17. Perfume Genius

17. Perfume Genius - No Shape

This is the fourth album for Seattle based Mike Hadreas otherwise known as Perfume Genius. This is certainly his best album to date and it's an album about being in love and navigating that in 2017 as a gay artist. It's beautiful and edgy and sways and swoons throughout its continuous stanzas. While there is a strong experimental aspect to Hadreas' music, there is this underlying subtle, simple pop imagery that sustains it.



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18. The Huntress And Holder Of Hands

18. The Huntress And Holder Of Hands - Avalon

This is a project by the recently widowed, MorganEve Swain. She lost her husband Dave Lamb, to Leukemia in 2014, which was half of the band Brown Bird with her. This is a project of grief and losing your musical partner. The title of the album refers to the last song on the posthumous Brown Bird album, Axis Mundi, which was released in 2015 as their final work together. Avalon is a 46-second love song from Dave to her and in the lyrics lies the name of the band, which is included below. Truly heartbreaking and difficult watching him die in 2014 and the numerous fundraising campaigns that were started to help with the treatment. This album will rip your heart wide open. It's dark and tragic and perfect for these cold winter days.





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19. Ryan Adams

19. Ryan Adams - Prisoner

This sixteenth album of Ryan Adams is a breakup album. He recently divorced his wife of six years, Mandy Moore. His previous album was a complete cover of Taylor Swifts' 1989. I find that this album carries some serious late eighties, early nineties guitar work, in true Adams fashion and is a perfect expression of his new pop excursion.



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20. Future Islands

20. Future Islands - The Far Field

While these guys got the Number 3 spot back in 2014 here, the Baltimore based band is back with their fifth album. I tried in vain to see them at SXSW this year, but apparently, their meteoric rise since Singles and a rousing David Letterman performance have made such stops virtually impossible. Looks like they're hitting the festival circuit in Europe this summer as these guys move squarely into the arena rock category, and rightly so because they are fantastic. Pay particular attention to the duet with Debbie Harry on Shadows.



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21. Kevin Morby

21. Kevin Morby - City Music

Kevin Morby has that 60's folk pop sound that I love, like Damien Jurado. The faraway vocal style with haunting lyrics is my jam. He was formerly in the bands Woods and The Babies and much to my chagrin, this artist has eluded my perspective gaze for some time now. He is now in my top ten must see live bands and since he is from Lubbock, Texas, I hope that situation can be resolved soon. This is his fourth album and I was lucky enough to receive it with my vinylmeplease subscription.



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22. Poolside

22. Poolside - Heat

Found this album by accident searching the new releases one Friday afternoon and what a find it was. California duo Filip Nikolic and Jeffrey Paradise describe their sound as 'daytime disco' on this sophomore release. Lots of Hall and Oates influence on these tracks produced by DJ's who wanted to hang out by a pool and sip mezcal to some loungy beats.



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23. Methyl Ethel

23. Methyl Ethel - Everything Is Forgotten

These creative musicians from Perth, Australia released their debut album last year with a quick sophomore effort. There is a strong psychedelic rock scene in Perth right now (Tame Impala, Pond) and while these guys certainly have an influence from that scene, they have branched off into a much more pop-driven sentiment. I enjoyed listening to this album repetitively because of the bouncy hooks, I liken them to Of Montreal or Milo Greene as for their style. And of course the opening track commands you to Drink Wine, so what's not to like about that.



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24. Palehound

24. Palehound - A Place I'll Always Go

Boston based Ellen Kempner is the heart and soul of Palehound. Her sound is a grungy, lo-fi guitar rock driven sound, but with quiet guitars and vocals, similar to Girlpool or The Wooden Birds. This sophomore effort finds her continuing to discuss her last breakup, but also about finding new love as well.



