I don't think I'm always particularly good at expressing what I like (or don't like) about music, but I want to give a little bit of insight as to why certain albums moved me and ended up where they did on my list. I also want to help showcase artists that I love and am passionate about to people who may not be as familiar with them. So I do my best to put my thoughts into semi-coherent sentences.
I've included links to stream the albums in their entirety, I did my best to find official streams whenever possible. I highly encourage you to check out the highlighted songs if you're unfamiliar with the artist/album and if you like what you hear, then listen to the full album and support the artists if you can.
Worst Album of the Year
Taylor Swift - "Reputation"
- I don't usually name a worst album of the year, let alone write about it, but this one is so bad I felt the need to. Having previously been a hardcore Taylor Swift fan, I couldn't help but feel further betrayal and insult by the direction she's chosen to go in. No longer does her music have any earnestness or sincerity. No longer does it feel meticulously crafted and labored over. No longer does it sound like anything released by someone who wants to present themselves with any artistic integrity. Reputation is the worst album I've subjected myself to listen to the entirety of in a very long time. There is only one single song that I would classify as anything other than horrendous, that being the final track "New Year's Day." Every other song is painful to listen to and lacks any real instrumentation. The album sounds like something that anyone with 30 minutes worth of practice on any music software could have come up with in a few days. There are very brief glimpses at what almost resembles decent music, which are quickly overwhelmed by some wannabe-hip-hop garbage. I don't really want to go on any more about this because I want to focus on the actual good music that came out in 2017, but it an even more visceral reaction from me than I anticipated I felt the need to talk about it. I think this may very well be the worst album I've ever heard from an artist who had previously made good music.
Without further ado, here is what I feel (right now) are the best albums of 2017!!!
HONORABLE MENTION
VON GREY - "Trinity"
- I also don't usually spotlight honorable mentions like this, but these girls are really special. The only reason this isn't on the list is because it's a six song EP, not a full-length album. Trinity featured some of the songs that the Von Grey sisters have been working on for quite a while and it's more than worth your time. They started out strong earlier this year releasing my favorite track of theirs, "Poison in the Water," which still gives me chills even after countless listens. Each song on Trinity brings a little bit of a different vibe to the table but don't detract from one another. These ladies never cease to amaze me. So do yourself a favor and give Trinity a listen and become VON GREY's newest fan. It's dark, sexy, witchy folk pop at it's finest.
Check Out: "Poison in the Water" Stream/Buy
THE TOP 20 ALBUMS OF 2017
20. Marilyn Manson - "Heaven Upside Down"
Check Out: "Say10"
Stream on Spotify
19. Paramore - "After Laughter"
16. Steven Wilson - "To the Bone"
Check Out: "Ghost"
Stream on Spotify
14. Evanescence - "Synthesis"
- This album is simply stunning. The only reason it's not much higher is because it essentially consists entirely of reworked versions of older Evanescence songs. But describing it like that doesn't feel like it does it justice. I was excited when the announcement came out, but a little skeptical about how much I would enjoy the new versions, I knew I was on board for the orchestral arrangements, but was unsure about the electronic/synth elements that would be worked in as well. My first experience with the album, outside of hearing two songs a couple times, was seeing/hearing Synthesis performed live by Evanescence and a full orchestra. Every moment of that concert was utterly breath taking and more than sold me on Synthesis. Some of the songs are more similar to their original arrangements than others, but I wouldn't say any of them are worse than the original. Which is really saying something since I'm the type of person that generally thinks remixes are pointless and almost always worse. But Synthesis wis far from a simple remix. The songs have been almost entirely reimagined from the ground up. In some cases, the arrangement is stripped way back, showcasing Amy's beautiful vocals much more. This is just one of those things that you need to hear to truly understand, so take an hour and listen to the entire thing, you can thank me later.
Check Out: "The Hand of John L. Sullivan"
Stream on Spotify
12. Jillette Johnson - "All I Ever See in You is Me"
Check Out: "Thumbelina"
Stream on Spotify
11. Courage My Love - "Synesthesia"
Check Out: "Love Hurts"
Stream on Spotify
10. John Mayer - "The Search For Everything"
Check Out: "Roll it On Home"
Stream on Spotify
9. Mastodon - "Emperor of Sand"
Check Out: "Sultan's Curse"
8. Foo Fighters - "Concrete and Gold"
- Alexz Johnson is someone who has had a special place in my heart for over half of my life now. She's come a long way since So Weird on the Disney Channel in the early 2000s. A Stranger Time is the latest installment in her incredible discography. My favorite things about Alexz as an artist are on full display here; her raw emotion and vulnerability. I'm a sucker for songs that start off a little bit understated and build up slowly over the course of the track, and Alexz is amazing at writing songs like that. Check out "Breathe" and "Right Now" to hear what I'm talking about. Judging by everything I've heard, she is incapable of putting any less than 110% of herself into every song, which really comes across when you see her perform. I didn't spotlight it below, but "Aftermath" might be one of the finest and most impactful songs she's released to date. There's such a tenderness and delicacy to her vocal performance, it's just mesmerizing. On my first few listens through of the album, I really focused on the choice in production to make the album sound, as Alexz described it, "a little sleepy." That's not to say there isn't energy in it, there absolutely is, but it didn't wasn't exactly my personal preference. Though I absolutely respect the artistic decision. After listening to it dozens more times, and seeing all of the songs performed live, I was able to get past that and focus on the songwriting. Eventually I came to appreciate the production as it suits a number of the songs, and sets the album apart from her other releases. If this album wasn't on the shorter side, it might have been even higher on my list.
