Top 5 Records of 2017
1. Foo Fighters – Concrete & Gold
Phew! The only way I can start to talk about the new Foo Fighters record is to wipe the anxious sweat off my brow and emit a giant sigh of relief. After a nearly a decade of spotty releases that often sounded more committed to grand gimmicks than to solid songwriting, the Foo’s returned in 2017 with a completely ‘theme’-free album that finds the band at precisely where they should be 22 years into their career. Concrete and Gold is recognizably Foo Fighters, but the production of Greg Kurstin brought out dynamics and sonics that the band hadn’t ever explored before. The record finds the band utilizing lush vocal harmonies, tower-of-sound guitars, and some of their more left-of-center influences to create a beautiful slab of rock and roll. “Run” is their best ‘heavy’ song since the 90s, “La Dee Da” finds Dave screaming with a ferocity that almost conjures black metal, and the title track sounds like the love-child of Black Flag and Pink Floyd. As the most exciting record in a long time for one of my favorite bands, Concrete and Gold easily takes my #1 spot for 2017.
2. Run The Jewels – RTJ3
I know, I know; RTJ3 technically dropped on Christmas last year. But its physical release came in 2017 and it was such a profound addition to my listening this year that it would just be unfair to not include it here. It’s abundantly clear from the get-go that El-P and Killer Mike are both unfathomably and equally talented rappers with a chemistry that is uniquely electrifying. Musically, El-P’s beats on RTJ3 are consistently original, fierce, and catchy. Lyrically, the duo’s mixture of tongue-in-cheek braggadocio with their well-read references and progressive politics is both poignant and potent. They’ve developed their synthesis beautifully over the past 4 years and the high stakes of the world today have brought them to create their best record yet (beating out RTJ2 by just a hair though!). The 1-2 punch of “Talk to Me” and “Legend Has It” would seal the deal on this record alone, but that’s just the beginning. Stay for “Stay Gold” and “Hey Kids” featuring the wonderful insanity of Danny Brown. Fuck it; just listen to the whole record. You won’t regret it.
3. St Vincent - Masseduction
Annie Clark has always been an enigmatic artist; throughout the past decade that she’s blessed us with her talents, St Vincent has been a project that she could use to shape-shift through varying aesthetics and instrumentations. On her 2017 release, MASSEDUCTION¸ we find perhaps her most jarring transformation yet: full-on pop star. Though her 2014 eponymous record hinted at more experimentation with electronics and a poppy aesthetic, she went for broke with this new album. Aside from bursts of her always badass guitar playing, this record is composed of mostly synthetic instrumentation, which, combined with a set of vulnerable and raw lyrics, creates a dichotomy that is beautifully evocative. Despite being a departure from her typical sound, Ms. Clark’s talent as a songwriter is in no way less apparent. The songs on this record run the gamut of emotions; slow, pulsing opener “Hang on Me” sets a mournful, yet optimistic tone, while “Los Ageless” is a dense, bouncy, tongue-in-cheek ode to the city of the (almost) same name. On the other side of the coin, you have the serene, bare ballads “New York” and “Happy Birthday Johnny” that address loss in their own ways. All in all, don’t let the electronics fool you; MASSEDUCTION is yet another wonderful, heartfelt addition to St Vincent’s catalog.
4. Slowdive - Slowdive
One of the more exciting reunions of the 2010s was that of the shoegaze giants Slowdive. After returning to the stage in 2014 for some extensive touring, the band holed up to craft their comeback album, which was finally released this past Spring. Completely eschewing the rule of reunion records, Slowdive may actually be the bands finest output yet. As their leanest record in terms of tracks, the band trimmed the fat that their younger selves may have been too inexperienced to let go by the wayside and created a concise collection of blissful, hazy tunes. Right out of the gate, the ethereal “Slomo” sets the stage with an echo-laden instrumental intro that gives way to a beautifully fragile croon from frontman Neil Halstead. His vocal interplay with co-vocalist Rachel Goswell is a hallmark of the record, as they spiral their way through the lush waves of tracks like “Star Roving” and “No Longer Making Time”. A truly special set of songs from a truly special band.
5. Mark Lanegan – Gargoyle
Given his status as a personal favorite artist of mine, I may be a little biased towards Mark Lanegan, but that’s only because he is so astoundingly good! As one of the few artists I’m aware of who has put out a record every single year since the early 2010s, Lanegan still manages to sound fresh and invigorated with each release and Gargoyle is no exception. Born from a combination of Lanegan’s own compositions as well as those of collaborator Rob Marshall, Gargoyle is a darkly woven tapestry that defies typical comparison. “Deaths Head Tattoo” kicks the record off sounding something like New Order gurgling their way through a lake of molasses, while “Beehive” buzzes along with a nearly cheerful refrain of “honey just gets me stoned”. “Emperor” will put a swagger in your step and “First Day of Winter” is the sonic equivalent of a solitary walk through a midnight snowfall. Mark’s perennial midas touch shows no signs of wearing off and we’re all the better for it.
