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.

My Top 50 Albums of 2016

In the past, I have spaced out each album, discussing their merits one by one, building to a suspenseful climax. However, due to my hectic schedule this year, much to the dismay or applause of many, this list gets released all at once. You'll have to take the time to listen to these on your own. My highlights start with Number One. King Charles. This album is so incredible, with Marcus Mumford as the producer. It's a plunge to the depths of emotion, with that famous Mumford build song after song. Both Radical Face and Damien Jurado finished off their Triology of albums they had been working on to artistic purity of form. Discovering Michael Kiwanuka's soul was incredible and should be explored by all. Japanese Breakfast and Car Seat Headrest broke all the boundaries. SURVIVE brought us the amazing intro to Stranger Things and produced an equally enticing album. I think Jim James and Devendra Banhardt may have put out the best albums of their career. Pinegrove and Lucy Dacus produced some newcomer surprise and Radiohead did not disappoint with their ninth studio album. Finally, David Bowies' precognitive work needs no mention. Here they are in all their glory. Enjoy, and here's to another year of great music.

1. King Charles - Gamble For A Rose
2. Radical Face - The Family Tree: The Leaves (definitely check out parts 1 & 2, but this is definitely the best)
3. Damien Jurado - Visions Of Us On The Land
4. Andrew Bird - Are You Serious?
5. Devendra Banhart - Ape In Pink Marble
6. SURVIVE - RR7349
7. Jim James - Eternally Even
8. David Bowie - Blackstar
9. Johnnyswim - Georgica Pond
10. Okkervil River - Away
11. Ra Ra Riot - Need Your Light
12. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
13. Bon Iver - 22, A Million
14. The Avalanches - Wildflower
15. The Head and the Heart - Signs of Light
16. Japanese Breakfast - Psycho Pomp
17. Hamilton Leithauser & Rostam - I Had A Dream You Were Mine
18. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide To Earth
19. Angel Olsen - My Woman
20. Little Green Cars - Ephemera
21. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
22. Warpaint - Heads Up
23. Michael Kiwanuka - Love & Hate
24. Wye Oak - Tween
25. Kishi Bashi - Sonderlust
26. Fruit Bats - Absolute Loser
27. Blind Pilot - And Then Like Lions
28. Caveman - Otero War
29. The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come To Expect
30. Lucy Dacus - No Burden
31. Joseph - I'm Alone, No You're Not
32. Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
33. Miike Snow - iii
34. M. Ward - More Rain
35. Junius Meyvant - Floating Harmonies
36. Lambchop - FLOTUS (For Love Often Turns Us Still)
37. Lucius - Good Grief
38. Jabee - Black Future
39. case/lang/veirs - case/lang/veirs
40. Pinegrove - Cardinal
41. Cullen Omori - New Misery
42. Empire of the Sun - Two Vines
43. Passenger - Young As The Morning, Old As The Sea
44. Big Thief - Masterpiece
45. Beach Slang - A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
46. James Vincent McMorrow - We Move
47. Radiation City - Synesthetica
48. Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - Until The Hunter
49. Animal Collective - Painting With
50. The Darcy's - Centerfold

Here's a playlist to throw on repeat.