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25. Overcoats

25. Overcoats - YOUNG

Officially residing in the genre of folktronica, this bright, new debut from the duo of Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell has hit the ground running. Certainly one of my favorite discoveries of the year, these two young ladies met at Wesleyan University and upon hearing each other sing, knew they had to work together. Going through a mutual break-up, they began writing together and loved the way their voices harmonized delving into deeply personal content in their lyrics.



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26. Mac DeMarco

26. Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

Mac DeMarco is McBriare Samuel Lanyon "Mac" DeMarco (born Vernor Winfield McBriare Smith IV) which is to say, a ton of names. However, this Canadian singer-songwriter relies on the simplicity of music, much like his on-stage moniker. This is his third album and in it, we find a pared-down acoustic set with Mac playing every instrument on the album.



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27. Elbow

27. Elbow - Little Fictions

Elbow is easily one of my favorite bands. I typically rank these based on how much I listen to these albums versus what I 'think' is the best. This album started low because I didn't think I listened to it much this year. However, every time I sat down to write about this and rank it, I'd start listening to the album and immediately move it up in the ranks. Never really done that until now, but this album just needed me to give it one more listen, I guess to move it into earworm category. So, my advice, listen to this a few times through, it deserves it.



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28. Sampha

28. Sampha - Process

I have a confession to make. I love Seal's first album. The whole thing is musical genius. Upon releasing his 2nd album, he was asked something along the lines of why the quality didn't compare to the first. His answer, "I spent my whole life writing the first album." This is Sampha's debut and it is a beautifully crafted electronic R&B album. It's the kind of thing that an artist can spend a lifetime working on. This album is particularly poignant because the young man is dealing with both of his parents' deaths on it. His father bought him a piano when he was young to keep him away from the TV and the result of that shines throughout this entire piece. Just a little crazy.



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29. Girlpool

29. Girlpool - Powerplant

This is Girlpool's second album and they've broadened their sound. There's still a unique vulnerability with them, which is what drew me to them in the first place. Best friends and still teens, Girlpool is Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad. My daughter and I had the good fortune to catch them at SXSW this year and they put on an incredible show. There's a lot of great punk, but it's these girls' voices that pull you in and keep you coming back.



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30. Antibalas

30. Antibalas - Where The Gods Are In Peace

Antibalas means bulletproof in Spanish. These guys are a Brooklyn based Afrobeat band. Personally, I love Afrobeat. Think Fela Kuti and you get the style of this band. I'm pretty happy this is in the top 50 and seeing them live at Trees was a magical experience which moved this album far up the ranks for me.



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31. Lo Tom

31. Lo Tom - Lo Tom

This is a new side project from David Bazan of Pedro the Lion. T.W. Walsh from Pedro also joins him on guitar as well as two old friends from Starflyer 59. This is a great rock and roll album and I have to thank Colin Stringer for introducing me to it. I love when people recommend bands to me that turn out to be my new favorites.



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32. Fleet Foxes

32. Fleet Foxes - Crack Up

Fleet Foxes is back with their third album. We've had to wait six long years for this guy, but it was well worth the wait. Robin Pecknold is not short on the sweeping harmonies that make these foxes fleet. My favorite song on the album is the epic Third of May / Odaigahara clocking in at a mere 8:45 and captivating every second. I was pretty worried about this album when it came out and instead it's been incredibly compelling.



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33. The National

33. The National - Sleep Well Beast

On The National's seventh album, Matt Beringer takes us down less than anthemic territory into a more raw, unsettling sound. Many of these songs were written with his wife by his side and with the truthfulness of these lyrics, as only Matt Beringer can do, it makes you respect the hell out of their relationship. That must require an incredible honesty and vulnerability.



