#21

Would round off my top 10 with:

Arto Lindsay - Ciudado Madame
Kendrick Lamar - Damn
Big Thief - Capacity
Mind Over Mirrors - Undying Color

#22

You did.

#23

Still can’t figure this out, my list has completely changed in the past week with Priests jumping up from #8 to pretty much a lock at #2 and Phoebe Bridgers soaring from outside my top ten to a possible top 5 spot. To include her, one of the National, Mogwai, or Meat Wave would have to go. I guess it’s a good problem to have.

#24

I’ve needed the end of year lists to reach five albums I’ve loved this year. There’s been plenty I have thought were decent, but the overwhelming theme for me has been artists whose work I usually enjoy releasing work that is amongst my least favourite of their output: Arcade Fire, Actress, Run the Jewels, St. Vincent, Fever Ray, LCD Soundsystem, Mogwai, Four Tet, Björk and Elbow are ten of my favourite artists, would consider that an instant buy festival line-up, but each of their albums this year just made me wish I was listening to something else they’ve recorded.

King Gizzard and Mario Batkovic currently looking like making my top 5 even though only listened to first this week, but trying to listen to a few more I might have missed along the way before I vote.

#25

thought the Four Tet album was his best since There Is Love In You; really love the new LCD having tempered my expectations beforehand; currently think RTJ3 might be their strongest but that’s probably because it was my proper intro to them.

agree on Mogwai though, i’m glad to see it’s gone down well but personally didn’t grab me in the same way as an album like Hardcore (aside from a couple of particularly great highlights). and obviously Arcade Fire, even though i don’t really hate it as much as everyone else.

#26

have just stuck this album on for the first time (saw the band name in HMV a few times and made me squeamishly wince). this is proper great.

(replied in here to try and keep the other thread nice and clean)

#27

I think I heard them first on Vic Galloway’s radio show around April or so and have been enjoying them ever since. Yeah, the name could be better.

The Leaf Label comes up good again.

#28

It’s not a bad name really but I feel a bit unwell thinking about broken bones!

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#29

@woweezowee Your top 2 is pretty much the ultimate advert for the Jane Weaver album. It sounds lovely - those harmonies on Did You See Butterflies :heart_eyes:

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#30

I must admit I quite like your top 2 as well! :sunglasses:

I don’t know your other three nominations, so sounds like it would be a good idea for me to check them out.

Yeah, the Jane Weaver album is lovely - the steady pulse and synthy flourishes on The Architect are another highlight from it. It’s tighter and more krautrocky than Silver Globe and Amber Light. Probably a good half way point between the etherealness of Julie Byrne & the full bombast of EE thinking about it.

Are you a fan of the Future Islands LP at all? It’s been a bit of a lazy sunday morning record in our house this year. It initially has all these catchy pop melodies and synth/bass lines bouncing off each other and feels like a fun album - but then on closer listen it’s a pretty haunting take on love/loss/restlessness/growing old. Really gives the record some depth and longevity imo.

#31

Not listened to Future Islands, but will check it out.

Of my other 3…
Deafcult sit at the heavier end of shoegaze. Judy is one of my favourite songs of the year.
Hotel Neon - ambient loveliness
Bola - Ambient techno

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#32

Musically I’m feeling this, but his voice is grating on me. He sounds like the love child of James Blunt and Billy Idol. Might be one of those which takes a while to get used to?

#33

stuck together a bunch of my favourite stuff from 2017

not really a ‘best of’ though—struggling to compare things even more than usual this year.

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#34

Yes, his vocals are definitely an acquired taste. They may take time, but I could also see that they’re just not for some people. For me they’re part of the charm - it could all get a bit smooth and MOR if they had a proper singer!

There’s a nice parallel between a song on there called Beauty of the Road and _I Live Now As a Singer_on Julie Byrne’s record with both considering the personal cost of their chosen career/lifestyle.

Thanks for the extra info on your other three. I heard a bit of Deafcult this morning, which I enjoyed - nice big wall of sound. I see Amazon are currently selling their CD at a very reasonable £42.59…

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#35

Struggling a bit with my top 10 at the moment. Got a few kicking about, but feels a bit…ehhh. Found that there’s loads of stuff I’ve bought but only listened to once or so, which is a bit…shit.

#36

So since October half term I have been having a ‘listen off’ pairing my favourite 64 records of the year off against each other randomly with the winner going through to the next round.
It’s ended up taking over a fair bit of this thread https://community.drownedinsound.com/t/album-of-the-year-2017-so-far/13844/198
It’s been a pretty fun way of deciding that the best record released all year belongs to Julien Baker! I think I will do this against next year :slight_smile:

4 Likes
#37

Weird this year as I’ve basically got nothing. Usually I have a solid one and two that are locks nearly as soon as I’ve heard them. This year , there’s lots of albums I’ve thought “that was pretty good” but nothing that jumped out as an AOTY. I think part of the issue is having lots of albums I’ve only listened to one or twice. Going to have to do some listening to put a top 5 together or maybe just not vote at all.

Realize this is a bit of a ‘cool story bro’ nothing post but anyone else in this kind of situation?

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#38

I hear you on this. There’s about 3 stand outs, but not much else - it’s all “that’s good…” but I dunno. Weird year, might have to just bodge something together i think. My top 10 for my own site is becoming a bit of a nightmare atm.

#39

Lovely work @Scagden

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#40

why don’t you just kiss

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