Whatever happens on Earth, stays on Earth.

There goes another eventful year.

2017 was a great year for music. I listened to a lot of it, maybe more than previous years, and encountered with the strange situation that I liked many albums. This is, in my opinion, because in an era where the digital formats and the streaming reign, when the real weight in music goes to people that release one extremely popular song, there are still many artists that care to give the album a chance and create great music by doing so.   Because of that, I decided to put 20 of them this time, and not just because is less annoying in a blog than in a Facebook post. Be sure to check these out and comment.

Honorable Mentions

A few other albums I recommend listening aside from the present list:

Vagabon – Infinite Worlds (Father/Daughter)
King Krule – The OOZ (True Panther Sounds)
Sampha – Process (Young Turks)
Grizzly Bear – Painted Ruins (RCA)
The xx – I See You (Young Turks)
Broken Social Scene – Hug of Thunder (Arts & Crafts)
Spoon – Hot Thoughts (Matador)
The Horrors – V (Caroline)

20. SZA – Ctrl

Who? R&B singer-songwriter that after a few EP’s has released her debut album. And just as everything that comes later in this list, is great.  

Why I like it? The last album of the list (or first, if you want), is also the last album I heard of the year. And it took one listening for it to grab my attention. 14 songs of sweet sounding, mid-tempo beats with little insturmentation, which is only there to surround SZA’s voice, the true protagonist of the album. Singing openly about being in love and young-adult life, the songs are filled by the uniqueness of her urban but polished style. A style that fits well here and everywhere else.  

The verse. ‘How you ain’t say you was movin’ forward?/Honesty hurts whn you’re getting older’.  

Sweet track. Broken Clocks.

19. Slowdive – Slowdive

Who? One of the shoegaze movement’s most important bands, Slowdive returned in 2014 and decided to release a new album this year, 22 years after the last one.   

Why I like it? The single amazing thing about this new self-titled is that it sounds as essential as Slowdive 90’s albums, even after all this years. Slowdive may have their own reasons for returning, but if you listen closely you might think those were the right reasons. Mood, production, sound, everything that made them special is back with them.  

The verse. There’s none that is as important as the sounds that surrounds them.  

Sweet track. If the chorus of No Longer Making Time doesn’t make you feel something, then you’re soulless.       

18. Wolf Parade – Cry Cry Cry

Who? Indie rock band from Montreal formed in 2003, led by Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner. They went on a hiatus in 2011, and released their comeback album this year. If you haven’t, you should check them out.  

Why I like it? The band, even after the hiatus (maybe especially after it), sounds more cohesive and each song is focused and never gets lost in its own power. The songwriting is vivid and sharp, especially because there’s two masterminds behind it, and their respective songs don’t sound apart from each other, overall there’s connection between them. Finally, the songs are pure alternative rock that is as enjoyable as it was back in the day.   

The verse. ‘You said we’re all gonna die, and if we’re just gonna fall like autumn leaves into the ultimate season, you’d rather miss him while you’re still alive’.  

Sweet track. Valley Boy is a great song dedicated to the late Leonard Cohen.   

17. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice

Who? Courtney Barnett released her debut album in 2015 and has been considered one of indie rock’s most exciting songwriters. Kurt Vile has a lot more past, but his last 3 excellent albums were the ones that gave him a deserved recognition.   

Why I like it? A lot can happen when two profiles as the ones I described above decide to do a collaborative album. In this case, it turned out to be great. There’s an undeniable friendly chemistry between their voices, their styles and most importantly, between them. Despite it being a little weak at times (I think a more riff-fueled song, as Barnett has made, would’ve helped), it’s special because it showcases the collaborative songwriting at its best, and that’s not a common thing.  

The verse. ‘You could say I hear you on several levels at high decibels’.  

Sweet track. Over Everything is the definitive portrayal of the chemistry between Kurt and Courtney.           

16. Alvvays – Antisocialites

Who? Canadian dream-pop band that released their debut self-titled in 2014. Their second album is much more cohesive and it doesn’t forget what make them good in the beginning.  