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34. Vagabon

34. Vagabon - Infinite Worlds

Vagabon is Laetitia Tamko. A Cameroon transplant in New York, Laetitia graduated college in 2015 and really only did music as a side project. But, destiny led her to produce this album, very slowly to much acclaim. This is Indie Rock at its finest. Impressively intimate with a strong musical backdrop, it is easy to get lost in this brief trek through emotion. The only reason this isn't higher in the charts is because that's how good shit is about to get.



https://soundcloud.com/fatherdaughter/the-embers

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35. Black Lips

35. Black Lips - Satan's Graffiti or God's Art?

This is Black Lips eighth album and acts as a concept album. That's probably what pulled me in. I generally listen to Black Lips albums and enjoy them, but usually not enough to make the Top 50. This one was different. Apparently, they are in a new line-up and having been a psychedelic experimental band for some time, this romp into seeming coherence seemed like the next step. There's a lot of great stuff in this album, including a Beatles cover, so give it a chance and spend some time with it.



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36. Octopus Project

36. Octopus Project - Memory Mirror

This may be the most lyrical Octopus Project album out to date. It continues in their wildly experimental avant-pop sound. I remember the first time I saw these guys live and it's one of those experiences that has endeared me to the band for eternity. Things like sampling the sound of a champagne cork popping on Small Hundred or the swirling electronics that envelope Wrong Gong are what keep me coming back to this album and this band. They play here frequently and if you haven't seen them live yet, make it a point, it's a dance party like no other. Check out the preview video in true OP fashion below...

The Octopus Project - Memory Mirror from The Octopus Project on Vimeo.

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37. Thundercat

37. Thundercat - Drunk

Equal parts soul, funk, R&B and punk, Thundercat's third album is a masterpiece. The fusion of styles followed by his insane bass playing make for a romp through the 70's with an incredible attention to modernity. This is a light-hearted album with crazy bass lines, but my favorite part would have to be the inclusion of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on 'Show You The Way', which is in the video below.



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38. Valerie June

38. Valerie June - The Order of Time

Oh how I love this woman. After meeting her after shows, she is always one of the nicest, sweetest people in the world. This is her second album after that incredible debut, Pushin' Against a Stone, which you can see here. If you haven't sat down with Valerie June, make it a date now. Her music is infectious and her gospelesque vocals will have you singing along in no time.



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39. The Shins

39. The Shins - Heartworms

It's really only the fifth album from James Mercer's The Shins. Instantly classic and new all at once, this album is his second album since returning after a decade, and this one is five years since Port of Morrow, which I wrote about here. Part of the reason there's been such a gap is that Mercer fired all his bandmates. He has done numerous side projects in the last decade, but now the 'band' is a man of one.



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40. Slowdive

40. Slowdive - Slowdive

It's not often you see a band return after 22 years, and usually the effort is less than praiseworthy. On the shoegaze band's newest self-titled, they achieve majestic glory. Neil Halstead, one of the songwriters and vocalists went on after their last album to form the incredible Mojave 3 and also had a short solo stint. Remember when I talk about a band saving their self-titled album for their masterpiece? While the Slowdive of old is fantastic, this added maturity and excellence has only brought about an album that delivers.



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41. Surfer Blood

41. Surfer Blood - Snowdonia

This is Surfer Blood's fourth album. Surfer Blood has had its share of afflictions. John Paul Pitts arrested for domestic violence in 2013 and their guitarist dying of stomach cancer at the ripe age of 27 just last year. These sort of calamities would normally bury a band, after all, it's hard enough to keep a band together as it is. But they return with an album of rather surf heavy, jangly pop rock that I found immensely refreshing from the beleaguered band.



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42. Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, James McAlister

42. Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, James McAlister - Planetarium

This sprawling work is a composition about our solar system arranged by composer, Nico Muhly. However, Sufjan Stevens seems to add a lot of his style and lyrics to the pieces, with James McAlister collaborating on percussion and Bryce Dressner of The National handling the guitars. At first I thought this album was quaint, but the more I have listened to it, the more I love it. It's definitely worth listening to as an ambient, background album, but the lyrics and Sufjan style songs are worth listening to attentively. Check out the video below from the last track, Mercury.





