January 13 2017

Pushing Fire, the sophomore album from funk / soul band Soul Scratch is technically the first album that I heard that was released in 2017, but let me explain why. I didn’t really talk about this in my review of their debut album, 2014’s Down The Road, but I’ll explain here. Every given year, at least since I started really taking reviewing seriously, I’ve listened to many albums, EPs, and songs over the course of the year, a lot of which I’ve completely forgotten about. I wanted to slow down on listening to anything that I come across. Granted, what I have listened to are things that capture my interest in some way, but I don’t know, I wanted to start off the year in an awesome way by listening to a truly great album. I didn’t know what was coming out, though, so I waited awhile to really see if anything worth my attention came out. I came across Soul Scratch on Facebook, and it took awhile for me to listen to them, but when I listened to a song from this album, I had to listen to the whole thing. It captured my interest in the right way, and sure enough, this album is fantastic. I’ve been getting heavily into funk and soul music in the last couple of years (last fall I really got into funk music), which makes Pushing Fire right up my alley. When it comes to bands and artists that perform an “older” genre of music, I can give a lot of them a pass, just as long as they perform it well, even if they’re merely paying homage to their influences. Some bands, such as Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, take those influences and do something with them, which his exactly what Soul Scratch does. Instead of just being a straightforward funk band, they have elements of soul in their sound, too. Their debut album, Down The Road, was a more straightforward soul album, and I wasn’t as keen on that album, unfortunately, but I still thought it was a very good album. Hell, I spent most of that review comparing the two albums, and I said this is the better one. I still mean that, because it is.

The last thing I wanted to talk about are the lyrics, and you know, I can give these kinds of bands a pass for at least writing “standard” lyrics. Some of my favorite albums last year, such as the debut Tomar and the FCs’ debut LP, Heart Attack, had very standard lyrics for the genre. That’s not a big problem, because as long as the lyrics are written well, I don’t mind. For the most part, the lyrics are pretty standard here, especially on the more “soulful” songs, such as “Kiss Me In The Morning” and “Be Kind,” but they’re very sweet, sentimental, and loving songs, so it’s not like they’re badly written. There are a few very interesting songs in the beginning, though; the first couple of songs on this album are more politically-charged, but not in a very definite or biting way. “Pacified,” the track that opens up the album, is more or less about how we shouldn’t be pacified to people that want to bring us down, silence our voices, or take away our rights, whereas the second track, “Look How Far We’ve Come” celebrates the things that equal rights leaders and activists have done, but there is still a lot of work to be done, especially now. These messages are very important in today’s world, considering all that’s happened recently, and these are songs that we don’t see very often. They’re not “protest songs” by any means, which I like, because they’re songs that are more reassuring and positive than angry or bitter. We need more songs to unify us together, not break us further apart. That’s what Soul Scratch attempts to do with these two songs. I really love that, and because of that, this album does stick out a bit more. In the end, Soul Scratch’s Pushing Fire is an album that’s very, very worthwhile. In terms of starting off the year, it’s a great record. I can see myself revisiting this album a lot throughout the year, as well as seeing it have a place on my yearend list for 2017. If you’re into soul, funk, or R&B music, definitely check out this record, as well as this band, because these guys are absolutely fantastic in every single way, shape, and form.

#soul scratch #pushing fire #colemine records #down the road #soul #funk #r&b #st. paul & the broken bones #nathaniel rateliff & the night sweats #motown #philly soul #california soul

Album Review by Bradley Christensen Soul Scratch – Down The Road Record Label: Broken Complex Release Date: August 18 2014

