Best New Albums of 2017 *

Love that track..but found the last album a bit bland / samey. Will definitely watch out for the new one though.

 

Crystal Fairy

 

Garth Knox's installment of Zorn's Masada Book II: Book of Angels

Leonard

 

....I'm putting this up here. This has me all wigged out in a good way! Love this album!

...and look at that awesome cover art. I kinda knew it was going to be a killer album just from that.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Flying Microtonal Banana
Released 2/24/17



King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Nuclear Fusion (Official Audio)

 

If the cover art doesn't grab you, the band and album name will.

 

Very enjoyable indie pop album from Ms Nelson.

 

I absolutely agree. I would have laughed you out of the room if you had told me 10 years ago that R&B would be the most exciting genre in music in 2017, but that's exactly what's happened over the past few years.

 

Me like.

 

Another new release I bought over the weekend, Krokofant III. I've only listened once but IMO this is their best release yet. They are a Norwegian trio with guitar, reeds and drums playing a combo of free jazz with metal guitar.

 

I'm listening to that, pretty fun retro sound. Almost like a faceless Pink Floyd (Alan Parsons Project?) at times.

 

Fans of the Mitski record last year will probably really like the new one by Vagabon called Infinite Worlds. Laetitia Tamko is the force, and she does move through the genres, even some dreamy synth waves come along surprisingly in the middle of the record with "Mal à L'aise", though always keeping that emotional side of indie rock in sight, some Cat Power Moon Pix era sound in some of the songs, including the reflective "Alive and Well" closer. Pretty cool record, very short at under 30 minutes and 8-songs, EP territory for most artists now, but it's a pretty strong statement through the end. Sound isn't quite as loud as the Mitski record, coming in at DR8 overall, bolstered a bit by the aforementioned synth song and the closer, both DR11. Pretty listenable, though intentionally overdriven at times. Not sure it's really quite the near perfect record the AV Club review below would have you believe, but I like what she's doing, even if not the most original sound around today.



Vagabon’s Infinite Worlds is a flawless, genre-hopping debut

 

Baba Zula "XX"

 

I just posted all about it here: Acceptance "Colliding by Design" and the 12 year gap

 

Agreed on Moon Duo - "Occult Vol. 1" - maybe my favorite release thus far, but I am also really enjoying:

Courtneys "II"
Meatbodies "Alice" (dated 2016, but released in Jan 2017 I believe).

-kl

 

I'll have to check out the Courtneys record, but I'm with you on the Meatbodies. I thought it was a huge improvement on their already solid debut and I was surprised to see the cold shoulder from Pitchfork (considering how much they usually fawn over that whole SoCal Segall/Cronin/Dwyer garage rock axis). A rare example of the psych being perfectly integrated.

I'm going to have to also second the love for The Feelies new record and shine some love for the great new Six Organs of Admittance record as well.

 

I've been enjoying these ~

the sadies – northern passages
son volt – notes of blue
bash & pop – anything could happen
chuck prophet – bobby fuller died for your sins
dan baird - solow
tony molina – confront the truth
father john misty – pure comedy

 

There's been quite a few 2017 LP's i've been enjoying so far:

The XX - I See You
Ryan Adams - Prisoner
Ty Segall - self titled
Thievery Corporation - The Temple of I & I
Son Volt - Notes of Blue
SOHN - Rennen
Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway
Old 97's - Graveyard Whistling
Jesca Hoop - Memories Are Now
Grails - Chalice Hymnal
Elbow - Little Fictions
Catch The Crackle - For What?
Bonobo - Migration
All Them Witches - Sleeping Through The War

 

The Aimee Mann and New Pornographers albums are both fantastic. (Full disclosure: I wrote press bios for both of them. But I would think this anyway.)

 

Tim Bowness

Lost in the Ghostlight

 

New releases from Sleaford Mods and Temples dropping tomorrow

 

I am loving the new Son Volt...classic Farrar song writing with the guitar turned up to 11.

 

I love the new record from this artist named Vagabon called Infinite Words.

 

A lovely discovery this week via Ralph Hopper's Acoustic Frontiers podcast. At the more avant-garde/modern classical end of things, I'm utterly loving the new album by the Quasar Saxophone Quartet -
De souffles et de machines.

De souffles et de machines, by Quasar quatuor de saxophones

Wonderful explorations of tone, timbre and space. For saxophones and electronics.

 

YES! This album is amazing! I've been playing it ad nauseam. I've got the vinyl on pre-order through Amazon. Can't wait.

My pick for best album of 2017 so far is Thievery Corporation's album The Temple of I & I.