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43. Waxahatchee

43. Waxahatchee - Out in the Storm

Katie Crutchfield returns on her fourth album as Waxahatchee with a rousing, in your face sound. What attracted me to this artist initially was the intimacy with a heavy backhand of music that still remained incredibly subtle. She made this list with her last album, Ivy Tripp, here. Out in the Storm is the realization of an artist who has evolved from humble, raw beginnings and holding onto those as production values get better and therefore the impact of her voice and lyrics still shine through.



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44. Sheer Mag

44. Sheer Mag - Need To Feel Your Love

Unfortunately I was out of town when this band came through OKC in October. I hope you got to see them. Four of the five band members went to New York Purchase and Tina Halladay is the powerful lead. The Philadelphia based band harbor some ELO, Styx, Violent Femmes, and Queen in their up-front, powerful style. This album is a must hear before the year is over. You can listen to the entire album from their Bandcamp page below.





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45. Phoebe Bridgers

45. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps

I love when an artist pulls me into their world with a whisper. Phoebe's songs are intimate and immediate. They make me want to put on headphones and get lost for a day. This is the 23 year old's debut album and she shows an amazing maturity in her music and lyrics for being so young. She toured with Pinegrove this year, another artist who cuts to the core. Check out her website below....phoebefuckingbridgers.com!



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46. Frankie Rose

46. Frankie Rose - Cage Tropical

Frankie Rose hit my list at Number 4 back in 2012, so I had to get this album as soon as I heard it was released. Formerly of Vivian Girls and Dum Dum Girls, this new venture has some of the earmarks of Interstellar, while producing a heavy New Wave vibe throughout the album. It's an enjoyable listen and there's a song called Dyson Sphere, so that makes it automatically good.



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47. Austra

47. Austra - Future Politics

This album came out at the beginning of the year. In times of political unrest, the arts seem to answer back with creativity and verve. This was the first volley in that struggle. Katie Stelmanis is the lead for this electronic group and while her work has always been grounded in politics, the Canadian had the prescience to produce this album before knowing the results of our current commander in chief. Check out the title track in the video below.



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48. Cigarettes After Sex

48. Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex

I have been following these guys since their EP release in 2012 and am loving the debut. They are a four piece that comes to us from El Paso, Texas via Brooklyn, New York. Ambient, electronic wonderment, it's a genre I am fond of and am always looking for someone to do it well. Their Youtube presence has led to international tours before their first album was even released.



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49. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings

49. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Soul of a Woman

The only reason this posthumous album is so far down on the list is that it was released just two weeks ago. I've only had time to listen to it twice and of course, have enjoyed it immensely. Sharon Jones left us last November, but this album had already been in the works. I'm grateful that we get to hear her kill it one more time and am deeply saddened that this is all there will ever be. If you were lucky enough to see her live, you know what an incredible, powerful performer she was. Cheers Ms. Jones.



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50. Amber Coffman

50. Amber Coffman - City of No Reply

You may remember Amber Coffman from the band, Dirty Projectors. Her break-up with bandmate Dave Longstreth in 2012 led to the genesis of this album with Longstreth, in fact, as the producer. It was supposed to be a break for the band with she and him both doing solo albums and leaving the fate of the band up in the air. After this album was finished, however, they stopped talking and now there's a new Dirty Projectors album out there. Both albums are break up albums. Coffman's is laden with 90's R&B juxtaposed with a bright, poppy background. Many of her former bandmates helped out with instrumentation and back up vocals.



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The Top 50 of 2017

Wow, I completely forgot that I punted last year and dropped the list all at once. However, that reminded me how much I enjoy writing about and listening to each album on the way to Number One. This has been an amazing year of music, with many bands coming back from the dead to release albums, and lots of incredible newcomers and some bands putting out the best albums of their careers. If you would like to see every post, hit follow below or follow me on Facebook and/or twitter @winedr.