Phil's Top Ten Albums of 2017

 2017 was a year of change--much of it bad (pretty much everything political, other than the reawakening of liberal activism), and some of it good (new job, etc.). It was also a pretty good year for music. So here's my top 10 (with four bonus albums) for 2017:

  1. Sylvan Esso "What Now" (alt rock/electro-pop--I've been wanting this album for like two years now and it's finally out and so so good)
  2. The xx "I See You" (alt rock--a lot of people knock this album, but I think it shows an interesting evolution for their sound, post Jamie xx's solo works)
  3. SZA "Ctrl" (R&B--been a fan of her projects for some time, but only heard this album in its entirety like a week ago)
  4. Jidenna "The Chief" (hip hop)
  5. The War on Drugs "A Deeper Understanding" (alt rock--think 1980s Grateful Dead)
  6. Jaymes Young "Feel Something" (best surprising live opener of 2017)
  7. Gorillaz "Humanz" (alt rock/electro-pop/????)
  8. The National "Sleep Well Beast" (alt rock--not their best album, but that's a damned high bar)
  9. Kendrick Lamar "Damn" (hip-hop/rap--not up to Butterfly standards, but still good)
  10. The Chainsmokers "Memories . . . Do Not Open" (mostly mindless EDM/pop)

Honorable mention:

  • Kaskade "Kaskade Christmas" (Christmas music. Which normally I intensely dislike. The fact that I like this really weirds me out)
  • This is the Kit "Moonshine Freeze" (Alt rock--second best surprise live opener of 2017)
  • Vallis Alps "Fable - EP" (???)
  • ODESZA "A Moment Apart" (EDM--good, but unrealistic expectations based on his last album)

So, music loving friends and family: what did I miss this year?

[Editor's note: I spend a surprising amount of time looking for these through my FB archive over the years, so I'm dropping these here mostly for my own ease of use.

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