Oftentimes in my reviews, I’ll make a small statement, or mention an idea that I might talk about in other reviews. I like doing that, because it gives my reviews a sense of continuity. Sometimes they lead into each other, or I’ll talk about multiple albums from the same act, or certain ideas will bleed into other reviews. It’s just a nice way to keep things moving, flowing, and continuous, almost like a TV show or film series. The review in question was my last one, which was on the new self-titled George Morris self-titled album, and the idea that I wanted to talk about a bit more in detail are newly released albums and how I like to go in blind sometimes. Technically speaking, the new George Morris album was my first reviewed album of 2017 (not counting the two Nitty Gritty reviews I did on two other records), but it wasn’t the first album of 2017 I listened to. That would be the sophomore LP from California funk, soul, and R&B group Soul Scratch, entitled Pushing Fire. I came across these guys on Facebook, of all things, and it took me a bit to finally listen to this LP, but when I did, I was in love with it. My review of that will be coming soon, definitely, but I wanted to dive into any other albums they might put out. They only put one (not counting an EP), 2014’s Down The Road. I wanted to check this out, because when I find a new artist or band that I really like, I want to listen to more of their stuff. Since they only put out one more album, I thought I might as well check it out now. Down The Road is the album I’ll be reviewing today, but this is an album that I didn’t mind going into blind, only because I’d listen to Pushing Fire already (I listened to a clip of a song on Spotify, and I loved the clip enough to listen to the rest of the album without spoiling it for myself), so I had an idea of what I was going to get with this LP. At least for the most part, anyway, since Pushing Fire was a fiery, raw, and intense funk / soul album that had a lot of energy, all the while being very short, sweet, and to the point, so if that album was any indication of what to expect with the debut album, I was in for a treat.

Going in blindly can be a great thing sometimes, because you can find some great records, but that doesn’t mean you’ll always find a masterpiece. While I found a really great album to start off 2017 with Pushing Fire, Down The Road isn’t disappointing, mind you, but it’s not as great. That’s not to say it’s not any good, because it’s a really good record, but it does have some issues that Pushing Fire didn’t have. It makes sense, though. Debut albums often have problems in them, and this one is no exception. With that said, there are some great things about this LP. For starters, frontman Dale Spollett is one hell of a singer. He reminds me a bit of Nathaniel Rateliff, but not for the reason you think. Their voices are totally different, as Spollett is very clean, whereas Rateliff is very gritty, but they have the same kind of intensity, charisma, and power in their voices that I really love. He sounds even better on Pushing Fire, but on this LP, he holds his own quite well. He’s one of the best funk / soul vocalists I’ve heard in recent years. Even its sound is very good, too, but I’ll admit it’s a bit more drab than Pushing Fire. This album is mainly a straightforward soul album, and while it’s still done incredibly well, there’s not a lot of energy here. They sound like St. Paul & The Broken Bones, a band whom I really loved last year, but without a sense of raucous energy or intensity that they had. Not terrible, or anything close to that, but their brand of soul on this LP doesn’t quite hit as hard for me. It sounds great, make no mistake, but Down The Road isn’t an album that I constantly want to revisit, at least in the same way as Pushing Fire. That album has its soulful moments, too, but they’re done a bit better, and they’re more sporadic. This LP does get very “samey” after awhile, and that’s one major reason why this album has worn on me with every listen, but it’s not like I don’t like this album at all, it’s just that there’s not a whole lot to really sink my teeth into.

At the end of the day, Down The Road is soul album, nothing more and nothing less. Take that as you will, but it works for me in a couple of ways. Not only is this style of music not heard that often in the mainstream, or at all, they perform is really well, so I’d basically equate this album to something like Coming Home by Leon Bridges. It was one of my favorite albums of 2015, but it was a very generic album. This is, too, and while this album is great, and if I heard it in 2014, it would have been one of my favorites, most likely, when compared to other modern soul / funk bands, or even their newly released album, it doesn’t quite measure up as much. That’s only because Pushing Fire does do a lot more, and it progresses their sound in a way that showcases all the best aspects of them. Moving into a funk direction is perfect for them, because it works insanely well, and to be fair, the soul elements are fine, too. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re into soul music, because if you’re into the genre, it’ll get the job done just fine. It definitely gives you what you’re expecting, and everything is done very well, despite how standard it might be. I’ve mentioned this recently, but sometimes you need straightforward music that you know what you’ll get before you even listen to it. That’s not always a bad thing, although I’ll admit that I like being surprised. I know that I’ve been comparing this album to Pushing Fire, but I’ve heard that album first, and that can be a problem when you get into a band’s discography. Sometimes the first album you hear might be their best, but this album is really good, too. I enjoy it a lot, and I wanted to make sure that I clarify that, just in case someone might think I don’t like this album. It’s a very good album, and a perfect example of how to execute modern soul music, but Pushing Fire is a bit better, because it progresses their sound, and does so in a way that I love. If you’ve listened to Pushing Fire, and you want to listen to their debut album, do it.