Check Out: "Breathe"
"Right Now"
Stream on Spotify
6. Acceptance - "Colliding By Design"
- After 12 long years, Acceptance FINALLY returned with a second album, and what an album it is. Even the intro of the opening track "Diagram of a Simple Man" sounds like a triumphant proclamation of the return of Acceptance. As to be expected, this album is a little bit of a departure from 2005's Phantoms. With over a decade in between albums, it would be more surprising (and frankly, a little disappointing) if the band just came back and tried to make a clone of their previous work. Colliding By Design shows the growth and evolution of Acceptance while still maintaining all of the elements that made them such a great band in the first place; catchy hooks, memorable melodies, meaningful lyrics, powerful riffs and a hint of heaviness. The production from Aaron Sprinkle is phenomenal, the album sounds huge. This album was worth the 12 year wait.
Check Out: "Fire and Rain"
"Goodbye"
Stream on Spotify
5. DREAMCAR - "DREAMCAR"
- What a pleasant surprise this album turned out to be. Having heard a couple years ago that Davey Havok from AFI and Tony, Tom and Adrian from No Doubt would be starting a new band together, I was looking forward to it. The initial single "Kill For Candy" was catchy and fun, and that convinced me to buy a ticket to their show. At that show, I heard the rest of the album for the first time and I can't remember the last time I was so blown away by new music in a live setting. Thankfully, the album holds up in a home listening experience perfectly fine. It's a very '80s New Wave sound, but it doesn't really feel like a gimmick. This album is full of ear worms that you'll be find yourself singing for days. There's an undeniably fun energy to all of the songs, even though some of the lyrical content can get a bit dark. Whether or not you're a fan of AFI or No Doubt, DREAMCAR is absolutely worth checking out.
Check Out: "After I Confessed"
"Born to Lie"
Stream on Spotify
4. I the Mighty - "Where the Mind Wants to Go / Where You Let it Go"
- This album definitely takes the crown for wordiest title on my list. Luckily, it contains the same number of great songs as it does words in the album title. Intentional? Sign of the Illuminati? Probably. This is a bit of a transition album for I the Mighty, they're exploring some new sounds with an eye towards the future evolution of the band. That doesn't mean that this album doesn't feel like an I the Mighty release, but it shows that they aren't content with simply sticking to what they've mastered in their previous records. The opening track "Degenerates" starts off with just guitar, then opens up more and more until the massive sounding chorus, with one of my favorite guitar riffs in a while. It's almost as if the song is opening the door and inviting you into the album. It was the perfect choice for an opening track. From there, it goes into "Pet Names" which is a groovy little number. The bass line paired with the sparse guitar in the verses works really well.
The band took a little bit of a step back from the heavier elements they incorporated into their past albums but there are hints of it here and there. "Where the Mind Wants to Go" might be the song that would come closest to fitting in on either of their past two albums Satori and Connector, but the album still maintains the same energy of the older, heavier songs.
The final track "Where You Let it Go" is pretty special, as well. Similar to "Degenerates," it unfurls itself and expands its scope. The production on the song gives it an ethereal feel, making it a song that you can't help but close your eyes and jam out to. It is the perfect ending to a fantastic album.
Check Out: "Degenerates"
"Where the Mind Wants to Go"
Stream on Spotify
3. AFI - "AFI (The Blood Album)"
- I'm going to be honest, AFI is one of those bands that I'm always going to have a little bit of a bias for because they've had such a profound impact on me. There hasn't been an AFI release that I didn't like, and The Blood Album is no different. It has the vibe of the more recent albums, Burials and Crash Love, which are pretty different albums themselves. But it also mixes in a lot of elements that are reminiscent of the classic AFI albums like Sing the Sorrow and The Art of Drowning. As with every AFI album, it's pretty dark in tone, which is right in my wheelhouse. Obviously the lyrics are going to be top notch, that's what we've come to expect from Davey over the years. While this album might not have made it all the way up to my top spot, it did include what I consider to be the best song of 2017, "So Beneath You." It's a scathing anti-religious punk song, featuring the lyrics "No there is nothing above. And I don’t serve anyone," in the chorus. Aside from the fantastic message and sentiment of the song, it's so well written and catchy. It definitely hearkens back to AFI's punk roots without feeling like a gimmick to satisfy the older fans. Every aspect of this song is damn near perfect, as far as I'm concerned.
Another standout track is "Dumb Kids", which along the same lines as "So Beneath You" is a much more old school sounding track. If I was told that it had been written in the Black Sails in the Sunset era, I might believe it. The rhythm section in this song is superb, and the chant-y lyrics and chorus will get stuck in your head for days.