Why I like it? Alvvays dream pop is fun. The up-tempo songs here even sound a little bit garage in essence. And that’s exactly what makes the album great. Reverbed guitar and vocals are everywhere but the production arranged everything to make it sound more tangible. Molly Rankin’s voice is present, which gives her eccentric lyrics a push. The songs are great, but the album is much more enjoyable because they sound awesome.  

The verse. ‘Who starts a fire just to let it go out?’ Who? Tell me. Who?  

Sweet track. In Undertow is the album’s flagship. No other song I’ve heard about a hangover sounds like this.        

15. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Who? Do I need to?   

Why I like it? What does the best rapper of the moment do after releasing two critically acclaimed and best-selling albums? Release another one. Kung Fu Kenny continues to cement his place in hip-hop music, with a more personal album but equally ambitious. This time, he’s not pointing at the problem; he goes inward and asks what his role in all of it is. Who’s Kendrick Lamar for the world? Well, based on this album, one of the most creative artists of his time, one that is not only worth enjoying, but also understanding.   

The verse. ‘I feel like the whole world want me to pray for ’em, but who the fuck prayin’ for me?’   

Sweet track. FEEL. (See above).

14. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream

Who? Returning after their 2010 break-up, James Murphy and co. released an album that is just as LCD as it can be.

Why I like it? The return of the band itself is what most influences the album. Murphy writes as his point of view of life has changed with this event, adding also his musings in life, age, and society, remarking the difference between these times and when he started. Musically, the album uses a lot of synths and dark beats, and you can dance to them, or sit and listen, but after a few listenings everything starts to sound familiar. Yes, LCD Soundsystem left, and we thought that was it, but this is a strong collection of songs, specially because it makes you feel that they never did.

The verse. ‘You hate the idea that you’re wasting your youth, that you stood in the background until you got old, but that’s all lies’.

Sweet track. The single tonite is the most quintessential LCD Soundsystem song of the bunch.

13. Girlpool  – Powerplant

Who? An indie-rock duo that started as just two voices, guitar and bass. Now, Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad have added drums and more attitude to their short and sharp songs.   

Why I like it? The vocal harmonies, the melodic riffs and the steady percussion are impossible to ignore. The songs start and end, with a bunch of great ideas in the middle that are well executed in a short amount of time. The album ends fast, but it stays long enough for you to appreciate the unique style of Girlpool and their views on life’s small things. Worth your time.  

The verse. ‘The nihilist tells you that nothing is true. I said ‘I faked global warming just to get close to you”.  

Sweet track. The opener 123 is all you need to be hooked until the end.     

12. St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION

Who? For already 10 years now, Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, has been one of alternative rock most eccentric artists. This time, she embraced pop and gave it her unique touch.  

Why I like it? First of all, it’s her most ambitious album. She adds the heavy beats, synths and electronic voices to her already quirky aesthetic, with control and purpose. Second of all, it’s her most personal album. Through the big scope of the music, St. Vincent speaks from her heart, expressing what’s been like to be an artist, a woman and a human all this years. And, it’s very enjoyable.

The verse. I’ll take the three separate lines in New York that go: ‘Where you’re the only motherfucker in the city who can handle me/who can stand me/who’d forgive me’.

Sweet track. Los Ageless, and its bombastic chorus, feel like a climax in the album.

11. Feist – Pleasure

Who? Leslie Feist, a Canadian singer-songrwriter well known for being part of the musical collective Broken Social Scene. After 6 years she released her fifth album and is her most raw to date. (She also appeared in the comeback album from the aforementioned group).  

Why I like it? Feist has been gone for 6 years and she returned with a more specific purpose. Pleasure is an album that seems to require time. The roughness of its aesthetic and the mostly personal lyrics seem to need deep immersion, but it’s not the case. That’s what I liked the most about it, being one the most stripped-down albums in this list, how immediate it feels.  

The verse. ‘You know I’d leave any party for you’. True love.  

Sweet track. Get Not High, Get Not Low.

Soon, part 2.