The Blood Album is another fantastic release from one of the greatest bands of all time.
Check Out: "So Beneath You"
"Dumb Kids"
Stream on Spotify
2. Ed Sheeran - "÷"
- When an artist gets to the level that Ed Sheeran has attained, it seems like it would be nearly impossible to live up to the hype when they release new music. Yet somehow, Ed has managed to do it twice now. I originally had this album a few spots lower on my list, but ended up moving it all the way to number two because there are just so many amazing songs on it. I think my biggest complaint, for lack of a better word, is that most of the album follows a formula of upbeat song-ballad-upbeat song-ballad, and a few of the ballads seemed like he was trying to capitalize on the massive success of "Thinking Out Loud" on x. However, each of the ballads are so well written and different in their own way, I came to feel that each justified their spot on the album. I particularly love the Irish folk influenced songs "Galway Girl" and "Nancy Mulligan." They have such a fun, timeless quality to them paired with excellently crafted melodies and lyrics. It's pretty impressive that this album has 16 tracks, and nothing seems like filler. There are a few songs that I'm not completely in love with, but I never skip them and enjoy singing along to them. I read that "Shape of You" was the biggest song of 2017. While I don't think that's the best song on the album, it makes me happy that a legitimately good song was that popular. Every time that song comes on, I can't help but get hyped up and groove along to the beat and the way it gets bigger and bigger over the course of the song.
If you're an Ed Sheeran fan, then you know every lyric already, but if you're not, this album is a perfect place to start.
Check Out: "Galway Girl"
"Eraser"
Stream on Spotify
I have a tie for the number one spot. Yeah, that's kind of cheating, but it's my list and I do what I want. Both of these albums are spectacular and gorgeous, and so vastly different. I felt like they were both worthy of being recognized as the best album of 2017, so here they are:
1. Circa Survive - "The Amulet"
- Circa Survive is one of those bands that I expect nothing but greatness from, and I'm never disappointed. The Amulet continues to push the boundaries of the sound Circa has been perfecting over the course of their career. I think this album is just as accessible to new fans as it is to the die hards. I knew it was going to be a special one as soon as I saw them perform "Lustration" the month before the release date. Circa songs are so layered and complex, they beg to be listened to over and over. With each play-through, you'll discover more and more that you hadn't noticed before. I don't know whether or not this is my favorite Circa Survive album, but I'm hard pressed to think back to a time where they've been better than this. The Amulet is definitely an album that needs to be listened to from front to back, every song is just a piece of the journey. I think one of my favorite moments is in "Never Tell a Soul" where the guitars pull out and it's just bass, minimal drums and Anthony Green's screams that sound like they're coming from far off in the distance. There's just something about the seamless transition in and out of that section that I love.
This is true of Circa Survive's music in general, but especially so in The Amulet, but the way all of the instruments and vocals interact with each other is intoxicating. Anthony's vocals setting the stage at the top, with Colin and Brendan's guitars blending together to create an almost wave-like quality and of course Nick's bass and Steve's drums that keep everything driving forward with energy.
The Amulet is Circa Survive at the top of their game and words (at least not mine) can't possibly ever do their music justice, so listen to this masterwork for yourself and let it engulf you.
Check Out: "Rites of Investiture"
"Lustration"
Stream on Spotify
1. Dia Frampton - "Bruises"
- A few years ago, Dia Frampton formed a project with composer Joseph Trapanese called ARCHIS and released a magnificent 6-song EP that still gives me chills when I listen to it. An EP that was so good, I included it near the top of my top albums list. Bruises is more or less the evolution of what Dia started with ARCHIS. I've been following her career for over 11 years now, from Meg & Dia's debut album, to being Runner-up on The Voice, to releasing a solo album, to being dropped from another major label after barely any marketing from said label (again), to ARCHIS, and now her second true solo album. Through all the ups and downs, I've seen and heard her grow as a person and an artist. Even though she may be painfully underappreciated, I am always proud of and impressed by everything she's released. Bruises, much like ARCHIS, feels like a true passion project. I know at least a few of these songs were written several years before this album was recorded, I even saw her perform a couple at a show before she even did ARCHIS.
One of the things I love most about Bruises is the prominent use of strings, they really broaden the scope of the songs and give the album a timeless feel. The layering of everything is also incredibly appealing. In "Crave," there's the groovy beat underneath harmonies and backup vocals, piano, and the strings. Nothing feels out of place or more weighted than anything else, it all gels together perfectly to craft one gorgeous piece of music.
As I said, I've been following Dia for a long time now, and she's a better artist now than she's ever been. She's worked hard to refine her voice and have even more control, and it shows. I couldn't be more proud of her for creating such a phenomenal work of art. Everyone should give this album at least one listen, I know there's a much wider audience out there for it. Beautiful soundscapes, emotional and evocative lyrics and haunting melodies make this album an instant classic as far as I'm concerned.
Check Out: "Golden Years"
"Out of the Dark"
"Blind"
Stream on Spotify
Well there it is, my top albums of 2017, and some poorly written ramblings! What do you agree with? What do you disagree with? What do you think I missed? Feel free to let me know!
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